How do judge Christian denominations?

This is a difficult question. Too easily do people seem prone to dismiss others negatively over rather nuanced definitions and understandings, or practices they don't understand...

Also, it seems a traditional belief that we should probably expect to not personally agree with everything our church says, and yet submit to it. That is, when the liberal says "I like this or that, but the church disagrees - they're wrong", from where does a conservative make the same rebuke?

For a conservative Catholic or Mormon, it's not so difficult. They may assert the infallibility on moral doctrines of the Pope or Prophet. For a non-denominational Christian though, this is problematic. I find myself wondering if the Pope is wrong about this or that, yet don't feel myself fit to judge.

Indeed, for many ex-Catholics and ex-Mormons, the second they question that firm pillar, it seems that everything falls apart and they simply "go with the flow" of the times and mostly ascribe to mainstream doctrines.

At this point though, I think it is easy enough to rule out some larger denominations as having fallen into error using a simple litmus test based on traditional Christian mores (that is, making the moral behavior as superior to doctrinal disputes, etc.)

This may be easily enough done using something as old as the 10 commandments. We could just pick a few for simplicity, with more or less relevant issues:

1) Does the denomination condemn murder?
2) Does the denomination condemn adultery?
3) Does the denomination condemn theft?
4) Does the denomination condemn lying?

I think most everyone who calls themselves Christian still frowns about stealing and lying. Yet with regard to murder, a large number of denominations now support abortion and out-of-wedlock sexual relations. This applies to now-legal same-sex legal marriages as well, because state recognition and God's law are distinct. Ideally the state follow God, though we see that is not always true.

So unfortunately that simple litmus rules out a lot of Christian denominations! If your denomination is doing something so obviously wrong as violating the abrogating some simple moral rules to "keep up with the times" it might be time to change. The Bible sort of details over and over again that societies often seem to stray from God's law, but it's the Christians duty to stay true to God's law despite changing winds of popularity.

The second check might to be see if members actually take the rules of their denomination seriously and attempt to live by them. It appears the membership numbers and fertility rate in those who publicly disobey are dropping anyway though!

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It's interesting how Churches keep being told they need to keep up with the times to retain members, yet those who do slowly dissolve. If anyone suggests this, it's probably good to double-check their motivations and beliefs.