What are you if you feel a religion has 'left you'

[Sportsdude]

Me and Christianity have been in a messy divorce. I don't like the direction its going. I still go by there main principals of respecting mankind per say. But other then that we don't speak to each other. What does this make me? Agnostic, non religious or athiest.


I believe there is a God but that he's been stolen and used and taken in the wrong direction. Could someone help me please. I'd appreciate it.

  I used to feel guilty about not going to church anymore. Maybe it was the part of me that still wanted to be a pastor. But I've been tarred and feathered so much by the religious community I don't give a shit anymore.

  I think its become almost trivial, whats the point? To get yelled at? To tell me I'm going to hell. Such complete bullshit.

  So I guess I'm non-religous or an agnostic theist. I just don't care anymore.

[Your Friend]

 
 It sounds like your heart isn't in religion anymore.  Why feel guilty?  You are probably feeling that it is for your own safety and probably for your own good NOT to be a part of religion.  Take care and put yourself first.  It's time that you do, I think.
   

[Your Friend]

And repeat after me........
 
               

[purelife]

Those two posts are from me.  I was having some fun with the new fonts....  
 
 
   

[Sportsdude]

thanks. PL.

[Orik]

same boat as you Sportdude. lost my faith in the church, i still belive in God. but religion and the church as a whole . no more. shrugs and sighs what can one do .  start our own religion ?

start our own church ? a church of god for todays peoples  who knows can it be done.

[Sportsdude]

I'm glad I'm not the only one out there. In this day in age of band wagon jumping on Christianity I feel like I need to get off the wagon and go my own way for a while. It really has nothing to do with my own church organization but more of what happend at my local church (Pastor had an affair with the youth group leader and since its a small small church everyone knows everyone and it was devestating) and what Christianity is becoming in this country especially in my area with the

  Archbishop of Saint Louis basically threatening to ex communicate almost anyone who votes for democratic party. I feel thats wrong and I'm not Catholic.

Another problem I have is that there was a push by the Missouri State Legislature to make Christianity the 'offical religion'. That would not only be illegal, but insane. The sad thing was that countless religous leaders where supporting the idea.

  The other problem I have is with the evangelical movement. There was the orginal evangelical Billy Graham and then there are these crazy ex tele-vangelist from the 80's guys running the religion. The 80's guys preach hate toward non christians and what they like to call "the devil, the liberals".  When Billy Graham retired last year he said he was a life long card carrying democrat and the response from the rest of the evangelical community was 'he's satan, devil worshipper'. Idiots.

  I also hate that now everyone invokes God in something whenever there on TV. They don't know God but yet they sure act like he cares about them. Yeah of course you would think that he or she cares about you when you are a multi millionaire living the good life.

  So I've decided to join the other side and go where it takes me.

[Gopher]

Nothing wrong with Christianity - it's the churches.

[kitten]

Religion came about as a means of understanding the world around them when humans were in the early stages of development.  It progressed as a means of keeping societies together.  By claiming to understand their god's wants more fully, the priests gained a higher position in the community.  That's when it started to echo the priest's wants instead of the original idea of  accustomizing the people to working together for the common good.  What you are seeing now is brainwashing in the name of God, and has nothing to do with bettering oneself through faith in a superior being.It doesn't matter what one's god is called, the results are the same.  The original idea of treating others as one would like to be treated is lost.  It isn't that you have lost faith, it is just that you don't see faith in the behaviour of the religion pushers.  Go your own path, and do what you feel is right.  It is nothing to worry about, Sportsdude.  

[Gopher]

Much of the confusion arises because there are so many ways in which the word 'religion' can be interpreted...

[soapbox]

why not adhere to the faith and belief system you have in your heart.

  after all,that's all that really matters.

  ignore institutionalized dogma.

  god is sublime and does indeed exist.  

[Gopher]

Soapbox, I agree with you entirely. Well said!

[Gopher]

Orik wrote:
 same boat as you Sportdude. lost my faith in the church, i still belive in God. but religion and the church as a whole . no more. shrugs and sighs what can one do .  start our own religion ?

start our own church ? a church of god for todays peoples  who knows can it be done.

......

Yes!
 

[kitten]

How long before it too is warped?

[Gopher]

As long as it takes for it to become a conventionally organised body.