On August 28th 1963 (consequently 27 years exactly before i was born) a speech titled "I Have a Dream" was given to crowd of over 200k people at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. This was a landmark moment in the Civil Rights Movement, in which Martin Luther King Jr spent all of his adult life attempting to gain the freedom that was part of regular life for Americans of European Dissent.
I have a dream also, though it has to do with a completely different area of society. Mine is a dream of the unity of Christianity.
My campus minister told me that almost all denominations have the same basic beliefs, and after that, they really branch out. I disagree. Throughout my life, i have attended two particular denominational church's. Those of the Roman Catholism Denomination, and those of the Church of Christ view. It has been my view that they are incredibly similar. Sure, they may have some different traditions, but when it comes down to it, is that what really matters?
I have a friend who is a very strong believer in the Church of Christ Ministry. He has an unshaking belief in Christ, that has come from many years of being a Christian. Though he often can come off as stubborn, i pray to god that one day, my relationship with god will be as strong as his.
I have another friend, you has spent, to my knowledge, her entire life in the Roman Catholic Ministry. While she might not talk about it as much as the first, it has been my experience that she has just as strong a relationship with god as any.
What is the difference between the beliefs of these two people? Besides the titles of their churches, not much. They both love god with all their heart, and strive daily to be more like him.
A good example of what i have found to be the core of almost all christian denominations (one or two exceptions), is the Nicene Creed. (http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm If your interested)
What confuses me so much is why all these denominations feel the need to disagree with one another on the smallest of things. It has lead my attendance at my current church to fall noticably. I truly want to be around other christians, but when all i seem to hear is discussion about how this denomination is wrong, or how this translation of the bible is wrong, it gets rather draining at times.
Which brings me to this question. What truly matters?
To me this is simple.
Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, and became a human. Throughout his adult life, he strived through ridicule and torture so that i might not die, but that i will be able to go live eternally with god that created me. Jesus lived a life that i should have lived, and died a death that i should die......for me. God wants to have a relationship with us. An analogy that i always agreed with is that we just need to take one step, and god will take the remaining 99 steps.
A song that i think represents what i have written is linked below. It is truly amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IIRxdSFxwY
Thank you for reading this. God Loves You!
David Bade
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