anybody go to another church yet?

by littlemike 31 Replies latest jw friends

  • Sentinel
    Sentinel

    I have attended a couple of weddings, a christmas candle-lighting program, and visited two other different churchs. I felt totally uncomfortable and weird. I didn't feel like it was evil or anything like that. I just felt that they didn't have the truth either. It was just so much formallity and dogma. Although the people treated me kindly, I knew in my heart they were being misled. I began to feel as if religion was just as the JW's had said, only I realized that JW's were just as bad, if not worse. I have had no desire to go into another church in years. I'm not even curious anymore.

    /<

  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    I've been to quite a few.
    Ya pays ya money, ya takes your choice, like so many things in life.

    I have a low tolerance for churches that claim to be the only right way, but few that I've come across go that route.

    I'd agree with Amazing, with the rider that there can be good and bad churches within the same denomination. Hence one Baptist church may be great, and another awful (only using that denomination as an example).

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    Spent about 2 yrs in churches.

    Pentacostal - some very good, some whacked

    Baptist - boring, institutional

    Unitarian universalist - very intelligent, let you choose what you like

    Anglican - traditional

  • aunthill
    aunthill

    It took me several years to go to a church - all the indoctrination that the churches are Babylon the Great, etc. But I finally went to a non-denominational Christian church, which, BTW, sings more of the modern worship songs, and very few of the traditional hymns. I moved on to a more charismatic church, and, after 9/11, my husband decided he wanted to go to church, we began attending the first non-denominational church I had gone to. He got baptized 2 years ago, after 44 years of not going to a church of any kind!!! and we are still going and have become very involved in church activities. The people at our church are, by and large, non-judgemental and loving - something I never got from the JW's.

    I couldn't go back to the ritual of the Episcopalian or Catholic churches, but that is my gut-reaction, so I recommend attending several different churches, even among the same denomination, as Little Toe said, and find one that you are comfortable in, and you feel is teaching the word of God.

    Aunthill

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan

    When I left the dubs my boss invited me to her Baptist church. I showed up on Sunday, couldn't find her, so I sat by myself, and made a beeline for the exit when it was over. BLECH!!!!!! I couldn't stand it.

    Then I went to an Evangelical Lutheran church for a while. It was nice, they are extremely liberal. But I don't feel the need to go to any church now, I have become more critical of religion esp Christianity. I don't feel like I'm a sinner that needs to be saved, and I don't believe that the Bible was "inspired" somehow.

    Amazing, boy do I not share your thumbs up for Pentecostals. My sister's ex-husband married a Pentecostal lady and the stuff that they're pulling to try to get my nephew away from her is so dubbish it makes me ill. And they spend more time in church than dubs do!!!!! Friggin' churchaholics!!!

  • Eyebrow2
    Eyebrow2

    There is a Unitarian universalist church around the corner that i really want to go to...but something always stops me from going..for a while a various family member was sick, or I was away....this past Sunday I have to admit I was too lazy to get out of bed...

    I really do want to go, but am a little nervous because according to their site you are supposed to make a financial pledge, and I am a little leary about that. I would give at the KH when I could, but no one knew what I did or did not give, so I was not worried about. I am all for giving to the church that you attend...if you get something out you should put something in to keep it going...but it is wierd thinking about it as a bill...know what I mean?

    My husband has been out of town a lot too, sometimes over the weekend. I feel wierd about dropping by a new church with 4 kids from 2 to 12 in tow. But I really want to go, it is a bummer not knowing many people down here.

  • SpunkyChick
    SpunkyChick

    My first year out, I attended Easter mass at the Catholic church. It was interesting to see the pomp and circumstance, but did nothing for me spiritually. I attended a non-denominational Christian Church, and like many of you noted, I was being told what I can and can't do....ran outta there...I also attended the Unitarian Universalists. I really liked their acceptance to all and I thought the female pastor was great. However, I still didn't feel real spiritual there, but like the basic concept of what the UU represent.

    I really do want to go, but am a little nervous because according to their site you are supposed to make a financial pledge

    Eyebrow2 - hmmmm, I've visited many websites here in the Denver area, and they don't mention a financial pledge. When I attended, they never passed around a money basket to pressure anyone into donating.

    Friggin' churchaholics!!!

    LOL @ Dantheman! We have devout Catholic neighbors like that. It's real annoying.

  • got my forty homey?
    got my forty homey?

    I went to the Catholic church for a little while but I didn't understand what was going on. I started studying with the Nation of Islam but I found it do violent and rebelious.

    So I said forget all organized religon.

  • KKLUV155
    KKLUV155

    Yes, I started going to a Assembly of God church about 3 years ago. I love it. No one judges you on how you look or dress. You are accepted just as you are. There is a diversity of people that go there. Young ones who dress in all black with all sorts of pierceing. Some dressed in bib coveralls( my husband). Even the pastor dresses casual. He doesn't like to wear ties. Whites and blacks all mingled together and are friends. The whole time I have been going there I have never heard a sermon preached on a negative term. It is all about love, careing for one another and God accepting you for who you are. And how to have a better relationship with God. All sermons have been uplifting. When you leave church you actually feel good about yourself and want to return to church the next service. I just love it.

  • SheilaM
    SheilaM

    I thought about going to the Catholic church on Christmas Eve but just couldn't do it (SIGH)

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