I have a serious question which i am sure will be filled with bonehead answers. I am 24..raised in a non religious home. I am divorced and i live with my boyfriend. I am also very liberal. It's just that i have never felt comfortable with God. I don't *not believe* in Him, but it hasn't been a subject that I have been farmiliar with. I want to feel God's presence. But the few times I have went to church have been just like i was there. I didn't feel that special way some people feel at church. It makes me sad that i feel that way. Can I make a relationship with God being this old...can i still hold my liberal beliefs? if there is a Hell am I doomed to burn in it? I am very confused and very curious. Please only answer this if you have a mature answer.
2007-09-27 07:58:21 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Look up, my soul; be not cast down.
Keep not thine eyes upon the ground.
Break off the shackles of the earth.
Receive, my soul, the spirit’s birth.
And now as I go forth again
To mingle with my fellowmen,
Stay thou nearby, my steps to guide,
That I may in thy love abide
You can always build a relationship with Him, no matter what age you may be. If you do not feel comfortable at church, perhaps you are not in the right church for you. God doesn't care about liberal and conservative, as long as what you believe is based in what He has asked of you. I am LDS. It works for me - but there are many other pathways to God. The most important part is to start looking, to build a relationship with Him and let Him help you get to where you need to be. Spirituality does not have to be fanatical.
2007-09-27 08:03:56 · answer #1 · answered by phrog 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry, you can be spiritual and still have your liberal values, there are lots of us out there, although you might not hear that much about us. And age isn't important either. I'm convinced that sometimes we need to be more mature to begin to take an interest in things that were unimportant to us earlier in life. Now, as far as finding God--well, it's true, it may not happen in church. Why not just start by asking him to show you what he is like and how to have a relationship with him? Because if he is there, and if he wants a relationship with you, which is what Christians basically believe, then he will answer that request. And keep your eyes open. Maybe, for you, going to church will be a later part of your journey rather than the beginning.
No one church or denomination has the whole truth, and just as people are different, some of us need to grow in a liberal context, others are happy to be conservative. There is room for both! You might consider visiting congregations that have traditionally followed a more "liberal" approach to understanding Jesus' teachings also--such as the historic peace churches (Mennonite, Quaker, Brethren). I believe if you are seeking God's presence, it is only a matter of time until you will find it.
2007-09-27 15:10:08 · answer #2 · answered by surlygurl 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The problem may lie in your perception of divine. i notice you refer to it as "Him", and capitalize the G. Maybe this seems petty, but as I began, maybe your perception is whats off. Evident by the way you speak, you see god only in the Christian sense,and while they are entitled to their ways, there are other ways to view, honor, and recognize divine. Churches are made up of mostly organized faiths, and will lead you in there way, and that way may not be for you, which is probably why you didn't get the feeling you were looking for. If you truly want to feel divine presence, try this: stand outside and ask to feel it, to SEE it. You don't need to pray or anything, just pay attention, you will find it. Don't worry about hell, and if someone says you are going there they are the ones misled. Here's an illustration i hope helps: There are rivers all over the earth. Each one with different species of fish, some salt water, some fresh. Some run faster, and some slower. But they're all made up of water. The same goes for god. There are many different religions, each one a bit different. Some are christian, some are Islam, some are pagan, but each one is following the same thing, THEIR INTERPRETATION OF DIVINE, whether you agree with it or not.
You'll find what you're looking for if you just ask, as i explained above. Try it out. God is not found in a factory, divine is a personal experience for everyone.
2007-09-27 15:23:44 · answer #3 · answered by floryjr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No...as I child/person who was raised in church all her life, I've often gone to church and have felt nothing just as you have. I, too, would feel bad sitting there and feeling "nothing". I have to say, I feel God's presence more just when I'm outside, especially going for long walks or on the beach. I know that sounds clichéd, but it's true. Sometimes you have to go through something in life to appreciate and know there is a God who is there for you and in charge. I'm going through some crap at the moment, but at the same time I feel safe and protected because I feel God's presence.
You'll get there...and when you do you will TRULY know it.
2007-09-27 15:04:30 · answer #4 · answered by gobraghomagh 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You obviously want a relationship with God. I didn't feel real connected to the Catholic church growing up, I was just kinda "there"....when I got older, I grew apart from the church and felt just kinda lost. I found a Christian church who's motto was "Search for the lost" and I went there. I finally found what I was looking for, I felt very connected there. Maybe look into other religions to see what you believe in, how it can enhance you. God doesn't care if you're older....He is always open to your relations with him. Good luck to you and I hope you find happiness.
2007-09-27 15:05:53 · answer #5 · answered by mowsermae 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a strong belief in something bigger than myself. Christians like to keep their God in a box. I am aware that "God" is far more than they allow. Please Christians, I mean no offense. We all experience this in our own way. Sometimes in a church just isn't it. I to have a free thinking mind. God has yet to smite me for it. And no I am not going to hell. You will be just fine.
2007-09-27 15:10:10 · answer #6 · answered by gone 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Are you saved? Or in other words do you belive in Jesus Christ that he died for our sins?
Pray that the holy spirit will move in you so you can feel God
If you have any more questions let me know
2007-09-27 15:03:04 · answer #7 · answered by Snake_Lover 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