Losing your religion

I was born and raised a strict southern baptist. I even worked at a Baptist Camp every summer growing up and I know the Bible pretty well. I have never doubted God, and I still don't- but I doubt 'Christians' and 'the church.'

I don't want to be part of a 'moral society' who's morals serve only themself without any sort of heart to look at the rest of society and their needs. I strongly believe we are here to serve each other and by service, we learn the lessons and experience the tasks we are meant to experience.

I have gotten to the place when anyone mentions God or being a Christian, I roll my eyes and chuckle to myself. I'm sure that being gay is part of it. But you can only be told you are going to hell so many times before it takes a toll on you. And our president has done nothing but label gays as a social outcast and undeserving of basic rights that a human should have.

But 'the church' in our nation has began to support war (Christ taught peace and turning the other cheek), hate (Christ taught love), condemnation (what happend to "Judge not lest ye be judged"?) etc....

I no longer consider myself a 'Christian' because I don't want to be part of what they are, where they are or where they are going. I do consider myself a very spiritual person and have no doubt in a 'higher power.' If that is my downfall, I'll take my chances in hell with Builder, Miss tery and Reb.

 

Who are you serving? God or the people of this world? LIke i told you before, Jesus said, "follow me" not "follow my people". You sorta sound like a teenager who falls into peer pressure.

I do understand how you feel, though. Since i was a young child, i've been bombarded by the world that if you are born female you are second class. I never wanted to open the bible because i was deeply hurt that God saw me as just something he created to pleasure men. There was a time that i hated God. But you know i was ignorant. i just took what everybody said as the gospel truth. I never investigated it for myself until recently and you know what there are alot of people out there spewing out pure lies. So for myself, i am just going to follow Jesus an account for my ownself.

I am afraid to join a church for the very things you are talking of. I have only been a handfulof timesin my life. i've gone to my brother's church to find out that they gossip and have the same kind of troubles as a production factory. I've talk to a lot of Christians who go to church on a regular basis, who are racist, gossip, who are money hungry, i mean you name it! and it really disheartens me cause i look to these people for guideance cause i am just a baby in Christ. but i'm learning that these are just merely human beings that have their own struggles their own demons to get through and when judgement day comes i'm only going to be able to answer for myself.

 

Other then marriage, what "basic right" has our president been against for gays?

I'm sorry people have led you astray, just remember, some of them are trying and sometimes say the wrong things. Some just are phoneys. You are lumping all Christians together and I don't think that's right either.

 

I'll be there too Sweetcheeks. :bird1:

 

Very interseting perspective Fred. Are you upset about "losing your religion" or are you just sharing? I think it is easy to look at Christians and scoff. That's because their "name" has been tarnished. Not individuals IMO, but the name Christianity. Just like the gays get a bad rap for hosting the sex trends that "just so happen" to sometimes include Michael Jackson (I mean sleeping with little boys) Not all gays sleep with the kiddies, in fact the majority of them don't. But don't tell that to the fundies!!! Nooooo sir! That there act of unforgivable perversion is solely caused by the touch of the devil-manufactured gay. I say these things because they're stereotypes. So, please, I don't want to hear... "Well, I never thought that way!" I'm not saying EVERY member of a certain group must fit into a certain stereotype. But we all have them...

That said, I don't think you MUST be a part of a society-invented group of people if you don't want to be. You can do just fine believing on your own. In fact, I think the Bible even talks about "who so ever believeth in me shall not perish but have ever lasting life" (doesn't mention Christianity in there)

 

Fred, you being an unapologetic queer is no worse a sin than me drinking beer on a weekly basis.

 

weekly?

 

Yeah, I don't drink beer every night. For example, last night, I didn't drink any beer.


And Fred, that's just my opinion. I don't have a bible verse to back it up. I don't even know of the "All Sins are Equal" is even in the bible, but I think it's a very good one to live by.

 

The way i understand it, there is no sin worse than another sin. The only thing i have heard is the worse is saying there is no God. Of course, if you believe in no God, then you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. and if you don't do that well than you aren't forgiven. right?

 

Julia- I'm not upset about it at all. I'm content with my way of thinking- I feel I have made a rational decision. To be honest, I posted it to stir up other perspectives on the topic.




Spud- Do you realize how many aspects of our being that our partner or mate is part of? .... financial planning, adoption/children, any major purchase, insurance.... it's endless when you think about it.

That word "marriage" entails more than you can even imagine. But to me, any sort of a sense of permanence is a goal-lined security blanket and I gravitate to secure things and secure people.

The thought of being with someone and knowing that they are mine; not only in my heart but in legal terms as well is a very warm feeling and that warm feeling is something I feel George W Bush (this society) is denying me the possiblility of having.

So, it may be "only marriage" to you. But it's the prospect of having a more secure future to me. It's kinda ironic that you're the one that can get married and I can't- huh? :huh: