I'm confused and guilty and I'm not sure what to do or how to feel

[ub4me]

God is still on the throne if you miss church as well, though we should not forsake the gathering of ourselves together. We are the church...the building is a place the church gathers. Where you are Jesus is there also. Missing church is not a sin, you are covered by His blood and His Spirit dwells in you. You can have worship right where you are. No reason to feel guilty.
"He paid a debt He did not owe, I owe a debt I could not pay"

 

[Adstar]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

I went through, whats seems from reading your post, the same process..

I was a catholic but i was in a devout catholic family, My uncle is a catholic Priest and my family had a tradition of always having one member in either the priesthood or in a famil religious order, Nun... I spent 10 years as an altar boy..

As a teen i became a lax catholic like most teens do but i always believed in God and had no reason to doubt much of the catholic religion because i never read the Bible..

Like You things changed when i started to read the Bible.. A friend at work when i was 22 talked to me about God, he was an SDA Seven Day Adventist.. We had a few good discussions about God and He gave me a NKJV Bible and so i wanted to read all the cool OT stories that i had heard about in sermons like David and Goliath.. So i started to read the Bible like you would read a book.. I found out later that not many Christians read the Bible like that.. A lot of people seem to read the Bible as isolated verses or a passage here and a passage there. Not many have actually started to read from page one to the end as i did..

So i started to read the Bible as a catholic but by the time i had got to the end of the Book of Romans i had rejected catholisism and become a Bible believing Christian .

I also went through the phase of trying to find the real church or the right /correct denomination but time and time again i would find teachings within each denomination that where in conflict with the Gospel message so i never joined any of the denomination and am still Non-denominational.. The Body of Christ is the real Church and it is the body of believers who are lead by the Holy Spirit and believe the Word of God and will not stand for any traditions of men, no matter where they are..

Also i know how it is like to face strong resistance from ones own family and to have their witness rejected by people in their own family.. Don't feel alone in this Jesus Himself said...

Mark 6: KJV
1 "And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. {2} And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? {3} Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. {4} But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. {5} And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. {6} And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching."

So Jesus was rejected by His own kinfolk in His own home ground because they looked upon Him as being only a carpenter.. Our families also reject our message because we are just their brother or sister or son or daughter.. Jesus also warned us that::

Matthew 10: KJV
35 "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. {36} And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. {37} He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

So Jesus makes it clear that His message when received will cause us to be divided from other people, People within our own families and i have experienced this first hand..

My advice to you is to cling to the Gospel message that has drawn you out of the catholic religion.. In His Word you have security.. Speak to God and ask Him to guide you in understanding through His Holy Spirit and be mindful to conscience in all things.. Place your trust in Him and not in the human organizations and preachers of this world.. Be wary because just because a denomination is against the teachings of the catholic church does not mean they also have teachings that are false too..

May the Holy Spirit guide you and may you be willing to follow Him no matter what...

 

[Anguspure]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

@Jim Langston wrote it already, but how about simply following our Christ Jesus?
Sure seek out the company and support of other believers, sing with them, break bread with them and consider and listen to what the Spirit of our Lord has led them to say. Hopefully you will find some brothers and sisters who you can Love and who can Love you and live in community together.
But why must we belong to this church culture or that church culture? Why must we visit this building or that building? In so far as they are all in Christ then they are all ours and we are in Him.

I am reading a book on the movement of Jesus followers within the Muslim world at the moment and one of the things that impresses on me is that Jesus even finds context within the Muslim cultural community and that many who follow Him do not remove themselves from this community for the sake of other people, who they wish to show the way of Christ. This means that these people do not even participate in a Christian cultural community of any kind and yet they find peace, freedom and power in simply following their Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

Hi there, fellow Canuck!

In John 17.17, the Lord Jesus said: 'Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth'. (I think you've already realized that in the end it's what the Word says - rather than anything else - that is the rule for faith.

Acts 2.41-42 is a good guide by which to assess local church activities.

 

[Goodbook]

If the Lord is leading you to be baptised go ahead, you dont need to be baptised in a church! JEsus got baptised in a RIVER. Lol

Then go to whatever fellowship the Lord is leading you to.
It may help if you pray to go where some former catholics are already so they can encourage you when things get difficult with your family as theyve been through the same thing.

Im sorry to say I too have difficulties with catholics as yes its seems like they have many different extra biblical beliefs and I find them very confusing. So we cant really have true fellowship. Every other denom there doesnt seem to be this difficulty as the differences are minor and no barrier to fellowship.

I encourage you to read the Bible more, make it a habit to read a bit everyday.

