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Used to go to Sunday School at a Baptist Church in Houston all the time. When I got older went to the regular service. As I sat listening to the service the preacher/pastor whatever told us if we didn't tithe 10% of our money we would go to hell. I got up left, changed religions and never attended another Christian service since.
Deist. Deism is a religious and philosophical belief that a supreme being created the universe, and that this (and religious truth in general) can be determined using reason and observation of the natural world alone, without a need for either faith or organized religion. Deists tend to, but do not necessarily, reject the notion of divine interventions in human affairs, such as by miracles and revelations. These views contrast with a dependence on revelations, miracles, and faith found in many Judeo-Christian, Islamic and other theistic teachings. Deists typically reject most supernatural events (prophecy, miracles) and tend to assert that God (or "The Supreme Architect") has a plan for the universe that is not altered either by God intervening in the affairs of human life or by suspending the natural laws of the universe. What organized religions see as divine revelation and holy books, most deists see as interpretations made by other humans, rather than as authoritative sources. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism Many of the most influential minds of our time including our founding fathers were Deists. This includes Napoleon, Voltaire, Alexander Pope, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Cicero, Ethan Allen, Victor Hugo, David Hume, Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and Adam Smith.
This is a question I asked myself for a long time. Still ask myself. I classify myself as "agnostic" (I guess as humans we have a tendency to HAVE to label ourselves) but atheism is the only "belief" that appeals to me logically and rationally anymore. I think I was mind****ed by religion, which is why I'm having trouble letting things go for good. I spent (forever) trying to reconcile the convictions I hold dear with the Christian doctrine, but I eventually gave up. I just don't agree with 95% of the Bible. Jesus is awesome and a great example by which to live, but I can't "accept" him as my lord and savior, or acknowledge his divinity - I just can't see it anymore. I feel like the great things that many churches do can just as easily and lovingly be done by secularists. A part of me is sad to leave religion, another part of me feels completely liberated. I don't feel like I have to explain/apologize for my world views anymore. I know different people have very different experiences with religion, this is mine...if I ever come back to faith, it will be on very different terms.
The story sounds eerily like my first church experience(as an atheist). The sermon was fine because stories about morals more or less apply to everyone. But everything else was pretty whack. And indeed, the singing was an abominable experience. I can't remember the details. But it was something about loving God and loving him some more. Made me think of those hypnotic sessions in movies where they just cram it down your throat until you truly believe it.
Sounds really similar to my beliefs. Are there organized congregations that meet for this like a traditional church?
That sucks. I've been to hundreds of services of many different denominations- Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Catholic, etc.- and have never heard THAT before. I did walk out of a service at Lakewood, though. In my opinion the sermon was completely opposite of Jesus's teachings. Something like...if you are friends with people or hang out with people who struggle with sin or who aren't positive or have such and such problems, then you need to find new friends. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
True that...and of course it was baptist...all that singing and carrying on... growing up catholic (more reserved) I just don't get that faith, every time I attend a baptist wedding there's no alcohol... I find myself going to church for my kids...my mom made me go and I appreciate it more now than I did back then...However, as I've state before, I'm in a religious dilema as I check out the ladies when I go...
I never thought I'll see you become this way either. I'm glad i left that church year's ago, but my mom still tells me to go and the only reason I went was for her. I think you were pretty damn brainwashed though, lol, you were pretty extreme man. The only thing i remember being taught was what you can't do and to tithe on the pre-tax income.
I don't think so at least not to my knowledge. When people ask me my religion this is what I tell them but I don't attend a service or anything. I think a lot of people would actually agree with Deism but you're never going to see Deists handing out leaflets or recruiting or anything to spread the word. I actually learned about it in high school history class.
I flip flop between Deism and Atheism. I'll tell myself, you know, there could be some sort of supreme being out there, but our minds are too feeble to comprehend it. Then sometimes I think I just sound ridiculous saying stuff like that. I wish more atheists would come out and express themselves. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one.
I strongly believe in a merciful God who is above all in this universe. I believe that a lot of things that have happened in my life were sent from above. The fact that I am a success, I don't only give credit to my grandmother and uncle and father, but I also give the credit to my boy upstairs. I simply don't believe in the Bible like I use to nor do I make it a point to want to save others. I use to be really conservative but slowly I've broken out of that. I would like to say I'm pretty much the same person I have always been the only difference is now I am only interested in living my own life without the constant pressure of church telling me that I'm doing something wrong. I was never fully convinced at the preachings but it took me a while to fully convince myself that it was okay not to believe. My grandmother raised me in a pentecostal church. Hearing things about going to hell every week of my life put a fear in me, but thankfully I been able to break out of that since my freshman year of college. I've gone to a couple of churches here in Austin and I found myself not enjoying going to church anymore. I use to fear not believing in God but I was able to get over that around a year ago.
I'm going to make a confession here. I've kept it to myself till now, but this is probably a good place to bury it. My biggest struggle, religiously and spiritually, is erasing the hatred in my heart for those who corrupt the purity of religions. As a Muslim, I am at peace with Jews, Christians, Atheists, anyone. The one thing I have grown frustrated with is that I haven't become indifferent to what the media calls "Extremists". On my face, I may wear a smile. But the moment I hear a story like "i left the church because they told me I would go to hell if I didn't fork over 10%", I become disgusted and frustrated, almost angry. Why do those people have lots of people listening to them? Why are they given large amounts of authority? How could they say something like that? Would they dare say such a thing if Jesus PBUH was physically standing over thm and watching? It's annoying and sad. Not because they exist, but because for some reason they are dominating "market" share. There are so many of them, they are the majority. The next time someone tells you you're going to hell, tell them to write it on a piece of paper and sign it. Once they sign it, show it to them and ask them how and when the power to sign it was delegated to them. I hope I'm able to deal with it soon. I'm tired of hearing these people spew their stuff everywhere. Opinions are great, but it is whenthey throw their opinions around as facts to mass audiences is where it becomes idiotic. Sorry for the rant. lol
OP, It sounds to me like you're looking for a typical mosque moreso than a typical church. I can't recommend anything because I don't know any where you live, but there are some mosques which focus on the values (typically lasts between 10 minutes and 1 hour depending on the mosque). As with churches, the choice makes a big difference. Some are conservative, some are contemporary, some are modern, some are very liberal, etc.. But what you're looking for is what I've seen in many modern mosque settings. Sermons re on Fridays, around lunchtime.
