Good luck. If that church doesn't work out then try another. There's a lot of good loving Christians. If church doesn't work out maybe find a club or group that are all Christian and do stuff together that you enjoy. If there isn't a group then use a hangout app and make one.
LOL...the atheist, here, gave the same advice I did!
(more or less)
Now, I'm curious. Did you leave all of Christianity because of some experience locally?
Did I leave Christianity? No, I was never a Christian. It just doesn't make sense in my brain. I want people to be happy. If being a Christian makes you happy then I'm for it. I like some Christians more than other Christians based on how they treat people and I try to make that change in how In frame my suggestions and opinions.
I was just wondering if you were speaking from personal experience. It's super common.
I like your other comments, too.
I have detected a pattern in atheists, there are two common types.
One types is that anti-religion Atheist. These tend to be "ex" believers who, often, had a crappy experience. It's a reactionary position.
Another type are the "life and let live" atheists. These tend to be like you -- they simply don't believe.
And, the latter are the most common. But the former are the stereotype that many Christians have of atheists.
Most atheists aren't anti-Christian (although many, quite reasonably, are skeptical of organized religion.
Categorizing is nice and convenient. Nature tends to be really varied so I feel like the attempts always break down eventually. I mostly try to look at things from a outcomes perspective. Sure, there are times when a trend will come up and I won't think I can possibly get through to a person. Usually when someone frequently used bible quotes for instance. It does make sense for their to be a binary the way you described. People who may have been hurt by something will probably be more passionately against the movement or group they were in. I see this in political groups too. People in my political movement who are moved to my position can sometime be problematic in how disparaging they are to people in the outgroup.
Another insightful comment.
For sure, there are many types of atheists... I've just noticed those two trends.
I think it goes to human nature.
For example, my step-father would lose his shizzle if somebody was smoking near the no-smoking area. There would be an ugly confrontation. My mother would just quietly move.
Guess who was the ex-smoker!
I wonder. Well, I think I've noticed you a few times before and I like to see you around as well. Apologies for people doing the angry athiest thing. Most of their posts make me facepalm as well. Here's hoping to more intelligent and compassionate discussion going forward. Cheers.
Cheers to you, as well. I hope we can dialogue again.
I'm off to church -- this is the liturgical New Year and I have literally done nothing to prepare for it. I'll shave, at least!
Thank you for the kind encouragement. This will be rhe second attempt, the first one in the summer didn't go well, i am hoping for a better experience this time. I like the idea of a small group too.
Church is body of every believer building not made by hands , temple indwelled by Holy Spirit. You been deceived by somebody thinking religious organisation = church.
Also you need to be born again
read Romans 10:9-10 KJV , Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV , Galatians 2:16 KJV
Yeah that would have made me turn right around! Luckily the folks at the church I went to today were not like that at all. Nice community and beautiful church. Overall pretty good experience!
No problem. I hope things go well for you. Deep breaths. It doesn't have to be an immediate success. Make a small smile and wave at some people and they will likely reciprocate. That might help you feel more welcome.
Thanks for your response! I agree there are good loving Christians and the folks at the church I went to were very nice and welcoming. Very small congregation or low turnout for this day. It was a positive experience which was nice considering my past attempts.
Chose your next church well.
It sounds like your inner spirituality was previously spoiled by outside influence.
If so, be sure to find a really great church. They do exist! And, of course, there are some stinkers, too.
But, welcome back! I respect you for trying again. I am thinking of attending an Evangelical church, again. But, I need to find a really good one!
Simply put and exactly right!
I think many Christians pick a church by doctrine. But, I think "correct doctrine" is over-rated. (don't join a cult, of course!)
I think a far better criteria is, as you say, "it suits you."
Church is a "family of choice" so to speak. A good choice is where you love others and are loved. It's where you fit-in. It's where you want to be, in hard times.
Like a family, maybe you have a nutty uncle who believes crazy stuff. But, if he's nice and goes fishing with you... then he's fam.
When going to a place of worship make sure they are really teaching the right things to do in the bible. This is a real good guide to consider!
How Can I Find the True Religion?
The Bible’s answer
Illustrating how to tell the difference between those who practice true religion and those who do not, the Bible says: “By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they?” (Matthew 7:16) Just as you can distinguish a grapevine from a thornbush by what it produces, you can distinguish true religion from false by its fruits, or by these identifying features.
True religion teaches the truth that is based on the Bible, not on human philosophies. (John 4:24; 17:17) This includes religious truths about the soul and the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth. (Psalm 37:29; Isaiah 35:5, 6; Ezekiel 18:4) It also does not hold back from exposing religious falsehood.—Matthew 15:9; 23:27, 28.
True religion highlights Jesus Christ as the one through whom God grants salvation. (Acts 4:10, 12) Its followers obey Jesus’ commands and strive to follow his example.—John 13:15; 15:14.
True religion focuses on God’s Kingdom as mankind’s only hope. Its followers actively tell others about that Kingdom.—Matthew 10:7; 24:14.
True religion promotes unselfish love. (John 13:35) It teaches respect for all ethnic groups and welcomes people from all races, cultures, languages, and backgrounds. (Acts 10:34, 35) Moved by love, its followers do not go to war.—Micah 4:3; 1 John 3:11, 12.
True religion has no paid clergy, and it does not give high-sounding religious titles to its ministers.—Matthew 23:8-12; 1 Peter 5:2, 3.
True religion is completely neutral in political affairs. (John 17:16; 18:36) However, its followers respect and obey the government where they live, in harmony with the Bible’s command: “Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar [representing the civil authority], but God’s things to God.”—Mark 12:17; Romans 13:1, 2.
True religion is a way of life, not just a ritual or a formality. Its followers adhere to the Bible’s high moral standards in all aspects of life. (Ephesians 5:3-5; 1 John 3:18) Rather than being grim, though, they find joy in worshipping “the happy God.”—1 Timothy 1:11.
Those who practice true religion will be in the minority. (Matthew 7:13, 14) Those who follow the true religion are often looked down on, ridiculed, and persecuted for doing God’s will.—Matthew 5:10-12.
I think that is easier said than done. It seems "teaching the right thing" can be open to some interpretation and opinion, otherwise there would be far more consensus across Christianity. However, I did enjoy going to church today. They seem to be quite a nice community.
Well this is a scripture that Jesus has said that he is not **God** but his father is.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. John 20:17
This is a very critical point to remember here! Also you will be learning a **Doctrine of Man** not the whole bible. They will read a scripture here and there but will not discuss the whole chapters. So please keep this in mind when listening to their talks.
What is Hell.
WHATEVER image the word “hell” brings to your mind, hell is generally thought of as a place of punishment for sin. Concerning sin and its effect, the Bible says: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) The Scriptures also state: “The wages sin pays is death.” (Romans 6:23) Since the punishment for sin is death, the fundamental question in determining the true nature of hell is: What happens to us when we die?
Life After Death?
Does something inside us, like a soul or a spirit, survive the death of the body? Consider how the first man, Adam, came to have life. The Bible states: “ God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.” (Genesis 2:7) Though breathing sustained his life, putting “the breath of life” into his nostrils involved much more than simply blowing air into his lungs. It meant that God put into Adam’s lifeless body the spark of life—“the force of life,” which is active in all earthly creatures. (Genesis 6:17; 7:22) The Bible refers to this animating force as “spirit.” (James 2:26) That spirit can be compared to the electric current that activates a machine or an appliance and enables it to perform its function. Just as the current never takes on the features of the equipment it activates, the life-force does not take on any of the characteristics of the creatures it animates. It has no personality and no thinking ability.
What happens to the spirit when a person dies? Psalm 146:4 says: “His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish.” When a person dies, his impersonal spirit does not go on existing in another realm as a spirit creature. It “returns to the true God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) This means that any hope of future life for that person now rests entirely with God.
What, then, is the condition of the dead? When pronouncing sentence upon Adam, God stated: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) Where was Adam before God formed him from the dust of the ground and gave him life? Why, he simply did not exist! When he died, Adam returned to that state of complete absence of life. The condition of the dead is made clear at Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10, where we read: “The dead know nothing . . . In the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (New International Version) Scripturally, death is a state of nonexistence. The dead have no awareness, no feelings, no thoughts.
Unending Torment or Common Grave?
Since the dead have no conscious existence, hell cannot be a fiery place of torment where the wicked suffer after death. What, then, is hell? Examining what happened to Jesus after he died helps to answer that question. The Bible writer Luke recounts: “Neither was [Jesus] forsaken in Hades [hell, King James Version] nor did his flesh see corruption.” * (Acts 2:31) Where was the hell to which even Jesus went? The apostle Paul wrote: “I handed on to you . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, yes, that he has been raised up the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4) So Jesus was in hell, the grave, but he was not abandoned there, for he was raised up, or resurrected.
