I've made the decision to find religion....Now What??

[SolidSnake84]

Thanks alot everybody. I guess the biggest thing i was worrying about was becoming one of the "freaks"...that everybody knows about.

Like there was this family we used to know, that all wore handmade clothes and everything...and they drove those 15 passenger vans and homeschooled (there is nothing wrong with homeschooling, IMO), and I didn't want me or my eventual family to go down that road....because i'm pretty sure no person was ever like "Ok...today i'm going to be become an extremist".

The last place i visited people started speaking gibberish and one woman laid down and flopped like she was having a seizure....it scared my wife really bad and there was a guy running around hitting people on the top of the head and i swear if he would have hit either of us i would have laid him out right there...

So last sunday i went back to my regular church and it just felt different for some reason...maybe i am headed in the right direction...thanks for everyone who wrote back

[12thMan]

Yeah dude, just follow your heart. Sounds like that's what you're doing.

I was just thinking how faith is much like making a good pot of coffee. Everyday you have to wake up and make a fresh pot. But what's more important the coffee grounds, the pot, or the electricity and heat required to brew it? I'm just saying...

Got me thinking, good thread though.

[GMScud]

I was raised in the Catholic Church. So were my parents and grandparents. I went to Catholic school from K-12th grade and received the sacraments.

Today I have basically zero affiliation with the Catholic Church. I just don't buy what they're selling. I still go to church with my Mom and stepdad on Easter and Xmas, but that's more for them than it is for me.

I think the best part about religion is the sense of community, focus on family, and giving back charitably. There is a lot of good there in that sense. I do believe in a higher power- I'm not agnostic- and I do say prayers to that higher power, but I'd have a hard time calling myself Catholic at this point.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I was raised in the Catholic Church. So were my parents and grandparents. I went to Catholic school from K-12th grade and received the sacraments.

Today I have basically zero affiliation with the Catholic Church. I just don't buy what they're selling. I still go to church with my Mom and stepdad on Easter and Xmas, but that's more for them than it is for me.

I think the best part about religion is the sense of community, focus on family, and giving back charitably. There is a lot of good there in that sense. I do believe in a higher power- I'm not agnostic- and I do say prayers to that higher power, but I'd have a hard time calling myself Catholic at this point.

Same thing here. I mean personally I kind of enjoy it on the holidays, there's always something at church that makes for a great laugh later. Weather it be Father Mike adjusting the pitch of his voice in a seemingly random manner to the girl sitting in front of us wearing a thong. It was priceless to see my whole family crack up, including my ultra serious while at church father.

One of my favorite moments in church was when we had an Irish priest guest host a family mass in which during the sermon the children come up and sit around the alter. When the children were flocking towards the front the priest commented on how it seemed that people weren't using birth control in our town.

Either way this thread has led me to consider going back to religion. I mean personally I'm agnostic but when you think about it, there had to be some ultra powerful force of pure goodness that was strong enough to get Vinny fired. Without a God and a Messiah it's literally impossible.

[skinsguy]

SS84,

If it's Christ you are searching for, just continue to pray and He will lead you to the right church. Some here absolutely will despise you for even starting such a thread let alone make such a decision to follow Christ. Some will even make fun of you over it. You will lose any respect you may have had before, but just keep doing what you're doing man...and I swear you'll be more content with life.

And whichever denomination you feel most comfortable in is fine. There are some churches that are waaaay over the top and there are some who are more down to earth. Just seek the place that speaks to your heart the most and keep an open mind. If you need someone to pray with you, I'm always here.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

SS84,

If it's Christ you are searching for, just continue to pray and He will lead you to the right church. Some here absolutely will despise you for even starting such a thread let alone make such a decision to follow Christ. Some will even make fun of you over it. You will lose any respect you may have had before, but just keep doing what you're doing man...and I swear you'll be more content with life.

And whichever denomination you feel most comfortable in is fine. There are some churches that are waaaay over the top and there are some who are more down to earth. Just seek the place that speaks to your heart the most and keep an open mind. If you need someone to pray with you, I'm always here.

I'd argue that denouncing faith will get you more disrespect in the real world. Presidents HAVE to claim a Christian faith or they're not going to make it; people assume that agnostics and atheists are evil, morally devoid devil worshippers.

It's just easier to talk online for some people.

[SolidSnake84]

I guess most of my problem is maybe being afraid to take the next step, but knowing that i should. You know what i mean? Like the 1st church that I ever reguarly attended was full of extremists, they bordered on being cultists, and it had me being scared that i would end up that way if i stayed a "committed" christian. Because the whole time they were saying how their way was right and everything...and the place was just full of weirdos...seriously.

My wife is the exact opposite. She attended the same church growing up, belonged to the different groups and such, and came from a normal family, that bordered on over-religious, but not to the point where you could see how weird and stuff they were. I guess i was just afraid that if i "gave it my all" i would get consumed and end up like one of those weirdos. The church i reguarly attend is her church and i know it is making her sad and upset that i can't get enjoyment out of it like she does. And i really really want to.....I want my relationship with God to still equate to a normal life. All i've seen is the extreme end of it. I want to have a relationship with God and live a good Christian Life, but i dont want to be weird or be an extremist...does anybody get what i'm saying??

Hopefully i can meet some good Christian men that aren't weirdos and i can have like a mentor or role model/type figure. Because in my short life i've only ever equated "church people", to being extreme and weird.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

I guess most of my problem is maybe being afraid to take the next step, but knowing that i should. You know what i mean? Like the 1st church that I ever reguarly attended was full of extremists, they bordered on being cultists, and it had me being scared that i would end up that way if i stayed a "committed" christian. Because the whole time they were saying how their way was right and everything...and the place was just full of weirdos...seriously.

