Cuts me down the middle
More and more lately, I feel like I'm being pushed in the direction of being baptized. In all my studies, the subject keeps coming up consistently. I feel like God is telling me "Go for it." But now I'm feeling torn betwixt to churches. I asked the Pastor from the Lutheran Church I go to about being immersed and he said its okay, but that the church is not doing that. I feel like I should be immersed. I think I should actually be buried in the water and then reborn from it. The Scripture doesn't say how someone should be baptized exactly, but I feel like, if I'm going to do it, I'm going to go all the way under, all the way into it. After all, I'm living life at 160bpm and I want to do what God tells me to do with fervor. I recently got connected with a lot of great people from this other Church and I like to visit that Church for Sunday Evening Services. They're all about following the scriptures and Jesus and the two sacrements, but when I asked the Lutheran Pastor if the Lutheran Church would except me being baptized at the other church because they do immersion, he said it wouldn't be wrong, but it is strange that I would be baptized in a Church that isn't the one I normally go to. This and other reasons are causing me to question this Lutheran Church and the Pastor. The communion policy here is that you must be a confirmed member to take the Lord's Supper. Last time I checked, Jesus did not say "...This do in remembrance of me, but only if you're confirmed?" Is it right to deny someone the Lord's Supper because they aren't confirmed? Something about that rubs me the wrong way. I think someone should understand what the Lord's Supper is about and take it seriously when they partake of it, but what if someone has been taking the Lord's Supper for years and has learned the theology, is it right to deny that person the Lord's Supper because they aren't a member of the particular church they are visiting that day?
These two churches are so far very consistent in following the scriptures, the difference is that the Pastor of the Lutheran church has implied to me that non-denominational churches don't really stand for anything and that multi-denominations serve only to divide Jesus. He told me if this other Church is consistent, then why don't they become Lutherans? I was used to him being very calm and collected about delivering the word of God, but during this conversation, he became fiery and evangelical. Its only a matter of time before people reveal their true colours to me, I've noticed. I'm really torn between these two Churches right now. I want to be Baptized and immersed at that, but the Church where I want to do that is not Lutheran and may be wrong, according to the Lutheran Pastor. How do we know who is wrong? How can we be sure who is right? There are so many different interpretations of the scripture. People like Charles Manson, who were clearly wrong, used the scripture to support and rationalize what they were doing. Every Church thinks they have it right. I need to reexamine my reasons for going to the Lutheran Church. Does my conscience tell me to do this? Martin Luther himself went by what his conscience said. I'm really confused about this whole thing. He seemed like he was trying to manipulate me and sway me. The great thing about being basically a visitor to both Churches is that I'm unbiased either way. The nondenominational church seems a bit loose about some things, but why are they loose? I'm so used to communion being administered at the altar by ordained preists, pastors, or ministers, but where in the scripture does it say that that is the way it is supposed to be done? Jesus said to take and eat the bread because it is his body and to drink the wine because it is his blood and to do it in remembrance of him. He didn't say that it had to be wine and not grape juice. Does it matter whether it is wine or grape juice? I keep asking God to tell me what I should do. Which Church should I go to or if is it a different one entirely? I feel more of a fellowship at the non-denominational Church because I know more people there and the services are more moving and inspiring. But the Lutheran Church is well established, well organized, and has been around for several hundred years. If they were wrong, there would have been drastic changes and perhaps a dissolution. If they had been doing rituals that weren't in the scriptures or abusing power or putting forth ideas contradictory to that of God, surely they would not have lasted and maintained cohesion, would they? Both churches are very consistent with each other on many things, except that the non-denominational one is more inclusive and welcoming. This does not mean they compromise teachings of the scripture or anything that Jesus teaches, this means that they go by what the scripture says without aligning themselves with a denomination. "Well what do you stand for then?" the Lutheran Pastor asked. "Some churches brag about how they don't put themselves into a denomination or how they follow Jesus and not Martin Luther" I was shocked. He was implying things about this other church without actually having been there or looked into it. He also had the audacity to suggest I bring him some literature about the doctrine of the church. For what purpose? So he can tell me if its okay to go there? So he can pick through it to see if anything isn't consistent with what Martin Luther said or with his interpretation of the Scriptures? I think God is the only one who can tell me those things. I think I will look further into this other church, but I will continue to attend the Adult Info Class at the Lutheran church so I can learn more about communion. It all depends on what God tells me, really. God speaks, but am I listening? I must look to the scripture and if I have any questions, I can ask God.
