Religion Phobia
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
United States
January 3, 2007 11:37am CST
I have always been a believer that God does exist. I pray. I live a life that is morally strong. The one thing I do not do is go to church or belong to any specific religion.
My mother was once a Jehovah's Witness. We had to follow her beliefs as she was our mother and that is what you do. When I left her house at 16, I stopped disassociated with the church. When I moved back with her I advised her that I would not play party to her forcing her religious beliefs upon me.
When I gave birth to my twins, I met a family that was involved in another church. They offered to pick up my girls and bring them to attend their Sunday School. I agreed. I attended the services a few times. I felt as if I were being smothered and stopped going and also stopped my children from attending.
A friend introduced me to a church she had been attending. The church members were amongst the social elite in our town. I became baptized and my children were also baptized as members of this church. We maintained our membership for three years. I was beginning to feel as if my family was the token poor family. We donated what we could, but I felt they always wanted more. Slowly my attendance wained and eventually I stopped going to services all together.
I have had friends and acquaintences approach me and ask me to join their Bible study groups and attend a church service. Immediately I begin to back off. I throw up the bricks to build the invisible wall to keep them from pushing their religous beliefs onto me. I can't breathe, I can't breathe. I take a step back and thank them for their offer, and let them know I am not sure what direction my life is headed. They know that even though I say I will call them if ever I want to accept their offer, I will never make the call.
I do have strong spiritual beliefs. One is that you do not need to worship God in a church. The church of your heart is most important.
9 people like this
56 responses
@Lunnazol (296)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I agree 100%. My whole family is Catholic, but my mother did not push me into Catholicism. She asked me since I was little if I wanted to be baptized, do the first communion and confirmation with the Catholic church and my answer at 5 years old was no. This doesn't mean I didn't know God. I have known God and worshipped Him ever since i can remember. I just didn't feel the catholic Church was for me. After that I was enrolled in a Baptist school and later in a Wesleyan school. During collge I tried joining a Evangelist church and I just did not fit in. After that I chose non-denominational churches, but I had a hard time going to church every Sunday and attending Bible studies, etc. I don't want to make excuses, but it was just difficult with my job and other cirscumtances. Today, my husband and I have found the perfect church and it's not an actual structure. We watch Pastor Joel Osteen and this is the ifrst time in my life wheer I feel complete. spiritually fulfilled and content. This is what works for us, but it is not necessarily what works for the ret of the world. I truly don't believe people have to go to church to be good Christians. If you surround yourself by positive, encouraging Christians, study the Bible on your own and devote time to prayer and having great, long converations with God, then it's all good! Church should indeed be in your heart.
4 people like this
@happyfeet (51)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I totally agree with you!
I was raised catholic, had to go to church, confession, etc.
When I became older, I realized that I don't have to go to church, to be closer to God. Right now, I do not belong to any church, or do not practise any specific religion.
God, to me, has no religion. All religions have done, is caused wars between people. And I think that whet everybody forgets, is that we have to be good people, and it's our actions that count, not how many times we go to church, or which one we belong to.
3 people like this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I'll agree with you that many churches focus on getting more people into their church above everything else. But many people love going to church, love worshipping God, love Jesus, and just want to share what they think is something special. You just have to find a place that feeds your love of God and feeds your desire to know Him better and then you will be at home.
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
4 Jan 07
I agree esther. While some of us look the other way of entering a church there are many faithful who actually draw and great deal of comfort from going to church. I would categorize them as true believers who are not easily swayed by the sermon but draw serenity from the sanctuary. These I might say were the "silent minority" of the Christians.
@MissGia (955)
• United States
3 Jan 07
i went to church when i was little but it got boring and is stopped going. and then through out my teenage years i always had friends who wanted me to go to church with them, a few times i went..but i always felt out of place. I dont know the idea of church is sort of cultish to me anymore.. there are so many religions and they all like to argue which is right..when all we should be doing is praising god. Thats why now i dont associate myself with any religion at all, i dont go to church. God would probably rather me give praise to him in my closet.
@Vitalismwenya (17)
• Zambia
3 Jan 07
The fact that you believe in God you are up to a good start. Yes sometimes you may feel out of place with what you may find in th church. But this is because this is a new life. I myself was very upset with a pastor constantly visiting me and trying to make me understand things I thought I knew very well until when I allowed God to show me what was missing in my life. Doing good deeds will not save you but the realisation that we have all sined and follen short of the glory of God. Being alone is not what not what God wants of us. He wants us to have fellowship with Him and with our brethren. Church in Hebrew means the called out ones. this means that those who go to church acknowledge the fact that they belong to God not to any onther person. When you go to Church, you are not going there for anyone but for yourslf alone. The reason people find it difficult to associate with others in church is self inflicted guilt. No one will judge you except God. If you read the book of Ezekiel 18:21-31 you will find that God loves us and wants us to go back to Him. read the five books of Moses and find out how God wanted His people to fellowship togetherand with Him. The next thing you must do is to beleive in Jesus Christ. Jesus did not bring a religion but a Kingdom. So anyone who is a christian belongs to a Kingdom.
