...

Actually I understand exactly what you mean. In your additional info when you say "i dread going to church becuase it's so boring and ppl are snotty" My husband and I have taken to calling this type of thing "Churchianity"... People who think that going to church once a week is what Christianity is about. The rest of the week you wouldn't even know they were a "Christian" unless they had little symbols on their car or something.

Imagine facing Yahweh (God) on judgement day and saying, "No, I never fed the poor, helped the widows and orphans, or visited people in prison, but once a week I dressed up in nice clothes, sat in a pew and listened to a guy in a suit tell me his version of what the Bible says... I even put money on the plate to make sure he was able to drive around in a nice Cadillac. Oh, and I had a cute little fishy thing on my car."

It's even worse when these Churchians act all superior on top of it. We call those kinds "Sister Bertha-Better-Than-You". ;-)

My husband and I do not currently go to a church. We have yet to find one that actually tries to follow the Bible and Christ's teachings.

Please understand I'm not saying church is bad, and I'm not saying that people who go to church are bad. I'm just saying that some people who go to church lose sight of the important things. The true Church is not a building or a denomination. We, Christians (followers of Christ), ARE the Church. We can fellowship in the middle of a field, we can fellowship on an airplane, we can fellowship in the middle of McDonalds. It doesn't matter where.

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

I Corinthians 3:16 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

...

Last week, we went into a Christian book store and our conversation with the guy behind the counter led around to the church he belonged to. Hubby asked him what his church "does" for others. And the guy just had this blank look on his face. He was speechless. Hubby asked if his church fed the hungry. "No." Does his church take care of widows and orphans? "No." Does his church visit people in prison? "No."

What does his church do? Like many, many other churches, it basically holds a "meeting" once or twice a week. Wee.

The guy behind the counter was amazed. He knew something hadn't been right with his church. He knew something was missing. He had never even formally "signed up" with the church because he felt it. (and his own Father was the pastor there!) Maybe he will start a revolution in that church. I hope so.

We left that store praising Yahweh.


Matthew 25:34-40 says:

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me."


I guarantee that you will not be bored if you live the way Christ wants us to.

...

Sorry, I kind of went off on a tangent there, mostly talking about one small portion of what you had typed... But it all just came rushing out. I'll move along now. ;-)

...

I do want to touch on the subject of the rapture just a wee bit. In case you didn't know, I wanted you to know that there are many schools of thought on the timing of the rapture. Some Christians believe it happens pre-tribulation (like in those Left Behind books), some believe it happens mid-trib (half-way through the 7 year tribulation), some believe it happens pre-wrath (sometime during the tribulation but before the really bad stuff starts happening), and some believe it happens post-trib (right at the end when Christ returns).

Basically, the Bible isn't clear on when it happens, so people pick apart scripture and try to figure it out. Some people believe in the rapture but admit they really don't know when it will happen... That's sometimes called pan-trib (it could happen any time.)

I just wanted you to understand that, because if the rapture doesn't happen pre-trib, there are some pre-trib believers out there whose faith will be sorely tested because they didn't think they were actually going to have to go through any of the trials and troubles of the tribulation. Or maybe they will think that the Bible actually said that the rapture will happen before the tribulation, and so they will be mad and think that the Bible lied... instead of understanding that it was some people's opinions that were wrong, not the Bible.

I've actually read comments from some "Christians" that if they don't get a free ticket out of the tribulation, then what's the point? As if they are somehow more special and deserving than the Christians who have gone through trials and troubles (and martyrdom) throughout history. I'm not at all saying all pre-tribbers are like this, but I have absolutely seen them, and that's a dangerous path they are walking.

Personally, I am pan-trib. Whatever Yahweh thinks is best, I accept it. If it does happen pre-trib, great. If not, then that's the way it is. It's certainly not worth arguing over. It'll all "pan" out in the end. ;-)

...

Now I'm getting to the part that I originally wanted to say.

Lots of people go through the things that you are going through... It's not unusual at all.

I want to ask you a favor. Please listen to the following MP3. It's perfect for the questions you have asked.

It's hard to explain how awesome this is... That's why you just have to listen to it. After you listen to it, if you have any other questions or concerns that I didn't address, or that this MP3 didn't address, please feel free to email me at DangerWench@gmail.com

Here is the link to the MP3:

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.mp3

(It's 9 megs, so it may take a bit to download)

If you can't download MP3's for some reason, you can download the zip file.

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.zip


I hope you will let me know what you think about it. :-)

...

Edited to add: Reading mylordwon's answer to you, I wanted to agree with that.

I also wanted to make sure that I wasn't misunderstood to be saying that we can be saved by doing good works. Because if we are guilty of even one sin in our lives (which we are) we are guilty of all of them, and we all fall short. None of us is worthy of eternal life on our own merits, no matter how many good works we do.

