The Real God is Created in the Mind. That's Why Denominations are Collapsing


Sites about religion are overflowing with writing about Russell Moore, a prominent Southern Baptist who criticized Trump, who left the Southern Baptists. Noted columnist and Methodist, Mark Silk, notes Moore's leaving has more to do the the decline of denominations than the sexual abuse among Southern Baptists which Moore discussed in his exit letter.

The Methodists are about to split into one rather large conservative denomination and several more liberal ones. Methodists have a big publishing house and that will probably fold. Southern Baptists are declining, Lutherans and Presbyterians have split. Author Silk notes that a few years ago conservative denominations were poking fun at liberal ones because the latter were declining. Now, after the splits some the liberal denominations are larger than many of the old conservative ones that were doing the scoffing. Of the remaining denominations, churches often do not advertise their affiliation to their denominations. They think it is better marketing to appear unaffiliated. 

To me, Christian denominations are counter intuitive. When a god is created in the mind, it will be a god who agrees with and praises the creator. Why would anyone create a god who thought poorly of him/her? As a Presidential candidate said a few years back, "My God thinks I'm doing just fine." A parent of a gay man told me, "Those who think homosexuality is a sin don't know my God." Is there anyone's God who is exactly and precisely like anyone else's God? Does, for example, Biden think his God disapproves of his views of abortion? My impression is he is quite secure that what he believes and practices as President is approved of by his God. He has as much right to create his own God as the priests who refuse him communion.

Another constant in Christianity are talented preachers who build their own brand of church or churches. This opportunity is mostly a Protestant thing. In looking at some of these preachers I see that they can be either social liberals or conservatives. They are not, of course, required to shoe horn into whatever a denomination dictates. Author/Pastor Rick Warren, a Southern Baptist (SBC), recently ordained two women pastors in defiance of the SBC. He made up a God that was different than the one SBC told him about. 

Rick Warren's God was created in his mind just like everyone else's God was created in their minds.

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