Do Babtists Often get a bad rep???

[Caleb89]

I feel that in the media (i.e.- Movies, TV, etc.), Babtists often get a bad rep for various things that may or may not be true.

What is your (Babtists) take on this?

 

[arunma]

I feel that in the media (i.e.- Movies, TV, etc.), Babtists often get a bad rep for various things that may or may not be true.

What is your (Babtists) take on this?

I think that Christians in general get a bad rep. This isn't entirely undeserved, since there genuinely are a few noisy nutcases out there. I just wish that people would distinguish between your average, garden variety Bible believing Christian, and the extremists.

 

[mlqurgw]

The people of God have always been the object of ridicule by the world.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

[RichardT]

rofl, babtists...

 

[lilchibi]

rofl, babtists...

be nice

 

[BereanTodd]

If you are speaking secular media, all Christians get a bad rep. However, there is something to be said about the "rep" that baptists have.

Now I have spent most of my saved life in the southern baptist church, so I do love it for a reason. That said, the baptists have several traditional faults that still have many (sometimes large) pockets in the denomination. For one there is a sad tendency at times towards legalism (the whole "no drink, no dance, girls wear dresses" stereotype). This has been pushed forward even recently in the last couple of national SBC conventions sadly.

Additionally you frequently have a sad aversion to scholarship and intellectualism/reason. This is often worst among the sad KJVO folks. Now scholarship, reason, intellect are bad things apart from Christ, but used with the guidance of the Holy Spirit they are important and useful. God said to Isaiah "come, let us reason together." Our minds were given to us by the Lord and we should use them, but within proper Biblical guidelines.

The fact that the liberals have attacked the Bible with scholarly works does not mean we should look down on scholars, but that we need more of our own to defend the true, holy, catholic, apostolic faith.

 

[lilchibi]

I feel that in the media (i.e.- Movies, TV, etc.), Babtists often get a bad rep for various things that may or may not be true.

What is your (Babtists) take on this?

Baptists get called all kinds of things. I like when other denominations that call themselves Christian will say "I thought you were a Christian?" when you do or say the same thing they do. As if we're held to a higher standard that their Christian values.

 

[RichardT]

be nice

It's funny, lol, it reminds me of a pastor who came from the US into my church and was preaching about the "babtists", I just can't stop laughing whenever I hear "babtist" anymore.

 

[peacechild]

Through my experience with Baptist churches, I must say any bad reputation they have acquired, is almost completely brought on by themselves and well-deserved. I am not entirely renouncing all affiliation quite yet, as I am *doctrinally* baptist, and there aren't currently any other churches that I wish to affiliate myself with, however there are *certain* sub-denominations that I thoroughly and vehemently dislike, of which I believe are probably the people tainting the reputation of the Baptists.

I'm speaking from my experience and opinions alone. I won't mention which ones since I'm not quite prepared to be attacked by the Piranha Baptists.

 

[DeaconDean]

I agree with my brother arumna. It is Christians in general. But lately, it has been the Baptists. People like myself who hold dear the fundamental truths expressed in the Bible are made to feel as if we are as bad as the Jews of Jesus' time. And in light of certain scandles which have come out here lately, this only complicates matters. The SBC, of which I am a member, recently revised its statement on homosexuals. People got all bent out of shape over this. The revision never said we would exclude homosexuals form worshipping the Lord. What it did say, however, was that they would withhold funds, and membership from any church which accepted any professing homosexual into the positions of Pastor, elder, deacon, or teacher. The bible clearly tells us to repent, to turn away from our sins. And with our understanding of what the Bible teaches, a practicing homosexual who professes to be Christian, is telling a "you-know-what." Because we stand up for what is taught in the Bible, and not by tradition, we are condemned and rediculed by even members of other denominations. Yes some Baptists can be hard-core. And yes, I think this is bad too. I'm not a Baptist because I was raised up in a Baptist church, which I was, but after going through seminary classes, I'm a Baptist because I honsetly believe that the doctrines taught in the Bible are the ones Baptists adhere to. So if it gives me a bad name, I have to agree with what my brother mlqurgw posted:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." -Jn. 16:33

But another passage comes to mind also:

"Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." -Jn. 15:20

God Bless

Till all are one.

 

[holyrokker]

I grew up Lutheran, and came to faith in Christ when I was 16 years old.

I always had a low opinion of Baptists.

I was part of a Baptist church briefly about 20 years ago. I volunteered as the youth leader for about a year at a local Baptist church. I had gotten to know the pastor while I was a student at Bible school. I started attending the church regularly and admired his ministry there.
After graduating, the pastor invited me to lead the high school Bible study and coordinate events.
I was never accepted by the main body of the church because I wasn't a member.

About 2 years ago our family started attending a Baptist church again. My wife and I have recently become members. I'm still struggling with bad stereotypes of Baptist churches, and find myself justifying my opinions by saying that our church isn't a "typical Baptist" church. Frankly - I have no idea what a "typical Baptist" church is. Ours may well be typical.

 

[BereanTodd]

Just for clarification, the changes in the last couple of years I was referring to was not the homosexuality, I agree with that. I clarify because I talked about regretable legalism the last couple of years, and Dean just mentioned those changes.

