i hate church, is this wrong?

Question

dont get me wrong, i love god. i believe in god and the bible whole heartidly. i just hate church. i dont believe that one has to go to church to have a relationship with god. it seems to me that churches lie to people. this thang about giving 10% of all your money is bs. why should i give 10% of my money to a church? that money is mine and mine only. god oesnt need the money so why do they preach that to us? also why do churches have members? isnt the "house of the lord" open to everyone? so then if it is why have members? my last question is, what do you believe about all this? i am in no way trying to offend anyone, i am just trying to get answers and see what other people think :).

Answer 1

Ah, how refreshing to read someone who questions critically, someone who dares to look underneath the facades which disguise our selves and institutions. Thanks for asking such penetrating questions.

I think you are correct that one does not have to go to church to have a relationship with G-d (I prefer the spelling which omits a vowel in deference to respect to the Holy One).

Churches do lie to people. But churches are not the only ones. Lying is a human activity, and almost everyone does it at one point in time or more. Churches are composed of human beings, so they have the defects of human beings.

We give a portion of what we earn to share in the efforts of the community we call the church, whether that be the church parish or the Diocese office or the national office or the "headquarters" wherever that may be, Rome or Istanbul or Moscow or Canterbury. If you are concerned what the churches do with that money, you can get more involved, joining boards of directors, or lobbying them, and more. Yes, it's your money, but this money is voluntarily given to share in the burdens of caring for others, including the poor, the elderly, the orphans, those who have lost property due to fire or other emergency.

Churches have members to stay healthy. Some one is needed to care for the grounds and building. Someone is needed to minister to the youth. Someone is needed to minister to the elderly or the sick. Someone is needed to counsel families. Someone is needed to manage the finances of the church, which in a sense is a business with needs to augment income, dispense or apportion it, invest resources for the welfare of the whole community.

I do like your idea of the church being open to all. We need to keep that in mind at all times.

I believe that you are motivated to examine the cause and effect of what happens, that you are of a philosophical mind, and that you are asking some very good questions. Keep digging. Someone has to be the conscience; too bad not every one of us is of as examining a mind as yours. Thanks for expressing yourself, and keep coming back.

Answer 2

No it is NOT wrong, I never liked it either. There aren't a whole lot of churches that that have masses that are interesting, I think if they would use analogies or relate real life to lessons in the Bible in a youth mass per say, church could become a much more interesting place. Teenagers need their own masses, one that explains things they question, in real life and relate it to those Bible stories. It is a very confusing time, you question many things in your life and so why not make a mass interesting by using stories and mix it with modern time interests, to make you feel the desire to want to be there. I went to mass 2 weeks ago and FOR ONCE I found there was only this one specific priest that actually uses analogies. Heres an analogy to marriage, just for an example.
My mother passed away some years back and my father had a hard time dealing with it, so we planted a tree at her grave site, through the years and bad weather, it tended to have dead areas and looked like majority was all dead but there was this place at the top, one leaf, which showed there was still life, so the tree had apparently NOT completely died but had the WILL to live! Much like a marriage, there will be times where you feel there is nothing left to it, nothing is going right but yet, you both have the will to hold on, it's not completely dead, and in the spring that tree began to grow a lot like that marriage, sometimes it needs a little care and time as long as theres that one spark, that WILL to live. Now , keep in mind, I am no religious person, I do believe with Analogies Church could be so much more interesting!!!! If you want to reach young people make it relate with NOW!!! not THEN!!!! Mix them and make it understandable not BORING! Sometimes it can be a youth minister, a young man that totally knows what it takes to reach a young society, and has a way A FUN WAY, to get his point across and keep it interesting, this is the kind of thing we need today, use those stories in the Bible and make them examples of NOW. They all relate to now but it takes a special person to know how to reach these kids in a way like no other. I take my kids to mass ,with this young preist only, otherwise my teenage daughter would have NO INTEREST TO GO with me.

Answer 3

Well, your question is very honest. I go to a Catholic Church and giving donations (which does NOT have to be a percent or monthly "membership fee", just what you can contribute) is part of supporting the charity programs at the church and the church's maintenance fees. We believe that it is important to come together as a community to worship and honor God, especially because of Holy Communion, to receive his body and blood. A lot of people go church "browsing" or skip from church to church because they want to find of fun, social, exciting, or inviting church with a lot of programs. Church shouldn't be about the EMOTIONS. Humans emotions are always changing and you may not exactly feel holy or feel like you are actually talking to God, but Religion isn't based on emotions.

For example, Mother Teresa had a period in her life, a "dark night of the soul" where she didn't feel God's prescence. She was practically and atheist and struggled with her spirtituality, but kept praying even though it felt like her prayers were just floating away to nowhere. Many people go to large Baptist churches (not all though, no offense to Baptists) for the fun and singing, but Religion is much more.

