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Don't feel guilty. I know how you feel. It is a hard thing to live your life pretending in church. Been there done that. I don't think anyone can even pull out a scripture saying one has to go to a building called church. Ya ya I know....forsake not the assembling of yourselves blah blah blah....go out to dinner with fellow believers. That is assembling.
Church isn't necessary to find or worship God. Worship is very personal and can be done anywhere. Remember Jesus always was alone and outside in the woods. He talked to God whenever and wherever. God loves you for you and it matters not where you love Him. It's the faith that God is with you that keeps you going. Find your own path and do what is right for you.
Find your passion in life in how you want to serve God,if it is going to nursing homes to share the gospel with the elderly or have a street ministry to the homeless or to the hospitals for the sick or hospice for the dying who need salvation,whatever it may be use your talents that God gave you that better serve Him.
Your faith should be in God through His Son Jesus Christ,not in a religious denomination.
Last edited by noland123; 07-31-2009 at 09:07 AM..
I do believe that one can honor God without the building, but I myself too have always been drawn to it at various points. I never felt guilty visiting other churches, and use to enjoy going to church occasionally with different friends but yes when I considered converting something inside me side 'you are doing bad'. Although I see it as wonderful when other people convert and find somewhere they are comfortable with! Catholic guilt is not just some bad bar joke, it is so real. I know what you mean about other people being more qualified, I even feel guilty when good stuff happens, because I feel like somebody else deserves it more, especially when you feel like people look at you and feel like you don't deserve it. If you really feel no connection with the Church though at all, I think God would be happy for you to find a place you love! It use to feel like home to me, now I just feel like a visitor. It made me so sad to go back into a Catholic Church a few weeks ago...it was such a lovely Church and seemed to be filled with so many wonderful people, made me miss it. I don't really feel a connection with the ones around here. Maybe if you went somewhere else for awhile you would feel less guilty about leaving over time...if not, then you could just go back to the Catholic Church. God will provide you some sort of way in time and he knows how you are feeling.
I believe in God, and it is that faith that keeps me in line. I believe the commandments exist to help build and maintain a strong moral compass, though I don't believe them to be a purely Catholic concept. I question a great deal, like the accounts in the bible. I feel that faith is what gives it credibility. It is the same faith that does not allow me to question the existence of God. In the opinion of some, this makes me agnostic. I don't know one way or the other. I know what I feel.
Organized religion just doesn't sit well with me. There are so many different practices and beliefs. So, I am always failing somewhere, to someone. I can't process there being a Catholic god, a Mormon god, a Jewish god, a Muslim god and so on. If there is one God, how can there be so many conflicting beliefs and practices? I'm not criticizing any one religion, I just can't bring myself to be accountable to any of them.
Many of my friends have their faith, some are devout, some are not. We have discussions but as they arise. We join in charitable activities - though the ones I participate in are not church based. I don't know that I have to gather with them as much as live among them and embrace them every day. I'm not limiting myself to one organization, one day a week.
That's all I've got.
No disrespect intended...but it sounds like you're a little confused about what Christianity is. You make a good observation--there cannot be multiple Gods. You need to find yourself a good Bible-teaching church.
I think you should do some exploring. Faith doesn't have to be simply putting blinders on and doing what you're told (although, some here may think that....) Try finding god in your own way, maybe branch out and attend seminars, go to a buddhist or Taoist temple, read some Wiccan literature, meditate in a lonely place. Go to many different churches, meet many different people but know that your path may be different than others, and that is okay. Coming from an Atheist this may seem odd, but my lack of religion doesn't necessarily mean I can't see the beauty in things, religious or not. You don't need a book or building to be faithful.
Church isn't necessary to find or worship God. Worship is very personal and can be done anywhere. Remember Jesus always was alone and outside in the woods. He talked to God whenever and wherever. God loves you for you and it matters not where you love Him. It's the faith that God is with you that keeps you going. Find your own path and do what is right for you.
i agree----if you are feeling guilty--try listing what about not participating as a catholic worries you-----remember when you go before God --He will not ask you what organized religion you belong to---just if you love Him--and kept HIS commandments--how you lived your life will be important!
No disrespect intended...but it sounds like you're a little confused about what Christianity is. You make a good observation--there cannot be multiple Gods. You need to find yourself a good Bible-teaching church.
I thought this was a blanket term for all those who believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ. I'll admit I have not done the research, and I don't present my interpretation as clarification to others for that reason. Feel free to educate me, really.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JetJockey
I think you should do some exploring. Faith doesn't have to be simply putting blinders on and doing what you're told (although, some here may think that....) Try finding god in your own way, maybe branch out and attend seminars, go to a buddhist or Taoist temple, read some Wiccan literature, meditate in a lonely place. Go to many different churches, meet many different people but know that your path may be different than others, and that is okay. Coming from an Atheist this may seem odd, but my lack of religion doesn't necessarily mean I can't see the beauty in things, religious or not. You don't need a book or building to be faithful.
I'm so glad you posted this, as I was going to share my explorations. I looked into the Mormon church and found that I appreciate their family orientation but the other elements were just not for me. Still, I will open my home to the missionaries and cook for them, with the disclosure that I already have my faith and that I do this because we share a love of God.
I read about Buddhism, and so far, it is where my interest is piqued. But it isn't a religion - which explains why I'm probably so drawn to it. It's more of a philosophy and a way of life. However, they do not believe in a god or blind faith. We are solely responsible for our own spiritual health and purification; I agree with this wholeheartedly. THIS is organic to me. Still, I believe in God as much as I embrace their philosophy. So I'm not sure I'd be an acceptable Buddhist, although they pride themselves in being impartial and accept everyone. This concern is likely to be projection on my part, a habit resulting from what I was taught.
By the way, I have never met an Atheist, nor have I ever been exposed more than knowing the definition. I don't know the day to day or the ins and outs. I find your post to be incredibly profound and objective. That alone has incredible value to me. I'd love to know more about your beliefs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aconite
With all due respect, kdb, you can't swing a cat without hitting a Christian. Most places, the question is how do you not spend time around them.
Where the OP can learn to turn a book into yet another God, and worship it.
Yah, see, that is another issue for me. I had a discussion with someone a while back about going to church. He said I need to go. I asked why. He said because it is written in the bible. I asked him who wrote the bible. He said God's prophets (or whatever the term was) and God wrote the bible through them. I asked him how he knew this. He said I was being blasphemous. Of course, I felt bad afterwards, but this is where I part ways with the church. I'm not saying they aren't accurate accounts, I'm saying I question them. And if I question them, I can't devote my entire being to them. At the same time, I believe in God, yet I have no proof he exists either. But that's about as far as I can take myself in terms of blind faith.
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