Protestant Church

[Buddy]

I just found many Protestant church in the area. I'm thinking of joining them sometime but I'm not quite sure how to bahave there. Can I just walk in? Do I have to bring my own Bible? Is it OK if my Bible is in Catholic version? How do I call the pastor or minister? Do I have to have a friend there? How long is the service? And the big question, can I receive communion? What I can or can't do? How are the services like? And do I have to dress up? Or it just depends on regions? Here are the list of Protestant church in my area.

1. Presbyterian
2. Episcopal
3. Methodist
4. Independent Baptist
5. Seventhday Adventist

Thanks ka.. :)

[J.T. Taylor]

Hello,
Where are you at? If you would like to know more about these different "denominations" just write to me. I am an American who is moving to Thailand soon and I am farmiliar with these kinds of things.

My advice to you would be: any "real" Christian will not care about what version of the bible you have or what you are wearing. However, if people dress up there then I guess you should too...have you read about people who eat meat and those who don't in the new testament? If they think you should be well dressed then I guess you should... if not, then it doesn't matter.

Marriage, communion, and the Church are the only things set up by God. The "Church" is of course important, but if you meet with another Christian then you are at "Church." The different "denominations" are a result of humans messing up the Truth." If you have accepted Jesus as the son of God and trust that He is the only way to be saved then you can trust your heart when you try out these Churches.

I grew up in a Baptist Church and have attended a Methodist Church. I have also attended Lutheran Churches. So far Conservative Baptist is the only one I agree with (meaning they just learn from the Bible and keep it pure.) If you are in U.S.A. please be careful because many Churches have become very untrue to the words of Jesus and have really poluted the "truth." Just email me if you want to talk more about these things.

By the way, I am pretty unfamiliar with the "Catholic" bible. I think it has one section added to it. Right?

Good luck! Finding a good Church is VERY hard! just read the letters to the Churches in the book of Revelations and you will see what I am talking about!

J.T.

[J.T.]

jtt5@dana.ucc.nau.edu

[Buddy]

Oh, thanks a lot, J.T. I just didn't expect an American could discover this website!! :) Anyway, it's nice to meet you.. :)

Thank you so much for all your information. First of all, I'm catholic. Maybe you don't like my idea much that I'll join their services because I'd like to see how they are. It's like learning the new cultures. But I do respect the way they think. I didn't mean to be a spy or anything. And I didn't mean to find my church. It's more like an exchange student. My plan is like going to the presbyterian service in the morning and then catholic church in the evening.... I still don't miss the catholic church and I can see things outside my world. :)

And I'd like to understand people too. There are lots of questions in my mind. For example, I've met a woman who's presbyterian and she just looked at me so weird when she knew that I'm catholic!! And many stuff that troubles my heart. I'm not a read-write type of learner, rather I'm a hands-on learner. So, no matter how much I read, I don't think it'll make sense to me compared to seeing and experiencing myself.

I'm not sure you'd love to talk to me much when you know that I'm catholic.. :)

[~@Little lamb@~]

Welcome again J.T.

Did U got any bible (Thai version) yet? :D

I remember ... U looking for that. :)

[peach_peach]

J.T. คือเพื่อนพีชเองล่ะค่ะ เค้าไม่ค่อยได้เข้ามาในนี้เท่าไหร่ เพราะอ่านภาษาไทยไม่ออก แต่พีชเห็นเรื่องของคุณ buddy แล้วคิดว่า เค้าน่าจะพอช่วยอะไรได้บ้าง ก็เลยส่ง link ให้เค้า

เรื่องไบเบิล เค้าก็จะหาให้พีชล่ะค่ะ แต่ตอนนี้ได้แล้ว คือได้มาจากน้องยศอีกที แต่ยังไงก็ขอขอบคุณด้วยนะคะ

[J.T. Taylor]

Hi again!

Hehe, It's not up to me to decide which denomination is "correct..." God sees the soul of people. Each person is responsible for themself- the actuall religion "Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian...."... does not matter since each person must test things and figure things out for themselves.