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

Don't be a slave to human religions. Only to Lord Jesus Christ. He said, He's looking for worshippers in truth and Spirit, and not in a particular temple or church.

Jesus is alive. He is far away from any church, because they are purely human creations, religions. And Jesus rebuked religious folks for their vain religions more than anybody for anything. He called them blind leaders of blind people. They don't have a clue about God and Jesus and Spirit and salvation and life and death. They only know money, meaningless traditions, obedience, control, manipulation.

Jesus only in your heart. That's it. Nothing more is needed.

 

[Courage Ampadu]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and
somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

Looks like you've got pretty good advice from most of the posts. May I add that I think you are on track.
You do need to get baptised though in obedience to the gospel. Infant baptism is not quite the same thing; a child cannot exercise choice in a matter as complex as salvation and baptism is a picture of our salvation.

As for choice of church it is a much trickier affair. I am on my fourth church in 7 years after going to the same church for a long time. Churches these days change very fast especially if they are non denominational so don't be surprised if you have to change after a while. If you note that they are veering off the bible don't hang around for the sake of not offending people, leave.
Otherwise test drive a few churches, talk to people after church. Ask their views on various issues, remember church is really about fellowship so no need to go to a church if you cannot fellowship with the people because you don't agree with their views on critical issues.

 

[visionary]

Go where God leads you. Keep studying His Word, Praying for guidance, and put your finger on Rev 3;20 for a personal one-on-one with Him. He can answer all your questions and give you strength in your walk with Him.

 

[joshua 1 9]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

We use to have a lot of former Catholics in the Charismatic Episcopalian Church because they still had the liturgy and the former Catholics felt comfortable there. There must be a church in your area with a lot of former Catholics in attendance. So you could worship with people that you have a lot in common with. I have been told that churches like them and do what they can to accommodate them because they are good tithers. They use to bring in a lot of teachers that were geared for their needs. Methodists and Lutherans use the book of common prayer also.

It is a bit of a wild ride for former Catholics because they feel so strongly about different issues. I know a women who use to keep her children home from school on Halloween because she felt it was to pagon. She must have had an influence on her children because her daughter went on to be a missionary in Russia.

 

[joshua 1 9]

Infant baptism is not quite the same thing

Infant baptism is more of a dedication for the parents and church to commit to raising the child to be a Christian. Adult baptism is more like confirmation when someone becomes of age and makes their own commitment to live the Christian life. Usually this is when people decide to join the church and they go through membership classes and they have a special service where the Bishop prays for them.

 

[rockytopva]

I believe in the seven churches as ages...

Ephesus - Messianic - Beginning with the Apostle to the Circumcision, Peter
Smyrna - Martyr - Beginning with the Apostle to the Un-Circumcision, Paul
Pergamos - Orthodoxy formed in this time... Pergos is a tower... Needed in the dark ages
Thyatira - Catholicism formed in this time - The spirit of Jezebel is to control and to dominate.
Sardis - Protestantism formed in this time- A sardius is a gem - elegant yet hard and rigid
Philadelphia - Wesleyism formed in this time - To be sanctioned is to acquire it with love.
Laodicea - Charismatic movement formed in this time - Beginning with DL Moody, the first to make money off of ministry

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; - Revelation 2:1

Jesus Christ holds all seven churches in the palm of his right hand and walks in the midst of all seven congregations. I see no harm in going to a Messianic, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Pentecostal, Word of Faith, or Charismatic church.

As far as churches... We all have issues. Don't be surprise to find problems and issues in whatever church you decide to attend. It is part of being human.

 

[joshua 1 9]

I believe in the seven churches as ages...

Ephesus - Messianic - Beginning with the Apostle to the Circumcision, Peter
Smyrna - Martyr - Beginning with the Apostle to the Un-Circumcision, Paul
Pergamos - Orthodoxy formed in this time... Pergos is a tower... Needed in the dark ages
Thyatira - Catholicism formed in this time - The spirit of Jezebel is to control and to dominate.
Sardis - Protestantism formed in this time- A sardius is a gem - elegant yet hard and rigid
Philadelphia - Wesleyism formed in this time - To be sanctioned is to acquire it with love.
Laodicea - Charismatic movement formed in this time - Beginning with DL Moody, the first to make money off of ministry

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; - Revelation 2:1

Jesus Christ holds all seven churches in the palm of his right hand and walks in the midst of all seven congregations. I see no harm in going to a Messianic, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Pentecostal, Word of Faith, or Charismatic church.

As far as churches... We all have issues. Don't be surprise to find problems and issues in whatever church you decide to attend. It is part of being human.

There are seven Spirits for the seven churches.

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

problems and issues in whatever church you decide to attend. It is part of being human.

