Believe in God, but not the church?

[Diane]

I attended church regularly as a child (parents made me), but I never really got anything out of it. When I was a teenager I stopped going; but I continued to pray and to talk to God every day. My faith is very strong, though I don’t talk about it much with others. I’ve read most of Sylvia Browne’s books and have found them very enlightening.

 

[jimmiej]

Yes, I believe in God/Jesus and yes, I believe in my Church. I'm a practicing Catholic and I go every Sunday and all holidays. I love my Church for so many reasons and I couldn't imagine my life without it in it.

Ditto here except I'm Southern Baptist. I'm of the belief that a group of Christians can serve the Lord more effectively than one alone. Jesus himself ordained the church. I don't always agree with everything or everyone at our church, but then again, it's not about me. It's about serving & loving God first & others second. I believe I can be best equipped to do that by regular study & fellowship with other believers. Our pastors have been ordained by God to lead us. They will be held to a higher standard. I trust their leadership.

I find it interesting what Jesus did re: church (synagogue) attendance:

Luke 4

14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.

That's my 2 cents.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

Yes to God no to being part of an organized church. I've found that being around "Sunday Christians" takes away from my experience with God.

 

[Buckalew11]

Ditto here except I'm Southern Baptist. I'm of the belief that a group of Christians can serve the Lord more effectively than one alone. Jesus himself ordained the church. I don't always agree with everything or everyone at our church, but then again, it's not about me. It's about serving & loving God first & others second. I believe I can be best equipped to do that by regular study & fellowship with other believers. Our pastors have been ordained by God to lead us. They will be held to a higher standard. I trust their leadership.

I find it interesting what Jesus did re: church (synagogue) attendance:

Luke 4

14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.

That's my 2 cents.

I agree with this and Alan's thoughts on page 1.

I don't *believe* in the "church". I believe in God. Church is where I go to be with fellow believers and to study God's Word with them. I can and do study on my own but I like discussing with others also. I believe the Bible teaches us to assemble ourselves together.
I have chosen a church that is not about material things or what you own, drive or wear. I've been in churches like that. They are a turn-off.
My church better teach on Biblical principle and nothing else. Don;'t try to feed me from someone's opinion or lastest book. I want scripture--real meat!

I find this thread very sad, actually. Sad to think churches have failed many. A church isn't the only responsible party but I think we've gotten off track.
Am I the only one reading this thinking of the 7 seven churches spoken of in Revelation? I am sure, as Christians we have grieved the Holy Spirit through our actions as churches.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Yes, I believe in God. Organized religion? Not sure how I feel about it. Being Catholic, the things in recent years have been a real eye opener. I haven't been to church in quite some time. But it's not all to do with what goes on in the church. It's also personal things and the wall I seem to have up for a while now. Keep wondering when it will be down.

 

[angey77]

Believe in God, yes.
Believe in organized religion, no.
I think it stems back to my childhood. I was raised and schooled Catholic until I was six. At the impressionable age of seven, I was pulled from both into an Assembly of God church and school which basically told me, as a SEVEN-YEAR-OLD, that I was going to hell for worshipped false Gods as a Catholic (Mary and saints). Oh, and for trick-or-treating (pagan holiday), and going to Mardi Gras (raising hands to false Gods) and watching the Smurfs (they practice magic, they are evil). Grant it, I know all Assembly of God churches are not like that, my family attended many more which were great, but that was really harsh for a seven-year-old to hear, that so many innocent things enjoyed were sending her to hell! Needless to say, it ruined me on religion very early in life, but I decided to give it another chance in high school. I attended a youth group at a different church, and the youth pastor threatened to not let a teen back in if he wore a Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt to church again. And the guy was there on his own accord! No parents forcing him! He wanted to learn about God and lead a better life. What a great Christian attitude from the adult! I gave it up then. Too many rotten apples spoiled it. WAY too judgemental!
But when I have children, I will attend church, more than likely Catholic since that was when I was happiest and that is how my DH was raised. I think some churches are great places for young children to learn values and morals outside of the home, just need to be careful on which one I choose.

 

[mbw12]

I have not read any of the responses....so I have no idea if this thread has gotten heated....I will post my opinion....and than I am going to go get some popsorn and read through all these pages of responses.....

yes, I believe in a God or a higher being. I do not attend church because I just find organized religion to be too much of a money making business. Also, I think some of the most hypocritical people are church-going people.....JMHO.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

Yes, I beleive in God and Jesus. I am saved. However, I don't go to church and haven't been regularly in years. I don't like the judgemental way that many churches function.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

Yes, I beleive in God and Jesus. I am saved. However, I don't go to church and haven't been regularly in years. I don't like the judgemental way that many churches function.