I really like your comment on being like an exchange student. That is a really good attitude.

Being Christian is something bigger than choosing a school of theological thought... There is only one stance: a human looking up at God. But....organized religion can most definately lead people a-stray (decieve them.)

I don't care if you are from the Catholic way of thought... at the least, all Christians think of God and past mortal death... that in itself makes us more "Goddly" and can enable us to do crazy things. (you know because we have "eternity" on our minds."

Anyway... take care and good luck. I'm a guest here, but it seems to be a pretty cool web-site!

J.T.

[P]

I LOVE organized religion. (Love it when things are organized.) That's why I'm in love with Catholicism and Mormonism - the two greatest organized religions you can find.

;D

Peace

[~@Little lamb@~]

J.T. คือเพื่อนพีชเองล่ะค่ะ เค้าไม่ค่อยได้เข้ามาในนี้เท่าไหร่ เพราะอ่านภาษาไทยไม่ออก แต่พีชเห็นเรื่องของคุณ buddy แล้วคิดว่า เค้าน่าจะพอช่วยอะไรได้บ้าง ก็เลยส่ง link ให้เค้า

เรื่องไบเบิล เค้าก็จะหาให้พีชล่ะค่ะ แต่ตอนนี้ได้แล้ว คือได้มาจากน้องยศอีกที แต่ยังไงก็ขอขอบคุณด้วยนะคะ

อ๋อ...เพื่อนลูกพีชนี่เอง
คนที่เคยพูดถึงใช่ม๊ะ ที่ว่าพาไปโบสถ์ :D

[peach_peach]

ใช่ค่า.... แล้วจะดึงเค้าเข้ามาบ่อยๆได้มั้ยค้า....

[P]

มาบ่อยๆก็ดีครับ แต่ขออย่าพาดพิงบ่อยนะครับ เดี๋ยวเกิดศึกชิงจ้าวยุทธจักร แหม เดี๋ยวก็ organized religion เดี๋ยวก็ อันไหนเป็นคริสต์ อันไหนไม่เป็นคริสต์ คนมอร์มอนอย่างผม(ในฐานะเป็น rganized religion และโดน the so-called "Christian" กล่าวหาว่าไม่ใช่ Christian) ก็เกิดอาการหนาวๆร้อนๆ กำลังภายในแตกซ่าน อิอิอิ

;D

[Buddy]

Oh.. first of all, I'd like to thank Peach so much that you help me out with this.. :) I really appreciate your kindness. I think it should be Ok if you invite J.T. to this website frequently. :)

J.T.,

Thank you so much for helping me. It's good to know that you're not anti-catholic type of person. :) Anyway, I don't think I get the answer of what I asked. Basically, is it OK if I just walk in the church and join the service? What do I need to know for each church. You've been to Methodist church, right? How's the service there? And how about Baptist church? It's the independent Baptist here but I'm not sure it's the same as your Conservative Baptist. I've been to the Lutheran church. So, I think I don't need any information for that.

P,

Are you mormon? I've got the book of mormon at home. Someone gave it to us when I was young. I used to pick it up and try to read it but I got some reaction. When I just opened the book, I had got dizzy and... well, I don't know.. I was then so scared that I couldn't continue reading it. I had to see my mom to comfort me. So, I didn't dare to touch the book again. It's just a book in a family book shelve, you know.. It shouldn't happen!! There are 2 books, right? I still remember that. We still have them on our book shelves. Have you heard anyone with such a reaction?

[Buddy]

Peach,

By the way, you are protestant, right? What church do you go? And how did you behave when you first go?

Thanks ja.. :)

[P]

Hi Buddy

Nope. Never heard of dizziness resulting from "opening" the Book of Mormon. (Sleepiness maybe.) Well ... maybe if you were reading in a bus or something. Your experience was quite ... um ...interesting, though. Maybe the book was not for you. Or maybe the book was kept in the box too long when they handed it to you it generated some kind of unpleasant odor. Or maybe the print was too small. Who knows? Right?

