i like to know this i don't reply this to everyone who goes to church

I just recently posted a discussion on a very bad experience I had at church a couple of weeks ago. I was tempted not to go back but I guess I will. I do want to go to church but am not sure I'll feel comfortable at this one. I don't believe one has to go to church to have a close relationship with God. I did find that I enjoyed the worshiping with others. Having a church family is something that I long for. I agree with you about the judgment. The gossip and judging don't belong in Church.

I totally understand what you are saying. Firt thigs first the church is not GOD! praying at home is fine. No one can tell you how your relationship with GOD should be. GOD loves you no matter what other people think you should say and do. Many people stop attending church because of the people and their demands in the church. I do not care what people think because I know my heart and my relationship with GOD and I am happy with just that.

Believing God is our own personal choice. And showing it is also our decision. So we have no right to judge one another regarding the way we believe and show it. Because we differ from one another.

first im not christian but I am someone who has respect in proper religious people.. not wannabes. so I think my say is still valid LOL anyways see those who call themselves Christians and judge you based on some of what you do.. are NOT CHRISTIANS they are FOOLING themselves and following blind. Those are blind followers, brain washed. Hypocrites. Real christians are like you they actually pretty much do their best to follow the bible IE not to judge thy neighbor. and like the bible says you dont have to go to church to pray.. Can pray in a corn field if it feels "right" to the christian person, it really doesnt matter where you brain im sure god hears from all over the place including corn fields!

Sorry to hear about all of the health factors involved. Still, you need not concern yourself with others think. Seek God, pray, and live your life to please him. When the rapture comes, God will take his own. What will be left standing is all the Christian want to be's that have been plaguing the Kingdom of God.

Further to my response, you say you don't go to church because of what others say and do. Churches are only buildings, and we are the temple of God. As such, we are to strive to protect the temple God has entrusted to us. Not to say that will be easy either. However, I can remember when I was very young, learning that God is NOT in every church. You have churches that are for the rich, and they do not want poor people there. So, forth and so forth. The most important person not permitted to enter these churches, is Jesus. If they don't let him in his own house, then don't be surprised that they don't let you in. But, Jesus tells us that we should go to church anyway, because we are not going for others, but for him, and ourselves. For you not to go to church based on your reasoning, gives them and satan the victory. However, if you remain steadfast, and go anyway, then you take that victory from satan, and you give it to it's rightful owner, God!

People are people and human nature is flawed so I don't pay any attention to people! Except to be friendly and supportive and to pray for 'em.. Other than that, I don't care what they think or what they may expect.. I chase after God (and Jesus) on my own.. read and pray.. If or if not I go to church I don't let others opinion of that affect me one way or the other! [The only thing that works, anyway, is to draw close to God, as he's the only source of goodness.. This is what saves, and this is what transforms. The more a person knows this the better their walk will be (the more love will flow from their heart and life.. whether they are a church goer or a conscientious objector from churches part, or full time..

Hello. I know what it is to be mistreated when going to church services. I took my wife and kids to a number of different churches and we were mistreated at every one. People would walk off so they would not have to talk to us, lie about us, not invite us to their parites, etc. We got tired of all this mistreatment and just stopped going. We now have church services in our own home, where we are not mistreated. Why do poeple act this way and injoy mistreating others? I think that they mistreat other people so that they can feel superior to them. Maybe that is why a lot of people go to church servies in the first place.

Hi syankee, looks like we have something in common as I am pretty much the same way when it comes to organized religion and all. Still, I do believe in a higher power and I do pray. I treat others kindly and try to live a decent, honest life. I am far from perfect and I know it. I feel like working on myself and becoming a better person is an on-going thing and probably is or should be for all of us. No one is perfect. If everyone played judge for themselves and tried to better themselves rather than judging others instead can you imagine what a better world this would be? I even try not to judge the judges but when they start in on me and trust me...they have..it is hard to keep quiet.

