There are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity??? How do you know which one is right?

Not only do you have the question of which religion is the right one but with Christianity you have your choice of denomination from over 35,000 of them!

There are so many variations in the belief systems including those that dont believe in the trinity but more importantly, those that say that only their denomination has a chance at heaven.



I had this one woman approach me in a bookstore and try to convert me to her religion; I believe she was Baptist but she said a sub-denomination of that of sorts and I cant recall that.

But she said that only members who share her beleifs would be going to heaven; I asked her if that meant that for the sake of the argument, roughly 2 million people would be in heaven and the rest of the 6+ billion would be in hell...

And she said yes.

So it isnt even as simple as be Christian and go to heaven but rather be a certain type of Christian or else be doomed.



My point: when you have your choice of not only hundreds of religions but also thousands of denominations, how can you possibly be certain that you are in the right one?There are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity??? How do you know which one is right?
Why bother trying to figure it out? Perhaps none of them are right. Who knows? Just be a good person, that's all a decent mind could ever ask for.
That one!..There are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity??? How do you know which one is right?
"MINE!" - christian







...and there are 35000 other claims too.
only God's Word will tell...



Read the Bible, and you decide which is right.There are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity??? How do you know which one is right?
You examine it against the protocols of the written word.
just pick up a bible and read it. The divisions aren't as important as learning and interpreting God's word in your own way.
Easy: You compare their actions to the teachings of Christ.
I do not think there is any right one denomination, although I think many of the things Catholics do are not right by the Bible, but I digress. I believe, if you believe Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, and you repent from all your sins and lead a righteous life and try to do good by others, then you're doing everything right. I hope this helps.
Come judgment day God will not be interested in what denomination you chose to follow Jesus...



Just that you believed that He is your salvation...



Most Christian denominations believe this..



Denominations are just the systems man has set up for people to follow Jesus...Just follow Him...He is the way..
Religion is "Man Made"

Non-Denomination is a group that disassembles itself from a "Religion." Having said that, Paul (bible) says to work out your own salvation." Pray! Thats all I can say and I will pray for you! I hope you find what you are looking for.
I know cause I'm not retarded.
I have to agree with another responder, - They are all wrong!



Essentially if God's truth isn't self evident, then how could it be the truth?
This is the second time I've seen this claim, but I've read the number is around 3800. It doesn't make difference to me either way, but do you have a source? Considering there are 2.8 billion Christians and 1.8 billion are Catholic the number you gave sounds excessive.
We are first Christians.

The real comparison is always between what the Bible describes as true religion and what denominational religions have to offer. Each denomination has a creed; we need to decide from among all the choices how the creed tests against Christianity.

The ultimate choice of which Christian religion to practice is ours, using an informed mind.
It doesn't matter what denomination you consider yourself. The word of God, The Holy Bible, is God breathed. It is everything God needs us to know. Why label yourself under a certain denomination, that is only following men. 1 Corinthians 1 10-17 Paul explains to Corinth that the disputes about who follows who is ridiculous and needs to stop. "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?"

All you need to do is follow God's word. Earnestly seek after the Lord. Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks recieves; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Follow only Jesus Christ.
This is my take on this: If in analogy the truth is a mirror, and through corruption and division it has been broken, then all religions contain a fraction of the truth, that fraction may be small but nonetheless it is there Only the LDS Church which has the restored gospel uncorrupted has the fullness of the Gospel. And the good news is that all mankind will have the opportunity after death to accept that restored Gospel so its a win-win no matter your belief in life. BTW Most people will end up in some degree of heaven, so hell, it's not even on my radar.
The Roman Emperor Constantine produced the bible and he was a pagan not god!!! He also organized Christianity into the Holly Roman Catholic Church!! Not in Israel or any of the countries of supposed origin but entirely ITALIAN!!



That started the split and as you said Christianity has since been split into over 35,000 different denominations, sects and cults setting christian against christian and christians against everyone else!!



God's work? Hardly!!



It must be the Devil and the Antichrist working together to divide, conquer and destroy christianity from the inside!!!



Is there a genuine christianity? Is it just a Roman invention to save a dying empire?
What makes you think that any one of them are right. Try to find a religion that holds up to rational scrutiny. If the single most important thing to a God is belief, why doesn't it do something that allows everyone to believe. If the single criteria for getting into heaven is gullibility, you can keep it. If a God is willing to punish people for eternity for it's inadequacies, you can keep it. It would be like me blaming my daughter for me not teaching her something.



