honest question

[DeltAlum]

The Presbyterian Church, USA (the largest of the Pres. Denominations), calls sit baptism. There is a confirmation, with classes, during the early teen years.

The PCUSA offers Communion to any baptised Christian no matter what denomination he/she was baptised by.

[Imthachamp]

Originally posted by sigmagrrl
I have some questions:

1) Why do older Asian men walk with their arms behind their back?

i dont know, but it's pimp.

its badass and it only looks cool when they do it.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by aurora_borealis
I was cruising the ELCA site this morning and found an FAQ about the differences between the ELCA and Missouri folks.
http://www.elca.org/co/faq/elcalcms.html
They should really add in about the Wisconsin Synod folks. Back home the churches are very diverse, but still hold the original ethnic roots. It is kind of neat.

As an aside the LCM at my school is really ELCA based with an Presbyterian, Methodist, Quaker, and a Catholic thrown in, but at another nearby college their LCM is full of Wels and Missouri folks. We're discussing a bowling challenge and the losers have to make traditional Lutheran church food. I see Jello Salad and Hotdish in my future!

The Wisconsin folks are REALLY REALLY REALLY conservative. That's all I'm going to say on the subject, because we're playing nice in this thread.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Imthachamp
i dont know, but it's pimp.

its badass and it only looks cool when they do it.

Agreed. Plus if they have those catfish mustache things going on and silk outfits, I think it's even more badass.

-Rudey
--Nothin' but old asian man love here.

[navane]

I am a "non-denominational Christian" (well, my church is HQ'd out of Church of God; Anderson, Indiana in case anyone wants to know).


My understanding is that Catholics and similar denominations, such as the Church of England, practice "christening". This practice is done with an infant whereby water is sprinkled onto the head of the baby, bringing him or her into the grace of God. It is essentially baptism for infants as I do not recall Catholic believers ever having this rite with water again (maybe someone else can help me out here). Sometimes it's called "christening", sometimes it's called "baptism".


Other Protestant denominations, such as my church, do not believe that a baby is capable of making this decision for him or herself and therefore christening is not done. Instead, we practice "baby dedication" and "adult baptism".


In baby dedication, the parents present the baby to the church congregation and pledge to do their best to raise the baby in a Christian home. There is no water sprinkling involved; though some churches annoint the baby's forehead with oil. What the parents are saying is that, they will try to raise the baby with Christian ideals, but also recognize that their child will have to decide for himself when he is old enough. The event is low-key and just a short presentation during a regular church service.


My church practices adult baptism by immersion. There comes a point in time when a person decides that Jesus is the way to go and decides to pray to God to ask him for forgiveness and ask for help in leading the right kind of life - in effect, they "become a Christian". One of the next steps for new believers is to make their public statement of faith through baptism. There is no age cut-off; I've seen people as young as 13 to as old as 40+ go through baptism. They key here is for the believer to choose to do it when *he or she is ready*.


For example, being that my [Polish-American] family is Roman Catholic, I was christened in a Catholic church when I was a baby. However, my family never went to Mass (my parents were non-practicing Catholics). By my own accord, I chose to become a Christian when I was 14. Two years later I decided that I wanted to be baptized again, this time by my choice, and went through another baptism at age 16.


My church conducts baptisms during a regular church service a couple times a year. That is, people who want to be baptised usually all go on the same day. This rite usually takes place inside the church as most churches have a "baptismal" or a big jacuzzi or bathtub-like tank right in the sanctuary which is filled with warm water for this occassion. The participant steps into the water-filled baptismal with the officiating pastor. Sometimes a friend or relative goes in too for moral support or to share in the happy occassion. The participant is asked by the pastor to verbally confirm his or her faith in Jesus Christ and his or her desire to be baptised.


In line with the account of Jesus' baptism in the New Testament, the participant is gently tilted backwards by the pastor and "dunked" momentarily. Yes, that means the believer gets soaking wet! Just in case anyone is sincerely wondering, I'll add that everyone is fully clothed for this.


Of course, individual denominations will have slightly different takes on the subject. At any rate, I hope this helps further some understanding!


.....Kelly

[TigerLilly]

Originally posted by sigmagrrl
2) Why is there less personal space observed in the Asian culture? I can be walking in the gym and an Asian is righttherenexttomesocloseIcan'ttakeit...

I don't know why, but I don't think it's just Asian culture. I've been noticing it a lot in Germany too. The Europeans I've encountered stand much closer to each other when talking than I, a normal American, would do. Almost right up in each other's faces. Girls also tend to link arms or hold hands when walking down the street. It's cute and friendly. Even random strangers do it: On the bus, it's my tendency to take a seat where there's an empty seat beside me, but I've often seen people get on and take a seat right next to me even though there are many others that don't have anyone next to them.
Maybe the question should be, instead, why is there more personal space observed in American culture?

[Hootie]

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
The Wisconsin folks are REALLY REALLY REALLY conservative. That's all I'm going to say on the subject, because we're playing nice in this thread.

Yeah that's what I've heard. I was so STOKED when I saw a Lutheran church next to my apartment complex when I lived in Austin...but then I saw that it was Wisconsin Synod. I asked my mom about it and she was like, well you can go, but you're probably going to feel out of place. So...I never went.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally posted by aephi alum
I always thought Catholics called it baptism and Protestants called it christening, generally speaking.

