In the past few weeks, I have attended a baptism at a local Catholic church and a baby dedication at a Pentecostal church with my family. Which has gotten my sister and I conversing about the topic of religion/denominations and how there are so many and why we think they came about.  

I feel like I have experienced numerous varying religions growing up and into adulthood. I was raised in a Southern Baptist church and that’s where I was baptized and attended youth groups, stuff like that, but I currently work at an Episcopal church.  

In high school my friend group was made up of a handful of beautiful girls that I will cherish for as long as I live, but most of us seemed to have grown up in different churches – Southern Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic, etc. We were pretty inseparable, even on Sundays, so we decided we would start going together as a group to the different churches around town, trying a new one each week.  

I can’t really remember how long that lasted, but it was a learning experience for sure. I also remember questioning then; how does one group do certain things and then another group does something different? Why do some believe you should pray this way? Why do some administer communion every Sunday while others do not? Why do some believe you should do this and not do that while others don’t really seem to care as long as you show up? Why are you supposed to be quiet in some churches, but allowed to be loud in others? Why do they believe it’s okay to dance, while this one does not?  

Who comes up with the set of rules for each of these religions? 

To be honest, I am not even close to getting a definitive answer, so I hope you’re not reading this in search of one, but while doing my own research I have gathered this much… 

Almost everyone at some point in their lifetime has asked this same type of questions and it is in search of those answers that religion is basically born. People have different beliefs, opinions, lifestyles, tastes, different family histories, etc. So, I guess it makes sense that there are different religions/denominations. 

But then comes the question: Who is right or who is wrong in what they believe or how they worship. In my opinion, as long as you are worshipping the One and Only True King – Jesus Christ then, who cares? 

To me religion isn’t only about beliefs. It’s about finding that group you fit in with the best and getting to experience community and friendship – people to help hold you accountable in your walk with the Lord. So, where do you personally feel the most comfortable and at home? There is no right or wrong answer. 

Sure, it would be nice if everyone could just agree, right? But I think the better goal would be shared understanding and acceptance. The ultimate goal is to experience and share the Word. How different religions go about that doesn’t really matter in the end does it?  

Afterall, God judges the intention of the human heart alone, not by which denominations or religion you belong to.

(Paige Gurgainers is a mother of three girls, publisher of Bienville Parish Journal and Claiborne Parish Journal and a digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal.)