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| | Author | Messages | |
YZRacer
Posts:1641
 | | 08/15/2007 11:22 AM |
 Alert | If you weren't raised in a particular religion, or if your parents didn't chose your religion for you (and you stuck with it), how did you choose the religion that you currently practice?
My father was raised Catholic, and hated it, so he chose to stop practicing once he left home and chose not to expose us to it. My mom is a "free spirit" and dispises all organized religion.
I'm really asking because I don't know how others in similar situations began to practice a religion.
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If you can't spot the loser, it might be you
Senior Member
Posts: 665
Joined: Jun 2006 | |
| | Java Lover
Posts:0
| | 08/15/2007 11:48 AM |
Alert | I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school until 6th grade but had issues with the 'religion'. It seemed to me that they focused on too many other things besides a relationship with God (at least where we were going to church). I was young and didn't even realize that people actually had personal relationships with God but I knew there was so much more.
My mother was on off again on again, I'm not sure what, Catholic maybe. So growing up I just prayed and asked God for guidance, I didn't really know what to do or having any direction.
When I had kids I knew that I didn't want them missing what I had. I researched churches. I knew I wanted a Bible based Christ centered place to meet with other followers. I found an awesome church in Avondale, Vineyard West Valley, and they started me on the path to what a true Christian can be.
For the past year and a few months we have been going to Church of Celebration and it's awesome! It's all about the relationship and not about 'religion'. | | | |
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| | TheBoymaker
Posts:842
| | 08/15/2007 12:15 PM |
Alert | I was raised Catholic and Episcopalian by two parents who neither believed in, nor cared for, the church.
My father would send me into Mass alone when I was very young and then pick me up afterwards.
I always had a yearning for God, however. I felt His presence when I was alone. I suspected that there was something more than what the church was trying to sell me and that it was personal, and not something that needed to be filtered through another human being.
My mother eventually left the church and became obsessed with the New Age Movement and spiritualism. I went with her to every seminar, every new church, every seance. But I couldn't believe in it as she did. It wasn't natural. It wasn't fulfilling my needs.
At 17, I went to a Catholic retreat weekend with a friend. It was run by a group of Marriage Encounter couples. I felt very distant from the worship there. It didn't help that even though I was baptized and confirmed Episcopalian and had attended Catholic church for years, I was denied communion. I was livid.
I started to ask questions about salvation and grace and equality among Christians and was pegged a troublemaker by the parents who operated the retreat. For all of my helpfulness and desire to be a part of the group, they refused to put me in leadership. Even the priest, childish and self-absorbed, openly insulted me. I still stayed with the group to their dismay.
When I was 19, I met DH on a retreat. The parents did not want us to date because he was the brother of the boy who was marrying into one of the families. They'd never get rid of me! So they tried to separate us, to dis-invite me from functions and to push him closer to another girl. We tried to talk to them but they couldn't function on a level of honesty as they were sneaky and manipulative.
So we walked away. Eventually we started to attend an Assemblies of God church and were baptised there in 1990. We married a few months later.
We loved our church but soon figured out that they were making up their own rules and had double standards. That pushed us away and we didn't attend church for about a year.
Then we moved to another area and went to a non-denominational church. This was a wealthy suburb and everyone knew what everyone drove. There were cliques and gossips and the message from the pulpit rarely challenged anyone. We felt very lonely in that snooty whitebread church.
We soon moved to AZ and began attending a very similar church in Fountain Hills. We left when the couples who befriended us asked us to sell Amway. When we said "no", they never spoke to us again. The pastor was aware of the issue as it had happened before and did nothing about it. So we left.
Then we attended a church in Scottsdale that we later found out was a cult. It's the International Church of Christ. If we hadn't had such a foundation in Scripture, we could have fallen in deep. But we pulled out before it was too late.
Finally, we started to attend a church of 1400 in Gilbert, East Valley Bible Church. It was wonderful. They were so caring and approachable. The church was very new and they wanted to avoid the pitfalls that other churches had experienced, so they were humble. Well, that lasted about five years and now they have 5000 attendees and have strayed from their original message so much that it hurt to be there. We attended for three more years, hoping it would improve and volunteering for children's ministries to earn our keep. Once again, the area built up and people knew what one another drove and the cliques abounded. So we left.
