Today, I attended church for the first time in months. It did not feel right. Maybe its me, or maybe I have lost faith, but during mass I noticed that everyone looked guilty, everyone looked out of place. It seems that church has grown into a hostile environment. The regulars just look down at you while the people like you, the easter and christmas bring your children woopdido folks, just watch the mass and get out of there as quickly as possible. Ok what I'm really trying to ask is whether you can be religious without going to church and is church really that special of a place.\n\nPlease dont criticize me that harshly, \nI am just a questioning kid
199405
What is with the mile long answer? Is the answerer actually reading all that?\n\nYou do not need to be religious at all. But you are spiritual. You are the church, your body is. You are the house. God is in you.\n\nWhat does God want to do today?
149083
It was a process for me, over time. I stopped going to church, after my mother died, and *they* {the christians} told me she no longer had time for me, and I shouldn't 'try talking to her...so followed no path, or religion for many years after that.  Was pretty PO'd at God...didn't matter which one..\n   After I got married, and was pregnant with my son, my husband and I started going to a little baptist church. I can't really say I had any problems with that church, the people were nice, good to us. But it just didn't ..DO anything for me..\n  I started reading up on other religions...and realized, they were all saying, pretty much the same thing. Just said or called it by a different name. And came, again to the relization, that I'd had as a child, that I really don't think any ONE religion...is Right, or Wrong.  They all have the same message...underneath..it's just how the 'People' interpret it..and they allll interpret everything, in about 20 different ways or more..LOL \n  So then they add 'rules' 'regulations' 'laws'...until the real message, get's lost in a jumble of un-related context, which confuses the heck out of everyone, until their numb in the mind and just follow blindly along, out of fear.\n  The Power's that be, gave us..FREE WILL for a reason..So that we can think for ourselves, and seek out the truth on our own. I think everyone's Truth, is their own...I think everyone's journey, is their own personal walk through this life, and every life. It's what you do with it.
386841
I have all but quit going to church.  People have made me quit going not God.  I thank God daily for all the things he has given me and pray.  I still believe in the power of prayer.  People have just made me stop going.   Sometimes I find the most hateful mean people are the ones at church.  But, there are those people at church who are really good decent people but the mean ones are the ones who drive others away.
432666
ooh, yeah dont know what Church you have been too, possibly a really religious one by the sound of it.\n\nThis is what i think of Religion...\n\n"Religion is the Dead repetition of what once was spiritually vital"\n\nIm a Christian cos i beleive in Jesus, \n\nThis is what i think of him...\n\nall Amazingl, loving, patient, humble, exciting, adventurous, righteousl and blazing with awesome power, the most amazing God ever!\n\nSounds like you have mixed him up with religion, which is what a lot of the world has done.\n\nIn fact the cool thing is that is one of the main reason why Jesusshowed up in the first place,... To Destroy Religion!!, \nCool huh?\nthats my Super hero.\n keep searching, stay away from false hypocrites, or at least pray for em.\n\n\nToodles\n\n(-:
449100
I was born and raised Southern Baptist.  I never felt at home in that faith.  I always felt like an outsider looking in.  I went to church Sun morn, Sun eve and Wed eve every week without fail for my entire childhood.\n\nI graduated from high school and moved out on my own.  After a period of staying out of churchs completely, I felt empty in my heart.  After a lot of soul searching I figured out that the emptiness in my heart was due to my being out of the will of God.  In order to fill that emptiness I had to reconcile myself to God. \n\nI tried going back to the Baptist Church, but I still never felt like I was a part of that.  At the time I worked with two Catholics.  They had a peace about them that I wanted in my life!  They talked openly about being Catholic, they weren't ashamed of it.  And I could tell that being Catholic was a big part of their entire life--not just a trip to church twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday nite.\n\nSo I did some more research.  I liked what I read about the Catholic faith.  And I began to take instruction in the Catholic faith.  This has been one of the hardest things I've ever done in my whole life.  All my life as a Baptist I was taught that Catholics were going to hell because they worshipped Mary and the Saints.  That they prayed to statues.  That the Roman Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelation.  That you ask Jesus to forgive you, not a man---even if the man is a priest.  