Why you don't go to church?

I here from people all the time who say stuff like , " I don't want to go to mass because I don't believe in organized relgion. I think that faith is a personal matter and should be between you and God only. So I refuse to go to mass"

Why is it that alot of people say this? Why don't you go to church?

Is it that bad that you take catholic beliefs but you say stuff above and reconize that the euchraist is the presense of christ and the lord but refuse to go because there are other people? I don't see what is so evil about going to some place for a hour each week to be in the presence of what you believe to be your God. Anyone who has strong beliefs and was told hey you can get closer to your god by going here would go and do it. Is it fear of being brain washed by your "horrible evil" pastor? why?

I didn't go to church because I thought I could walk the walk on my own. Much of the time I was on ATS, spouting my faith, I wasn't going to church. This was the only chruchin' I got at the time, and the only time I'd delve into the Word: to win a debate.

Six months ago, that all changed. I don't recal exactly what happened, but my life was truely broken. I lost everything, from friends to finances to a girlfriend. I was a broken man, and I turned to the only thing I could, since I was constantly fighting with my family as well: God. I started praying and reading the Word and He put something on my heart: Go, have fellowship and join my Bride. He told me I needed to join His Bride, the Church. My walk and my life has completely turned around since that first Sunday that I went to Hawthorn Hills Community Church. The second Sunday I came (the first one they had Super Dave speaking, which was cool, but I wasn't sure about the typical message. If you ever have a chance, check out Super Dave, he is a powerful speaker!), one of the assistant pastors invited me to come to a 20-somethings group. I came, and it was an amazing experience. I have, now, some of the closest friends I've ever had who help keep me on the straight and narrow, I've been finding out why I wasn't too into the Word (I hadn't read it, so I didn't realize how awesome it is), and started to serve in my church.

At the end of Feburary, I will be taking a membership class and plan to become a member of the church. The 20-somethings group is fantastic, as well, we have some great Bible studies. When I can't make it because sometimes I have to travel for work, I ask the guy who leads it (and originally brought me to it) to send me his outline of what I'm missing via email.

For all of you Christians thinking you don't need a church, pray to God, often, to put a burden on your heart for Christian fellowship if it is His will. I can assure you, it is.

I don't go to Church any longer because I felt like a hypocrite for attending a mass that I no longer felt was as advertised. I had trouble rediting the Creed.

I still totally believe in God.
I have grave doubts as to the ways and means the RCC got to be where it is in the world today.
Since I belong to a group that the RCC would not agree with, in good conscience I no longer attend.

Tread, Catholocism is not the only Christian denomination out there. Try finding a non-denominational church, they don't lean so much on doctrine and tend to base things soley on the Word.

I don't go to church because I don't need a middle man to tell me how to listen or talk to my creator.

And then pay for it.

My creator and me have a great relationship and he listens to me with out the expensive middle man with the big church and the fancy clothes.

I dont go to Church because I dont think God belongs in some buildings made by man to control man.
Its said the Kingdom of God is within you, and that I DO believe.
I believe feeling awe and wonder at a sunsett or an amazing vista brings you closer to God than being in a building.
My 'Church' and chosen place of worship is beholding the vast beauty of the Earth itself.....listening to the sound of rushing water, watching the clouds float by, is much more a Spiritual experiance for me than ANYTHING I ever experianced in a building.

I do however believe in the Spiritual power of groups of people coming together to pray and meditate.......and in looking for like minded groups to pray with, one usually ends up in a building of some Church. The power of prayer in groups is profound......people sharing the energy of the Great Mystery effects all. It is VERY good to come into a group for this Energy to be shared.

Great thing is, the donation is between you and God. That's it. I go to our sister church to HHCC occasionally, and they don't even take an offering. There is a box in the front where you can give if you so choose. You're not paying to attend the service, you're paying to support the church and to help it spread its message. If you're going to a church for the first few times, don't give, they could be spreading a message that totally contradicts what you believe. In a Christ honoring church, this should be expected, and at mine the person delivering the announcements and praying for the offering almost always mentions that visitors shouldn't feel they should give.

No, you don't need the middleman for salvation, but the middleman really helps you in your walk by keeping you focused on what really matters: the cross.

I don't go cause it in the morning, on sunday so either football or racing is on, and of course I don't need a child rapist to tell me I am going to hell.

Edit. Voted Marge for way above on one of her newer posts. Figured I would just edit instead of making a new one.

