Learning from others

When people disagree over an issue, sides are taken and other viewpoints are disregarded. People create their specific group and those who believe the same ideas will join that group and then "tag" themselves as just that. Now there are plenty of topics I could discuss from here, but the reason for this entry is to focus on a variety of denominations that have come out of Christianity. In doing this, I do not plan to side with any one denomination nor to offend anyone in making comparisons. What I do wish to do is learn about what different denominations think about certain doctrines or topics in Christianity.

I have been raised in a Baptist church most of my life and so my beliefs on key doctrines from the Bible have been influenced by that denomination. In saying that, I'm not going to compare everything back to "Baptist" but to what I particularly believe in. I do not label myself as Baptist but as a Christian who believes in God as the creator of this universe, his son, Jesus, who gave his life so that mine could be saved from the last death, the infallible truth that is the Bible and the living word of God (its translation I do believe changes over time through different generations) and my eternal life after death in heaven living with God. I am firm in my beliefs, and I do not plan to change those by exploring what others have to say. I am not wearing blinders; I am open to new opinions. I want to learn what others believe. But my basic doctrinal beliefs will not change.

In saying all of this, over the course of this semester I plan on attending a variety of churches in my town. Each week after I have attended another service I will log onto here and write about my experience. I want this to be my journal, and I would like for other people to read my thoughts and to perhaps add their own. Again, I am doing this because I am open to new ideas, and thus, I want to learn those new opinions that are not my own. I want to erase the prejudice boundary in my mind that separates different denominations. By going to these churches, I hope I can learn a little more about myself and what I believe in, plus strengthen my own beliefs in the process.