And so on and so forth, ad infinitum ad nauseum.\n\nIt took a lot of study and prayer to find the answers to all those bogus notions I'd been taught.  Catholics don't worship Mary or the Saints--we venerate them.  We don't pray to statues---that's just dumb.  I don't believe the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon.  Jesus gave the power to forgive sins and cast out demons in his Name to his disciples.  And its ok to confess your sins to a priest.  \n\nI took instruction for about six months.  I joined the Catholic Church about 25 years ago and I've never regretted a minute of it.  I finally feel at home in a church.  I'm active in my local Church--I help out at Mass and I teach in our Parish School of Religion.  \n\nI have a peace in my heart and soul that I never felt when I was Baptist.   And I still hear the same bone headed things that I heard as a kid about Catholics.\n\nHas this cost me anything?  Yes.  My father, a die-hard Baptist, never accepted my conversion.  Until his dying day he still would not talk about it.  That hurt a lot.\n\nBut I have a church home now--and a solid faith in my Lord Jesus--who saves me from my sinful nature by his Grace alone.  I can't earn my salvation--its a gift from the Lord.  \n\nWould I do it over again?  Yes---although I probably would've not drug my heels so much and made the conversion much sooner.
259796
Hi bellbree,\n\n I was walking to the corner market for a loaf of bread when I had to pass by a neighborhood church. I was somewhat acquainted with the structure as it was always mentioned in the newspaper's community section. Known as "The loft," folks would gather there on Thursday evenings for poetry readings. \nHowever, this day happened to be a Saturday afternoon and a pair of gentlemen greeted me as I walked by. They invited me inside to sample an hour of their presentation. Ok, I went inside and found myself to be a prospective new recruit for their brand of religion. \n\nMost of the pews were filled with hooded monks chanting a haunting rhythm. There were others who like me, were wearing their regular denims. The service began like most other church-goers would be familiar with. A grand master of ceremonies led the group through some songs and gave a sermon. Near the end of the hour it was time for their ritual of "laying on of the hands." Some of the parishioners would come forward and ask for prayers for their ailments or for a sick grand mum who fell down in the tub. All the hooded dudes whose faces could not readily be seen would all place a hand on the person and their combined energies were presumed to have a strength and expedite a solution to the problem. \n\nOK now, there was another new guy in the pews who was watching eagerly. I recognized Mark W. Reinhold from the wanted poster at the post office. When he saw a chance, he approached the ring of conspirators and described how he was never able to settle down. The hooded goons closed in upon him, all to make a physical connection. The master of ceremonies began a prayer, a dogmatic mix of logic and pure hocus-pocus. I immediately saw the effects as the tension went out of Mark's body. When the beseeching was near an end, the master asked, "Are the brothers ready?" \n\nA suspenseful few moments passed until he almost shouted, "NOW!" \n\nOn that cue, the brothers began to pummel their hapless victim. Continually delivering blows over head and to the solar plexus until Mark was down on the floor getting stomped. After another minute, the grand Pooh-Bah decided the treatment administered was sufficient to induce a relaxing calm that would assuage the nervousness in Mark for a long, long time. \n\nI can't say for certain that Mark W. Reinhold was apprehended and locked up because, I had a loaf of bread to buy and some other errands to do that day. I hope for you bellbree, that you find a sense of closure to this bad episode of life. \n\n-Bryce
207593
dani-- I too want to do the samething. I thik I posted a very similar question a few weeks ago. And I've seen someone else post one just the same. One person said something to the effect of the catholic church takes number by who is actually a parishioner. But I think I know where you are coming from, I 've received all my sacraments and I want the catholic church to know so that they can see that there are people out there that have turned their back on the catholic church.  Usually the catholic church does not take into account the number pf people that have left and it should be time that anyone who no longer follows catholism should send a letter to their local catholic church declaring that they have walked away.\n\nOn a side note not only did I turn away from catholism but religion as a whole. I do not see the need for religion nor do I want to be part of any religion.  but that part is just me, not sure about you.\nin anycase here is an idea which I am planning on doing, just send a letter in a resignation format declaring that you have turned away from catholism and whatever else you want to say and conclude with I want my name removed from being a catholic.