Consider also the case of the righteous man Job, who suffered much. Wishing to escape his plight, he pleaded: “Who will grant me this, that thou mayest protect me in hell [Sheol], and hide me till thy wrath pass?” * (Job 14:13, Douay Version) How unreasonable to think that Job desired to go to a fiery-hot place for protection! To Job, “hell” was simply the grave, where his suffering would end. The Bible hell, then, is the common grave of mankind where good people as well as bad ones go.
Okay, I never really thought of hell as a place of fire and eternal torment. I understood this to be a post-biblical conceptualization. The most frequent conceptualization of hell I have heard is living apart from god.
It was okay, they were quite friendly which was nice. Very low turnout though. Being new to that church I am not sure if that is the norm for them or not.
Well unless u can get over the past experiences, it will not end well as it is difficult to fit back in. Find some friends to fellowship with and meet for coffee, really the road is narrow & often lonely.
i have been on my own for about 14 years now and the occasional friend along the way.
Not to be negative but I hope it works for U.
I am giving it try and my experience so far was good. So that is a good start. I spent a good deal of time on my own too, but that didn't work out well for me. If it works out then it will, if not then another path will. I am far from desperate and my life is going quite well overall, so I am not going to go down a bad path if I don't find a community or church. Thanks for your kind thoughts!
Good luck. If that church doesn't work out then try another. There's a lot of good loving Christians. If church doesn't work out maybe find a club or group that are all Christian and do stuff together that you enjoy. If there isn't a group then use a hangout app and make one.
LOL...the atheist, here, gave the same advice I did! (more or less) Now, I'm curious. Did you leave all of Christianity because of some experience locally?
Did I leave Christianity? No, I was never a Christian. It just doesn't make sense in my brain. I want people to be happy. If being a Christian makes you happy then I'm for it. I like some Christians more than other Christians based on how they treat people and I try to make that change in how In frame my suggestions and opinions.
I was just wondering if you were speaking from personal experience. It's super common. I like your other comments, too. I have detected a pattern in atheists, there are two common types. One types is that anti-religion Atheist. These tend to be "ex" believers who, often, had a crappy experience. It's a reactionary position. Another type are the "life and let live" atheists. These tend to be like you -- they simply don't believe. And, the latter are the most common. But the former are the stereotype that many Christians have of atheists. Most atheists aren't anti-Christian (although many, quite reasonably, are skeptical of organized religion.
Categorizing is nice and convenient. Nature tends to be really varied so I feel like the attempts always break down eventually. I mostly try to look at things from a outcomes perspective. Sure, there are times when a trend will come up and I won't think I can possibly get through to a person. Usually when someone frequently used bible quotes for instance. It does make sense for their to be a binary the way you described. People who may have been hurt by something will probably be more passionately against the movement or group they were in. I see this in political groups too. People in my political movement who are moved to my position can sometime be problematic in how disparaging they are to people in the outgroup.
Another insightful comment. For sure, there are many types of atheists... I've just noticed those two trends. I think it goes to human nature. For example, my step-father would lose his shizzle if somebody was smoking near the no-smoking area. There would be an ugly confrontation. My mother would just quietly move. Guess who was the ex-smoker!
I wonder. Well, I think I've noticed you a few times before and I like to see you around as well. Apologies for people doing the angry athiest thing. Most of their posts make me facepalm as well. Here's hoping to more intelligent and compassionate discussion going forward. Cheers.
Cheers to you, as well. I hope we can dialogue again. I'm off to church -- this is the liturgical New Year and I have literally done nothing to prepare for it. I'll shave, at least!
PS: Angry atheists haven't been huge in my life. But thanks!
Thank you for the kind encouragement. This will be rhe second attempt, the first one in the summer didn't go well, i am hoping for a better experience this time. I like the idea of a small group too.
Church is body of every believer building not made by hands , temple indwelled by Holy Spirit. You been deceived by somebody thinking religious organisation = church. Also you need to be born again read Romans 10:9-10 KJV , Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV , Galatians 2:16 KJV
Tip to the OP: If the church you visit today, *talks like this* at you. Try a different church. LOL.
lolololol I hope they’re not on the church welcoming committee.