That's why we need Yeshua (Christ), so that we can be forgiven our sins when we repent of them.

The good things come after that. As a product of becoming a follower of Christ, we should want to obey our Creator and do the things which please Him.

He wants us to love others as we love ourselves, and even love our enemies.

Also, what better way to reach the lost? How many people who are non-Christian will be saved by people who do nothing but go to church and then go home and behave just like everybody else in the world does (worldly and selfish... we all struggle with selfishness). How is that a good example or something to admire and want to find out more about?

But what if the non-Christian sees someone behaving differently... Someone doing selfless things and giving of themselves to others when they don't have to, and who gets no perceivable reward from it? Maybe they will wonder about it. Maybe they will ask about it. Maybe that Christian can tell them they are doing it because they follow Christ's true teachings and so they love others even to the point of putting them before their own personal comforts. The very example Christ set for us.

Leading by example can certainly be a wonderful way to reach the lost. Just a thought. :-)

WOW! First off thank you soo much for actually taking the time to read my problem and then giving me awesome advice about it.. I really appreciate everything you have written down and even the mp3 at the end.. I'm lisening to it right now and it's amazing.
But yeah THANK YOU SOO MUCH!! i hope in the end you and your husband find a descent church to go to.. Goodluck and Godbless :]

Want to know how to keep your questions from being rated down? Click Here!

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I'm DangerNerd's wife. We met on an internet personals site back in December, 1996. He flew across country to meet me for the first time in late February of 1997, and we were married a few weeks later. We've been together 9 years now. :-)

If you want to mail me, my email is DangerWench@gmail.com

Yes, I do sometimes copy and paste my own answers to answer different people's similar questions. I still personalize/edit them when necessary... but for instance, my advice about diet and exercise it going to be pretty much the same every time, and that's a very common subject for questions here... so there's no point in typing the same thing over and over and over again. ;-)

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Yes, hubby and I were both virgins on our wedding night, at the age of 26. Yes, we are both Christians, but we greatly dislike what "Christianity" (or "Churchianity") has come to represent in many people's minds these days... Hypocrisy, greed, pride... Things which the Bible says we are NOT supposed to do. We are supposed to be a good example, not a bad one. :-(

If you have a Christian acquaintance who is hitting you over the head with "Jesus will bring you peace and joy and happiness" tell them to listen to this:

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.mp3

(It's 9 megs, so it may take a bit to download)

If you can't download MP3's for some reason, you can download the zip file.

http://www.dangernerd.com/kirkcameron.zip

If they are an actual preacher/pastor, this one is geared more towards them:

http://www.dangernerd.com/raycomfort.zip

Send them the link, or burn it to CD and give it to them, whatever it takes.

If they really listen to that, they will see how the Bible itself says the way they are annoying you is wrong. :-)

If you are a Christian, please listen to it, even if you aren't beating people over the head with Jesus. I promise you, it will give you a new perspective. It's totally awesome.

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I'm also fascinated by prophesy, and I do think we are living in an age where we are seeing many things come true that were prophesied 1,000's of years ago.

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There has been a lot of hubbub lately regarding my views on the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity... Mostly due to my not making myself clear. I did have a big long explanation here, but this time I will opt for the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Yes, the following is the simplified version. ;-)

The Catholic Church believes that the Bible is not the only authority. Their teachings include such documentation as Catechisms, and Papal Encyclicals (defined as "authoritative teaching instruments from the Vicar of Christ" (the Pope)) which have been written and added to throughout the years of the history of the Catholic Church.

Because of this, the Catholic Church has many teachings, beliefs, and traditions that are different from a Christian who believes the Holy Bible is the exclusive authority of Christianity.

A Catholic Christian believes in the Catholic doctrines, teachings, and traditions which include, but are *not exclusive to* the Holy Bible.

Most non-Catholic Christians believe the Holy Bible is the *exclusive* authority of Christianity... No other documents.

Much argument comes from this, as quite a few non-Catholic Christians (myself included) believe many of the man-made Catholic doctrines to be un-Christian and not corresponding with Biblical scripture. And obviously, Catholics disagree.

For more information about the differences between Catholicism and *exclusively* Bible-Based Christianity, see the following link:

Roman Catholic Doctrine vs. The Holy Bible

And a final note about that link... That e-book isn't written by Jack Chick, I have a lot of problems with Mr. Chick. Some of his tracts are great, and some of them are way "out there" if you know what I mean. I do not support Jack Chick. This e-book is written by Rick Jones, who was a Catholic for many years, not Chick.

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"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2Timothy 3:1 - 7)

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring..." (Luke 21:25)

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Yahweh is my God, Yeshua is my Savior.

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