Anyway .. thanks for not throwing it away! I've got tons of them lying around in my apartment here. Turned out people who were here before I moved in also owned a few copies and they decided to leave them in the closet when they moved out. ;D

[Anonymous]

แค่ก +_+

ภาษาอังกฤษกันหญ่าย~~~
ฟุดฟิดไฟแล่บ 55555


เอาเลยจ๊ะพีช
ในนี้มีคนใช้ภาษาอังกฤษหลายคน
น่าจะเป็นเพื่อนคุยกับเขาได้ :D


Always Welcome J.T. *no1

[Buddy]

Hi Buddy

Nope. Never heard of dizziness resulting from "opening" the Book of Mormon. (Sleepiness maybe.) Well ... maybe if you were reading in a bus or something. Your experience was quite ... um ...interesting, though. Maybe the book was not for you. Or maybe the book was kept in the box too long when they handed it to you it generated some kind of unpleasant odor. Or maybe the print was too small. Who knows? Right?

Anyway .. thanks for not throwing it away! I've got tons of them lying around in my apartment here. Turned out people who were here before I moved in also owned a few copies and they decided to leave them in the closet when they moved out. ;D

I picked up the book from the shelf and opened and read it. It's like I was terrified by something.. It was at home in Thailand. It's interesting you got the mormon books left from the pervious owner. Where are you in the US? Is it in Utah where mormon is dominated? I haven't seen any Mormon here. My city is catholic dominated.. :)

You mentioned about Protestant don't accept you? Well, have you ever join their services? Is it prohibited for Mormon to join others? Maybe you'll get better understanding why they don't accept you or at least you'll get better attitude. Have you heard the prayer of St. Francis?

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life

I really like it... From this, I choose to understand rather than to be understood.... Have you ever attended Catholic Mass?

[P]

Hi Buddy

I'm in California. How about you?

:)

Ever since the Mormon Church was established, it has be persecuted by those so-called "christians". The church members decided to leave the US and moved across the border into Mexico. We settled down and re-established our community in the desert far far away from everybody. A year later the US won the Mexican war and some years later that land became the state you now called Utah.

My best friend's great great great grandfather is Brigham Young, the man who lead the church members to that land and built Salt Lake City.

The early church members were persecuted severely. They beat up the men. They burned their houses. They did many terrible things. The State of Missouri even issued the extermination order - allow anyone to kill a Mormon they find on the road legally.

I'm often in tears when I think about what those "christians" did to them.

Nowadays you don't see that kind of persecution anymore. The only persecution we face now are verbal. People likes to attack the Mormon Church for some reason.

If you'd like to see how we are treated, check out this webpage:

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai199.html (Check out the clips by Allen Wyatt)

You will see 3 video clips of some ministers yelling and protesting at our General Conference (which we have every 6 months). Those people in their Sunday clothes are the Mormons trying to go to the conference. In the 2nd clip you'll see our missionary sisters singing in the background while this man keeps yelling.

Wanna see photos? Check this out! http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai198.html

And this happens ALL THE TIME.

So you see why I get quite upset everytime I hear someone coming in saying something like - who is or is not a christian, or "organized religion can lead you astray". I got that a lot. A friend of mine in the lab always says that.

*sob

[P]

Now, to answer your questions:

1. I don't care to attend other churches' services (except a Catholic service). I've been to a couple - they're just not for me.
2. I understand why they hate us. I just don't understand why they can still call themselves christians after what they did to us. :)
3. I DO have good attitude toward the Catholic Church. In fact, the first 3 favorite religions on my list are: Mormonism, Catholicism and Judaism.
4. I DO have some good protestant friends. Only a few of them are mean to me. ;D
5. I grew up in a Catholic school. Even thought of being a priest before.

[P]

Read this, if you care.

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/200302.html

[Buddy]

Oh Dear...

