I can't exactly post this over at my other blog, but I had to share this with you, my friends, many of whom helped me when J and I were considering not attending church, at least for a while:
I have a few friends who are trying to “save me” all over again, since J and I aren’t attending church at the moment. (We haven't since December.) In spite of the fact my morality, attitude, and general happiness have not gone…well, to hell…because I do not darken a doorway once a week, I need “ministering to and prayer.” (And apparently a good dose of gossip, although I'm used to that from church folks by now, so it doesn't bother me so much. Wow, seriously, that's kind of sad.)
I keep asking myself if I ever did this to other people...insisted on their church attendance. Thing is, I didn't. My dad didn't go to church for a large chunk of my childhood, and I didn't doubt his salvation. Besides, I had been raised on stories about Christians in other countries who couldn't meet with other Christians for church, either because it was illegal or dangerous or there were no other Christians to meet with. So I guess I grew up with a rather liberal mindset when it comes to church membership...
Anyway, just needed to get that off my chest. Sorry it's not "Skinny" related material. :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Yea, we still have people do that to us. They really believe they are doing the right thing and I don't suppose they know how very annoying they are and just how stupid it is.
But, I have to admit, I was just like them..
Just glad God brought me out of that.
I'm pretty bold in telling people that I have NO intentions of ever going back to "church as usual" so they stop asking pretty quickly.
I have to admit that I too tried to "save" those who walked away from church. That is what any God fearing Christian from the Bible belt would do! LOL
I still have friends and family that try to convince me to go back. A isn't one of them. :)
I get this too Kristen, from my family. If we don't go we get a comment, when we do go it is to an Episcopal church so we aren't going "right."
sigh.
I tried a hundred ways to comment, but there's not enough room for it.
I love you, Sis, and I don't doubt your relationship with God.
This fat, feisty Unitarian minister from Massachusetts commends ya'll for having integrity around church attendance.
Maybe someday there will be the perfect Christian church full of people who actually behave like Jesus wanted us to. I've never seen one in this lifetime, so I content myself with learning how to walk the Jesus Way with a bunch of other seekers as best we can.
When people witness to me about being born again and what-not, I always remind myself that to do that is a central commandment of their understanding of the gospels. I don't get nearly as irritated any more. But then again, I don't live in the Bible Belt!
:::waving from up in the blue state north:::
Post a Comment