Problems in churches are many, yes. But the number one problem is, the churches are not of Jesus. Far away from Him.

 

[Tomm]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

I hope you will find the Truth. I will pray for you.

 

[Monna]

"
"I'm confused and guilty..."
Then you're not alone!

On the guilt part: sometimes because of our conditioning within our families or our churches we can be led to feel guilty for things that are not wrong in themselves - we've just be told they're wrong. Maybe like changing the church we attend.
There is only one true church, the body of Christ, and it is made up of all those who belong to him. You are a member of this church regardless of which denomination of 'non-denomination' you meet with on Sunday or any other day. So don't feel guilty about the denomination. What matters most is your relationship to Jesus - and your attitude to other (fellow) believers regardless of their denomination. We are to love one another and show grace to one another.

And the confusion: well there's lots to be confused about, including about what church to go to.
Most denominational churches have grown out of differences of opinion, some on very fundamental issues, others on what some would consider non-essentials (those who broke out of course felt they were essential). I have come round to believe that God in his incredibly creative way has used our tendency to argue and split from one another, to provide a smorgasbord of forms of worship (I'm not talking about doctrinal issues, but forms of worship). Some people, by reason of their background or personalities like very quiet, meditative forms of worship; others want to be able to express themselves with their entire bodies, or with all possible musical instruments; some prefer predictability and regularity through a more ritualised form of worship - they understand and feel comfortable with the symbols involved and use them to worship God; others want freer forms of worship where there is more spontenaity - they enjoy variety and see vitality in the unexpected.

So some things I suggest you think about:
1. find a place that you know focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ, and where you feel welcomed for who you are; It is important to find a place where you can grow spiritually and relationally, a place that doesn't have a problem accepting "bad" people, or people who ask awkward and difficult questions, a place in which even the pastor can say "I don't know the answer, let's try to find it out together through studying the scripture and listening to the Spirit." You will find dogmatic people and ones that follow "the rules" in every congregation - simply because good churches are full of sinners saved by God's grace, and who are learning to get to know Jesus. Don't let this get you down unless it's all pervasive. It is a core characteristic of that specific church, look elsewhere, this kind of attitude, if widespread in the congregation, will stifle your joy and your growth.
2. look for somewhere that worships in a form in which you feel you can accept and participate in, a form that nurtures you rather than antagonises you in small ways. Obviously, if you're going to attend with your boyfriend, it needs to be a place where both of you are at ease with the form of worship. But don't let the form be everything - you should look past the form to see the content, and know that it is Christ-honouring and supportive of your growth.
3. if the churches around you are large in terms of number of regular members, try to find a place that has some form of home groups, or smaller gatherings where you can get to know a few people well. There's no way you're going to get to know everyone in a place that attracts 5,000 people every Sunday and where there is no mechanism for meeting with a smaller group with whom to build mutually supportive friendships.
4. find a place where you can develop and use the gifts that God gave you. This issue can be super confusing, because we hear about "spiritual gifts" as if they're something way out there... Among the gifts that Paul mentions are "administrative abilities!" God planted gifts in you at birth, and some of them you probably recognise already, but have never thought to call "spiritual gifts." Others may be lying under cover, waiting to be discovered. One simple help here is to think of something you really enjoy doing and are relative good at. If someone else can confirm that yes indeed, that is something that is quite special about you, it may very well be a gift that you can use within the congregation where you attend. God wants you to grow to be all he designed you to be, so find somewhere that will help nurture your gifts through using them to serve him by serving others. This will help you in the long term to feel you are contributing to the "body."
5. Don't feel guilty if you can't find the perfect place for you in the immediate future! Don't even think that you will necessarily be content in the same place for the rest of your life. People, including you, are dynamic and growing. What you find supportive and nurturing now, may not always be that way. You belong to Jesus, not to a local congregation or even a denomination. Don't become a slave to a particular church! And don't feel guilty about that!

Don't worry too much about being confused, either! Use it as an excuse to be curious, dig deep, learn and grow!

all the very best ... know that God delights in you and he will never give up on you!

 

[Gordon Southgate]

 

[rjs330]

I believe 1 Corinthians 3 covers this.

1 Corinthians 3:4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

In place of "Paul" and "Apollos" put "Catholic" and "Baptist", what do you get? That is why I am non denominational. It is not a denomination that saves me, it is Christ.

Well said and right on the mark biblically!

As long as you are following Christ and trusting him as your Lord and savior it matters not whether you are Orthodox, Baptist, Catholic or Assemblies of God.

