Please help. Really struggling.

Billie-S

Thanks for your answers, but I just wanted to say to torry, that I am not 'into' the occult; just I am open minded and do find it interesting to watch stuff on it. I enjoy witchy type stuff on telly too. But don't practice anything. Maybe I don't mind it, because I am not a strict Christian, just someone who worships Christ, but perhaps my beliefs are not as rigid as some, as I do like some stuff that the bible forbids. I struggle with people who live by 'the bible' too, and go by it word for word and never waver from it, and judge people who do.

Re; the Church itself. They people seem fine in general, but this womens group seem judgemental, and as I said, it upsets me that a few believe that an atheist and a believer cannot cohabit.

I don't know of any of the 'alternative' churches like people are mentioning here. I thought they were all the same.

Maybe I should keep going every 3-4 weeks, but politely decline the womans group?

WHY must people be so judgemental? Why can they not live and let live?

Torry, what does Yoked mean?

codemonkey

I think maybe you need to find a new church and the people in the old one perhaps return their Bibles for a refund as they appear to be missing the many, many passages relating to tolerance.

I'm not a believer but used to attend church with my mother. It was quite a liberal one and the Bishop did used to publicly state his support for gay marriage.

I really don't get where the hate in religion comes from, particularly from those churches where they worship Jesus - a prophet preaching tolerance in Roman occupied Palestine.

Not a pagan or a wiccan either, but I do like their philosophy of "if it harm none, do what you will".

southoftheriver

I sympathise with you. I'm probably more on the agnostic side than religious but I go to a lovely unitarian church. They are very open, welcoming and do not discriminate. I'd look into it and see if it aligns with your beliefs.

I am not sure if I believe in the concept of God (probably not). But if I do, the God I believe they would have a lot to say to these people who preach christianity whilst judging others so harshly.

flashg67

You get opinionated, bigoted idiots in all walks of life - most of the time in other situations, you can choose to ignore them, but in a close-knit group like a church, it's not as easy.

My thoughts are as many above, find a nice 'normal' church - it's like most things - you have to try a few before you find one that suits you. Do you have to go to church to be a practising Christian?

I don't understand how or why most religions seem to justify their various !!!!py views and deeds by saying 'well it says so in (insert holy book), and refuse to see any other possibility outside their own narrow-minded little world?

BTW Torry Quine, I find some of your comments a little close to the edge. As a non-believer, I would say that anyone who partners a religious person deserves a medal for having to listen to a load of centuries old made-up ramblings - but hey, each to their own...

Gigglepig

Plenty of people are believers yet stay away from organised religion due to issues like the ones you mention. it is sad really that so many people forget the big important messages like love, kindness and tolerance.

marisco_2

As with any experience in life take from it what enriches and benefits you and ignore and distance yourself from the rest.

Tiglath

Billie-S wrote: »

as I said, it upsets me that a few believe that an atheist and a believer cannot cohabit.

Just tell them sweetly that they need to read their Bibles:

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 1 Cor 7.


The evangelicals/charismatics are often as you describe, and especially when a bunch of biddies get together. A church is a breeding-ground for all kinds of bizarre behaviour because it's full of humans, and there really is no difference between Christian and non-Christian when it comes down to it. You're more likely to find a more liberal attitude in certain sections of Anglicanism than the Baptists, Methodists, independent fellowships etc. As has been said, the Quakers would probably be interesting for you to visit.

paulineb_2

My view, you should be free to do whatever you like, whether thats watching any witchy programme, or reading a horoscope, seriously, surely being a Christian is being accepting of people? If you like tarot, you like tarot, thats the top and bottom of it.

I was brought up in a home where I didnt believe and I still dont, because my mum was force fed religion, as was my gran before her and oddly enough when my gran moved house, she joined a new church and people were so offensive to her, she never went back. My mum said, when she had kids, she would let them make up their own mind. Im not religious, neither is my brother. But, after a long period away from religion, my gran converted to Catholicism in her later years, helped her through the death of her son and she was supported in that by my mum, even though my mum isnt a believer.

And speaking as someone who doesnt believe in God or do organised religion, you should have every right to be with someone you love, regardless of whether they are religious or not.

Sorry, but there are people out there (and I know its not all Christians) who wear their Christianity like a badge when they actually arent very nice people. I worked with a few of them who tried to get me removed from my job and ruin my life.

And Id never do that to anyone in a million years. If you want to keep going to church, find one thats accepting of you.

And you should be able to believe in anything else you want, including horoscopes, or tarot without feeling like its conflicting with your religion.

I know several people who are Christian who also believe in other things as well, no one gives them a hard time for it, in my view thats as it should be.

Gigglepig

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I would hope that they don't hate homosexuals but hate what they do which is very different.
.

Good grief, I didn't think hate was something Christians aspired to

Bazey

Try another religion, all the cool kids are into Islam these days.

Give it a try and let us know how you get on.