Who of you believes in god but doesn't go to church?

Being raised roman catholic I have mixed views of my religion. I could never wrap my head around confessing my sins and having to spend an hour on my knees saying hail marys and our fathers to make all my wrongs, righted. So while I still believe in god and still talk to "him" on occasion I believe my god and I have come up with a compromise that would make my priests head spin. I don't go out and kill people. So therefore I am allowed to take his name in vain when I stub my toe. I don't commit adultery so therefore I am allowed to worship my sweetie every night for a couple of hours before I go to bed. I don't covet my neighbors anything so he cuts me some slack on the honor thy father and mother part, and at the end of the day when I have done something I am truly sorry for he forgives me because in my heart I am sorry. That's what works for me and my god.

i believe in a supreme being and God is as good a name as any other. I was brought up in a Protestant household and married a Roman Catholic. Do I attend church, no. I follow no "Christian" religion as I have yet to find one that actually practices what it preaches. You refer to their cliquishness in your post. You only have to visit the Religion board of myLot to see the hypocrites and zealots that come out to play there or those that are bruised by their experiences with their churches. My approach is simple. I do not deliberately set out to hurt people. I try to care for and love others. I am fallible, but then I'm human. An irony perhaps is that I absolutely adore church music. I go to church to listen to that sometimes when concerts are given. That's it really.

I agree with you. You can pray and talk to God anytime anywhere. I don't go to church as often as I use to either due to having medical problems.But I do read my bible and pray to God.

I believe this is one reason why my family thinks of me like I'm a prodigal son, I also think that they are just too close-minded and are still sticking on those old-fashioned traditions that our elders told us. They can't accept and is still denying the fact that, God is everywhere. God doesn't dwell on man-made structures, God is within us and God will always here us as long as we pray sincerely. However, it is still good to pray as a group or family. But I'd rather do that alone, in private and at the comfort of my room. Besides, there was no way I've read of God commanding us to go to churches. All that was stated is, to repent our sins and ask for forgiveness. Remembering the Sabbath day is another one, but we were never told to spend it on any churches. As long as we believe and worship God, I find nothing wrong doing it..

i'm not sure what i believe in. i mean i believe in "god" but i'm not sure it is the same god everyone else believes in. like when i am worried or scared i talk to my deceased father as if he is god ya know i ask him to help or show a sign things will get better. i guess in my own little world he is my god. i know he really did exsist or i wouldn't be here. there is no guarantee any other gods were really here to some there maybe proof yes but not to me. so i do believe in a god. no i don't go to church and as far as that topic goes i don't think anyone should have to go to church to be preached to about something they already believe in it's more for getting reassurance or something. every church says it different but it's the same story so if you believe why would you need it said to you over and over again every sunday. just believe

Am not a churchgoer but am a believer AND I don't belong to ANY religion. I read the Bible and other religious writings from other religions. I've also been to other religions. What I didn't like is that they keep on saying they're the right one - the right religion and that others are teaching false stuff. When I transferred to another religion, they said the same thing. So I have decided to be, you know, not belonging to any religion. But of course, there are times that I'd go to a church to listen and to pray. By the way, it's supposed to be God, not god. Him. He. :)

Going to church is just a concept of like minds coming together to praise the Lord. The Lord lives in each and everyone of us. That is how we are all connected to each other. That is why some of use can read minds, or when we are talking to each other and someone says what you are thinking i was just about to say that. Going to church is fine is that is what you want to do. But church is a place, you can have church in your house with you just and God.

I beleive in God and read my Bible but don't go to church. The reason why is because I never found a church I really felt comfortable with. So, I decided I didnt need a church to worship God. I've heard we are supposed to go for fellowship. But you can have fellowship with anyone. Your friends or even people you just met. Online too.

I believe in God but I don't believe in "organized religion" so no, I don't go to church. I have gone to chruch in the past and stopped going for a long time, then went back just to give it another try and it just didn't work out for me.

Yup that about applies. I don't do a lot of things expected of someone who's "christian", probably because a) It's expected, which is a reason not to do it in itself. :p and b) a good deal of all the other people acting like that are morons. I mean no offense but seriously... some of the stuff they do makes no sense at all. I'm sure everyone can come up with something. ... I was going to type something else but in the course of that last sentence I forgot it. -_-; Ah right, The Bible... I haven't read mine in a long long time, because it isn't the same as what it was back in the day. Too much stuff has been lost in translation from Hebrew to greek or roman or whichever one it went into first and then into whatever it was in before it was in english.... and then the translations into "modern english" which have further screwed things up.

i also believe in god but i don't go to church either. i'm quite bored when i go to church and attend some mass

I'm with you on this one Mamablaze. I believe in God, I know he is watching over me, and he listens to my every word. Because I do not attend church and I practice my religion in my own way, does not mean I will go to hell. I try to everything right in God's eyes, so that I will be allowed to pass through the pearly gates into heaven. I ask for forgiveness from him, should I make an err. Believe what is in your heart, not what other's believe you should do.

hi mamablaze, i find your discussion interesting, its such a tricky deal isnt it? when i was a kid my parents would always bring me and my siblings to church. but as i grew older i did feel that i dont find it necessary for me to go to church. i have to admit, it was probably because i felt lazy to go to church and when listening to priests delivering their sermons i found it dull, whats the use in being in a church when you would be knocking yourself to sleep, like i see some people do. and the fact that your in church doesnt make up for the sleeping part, well thats how i feel anyway. but its a matter of free will right? you either want to go or dont want to go. even today my father and i would have these little arguments about religion and why i dont go to church, but i still do go 'sometimes' in respect to my father and to the religion. he once said that i should go to church to be more closer to 'him'. but i feel that as long as you remain strong with your faith, that you believe there is a supernatural being be it god, allah, yahweh, buddha and etc. youd still be close to him. it is the personal relationship that you and your maker has that really counts anyway, whether you would be with the crowd or without them.

I agree with the readers who claim that God is omnipresent, seeing all, hearing all both inside and outside of the Church. For myself, I do not attend to any specific religeon, but, I do believe in a God of my own understanding. I am at peace with myself, when I am behaving in a manor of honesty and good thinking. This peaceful easy feeling I attribute to God. I do feel a closer connection to my God when I am enjoying natures beauty in the outdoors. It has already been suggested that the church goers form a fellowship and that is a good thing. Some people have to belong to a fellowship or organization in order to feel validated. The warm greetings and hugs are just one more reflection of Gods love, speaking to us through other people.