I want a place to go where I can experience God's LOVE - not man's hate for "that other man". I am currently going to a large Baptist church (I am not slamming Baptist churches in general, but my experience at this particular one hasn't been especially good so far). It's not working out. Every week I have to see people shake their heads at homosexuals and tsk tsk people who live together before marriage. Ironically, the church's motto/mission statement is something to this effect: "To love God... to love those who love God... and to love those who need God." Personally, I don't think they are upholding this especially well.
Can anyone recommend a particular denomination that emphasizes Christ's LOVE for ALL humanity? Not just one that claims to emphasize this, but one that REALLY DOES. As I've said in another thread, I go to church to experience God's love, but it is one of the most hate-filled places in my life!
I've already researched Unitarian Universalism, but it seems too generalized/not spiritual enough for my taste.
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I know what you are talking about sweetheart. I am a Roman Catholic and I love God very much...but when I go to church it does not really make me feel much better. The motto of our church is not to judge, yet it seems like our church judges everyone and everything. I am no better than anyone else, and I do not have the right to judge....I know what you are talking about...I really do. ((HUGS))
God Bless you
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Too bad you all aren't in Los Angeles... I LOVE my church and it's teachings. In other churches I've gone to, the 1hr service felt like a 5 hour chore. The church I go to now? I'm sorry when the service is over - and I typically go to two services!. The minister is awesome - and I am learning much. I don't think the church will say "Do what you want to do - it's ok by us", but you won't find a general sense of, "you're a sinner, get out."
Good luck finding a place that you feel accepted in, but I hope you don't judge all of Christianity by your personal church experience.
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I'm in the same boat as you Bonnie, I want to go to a church that doesn't judge people. I need to find a church because I miss going. I just have to find one that is good and makes my heart and soul feel good!
I don't even no where to being to look
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I'm going to try to say this as gently as I can. I hope no one is offened.
In my opion, it's not the denomination of the church, it's the church itself. I've grown up in Baptist churches all my life, and agree with their beliefs. The problem is the idividuals in the church...does that make sense? None of the churches I have gone to, have taught to be judgemental. That's a choice we make as persons.
The church my husband and I are in now, is wonderful. Granted we haven't been there long, but so far, it seems to be everything a church should be. We have been meeting with the preacher for marriage counsiling, and he has said nothing that hasn't been from God. In my opinion, of course.
My In laws go to a Baptist church too. The difference is like night and day. Just being brutally honest, the church is dead. You go there and it seems like they are more worried about getting out in time to beat other churches to the resturaunts than they are preaching God's word. Judgmental doesn't even begin to describe it.
The problem is, just as people aren't perfect, a church won't be perfect either. I can overlook a few hypocritical people if God is there, but when the people run the church instead of God...that's not for me.
I hope this made some kind of sense. LOL.
Hugs, love, and prayers,
Julie
PS
I thought I would post here instead of PMing you again, but please PM me if you need anything.
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You might try Quakerism--not a conventional worship style, but focused on the light within each human being, the inherent value of each and every one.
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I found choosing a church was like choosing a lecture class in school - it was all about the prof/the minister as they make or break the tone of an individual church. I find churches also reflect their congregations to some extent - rural churches around here are pretty traditional, whereas my friend's child was Baptized in the Catholic Church downtown despite having unmarried parents, because you get all sorts in the city centre and lots of young people.
My church is very welcoming to gays. The minister who married me was a woman. And the guest minister is amazing - like listening to a great traveller, philosopher, historian rolled into one. His sermons are on par with the professional speakers.
I found going to a service at all the local churches really helped me to find the one that felt like home.
I don't know if this will help or not, but I just caught the tail end of a program with author Philip Yancey. He's written a book called, Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church
I haven't read this particular book, but I've read other Yancey, and I like the way he writes.
Here's the description: Philip Yancey says he "spent most of [his] life in recovery from the church." (page 1) And he is candid about the racist views he acquired in a society and church that was pervaded by racism and legalism. Talk about what, if anything, made you begin to wonder about the truth of things you learned in church? What feelings and emotions have marked your questioning?
Did you at any point experience a contradiction between the church's teachings and its actions?
What denomination were you raised in? What are your happiest memories of church? The saddest, the most painful?
With astonishing candor, [Yancey] chronicles the milestones of his coming to understand that "the church had mixed in lies with truth."
I know it isn't Christianity itself because there are Christian programs on TV that I like (such as Joyce Meyer). I originally came to Christianity for the sense of peace it brought me, but the church I am going to seems to be destroying that sense of peace. It just seems like everyone at my church is squeaky clean, perfect image, upper-middle class, etc etc. They also take a lot of mission trips, which isn't a bad thing, but some of them seem a bit frivolous (like a trip to Africa to "minister through basketball". Minister through basketball?). The church itself has a lot of money and seems to like to flash it around, and it is a very "pillar of the community" sort of church. The pastor seems a little legalistic. He won't perform a marriage for couples who are living together - I can understand promoting Christian values, but FORCING them seems a little extreme. At any rate it's not my style, I'm not a very conservative person and this is a very conservative church. It just doesn't seem to fit me.
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I see that you are in Florida. I am in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and there is a really cool church that I have gone to in my area. They are a Christian Denomination known as "Bretheren-in-Christ" which is an offshoot of the Menonite or Quaker religion. They have a location in Oakville, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario (at Yorkdale).
I know the location sucks as you are in Florida, but they offer some of the old recorded sermons on their website which is:
Bonniebee - I don't think you are going to find a conservative church that thinks living together before marriage is okay. I don't see the pastor "forcing" anyone not to live together - it's their choice and I suppose they could get married somewhere else. To me, a conservative church is one that follows the Bible exactly, literally, fundamental types, like me, lol. I don't know what to recommend but I knew there are several quizzes and surveys on the net to give you an idea of whose ideas you best fit with.
I hope you find a place you are comfortable. I don't know that Southern Baptist is for you as most that I have ever heard of (including mine) don't condone the things you listed. Some might be much more loving but still not approving, meaning they think it is wrong but they would never treat you like dirt, but their core beliefs are going to be the same.
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My EDD is 12/4/2005! I got pregnant with ovarian drilling! For this child I prayed - I Samuel 1:27
I'm looking for a church that ISN'T conservative, that's my whole point. While to you conservative may mean "correct", to me it means "spiritually constricting." I find nothing enlightening about being told over and over how I am going to Hell and so is everyone around me. (Not trying to start a debate here, I'm just trying to clarify why I am so dissatisfied with this church. If you have a good experience with conservative churches, more power to you. I don't.)
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Bonnie.........we church shopped for quite a while........and finally found one that we did feel His love.......completely. It's an Assembly of God church. Shop around.....sometimes it just takes one Sunday to know it's not right, or one Sunday to know it IS right
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Dropping out of TTC... To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. good vibes to you girls!
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A kinder, gentler church? Does it exist? 
