whats the most painful part of being a christian?

Question

is it the constant doubt? or guilt and shame of constant and uncontrollable sinning? or praying before each meal? or no sex before marriage? or going to church on Sunday when you can sleep in? what is your opinion

Answer 1

I think it is living with the paradox of being told we have free will yet unless you adhere to certain behaviors and beliefs you will burn for an eternity. The idea that and all knowing and loving God would condemn you to eternal torture for believing the wrong thing seems like it would be very scary. But with so many embracing Christianity I would say that fear sells...

Answer 2

Certainly none of what you listed:
1. I don't doubt constantly. I question, but I haven't doubted ONCE in the last eight months I've been a Christian.
2. I don't sin constantly, and I CAN control it.
3. I'm glad to pray before each meal.
4. I LOVE going to church!
5. As for the no sex outside of marriage, why is that such a bad thing? Tell me, does a person have to worry about STD's if they and their partner are both virgins?

The most painful part of being a Christian is that people who are on the outside looking in don't understand us, and I wish I could show them. I wish people would stop generalizing us. I wish people would stop interpreting the Bible incorrectly. I wish people would STOP FEELING SORRY FOR US, most of us did NOT go into this blind!

Answer 3

I agree with a few above: the death of self, the denial of self can be VERY difficult. I went through this process in a very physically harsh way over the last year, giving up something I had become toxically dependent on. But I knew it was necessary to let it go in order to not be slowly killing myself. I'm still recovering, but getting better every day. Placing the Spiritual ahead of the physical is painful at first, but becomes fulfilling later.

Bulldog--you couldn't be more wrong. I am both a Catholic AND a Scientist; and I have very little if any problems reconciling the two. Catholocism is very tolerant of Science (well, except the Galileo thing, which they did finally admit they were wrong about), which does make it easier...I don't think I could be a Fundamentalist Christian and a Scientist at the same time. But in no way have I abandoned science or logic, nor have I had to disavow my Faith.

Peace.

Answer 4

When really close friends who are not Christians die. As a Christian, I believe in heaven & hell. When my Christian friends die, I am sad, but I have the comfort of knowing they are in a better place, and I will see them again. When people that I love who are not Christians die, I am doubly sad because I invision them being tortured for all eternity, and that breaks my heart. It is at times like that that I wish the athiest were right.

I don't have constant doubt because I am very firm in my beliefs. I don't walk around feeling guilt or shame because I know that God forgives me when I sin. Praying before meals is so automatic for me that I don't even think about it. I'm glad that my husband and I waited for each other because there is something very special about knowing that he shares a part of himself with me that no one else has ever had. I look forward to going to church on Sundays and infact, prefer the earliest service. Those who like to sleep in go to one of the later services.

Answer 5

I have no doubt, perhaps you do but I'm positive.

I have no guilt or shame because my old sins are washed away and any new ones I make are unimportant ... it's my heart that God desires, not my sin.

Prayer before each meal? That's not painful

Sex before marriage? Wasn't painful to have to wait at all.

Going to church on Sunday? Is enjoyable to us.

The most painful part of being a Christian is having to endure the sarcasm and innuendo from people like you, and not being able to retort like I'd want to ... but God promises me treasures in heaven for just sitting and smiling at you while your sarcasm drips on the floor.

Answer 6

It's the being generalized. The people who assume that I must be exactly like their view of a Christian especially when they base their entire view on the worst examples they can find and then accuse me of supporting things or believing things I find ridiculous because according to them all Christians must be one particular way.
Stereotypes are my pet peeve particularly when I am the victim of them.
I am a Christian. I don't have a thing against gay people. I have nothing for them either. I don't really think about them very often.
I don't believe my god is looking for a reason to cast me into hell. I don't even believe in hell.
I am more thankful for the teachings of Christ then I am for his death. He didn't die for my sins he lived for my chance to be a better person.
I am not humorless, I believe my god has a sense of humor and gave me one too.
I don't think god really cares about half the things that are supposed to be sins. To sin is to intentionally harm others through neglect or malice. Wearing a short skirt isn't a sin. Seducing someones husband is. Drinking a beer isn't a sin getting behind the wheel afterwards is.
Not every Christian is a photocopy of some TV evangelist. That doesn't mean they don't believe in Jesus Christ.

