Guest ephymeris Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 So it's been at least 10 years since I was in a church as a member of faith. The last time I really participated in a christian ritual, I was saying my vows to get married. I've only been to a handful of weddings in a church since then. Thinking on my dual anniversary (plus an interesting idea from the interwebs) I realized that while I have happily renounced my faith, my asshole church continues to count me (and my husband) among their members. I feel a bit passive aggresive but these facts suddenly dawned on me and I realized I don't want to be counted in their numbers...and I feel like indulging myself! I don't like the idea that I may be falsely swelling the numbers of my old church's census and also contributing to the problem of inflated estimations of the christian population soooooo I sent a quick email to the southern baptists asking them to strike me from their roster/number/list whatever if there is one. I also thought of contacting my old church specifically but I wasn't sure which tactic to take so I'm starting here. Has anyone else had this thought or is it just me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagan Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 You should be able to withdraw membership? I am about to do that myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pratt Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 left the church and formally request to strike off membership and newsletter in 1993. all good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddbird1963 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I sent a quick email to the southern baptists asking them to strike me from their roster/number/list whatever if there is one. I also thought of contacting my old church specifically but I wasn't sure which tactic to take so I'm starting here. Has anyone else had this thought or is it just me? If you send a letter to the church you were a member of, they should probably take you off their membership rolls. I don't think your name is kept at the association or convention level offices. It all start with the local church, so once you start there the numbers will be reflected, eventually, all the way up the organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanta Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I haven't been a member of anything since I became an adult, and I was never confirmed. I was baptized as a child, though. Does that count on a roster somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dB-Paradox Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This is a good topic, and I've been thinking of this myself. I am still a member of the church I used to attend, and I continue to get magazines from the umbrella organization. It's a Mennonite church and organization. I'm not sure if I need to withdraw my name from both levels, or if one level does it all. And Phanta, I'd be surprised if they kept a list of all child baptisms and counted those among the ranks. But I really don't know for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyChef Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I did the same thing when I left the Methodist church where I grew up.They are big about accounting for everyone in the church and it took several disappointing phone calls and e-mails for them to get the message. Good for you,it's a small victory that feels very good once it's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanta Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Ok. I'm not too worried about it really. My childhood church was pretty pleasant a tame. Progressive, even... But I am curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dB-Paradox Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Doesn't the government-issued census keep track of religious numbers? So, even if you're listed in your old church as being counted among the faithful, it means very little. Unless the church uses their own independent numbers for things like funding? Anyway, I just looked at the Statistics Canada website and I think censuses are done every 5 years. (Honestly, I don't remember the last time I filled one out.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ephymeris Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Unless the church uses their own independent numbers for things like funding? Eh, that was kind of what I was thinking. It wouldn't suprise me if those bastards would keep on the roster to swell their funding from the SBC... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 One church I went to removes people from their membership if they do not come to services for more than a year. I was Southern Baptist and I do not think they, the national convention, keep a record of everyone who was a member or baptized? That is a record a church would keep or discard. You could always ask your last church to remove your name from its membership list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Here's a link for debaptism: http://debaptized.com/?q=node/83 Dontcha just love the internet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valk0010 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 This guy actually does debaptisms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ephymeris Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 LOL I read a story from US News I think about that guy! Such an amusing concept! I don't need a ceremony but I bet going to one of those is a hoot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Here's a link for debaptism: http://debaptized.com/?q=node/83 Dontcha just love the internet? Yes, amazing what you can find. I like the t-shirts from the same place. http://www.zazzle.com/blood_transfusions_work_light_t_shirt-235556050881066904 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 De-baptism? Isn't this along the lines of born again? If you're still wet from the first go around I would suggest a towel. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 This guy actually does debaptisms. I just love the whole hair dryer in a ritual shtick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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