"there is probably no god. now stop worrying and enjoy your life" - http://www.atheistbus.org.uk/
There is only one true church and that is Catholicism, all others are simply jump-ship wannabe Christians that have turned away from the true church, and people wonder why there is so much religious confusion in the world today regarding Christianity, this just proves to me that the motives for leaving the church in the first place was simply greed for wealth and power nothing more, It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out.
It is not about the religion. It's about God. You can blame God for all the types of religion, but don't blame Him for being one with any of them except the right one. Religion is a language. That is what the Tower of Babble was about; not cultural languages. You still have Babble and Babylon today in religion, and God still keeps changing the language. This is because you have to learn God by faith (persuasion) and letting Him guide you to the truth. Religions change because they get to high minded and forget the reason they exist. They become carnal in thought. They try to build their own way to Heaven through their own works of the flesh, thereby, becoming pagan-istic by worshiping articles and forms and customs and tradition. Rather than evolve Spiritually in understanding and wisdom and truth through the power of the Spirit of God the Father. There are religions who have not been seduced into carnality and ritual, but serve the letter by the Spirit and not the flesh. It is up to the individual to discover this if he doesn't want to be handcuffed to the pews of false religion or left wandering in the paths of uncertainty and speculation. harlowhiteministries.com
It has been my experience that I have only heard people of the Catholic faith claim that theirs is the one true religion and that all other Christians are in peril (like Mystery Man on the first page of these answers).



It is my firm belief that ANYONE who follows Christ is assured of heaven and, further, that even if you haven't chosen to follow Him in this lifetime, you will be given an opportunity to recognize Him after you have passed on.



Hell isn't punishment; it is death, as in no longer cease to exist.



With regard to which denomination is right: In essentials, Unity; in non-essentials, Liberty; in ALL things, Love.



Peace, Bill
It proves that they are all wrong.
Close your eyes and go 'eeny meeny miny mo.....'
None of them
Who am I to say which is right.. I can only live my life by what is right for me.

Just as everyone else should.



No everyone is not doomed. God is about love and forgiveness.



Have a good one!



Cinn =)
How much do minor doctrinal differences matter? We lump them together when we ridicule them, right?
Ever consider that NONE of them are correct?
exactly......because there are never any "True Scotsman".
Well, since theres over 35,000 denominations teaching different things we know that the church had/has to be restored. You should ask God who has that restored gospel.
That right there, shows that the word of God is nothing more than man's own interpretation of his own dull world around him.
I agree with McGee...

My friend, if you have a religion, I suggest you get rid of it and exchange it for Christ. I personally do not think one can call Christianity a religion. There is no ritual whatsoever given with Christianity. Have you ever stopped to think of that? This is the reason we can have all kinds of churches with different forms of worship -- for instance you can sing the Doxology if you want to, but you don't have to. Christianity was never given a form to follow. Why? Because Christianity is a Person. To be a Christian means that you trust Christ. Religion has never been very helpful to man.



Believers do not meet in one place to worship God today; we meet around One Person and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the important thing to keep in mind today. The name of your church doesn't make the difference. The denomination or lack of denomination of your church doesn't make the difference. The all-important question is this: do you meet around the person of Jesus Christ? Now, friends, if you don't, that is idolatry, because then you are meeting around something that is replacing Christ. If you are meeting to socialize or be entertained, that is idolatry. The thing that is to draw us together into a oneness is the person of Jesus Christ. How important that is!

鈥擩. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible



Don't get me wrong...I also believe it is better to worship and fellowship with Christians than just being by myself. And I love singing old hymns. And there are some really good sermons to be heard. But I don't pay much attention to dogma.



I also agree with the following

http://www.irishcalvinist.com/?p=833:

Religion says, if I obey, God will love me.

Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.



Religion has good people %26amp; bad people.

Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.



Religion values a birth family.

Gospel values a new birth.



Religion depends on what I do.

Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.



Religion claims that sanctification justifies me.

Gospel claims that justification enables sanctification.



Religion has the goal to get from God.

Gospel has the goal to get God.



Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin.

Gospel sees hardship as sanctified affliction.



Religion is about me.

Gospel is about Jesus.



Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key.

Gospel believes that being honest is the key.



Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God.

Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus鈥?work.



Religion sees Jesus as the means.

Gospel sees Jesus as the end.



Religion ends in pride or despair.

Gospel ends in humble joy.