I like being Baptist because many of us believe that each believer is responsible for her own faith, is her own priest and needs no other human to interpret the scriptures for her--or him. Specific beliefs are not dictated by others--it is between the believer and God. I like being part of a group that strongly endorses separation of church and state. One of my favorite favorite quotes from a Baptist is "Christ's religion needs no prop of any kind from any worldly source, and to the degree that it is thus supported is a millstone hanged about its neck."

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I like being Baptist because of the heritage of reverence for Sacred Writing, the discipline of listening carefully to the Word and of balancing it with a life committed to practical and constructive service, and the joy of knowing the Creator as a living reality, near and present in every event, every relationship and every created thing I encounter.

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