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I've tried like 6 times to add more to my question and it won't work. Please read! This has to do with my question! :I don't have much time to explain everything but here it goes. i'm 19,i have been a member of the LDS church (mormon) my whole life. For the past 3 years i have been losing faith in God because of how i have been treated in church. We are told not to judge,yet everyone judges me and have made fun of me in church. Sense i was little i have always liked tattoos and piercings but i have been told that our bodies are temples and tattoos and piercings are bad and if anyone has them,that they don't love themselves. -I disagree. I think tattoos and piercings make a person look more attractive. I have my septum pierced and i have an 8th of a sleeve of stars tattooed on my arm. The tattoo has to do with my dad who died. -Anyway,but yeah people give me dirty looks and a few people have told me i shouldn't come to church if i'm going to have tats and piercings. I have still tried to go even with the offesive comments. -I have social anxity and deppression because of things that have happened in my life and it's hard for me to go to a place where i feel judged and where i don't feel welcome. -If i go to church i useally sit in the hall. The ward im in now,when i first came i talked to my bishop about how i feel like i'm losing faith in God and i was actually crying when explaining everything to him. I told him it's hard for me to come to church because i feel like God doesn't want me there sense people have told me they don't. He told me he doesn't buy what i'm saying and that i HAVE to come to church or i'm not serving God. He told me there is nothing wrong with me and that i need to just suck it up. This was about a year ago. I have went about 5 times to this ward in that time. Well yesterday Bishop wanted to see me and my mom and about why we haven't been to church. I once again tried to explain to him why and he told me again he doesn't buy it and said to me that im just using my disablity to get out of coming to church. I told him i sit in the hall and he tells me i HAVE to be in the chapel or that i won't get blessings. We actually got into an arguement because he ended yelling at me about things,telling me he thinks God is talking through him and that God says i need to suck things up and just go. -there was a lot more that happened,i don't have time to write it all. but the point is,i don't want to be apart of this church anymore. Bishop made me feel like i was a bad person when all i want is to be myself and not be in trouble for it. I don't do bad things,i'm a nice person but everyone treats me like i'm evil. So i really don't know what else to do but leave from where iam not wanted.
I This is My Own belief and I am not trying to disrespect your views or that of your church. :)
" God gave us spiritual Truth, Satan organized it into religion", you bet. Because even the most tolerant evangelical So-called loving Christian fellowships are built on a premise that you have to "act "into The love of God. Jesus did not come here to set up a church. He came here to show us how to have a relatiosnship with God. Period! He also showed us what our purpose is on this Earth: To heal eachother. Religion is about power and control and I dont care if you are Buhdist, Hindu, or an Four Square Evangelical All of them are the same. 4 absolutes, 8 Steps of enlightenment, 5 pillars of Islam, Blah, blah, blah. It is all there to keep us from having what is already ours: A personal relationship with our Creator. Right now right here. We can start now. Seek Spiritual Truth and leave the dogmatic crap to those who need it. I NEED A GOD OF LOVE AND I NEED HIM RIGHT NOW!!!
I dont believe he ids mad at you, in fact; I think he is in love with you.
Scripture says: "God is love and he who abideth in love Abideth in God and God Abideth in him"
"In the beginning God. . ." God Plus nothing = nothing but God! So if all there is is God. . .and God is Love, can God Hate you?
I know for a fact God Loves you, because he loves me and I Having a hard time with this right now. I keep showing him how human I can be . . . So, if he can love me, He can love you. :)
I want to say this about any church. They're all good. It's the people in them that make it bad. I don't know of any church that doesn't have someone with their own interpretations of their bible. And that is what makes some churches seem bad.
You're not going to hell, be punished by God, or any other thing they say. The person who says things like that is the one who will experience those things, because he has a false idea of what life is all about. It they have those beliefs that will be their experience in the future. Believe me, what we believe in our own mind will come to pass. If they believe in hell and all people who don't following the book will go to hell, guess what, 'who's going to hell.' If it is in their mind they will experience it.
If you want to express yourself with tattoos and piercing that is your expression and God expresses itself through you. Find a church that is all giving. If you can't don't worry about it, it will come to you in the right time. When it does you will know it to be the church for you.
Look at it this way.
God gave all beings free choice to do what ever they want, good or bad. What ever you choose you get the out come of it. God doesn't punish you or reward you he gives you what you choose. In essence you reward yourself or punish yourself.
Another way to look at it is this...... if you leave your church and are sad, you made the choice to be sad, God gave you that. Or if out of the blue you are very happy to leave the church, you made the choice to be happy, God gave you happiness.
If you can picture God as an all giving entity, unconcerned with what choices one makes, that is what he is, a very giving God. You get to feel the outcome of it, happiness or sadness.
Make sure it's a good choice. There is a way to figure that out. Think of what would be your best survival action. Is it by leaving or staying. A question..... why would you leave your church. Tell me why. Maybe I can give you some light on the subject.
