Yeesh, a typo can kill what a person is trying to say…

Here’s my thoughts on your situation.

I am a strong believer in God and his teachings and I commend you for trying so hard to continue to work them into your life while fighting against your natural instincts.

Although churches themselves are the most important part or even near the top in maintaining a relationship with God and trying to be a good person, they definitely play a role. That being said, a person doesn’t necessarily going to fit into every church and no preacher/priest/pastor/rabbi is going to be perfect. They are human.

I truely believe that both the church community and preacher play a role in the success of a church for each individual. If the setting isn’t right, or you feel that you are constantly being alientiated (even if it’s not done purposely) in the community you have chosen, it may not be the right one. Which can actually hinder your spiritual growth because you can become bitter and hurt.

I would suggest trying out different churches and finding one that suites your needs. Try and find one with a pastor that you are comfortable speaking with/confiding in. They are there to help you grow spiritually and guide you through difficult times and struggles.

I wandered in from the Fort Wayne livejournal page. I must say, I’ve enjoyed reading your posts every so often, but this is my first visit to your actual page. I’d love to meet or talk with you sometime because you sound incredibly interesting and I enjoy good, diverse company. Email me sometime or talk through lj.

Wow, this preacher of yours sounds like a whackjob. Isn’t there someone who’s supposed to proofread his sermons before he delivers them to the parishioners? Maybe God put him as the head of this church to make people like you think. Isn’t it better to NOT be a sheep, but take charge of your faith through learning and questioning? Then again, I’m the type that says there are not dumb questions… the only stupidity is NOT asking.

I’m not going to tell you how Christ will make you all better. If you believe that, I’m not going to knock it. I figure everybody’s got to walk their own path, whatever that happens to be for the individual. If you feel there’s something wrong with you, it’s on you to find the answers since it’s YOUR life. However, I will tell you that being anything buy yourself is doing yourself an injustice. If you were supposed to be just like Jesus Christ, would you really have been born as Dave? Just a thought.

LOL -I get you on that ,people have boxes and they can’t see through them . I am one of those blue bloods that you so hate (love you any way deary –lol) My parents have more money than they can use and I am related to may of the royal households of this planet .Still my childhood was hell ,my mother is a schizophrenic , who shoved me off to one boarding school to another ,just to pull me out of it when I stated getting accustomed to it. my last stepfather broke many a bone in my body because I refused to conform to the family mindset .I think there had not been one week in my life where my mother did not drag me out of my bed at night to fix some marital dispute or to terrorize me and beat me because something bothered her .Mommy dearest is my mom ,but I was not complacent so #i made it even worse for myself .The only time I decided to get help the social worker told me that I read to many books and saw to many bad movies …things like that do not happen in my social circle …like you this Sunday I anted to kill …
It is what it is ….

BTW. to the guy who said that sociopaths are not reflective –you are wrong ,being a sociopath does not imply them not seeing what is wrong with them selves and they do care about certain things or people just not how you would .

And Dave ,you are just fine the way you are ,be yourself ….

It is not the bible that is faulty it is the churches interpretation of it, Also think about this Jesus was a rebel do you really think when he comes back that any of these churches is even going to recognise him ,he will be the first to call their bullshit …

It’s true that the pastor was quite myopic to equate his traumatic experience as a thing that others would really consider a terrible scar on their childhood. To me it sounds, if you are relaying in it’s entirety, that he was being punished for being disrespectful to his parents, and the scripture does say to honour your mum and dad…. So it’s probably true that his example is redundant….

I come from a stable family for which I’m thankful for, but that doesn’t always lead to a stable mind, a person has to make their own choices in life – in my experience, your solution is the same as everyone else’s, in that God commended His love towards us, in that while we were all still sinners, Christ died for us.

The pastor should be leading you in the correct path, but I’m sure you know that he cannot save you – only Christ can, just like everyone else.

In my case, right now, I personally feel rather numb, like I have for as long as I can remember. I try to do the right things, because for one, I know that they are the right things. For two, I know that Jesus would do the right thing. For three, He is watching all, knows my every thought – as bad as they are sometimes. And He still loves me.

I have to believe that even though I dont feel all the emotions and flowery feelings that others feel, that I still have Him in my heart, and that truly without Him, I wouldn’t have a foundation to hand my life upon. Besides emotions can be deceiving, and we dont put our trust in our experiences, but in the knowledge that The Lord is the way the truth and the life.

It would be a good idea to follow His example with regards to reaching others. Jesus wasn’t selfish and He went about doing good and healing those that were oppressed. I would think that regular outreach would help.

At the very least, read the scripture, and maybe get a book like The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pursuit-God-Authentic-Classics/dp/1850785953/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222081083&sr=8-1 ) Which I’ve just started myself – the author was a good and sincere man, speaks plainly and cuts through any garbage and gets to the point.

Like I said, I dont know your whole life, but maybe your solution is to look into your life, genuinely ask God to show you EXACTLY what THE problem is, ask for His help and forgiveness and then start looking outward at a multitude of lost people that dont even yet know that Jesus is the answer, and try to help them. That’s what helps me, even when I feel that I feel nothing.

Glad to hear you go to church. So do I. I have to say, church would be great if not for the people!! Unfortunately it’s with people that we find out our true character. And yes, good people often have headuptheass syndrome. It doesn’t often work to point it out. Sometimes it’s enough just to know, and walk away shaking your head.
W

Unfortunately, many Christians think that becoming like Christ involves removing themselves from the world. As far as the practices of the world go that concept may be true, but Jesus was the only one who would sit and eat with the people that were born and bred in the down and dirty ways of the world.

Whores, thieves, and disgustingly sick were the people he wanted to touch and heal, and the ones who were preaching from the pulpits received his wrath more often than not.

The truth is that the only person who can help us rise out from the cesspits we’ve fallen into is Christ himself. Throughout the world’s history, no other human could ever come close to his truth and his power, and through to the end no one ever will.

These are my own thoughts and experiences relating to the matter, but they’ve been meaningful in helping me to grow. May God bless you and bring you the answers you seek.

Kevin
http://blog.thedepthofperception.com

black people are still a minority. they aren’t exactly popular either. when Keyes ran for the Republican primary, i’m guessing that 98% of white folks voted for him. i didn’t hear anyone complain about that ‘popularity’ then. this popularity thing sounds like a red herring to me. if a party wants to win an election, they’re better off going after the most popular person with the group that is largest, i.e. white folk, not some chance from a smaller group.

i don’t want to turn this into a go ’round. like you said, you’re entitled to your opinions. thanks for answering my questions.