What I referred to were things like:

1. At the last convention it was voted that anyone who does not completely abstain from alchohol can never hold any position on any level with any any national (or state?) convention. They obviously can not dictate what individual churches do, but such changes are obviously going to influence individual churches as well. I despise the unbiblical "no-drink-no-dance" wing of the SBC.

The sad thing is I usually agree with them on most other things, because I am extremely conservative Biblically, just not legalistic.

2. The IMB in the last 2 years has enacted/adopted statements that not only will they not send any missionaries that speak in tongues (even as a private prayer language), but that they won't even team up with other missionaries outside of the IMB that do.

This is hugely regretable to me. Now I am by no means a charismatic, and I do not speak in tongues, but I do not think we should divide over it. We are to work together for the cause of spreading the Gospel - unity in the majors, diversity in the minors, and in all things love. And the list of major doctrines we should divide over isn't long. The trinity, Christ's divinity, salvation sola-gratia sola-fide, the virgin birth, the physical ressurection ... a few more. But tongues should not be an issue that divides us. Another sad encroachment of legalism.

Now like I said, I am torn because I side with these people on so many other things. I stand and fight on Biblical inerrancy, I agree with not becoming permissive of sin in society, I agreed a decade ago or so when the charter was redone to make clear that the man is head of the household. Within the state of Texas the conservatives have had to break off and form a second state convention because the liberals had wrested power in the original one, and I am fully and wholly in support of the SBT (the conservative) convention.

But I hate legalism ... I hate unbiblical additions to our faith ... and it has bothered me in recent years. When I do eventually go to the missions field (a few years from now still, I'm going to complete my doctorate first) I will be doing it almost surely not with the SBC but with one of the non-denominational faith-missions boards. I've allready been in contact with and am basically a candidate with 3 of them in particular that work in the area I feel called to.

 

[Nadiine]

I feel that in the media (i.e.- Movies, TV, etc.), Babtists often get a bad rep for various things that may or may not be true.

What is your (Babtists) take on this?

I was raised baptist & my parents are still Baptists - I agree with Baptist doctrine fully & would definitely be a baptist if there were any churches nearby me.

I think Baptists get a rap definitely. The stereotypes of them are unfair.

& I agree with the other poster that said all Christians get a bad rap. (but, so did CHRIST Himself).

 

[MrJim]

It's not so different that the "rap" the Roman Catholics get, or even the "rap" the local mennonite community gets. When there is a sizeable portion of a community that has set standards of obedience and actually expects people to believe & do things a certain way, then those outside are going to grumble against it, going to say bad things about it, going to exaggerate issues, and in general rebel against it. Maybe they personally know people in that group, been hurt by people in that group, or maybe are fighting the Spirit's working.

SBC, RCC, Conservative Mennonites, yeah we're gettin' into some strict standards stuff there...ever have a Mennonite Bishop knock on your door to explain to you that even the hubcaps need to be painted black (heard about it, didn't experience it)?

 

[Nadiine]

...ever have a Mennonite Bishop knock on your door to explain to you that even the hubcaps need to be painted black (heard about it, didn't experience it)?

oh dear (do they pay association fees as well?)

 

[JPPT1974]

Well I won't say anything for fear
Of offending people but it really doesn't
Matter what denomination you belong to or with
Just as long as you believe in Jesus as Savior & Lord
And the Christ, that is all that matters
I will leave it like that!

 

[Nadiine]

Well I won't say anything for fear
Of offending people but it really doesn't
Matter what denomination you belong to or with
Just as long as you believe in Jesus as Savior & Lord
And the Christ, that is all that matters
I will leave it like that!

No need to worry about offense - if we're all genuine Christians, we're ONE BODY of Christians.
I can't agree more. We ALL have to unite with one another.
As long as we can define what a Christian is, we can UNIFY in what we find agreement on which is alot.

GREAT post

 

[daveleau]

I agree that Christians in general often get a bad rap in TV. So often, we are known not what we are in support of, but for what we are against. We (Christians) are portrayed as legalistic and without reason. It is sad and we need to spend more time promoting positive sides of the Gospel and the love of Christ rather than simply speaking out for the negative. Likewise, we as a whole need to spend more time in discipleship maturation. Because we have slacked off in this aspect of our Christian walk (we as a whole have...see George Barna's book on Growing True Disciples) we are often portrayed as hypocrites. I do not think this is completely a wrong characterization, since between 76% and 90% of the US calls itself Christian, yet acts in the ways we act on a daily basis. (This is not a statement of anything political, but a statement of daily interactions with people on a small scale and what our society is known for in our daily routines.)

We need to change for God to have any hope of changing the perceptions of others.

In Him,
Dave

 

[TwinCrier]

You think baptists take a beating try calling yourself a fundamentalist!

I perfer hearing the world speak negatively of my faith over those who walk around with the title of bishop or reverend.

 

[RichardT]

You think baptists take a beating try calling yourself a fundamentalist!

I perfer hearing the world speak negatively of my faith over those who walk around with the title of bishop or reverend.

I am a proud fundamentalist.