My family here in Detroit call it Baptism. My family in New York call it Christening.

We're all Catholic.

[ZTAMich]

Originally posted by BrownEyedGirl
Actually, Catholic christening/baptism is a different thing than baptism in the Baptist church. I am a Southern Baptist, and babies who go through this similar process are "dedicated". This means, similar to the Catholic event of christening babies, that their parents are promising to raise them in a Christian household and are asking the church to help raise them as well.

"Baptism" in a Baptist church is when a person (child or adult, at whatever age they come to believe) accepts Christ and makes a symbolic "rebirth" into a new Christian life.

I hope I explained that well....

A great explination!
My Baptist church didn't do dedications when I was a youngin but they are much more popular these days and I love them. The minister at my parent's church just had his new grandchild dedicated last summer...it was such a sweet moment!

Baptism...yeah something I never got around to doing...sigh. And now that I'm attending a Presby. church in NYC I feel sooo odd when communion comes around and they ask that only baptized Christians partake...

Religous ideas and rituals fascinate me!!

[AOII_LB93]

As far as the whole Catholic baptism/christening goes, I was baptized in 98,(Yes, I chose to become Catholic, and no it was not to get married, but anyhow....) because my mom is protestant and my dad is a non practicing Catholic...anyhow...I got three sacraments in one day...baptism, confirmation, and communion. As for calling it christening, I think it's just personal preference.

As for the whole Asian people standing closer, it's not just an Asian thing. I was at Disneyland Paris when I lived in France and the concept of personal space like we know it here just does not exist there. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that there are a lot more people packed into a much smaller space.

It is also like that in the metro/tube in Paris/London, or even in movie theaters when the space cushion seat rule is violated. Case in point, I went to see a movie in France, I sat in a row all by myself in the theater...(relatively empty) and some dude just came and sat next to me, and I had no idea who he was. Anyhow, that is just the way things worked there.

It was the same on the metro, I could be sitting in a seat surrounded by empty seats and the seats near me would be empty and someone would always come sit right next to me. Maybe I just attract the strange people...

[swissmiss04]

Ok here's an "honest question" from me...What's the significance of the orange on the seder plate. I know it's not traditional, and has something to do w/ Jewish feminism, but why? I went to a couple of seders when I was younger (middle school) and never saw an orange, of course.

[Dionysus]

Ummm can someone please tell me what does "purple pu$$y" mean?

[Rudey]

Originally posted by swissmiss04
Ok here's an "honest question" from me...What's the significance of the orange on the seder plate. I know it's not traditional, and has something to do w/ Jewish feminism, but why? I went to a couple of seders when I was younger (middle school) and never saw an orange, of course.

No it was started by a bunch of Jewish feminists and signifies equality from this statement: "A woman belongs on the bimah as much as an orange belongs on the seder plate."

-Rudey
--I'd flip out if I went to a seder with oranges and had to sit with feminists.

[rainbowbrightCS]

I would also like to add, "christening" for Roman Catholic is mostly done on babies, or childrn. I was "christened" in the third grade on a Tuesday, my First Reconciliation the following Monday, then the next month my first Holy Communion. Then I was 17 when I was confirmed.

I will never have Holy Orders so the next sacrements for me are Matrimony, Anoiting of the Sick and then death rites.

The first ones are for youner people, then confirmation is like a to basicaly say " ok, my family has raised me in the Roman Catholic Church, and as an adult I agree with it. I want to be part of this faith, and I come freely on my onw accord"


::::::::::::

Ok so here is my question.
Which is the correct term:
Jew, Jewish, Hebrew, Isrealites (sp) ?

and I heard the the Jewish church believes that there was Jesus bar Joseph aka Jesus Christ. Is this true, and if it is what does the church believe?

Christia

[AGDee]

Another important distinction regarding Catholic baptism/christening is that it is "washing away" the original sin that the Roman Catholic church believes we are born with (because of Adam and Eve). That is why they feel it is important for infants to be baptized. That way, if they pass away before willingly committing themselves to a Christian/Catholic life, they are still accepting into heaven. As others have said, Confirmation is when the person is old enough to accept the Holy Spirit into their lives being knowledgable about what they are doing.

The "original sin" idea is controversial and is one of the things that people can't fathom. How can an innocent baby be sinful?

I was baptized Catholic but wasn't raised Catholic and chose to go through the sacraments of Reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation after I graduated from college. I had gone to every church I could find while in college to find where I felt most comfortable and chose Catholicism. I admit though, I don't believe that God would send a baby to Hell because it wasn't Baptized.

Also, Catholics repeat the ritual with water each time they enter the church. There are fountains or bowls of Holy Water and we "cross ourselves" with the water each time to remind us of our Baptisms. There are also other times during the year, particularly at Easter where the Priest dips a broom type thing into Holy Water and shakes it over each row in the church to remind us of our Baptism.

There were several people in my RCIA (Ritual for Christian Initiation of Adults.. the Catholic conversion process) who were baptized into other faiths and the Catholic church recognizes those Baptisms. The reason that others cannot take Communion in the Catholic church is because most other denominations (all?) take Communion as symbolic whereas Catholics believe that the bread and wine are transfigured into the body and blood of Christ during the mass. They feel it is important that the recipient of the Eucharist understands and believes this.

Dee