Has anyone here ever felt so frustrated with the churches around them?

[Blackbird]

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My parents told me about one church they visited where half the sermon was about the sinful way young men kept their hair long. Uhm, hello have you ever seen Jesus with short hair? W.W.J.D. indeed.

I half-disagree with red hen. Although it doesn't matter where you pray, the church isn't a building. It's a group of people- 2 or more gathered in his name.

It's true to some extent

.. It does say not to have you're hair long (As a guy) because it dishonors your head.. And i had thought about it wondering "how?" "How long is too long?".. Needless to say one day a old guy called me a girl?

now my hair is shorter but still could be cut some more..


ETA: So basically, i could be wrong.. But i think that depends on your societies "standards" for how long hair should be on guys, since it didn't give any specific lengths.. If you thought back to those days, they didn't really get hair cuts. But it was "long" by todays standards and normal then...

So then you have when someone sees you with longer hair then normal they'd think you were a girl until they noticed for-sure signs like voice, etc..

I'm not sure how long hair could 'dishonor' my head. I think it makes my head look all that much better. Societies standards can jump in a lake for all I'm concerned.

But your right, they didn't cut their hair back then, societies views changed over time. What was in, was out, was in, was out. Etc.

I guess if they want to think I'm a girl, they sure can, but I know I'm not. Its not like I go around crossdressing.

 

[Blackbird]

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[Sissy]

We found our God
with a beautiful group of people that read and love the Bible as we do. 10 years ago.
and we meet in a small building called St. Josephs.
some wear jeans . some . fancy hats..all are welcome
We come to praise , and we do have a good group.of caring loving people.

 

[citrusdreams]

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If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the Gospel of St. Thomas was banned for saying something like this. I'm a cafeteria-Catholic myself, so I kinda agree with you

One of the things I pass in the cafeteria is church politics. I just hate it

and one thing I can't bring myself to do well is sit through Mass. I'd like to go, really I would, but I can't sit still that long. Plus, it's extremely distracting (for me) to try to pray in a Church full of people. It's much easier for me when I'm by myself (which kinda defeats the whole purpose of congregating). When I finally decided it was too stressful, I stopped going. Maybe I'll go again in the future, but IMOHO, when Mass is stessful, distracting and makes you angry, it's time to just take a break. IMOHO, it's important to pray, wherever and however it works best for you.

I think being Spiritual is much different than being religious. Most religions are very old, and were based on politics and the rules were used to control the members. It was a much different time than the times we live in today.

And thank God (a thousand times over) the Church doesn't have the power today that it did then. Today I find myself living the life of a "quiet catholic". I really try to live my life the way I believe God wants me to, including the Golden Rule of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", in addition to the Ten Commandments. But I just don't attend Mass

But I do miss Communion though, it's the only thing I miss

I'm sure I will again someday, but right now isn't for me. For me, going to church is a social event that I don't feel a part of. It's hard for me to be part of a congregation when the members are strangers to me, or who go against my grain: for example, the gossipers who get together in a group talking about people who don't live up to their standards instead of guiding those people by example, or doing something to help those people besides gossiping about them. Yes, those "bad people" are breaking the rules, but so are the self-righteous gossipers.

I pray a lot, but I need my own space when I do so.... maybe you do too Smartie Pants, at least right now. Why not concentrate on praying privately and asking for Guidance? Do you own research, and decide what's best for you? If you enjoy going to your Church, but don't like the politics, maybe take a friend along with you?

 

[cmjust0]

I was turned off to church at a very early age.. It was a small congregation, but there was still a building to keep up...which meant funding...which meant secretaries and treasurers and committees for this, that, and th'other. There were little factions even within that church of maybe 40 people..

Not to mention...they didn't preach about a 'loving God,' but about a scary God who was just looking for a reason to send you straight to a lake of fire where the flesh would be scorched from your body for all eternity.

Besides all that, here's what really did it for me... I'll never forget the time the Sunday school teacher asked me who Jesus's father was...I said "God." She kinda rolled her eyes a little and said, "No, Jesus's father was Joseph" like I was some kind of heathen idiot.

I think I was probably about 6 or 7. That was enough for me.

I've had folks try to get that ol' shepherds crook around my neck many, many times in the past...I just can't do it. I had a guy tell me the other day about how cool his church was because his preacher almost said a really nasty word from the pulpit while discussing the political climate of the day.. My friend was trying to convey how laid back the place was, yet all I could think was "Why is your preacher using the pulpit to discuss politics?!???"

No thanks...never again.

 

[citrusdreams]

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Separation of Church and State is one of the things that founded this country. Not only that but Jesus himself was to have said in the New Testament: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, but give to God what is God's". And that wasn't just about money, it was about politics as well.

Separation of Church and State is one of the things I really appreciate in this country. So it really bothers me when religions of all kinds try to tell their members that they must vote this way or another, or else they will go to hell.

Again, I'm VERY glad that religions don't have the power they used to have. And I feel very sorry for the countries that are ruled by their religions. Gone are the days scientists are killed or put under house arrest for a disccovery, among other things....

 

[sundance]

How close are you to independence, Ky. Community family church is there, they have a great pastor, lots of young people and I know they would make you welcome. They also have a website, tommybates.com you can check out. His son, Josh, traveled with sawyer brown for a while, So i know they have a lot of young people. I met Tommy probably 30 years ago and Not once have I ever heard of him trying to push RELIGION on any one, but he is really a great man of God. Try there, I think you will like it marrie

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Getting friends/family together in your home, in your yard, or even your ol chicken coops is called "church" - a place where you gather with another to worship your God. It doesn't have to be a building with a church name on it. If you guys feel this way about the churches in your areas then start your own church in your own home with people you love and have the shared love for God and the desire to know him more. God wants us to do this and he says for us to do this. This is an important thing to do for your spiritual relationship IMO

 

[warmfuzzies]

We were raised in a very strict church,, and we have spent several years not going to any church. I know many people claimed we weren't 'Christians' or 'believers' because of that, but we know from reading the Bible that Christianity is having Jesus as your Savior, not going to church. So the important part is keeping your relationship with God alive and growing!

But you also come to the point where you desire the fellowship and friendship, the 'belonging' you can get from a really great church group. We are now going to a nondenominational church. The best ones I have seen are nondenominational, actually.

That just means that they arent 'belonging' to a big national church organization, so they dont have all the rules that you can find in some of them.

Of course, they may still have there own 'rules' but it can be a lot better. Our church is filled every Sunday with people in jeans, T-shirts, some in suits, some in shorts... Raising their hands in praise and then gethering to chat and fellowship afterwards.

Sometimes we dont have a sermon, we just sing, and a few people may share some verses with everyone.

What I'm trying to say, is if you arent comfortable, and you dont feel like you are at home, keep looking. The last thing you want to do is jeapordize your relationship with God by focusing on the problems of someone's church. You know what I mean?

 

[Day Old ChicK]

I grew up Baptist then became an Anglican in my twenties. It is liberating to feel like you don't have to be like anyone or be judged by other peoples standards. We are all fellow-travelers on the same journey and only God's judgments matter. The saints through history were the most diverse and quirky bunch of people you ever heard about.