Sometimes I despair at how little agreement there is on nearly anything within Christianity. I know that we were never promised that things would be nice and neat, but still it seems like if Christ's church is a supernatural entity, there'd be some unity. Yet, even among five-point Calvinists, there are people running around anathemetizing one another as holding "different gospels" because of, say, views on sacraments. And we wonder why the church in this day and age is so individualized.

There was a time when I believed I was being called to pastoral ministry. But I'm sensing more and more that I'm not temperamentally cut out for that. I've found it generally true that it's easier to get two pagans to agree on everything than to get two Christians to agree on anything.

There's an old joke regarding this that those of you who are Christians have probably seen many times:

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man about to jump off. I immediately ran over and said:

"Stop! Don't do it!"
"Why shouldn't I?" he asked.
I said: "Well, there's so much to live for!"
"Like what?"
"Well... are you religious or atheist?"
"Religious."
"Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?"
"Christian."
"Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
"Protestant."
"Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
"Baptist."
"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
"Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"
"Reformation of 1915!"
To which I said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed him off.

I don't find the joke all that funny anymore. But I do find it all-too-true.