[edit on 8-2-2005 by James the Lesser]

Why?

Because no-one ever found God there...just the community. The sense of 'belonging' and 'fellowship' is found in churches, but you'll only find God in yourself.

It's a great feeling...to belong to something and to be 'accepted' by a large group. This is what makes cults great...you feel so needed you never want to leave. Nor do they want you to...because they need the money...for church upkeep, paying the good reverend/priest/priestess, manse maintenance, etc.

It's all about bigger and better, more glitter and gilded statuaries. Lots of pomp and show. A lot like Las Vegas, come to think of it...

What would Jesus think of the buildings built in his name? My guess is He would think it a waste of money better spent on the poor...you know, those homeless people you see lying on cardboard while driving the Jaguar to the monumental edifice commonly known as a church, where everyone is so nicely done up in their 'Sunday Best' pretending to be holier than the next for at least an hour a week.

I bet He would scoff at the temples.

Church is just a place to show off...see and be seen...hypocrites eyeing hypocrites.

Churches are a business...making money to perpetuate their sham spirituality, lining the pockets of charlatans and liars professing a nearness to God.

You don't need anyone or anything to find God. Just like you said in your intro, Mizar...I've found That in myself.

Originally posted by junglejake
Tread, Catholocism is not the only Christian denomination out there. Try finding a non-denominational church, they don't lean so much on doctrine and tend to base things soley on the Word.

Well, All Christian denominations broke from the RCC, at least indirectly.
They all spring from the same, shall we say, omissions. Christianity is arearrangement of older religions. Which has been discussed elsewhere on ATS.

Further, I agree, God--the Creator--is with us whereever we are. Middlemen, with or without agendas, are not necessary.

the middle man is a human being with set agenda and personal interpretations, how does anybody knows if he agenda is helping you?

Because he is telling you?

Give a middle man to sell me a car but I will let my creator itself show me the way

I don't go because I don't feel like I'm lost. I don't feel like I need guidence. My parents and grandparents use it as a tool to win or lose arguements and find that it's their responsibility to find my faults, curse me for them, and then talk to their church friends about everything I need and how much church can help. Somehow, my mom didn't feel that her gross abuse of alcohol wasn't something that church needed to fix, or my grandparents gross abuses of alcohol, or my aunts and uncles. Somehow, I, who doesn't drink, doesn't do drugs, got a near 4.0 all through highschool, a near 4.0 all through college, was working at 14 to help support myself since my mom drank the child support and allimony away, and who is about as responsible and honest as someone could be, needs the guidence from church.

I've done great w/o church, I'm always in good moods, and I'm able to life my life with my good friends. I don't need middleman to tell me what I need and don't need when I know what I need, how I feel, what I need to work on, and what I think.

That was probably more than what you needed. In another way, I could say church didn't help my family members (who attended every sunday until they passed) who poisoned themselves to death with alcohol and always used religion as a way to win an arguement they were using. Funny thing how the 3 people in my family who didn't ever go to church (myself, my brother, and my aunt) aren't alcoholics and are the most stable in the family.

Cameron

I dont go to church because I am an atheist.
Instead of worshiping a particular god I have faith in my own beliefs. I gain comfort from knowing that my beliefs are right . I respect peoples right to believe in god just as long they dont try and shov there agenda down my throat.

Originally posted by masqua
Why?

Because no-one ever found God there...just the community. The sense of 'belonging' and 'fellowship' is found in churches, but you'll only find God in yourself.

Far from the truth. Many seekers come to church trying to find out what this whole thing is about or because another church goes invites them to come along. The church is a powerful tool for leading people to the Truth.

It's a great feeling...to belong to something and to be 'accepted' by a large group. This is what makes cults great...you feel so needed you never want to leave. Nor do they want you to...because they need the money...for church upkeep, paying the good reverend/priest/priestess, manse maintenance, etc.

That's a really cynical view. At my church, the people help you to grow in your walk with the Lord. You find people who hold you accountable for your actions and help you to change them, rather than condemn you or tell you it's fine to continue doing what you're doing.

It's all about bigger and better, more glitter and gilded statuaries. Lots of pomp and show. A lot like Las Vegas, come to think of it...

It is about bigger and better, but my church doesn't have a single statue, pomp, or show. It's a large, nondescript white building (with a ping pong table in the basement ) without a lot of glitz. The church I go to started in a movie theater. The bigger and better means bigger church because it's growing and they need more room, better meaning more members with more spiritual gifts and understanding to help the church deliver an even better message.

