I'm not a very religious person but I'm not a complete nonbeliever either. My parents, God bless them, always ask me why I stopped going to church and why I won't go back. My answers a straight forward one that no one really ever wants to hear but in my mind and my heart it's the truth.
I stopped attending church around 16 or 17, which coincidentally was right around the time I started to lose sight of who I was. The youth leader and his wife, I didn't like at all. A youth leader is supposed to be someone the youth in the church can turn to when they need prayers and guidance but all they ever did was ridicule and judge me (but they did it in the nicest possible way because an insult in a nice voice is so much easier to take). Some of the parents in the church were just as judgemental of me as the youth leader was. God forbid a teen go through a change and be a little different in their precious church. So, I thought about turning to my pastor but he was the father of a friend of mine so it seemed too weird and i was too shy to approach him. But I always felt he saw my potential and struggle and kept me occupied for a while by allowing me to perform in a drama group he had created. I loved performing in that group more than anything else at the time. I felt as if I were finally doing something good, something that made a difference. Being in this group gave me a purpose but my discouragement and discomfort around the people in the church and the people I used to call friends overshadowed the good feelings and I gave up. The saddest part is................none of them even cared or wondered why.
Right around the time of my accident 6 years ago, I felt a pull to go back to the church but I kept putting it off. I would read my Bible and other religious material at home and that was good enough for me. When I was hit by the car, I was saved for a reason and to this day still believe I saw an angel (but that's another story for another time). I started going to church again with my parents and it felt good there for a while. I started to feel encouragement and wanted to start a drama group for the youth there to utilize my faith in the only way I really knew how. But my idea was quickly dismissed and in crept the doubt and discouragement so I stopped going once again.
Factoring in my failures with religion, my unhealthy relationship at the time, my doubt in myself and the whole human race, my inability to ever see anything through and my near death experience, I slowly started to reevaluate life and everyone and everything in it. I saw the world differently and I wasn't liking what I was seeing once I officially removed the blinders but at the same time a beautiful new world of possibilities stood before me.
So,my answer when asked why I won't go back to church...why should I? There are more hypocrites full of judgement within the church wall then anywhere else. I know not all church goers are judgemental and hypocritical and it's not that I don't believe in God. It's that I just don't believe in the churches, ESPECIALLY the ones in this town.
But who knows what the future holds....................................................
I know juat how you feel. I had a look on life that was my own and I didnt think anyone else should be bothered with it. I have had 2 near death experiences and I know they are not fun, I wontgo into the boring details of them but know that I know what your feeling. I go to church in Shelby called Crestview, noone judges anyone we are all like family and have a great children/youth program. Our youth pastor is Artie Hubbard he has 6 kids of his own and loves his church kids. He does childrens church in the am on Sunday and the youth meets on Wednesdays and throughout the week. I would love for you to come visit and see how you like us. We have a website as well www.crestviewbaptistshelby.com check it out sometime. To God Be The Glory!
ReplyDeleteThanks Deanna! I might just work up the nerve to come and visit with my son one sunday. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey sis, I am emailing you something I need you to read. Well, it's two things. It'll take me a minute to proofread one of them, bc you know I ain't too skilled in the whole writing thingy like you... :) It's in regard to this. I think you'll enjoy it; or at least part of it.
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