2 people like this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
4 Jan 07
You may find what you say as the Gospel truth. That doesn't quite cut it with me. The Bible is a very inspirational book, of that there is no doubt. But it what others have said of what God and Jesus said. How can we be certain that they are, indeed, Their words. Many Christians like yourself and willing to accept them thusly but I still am not convinced. There are many passages that I read on occasion, especially in the books of Job, Proverbs, and the Psalms and I find comfort in the words I read. But they are not God's word as far as I can tell. I have yet to talk with any minister or priest who can convince me otherwise.
@umjuna (100)
• Netherlands
3 Jan 07
I myself aren't a christian. I am muslim and a happy one.
But yesterday I heard a man on the radio (he was brought up in a strict christian family) he said that going to church and marrying there etc, isn't obligatory. And isn't mentioned in the bible at all. I personally don't know to much of the bible.
2 people like this
@juls2me2 (2150)
• United States
4 Jan 07
I do believe that your salvation isn't based on going to a church. I do believe in the Bible. The Bible instructs us to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Heb. 10:25
I do believe it is important to attend and belong to a church with believers that believe what you believe. It's important to participate in whatever way you can, no its not manditory though. Going to church is a way to share the Lord's love in your life with someone else. It's about others and loving others the way Christ would and doing it together, as well as being taught and refreshed with God's Word, glorifying the Lord with Praises, Singing, and just fellowshipping and encouraging other people. That's the purpose of going to church is to be around other believers and encourage each other. You'll find once you start going.. the Lord gives you a desire to do more... For me, I started ushering...basically greeting people at the door and handing out bulletins. Reaching out to other people with excitement of knowing you're all gathering together to honor Jesus. If you can't stand to be around other believers here on earth, how are you going to handle it when we're all in heaven glorifying the Lord together. It's basically practice....:) Loving the Lord and worshipping the Lord with other believers is really awesome to experience and develop real friendships that will last forever.
You just need to remember, that the people there are all human and imperfect too and there is no perfect church. Just imperfect people trying to serve the Lord the best they can.
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
4 Jan 07
I was brought up Baptist (northern as opposed to southern which is somewhat more liberal)but was never baptized. I converted to Catholicism when I was 22, being baptized, first communion and crisma...the whole nine yards. I am still a Catholic but not practising.
I too believe that going to church every sunday and holy days is not necessary. However, there is one passage in the Bible that I keep quoting when my Catholic friends ask me why I don't go to church. It's the one sometimes referred to as "the laying on of hands". Jesus placed his hands on Peter and said, "Peter, you are the rock and on this rock I build my church." At least that is the way the scholars have translated/interpreted the passage. I have a much different interpretation. I see that Jesus was referring to Peter's body as his church, not a building or a temple or a mosque but the body. Therefore I believe that my body is God's church and I carry it with me day and night. When I pray I am in His church with no walls only open air, tranquility and no one telling me what he thinks I should or should not do.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
4 Jan 07
Thank you Gif. I love your responses. You know how to make a person feel good.
@GardenGerty (160491)
• United States
4 Jan 07
Ideally, and no church is the complete ideal, church becomes a place of community. A lot of people miss out on that, or have very oppressive experiences. The larger churches get to have a shopping mall feel sometimes. I have small groups that I associate with within my large church. I agree that people can have faith outside of organized religion. I have tried that way before, in other places. I have been mad at God. I have also been sustained by God, and allowed graces that I never asked for. I have had people praying for me that I never knew about, and healing experiences I never asked for.My friends, my faith is a part of who I am, but as a friend I would never force you, as that is neither a friendly or loving thing to do, and my experience of God is that He loves me, and I should love my neighbors.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
4 Jan 07
I do not condone those that worship within a church or any other place of worship. This is just not the way for me. My mother is now a Mormon and I am happy for her that she has found something that brings her joy and strengthens her faith. It is just not for me. My beliefs are of the heart and that is where I shall worship.
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I too am a believer however un-churched as they put it. I always thought that people made the church. All the religions have something that is good about them. However too many of them build a religion on a set of beliefs and not the Bible. Am sorry you feel the need to avoid, I like to attend when invited when it feels right to learn what they are all about. You know when they are not right by how they live in comparison on how the teach. I am hoping you find the thing you might be looking for. I am waiting to find where I might fit!
@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
3 Jan 07
I understand what is happening to you. I am a Christian, a member of the Church of Christ. Christians are not to forsake the assembly, that's what God says.
I go out to worship on the 1st day of the week and that's Sunday. We do the singing, praying, giving, reading and listening to God's Word, and the Lord's Supper. These are the five ways to worship God and the best is reading the Holy Bible. God speaks to us through the His Word, we speak to Him through prayers. Giving should be from the heart, no compulsion.
If you understand the Word, it's then that you will be baptized into Christ - not because of your relatives or friends. After baptism, God will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit and He will add you to His Church where you are all brethren-in-Christ who obey God and follow the Holy Bible.