Answer 7

I have no pain being a Christian i love it and look forward to each day, the only real pain i feel directly correlated with being a Christian is to see people that are unwilling to accept Christ as their savior. But I love being a Christian, It never bothered me being abstenant and i dont feel constant guilt because the bible says that i am forgiven so i dont need to feel guilty all the time, And i always have the knowledge that I am not alone but God is with me and i have a best friend that will never leave me or forsake me.

Answer 8

No offense intended in these religious questions, but sometimes the truth is painful & offensive to some. In my experience, I was raised in a fine christian home, my dad was an American Baptist preacher & he travelled all over the country with mom & I when I was younger. I grew to be a Pentecostal preacher, yet my heart was filled with discontent. One day, I was putting together a lesson on 'prayer' from the 14th chptr. of John, when verse 15 reache out & grabbed my heart & would not let go. It said simply, "If you love ME, you'll KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS". tHIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY CALL INTO THE HOUSE OF YAHWEH!!! I began searching for answers to many questions. The first of which was, "Which Commandments?" There are so many, and the church only accepts a few, if any at all. The church didn't even keep the Sabbath Day on the day that is Commanded in the bible. Now, Scriptural reading was part of my everydy life & I've read the bible from fron t to back many times, & I assure you that there is no scriptural autority for changing the Sabbath Day from the day that YAHWEH COMMANDED it to be. I realised that the FEAST DAYS were to be kept & Not the false manmade christian traditions of christmas, easter, holloween, etc., all these holidays have thie roots founded in ancient god worship, abd have nothing to do woth the TRUE WORSHIP OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER YAHWEH, WHOSE very NAME was taken our of the scriptures to deceive mankind. The actuall TRUE NAME OF OUR PRECIOUS SAVIOR IS YAHSHUA MESSIAH, & not jesus christ. If you look into the epyomology of words & letters you'll learn that the letter " J " was not even in existance until the early 1500's or so. The MESSIAH was born 2000 years ago, & HE was born a HEBREW , not a Greek. I was extrememly angry the more I learned that everything that I had ever been taught or thought that I knew was based on lies & fables. Thats when YAHWEH opened my mind to the TRUTH 7 th TRUTH did set me free. Now I understand thingsd & have the scriptural facts to back them up with. it makes the heart feel much more solid in the faith when you know your living the TRUTH that is pleasing to your HEAVENLY FATHER & not just to yourself. I learned that cf. !Jn.3:4 "sin = the transgression of YAHWEHS LAWS" & that cf. Deut.6:25 "righteousness is the KEEPING OF YAHWEHS LAWS!!!" & that we are to cf. Mt 4:4 "KEEP EVERY WORD (ORLAW) THAT COMES FORTH FROM THE MOUTH OF OUR FATHER!!!" These simple TRUTHS ha escaped me for 37 years. I had read them in the scrptures many times, however, I didn't learn to know anything until it was explained to me by our Pastor YISRAYL HAWKINS, OVESEER OVER THE HOUSE OF YAHWEH!!! questions? Call,& Ask at Abel at 325-670-9494, & that will settle the matter!!! May the PEACE OF YAHWEH comfort & heart & mind!!!

Answer 9

A true christian has the love of others, and above that the interest in fellowship of other believers.There will be doubts, you watch others, and see through their facade. They will be full with empty praise, and like to be noted when they pray and praise the Lord. Think about it, if you were an executive of a great project, and all your support stood and sang your praises all day without making any firm progress on the project, would you regard their empty efforts?

Answer 10

Being misunderstood. Being called hatemongers and intolerant. And the constant mocking and hostility that is directed at us, simply because we're believers. Doubts come and go. Everyone faces guilt and shame. The hardest part of being a Christian is still loving those who clearly hate us.