Well, I've been seeing some of them but not all. I don't like abuse, anger and aggression. ... I think your church would teach something like 'Be humble when you're persecuted'.., right? And is that what you're doing?

By the way, I don't think you really understand them.. :) This is the normal reaction of people. When there's something bother their thought or belief, they often react in an agressive way in order to protect that. I know this because this reaction used to happen with our Pope in the past that he couldn't accept that the earth is round and rotate around the Sun, instead of the Sun rotate around the earth. (Well, this is not against the teaching of papal infallacy of the catholic church. If I was born in that time, I'd follow him too. I did this for God.. so that it'll be easier for God to control us.) .... The reaction is always aggressive. This is people. It's a good oppertunity for you to learn to understand people and learn to forgive.

What you need to understand is that people have faith in different levels. Some of them have to believe because they are told to do so their beliefs are very superficial. Some of them entered the church with the wound in life and they just have hope in Christ. If they're fully healed, they should be OK.. But healing always takes time. It could be rapid though.. So, people in church are mostly patients. And the church is their only hope. When there's something bother that, all they know is just to protect it in every way they can. because their minds just say that there's something that is destroying our hope.. We should defend!! ... If the faith really deepens in their heart, if people have no pain and wounds in life, those kinds of things won't occur....

So, I encourage you to join their service. :) And your wound will be healed..:) I didn't say that you'll healed from what they do in the service.. But you'll be healed from changing attitude... For one thing, isn't it good to love your enemies? Ask your protestant friends who don't mean much to you that you'd like to go to church with them...:) If you dare enough, go to the church that strongly against Mormon.. But this is too tough. I don't recommend you.. But if you can do that, according to catholic belie, you could be a saint.. :)

It's interesting that catholic is one in your mind. For me, mormon and judaism has one thing in common. They are both common for a particuar group of people but not everyone. Catholic is more common. People often see catholic as conservative but I don't think so. You can be a liberal catholic.... What I like is that you can drink, you can smoke, even though not recommended... I don't drink and don't smoke.. but I love to have freedom to drink and smoke... You can't learn much about people if you don't give them freedom.... even the freedom to do evil things.. :) This is the real world.. not ideal world.. :)

By the way, I'm in Wisconsin..... :)

[Buddy]

Talking about persecution, for catholic, there's still the verbal persecution too primarily on the issue of contraception.... :)

[Buddy]

Good luck, P.. :)

Well, I'm still waiting for the answers of topic questions na ka.. both Thai and English. :)

[P]

You've still got much to learn. :) Thanks for your suggestions and stuff - but you haven't been listening.

Open your eyes, and judge fairly - if you want to judge at all.

God bless.

PS - I'm converted to Mormonism in Wisconsin myself.

[Buddy]

You've still got much to learn. :) Thanks for your suggestions and stuff - but you haven't been listening.

Open your eyes, and judge fairly - if you want to judge at all.

God bless.

PS - I'm converted to Mormonism in Wisconsin myself.

Oh.. sure ka.. I've got much more to learn... :) Maybe I'm not as smart as you so my lesson is just a simple thing like .. how to forgive people.. even the one who's hardest to forgive. And I do listened to you na ka.. I've been to the website but I didn't see them all, not because I don't listen but because I don't like aggression. I saw just some of them to get the idea of what's going on. I can be open to information but I can selectively reject the aggressive emotion, right?

I know you said I don't listen because you think I don't understand you and unfair to you... Well, what I'd like to say is that I know your pain ka... and I don't think what they did is right too.. but the only way we can do is to forgive... no matter how unfairly we are treated. Maybe you don't like catholic because of this kind of teaching, right? You don't like to accept and forgive when you are treated unfairly, right?