563718
Whoever says church is for the naive and weak is pretty naive and ignorant themselves and too weak to face their sin....\n\nI do go to church on my own and my parents never went. I still go because I love the sermons and hearing what my pastor teaches from the Bible. Seeing other people who know you and genuinely care how you are doing is great. \nThe difference between being a member of a church and just going to a church is you usually become a member after a little while of going to that church and you start to get involved and you decide that is the church you want to make your "home church" meaning that is where you would go every Sunday.
308163
I was raised Roman Catholic, but I hated it. I was dragged to church, and forced to go to catholic school. I sat in religion class, thinking that God didn't exist and that religion was brainwashing.My school was very sheltered from the rest of the world, and they didn't really let us associate with other schools, cultures or religions. I barely knew that other people existed. \n\nWhen I reached Grade 9, I went to a public high school, and I was amazed to find out about other cultures and religions. I did research, talked to people, and eventually turned back to my native American pagan roots. I started taking part in full moon ceremonies, and other pagan celebrations, sac rid fires, pow wows,drumming circles,naming ceremionies and stuff. Eventuially this lead me to Wicca, which I practiced for a few years, which lead me back towards paganism. \nI left these behind last year. I was always interested in Christianity, but as a religion, not as truth.\nI went to a Christian bible study with my parents. I remember being in the car saying " wow this is just going to be some stupid Christian propaganda". We turned the corner, and headed to the church. When we left the church, I said the prayer to ask Jesus into my heart into my heart for the first time ever.I felt the need, not out of fear of hell, but out of love for my creator. Out of LOVE for JESUS. I realised that GOD loves me.\n\nI went home and was so confused. How could my stubborn opinions be changed in a few hours? How could my beleifs be altered?What was going on with me! I needed answers.\nI felt to so alive, but had so many questions.I was so hyper, so awake, so amazed. I went on the computer and started searching. I found this website and talked to someone who helped clairfy what happened.
229668
Sure, it's okay. At least you're going. I wish my church had evening services, because the regular weekly service is held at a really inconvenient time for me. My spouse is Catholic and attends Saturday night Mass, and I'm jealous. I wish we had more nighttime services like that.
316867
I had a religious Catholic upbringing at home and school, I chose to go to a co-ed state high school instead of a Catholic all-boys one, quickly learned that not everyone has belief in God.\n\nI  went on to University and mixed with every type of person and gradually the religious conditioning began to fade away but I still half believed in God and would never dare say I didn't believe in case I was struck down on the spot.\n\nI took up buddhism for a time and it cleared my head even more. \n\nQuite recently only a few years ago I was aware that all the religious garbage had finally left my head, I felt clear clean and bright and life made sense more than at any time previously, I still feel that way and I can tell you it's great. But it was a long slow and gradual process, not hard work though. \n\nI'm very pleased to be in charge of my own brain instead of having some religious dogma in charge of it. If you are not  controlling your own brain and thoughts somebody else is ...you can be sure of that (and I don't mean God guys).\n\nProblem is my family, and one especially newly fundamentalist sister..she gets very nasty at times and communication is on hold for time being.