That pretty much is what I was going to say! We live in the south and if you miss one Sunday in my area you get a lecture and are made to feel you are a terrible person. I don't appreciate being judged based on church attendance when I know in my heart what I believe and that is more important IMO than attending church. I do want to eventually find a church just so my children can have fellowship with other children that attend church but so far we have not been to a church that we like. If we never find a church well it will still be okay since I am more than capable of teaching my children about Christianity as well. But I still would really like to find a church someday.

 

[VSL]

Thank you all so much for your replies - it's made very interesting reading

And everyone has been so nice!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Wow my favorite discussion. The answer is yes I believe in God and NO I do not believe in the church esp the Catholic organization of religion. I believe the church has convoluted the teachings of Christanity in order to surpress and control the masses with superstition. Also during the medieval times the second son in a noble family would aquire a position in the chruch b/c he could not inheirit land or his father's wealth therefore it was purchased for him. These men had no calling and in fact were actually married and/or fathered illegitimate children etc. There was and is so much corruption related to organizational religion it is not funny. Look no further than the scandal with the priests molesting little boys and the fact that the pope let Bernard Law escape any type of consequence by giving him a cushy job in Rome. I could go on and on.

 

[stemikger]

I'm getting there. I'm really starting to get turned off by the church. I believe in God, but either the Church is getting more and more hypocritical or I am getting more jaded.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

We have found a church where we love going as the pastor of that church actually gives a sermon that you can pay attention to and get, if you know what I mean..

I definitely believe in God, the organized part of the church was always a problem for me.. I take from it what I want and try to live my life as a decent Christian..

 

[JPN4265]

Yes to God, no to organized religion (church)

I agree with this post.

 

[pmcpmc]

organised church is a waste of time better spent going to Disney,or a game or the beach.

 

[Chattyaholic]

When DH and I got married he was a Mennonite, and was expelled for marrying me. That really "turned him off" of "church." For a long time we didn't attend church, he said he "put church on the shelf, but not God."

Then we started attending a small country (Brethren) church nearby, and eventually we both became members and were very happy there for several years.

Then there were problems and after a lot of water went under the bridge, we stopped attending.

I definitely believe in God, was baptized when I was a teen, and I pray daily.
But I don't believe a person has to attend/belong to a church. A person's relationship with God is their own personal business.

 

[mamaprincess]

Most absolutely believe in God. I don't attend church accept on rare occasions. I like the freedom to read and think and grow unfettered. I'm just not certain there is one right answer for all of humanity. I also have many gay friends and family members and they are not abominations they are wonderful fellow human beings just as deserving of being on this earth and just as deserving of God's love as heterosexuals. I don't believe they made a choice, I believe God, made them that way. so I clearly and doggedly disagree with most religions on this topic.

 

[angey77]

organised church is a waste of time better spent going to Disney,or a game or the beach.

 

[clutter]

Believe in God, yes.
Believe in organized religion, no.
I think it stems back to my childhood. I was raised and schooled Catholic until I was six. At the impressionable age of seven, I was pulled from both into an Assembly of God church and school which basically told me, as a SEVEN-YEAR-OLD, that I was going to hell for worshipped false Gods as a Catholic (Mary and saints). Oh, and for trick-or-treating (pagan holiday), and going to Mardi Gras (raising hands to false Gods) and watching the Smurfs (they practice magic, they are evil). Grant it, I know all Assembly of God churches are not like that, my family attended many more which were great, but that was really harsh for a seven-year-old to hear, that so many innocent things enjoyed were sending her to hell! Needless to say, it ruined me on religion very early in life, but I decided to give it another chance in high school. I attended a youth group at a different church, and the youth pastor threatened to not let a teen back in if he wore a Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt to church again. And the guy was there on his own accord! No parents forcing him! He wanted to learn about God and lead a better life. What a great Christian attitude from the adult! I gave it up then. Too many rotten apples spoiled it. WAY too judgemental!

I find this post so very sad. LIke mbw12, I find many proud-to-be-church-going-christians to be quite hypocritical and judgemental.

Now a question. I have a co-worker that is Christian. You know, not christian, CHRISTIAN. In a recent discussion about churches, she recommended that I try a church she knew of near me. She said "it's a Christian church." Er, um, by definition, aren't all churches christian??? I keep envisioning a council somewhere segregating every aspect of our country into "christian' and "not-a-christian" parts. But where, in the heavens? Who gets to make that determination? Which leads me to the Christian Yellow Pages. Who determines that who is "Christian" enough to advertise there?? Incidentially, this same woman was taken to the cleaners by an attorney she found through there, something I find totally ironic.

 

[Pop Daddy]

I like Church but some "churchie people" make me sick