 

[FireDragon76]

Do yourself a favor and don't be turned off from Catholicism just because you have a rocky relationship with your parents and your boyfriend is Baptist. In that kind of situation you are bound to get a skewed perception of Catholicism. Baptists would have similar issues with Lutherans or other Protestants, to a lesser degree. It's why we don't have altar and pulpit fellowship with them- we do not share a sufficiently common understanding of the faith to do so. They have a polemical attitude towards anything remotely catholic.

In clarification concerning Purgatory from a Protestant POV, Jesus death declares us righteous and makes us holy. It does not necessarily make us perfect people, and it does not eliminate all consequences for our sins. This is my understanding that is what the Catholic belief in Purgatory is about, actually becoming perfect, which should make this doctrine at least more understandable and is less objectionable from a Protestant POV.

 

[Tiavina]

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new to this thread, so I'm sorry in advance for such a heavy question, but I think insights from other Christians might really help and somewhat calm the storm inside me.

I'm in a bit of a tough spot in my faith and I'm not really sure how to handle it. I don't have a lot of Christians in my life, so it's hard to know to to turn to in times of trial. This might be a longer post, so I'll probably post a tl;dr version at the end for those who don't want to/don't have the time to read it all.

I was born and raised Catholic, and considered myself a Catholic for most of my life. I was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic church, and went to church every Sunday. However, I never took my faith very seriously. Until a few years ago, I didn't even own a Bible, I didn't pray on a regular basis, and I basically just went through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus.

I've made some changes since then. About the time I started University, I began realizing the need for Christ to be an active part of my life, and to guide me. It was a turning point in my faith, and I was completely invested, as "new Christians" usually are. It would still rise and fall from time to time, but I've kept true to my beliefs and to God. I now pray on a regular basis, and am trying to keep in the habit of reading my Bible consistently.

Here's where the actual problem starts. I don't want to be a Catholic anymore. I'm still a Christian, but I consider myself more non-denominational, because I don't know which denomination will best fit what I've learned and what I beleive. Here are my main issues with the Catholic church:

1. We pray to saints. I know we're not using them as idles, but rather as mediators, but Jesus is the only mediator between Man and God. The Bible says this in 1 Timothy 2:5 " For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". I don't believe that there is any benefit from praying to Saints. I don't if I'd call it sacrilegious, as that's a bit far, but it feels like a wasted prayer. We're only supposed to pray to God our Father and Jesus Christ as our mediator with the Father, since they're one in the same.

2. Many Catholics believe in purgatory. We don't talk about purgatory in church very often, but apparently it's still an accepted belief in the Catholic church. The need for purgatory, or a place of repentance would make Jesus' death meaningless, because it would mean that his death did not cleanse us of our sins and make us righteous in the eyes of God.

3. The Catholic church believes that confession is necessary. If you want to confess, go for it. It's good to confess your sins, but the Catholic church seems to promote that as the only way to be forgiven. I believe we can confess to God directly and He will still hear us. Also, Catholics priests give us penance to complete, like saying 8 Hail Marys. I find that wrong because it's praying to someone other than God, but also doesn't make anyone reflect on their sins or correctional actions. If you've sinned against someone, you should make it right with that person, and if you've sinned against God, make it right with God. Something about just saying the prayer 8 times and hope that makes it all okay is misguided to me, like there doesn't have to be real repentance involved. It certainly can and should be, and I'm sure many Catholics do take a confessional practice very seriously, but going through the motions is a possibility without much reflection.

So, those are a few reasons I'm distancing myself from Catholicism. I live in a house where my religion is a bit unsupported. My father is agnostic and very cynical about the existence of God. He believes in something greater than us, but not necessarily God. My mother is a non-practicing "paper Catholic". Like me, she was born and raised Catholic, she went through the motions and she still considers herself Catholic. However, she doesn't go to church, never reads the Bible, and the title seems to be all that matters. Please be clear that I'm not trying to put down my mother, but outlining the environment in which I live. My boyfriend of a year and a half is Baptist. I've been to his church and I really like it there. It's always very lively and people are much more friendly and social than my church, where people find their usual spot sit down, and then leave when mass is over. His entire family is Baptist and it's a very supportive environment. He can talk to his parents about religion, and discuss it without starting an argument or debate, and I want that so badly, but it's something that I don't have in my home environment. Being with him and his family has really helped me grow in my faith and explore other denominations and their practices, and I've never had the opportunity to do that before.