The Holy Bible is complete. All the things that a Christian should do while on earth are enumerated there. The brethren should help each other, strengthen each other, love each other and so many each other so that they would be able to finish the race and be saved and be with God in heaven on the last day.
Church does not mean a building where people worship God. Church is a group of people. In the Holy Bible, the church or the group of people belonging to Christ is that which God will save on the last day after judging each and everyone in the church but those who will be saved will come from His church.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
4 Jan 07
Thank you for responding. I appreciate your comments. I hope that many will benefit from them.
@mommymon (13)
• Philippines
4 Jan 07
Hi there Sister. Its so nice to know that we could really use the internet to let people know about our faith. I just joined the group yesterday and tried to find out tags about religion. Please add me as your friend. I'm from the Makati City, Philippines, Sacramento Locale, District of Metro Manila South.
To the members of mylot, please include the Church of Christ in your search for God. We are now a global church with religious programs on TV in the seven continents of the word.
@mommymon (13)
• Philippines
4 Jan 07
Hi there Sister. Its so nice to know that we could really use the internet to introduce our faith. I just joined the group yesterday and tried to find out tags about religion. Please add me as your friend. I'm from the Makati City, Philippines, Sacramento Locale, District of Metro Manila South.
To the members of mylot, please include the Church of Christ in your search for truth. We are now a global church with religious programs on TV in the seven continents of the word.
1 person likes this
@umjuna (100)
• Netherlands
3 Jan 07
O wait, I do have a question for you. Don't you miss being together. In my religion brotherhood is very important. And when I am with other believers I really feel the unity and that makes me happy and stronger in a way. And I want my children to witness that as well. Ofcourse the most important thing is the 'connection' with God. But sharing your faith together with others makes it special as well. Don't you think?
2 people like this
@aquariancore (608)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I love to explore religious. I like to learn about the beliefs and share in the rituals. I don't believe any one religion is right or wrong. I respect people that truly follow their beliefs and respect others.
2 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I totally agree with you. One's relationship with God doesn't have anything to do with going to church. You know in your heart what you believe, and that is what matters most of all! You should never feel forced into going somewhere where you don't feel comfortable.
@nobodyspecial (1011)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I have always held back from organized religion, simply because that is what I saw, an organization with an agenda which countered my own personal agenda.
I hated that the 'church' wanted to dictate my style of dress. Hey I wear jeans and a tshirt, God don't have a problem with it why do you?
I hated that they wanted me to devote time to their projects. Often time I did not have, as an over the road trucker I had only a few days with my family, for me that was more important than spending time listening to someone else's interpetation of God or time dong projects for the church.
I don't care for the narrowness of religion...the nonacceptance of others also having at least some of it right and the nonacceptance that any of them have some of it wrong.
I came to realize long ago that while the questions may be the same for all of us, the answers for each will be different.
I don't want your answers, I need my own.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Thank you for your response. I remember being asked to do sign up for the social hour following services. This could be quite costly considering you had to buy coffee, tea, half and half, juice and also provide finger-sandwiches, cookies, breads and fruit. I was a single mother raising 4 kids alone. I was asked to this more than others were. Perhaps because I said yes. But, in reality, I could not afford to. Then they would want a donation as well and a pledge too. I was not gaining anything spiritually from being a member of that church. When I stopped going, I felt a burden lifted. Oddly, after I stopped going, nobody called upon us to see if everything was okay.
@Chiriac (286)
• Romania
4 Jan 07
matter what it is, you know quite well that Islam doesn't give us any excuse to offend any religion. You could have just said your point in a less offensive manner. People will purely be against us more and more with this attitude and will stick with their incorrect knowledge about Islam.
1 person likes this
@Dissposition (469)
• Canada
4 Jan 07
it says in the book....I am everywhere and I am all things. ..so of course one would find a connection to God in church, but I do believe that a wiser, smarter person realizes that they do not "need" to seek a place of worship. I myself am very spiritual yet not religious in a traditional sense, I believe in acceptance of all things and particularily other's beliefs, I excersise comassion and non-judgment towards others(I'm doin better than most of christianity, catholosism, and the jehova's put together!)...yet they may judge my wayward ways of religious belief...still I wouldn't judge them!
FAITH is wat is truly important, where ever you find it!
peace
Dissposition
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
4 Jan 07
Thank you for your comments. Faith is truly most important. : ) Huggers to you.
@vishal2800 (34)
• India
4 Jan 07
believing god is a point of debate...does something wrong happens when u don;t believe god or don;t trust him...or does it fills our likfe with success and happiness if we pray and believe in god..if therz no difference then why to believe in GOD?
1 person likes this
@lindakenni (3)
• Vanuatu
5 Jan 07
Churches should not be making money this way.they should be many other good ways to make money for example,bringing food together to sell and earning the needed money for the church.However,it is good to belong to a church where you can make true freinds with other memebers,who may help you when you most needed them in one way or another.
1 person likes this
