Why I stopped going to church
By ebony
@ebony_77 (42)
United States
May 26, 2013 2:00pm CST
Of all the years I have been going to church, recently I began to see how brainwashed people are in the church. For so many years, churches have been following man made traditions, rather than the ways of God. For instance, tithing. Many churches today have taken the scripture Malachi 3:8-10 and have twisted it to manipulate people in to giving money, when the scripture was talking about food and giving to the poor. All my life I have been told that I have to give 10 percent of my income to the church, when there is no scripture that supports that. The other thing too is all the prosperity preaching going on. Everything has been about money. No one is going out and ministering to anybody in the streets. Nowadays churches that I know, are just preaching to each other, whether it be in the church, or on conference lines. I know that it is good to fellowship with people, and it is true, I would rather fellowship with people who are like minded. I have just gotten tired of the sugar coated, dried up, manipulating, deceptive, messages that are being preached. Has anybody every felt the same way as I do? I still read my bible at home.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
28 May 13
I don't go for two reasons : lazyness and the reasons you gave along with a few others would be another one. Just when I thought I'd found a church that was worth attending, I was disappointed.
1 person likes this
@ebony_77 (42)
• United States
29 May 13
I know what you mean. I felt the same way. I have realized alot when I stop going to church. I allowed God to teach me and he showed me the truth to what the church does not want to know. I realize I am better off not being in church because it is manipulative, and deceived.
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
1 Jun 13
Keep reading the Bible every day and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Are there any Scriptures that encourage daily Bible reading? I have found these Scriptures: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; Matthew 4:4
Also, are we not commanded to fellowship with a group of people that God would consider his people? Hebrews 10:24-25?
1 person likes this
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
1 Jun 13
It is great that you are reading the Bible. We all need to pray for wisdom and the Bible says that if we do, we will get it from God. He can also lead us to people who really follow the Holy Scriptures and we can get help to do the right things that please God.
Tithing was commanded in the law of Moses, and it was a compensation for the Levites so that they could continue to concentrate on spiritual things and serving at the temple. The Levites did not get the same amount of land as the other tribes of Israel, so this was a fair arrangement that time.
We are no longer under the law of Moses, and we can see that the early Christians were reminded to give from free will - they should be giving from a willing heart.
I left the Lutheran church when I was a teenager, as I saw that they don't follow the Bible.
Just keep praying and searching, and soon maybe someone knocks at your door and talks about the truth, the truth from our loving heavenly Father that can set us free. 
@2timothy (794)
• Philippines
6 May 14
Although the church throughout the centuries has been dividing and degrading to a disappointing degree, God's heart is still forever for the church whom He paid dearly with His life to redeem. If we love God, we would surely also love what He loves, His church.
But due to the confusing situation of the church today, it is hard to find a church which comes up to God's standard according to His Word. May God lead you to find the one you are seeking as He promised, Seek and you shall find.
@lizzyt2007 (1312)
• Craig, Alaska
11 Jul 13
I only know one religion that does not expect a tithe. Only donate if you want to for the books created that explain the bible. Also they preach what Jesus said to tell others about the good news of the earth. They are Jehovah Wittnesses. I know this cause I am one , and I have been to different churches when I was a young adult and a teenager. The Jehovah wittnesses only Teach about the bible and what it says. They even encourage bible reading. have you been to their website http:///en/
there is bible material and a bible on their. For families, children, teens, and single parents and adults. The bible teaches everyone to live happily if only people would read it and really meditate on it, and talk to God and Know his name and know him and his son better.
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
27 May 13
Here (or below, or both) is a link to BibleGateway---several versions of the Bible, available online.
You're right. The Bible says we are each part of the Body of Christ. True, only the mouth of the body gets any of the food; but it should be turned into nourishment for each of the parts (as OUR mouths' food is broken-down into nourishment that is carried to each of the body's parts
I was going to refer to the mention that 'we are each parts of the body of Christ'-scripture, but churches today OBVIOUSLY aren't holding to that. And I also remember that the first Christian churches relied not on 'tithes,' but on ALL THE WEALTH of each of its members (which was immediately distributed evenly to all the congregants).
(There was even a story in Acts about two people who SAID they gave everything but who KEPT a fraction of it ... how the couple's spirits left them right there 
)
But church isn't really for the actions & nourishings of our bodies, that's what the rest of our lives are for (the body-parts are not nourished unless their actions demand that nourishment). The church is just a time/place to unify our minds---kind of like the daily "Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America" was supposed to be (when we said it every morning in public schools), a daily 'chant' to align our focus ... or something ...
It's not just fellowship, it's ... well, it IS just fellowship; but TRUE fellowship. Remembering that--though the world will only know us as 'random individuals related only by the distance between us in this atmosphere we both breathe'--we are TRULY brothers-&-sisters as long as we both give all the glory to the same Father.
)
But church isn't really for the actions & nourishings of our bodies, that's what the rest of our lives are for (the body-parts are not nourished unless their actions demand that nourishment). The church is just a time/place to unify our minds---kind of like the daily "Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America" was supposed to be (when we said it every morning in public schools), a daily 'chant' to align our focus ... or something ...
It's not just fellowship, it's ... well, it IS just fellowship; but TRUE fellowship. Remembering that--though the world will only know us as 'random individuals related only by the distance between us in this atmosphere we both breathe'--we are TRULY brothers-&-sisters as long as we both give all the glory to the same Father.