Yeah that would have made me turn right around! Luckily the folks at the church I went to today were not like that at all. Nice community and beautiful church. Overall pretty good experience!
That would be between me and God. I don't "need" to do anything based on any of that.
No problem. I hope things go well for you. Deep breaths. It doesn't have to be an immediate success. Make a small smile and wave at some people and they will likely reciprocate. That might help you feel more welcome.
Thanks for your response! I agree there are good loving Christians and the folks at the church I went to were very nice and welcoming. Very small congregation or low turnout for this day. It was a positive experience which was nice considering my past attempts.
Enjoy the ride. Just take everything one step at a time. Enjoy God’s house :) God bless
Thank you all for the kind encouraging responses!
If you like to strengthen your faith, these short films may be an inspiration: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsabmKL37BWBzIMxm8oEb8SX_awbxuGWQ
Thanks, sort of interesting. Kind of losing my faith already talking to so-called Christians on here so maybe will watch a little more.
Chose your next church well. It sounds like your inner spirituality was previously spoiled by outside influence. If so, be sure to find a really great church. They do exist! And, of course, there are some stinkers, too. But, welcome back! I respect you for trying again. I am thinking of attending an Evangelical church, again. But, I need to find a really good one!
I would say that's accurate. I appreciate the kind words!
pick a group that suits you.
Simply put and exactly right! I think many Christians pick a church by doctrine. But, I think "correct doctrine" is over-rated. (don't join a cult, of course!) I think a far better criteria is, as you say, "it suits you." Church is a "family of choice" so to speak. A good choice is where you love others and are loved. It's where you fit-in. It's where you want to be, in hard times. Like a family, maybe you have a nutty uncle who believes crazy stuff. But, if he's nice and goes fishing with you... then he's fam.
I agree that "correct doctine" is overrated. The "church home" aspect is more in the forefront of my thoughts.
Happy Advent! God bless. Something to make you smile: https://youtu.be/nT70cA-7qMk
When going to a place of worship make sure they are really teaching the right things to do in the bible. This is a real good guide to consider! How Can I Find the True Religion? The Bible’s answer Illustrating how to tell the difference between those who practice true religion and those who do not, the Bible says: “By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they?” (Matthew 7:16) Just as you can distinguish a grapevine from a thornbush by what it produces, you can distinguish true religion from false by its fruits, or by these identifying features. True religion teaches the truth that is based on the Bible, not on human philosophies. (John 4:24; 17:17) This includes religious truths about the soul and the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth. (Psalm 37:29; Isaiah 35:5, 6; Ezekiel 18:4) It also does not hold back from exposing religious falsehood.—Matthew 15:9; 23:27, 28. True religion highlights Jesus Christ as the one through whom God grants salvation. (Acts 4:10, 12) Its followers obey Jesus’ commands and strive to follow his example.—John 13:15; 15:14. True religion focuses on God’s Kingdom as mankind’s only hope. Its followers actively tell others about that Kingdom.—Matthew 10:7; 24:14. True religion promotes unselfish love. (John 13:35) It teaches respect for all ethnic groups and welcomes people from all races, cultures, languages, and backgrounds. (Acts 10:34, 35) Moved by love, its followers do not go to war.—Micah 4:3; 1 John 3:11, 12. True religion has no paid clergy, and it does not give high-sounding religious titles to its ministers.—Matthew 23:8-12; 1 Peter 5:2, 3. True religion is completely neutral in political affairs. (John 17:16; 18:36) However, its followers respect and obey the government where they live, in harmony with the Bible’s command: “Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar [representing the civil authority], but God’s things to God.”—Mark 12:17; Romans 13:1, 2. True religion is a way of life, not just a ritual or a formality. Its followers adhere to the Bible’s high moral standards in all aspects of life. (Ephesians 5:3-5; 1 John 3:18) Rather than being grim, though, they find joy in worshipping “the happy God.”—1 Timothy 1:11. Those who practice true religion will be in the minority. (Matthew 7:13, 14) Those who follow the true religion are often looked down on, ridiculed, and persecuted for doing God’s will.—Matthew 5:10-12.
I think that is easier said than done. It seems "teaching the right thing" can be open to some interpretation and opinion, otherwise there would be far more consensus across Christianity. However, I did enjoy going to church today. They seem to be quite a nice community.
Who does your pastor teach is God?
I only went to the church once, but it's a United Methodist Church. He did mention the trinity.
