I stopped being with the church for 3 weeks and I am not going back. I need words of "encouragement" from anyone, to tell me that I did the right thing. I was thinking "how cool is it to become an atheist", where I wouldn't believe in a God so whenever I fail in life, I have only MYSELF to blame. I don't want to hurt God anymore so I'm running away......
2006-08-19 05:51:12 · 40 answers · asked by Muffin 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Be glad you got away from it!! You can still have faith in your self..you don't need a church to tell you that.
2006-08-19 05:57:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Only you can tell yourself if you did the right thing. I know where you are coming from though. It is very freeing to be responsible for ones self. To be moral for no other reason than your own reasons is commendable. However, I don't think its cool to be an atheist...it is very hard. I have always said that I wish I could believe, that I could just go to church and fit in and live a numbed out life like everyone else. That's not really true, but sometimes I feel that way. But is should be noted that you are saying that you don't want to hurt God, so you aren't an atheist and there is nothing wrong with that.
Do some research...xtianity and atheism aren't the only two choices out there. Follow YOUR heart and you will be fine. That I can promise you.
2006-08-19 06:08:47 · answer #2 · answered by Medusa 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that leaving a church that is not giving you the answers and fellowship you need to keep you on track then you are well done to have left it. I will also say that perhaps this is your time to begin your own walk with GOD as you find HIM in yourself. GOD hasn't left you, you have simply left a church that was obviously not what you needed. You should try just reading the bible for awhile and meditating on it's message and let GOD speak to you to give you the spiritual food you need. You may never find a church where you fit in. That is not a bad thing. All God wants from you is to Believe and to try to live your life the best you can. Sometimes the best you can do is take in as much information for yourself as you can find. Question GOD, you will find HE is ready to give you the answers where your church leader may not have known them. Many leaders of the church arhan once e misguided or too staid in their opinions to delve any deeper and try to figure out if what they first thought was correct. I know when I watch a movie more than once, I often find something I missed the first time around. Perhaps it is the same with the bible.
2006-08-25 15:46:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honey, you can't hurt God. God cannot be harmed by any human being.
I don't think that you did the right thing if you chose to be an atheist instead of a Christian. (I can't tell if you are talking about a Christian church, but it seems you are.)
I am a Christian, and I engage in personal accountability. I don't blame God for anything. Some Christians may, but if they do, they just don't understand God or humanity.
I would need more information about your particular circumstances to say things that better address your concerns.
All I will can say that is relevant at this point is that God is not your problem, God is your solution. And if you have accepted God's free gift of salvation, he forgives you for whatever you think you have done that has "hurt" him.
There is no way for a person to bring down the kingdom of God.
2006-08-19 05:58:44 · answer #4 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Being a Christian is difficult, I know. asking for encouragement means you want to go back, but you don't know why and how. a Butterfly has to struggle out of the cocoon before it can show the world it beautiful wings. If someone was to help, the Butterfly would die. The point is, that its just You and God. it makes no difference what your church says all that matters is your relationship with God. Sometimes when we think God is Far far away, but He is actually closer to you than ever. You never know God is all you need until God is All You Got.
2006-08-19 06:05:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Leaving Christianity is great, and the realisation that you only have yourself to blame for what goes wrong in your life is even better. But you shouldn't become an atheist because you don't want to hurt God. Really, if you believe that it's possible to hurt God then you're not an atheist.
2006-08-27 04:19:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i left a church 8 months ago, but i attend a bible study group 4 months ago. i attend a church maybe 1 time every 2 months and its not the church i left. where 2 or 3 are gathered he is there. get christian friends together and talk about god. read a biblical story. i even started to enjoy the cool christian movies on later night TBN. a new version of ester is coming soon. it looks cool. i also enjoy a good christian based fictional story to keep me encouraged ( such as left behind and others) and listen to a wonderful christian station called KLOVE. you can check it out too. to see if it airs in your area. if it doesn't it also can be accessed by the Internet to listen. they did that for overseas foke and people who cant get it in their area yet. you cant run away he is always around you. you actually hurt yourself that way. i know this may sound funny. lord be with you and give you strength
2006-08-19 06:05:46 · answer #7 · answered by angelchele 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's your decision, but your only hurting God more by not believing in Him anymore. Don't run away from Him, ask Him to help you. You said that as an atheist when you do something wrong, you have only to blame yourself...that's true for anybody no matter what they believe! No one makes you do anything, so your mistakes...are YOUR mistakes. I hope you come back to God, but if you don't remember that even though you don't believe in God anymore, He still loves you.
2006-08-19 06:04:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you are disappointed with people, not God. Maybe you should reads about the 7 figurative churches in Revelation and notice how some of the 'Jews/Christians' were really from the synagogue of Satan, Revelation2-3:22.
Think about praying and asking God, where you can find real Christian friends.
2006-08-19 06:02:42 · answer #9 · answered by tina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Baby girl you cant run away from God because he's already in you. When you accepted him as your lord and savior Jesus Christ you gave him permission to come into your heart so still whatever you do you are going to be accountable for it because you know right from wrong. But the bible says in Romans3;23-24 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of god being justified freely by his grace. also read Romans 6. Whatever you did that you felt was so wrong god has already forgiven you for it. You will be hurting God by running away, just face your fears and your trials because god has already given you victory over every situation and every trial. Running from god will not solve anything but running to god and seeking him more will solve everything.
2006-08-25 04:45:45 · answer #10 · answered by Heavenly 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been there myself a couple of times.
I left church for 11 years.
I read the New Testament every day.
I asked God to teach me the Truth.
I said to Him, I asked you for the Truth, You are the Truth. I think that this is reasonable. So I started getting the Truth.
You know something, there is a difference between God and religiosity.
I have been known for being very blunt. Church goers say I shouldn't be like that. Easy for them to say, I am who I am. Jesus was happy enough to save me as I was. So I am happy to accept myself. Who am I to say my judgment is better than His.
It sound as if the guilt trip was put on you. The works program too.
The I am just an old sinner saved by Grace trip.
Not now, if you are a true Christian.
You are:
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Eph 2:2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Eph 2:3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,
Pay attention to the tenses.
Were, former---past tenses.
The pastors don't push this do they?
2006-08-19 06:10:34 · answer #11 · answered by chris p 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