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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Religions & Faiths > Christianity

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  #11  
Old 22-09-2018, 11:11 AM
candyfloss28 candyfloss28 is offline
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How do you feel now spiritually? do you think you have grown more? found out more things?
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  #12  
Old 22-09-2018, 12:07 PM
sky sky is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by candyfloss28
How do you feel now spiritually? do you think you have grown more? found out more things?


I found that I am more open so therefore I have gained. I don't believe in a soul or that the bible ( OT) is the word of God so the teachings didn't resonate with me.

You have you do what is right for you, just miss a few weeks and see how you feel, you can always go back.

I sometimes call in and if I am travelling to other Countries I always visit any ancient Churches/Cathederals I come across as I love the silence/atmosphere inside.

Never say never, just see how you go.
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  #13  
Old 23-09-2018, 07:00 AM
BigJohn BigJohn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by candyfloss28
Are their any Christians here who have stopped going to church for any reasons? If so, how has that made your faith? I'm thinking making sunday my last time.


This week I visited a Catholic Mission 3 times. I am not Catholic but I had some interesting conversations with people there.

I used to visit a Catholic Monastery. I can't visit the place any more because it is closed - mo more.

I used to visit one particular Spiritual Church and ended up being one of the main speakers.

In retrospect, the first book I wrote was about a Catholic nun who never left Spain but was able to bi-locate to the SW parts of the USA where she was able to give gifts to the natives and converse in their own languages.

We can learn from other religions.
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  #14  
Old 28-09-2018, 10:59 PM
davidmartin davidmartin is offline
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look, no need to ask Candyfloss WHY he/she doesn't want to go
If you haven't been in a church you might ask that, but if you have... you'll know exactly what is meant!
I stopped going to church because I didn't find what I was looking for when I started going. If you stop going you might still find it, if you can find others like you. Strangely I would advise checking out the fringes and nomads on the fringes of the church. a house group might spring up that is what you were hoping for. pray lots and go for the big change if something is not right where you are
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  #15  
Old 28-09-2018, 11:54 PM
aimtobe aimtobe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by candyfloss28
How do you feel now spiritually? do you think you have grown more? found out more things?

I would say that now, spiritually speaking, I feel more lost, without a sense of direction, because I abandoned my spiritual foundation, which was found in Protestant Christianity. It's forgivable though. It's been a while since I've had some sort of solid foundation. I'm finding me though. I'm finding truth. I'm finding what really matters because this life as we know it is only temporary.

Have I grown more? yes, in a way. I miss my old self, but I can't fit in that shell anymore. Growing comes with the unfortunate reality of not fitting into your old clothes, even your favorite ones. (side note - when I was a kid, I loved these pair of yellow shorts. Of course I couldn't fit into them anymore, so they never came up anymore. Years later, when teen/adult size, I found those pair of yellow shorts, and was amazed at how small they were. Of course I couldn't fit in them anymore, because I grew a ton. And thats a metaphor for how I cant fit into my old Christian/religious shell anymore.)

Found out more things? Hmm... not really, if you are talking about a quantitative total of things I know now compared to back then. I guess I just realize different things now. Its just different, not additive information. I changed perspectives.
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  #16  
Old 29-09-2018, 06:36 PM
Starlight Starlight is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aimtobe
I would say that now, spiritually speaking, I feel more lost, without a sense of direction, because I abandoned my spiritual foundation, which was found in Protestant Christianity. It's forgivable though. It's been a while since I've had some sort of solid foundation. I'm finding me though. I'm finding truth. I'm finding what really matters because this life as we know it is only temporary.

Have I grown more? yes, in a way. I miss my old self, but I can't fit in that shell anymore. Growing comes with the unfortunate reality of not fitting into your old clothes, even your favorite ones. (side note - when I was a kid, I loved these pair of yellow shorts. Of course I couldn't fit into them anymore, so they never came up anymore. Years later, when teen/adult size, I found those pair of yellow shorts, and was amazed at how small they were. Of course I couldn't fit in them anymore, because I grew a ton. And thats a metaphor for how I cant fit into my old Christian/religious shell anymore.)

Found out more things? Hmm... not really, if you are talking about a quantitative total of things I know now compared to back then. I guess I just realize different things now. Its just different, not additive information. I changed perspectives.
I think the way you have said this is perfect.
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  #17  
Old 05-10-2018, 10:33 PM
davidmartin davidmartin is offline
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maybe the truth that you had before can change as you change so it might turn out the only thing you abandoned was the parts that were not central to that and you can come back to them in a new and stronger way. that might end up meaning leaving was more like coming home
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  #18  
Old 27-10-2018, 10:15 PM
aimtobe aimtobe is offline
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Jesus did mention that to follow and be like him, you must leave your "home"... your mother, brother, your culture, etc. References: Luke 14:26, Matthew 10:37, and Matthew 19:29.
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  #19  
Old 24-11-2018, 11:08 PM
Jack of Spades Jack of Spades is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by candyfloss28
Are their any Christians here who have stopped going to church for any reasons? If so, how has that made your faith? I'm thinking making sunday my last time.

I don't know whether I'm a Christian anymore or not, I'm in an identity crisis about that, but I stopped going to church. Here are the pro's and con's:

Losses:
1.) I have lost the experience of having a faith community, and the chance to practice together. It's a loss I have had difficulties dealing with.
2.) I have no shared prayer with other people. I used to love long prayers with some close "sisters and brothers". I don't have anything to replace that with.
3.) I also used to love the experience of getting to help someone else in their path, when I had something to share. I considered such sharing part of my practice and it was deeply satisfying. I have mostly lost that too. It's another huge loss.

Gains:
1.) I have gained more freedom, I have been relieved of many pressures. Outside, I don't have to deal as much with the annoying expectations about "proper behavior" in superficial things.
2.) Intellectually my new freedom has been a benefit, because it's not possible to stay very biased without the support of a community that is coddling those biases.
3.) I don't have to tolerate the dominating, intrusive, legalistic people who want to be the bosses of my faith. I can simply choose not to be around such people, because there is no shared community. Good riddance.

Summary:
Surprisingly many things are still the same, but it's the relationship with the/a community, for better and for worse, that has changed mostly. My faith has become much more a private thing, much less a shared, communal thing. I've become more private about my spirituality and I keep much more of it secret than I used to.

Honestly, leaving the community was not really a choice. I developed a strong anxiety about churches, due to going through something very difficult there, so I simply couldn't go anymore. If I had gotten to choose, I probably would have never left. Now that it has been done, the experience outside has changed me so much that I don't think I could ever go back.

It's been both an opportunity for growth and a tragedy. I don't know if it's been a net positive or a net negative.
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  #20  
Old 28-11-2018, 08:50 PM
ImthatIm
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We are the church. I am Christian because I follow Christ and grow in his teachings through the Holy Spirit. I found that the Love of Christ is in me. I am being perfected by Love or in Love, Faith is rooted in Love. Love is the most excellent way. God so Loved . If you do not Love you do not know him. So get to know him. I can read pray do think talk and buy a bumper sticker but I mean know him by spending time with him alone and just Reading the Word and praying and talking and singing and dancing and being thankful in him. Get excited that when you set time to be alone behind closed doors with him just to be with him he will not forsake you.When you have spent the time to know him and be with him and that Love burns inside you, you will want to go around people and share him with them by just showing that Love. In a smile in a kind word by give mercy and forgiveness all the things that flow from the Love of God and Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Love is the key and main force that runs through it all.

Go to church don't go to church. Christ makes you a Christian and church attendance makes you a church member.

Last edited by ImthatIm : 29-11-2018 at 12:32 AM.
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