There's a story that I like.. Have you seen the Oprah show just few months ago that there are women whom their dad sexually offended her? If not, I'd like to share it with you. :) A woman was raped by her own dad when she was 13 and she got pregnant. Her mom knew everything but she didn't care. When it's time to deliver, her mom just drove her off at a hospital and she gave birth to her daughter. She chose to tell her daughter that her dad is her grandpa. She taught her daughter to forgive because she forgave. It's hard for her daughter because she suffers for many genetic diseases. When people see them, they ask question like why you two look so much the same... People didn't mean to hurt them but it does hurt them... The mother forgave and she looked happy.. :) It takes time for the daughter to be able to forgive though...

I told you everything because I'd like you to be happy.. and that's all.. I'm sorry if I'm not smart enough to convince you. But all my intention was to make you happy.. and that's all.. You are smarter than me so you know better than me.. Maybe living life with hatred and pain could make a person happy... I don't know.. My stupid brain can think just that, forgiving could make you happy.... :)

Thank you for telling me to be open. I'm trying to ka.. that's why I'm thinking of joining the protestant church. But I have to be careful though because, if you heard a news just last month, there's a shooting in a church in Wisconsin. So, I need to think about safety too. Is there anything else I can do so that, according to your judgement, it's called OPEN? I'd lke to go to the mormon church too but as I told you. I can't even open the book of mormon... I'm afraid there might be something happen to me if I really go to Mormon church. I'm living here by myself. If there's something happen to me, I just don't have anyone help me.. So, please understand me at this point na ka.. And if you please, maybe you could find out what happened to me that I couldn't even open the book of mormon. Why I felt something terrify me? I'd be appreciate that..:) Truth will set you free, right? :) If I know what was going on with me, I'll set free.... By the way, this happened to me about 5-6 years ago, before I was baptized. So, I didn't have any prejudice at all.

You're so right there're many things I need to learn.. So, please educate me na ka.. Thanks.. :)

[P]

*swt

Heh heh...

1. I am not here to fight with anyone. Not with the catholics. Not with the protestants. Everyone is my friend. But I won't let anyone get stepped on all over for WHATEVER they believe in. In this case I just showed you what happened to us as mormons. I didn't want to pick the catholics. Although if you look at the original statement that got me going - "organized religion" did (and often) include Catholicism.

I just showed you the example of what happened to my faith. That's all. It was ugly. It disgusts me to see anyone who goes around calling themselves the follower of Christ persecute anyone of any faith to that extreme. And I thought you've never seen it - so I showed it to you.

But if you ask people in here, you'll know that I don't hold a grudge against anyone. And we are here as friends. I don't mind if anyone here will go outside of this webboard and "warn" his/her congregation against "the mormon cult". I understand that perfectly - we all have to protect our sheep. But in here - in this webboard - there is to be no persecution.

Outside of this webboard - I do argue with my friend sometimes to explain my faith. But at the end of the day - we are still friends and we do understand each other's motive and actions.

If I see a protestant attacks a Jehovah's Witness , I will protest the JW. If I see a catholic attacks a protestant, I will take the protestant side. I don't have any preference. I don't hate anyone. I just don't want to see any follower of God fight each other. My job is to stop any persecution between different folds.

The kratoo on the Jews - guess how I came about starting that kratoo? It was because some members started saying mean and unfair things about the jews. And I thought it was my job to try to explain on the jew's behave - for a better understanding. I just want everyone to get along.

And everyone here that knows me long enough understands that. And we get along fine, be it catholics, protestants, or mormon.



2. Just so you understand - I don't care if you would "try" a mormon church or not. If you don't like it, then there is no reason why you should attend the service at all. I am not here to convince you to go to any church or not to go to any church. I am here to encourage you (or anyone at all) to follow the path God set out for you. You can be a catholic, a presbyterian, a lutheran a jehovah's witness, a buddhist or whatever I don't care. So please don't worry that all these conversation was just to get you to be opened to the mormon religion. It's not my place to decide. It's between you and God.

Mormon people respect all beliefs and allow anyone to worship the Almighty in whatever manner they choose. We don't support persecution of any form, however. There is a difference between worhipping the Almighty the way you want and persecuting other people for believing differently from you.



