ntchristian
Active Member
First, I want to say thanks for the participation in my last thread. I'm sorry I had to leave it suddenly. Most of the replies were helpful and encouraging, except from one member, whom I misjudged -- I thought he was a good person. He had helped me previously.
Anyway, to kind of pick up where I left off: The doctrine of the atonement in Protestantism has been my biggest obstacle to becoming a Protestant. While my view is accepted, it is a minority view in much of Protestantism. But I have realized also that while atonement doctrine is a major hurdle in my joining a Protestant church, the entire soteriology of Western Christianity is a problem for me. Christianity and Judaism are Eastern religions in origin and mindset. I believe that when Christianity became established in the West, it became changed into something different -- "another gospel". The soteriology of the West is very different from that of the East, and by the West I mean both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. I don't trust or hold to any doctrine that cannot be established from the first century, NT church. That includes some things in Orthodoxy but many more in Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. These latter two are overwhelmingly based on a legalist view of God, humanity, and salvation.
So, I despair of finding a home in Protestantism. It seems so foreign to me, and so far away from early Christianity. I have thought that some form of Anabaptism might work for me, such as Mennonites, but they don't have any churches where I now live. They wouldn't be a perfect fit, but then no denomination would. As for Baptists, I don't know. I agree with Baptist ecclesiology and the Baptist distinctives, but I have major disagreements, too, as I find that Baptists, or most anyway, have the Western mindset that other Protestants have with regard to soteriology.
Maybe, as was suggested in my previous thread, a compromise for me would be to just attend some local church but not formally join. But then I want to be baptized by immersion. I was set to do that, and join a local church, when the pandemic hit. The pandemic has been terrible, but it gave me some more time, needed time, to further think this out -- not that I have come to any firm solution.
In short, I feel like an outcast, and one who may never find a church home, which saddens me tremendously. I have prayed and prayed about this and sought an answer, but none has been forthcoming. I really don't know what to do next. For a brief, fleeting moment, I thought of moving back to the big city and becoming Orthodox again, but I know I could never do that, as I have come too far and discovered too much -- I cannot go back, physically or spiritually. I simply ask now that you all keep me in your prayers. For that, I will be thankful.
Anyway, to kind of pick up where I left off: The doctrine of the atonement in Protestantism has been my biggest obstacle to becoming a Protestant. While my view is accepted, it is a minority view in much of Protestantism. But I have realized also that while atonement doctrine is a major hurdle in my joining a Protestant church, the entire soteriology of Western Christianity is a problem for me. Christianity and Judaism are Eastern religions in origin and mindset. I believe that when Christianity became established in the West, it became changed into something different -- "another gospel". The soteriology of the West is very different from that of the East, and by the West I mean both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. I don't trust or hold to any doctrine that cannot be established from the first century, NT church. That includes some things in Orthodoxy but many more in Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. These latter two are overwhelmingly based on a legalist view of God, humanity, and salvation.
So, I despair of finding a home in Protestantism. It seems so foreign to me, and so far away from early Christianity. I have thought that some form of Anabaptism might work for me, such as Mennonites, but they don't have any churches where I now live. They wouldn't be a perfect fit, but then no denomination would. As for Baptists, I don't know. I agree with Baptist ecclesiology and the Baptist distinctives, but I have major disagreements, too, as I find that Baptists, or most anyway, have the Western mindset that other Protestants have with regard to soteriology.
Maybe, as was suggested in my previous thread, a compromise for me would be to just attend some local church but not formally join. But then I want to be baptized by immersion. I was set to do that, and join a local church, when the pandemic hit. The pandemic has been terrible, but it gave me some more time, needed time, to further think this out -- not that I have come to any firm solution.
In short, I feel like an outcast, and one who may never find a church home, which saddens me tremendously. I have prayed and prayed about this and sought an answer, but none has been forthcoming. I really don't know what to do next. For a brief, fleeting moment, I thought of moving back to the big city and becoming Orthodox again, but I know I could never do that, as I have come too far and discovered too much -- I cannot go back, physically or spiritually. I simply ask now that you all keep me in your prayers. For that, I will be thankful.