Wow, this has been a long entry. No wonder no one reads my journal. But thats good, it means I can write anything I want. Actually, its refreshing. I really only pay attention to comments when they're hateful and insulting. Those are the funny ones. I wish some Atheist would happen upon my journal and rail against me for turning my back on Atheism and becoming Christian. I wish someone would tell me how bad my music is. I listen to trance, hardcore techno, thrash metal, classical, classical/ thrash metal fusion, christian music, smooth jazz, Japanese Pop, classic rock, and some other genres that people would tell me are bad. Whatever. I don't care. I don't care about all the stupid drama. Oh no, someone disagreed with my choice of music and left an angry disagreeable comment in my live journal. Oh no, someone didn't put me on their Friends List, whatever the heck that is, and i'd better block that person. Oh no, someone isn't reading my journal, i'd better ignore that person and not read theirs, just to get even in some petty and small way. This journal is a bunch of rantings. I write what I feel like writing. No one will be forced to read it. And whats up with DI FM skipping on me? is 20k not a crappy enough connection? is it not a slow enough stream? what if I had the option of choosing a 10k connection, would it still skip and my dial up be to slow to do anything still? Its never good enough is it? My computer is never fast enough. The stream only skips during the good songs. I'm so tired of this brameness. Brame, thats another thing. I can use all kinds of Esoteric terminologies and no one will bother to ask about it because this journal is like talking to wall paper. I'm basically talking to myself anyway. I love it. I can be as crazy as I want and theres no consequences. Theres no one to tell me "I'm okay with the Ryan situation, but do you have to say weird things to my friends like 'I heard you got excepted to harvard'" This entry is so long by now that it will be a blessing if it gets posted in its entirety without incurring technical difficulties or being deleted. Just to make sure, I will copy the entirety of the entry to a word document before I post it so that if something brame happens, I can just past and post until it works. How do like them apples? their the kind of apples that are mushy and rotten. Yeah, tough guy, you eat those mushy, rotten, God forsaken apples. You like that tough guy? you like those apples? In other news I beat Halo 2. The ending sets it up for the inevitable Halo 3. Halo and Halo 2 are hugely successful, why would they stop there?
I need to stop typing, but my mind is racing at 160 bpm and I'm not on drugs, so I really have no excuse.
God bless
Jesus rules
These two churches are so far very consistent in following the scriptures, the difference is that the Pastor of the Lutheran church has implied to me that non-denominational churches don't really stand for anything and that multi-denominations serve only to divide Jesus. He told me if this other Church is consistent, then why don't they become Lutherans? I was used to him being very calm and collected about delivering the word of God, but during this conversation, he became fiery and evangelical. Its only a matter of time before people reveal their true colours to me, I've noticed. I'm really torn between these two Churches right now. I want to be Baptized and immersed at that, but the Church where I want to do that is not Lutheran and may be wrong, according to the Lutheran Pastor. How do we know who is wrong? How can we be sure who is right? There are so many different interpretations of the scripture. People like Charles Manson, who were clearly wrong, used the scripture to support and rationalize what they were doing. Every Church thinks they have it right. I need to reexamine my reasons for going to the Lutheran Church. Does my conscience tell me to do this? Martin Luther himself went by what his conscience said. I'm really confused about this whole thing. He seemed like he was trying to manipulate me and sway me. The great thing about being basically a visitor to both Churches is that I'm unbiased either way. The nondenominational church seems a bit loose about some things, but why are they loose? I'm so used to communion being administered at the altar by ordained preists, pastors, or ministers, but where in the scripture does it say that that is the way it is supposed to be done? Jesus said to take and eat the bread because it is his body and to drink the wine because it is his blood and to do it in remembrance of him. He didn't say that it had to be wine and not grape juice. Does it matter whether it is wine or grape