So what religion are you?

[prisonchaplain]

I was teaching an adult Sunday School class this week, and the question came up: So, what should I say when people ask what religion I am?" The question really got me to thinking, because we've had numerous strings here with titles like:

Are Mormons Christians?

What is a Christian?

Mormon or LDS?

The word Protestant sounds more like a protestor, than a Christian who's not Catholic. Also, many Latinos dislike the word for it's anti-Catholic nuance (even if they aren't Catholic, they have family who are).

Evangelical has become overly vague, as well. Am I the Bible-believing, fundamentalist kind? Seeker-sensitive? Post-modern? etc.

"Bible-believer" has an aggressive "thumper" nuance to many. Some identify it with a narrow, anti-science, anti-intellectual 'tude.

So all this is running through my head (in a matter of about 10-seconds, mind you), and I finally answered, "I'd tell them I'm Assemblies of God." My reasoning:

In the Pacific Northwest most do not know what that is. If they are curious, they will ask, and I get to offer my definition.

Even where people have preconceptions, they will usually ask, "Does that mean you believe . . . ?" Then I get to explain.

So, how do you answer this question, and what kind of responses do you get?

[beefche]

I always answer, "I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most know us as Mormons." Most people do not recognize the actual title of the Church, but they recognize the title "Mormon."

I get a variety of responses. Some nod their heads and quickly change the subject or walk away. Some ask questions of the various misconceptions (how many husbands do you have? how many wives does your husband have? don't you have some kind of weird health code?"). Some say they have always had questions about my religion and if I would mind answering some.

I will say that my bff from high school is Nazarene. Whenever I've been around and someone asks her what religion, she say's "Christian." Then if someone continues to question, she says she goes to Southside Church of the Nazarene. Just an interesting observation to me.

[Wingnut]

I've always been stuck on the "my church shall be called" (emphasis mine) statement, that we should refer to the LDS Church by its full title. Naturally, I have found that when people ask what church I go to, they've already moved on by the time I finish saying it, and clarifying with "the Mormons." It's been a weird mental adjustment for me, and I always pause now before answering, but now I tell people I'm Mormon, or that I attend the Mormon Church. In writing, I typically try to use LDS Church.

[Jennarator]

♪♫ I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ OF Latter Day Saints ♪♫ I Know who I am, I know God's plan, I'll follow him in faith! ♫♪♫♪

Sorry, been teaching primary for too many years. I think I'm ready for a different calling.....

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

Jesus is just all right with me.

[slamjet]

♪♫ I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ OF Latter Day Saints ♪♫ I Know who I am, I know God's plan, I'll follow him in faith! ♫♪♫♪

Sorry, been teaching primary for too many years. I think I'm ready for a different calling.....

You beat me to it

I'm in between lifestyles but I always say "I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." Then they look at me all cross-eyed and I say "you know, the Mormons." Then they go "Ok." Then they look at me all cross-eyed again because I'm like the worst example of one. Then I'm like "I'm probably the most imperfect one you know..." Then they are all like, "No kidding." Then I'm like "But I'm working on my repentance." Then they are like "Ok... How about them Lakers?" Then it's like done, for now.

[applepansy]

♪♫ I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ OF Latter Day Saints ♪♫ I Know who I am, I know God's plan, I'll follow him in faith! ♫♪♫♪

Sorry, been teaching primary for too many years. I think I'm ready for a different calling.....

Love it!!!

[applepansy]

I say The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I usually get an "Oh" and that is the end of it. I wish somebody would ask questions. :)

Captain Curmudgeon... I love old rock songs. :)

[beefche]

You beat me to it

I'm in between lifestyles but I always say "I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." Then they look at me all cross-eyed and I say "you know, the Mormons." Then they go "Ok." Then they look at me all cross-eyed again because I'm like the worst example of one. Then I'm like "I'm probably the most imperfect one you know..." Then they are all like, "No kidding." Then I'm like "But I'm working on my repentance." Then they are like "Ok... How about them Lakers?" Then it's like done, for now.

Are you, like, from, like, the valley or, like, someplace like that?

[slamjet]

Are you, like, from, like, the valley or, like, someplace like that?

Actually, like, YES!

Gag me with a spoon, like, already and stuff!

[carlimac]

You beat me to it

I'm in between lifestyles but I always say "I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." Then they look at me all cross-eyed and I say "you know, the Mormons." Then they go "Ok." Then they look at me all cross-eyed again because I'm like the worst example of one. Then I'm like "I'm probably the most imperfect one you know..." Then they are all like, "No kidding." Then I'm like "But I'm working on my repentance." Then they are like "Ok... How about them Lakers?" Then it's like done, for now.

Dare I ask what "in between lifestyles" means?

[prisonchaplain]

I could go with the old, "I'm a fire-breathing, Devil-chasin', sin-destroying, Bible-believing, Holy Ghost-filled, tongue-talking, holy-roller!" Then I could get cross-eyed looks like so many of you do.

Then again...I'm not really that envious. :-)

[slamjet]

Dare I ask what "in between lifestyles" means?