A relative of mine left the Catholic church and went to a Baptist church and loved it because the people were all so friendly and the worship services made her FEEL happy and FEEL like she was praising the Lord, which she WAS, but she had not ALWAYS felt this way at the Catholic Mass. About a year later though, she started feeling empty. She came back to the Catholic Church and realized that what was missing at the Baptist services was the true prescence of JESUS in the Holy Eucharist.

Answer 4

We give a portion of what we earn to share in the efforts of the community we call the church, whether that be the church parish or the Diocese office or the national office or the "headquarters" wherever that may be, Rome or Istanbul or Moscow or Canterbury. If you are concerned what the churches do with that money, you can get more involved, joining boards of directors, or lobbying them, and more. Yes, it's your money, but this money is voluntarily given to share in the burdens of caring f

Answer 5

God himself does not need the money. The money is used to help keep the church building cool, heated, cleaned. etc. Lawns need upkeep. The pastor has to be paid a salary. So do the people who clean the church. There is also a church secretary.
Most of the times, churches have a program where they keep grocery bags full of canned foods, etc. to give to homeless and/or needy people.
The "thing about giving money" is not, as you put it, "bs."


A church cannot lie. I seriously doubt that any minister would lie.

People join the church because they want to belong to a group. It is called a church family. That church is their home. The church IS open to all.

I believe in God. I believe Jesus came on this earth, and I believe that he died for my sins.

I do not HATE church. I don't think it is necessary for a Christian to attend every single Sunday, though.

It seems as if you have a negative attitude about the whole thing. If you really loved God, you would not call pastors liars. You would want to be around people who loved God. You can do this outside of chruch, though.
You would not be so selfish that you would not want to give a little bit of what you have to help others who need it.

Answer 6

Going to church is good for you. There is power in numbers. In the bible it says where two or more of you are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of you. The bible says(this is not exact but it is give the meaning): one person praying puts 1000 to flight and two agreeing together put 10000 to flight and a three fold cord is not easily broken. You are right everything about today's church is not perfect but there are alot of good things about going to church. You can meet a friend that could help you or you could help them and pray together.You could have a more deeper connection with God there in the worship I feel a very strong anointing in the corporate worship that I don't feel as strongly when I am home alone singing or praying . As far as tithing goes that is a biblical thing. You can go to church and you do not have to tithe. You can go to church and not join. If you find a church that you love and enjoy you can join,it does not mean you have to stay there forever it means you are committed to that church until God tells you to change to another if ever. It is easier to stay at home but just like exercise there are pains and blessings when you go.At the right church the blessing will out weigh the pains.

Answer 7

You need to find another church or at least look, before giving up. If you find a good church, you will be able to meet new people, who are at least comfortable with a similar type spiritual atmosphere. A church does not have to be perfect, to feed the spirit with good spiritual energy. Nothing in this world is perfect, but things that are not perfect, can still work quite well. I wish an open minded church, was near my location, since I can not drive. You can survive without a church, but if one works for you, take advantage.

Answer 8

You might get some benefit from reading the book or visiting this website.

Perhaps you just haven't found the right church yet.

I know heaven won't be like our imperfect "church" is here on earth, but it will be filled with other believers worshipping and praising God together. Learning how to function as part of the "body of Christ" together with other believers is part of what God is teaching us here on earth to prepare us for eternity. I pray that you will find a church where you can feel a part and not feel pressured about money or other practices that don't help you grow as a Christian.

Do visit the website--I think you will find it quite interesting!

Answer 9

I understand what you are saying. Now some here will try and tell you that the bible states we have to go, they use the verse forsake not the assembly, that is not what Hebrews 10:25 says, some Christians will twist this to say something it don't. Here is what it says ....

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We can assemble/ hang out with Christians outside Church.

Answer 10

I don't think that hating church in itself is bad, but if you believe in God, the bible says forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. I believe this is church. Sometimes in order to stay encouraged you have to be around like minded people and being in church does this. Also, bible studies like cell groups are affective in achieving this.

About tithing....the bible again speaks about this. I don't believe this is like actually giving money to God, you are right, he doesn't need it. It is a symbol or sacrifice. Like in the old biblical days when they spoke of killing the fatted calf in order to offer it to God. This was their way of sacrificing something that was seen as their best. Tithing can also take other forms, like giving clothing or your time in order to show that these things are not as important as your walk with the Lord.

Membership is something that we all enjoy. We like to be a part of something that is ours, that identifies who we are, what we like or what we believe. It's like a committment.
I appreciate these questions. I also struggle with paying tithes and mostly it is because I live paycheck to paycheck and taking 10% would leave me in a lurch. I do admit I feel a little condemned when the message is about tithing and I don't do it. I feel like I don't have faith that the Lord will provide for me when I give from my heart. What can I say? I am a work in progress :)