You know what, I'm a Buddhist atheist, but my own religion teaches tolerance of all other religions. Just from where I stand, it doesn't sound like this church, it's bishop, or the congregation are true followers of your God - they all seem too quick to pass judgment, and as I see it, only God should have that authority. I don't think God would condemn you for seeking higher grounds, but if there is a God, then you can be sure that he sees the pain that has been inflicted upon you and justice will be served. We Buddhists call this karma.
if God is calling you to another church, then go. go visit a few different churches now and then until you find the one God is calling you to. I completely undertand that people in church judge you. i think many christians are hypocrits in that we tell people not to judge, but we judge others. i recently switched churches and i'll admit, i like my new church. i didnt switch denominations (non-denominational), just churches. so if God is calling you, go ahead and leave your church. Jesus will be with you wherever you are.
Well in my religion I feel like chruch is just a place, a santuary for christians to unite. God I feel surrounds each and everyone. And God is always with us and he loves us, and u don't necessarily have to be at church to be with god because god is always with u no matter what, so my response would be God is understanding so no he won't be mad. But if he want's u to go back to chruch just trust me god will definately make a way. But this is just my view.
Sorry i dont agree with Colleen Ludgate, you can not just make sins and say : Oh god is going to forgive me.. It doesn't make any sense, well for us as muslims we sometimes break the rules and we ask for forgiveness, and do good things to people, help each other an stay close to god, it is forbidden to doubt god or his forgiveness. I accept other religions, and dont leave ur church, as long as it keeps you close to God !!
personally i believe u dont need church, if you a devoted christian and maintain faith, and read the bible than you can think for yourself about god than letting someone else, but it is nice to go to a church, and socialize among other christians, and if the preacher "speaks" to you in a good way and u feel its a good church then go to that one, always go to a church u believe in and trust
God will not be angry but a little upset. it all depends on the reason why you chose to leave like they tell us that if you are in an argument with someone at your church you should not stop going just because you don't want to be near them. You go to church to get closer to your lord and savior...Just pray to him and ask him to help you :)
As far as I understand it (from a non-believer perspective_, all and every church is the church of God. It doesn't matter which one you go to, all of them are supposed to have the same purpose i.e. worshipping your god.
Even if you do not go to chuch as long as you build a relationship with him you are not doing something wrong.
i just want to find a church that i feel is more accepting to me. I don't want to just stop going all together,just find one that doesn't make me feel like im a bad person because the LDS church has made me feel that way. If you read my comment i wrote about what is going on,then yeah. -thanks
Very very good. What he says is right.
Look at God in this way. The only way he can express himself is through man, woman and child. We are all an expressions of God.
He gives us what we think and act, good or bad. We reap the end results of our thoughts and actions.
No, God will not be mad if you leave your church. Sometimes it is good to move around in churches and experience new enviorments. He may be dissapointed if you cease to continue to attend church though.
Oh I see yes..it is very hard to find a church that you feel comfortable in you have to find one where everyone is accepting and one where you can practicily feel the love the moment you enter.. :)
imaginary,na.man all we have diferent beliefs.do you show some respect for others feeling.we respect you if you dont believe in GOD.respect us or at least dont reply if you dont like us
Right! He does the absolute best with what we give him. He is a loving God, He will let us fall and fail. Then, when we get honest and ask for help we find that he was always there.
I have a lot written about why i want to leave. I tried to post it with my question and it wouldn't work but if you scoll down you'll see where i wrote more on why i want to leave
A true Buddhist would respect and accept this person's belief, not speak against it. The Buddha did not teach this...please go back to your Dharma...you have fallen off the path.
thanks :) -if you scroll down,i wrote why i want to stop going to the church i was in. I messed up on my question when i tried to write more,but i put it in a comment :)
No, if that church isn't really doing anything for you it's ok to leave. God is your source, not the preacher, church, or anyone/anything else. God Bless!:D
How is choosing another church because you feel singled out of the one you are in a sin? She' not questioning her religion - only her church.
If he is, then he's not a very forgiving God. I think, if God truly loves you, he'll accept you no matter what path you choose.
God will not ever be mad at you for that as long as you continue believing in him. Never lose faith in him and all is ok. ^-^
i won't ever forget about God. I just want to belong to a church where i feel close to God and where i'm accepted. :) thanks
Then you'll have some company. You know, if you're not going to be helpful, then it's best to just be quiet.
I don't think he would be mad at you. God loves all. Just don't forget about him :) hes always there
All churchs are the same. but what you said is not an answer to her question. it is just wrong.
he wouldnt be happy about it, but if you have good reasons be sure he will understand you
i meant I agree with the person who wrote what she wrote above mine ,
i meant I agree with the person who wrote what she wrote above mine ,
and btw thanks for taking the time to write to my question :)
I don't think it is, but you're entitled to your opinion.
This guy shores up some great points for me. :)
god doesn't exist so he can't be mad at you.
An imaginary being cannot be mad.
Watch from about 5:38 on. . .
I know don't say that
he does exist u fakeo
you are right,agreed
your going to hell
Your welcome:)
thank you :)
We both are.
thank you :)
thanks :)
thanks :)