Why I left the church

[ristin]

[06:43] Brontes: What religion were you before you turned furry? :)
[06:42] Ristin: I was "uniting church" until I turned 7 and was old enough to realize it was nonsense. I doubted since I was 5 though... Funnily enough people use the fact I am a furry and gay to explain why I am not Christian but the truth is the reason is Christian behavior. Here in Australia I saw people preaching that Jesus is great and peaceful and merciful and tolerant...and that he gives Christians a right to judge and condemn and be intolerant and act superior and be proideful. They said poverty and charity were admirable but the clergy dwelt in opulent temple-palaces (churches looked that way to me when I was a child). I became a furry at 22 or so, long after leaving Christianity.
[06:43] Brontes: well done Ristin. :)
[06:43] Ristin: Uniting church is a alliance of the methodist church and the 'smaller absorbed one' that had been feuding and the conflict was enough to cause street violence in my parents and grandparents time
[06:43] Brontes: Don't worry about Catholicism. We were raised with magic and crapola. As a result we believe anything.
[06:44] Ristin: I couldn't be a Christian because I care about others too much, don't think I am perfect and am willing to let other people live their own lives.
[06:44] Ristin: (mind if I post that conversation in LJ later?)
[06:46] Brontes: :)
[06:46] Brontes: Please do.

Comments

[juliet-winters.livejournal.com]

I understand why you were disgusted with that priest, but I don't see the relation between blaming him and blaming God. I am sorry for the friends and family who had their sadness compounded, but really that priest had nothing to do with God, no matter what he says.

[roxxychan.livejournal.com]

i don't blame god, i just don't believe in him any more, i believe in something different. this is my own belief, i'm not trying to push it on anyone else, but I wanted to state my opinion here just so people realized and understood it.

[juliet-winters.livejournal.com]

O, sorry I misunderstood. I thought you said that your turning point was that terrible non-funeral.

You are not the enemy, Juliet.

[ristin.livejournal.com]

It's a common misunderstanding (due to poor communication from both sides).

Another common misconception is that non-Christians who are angry/afraid/defensive/offensive/critical/etc of bad Christians and the negative face of Christianity are attacking good Christians such as yourself.

I hope you don't feel you are being attacked here Juliet, and I know the rest of us are being too general when we say Christians are terrible...as opposed to specifying exactly who we are talking about and which actions we are referign to.

...I am not explaining this well, but we do know there are good people who are Christians. We are trying to keep the distinction clear between the bad examples we have seen and the good examples we have not (but hope are out there). And we are not trying to accuse you of acting the same way as the Christians we are upset about.

Re: You are not the enemy, Juliet.

[juliet-winters.livejournal.com]

Don't suppose you could say "member of such and so church" to clarify?

I can't believe that no church in Australia that has its members voluntarily help the poor, the homeless and the aged and the otherwise needy, AND has a decent track record in regards counterculture groups or that these two kinds of churches never intersect.

Re: You are not the enemy, Juliet.

[ristin.livejournal.com]

Churches here don't help the poor at all. Nothing. It's something I keep an eye on because it's one of the activities I (desperately) looked for when I was losing my faith. There just is none, no charity involvement or charity efforts from churches here in Australia. I'm twenty nine now and I've been looking on and off for about twenty three years or so. I have never seen anything posted on the notice boards out front or during sermons.
Perhaps they help their own members if one falls on hard times?

The Salvation army are the closest thing to a church helping the poor...and when I brought them up as an example I started to wonder how exactly they distribute anything to the poor...I believe them must have some distribution method, even though we only see the stores that sell what people donate to the Salvation army. It's probably something out-of-site (like the homeless people)...problem and solution hidden away from everyday view.

There are other groups such as rotary clubs and the country womens association (they really are awesome) who help people in need and probably take in most of the Christians who want to do charitable works.


Recently a friend of mine forwarded me a list of Churches that are claimed to be gay friendly, and the list said there were two in Brisbane. I am pleasantly surprised that there are any.
I haven't decided yet how to safely approach them. This wouldn't be like going into a Church and listening to the sermon without telling them anything about myself...I would have to tell them I am gay and hope the list was accurate.

[roxxychan.livejournal.com]

it is one of the major bad experences i had. though that is that.

[juliet-winters.livejournal.com]

Along the same lines, there's the denial of services for suicides who are almost by definition mentally ill.

It's some solace that God is just, and the pettiness of his supposed agents on Earth doesn't make a whit of difference. Thank heavens there are churches that do not put themselves between people and God.

[roxxychan.livejournal.com]

i have no wish to argue with you in someone else's journal. I respect that you hold these opinions, and hope you respect that I have my own, too, though they are different from yours. I think we should just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

[juliet-winters.livejournal.com]

I respect you, although I presumably (have to presume, you didn't say what they are) do not agree with your opinions.

I wish you a good day today.