Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus2woman
Well Jay, your mother and I share that. I never believed in trinity or the 'mystery' theory that was used to explain it. I can remember even in catechism as a child that I did not believe that Mary or the Saints were worthy of the same honor as God or that God was triune.
The reason that I say that many/most trinitarians have no idea is because I have many friends in Baptist ministry and until either Don or I explain to them what is different about our theology they think it's all about standards and speaking in tongues. I live in an area heavily populated by OP's.. I can not go to any of the 4 local walmarts and not see 10 OP women, at least 5 of whom I know. And yet other Christians, not just pew sitters, on my job, in my neighborhood, at the school... have no idea what oneness is. N.O.N.E.
I am not saying that there are not a bunch of wanna-be theologians on the internet debating on both sides... I'm talking about the man on the street. But most, I have found are quick to see the truth of it... they still have no desire to have an ankle length skirt and a big poof of uncut hair and the tongues thing freaks a lot of them out... but One God and Jesus name baptism are two things I never hear much of a fuss against. As a matter of fact many people I've spoken with have asked their own pastors to rebaptize them in Jesus name, asked if my pastor would do it (and a bunch have actually done it) or asked Don and I if we would baptize them in Jesus name... I believe that it is because they are not so very different... just stuck with an explanation that does not completely work for them but is the best thing going as far as they know, just like I was once.
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I've had three or four dealings with trinitarian churches in my life. A Fundementalist Baptist Church, a COGIC church, a Full Gospel Church, and an A.M.E. church. The Baptist Church I've only been to a few times when I was young (courtesy of a member of my father's side of the family), I can imagine they'd flip out if I walked into their church speaking in tongues. They were five point calvinist and didn't use instruments. My mother (before she backslid) was a COGIC musician, since I've been saved they keep a real distance from me. Of course if I was still cussing, drinking, smoking, fighting, and living a trifiling life, they'd probably still be happy to see me.
I've been back to their church a couple of times, they know I'm oneness so I'm treated as a second class citizen when I visit (which isn't often). The Full Gospel church by far had the worst response to oneness doctrine. My only dealings with them is that my mother (again) was hired to play music at their church when I was very young. I later got the Holy Ghost at their church at a revival ran by an Apostolic minister who was invited to preach by the Full Gospel Church's youth ministers who just so happen to also be oneness (even though their strictly forbidden from telling anyone in the church that they come from a oneness background). I was 16/17 when I went to that revival, I was invited by those youth ministers who witnessed to me. I later got baptized at a nearby oneness church, because I realized that the Full Gospel church wouldn't baptize me the way I knew was the "right way" and pretty much chastized me for even thinking it. Left there, and never went back. Appearently they've driven away a good portion of their church which were all "closet" oneness folks because after my incident the Pastor began preaching against oneness like it was a disease.
I don't know how the AME church would respond if they knew I was oneness, when I was a child my Grandfather took me to that church with them. They don't really teach any doctrine, they were more stuck on that liberation theology mess, "black power" and all that good stuff *rolls eyes*. Not my cup of tea. I know that where I go to church now a high profile African American Baptist pastor in the DC attacked our church publically over the pulpit calling oneness folks a "cult" and telling his congregation to "stay away from us".
Interestingly enough right before this a politician running for county councilman that happens to be a member of that high profile Baptist Pastor's Church, which has a membership upwards of 10,000 I believe, came to our church on a visit during his campaign, our church is a relatively large conservative PAW where politicians try to show their face often. The service that Sunday was HIGH the Holy Ghost was moving from the opening prayer to the alter call, we almost dismissed shouting, and the politician asked to say something and he said "I don't know what I'm feeling but I'm feeling something so good right now" (of course that through us into another fifteen minute fit).
Appearently it was his first experience with a Holy Ghost church. The pastor of that Baptist Church, I'm SURE, wasn't to pleased.
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