[dieuepargne]

I found this forum while I was googling online, researching for my paper on the Reformation. Stumbled across this particular thread about Lutherans, and felt that I have to clarify certain things:

(1) We don't follow transubstantiation as a theological doctrine, rather Real Presence/Sacramental Union - where the flesh and blood of Christ is present alongside the bread and wine. It does not turn to his flesh and blood after being blessed, it simply is already part of the sacrament.

People who aren't Lutherans generally tend to generalize and think that we follow the Roman Catholic's Eucharist doctrine, when we don't. Non-Lutherans judge that our doctrine is consubstantiation but most Lutherans reject this.

(2) Infant baptism is done because our parents, as Lutherans, wants us to grow up a believer (certainly, after they swore an oath during our baptism, that our parents are responsible for leading us to live a Christian life, whether or not that's under the Lutheran umbrella). Of course, it remains controversial since we were too young to judge for ourselves and our faith. However, our spiritual journey doesn't end there. Confirmation would be a time in our teens to deepen our faith and learn more about our faith and mature in it. Infant baptism symbolizes that we belong to God and no one else's. It does not mean we're saved.

All in all, I've signed up just to say only this. I feel greatly about my faith, and while I'm not what you call a 'True Christian' - I do believe in God, and I do know that someday my Prince will come. However, I don't call myself a Christian, because I don't want others to judge Christians wrongly in case I do something un-Christian like. I'm still searching for my time to be completely saved, but I guess for you all, being a Lutheran, I'm already damned to hell, aren't I?

But I'm not going to start a trip about how I don't appreciate my faith being listed under a cult, because I know there is no use in starting up a debate as you all have pretty much (with an afternoon of reading around the forum) proved me that there's no room for differences around here. I don't particularly appreciate bigotry, hate, or just plain rudeness so if you have nothing nice to say, just don't.

I posted this because like you, I feel strongly about my faith, and when something said about Lutherans by non-Lutherans need a little fixing, I feel like I have to clear it out. You can take it however you want it, albeit it's probably with bitterness and judgment.

Just to say, Luther wrote his 95 theses in order to criticize the Roman Catholic church because he cared about the need to reform and improving the spiritual lives of his surroundings at the time. I respect Catholics because they, like it or not - pretty much established the idea of an organized church. Yes, we Lutherans have a strong Roman Catholic background, but we were also the ones who kickstarted the Reformation and gave others a chance to branch out to other denominations.

The least you could do is treat the older denominations that were responsible for the existence of your very own church with a little bit of respect, even if you don't agree on what we teach or believe in.

But I think even that is asking a bit too much.

Go ahead, condemn me and my kind to eternal damnation. I don't really care because you're not the one who will judge me later on. The God I know is a loving, merciful, and forgiving God. You've managed to make Jesus sound like a Nazi. I can't believe that people who actually love Jesus this much can be filled with so much hatred.

That's pretty much all.

Cheers.