Religious people: what is your level of observance?

GeddyBass2112 · 02-27-2011, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

there is nothing wrong with going to church that much as long as you weren't forced to do it. which by the sounds of it I think you were and that's why you attempted suicide yes?

I only started going to church regularly during university, where I was away from my parents and I wished to attend of my own free will.

I tried to commit suicide not because I was forced to attend church, because of more conservative elements in my church, to hide my bisexuality away, and indeed my own personal religiousity meant that there was a huge amount of internal conflict as well as external battles with others in my church group.

I also felt a lot of hostility because I was not content to simply accept what was being taught to me, to simply be spoonfed and recite answers by rote. I asked a lot of questions, did a lot of research and as a result, made a lot of people incresingly angry with me. I also became angry myself because many of my honest questions were being ignored or fluffed by my ministers, fellow worshipers and friends in that church.

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Yeah , gossiping and church politics was one of the main factors that turned me away from going to church

In my case, my church lost a minister because of some supposed in-fighting between the two main ministers, and as a result a lot of gossip and taking sides happened, as well as a lot of huddling-in-corners type activity with a lot of whispering behind the scenes between our deacons/elders and yet no-one wanted to tell any of the ordinary everyday members what was happening.

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Also as I read the bible, I remember a scripture saying to treat your body like a temple. Well if I treat my body like a temple then I should be able to worship and pray where ever my body is. I shouldn't have to go to some man made building to pray and worship God.

There's also something in the Bible about God being omnipresent....and a part of God being within us.

EDIT: I know with regard to my sexuality, going from Christianity to Orthodox Judaism seems like a really weird step to take, but I feel that, unlike Christianity, the emphasis on the sexual relationship between man and woman being a GOOD thing means that I can at least for the most part be happy, unlike the Christian attitude which seems to see any sexual relation as something impure or shameful.

djchameleon · 02-27-2011, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyBass2112

I tried to commit suicide not because I was forced to attend church, because of more conservative elements in my church, to hide my bisexuality away, and indeed my own personal religiousity meant that there was a huge amount of internal conflict as well as external battles with others in my church group.

I also felt a lot of hostility because I was not content to simply accept what was being taught to me, to simply be spoonfed and recite answers by rote. I asked a lot of questions, did a lot of research and as a result, made a lot of people incresingly angry with me. I also became angry myself because many of my honest questions were being ignored or fluffed by my ministers, fellow worshipers and friends in that church.

I'm sorry to hear that but it's great that you are still alive to post on MB and that you found the strength to carry on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyBass2112

In my case, my church lost a minister because of some supposed in-fighting between the two main ministers, and as a result a lot of gossip and taking sides happened, as well as a lot of huddling-in-corners type activity with a lot of whispering behind the scenes between our deacons/elders and yet no-one wanted to tell any of the ordinary everyday members what was happening.

I experienced something like that in the church that my mother used to drag me to and to this day I still don't know what fully happened.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyBass2112

There's also something in the Bible about God being omnipresent....and a part of God being within us.

EDIT: I know with regard to my sexuality, going from Christianity to Orthodox Judaism seems like a really weird step to take, but I feel that, unlike Christianity, the emphasis on the sexual relationship between man and woman being a GOOD thing means that I can at least for the most part be happy, unlike the Christian attitude which seems to see any sexual relation as something impure or shameful.

I don't know the views/thoughts on sexual orientation within Judaism but there are some Christian denominations that accept all orientations. Catholic is not one of them.

GeddyBass2112 · 02-28-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

I'm sorry to hear that but it's great that you are still alive to post on MB and that you found the strength to carry on.

It's funny, music is probably the one thing that kept me going. No matter what was happening to me, I still had my two basses, an amp and I could still play it.

Writing songs allowed me to have some emotional overspill too...I could write my opinions, feelings and other 'negative' feelings/emotions into something of worth.

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I experienced something like that in the church that my mother used to drag me to and to this day I still don't know what fully happened.

TBH it's probably better not to know...

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I don't know the views/thoughts on sexual orientation within Judaism but there are some Christian denominations that accept all orientations. Catholic is not one of them.

It's heavily dependant on the shul you attend and what country you live in as much as anything. Many Jews, including Orthodoxy, are becoming more and more tolerant towards homosexuality.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 03-03-2011, 11:59 AM

I observe people on the streets threatening me with Hell, and I point and laugh... does that count?

(Not a statement against Christians but I find the whole evangelical megaphone thing ridiculous.)

Burning Down · 03-03-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skaligojurah

I observe people on the streets threatening me with Hell, and I point and laugh... does that count?

(Not a statement against Christians but I find the whole evangelical megaphone thing ridiculous.)

The people who preach on the street like that make Christianity look tacky, in my opinion.

GeddyBass2112 · 03-03-2011, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

The people who preach on the street like that make Christianity look tacky, in my opinion.

My old church had a better idea...it held a 'live' question and answer session on a main street in my city.People could come to the mike and ask anything they so chose to ask. Some of the questions asked were genuinely clever and the people answering enjoyed it greatly.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 03-03-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyBass2112

My old church had a better idea...it held a 'live' question and answer session on a main street in my city.People could come to the mike and ask anything they so chose to ask. Some of the questions asked were genuinely clever and the people answering enjoyed it greatly.

Yeah, but these guys are just being ****heads because Tampa is a sleazy town, and has a massive bar area sort of semi-famous for decadence(by America standards). So they just come out with megaphones and yell "YER GOIN TO HELL!!!" To every single passerby.

I'm not big on the threatening nature.

The Batlord · 03-04-2011, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeddyBass2112

My old church had a better idea...it held a 'live' question and answer session on a main street in my city.People could come to the mike and ask anything they so chose to ask. Some of the questions asked were genuinely clever and the people answering enjoyed it greatly.

That sounds pretty cool. As long as it doesn't just degenerate into shouting matches.

View Poll Results: Your level of observance?
Non-practicing/secular form of religion	20	43.48%
A little observant	3	6.52%
Middle-of-the-road observance	11	23.91%
Strict adherence to religious rules	4	8.70%
Don't know	8	17.39%
Voters: 46. You may not vote on this poll