237361
I used to date a guy who held church in his home.  His father was a minister without a congregation and his mother was disabled and physically uncomfortable in the traditional church setting so for this reason he held church in his house every Sunday afternoon and every other Wednesday night with his father preaching and his mother attending even though his parents had long since been divorced. It was the best "church" I have ever been to.  The service was meaningful and the singing was beautiful with every voice raised to God, there was no doubt everyone in the very crowded living room was there for God.  I continued to attend "church" at his house for awhile after we quit dating, and frequently think I should still be going there. I learned more there than I ever learned in Sunday school.  I recently took the Alpha class at a local church it was great but I still believe the best church is where you feel the closest to God no matter if it's in a house or a traditional church.
72474
By all means, come to mass with us.  We would be happy to have you.\n\nThe structure of the mass took a little getting use to for me, but it was easy once I understood what was going on and why.\n\nAs a non-Catholic, you will not be required to do all the standing, knealing that is done, you are more than welcome to sit (please stand with the reading of the Gospel, if for nothing else than out of respect for the Word).\n\nOthers are correct that you shouldn't take the communion and the songs/responses will be announced or posted somewhere.\n\nI prefer the Latin mass, and if you have the opportunity to attend one, I would encourage it.  It is, of course, in Latin but there will be notes or missals with the English translation.\n\nIf you are interested in learning more, I would suggest visiting EWTN's web site at http://www.ewtn.com and under FAITH they have a Q&A and a Teaching section, both are very well written and easy to understand.  Also, if you have cable tv, look for the EWTN channel.  Everything there will help you understand what it means to be Catholic.\n\nCall the local parish office and ask to speak with the Director of Adult Formation or about RCIA (Rite Christian Initiation for Adults).  The secretary will point you in the right direction.\n\nAlternately, you can contact me through my profile, I will be happy to answer any question you may have.  I am a recent (1 year ago) convert to the Catholic Church.
648151
Try to find a church that has a "family room," they are generally sound proof area's with speakers so families with noisy children can hear the mass... Better yet-- locate a church that has a nursery! I know we have one at my parish!  Also, I've seen my aunts and uncles bring books, juice, small snacks with them to mass and that will usually entertain a toddler for an hour. \nI'm ashamed in the first response to this question... never turn away someone who wants to come back to the church!  If Jesus could endure what he did... you can concentrate extra hard during the service!
40780
I was raised Catholic, and I loved it, and I stayed Catholic until I was about 24 years old. At that time, I started questioning other religions, which led me to the Church of God. I remained in that church for about 10 years. Worship in that church was singing, hearing sermons, fellowship, and Bible study. It was quite different from what I was used to in the Catholic church. There were no statues, no Rosary, no Communion, no confession, no Holidays like Christmas or Easter, etc. Instead of those days, we had Sabbath on Saturday, there was Baptism by immersion, and we celebrated God's Holy Days, Pentecost, Trumpets, Passover, etc...Regular Sabbath was like a social gathering after the service. We stayed and visited with each other, ( there were about a thousand people then) We sang a few hymns, and sometimes there was special music, where someone would sing a solo.\nIt was very nice, and I enjoyed it, but I have moved on...and the most important thing is that I am still a Christian. A person can be a Christian in any church; it's what's in your heart and it's that you are close to your Creator.
180034
i ve been asking this for so long. thank god i am not alone. i am so sick of this anti-catholic bs that has no validity whatsoever.\n\nyou would expect this kind of garbage from the secular world, but i have no idea what these protestants are thinking sometimes.\n\nhere's an idea protestants...why don't you actually learn about the catholic church first. as opposed to just blurting out a bunch of nonsense like we worship mary, and the pope ,etc.  give me a break already. still goin with those arguments?? don't even waste my time then.
73773
I don't know where u live, but i count the kids every year, we had a 150 kids this year. And we live in a medium size neighborhood. When we frist lived here there was alot more, but we still get alot. \nI think parents are mopre portected now but I don't think it stops them from letting their children do anything. \nPeople are losing moral values like not going to church, but I think there is still many children who attended church with there familys.