juice? I keep asking God to tell me what I should do. Which Church should I go to or if is it a different one entirely? I feel more of a fellowship at the non-denominational Church because I know more people there and the services are more moving and inspiring. But the Lutheran Church is well established, well organized, and has been around for several hundred years. If they were wrong, there would have been drastic changes and perhaps a dissolution. If they had been doing rituals that weren't in the scriptures or abusing power or putting forth ideas contradictory to that of God, surely they would not have lasted and maintained cohesion, would they? Both churches are very consistent with each other on many things, except that the non-denominational one is more inclusive and welcoming. This does not mean they compromise teachings of the scripture or anything that Jesus teaches, this means that they go by what the scripture says without aligning themselves with a denomination. "Well what do you stand for then?" the Lutheran Pastor asked. "Some churches brag about how they don't put themselves into a denomination or how they follow Jesus and not Martin Luther" I was shocked. He was implying things about this other church without actually having been there or looked into it. He also had the audacity to suggest I bring him some literature about the doctrine of the church. For what purpose? So he can tell me if its okay to go there? So he can pick through it to see if anything isn't consistent with what Martin Luther said or with his interpretation of the Scriptures? I think God is the only one who can tell me those things. I think I will look further into this other church, but I will continue to attend the Adult Info Class at the Lutheran church so I can learn more about communion. It all depends on what God tells me, really. God speaks, but am I listening? I must look to the scripture and if I have any questions, I can ask God.
Wow, this has been a long entry. No wonder no one reads my journal. But thats good, it means I can write anything I want. Actually, its refreshing. I really only pay attention to comments when they're hateful and insulting. Those are the funny ones. I wish some Atheist would happen upon my journal and rail against me for turning my back on Atheism and becoming Christian. I wish someone would tell me how bad my music is. I listen to trance, hardcore techno, thrash metal, classical, classical/ thrash metal fusion, christian music, smooth jazz, Japanese Pop, classic rock, and some other genres that people would tell me are bad. Whatever. I don't care. I don't care about all the stupid drama. Oh no, someone disagreed with my choice of music and left an angry disagreeable comment in my live journal. Oh no, someone didn't put me on their Friends List, whatever the heck that is, and i'd better block that person. Oh no, someone isn't reading my journal, i'd better ignore that person and not read theirs, just to get even in some petty and small way. This journal is a bunch of rantings. I write what I feel like writing. No one will be forced to read it. And whats up with DI FM skipping on me? is 20k not a crappy enough connection? is it not a slow enough stream? what if I had the option of choosing a 10k connection, would it still skip and my dial up be to slow to do anything still? Its never good enough is it? My computer is never fast enough. The stream only skips during the good songs. I'm so tired of this brameness. Brame, thats another thing. I can use all kinds of Esoteric terminologies and no one will bother to ask about it because this journal is like talking to wall paper. I'm basically talking to myself anyway. I love it. I can be as crazy as I want and theres no consequences. Theres no one to tell me "I'm okay with the Ryan situation, but do you have to say weird things to my friends like 'I heard you got excepted to harvard'" This entry is so long by now that it will be a blessing if it gets posted in its entirety without incurring technical difficulties or being deleted. Just to make sure, I will copy the entirety of the entry to a word document before I post it so that if something brame happens, I can just past and post until it works. How do like them apples? their the kind of apples that are mushy and rotten. Yeah, tough guy, you eat those mushy, rotten, God forsaken apples. You like that tough guy? you like those apples? In other news I beat Halo 2. The ending sets it up for the inevitable Halo 3. Halo and Halo 2 are hugely successful, why would they stop there?
I need to stop typing, but my mind is racing at 160 bpm and I'm not on drugs, so I really have no excuse.
God bless
Jesus rules