What is the best Christian denomination?
It really depends on what you are looking for spiritually. I was baptized Roman Catholic, and 16 years of brainwashing have convinced me that the Catholic Church is weak, corrupt, political, and traditional. I would be a fan of Protestant sects, but there are so many, and they stand divided on so many different topics. I'm something of an agnostic Deist right now, because I hope for a god but believe in science, and view everything with a skeptical eye. As for the "best" denomination, who can really say? Friendly people are everywhere, good people can believe in something false, and all religion is prone to some form of bias and fallacy. Religion in and of itself is a human construct, so the "best" is a flawed question, though I understand your curiosity. I'm sorry I can't argue for any sect or denomination, but my point is that your point is moot. Good luck in your search for truth!
How should the denominations of the poker chips be in a homegame of texas hold'em?
A good number of denominations is four. More than that makes it hard to stack chips, fewer can mean too many chips are needed for betting. People should start with between twenty and forty chips.The smallest denomination should match the small blind or ante, and larger chips should be round numbers between two and five times the immediately smaller chip. You stick close to two times if you want to keep the buy-in small relative to the blinds, also in limit poker, five times for large buy-in no limit.For example, $1/$2 no-limit with a $200 buy-in might use $1, $5, $10 and $25 chips; starting people off with ten $1, eight $5, five $10 and four $25. If you prefer a $500 buy-in, you might do $1, $5, $25 and $100; starting people off with ten $1, 8 $5, six $25 and three $100. In a limit game with a $100 buy-in, you might use $1, $2, $5 and $10; and start people off with five $1, ten $2, five $5 and five $10.Nothing is set in stone, you can manage things how you like. It also depends on how many people are playing, and how many and what types of chips you have. There’s no reason to stick to casino colors or traditional home ones either (moreover casinos and traditions vary).For tournaments, most people like to start with large nominal amounts, like $10,000. Since the chip amounts are unrelated to the buy-in, why not have fun? You’ll want to have more than four denominations available, but only four should play at any time. At the beginning of the tournament, you might be using $100, $200, $500 and $1,000 chips, but as players are eliminated, blinds increase and the stakes build, you might replace the $100 chips with $2,500; and later the $200 chips with $10,000.
What is the best scratch ticket denomination to buy?
I'll give you advice, but it's not going to be what you were hoping for. I promise you it's the truth, and I really hope you'll listen. There is no "best lottery ticket" to buy. They are all equally as horrible, and are truly the worst bet on the planet. Please hear me out and I'll explain more. For every dollar the lottery company collects, they only pay out about 50 cents to winning tickets. So for every $20 you spend, the expectation is to only "win" back about $10. You very well might win nothing back. If you're lucky, you'll get back $5 or $10. If you're really lucky you'll get back $15 or $20. To get back even more than $20 would be extremely lucky, and to get back $100 is like a once in a few months happening. The only exception for the last thing I said is for people who are spending hundreds of dollars per week. They are going to "win" a hundred bucks more often, but they will end up losing thousands of dollars a year chasing those few nice wins. Truly - No other standard form of gambling on the entire planet has a worse payout rate than the lottery. The lottery is truly a TAX on the poor and on the ignorant. If you like money, then your best "bet" is to NEVER, EVER buy lottery tickets.
What is a true Christian denomination?
In my evaluation, none are completely right. Protestant denominations were initially divided by reason of differences of interpretation of Scripture in areas NOT considered core Christian doctrine and where there is not clear understanding or a mystery. Rather than accept there is mystery, they claimed one side or the other and made a new denomination. A pity. They are also divided by reason of governing styles and worship styles.If you at looking for sincerity, choose a church that teaches the Bible as being written with and having authority. Find one that studies using good techniques for any literature, not one that wants to claim biblical history or instruction is symbolic or a myth. Look for church members that talk about God and the Bible outside the church's four walls. Ask for a copy of their statement of faith. These are the essentials. Among the ones that meet the essentials, try to find one worship style that is not uncomfortable for you. Attend for at least a year to get established...be involved, not a spectator.Some denominations that are more known to be Word-centered are Baptist (Southern), Presbyterian (PCA, EPC, Reformed), Evangelical Free Churches, and some full-gospel (Pentecostal). But still, not all congregations will meet the essentials. Liberal denominations that have drifted off the authority of Scripture are on the decline in a big way. But you can still sometimes find individual congregations within those denominations that have not drifted off course.ADDED: The saying among Christians is "In the essentials, unity; in the nonessential, grace." That means a true Christian church must agree on the essential doctrine, most of which is encapsulated in the Apostles Creed. Religions like Mormonism, New Age, Jehovah's Witness, etc. believe something about Jesus but they are not accepted as a Christian by the larger Christian community. That is because they have doctrine that violates what is considered essentials of the Christian faith and/or claim the divine authority of texts outside of the Bible and/or use a Bible whose translation is not accepted as accurate by knowledgeable Christian theologians.
What denominations of Christianity are the best to raise a family in? What should I avoid?
I would imagine that most people would recommend their own denomination as being the best to raise a family in. Though I am a very happy Episcopalian and think the church has a lot to offer I won't go down that route.Instead, I'd say that it's important to join a denomination that is comfortable with a degree of diversity, doubt and free inquiry. It's not healthy to belong to churches where people don't feel comfortable asking difficult questions, aren't able to openly wrestle with doctrines or moral codes, or can't disagree with their pastor, priest or bishop (while continuing to leave the door open for more dialogue.) God gave us a mind and conscience to use and while we will all get some things wrong, that's okay too. That's what grace is for. It should be open to incorporating spiritual practices, music, art, books etc. that may be found in other Christian denominations or even other religions - as long as they can be reconciled with its beliefs. We all have something to learn from each other. It's important to be in a spiritual tradition that gives one nurture, strength and vitality but doesn't wall people off from their family members, workmates, friends or neighbours who believe differently. Our commonalities are much more important than our differences and we can learn important lessons from different kinds of people.It's important to join a denomination that believes that unconditional service to all - not just fellow church-members - is a key value.It's important to be exposed to a church that emphasizes forgiveness and reconciliation instead of guilt and shame. It's important to belong to a denomination that emphasizes God's love and grace, rather than fear and dread.It's important to be in a denomination that doesn't shun science. It's important to belong to a denomination that values education and scholarship. It's important to belong to a denomination where its leadership is transparent and accountable to its membership in moral as well as financial matters. Ideally, the membership should have a means to remove errant leadership through a vote or some other process.There are many denominations and churches that have these attributes. Do some church shopping, ask the important questions and don't rush into anything.