I took Communion today at a Baptist church

[dsc]

I last did that about 20 years ago. I left my church then. I couldn't be honest about who I was or who I loved. I didn't want to continue to be dishonest and felt God didn't love me. So I left the church. I am now a Disciple of Chirst (Christian Church). Today I went to an open an affirming American Baptist church. It was a workshop where people shared their stories about belonging to or wanting to belong to an open and affirming church. It was really a different experience for me. I don't know if I will ever become a Baptist again but it was nice to feel actually welcome in a Baptist church again. Sadly the denomination as a whole is going the wrong way but there are some great churches out there. If you wish to find one go to AWAB which is the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

1. I also was raised/survived in a Baptist church but,

I think I have decided to go with the Jews.

[joneschick]

2. I grew up Missouri Synod Lutheran

and came to a Christian Church/Disciples of Christ when I met my husband. Through many tumultuous years that congregation became open and affirming. Unfortunately, in the process we dwindled to such a small group we had to lay off our pastor and now meet in donated space. :hi:

[dsc]

3. We are a small church right now

I think we are pretty close right now to where we need to be.

[William769]

4. As long as your happy, thats all that counts.

[Warpy]

5. There are liberal congregations out there

and as the line goes, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince.

If they're all frogs in your general area, there are always the UU, the Friends, and the UCC.

[ktowntennesseedem]

6. Raised a Southern Baptist myself.

Still consider myself a Baptist, at least in the traditional/historical sense. Priesthood of the believer, separation of church and state, tolerance, freedom, hallmarks of the baptist faith that I gladly claim and profess. Sadly, most baptists, particularly the SBC, have abandoned all their traditions in favor of the right-wing, evangelical, theocratic agenda that so dominates theology these days. To me, they no longer deserve to call themselves "baptist," and I doubt their forebears such as John Smyth, Roger Williams or John Leland would even recognize this bunch that have stolen and redefined the term. As they have swung further and further to the right, my mind and eyes both continue to open, and I have moved further and further to the left, theologically and politically. I have long since passed the point that most baptist congregations would consider me a liberal heretic, but there are still a few progressive, open, affirming churches out there that still rightfully call themselves Baptist.

I know of a couple of other groups out there that still uphold traditional baptist priciples. The Alliance of Baptists and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship both came into existance in response to the rightward shift and conservative takeover of the SBC in the 1980's. They've both moved beyond the conflict, and can now define themselves by what they affirm instead of the SBC takeover they opposed. I've added their links below.

<http://www.allianceofbaptists.org/>

<http://www.thefellowship.info/>

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. The American Baptists (as opposed to Baptists who happen to be

Americans) are a liberal variety.

They had the largest church in one town where I lived, and the Southern Baptists used to picket them and call them heretics, especially when they allowed a gay wedding to take place and had non-Christians (Jews, Muslims) speak to their adult education classes.

[dsc]

8. sadly not all of them are liberal

and the denomination is moving to the right.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

9. Congratulations

and you are right, each church has its own personality, just like people do. Some are toxic, some are healing. You just have to discern which is which.

[davidinalameda]

10. here's the link dsc

http://www.wabaptists.org/