My wife is the exact opposite. She attended the same church growing up, belonged to the different groups and such, and came from a normal family, that bordered on over-religious, but not to the point where you could see how weird and stuff they were. I guess i was just afraid that if i "gave it my all" i would get consumed and end up like one of those weirdos. The church i reguarly attend is her church and i know it is making her sad and upset that i can't get enjoyment out of it like she does. And i really really want to.....I want my relationship with God to still equate to a normal life. All i've seen is the extreme end of it. I want to have a relationship with God and live a good Christian Life, but i dont want to be weird or be an extremist...does anybody get what i'm saying??

Hopefully i can meet some good Christian men that aren't weirdos and i can have like a mentor or role model/type figure. Because in my short life i've only ever equated "church people", to being extreme and weird.

I find it interesting that you've had a negative experience, but you're still willing to give it a shot. That's pretty darn important if you ask me.

Someone mentioned seeking out a bible study group. That might be a good place begin. The idea of finding the right church can be overwhelming, because you want to get it right and commit to it. Maybe you should approach this similar to job searching. Ask the right questions. What's important to you in a church. By the way, you should probably pray about this too. I'm not offering up any solutions or methods in that area, but church is just as much a spiritually based entity as it is a building and the people that assemble there. Prayer might be a good place to start.

[saden1]

Don't just consider Christianity...at the very lease try to learn about other religions.

[SolidSnake84]

Originally Posted by saden1

Don't just consider Christianity...at the very lease try to learn about other religions.

I'm sorry if my title confused you. I changed it to try and make it easier to understand.

I believe in God, Jesus Christ...I always have. I believe what he has done for me and other sinners, and I want to live a Christian lifestyle that honors him....BUT i am afraid that i will end up like all of the cultists/weirdos/freaks that i have mentioned in page 1 of the thread.

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

I'm sorry if my title confused you. I changed it to try and make it easier to understand.

I believe in God, Jesus Christ...I always have. I believe what he has done for me and other sinners, and I want to live a Christian lifestyle that honors him....BUT i am afraid that i will end up like all of the cultists/weirdos/freaks that i have mentioned in page 1 of the thread.

Men's Fraternity

This isn't a church per se, but is a course for men. The page lets you look up churches that use it, and from my limited experience, they are pretty normal churches with men asking the same questions you are.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

I'm sorry if my title confused you. I changed it to try and make it easier to understand.

I believe in God, Jesus Christ...I always have. I believe what he has done for me and other sinners, and I want to live a Christian lifestyle that honors him....BUT i am afraid that i will end up like all of the cultists/weirdos/freaks that i have mentioned in page 1 of the thread.

What exactly is a Christian life style and do you need to be a member of a church to live such a life? Personally I'm not convinced one needs organized religion to live a rich and righteous life. As for being afriad of ending up a religious wacko I would say to you that it is permissible to disregard certain things said in church. If you can't disregards some aspects of the Bible am afraid you will end up a religious wacko.

[DynamiteRave]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

I'm sorry if my title confused you. I changed it to try and make it easier to understand.

I believe in God, Jesus Christ...I always have. I believe what he has done for me and other sinners, and I want to live a Christian lifestyle that honors him....BUT i am afraid that i will end up like all of the cultists/weirdos/freaks that i have mentioned in page 1 of the thread.

I don't think there is such thing as a "Christian lifestyle" Christianity is what you make it out to be.

I think it was Hog1 that had a quote in his sig that said something on the order of "Going to sit in church makes you as much of a Christian as standing in your garage makes you a car."

And it honestly makes a lot of sense. If you wanna go to church to help you gain a greater love a knowledge of God, go for it. But Christianity starts within you. You've already seem to have embraced God's love and sacrifice and not to minimize the importance of church, but the rest isn't so much important. As long as you have what you consider a healthy personal relationship with the Man upstairs. You're on the right track. Don't feel like you're in the wrong because you aren't living what others consider is, "right". From what I've read YOU seem to be the one with your heart in the right place.

...And this is coming from an agnostic.

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

I don't think there is such thing as a "Christian lifestyle" Christianity is what you make it out to be.

I think it was Hog1 that had a quote in his sig that said something on the order of "Going to sit in church makes you as much of a Christian as standing in your garage makes you a car."

And it honestly makes a lot of sense. If you wanna go to church to help you gain a greater love a knowledge of God, go for it. But Christianity starts within you. You've already seem to have embraced God's love and sacrifice and not to minimize the importance of church, but the rest isn't so much important. As long as you have what you consider a healthy personal relationship with the Man upstairs. You're on the right track. Don't feel like you're in the wrong because you aren't living what others consider is, "right". From what I've read YOU seem to be the one with your heart in the right place.

...And this is coming from an agnostic.

I had this discussion with my pastor years ago when I lived in MD and attended his church.
I have tremendous respect for the man as scholar, pastor, and just a good dude. He told me "your a pretty good person....try to do the right thing....do a good thing or two for others when you do not have to and nobody is watching, etc.
HOWEVER, that won't get you to the gates!"
I always remember the passage he quoted (sadly not the reference) "No one comes to the Father if not through me". He also told me it is not the building that is important about a "church" but what you recieve inside. I view these things as good advice as I always pay attention to the building and it is ONLY my opinion, but if the building is..........to much, maybe they have lost some of their way?
BTW, that reference to the garage christian is one of the...truest things have ever read

[firstdown]

I can't figure out when someone says if you don't find God you won't go to heaven. So if I live a good life all the way around but don't find God I'm going to hell? That makes alot of sense.