Heathenism to Christian

[slamjet]

I could go with the old, "I'm a fire-breathing, Devil-chasin', sin-destroying, Bible-believing, Holy Ghost-filled, tongue-talking, holy-roller!" Then I could get cross-eyed looks like so many of you do.

Then again...I'm not really that envious. :-)

[rex8499]

I just say that I'm "LDS" and if they look confused I say "Latter Day Saint, Mormon."

Most of the mainstream Christians I know just say that they are Christian, they do not specify a denomination. The most popular exception being Catholics.

[Wingnut]

I just say that I'm "LDS" and if they look confused I say "Latter Day Saint, Mormon."

I like that. I've tried it sometimes (I know I didn't mention it earlier -- I had too many things going on in my head at that moment). I like it because it's short and concise, includes part of the Church's actual name, but also includes the colloquial.

Most of the mainstream Christians I know just say that they are Christian, they do not specify a denomination. The most popular exception being Catholics.

Odd, isn't it? I'm not sure I've ever heard a Catholic -- outside of this board -- refer to himself or herself as Christian. In fact, in many, many cases, a conversation happens like this:

"Are you Christian?"

"No, I'm Catholic."

It's always been something I've wondered about. Do Catholics not consider themselves Christian? I consider them Christian.

[prisonchaplain]

I'm told that "born again" is something many Catholics in the Philippines considered a cult. Of course, that was back in '94, and may have just been one person's observation.

[Dravin]

Odd, isn't it? I'm not sure I've ever heard a Catholic -- outside of this board -- refer to himself or herself as Christian. In fact, in many, many cases, a conversation happens like this:

"Are you Christian?"

"No, I'm Catholic."

It's always been something I've wondered about. Do Catholics not consider themselves Christian? I consider them Christian.

It may just be an acceptance that quite a lot of people when they ask if you are Christian are asking if you are a Protestant.

[pam]

Actually, like, YES!

Gag me with a spoon, like, already and stuff!

Totally

[Wingnut]

It may just be an acceptance that quite a lot of people when they ask if you are Christian are asking if you are a Protestant.

I still can't wrap my head around that. When I ask someone if they're Christian, I'm asking them if they believe in and follow Jesus Christ. I know that includes Catholics, so I can't figure out why I haven't met any Catholics who acknowledge that.

Maybe it's just me being too literal.

[dahlia]

I'm not sure I've ever heard a Catholic -- outside of this board -- refer to himself or herself as Christian. In fact, in many, many cases, a conversation happens like this:

"Are you Christian?"

"No, I'm Catholic."

It's always been something I've wondered about. Do Catholics not consider themselves Christian? I consider them Christian.

Of course Catholics consider themselves Christian. I'd go as far to say they consider themselves as 'the' Christians. When I left Catholicism, I never, ever considered joining a mainstream or Evangelical Christian church. Just wasn't going to happen. I know a lot of Catholics who haven't been in a church in years, ain't going back, but still call themselves Catholic and won't join another church, no matter how much they may like it. It's kinda like being a secular Jew - never going to synagogue, not raising your kids as Jews, but you still call yourself Jewish.

I guess I'll tell people I'm Mormon; people seem to know that term more than the full name.

[Jason_J]

It's always been something I've wondered about. Do Catholics not consider themselves Christian? I consider them Christian.

Yes of course Catholics consider themselves to be Christians (and the original ones at that). In all of my years as an active Catholic, I've never encountered anyone that said that they weren't Christian, they were Catholic. If they did, they are clearly not in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church, which considers itself to be the original Church established by Jesus Christ, and Christian. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and official compendium of the beliefs of the Catholic Church, makes extensive use of the word "Christian" to refer to itself, its members, and its practices.

Anyway, as to the OP, well I've only been LDS for about a month, and I would usually say "I'm Mormon". If someone asks me "what church do you go to?", I say "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...I'm Mormon".

[prisonchaplain]

I just visited Catholic Answers (a Catholic apologetics site very similar to FAIR). I do not link to there because they also defend themselves against LDS in a way that could be construed as ANTI. Nevertheless, I gathered from one article there that Catholics often react against labels like "born again" and "Christian" because of their link to evangelical-fundamentalist-revivalist Christianity. Like LDS, Catholics believe that salvation comes through sacrements--especially baptism. So, since they know that evangelicals do not believe this, when we ask, "Are you Christian," their answer of "No, I'm Catholic!" implies that they are not satisfied with the "Christian" (aka evangelical) understanding of the term. So, they offer a "better" answer. Catholic apologists, on the other hand, would be quick to save they are born again, saved, and Christian.

Ironically, I'm guessing some LDS would have the same feelings about this.

[carlimac]

Don't evangelicals do baptism? I know of several young people from a church called Evangelical Free Church (whatever that means) who were baptized in a lake in their swimming suits.

[Wingnut]

Ironically, I'm guessing some LDS would have the same feelings about this.

If asked if I were Christian, I'd probably respond that "I do believe in Christ, and in fact, I attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." *insert blank stare here* "The Mormons." But you're right -- I wouldn't give a flat "yes" answer.

I appreciate the responses about the Catholic vs. Christian label mentality. I served a Spanish-speaking mission in California, and met hundreds of Hispanic (mostly Mexican) Catholics, who almost invariably responded, "No, soy Católica."