How do you reconcile your Southern Baptist upbringing with your Christianity?

Question

Preachers kids, missionary kids, and deacons kids can especially understand my question. If you did not grow up gowing to church at least 3 times per week then you are probably not qualified to answer this question. A hatred towards the church is not the point. Especially by those who have never really been inside the church. I am looking for those who grew up in loving families but who have a hard time reconciling the zealous life inside the church with a life a peace.

Answer 1

it took years of soul searching and prayer. i finally reconciled my Southern Baptist upbringing with my Christianity by converting to Catholicism.

Couldn't find the answers I needed in the Baptist faith. Couldn't find forgiveness enough for me. I was pretty unhappy there. When I grew up and moved away from home I began looking at different faiths and Catholicism appealed the most to me.

A lot of the appeal that being Catholic held for me was that the Southern Baptists hated Catholics with a passion. I heard so many horror stories when I was a kid about how the Catholics worshipped statues, worshipped Mary, worshipped the Pope. And everyone know in the end time as described in the Book of Revelation. the great harlot of Babylon was the Catholic Church!

Yet when I would ask my parents or my uncle who was about as fervent an anti-catholic as I'd ever seen, how they knew these things, they'd snort and say "Well, EVERYBODY knows it." I asked if any of them had been to a Catholic church service and about got the stuffing smacked out of me. "WE don't go to the Catholic church service!"

OK---how are they such authorities about the Catholic Church when NONE of them has ever stepped foot in a Catholic Church or even talked to a priest.

I began taking instruction at St Agnes in Springfield, MO. The more I learned, the more I felt the Catholic Church was for me. I jjoined the Catholic Church over 25 years ago and have NEVER regretted a minute of it.

You know, my dad never did accept my converting to being Catholic. He died without ever once attending Mass with me--and I asked him dozens of times. He died thinking that his son was a certified statue worshipper, I guess. Thats' sad.

So anyway, that's how I reconciled being Southern Baptist with being a Christian. I became Catholic!

Answer 2

I have seen all sorts of kids grow up with a Southern Baptist background. Some people seem to take to it very well, but many seem to have difficulty, especially with reconciling the world they see around them with Baptist teachings. Temptation is too much for some people.
While I hate to say it, I have seen some good Baptist friends, who had promised not to drink, in order to belong to the church, who would pull bottles out from under the counter for a party or go to another town where they wouldn't be seen. That’s wrong and I would tell them so. It isn’t that I think drinking is the sin. However, if you betray even the smallest of your principles and think it doesn’t matter, then you are in danger of destroying your Godly foundation. In the same way, I am very proud of those who acknowledge their difficulties with such things as drugs, alcohol and sexual issues and work hard bringing these issues to God for help.
One of my favorite jokes is the following: "What's the difference between a Baptist and a Southern Baptist? Baptists acknowledge each other's presence in liquor stores."
I use this oftentimes to determine how seriously people take themselves.
However, hypocrisy exists at all levels in all things, even the so-called freethinkers. It is much easier not to violate rules if you simply abolish all of them.
The real response to your question concerns the closeness of one's relationship with God. If you keep that close relationship, then things are lots easier because you know what to do when you have difficulties. Ostensibly, dragging one to church three or four times per week is what that is supposed to do. However, my observation is that this rarely works all that well and, in fact, can backfire by making a person rebellious. The world is very glittery and a great draw for youth and adults alike.
The bottom line is that this difficulty is very much like any other problem where people have their behavior, in this case zealousness, getting in between themselves and God. We look at hypocrisy and zealotry and we have a difficult time seeing how this is associated with God's word.
There comes a time in one's life where he or she must begin coming to God on his or her own in the manner which is comfortable. I know people who became devout at a very young age. I also know very religious people who did not become truly Christian until they were long into adulthood. I encourage you to seek God on your own and allow those wounds to heal, as hard as that may be. However, do not forget the truth that you learned and perhaps other things may be revealed to you as truth as your path continues.

Answer 3

My mom made me go to church all of my childhood until I was about 16 or 17. I hated going so bad that when my husband who was an alcoholic wanted to go and get saved I wouldn't even go for a long time. Even after I knew it was for the best. I finally gave in and would never go back. God has saved my soul and I know how my mother felt. I take my children with me now they are 2 and 5, I don't know what I will do when they are older, but I know God has changed my life for the better. Once you get back in church you will see. God bless you.

Answer 4

pretty a lot all denominations chop up between northern and southern denominations earlier the civil conflict and not in any respect re-united after the civil conflict. The SBC apologized for slavery. there is in straight forward words one race--the human race. As on your skin, you're born that way and also you would possibly want to no longer be punished for the way that you've been born no more desirable than in case you've been born extremely athletic or something. that is uncertain out of your question what type of information that you'll settle for. each individual makes mistakes so as that does no longer propose that each little thing that someone does is hence a mistake.

Answer 5

Being a former PK myself I know how you feel. I too strayed away for many years but being a child of God I couldn't stay away from Him because He had a purpose for me.
About nine years ago I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ and I haven't looked back. All the things I did while living my life my way have been forgiven.
What I realized was that it wasn't about legalistic ideas or man made rules, but it's about a relationship with my creator.
Living according to God's Word is important because that's what He gave us, but we can't add anything to it.
Truth is it doesn't matter how many times you go to church, or don't go to movies or anything like that. We should live right because we love Jesus not because we think we have to please people. Living right is a matter of attitude and motive more than anything else.

Answer 6

I'm a daughter of a bona fide hellfire and brimstone pastor and we were in church every Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night. It wasn't until I walked away from that lifestyle that I realized just how important God was in my life. Not the religion, but the relationship.

I started to read the Bible for myself and to seek God's will in how to live my life. Then I started to visit other churches and God showed me something from each church that proved to me that one set of rules is not perfect.

I found peace with God only recently when I decided that I wanted a real relationship with God. That means praying (talking) and studying the Bible for myself, and seeking God's direction on all things.

The other big factor was realizing that God does not want me to judge others. That's his job to do. It's my job to love people and hopefully lead people to want that same relationship with God as well. All laws in the Bible stem from God's love and developing the Agape love and understanding that concept put me at peace with Him.

Blessings

Answer 7

When you personally have found a deep relationship with Christ it won't be a strain to go to church....regardless how many times. I think there is definately a balance....for me I don't believe we need to be in church every time the door opens. God knows my heart and He also understands I have other committments in my life. There has to be a balance - you will know by your own personal relationship with God!

Answer 8

Denise,did you know that once those wires are implanted in your neck, they can't be removed.I'm talking about VNS treatment for bipolarity.I just wanted to let you know for I have recently talked to a parent whose daughter has been through VNS treatment,it unfortunately didn't work that well and now they cannot get rid of the implanted wires on her vagus nerve and thinking of a surgery if possible.
Just wanted to warn you.I'm the bipolar to whom you answered a couple of days ago in answers.
Good luck n take care my friend!

Answer 9

It has been a struggle for me all my life. I usually end up straying to give myself some peace of mind. It just seems I am not as happy when I am trying to do "right". I always fear that one day I won't have a conscience at all.

Answer 10

We have a saying down here in Texas. "There ain't that much reconciliation in Texas."