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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:17 am
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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:27 am
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:33 pm
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Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:08 am
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Personally, I don't believe that "church" itself is a lifestyle - depending on whom you're asking and how you define the term "church". I suppose these days, even though I am a non-denominational Christian, I still have problems with how there are those out there who corrupt the church and make it into a bad thing. For those great churches out there that are strong in the faith and everything - it can definitely be a lifestyle, as long as one remembers to make God, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit part of it. 3nodding The church is the bride of Christ after all. Even so, I consider church to be the gathering of two or more people who believe in God and fellowship together about God, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Spirit. To me, a true church is one that spreads the word and shows kindness to others and do their absolute best to understand and follow God's word.
I haven't been able to find a church in a while. I left a corrupt church a few years ago because the stuff they did wasn't stuff I don't believe God would appreciate and they didn't read God's word for what it really meant. I never really saw those people study their word in their free time or anything. A lot of relationships broke in two because of that and others have left since. I am an enemy of that church because I left for what was right. I have not yet found a church around that has the true ideals. There aren't a lot of non-denominational churches, and the ones I have found tend to stick to their man-made traditions that aren't based upon God's word.
When I lived at my parents when I became an adult I said, "Can I stay home? I'm an adult, and I don't want to go to church." At that point, I suppose my parents realized that I was an adult, I could make my own decisions, but I was still living at home. At that point, since I wasn't a minor, they couldn't say, "You have to go," necessarily. Instead, they would threaten to take away the computer, video games, television, etc. from me if I didn't go to church. At times, they'd threaten to tell me I couldn't hang out with my friends if I didn't go to church if I pushed the issue a bit further. It was just a situation that should never happen. When a person is an adult - they should definitely make their own decision. I believe kids should also make their own decisions and stuff, but as an adult - that is where a person should be able to make their own decisions 100%.
I have seen people be devoted to the church so heavily that they put the church before they do their own family. Too many times I have seen a father go into church without their family because their whole family was ill. It's one thing if their spouse says, "Go to church for me, please," but another when the spouse says, "I'm going to church and not missing it," instead of offering to take care of their sick family. For me, family always comes before the church, but that does not mean that family comes before God. Family comes before the church, and God comes before family because we are to base our decisions on His word.
Getting back into church can be difficult on those who have had a hiatus from it. Although, they need to make sure they are going back because they want to - not because they have to. If a person goes back and doesn't want to go, it'll be more difficult on them. If a person goes back because they want to - it may be weird at first because it has been so long, but eventually settle well if the church is doing what is right.
God most definitely should come before everything else in this world. God is what is most important. In my own beliefs, God is most important along with Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, then family is next important, and then the list continues on. I know when I used to not want to get into the Bible because I saw a version of Christianity that wasn't right and I grew up with that - I would make excuses to never touch my Bible. I would just say I don't have the time, when I actually did have time and just didn't want to do it. Now a days, I'm better at putting God's word first, but some days I still fail with my excuses because I'm so busy. Although, no one should ever be too busy for God because He's there for us even though He is keeping track of the entire universe. His patience to put up with us and His grace to forgive us is just phenomenal.
To be religious is to follow God and what He would want us to do and to fulfill the purpose He has in our lives. Religion in itself - believing in God is a lifestyle. Even if a person does not believe in God, but another faith, that still would impact their daily lives and what their moral compass is based on.
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Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 3:21 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:43 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 1:57 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:48 am
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