Ever since I began practicing my faith a few years back, my Mother has been asking why I became such a "Bible Thumper". If I ever do or say something that she doesn't approve of, she'll say that I'm not a good Christian like I pretend to be. Now that I'm trying to switch denominations, she hates it. The way she sees it, if I'm born and raised Catholic, I should always be Catholic, no matter what, don't even question it. She refuses to question anything and thinks it's wrong to do so, and she doesn't want me to be anything but Catholic. She thinks that my idea on changing denominations is because I'm piggybacking off someone else's faith, but I'm actually learning and growing in my own decisions.

I still technically belong to a Catholic church, but my boyfriend and I are looking into a new church. We've visited an Anglican church, next week we're going to a Baptist church, and we're also willing to look at Lutheran churches as a possibility. We're researching these denominations together and we're trying to find a good fit for both of us.

Today I didn't go to church. My boyfriend is working so we couldn't go together, and I was physically exhausted and wanted the extra sleep before I work this afternoon. I realize that it isn't a great or valid reason for missing church, but I took time to pray to God and ask him to help me get my faith in order and guide me in my faith journey.

My Oma (grandmother) who usually goes to church with me, since my parents don't go anymore, was criticizing me after she went to church. She was calling me lazy for not going without any good reason besides wanting extra sleep, and telling me that again, I'm not a good Christian and can't "pretend" that I'm serious about my faith. I told her that I'm still reading my Bible, but she said that doesn't matter at all because I'm not receiving the Eucharist, so obviously I'm not a very good Christian.

When I do go to the Catholic church however, my mother will tell me that I'm a hypocrite because I say I'm not a Catholic but still go to a Catholic church. Because I'm baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, my Oma says that I am legally a Catholic, and unless I'm baptized into another church, I will still be a Catholic and my mother absolutely hates the idea of me getting re-baptized as anything else, even though I feel like a second baptism and a new start with Christ would be a good thing. So now I'm here. I feel guilty for missing church, but I'm still not sure if I should still go to that church.

Tl;dr I'm SO torn because I don't want to be a Catholic anymore, but I don't know which Christian denomination I want to commit to yet. I live in a home without any spiritual support, and my mother hates that I want to be any other denomination, so she puts me down based on that. I'm trying to find a new church with my boyfriend, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. I'm criticized when I go to our family (Catholic) church, I'm criticized when I don't, so I constantly feel guilty whether I go or don't go. I'm trying to figure EVERYTHING out, but I don't know what to do or how to feel and whenever I make ANY decision or have any realization, I'm met with criticism from someone in my family telling me why I'm wrong. What should I do?

Hi,
I can understand what you say, I've been through this not a long ago. You must feel very confusing and alone I guess. But don't worry and don't question yourself too much, this trial will pass with time. My family didn't accept my decision either. It was very difficult to speak about faith with them. I was very sad because I wanted to share this new vision of living in Christ that changed my life but it's like we didn't speak the same langage.
I would tell you not to talk about it with them for the moment since it may end with an argument. Keep reading your Bible. That's where I could find joy, strength and trust that I was doing the right thing for my life. Pray for guidance, for wisdom, for peace in your family and in your heart. God is faithfull, He will answer I wish you to find a nice church because yes it is important to be supported by prayers. Focus on your growth and when your family will see that you are happy and fulfilled by the choice you made, they will accept it. Don't give up, keep looking for the answers you need in the Bible and prayers. With God's help and guidance you will be fine.
Now that I am in peace and happy with my faith, my family accepted my choice and we can talk about it without arguing. They are amazed by the fact that I've changed a lot in a positive way, they can see how strong my faith became and cannot deny how good it was for me. I think this was the best way to show them how God's word is important. Better than to try to explain or argue.
May God help and support you.

 

[JESUS=G.O.A.T]

I think it's wonderful that you're no longer "[going] through the motions of a Catholic life without really committing myself to God and entrusting my salvation to Jesus", that you're looking to have an active and informed faith of your own. I also think it's pretty healthy that you and your boyfriend are exploring a variety of churches. It'll give you an opportunity to reflect at length on what you believe and why, and what environments best enable you to love and serve God. If you haven't already done so, I recommend reading about the different Christian traditions in addition to visiting their churches: Why do Baptists/Anglicans/Lutherans/Presbyterians/Quakers/etc believe and worship as they do?

One note: Most denominations will not re-baptize you. For the most part, all the major denominations recognize each others' baptisms as valid. There may be a ceremony by which you are officially received into the new denomination, but it normally won't be a second baptism. (An exception is the Baptists, who only recognize baptism of believers, by immersion; they wouldn't reject your baptism in the Catholic church because it was Catholic, but they wouldn't recognize it if you were baptized in infancy instead of by your own choice.)

I wish you and your boyfriend well in your spiritual journeys.

Really they accept the sprinkle baptism now in some of the Protestant churches? Didn't know that tbh