What would Jesus think of the buildings built in his name? My guess is He would think it a waste of money better spent on the poor...you know, those homeless people you see lying on cardboard while driving the Jaguar to the monumental edifice commonly known as a church, where everyone is so nicely done up in their 'Sunday Best' pretending to be holier than the next for at least an hour a week.

The next time our church shows the budget, I'll post it on here. Most of the offerings (about 75%) goes towards charities and outreaches. Most of the people who work in the church, myself included, do it purely voulentarily. The pastors do it full time as their only job and are leading groups all other days of the week, so they need a salary to sustain themselves. People who don't go to church and don't participate in church think it's all about the money, but when a church is struggling, the pastor usually takes the first cut. They want the church to survive, not their own prosperity.

I bet He would scoff at the temples.

He went into temples and delivered his messages there most of the time. The only temple He had a problem with was when they were changing money in direct violation of the Law passed to Moses. Even then, he just flipped the money tables and chaced all the money changers out. He didn't condemn the temple, He condemned using it for ungodly reasons.

Church is just a place to show off...see and be seen...hypocrites eyeing hypocrites.

Absloutly not true. No one knows my points of failure and where my walk with the Lord is faltering than a couple of my friends at church and my pastor. They know the real Jake, not the Jake hiding my weaknesses. If anything, I'm a hypocrite outside of church.

Churches are a business...making money to perpetuate their sham spirituality, lining the pockets of charlatans and liars professing a nearness to God.

Churches are around to help spread the word of God. Most of the money they make they give away to charities. The rest of it is spent towards improving their facilities to give more room to allow more people to hear the message.

You don't need anyone or anything to find God. Just like you said in your intro, Mizar...I've found That in myself.

This is true, God can be seen in everything out there, from a sunset to a leaf to a fingerprint. Yet there are many athiests out there who don't see Him in these things. There are many out there who see him but try to live good lives. How do you live a life that would be considered "good" by a perfect being? This is why we have Christ, he offers us a bridge to the creator, who is totally good and totally just. He offers us forgiveness for that which we do that is evil, and allows us to not only be innovent in God's eyes, but to be friends with God. A church helps many people realize this. It helps all people grow in this.

Yes our creator is every where he can listen to us and he reply to us the same but we have forgotten how to listen to him because we are to involved in everyday earthy things.

All you need is to give your creator a chance and you will be able to listen to his voice.

Originally posted by marg6043
I don't go to church because I don't need a middle man to tell me how to listen or talk to my creator.

And then pay for it.

My creator and me have a great relationship and he listens to me with out the expensive middle man with the big church and the fancy clothes.

You have voted marg6043 for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Why dilute the transmission?

I went to church religiously (pardon the pun) until I was in my early 20's. I quit going because I was so tired of hearing how you would go to hell for wearing a mini skirt, or for listening to rock and roll.....or for some other petty thing....in a world where so many real evils existed.....it was only a matter of time before I would have jumped to my feet and told them off!

The last straw was when they built a steeple on the church with money that was collected for a family whose home had burned!

Even when venturing to go to other churches, I found that the people seemed to 'get in the way'.....being pushy, confrontational, hypocritical, being mean and spiteful during the week...then going to church and acting like they were saints!

I did miss some things....that feeling of electricity in the air that occured in an emotional service.....(a goosebumpy feeling of the 'presence of the Holy Ghost'...so to speak.) The singing of hymns....and the 'making of a joyful noise', that seemed more like the actual 'worship' that it is supposed to be about.

But I found that I could reach a similar level of joy and worship by looking at the beauty and wonders in the world around me, by meditation and prayer....by reaching out to God in a personal way, more so than I could have done in a crowd.

i go to church, but i would like to make a comment. Just because you dont believe in religion doesn't mean you can't go to church and listen as they relate Jesus' message to your everyday life. I would say do not go to a Catholic church for that, as catholicism is too into it's traditions, atleast my old church was.

For me, church is unnecessary. My grandfather, a minister, taught my family the same thing as marg6043 is saying.

Every man/woman who believes is a minister of God (or Buddah, Allah, etc.) and can speak directly to him through prayer. Church is a place for socializing and creating a sense of community, you can worship God, or not, wherever you choose, he can still hear you.

Hey, if church meets your spiritual needs, then by all means go!!! I have never been a church goer, but I do believe in the afterlife.