We're now attending a very small non-denominational church in Chandler. I spent a year comparing belief statements, interviewing pastors, combing blogs, etc. before I took another chance. We've met a few others there who left EVBC for the same reason so it's like having old friends in a new place.
I see my faith as a journey and it's actually good that I have outgrown places as my wisdom and understanding made it unpalatable for me to be there. People have limitations. God doesn't. | |
Poster formerly known as Sassafrass. | |
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| | Holy Roller
Posts:25
| | 08/15/2007 1:39 PM |
Alert | I was raised by a Southern Baptist minister, however after he left my mom a week before there 20th wedding ann. for a lady in the church I knew there was something missing.
For awhile I choose to live my life out of the church, however I truly was not happy and I really did not find joy in the world.
Until one day I recall I was on my knees crying and screaming for God to help me.
The next day a women from the UPC church was knocking at my door asking if I wanted to come to church.
I have been baptized in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Ghost and a One God beliving Pentecostal ever since.
When ever you reach out to God, He always opens the door for you.
He came to save the world not condemn the world.
God Bless | | | |
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| | pissedparent
Posts:334
| | 08/17/2007 4:21 PM |
Alert | | I hate to say this but not all churches were created equal even if they are the same religion. If (for instance) you don't like a catholic church, change churches, some may take a very different approach to the same religion. | | | |
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| | "JustJodi"
Posts:619
| | 08/17/2007 4:41 PM |
Alert | | I was raised Southern Baptist and hubby is Jewish. We are both non practicing and have decided to let our daughter decide for herself!! | |
Senior Member
Posts: 3899
Joined: Jan 2006 | |
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|  | Shogun
Posts:304
| | 08/17/2007 9:15 PM |
Alert | | I'm still searching. I'm spiritual but not religous. | | | |
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| | PAX777
Posts:13
| | 08/31/2007 1:45 AM |
Alert | PAX to all
I was born & bread Catholic. I live & breath my faith. I fell a few times, I question all the time and my God though the Catholic church has not failed. MEN & WOMEN have failed but not God and his church...
Catholic Answers Forum - http://forums.catholic.com/
I am also a Benedictine Oblate --- http://www.osb.org/
Peace, Humility, Prayer, Work & Service, Obedience, Hospitality, Balance, Compassion
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PAX
Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus | |
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| | motoman
Posts:35
| | 08/31/2007 9:51 AM |
Alert | Hey YZRACER!
If you haven't yet, I would strongly suggest checking out Church of Celebration (COC). My wife and I have been going there over a year and we love it. We have met a bunch of really great people and we really feel welcome there.
Also do you have a YZ??? Do you ride? I got to Motoland early in the morning every Sunday before church. Let me know if you are interrested in coming along.
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www.motoXriders.net | |
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| | stinkerbell2
Posts:0
| | 09/01/2007 8:44 AM |
Alert | COC here but dont hold that against THEM!!! LOL
but seriously - I really enjoy this church and all the wonderful people. It just felt like home...If you cant make it to the service they Pod cast it on their web page...you can check it out -that is how I found them and was listening to the pod cast in CAlifornia before we moved here...once we got here I just had to check it out in person and I have not been disappointed!!! | | | |
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| | Cruzin
Posts:145
| | 09/02/2007 7:40 AM |
Alert | DH and I were both raised Catholic and neither of us had a religion when we met. For very different reasons we did not want to practice anything. As we had children we both felt something was missing. A VERY connected chain of events lead us to Queen Creek into a community with a strong sense of community, a great connectedness, and a church family. We connected with the people first and after several requests we decided to check out the church where all of our friends attended. IT really felt like home to us and wee didn't miss a Sunday for 2 years.
We know now that the church was not exactly what we believe, but we are grateful that we were in a place that lead us to God. We also know that thngs may still change for us, but we really like where we are now and the "family" we are in and the path that we are on. Our walk has us very focused on our community and serving and that is where we are in our lives.
If you are considering something new for your family I think you should talk to you close friends because then you will start with family and figure the faith out as you go. No one is perfect and it takes a while to figure it all out. Start with comfort! | | | |
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