I am a 16 yr old Christain, born into a christain family, and I go to a Pentecostal Assemblies of God church (just some background :P) You are right, the bible does say "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged : and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam in that is in thine own eye?" (Matthew 7: 1-3) but there is also something to be said for "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone : if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained they brother." (Matthew 18:15 and continues to 17) This doesn't prove it, I would be stretching this to say that it means we are to tell all others that they wrong and start shoving it down their throats, but I think it gives a spirit of the law idea that we should humble ourselves (true humbleness) and meekly come to our brother and point out gently (between him and and yourself alone) that he is doing something that not only hurts himself spiritually but hurting others as well (best and should only be done with scriptural back up) But battles should be chosen wisely here, you shouldn't be doing this because some girl is wearing a skirt that is just over her knees to church.... but yeah, In everyones church you always end up with a few that knit pick every single little fault in everyone. But there is also the other consideration, maybe one or two of them had a point? I personally don't know ANYTHING about you really, so please don't think I'm judging you, I'm simply holding every possibility as open. But here : "Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly : and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1st Thessalonians 5:22-23) In the end it comes down to you, and Your relationship with God, about 99% of Christains don't have this. And it is the MAIN reason why Christains can be so stupid and get such a bad rep. a REAL relationship with God, will likely involve 1.) A deep desire for him. 2.) Communion with him, such as a deeper prayer where you are talking with him, and he is speaking back. 3.) A willingness to allow him to use you, no matter how hard and sometimes painful it can be. 4.) Reading the bible never hurt, and I'm pretty sure that its a requirement. Like I said, 99% of christains today don't have that. But thats what I want. But I have to ask for it, To ask him first and foremost that I would have a deeper hunger for him (Because honestly, when I was first a christain, I didn't have almost any hunger at all for him, but as I grow, that hunger and desire for him, grows too.) and that I would be what HE wants me to be, and that I would be happy with it. And I am happy, very happy :) but there are hard times too. Jesus Christ faced persecution from those in his own religion, should we be any different? If you are doing right in what you do, what do you fear? why do you let it bother you? Are they right? If not, then why not do what God told you to do and "Bless them which persecute you : bless, and curse not." (Rom 12:14) because "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." (Matthew 5:11) It really does all come down to you, and your relationship with God. "They" are not a concern. except that we should want them to have a close relationship with God also, pray for them. and pray for yourself because we all need to pray for ourselves. I hope this helped even a little, even though its a mile long :P

Hi syankee525, and thank you for your discussion. You raise some very good questions, ones that we most likely don't have all the answers to. We may be able to help you to understand a few things, be there's no way we can explain others to you. You are very right about the wrong behaviors of many people who claim to be christians. I encounter similar situations almost every day, and have lived with it since I first noticed it when I was 10 years old. It's a little word called hyprocrisy. Unfortunately, what you are experiencing is experienced by mostly everyone, almost on a daily basis. It gives Christianity a bad rap, and quite frankly, these types of people are only Christians one day a week, primarily Sunday. Every other day of the week, they are just like everyone else. A lot of people think that the life of a Christian means that you accept Jesus as your personal savior, and that's the end. When in reality, that's only the beginning. When you become a Christian, you should begin to live your life differently than everyone else does. It should be a gradual change, and based on your lessons in the bible about how God wants us to live our lives as His chosen ones. It's kind of like when a baby is born. That baby is completely dependent on others for everything. Eventually, the baby begins to learn to crawl,then walk, then run. The same is true with Christian life. However, if the new born does not take the necessary sets to learn what their new role is in society, they will never learn to crawl, let alone walk. By the time we have learned to run, we really should feel uncomfortable even being among, and doing the same things the secular world does. It's almost like you feel you don't fit, and everyone is out to get you. Noone ever said that being a Christian was going to be easy. It will be the most difficult thing you will ever do in life. From the very beginning, satan will be by your side doing everything he can to keep you from growing in your faith and attaining the ultimate goal of being santified in the holy spirit. It's not an easy life, by any means, as is evident by all of those people you talked about when you started the discussion. Most likely you have attained a level of spirituality they have not, and they are jealous. Let's face it, Christian or not, we are all still human beings, and God understands that. I hope my words are of some help.

I try my hardest not to judge anyone. It is hard. I will usually give people a chance until they show me they don't deserve it anymore. I'm more cautious now than I used to be though. I have two small children to think about and the world doesn't seem to be getting any better! I still try though.

Everything is easy to say..doesn't mean what is preached is actually followed and done. It is also said that whatever we judge others with, the same measure will be judged against us when we are judged in heaven. Thus, it is not our battle, but the Lord's. Born again means born in Christ, simply by believing that Jesus Christ is Lord and accepting Him as your personal Saviour in life. I'm not sure if you're heard of spirit-baptized Christians, but it is only with the Holy Spirit anointing that we can actually lead the life of a true Christian, without so we will definitely have a hard time. Not that it will be easy with the Holy Spirit with us, but we will have more grace and strength and the will to stand for the will of God in our lives. Princess