3. Many things are hard to understand. And it'll take some time before you can fully appreciate the gravity of things. But you're still learning. Heck I'm still learning myself. Everyday I find something new.



But I just don't want you to be too quick to judge. As you can see - I was trying to show you the real world stuff but all you see was me in pain and not being able to forgive and stuff. That's not what I was trying to show you.

If I were in pain and weren't able to forgive, I wouldn't have been here in the first place. A webboard full of catholics and protestants? I mean, come on now. Have you seen me fight with anyone at all?

:)

Good luck and God bless.

[Buddy]

Yeah.. I know you're not a bad guy... You testify yourself.. No need for me to ask from anyone.. I said so because you told me to OPEN YOUR EYES... JUDGE FAIRLY... and that drives me the idea of fogrgiveness.. and I just don't understand you why you said... I don't listen!!??! I don't listen to what?? What else I could think of besides forgiveness?? You know what I mean? I told you to forgive but you told me to open the eyes?? What's that??

So, I assumed you said that because you think I don't understand you and don't support you.. That's why I thought that you may feel something.... maybe the discrimination.. So, I told you why I can't go to the mormon church.

For me, I don't take time to judge... but I take time and all the effort to forgive.. If you take time to joudge, it's less likely for you to forgive... and your forgiveness will be conditional not unconditional... and my tip is to understand.. and most of the time, I find out that I can understand people when I see their pain and weakness... My job is not being the supporter for anyone but to encourage people to forgive and love each other... :) And I'd like to understand people as much as I can.. :)

You have the right to reveal what's going on to you.. Thanks for sharing though.. :) Again, forgive them and don't let those kinds of things be your pain. When people have pain, their hearts are hardened and it's hard for them to love... :)

Anyway, isn't there anybody know how to behave in the Protestant church?? Please..se come and answer me.. Please..se.. *kis

[P]

Just to answer your question - How to behave in a protestant church.

I've been to a presbyterian church. It's just like going to any other church. You dress nicely. Wear your best clothes or something. You follow what they do. You sing. You listen. You participate. And you talk to each other.

I've also been to a pentacostal church. More fun. Lots of singing. Rock and Roll. Not so much restriction on the clothes. But again, maybe it's because I was in a college town and everyone was just some undergraduate kids. Food. Fun. Some acting on the stage. etc. Pretty cool.

I've also been to a korean church. They didn't say which denomination they were. They just said "we are christian". Again, dress nicely. I wore my blue suit. I listened to the sermon. I tried to sing. And I join their lunch in the basement. Mixed with the crowd - have some nice korean food.

[Buddy]

Thanks a lot, P.. :) There's no Korean or Pentacostal chruch around here... There's a beautiful Presbyterian church.. I can even walk there.. :) So, I don't need to bring my Bible, right? And do you know I can receive the Communion?

Thanks ja.. :)

[P]

I wouldn't know that for sure.

P' Prod Pran (The scary lady going around with 3 crosses under her name) will know if you can receive the communion. She's a presbyterian herself. Try IM her to answer your question here (so other people will know too).

;D

Oh, and about the bible. I usually don't bring mine (except to my church). The reason is, if you need to look for something in it, the best way is to ask people next to you if they can share their scripture with you. The best way to make friends when you attend a new church.

Can I ask which town are you at?

[P]

โอ๊ะ พี่พีพี

(มีคนกระซิบว่า scary แปลว่า น่ากลัว)

ข้างบนเขียนผิดนะครับ ภาษาปะกิตไม่ดี ที่เขียนว่า scary lady จริงๆจะบอกว่า fair lady แต่พิมพ์ผิด (มือมันไปเองงงงงง)

พี่พีพีตอบคุณ Buddy หน่อยดิคับ ว่าเค้ารับศีลมหาสนิท (ไม่แน่ใจว่าเรียกว่าอะไรในภาษาเพรสไบทีเรียน)ได้เก๊าะ (อยากรู้ด้วยยยย)

;D