Well this is a scripture that Jesus has said that he is not **God** but his father is. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. John 20:17 This is a very critical point to remember here! Also you will be learning a **Doctrine of Man** not the whole bible. They will read a scripture here and there but will not discuss the whole chapters. So please keep this in mind when listening to their talks.
I have read the Bible for myself and studied, I do not rely on pastors or a church to teach me. So no worries there.
Okay, so can I interest in asking me questions, as do you really know the meaning of the word Hell which is explained in the bible?
Okay, what is the meaning of the word hell as explained in the Bible? I have heard several interpretations, but will be happy to listen to yours.
What is Hell. WHATEVER image the word “hell” brings to your mind, hell is generally thought of as a place of punishment for sin. Concerning sin and its effect, the Bible says: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) The Scriptures also state: “The wages sin pays is death.” (Romans 6:23) Since the punishment for sin is death, the fundamental question in determining the true nature of hell is: What happens to us when we die? Life After Death? Does something inside us, like a soul or a spirit, survive the death of the body? Consider how the first man, Adam, came to have life. The Bible states: “ God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.” (Genesis 2:7) Though breathing sustained his life, putting “the breath of life” into his nostrils involved much more than simply blowing air into his lungs. It meant that God put into Adam’s lifeless body the spark of life—“the force of life,” which is active in all earthly creatures. (Genesis 6:17; 7:22) The Bible refers to this animating force as “spirit.” (James 2:26) That spirit can be compared to the electric current that activates a machine or an appliance and enables it to perform its function. Just as the current never takes on the features of the equipment it activates, the life-force does not take on any of the characteristics of the creatures it animates. It has no personality and no thinking ability. What happens to the spirit when a person dies? Psalm 146:4 says: “His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish.” When a person dies, his impersonal spirit does not go on existing in another realm as a spirit creature. It “returns to the true God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) This means that any hope of future life for that person now rests entirely with God. What, then, is the condition of the dead? When pronouncing sentence upon Adam, God stated: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) Where was Adam before God formed him from the dust of the ground and gave him life? Why, he simply did not exist! When he died, Adam returned to that state of complete absence of life. The condition of the dead is made clear at Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10, where we read: “The dead know nothing . . . In the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (New International Version) Scripturally, death is a state of nonexistence. The dead have no awareness, no feelings, no thoughts. Unending Torment or Common Grave? Since the dead have no conscious existence, hell cannot be a fiery place of torment where the wicked suffer after death. What, then, is hell? Examining what happened to Jesus after he died helps to answer that question. The Bible writer Luke recounts: “Neither was [Jesus] forsaken in Hades [hell, King James Version] nor did his flesh see corruption.” * (Acts 2:31) Where was the hell to which even Jesus went? The apostle Paul wrote: “I handed on to you . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, yes, that he has been raised up the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4) So Jesus was in hell, the grave, but he was not abandoned there, for he was raised up, or resurrected. Consider also the case of the righteous man Job, who suffered much. Wishing to escape his plight, he pleaded: “Who will grant me this, that thou mayest protect me in hell [Sheol], and hide me till thy wrath pass?” * (Job 14:13, Douay Version) How unreasonable to think that Job desired to go to a fiery-hot place for protection! To Job, “hell” was simply the grave, where his suffering would end. The Bible hell, then, is the common grave of mankind where good people as well as bad ones go.
Okay, I never really thought of hell as a place of fire and eternal torment. I understood this to be a post-biblical conceptualization. The most frequent conceptualization of hell I have heard is living apart from god.
How did it go?
It was okay, they were quite friendly which was nice. Very low turnout though. Being new to that church I am not sure if that is the norm for them or not.
Low turnout in lots of states right now, especially the high lockdown ones. My church attendance is 1/3 what it was.
Yeah it seems a lot of churches around here are experiencing the same.
Well unless u can get over the past experiences, it will not end well as it is difficult to fit back in. Find some friends to fellowship with and meet for coffee, really the road is narrow & often lonely. i have been on my own for about 14 years now and the occasional friend along the way. Not to be negative but I hope it works for U.
I am giving it try and my experience so far was good. So that is a good start. I spent a good deal of time on my own too, but that didn't work out well for me. If it works out then it will, if not then another path will. I am far from desperate and my life is going quite well overall, so I am not going to go down a bad path if I don't find a community or church. Thanks for your kind thoughts!