The Good News Cafe Forum

[OneEyedFatMan]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

I had gotten to where I jusst hated church for many of the already mentioned reasons. I am glad to be out... I miss a few people but not enough to go back, ever. If they wanted to be friends they'd stop by, so guess not.

As far as God goes... my view of him has really changed... because if he were still the same God I used to think he was I'd be an atheist too. I've decided that EVERYBODY picks and chooses about religion... and then they tell you that you can not 'just pick and choose'... well unless your choices are the same as theirs, lol!

Well put. The first paragraph I agree with 100%.

The second one. I may need to amplify some. When I say I don't beleive in God, I am not saying "I am an atheist" Perhaps I am at the beginning of a path of rediscovery. What I AM saying is that I don't believe in "The Pentecostal God of the UPCI and others like." That one... When it comes to what those folks told me about God... they lied. Plain and simple.

[Dichotomy Girl]

Originally Posted by OneEyedFatMan

Well put. The first paragraph I agree with 100%.

The second one. I may need to amplify some. When I say I don't beleive in God, I am not saying "I am an atheist" Perhaps I am at the beginning of a path of rediscovery. What I AM saying is that I don't believe in "The Pentecostal God of the UPCI and others like." That one... When it comes to what those folks told me about God... they lied. Plain and simple.

When I reached that Crossroads, I believed there were 3 possible options.

1.) God was a terrible horrible deity who I had no interest in worshipping/serving.
2.) I was completely clueless about who God really is.
3.) God didn't exist

For me, it turned out to be #2

[OneEyedFatMan]

Originally Posted by Dordrecht

A reasonable liberal maybe.

YEEE HAAAAAAW!!!!

I just added you to my ignore list. You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that!

[OneEyedFatMan]

Originally Posted by Dichotomy Girl

When I reached that Crossroads, I believed there were 3 possible options.

1.) God was a terrible horrible deity who I had no interest in worshipping/serving.
2.) I was completely clueless about who God really is.
3.) God didn't exist

For me, it turned out to be #2

Yeah could be I am there. To be honest. I am so happy being free of that whole thing I haven't applied a lot of thought to it. When I did I lingered on #3 and am not sure I really want that either.

I did think about maybe checking out some area non-denom churches, for maybe a second anyway.

[Dichotomy Girl]

Originally Posted by OneEyedFatMan

Yeah could be I am there. To be honest. I am so happy being free of that whole thing I haven't applied a lot of thought to it. When I did I lingered on #3 and am not sure I really want that either.

I did think about maybe checking out some area non-denom churches, for maybe a second anyway.

I kind of went through this deconstruction, feeling that everything I thought about God or Religion was built on a faulty foundation, so I stripped back everything that was questionable. When I got to the Does God exist? Is Jesus Him? For me, that's where my faith rested. But to be honest, I was more than content to sit in that place for 5 years while I healed from all the other stuff.

I guess I'm mostly a philosophical Christian, as I am interested in concepts, etc, but don't really have an interested (besides the occasional passing fancy) to attend church or hang around other Christians.

[Praxeas]

Relationship with God is more important than relationship with a religious system.

[MawMaw]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Bbyrd?

Originally Posted by Nitehawk013

I thought the same thing Randy. Was about to ask if he was bbyrd on another thread.

I'm another who thought the same.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by OneEyedFatMan

Well, since much of this seems to be spawned by me, I'll answer.
First.. I was not abused. I was tired of nonsense. Tired of "Christians who weren't" Tired of Hypocrites, tired of going to church to hear the never ending money beg and things from the pulpit instructing members to go take out a loan and give the money to the church.

Tired of three services a week that went three hours long each and being blasted if I missed.

And yes tired of people on these forums with the disposition of alligators. Cross their preconceived notion and they bite your head off.

None of those things let to the state of not believing.

I was also tired of the lies, giving some god the credit when the problem was fixed by science and medicine. and etc etc.

While I was in church, I was miserable. I hated every second of it. My blood pressure was through the roof, I was moody, grouchy, and hated getting out of bed in the morning.

In the months since I bailed, I feel good, my bp is normal and I was able to reduce the meds, I wake up happy and in a good mood and it stays with me all day. Leaving the pentecostal religion was the best move I ever made.

None of the above was the result for dis-believing. That comes from sitting and being sold a bill of goods about this prayer answering god who never answered one of mine... not for 22 years.

Oh the religionists say, "he always answers, he is just saying no." Well, when you don't even hear "No," and instead get nothing but silence, anfter long enough you get convinced there ain't nothing out there listening.

So, the combination tired of overbearing church, fake people led me to leave that.
The lack of any response from out there helped with the rest.

So, sorry, but nothing will make me step that way again except absolute irrefutable PROOF. And NOTHING AT ALL will lead me to put myself under the thumb of a church or pastor again.
Caio

Just because a user has you on 'ignore' doesn't mean that user doesn't exist.

[Praxeas]

I learned a long time ago to not "walk" with my eyes on individuals in the church but instead on Him.

I've never been in a church where I heard a never ending money beg let alone the church being instructed to go take out a loan and give it to the church..

We have 3 services a week. Nobody get's chastised for missing any and they certainly aren't 3 hours long. We also have bible studies and cell groups. Lots of non Pentecostal churches do

I also learned that Prayer is more about spending alone time with Him than it is receiving something from Him.

Before I was in church, I was miserable. I hated every moment of the day, so I medicated myself with booze and pot.

I am thankful for what Jesus did for me and "Pentecost". If my local congregation became unbearable, I'd leave it for another. That is a reflection on the congregation and leadership not on God or "Pentecost"

[Esther]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Relationship with God is more important than relationship with a religious system.