Do you feel forced out of religious convervsations because you are not Christian?
341296
well i am a Christian, and i first and foremost try to take in consideration that everyone i know or that may be in the conversation isn't a Christian.  I know from experience that many Muslims, Atheists, Catholics, etc...can hold a very educated conversation about religion, without ever believing in God, or the Christian God.  As long as the Christians involved can respect that the "non-Christian" people are not interested in converting, now nor ever, and do not try to force their faith or beliefs on them, then there should not be any problems.  but i can somewhat relate to what you are talking about, thats why religion, politics and money are 3 things i try to avoid talking about in abundancy.
630809
No I'm not.  Do you want to try and talk me into it?  I'd love to find a church that made me feel at home - but I don't feel like shopping around.
697186
I know a lot of people are moral without believing in God. \n\nBut for me, for most of my life I didn't have much of a backbone, and I'm fairly certain I would have fell into some vices because of peer pressure if it hadn't of been for that last thread of 'no, this is against my religion' keeping me away from it.\n\nThanks
89065
Not at all. I used to feel wierd about it, but then I met one of my pastors who is a woman. She's also a close personal friend of mine and she inspires me alot. As it is I do teach, but I would love to one day preach God's word. It would be awesome!
1041338
yes, being a Christian is about following Christ, not a religion.\n\ni think people need to feel strong about Jesus, not their religion. it erks me a bit.\n\n...and where in the Bible does it say if you cuss, say 5 Hail Mary's?
364543
There comes a point in accepting faith, when that faith will be tested.  There are a great deal of souls that have not reached the same stage as you.  The secular world is full of temptations and holds onto them with greedy hands.  One of the reactions that people have around those who have accepted Christ, is to be repulsed by it.  It is natural.  They are not ready for it.  They do not need it yet.  I myself have felt this revulsion, and I myself have felt the movement of the Holy Spirit within me.  To be converted is to be in love, and nobody likes people in love.  They act sappy, but to that person who is in love, there is no feeling like it in the world.  You are on cloud nine for weeks on end, and someone's going to pull you down.  Misery loves company.  Just hang on to that faith now, and guard it like your most precious possession.  Pray for those who would revile you.  After all, it is easy to love your friends, but not so easy to love your enemies.
603418
As a christian, I would like to apologise for the activities of other christians that have made you feel this way. My hope is that christians would act with enough humbleness and humility to show that they do not feel superior in any way. \n\nThank you for the question, and may God Bless You.
67320
Absolutely NO WAY! I could not do that because I am happy with my religion. I don't let people affect my decisions. I make my own. I hope you don't let this "someone" change your religion.
997153
I wanted to start by saying that I am a Christian.\n\nPeople who are non-Christians are not going to feel better after reading your post. This post comes across as the same pushiness that people don't like anyway. I understand that you believe very strongly, as do I, but please find a new way to share the love of God. This just seems pushy and it almost sounds like you think you are better than the "poor unsaved people."\n\nGod bless you though for trying!
1040465
i don't feel like i try to push my faith down anyone's throat..... i answer questions with my honest opinion... i hope that i might open someones eyes, or make them question things a little deeper, or help them see something more clearly..... hard to imagine anyone has changed their faith, but maybe some faiths have been strengthened, and some narrow mindedness has been weakened...... btw i am a christian.... :) and there are lots of narrow minded christians that i hope become less narrow minded....lol
873016
I've dealt with similar issues. I was raised Protestant and left the church for a while. I missed the fellowship, a lot. There's so much to be said for the comfort you can find within a good church. The problem was that I could never reconcile my beliefs about evolution, my scientific paradigm about the origins of the universe, homosexuality, and feminism with the Bible's opposing views. To me, I couldn't just choose to re-interpret the Bible for my convenience. It means what it says, not what I want it to mean. I was unable to return to the church because I was unable to believe in the god described by the Bible. \n\nAfter that, I looked at religion itself pretty seriously and from an academic standpoint, rather than a religious one. I found a few textbooks describing religion as objectively and sensitively as possible with humans doing the work and managed to get into a college course regarding religion.\n\nI suppose when it comes to deities, I'm best described as "spiritual". I believe it's possible that there is a god of some sort out there, but I don't believe that anything written by man can describe it, let alone explain what any god wants. Religions are man-made. Still, I needed religion. I found Zen Buddhism to be to my preference. It suits me. I don't believe in re-incarnation or immutable souls. I think we're always changing, always learning. It's the nature of living. It took a long time, years, for me to get where I am because I had a lot of residual fear of going to hell. Sunday School is effective indoctrination. In the end, that was the final nail in my Christian coffin. I could not respect a religion that promised love and held on with fear.\n\nI think it's different for you in ways, but it's also the same. The Church's ideas don't fit yours, but you're still drawn to the comfort of fellowship. Perhaps even the comfort of god. I don't know any books that would necessarily help you, because I don't think that's your issue. Do you miss the sense of belonging or do you miss god? If you miss god, then your problem lies in understanding that any beliefs that you have that are against what the church says are sin. If you miss the fellowship, but not god, then perhaps you can find another way with values you agree with to fellowship. There are Protestant churches that agree with you on abortion and homosexuality. If religion isn't to your taste, you can also find fellowship by finding groups that meet for secular reasons. I belonged to a reading club for a while. We'd gather in the library every Wednesday night and discuss the book we'd read that week. It felt wonderful. Then I moved.\n\nI'd suggest you talk to a priest, but it's their duty to return you to the fold so you won't get the help you actually need. I wouldn't suggest you talk to anyone else's minister/rabbi/whathaveyou for the same reason. It's usually their duty to convert you. You can speak to someone, such as a therapist, a mentor, a teacher, an advisor about it as well. \n\nMy crisis of faith was the hardest thing I've gone through, even harder than boot camp and childbirth. I'm feeling a lot more rewarded and confident about my choices once I'd gotten through it. I hope that you'll find peace with your choices as well.
909289
Well said.\n\nI'm not a religious person but damn it, our country is traditionally christian.\n\nI respect your tolerance.\n\nSo should others.\n\nGod bless.
714236
I know how you feel. I am an atheist with family who are superchristians. I have faded away from them. It is sad in a way but you cannot be happy being around people who think that they are better than you and are cooly polite. I don't need this kind of family. Life is too short to spend any part of it being unhappy when you don't have to.
627997
I'm agnostic but no I don't feel guilty, I earn my money.  Athiests should feel less guilty than a theistic theif.\n\nIt is not hypocritical either.  It is a traditional saying on our money.  We don't agree to believe in god when we get a job or sign a check.
668671
I am not a Christian but I consciously try not to belittle any religion.  My husband is a Christian as is most of my family.  I believe that each religion is valid to the worshiper and even if it is not yours it should still be given respect.
218999
Well you are. Trust me you are. Sounds like you don't like whats going on. Change it. That simple, change it even if you don't like what you change it to the act of changing will go along way to making you feel better. Also, leave God, Jesus, or what ever out of it. That just cause more problems.
76370
My whole family is christian, but at the moment i consider myself atheist. No one knows about it because i know my family would most likely be upset with me or disapointed. But honestly, at the moment i'm trying to find myself and figure out what i want to do with the rest of my life.. I highly doubt i will stay an atheist forever.