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If not, I'm thinking of a place where anyone (maybe with a certain amount of reputation) from each sect can edit and provide very brief information about their particular beliefs. I realize this could get ridiculously large, and maybe it's not even possible, but I've tried to come up with a list that could maybe work as a quick reference. The majority of sects I've noticed around here are...

  • Catholic
  • Orthodox
  • Reformed
  • Evangelical
  • Pentecostal
  • Adventist
  • Jehovah Witness
  • Swedenborg
  • Latter-Day Saints
  • Unitarian Universalist

For example, the Reformed section could say...

Reformed

Reformed Christianity adheres to the teachings of John Calvin. Particular emphasis is given to predestination and the Five Points of Calvinism (TULIP).

Of course it can be better than this, but just two or three sentences to briefly define each position, with some links included if necessary.

This would give those looking for "truth" answers an idea about which position they are more interested in. Perhaps a few more sects could be added. If any can be combined without becoming too broad, this might help new users who are overwhelmed because of the thousands of denominations. Usually if someone wants an answer more specific than this list, they already know who to ask. Does something like this seem plausible?

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    This looks a bit like trying to replicate Wikipedia - why exactly do you want to do that?
    – bruised reed
    May 31, 2017 at 9:37
  • @bruisedreed I was just reading the meta about changing the logo to make the site easier to understand for new users. If they could have a quick reference to a few sects which would allow their question to remain acceptable, this might help. When I first started, I tried to ask questions like "According to baptist", only to find out that baptist was way too broad. I checked Wikipedia, but the list is massive. There are hundreds of Reformed churches, but simply asking for the Reformed position is usually acceptable here.
    – Cannabijoy
    May 31, 2017 at 9:49
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    We have both short and long descriptions available for tags. Would appropriate descriptions there be enough? Whatever you do, people are going to have to find the information and read it for it to be any use - the challenge would be much the same as already exists: how do you encourage users to be sufficiently informed to ask well-formed questions. If what you're suggesting could help with that, then great; but I think the issue is fundamentally the mindset of the user rather than unavailability of information.
    – bruised reed
    May 31, 2017 at 9:55
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    @bruisedreed You're probably right. I've noticed that some new users, when told they need to choose a denomination, usually say something like "I just want to know what the Bible says", which means they probably didn't even click on whatever link was provided. But it is overwhelming when you just want an answer to a question, but are told to choose from thousands of denominations. I'll edit the question to clear up what I'm visualizing.
    – Cannabijoy
    May 31, 2017 at 10:36
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    The tricky part is that for some questions, "Baptist" is sufficient (like for questions regarding infant baptism), but not for others. Similarly trinitarianism is sometimes sufficient, but other times it's way too broad. The content of the question usually dictates how narrow the scope has to be.
    – Nathaniel is protesting
    May 31, 2017 at 11:00
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    @Nathaniel Yeah I've definitely had my share of that. I've just seen some good questions and it's unfortunate that they won't get an answer. If the asker would just throw in the name of a sect or post the same question to a variety of sects, I'm sure they could find an answer that suits them; with a lot more detail than they would get if they simply Google it.
    – Cannabijoy
    May 31, 2017 at 15:46
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    Isn't this something like what the tag wiki is for?
    – Matt Gutting
    Jun 1, 2017 at 15:02
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    Perhaps what's needed is a sort of flow chart, such as a simpler version of this one, that could be used to help people identify their tradition, and then provide links to tag wikis/Wikipedia for more details. But creating something like this would be quite an undertaking...
    – Nathaniel is protesting
    Jun 1, 2017 at 17:46

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Tag Wikis

For example, click and then learn more for a summary of the LDS church.

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