I feel trapped being Christian...

[Crystal Sailor Pluto]

We can only say that we love Christ because he first loved us.

Christianity today has a bad rap as having a list of "dont's". These "don'ts" are not all that we should be focused on. But what is more important is the "do's". Ex. Being interested in others and serving as a light to them through Jesus. Only those who serve as the light, because we are his royal treasure, will ever know what it is to truly live and be free.  

[Anji-Neko-Chan]

I haven't visited this thread in ages but I decided to finally put in some encouraging words.

As a Christian, the only way to heaven is through Christ who paid the ultimate sacrifice by living this life as human (while also being God) and denying all the corrupt ways of this world so he could be the perfect sacrificial lamb. Only through Jesus are you allowed to go to heaven.

Now it is the people that make up the church. And every organized church has a code of behavior that is based on their beliefs.

Some codes of behavior or "rules" are more stricter than others depending on the pastor and/or the churches council. I will use myself as an example:

I am a Hispanic Pentecostal. My church is part of the Assemblies of God which is a council with different churches all over the world. This may sound familiar because Sarah Palin (former Republican Vice Presidential nominee of America) is also from Assemblies of God. As a council we have our set doctrine. We believe in Jesus as the Messiah, that he will come back, baptism of water and the Holy Spirit. Now my church specifically has their own rules based on what we believe. For example my pastor is old fashioned and females are not allowed to wear pants inside the church.

This rule about no pants can get really annoying for us girls and many have complained. But there is a reason for this rule. Being hispanic females....a lot of us have really big butts. Now this may sound silly for you but coming from a culture where a large bottom is considered sexually arousing, it can be a distraction to the men in my church and can cause them to fall spiritually by looking at the girls in a lustful way. Are all men like that? I'm not saying they are. But you can;t be sure and the bible says that we should not do anything that could make our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ stumble.

Does this mean that because I wear pants that I am going to hell? No. In fact it's only in church that I have to wear a skirt. Jesus saves. Not the clothes. But if you read Paul's letters he says time and time again to respect the authority of the churches leaders. Therefore if I rebel and wear pants in church I will be held accountable to God not because of the jeans, but the fact that I knew the rules and chose to disobey.

Every church is different. Some are more strict than others. In some churches women are NEVER allowed to wear pants, shave their legs, wear make up, etc. I think that is crazy to put so much emphasis on the outside but I am not the one to dictate what other churches choose to do.

Now the question is what are the rules that make you feel trapped? If they are rules such as dress code and stuff I don't think that is something worth leaving your church for. But if you want a more liberal church then by all means find a church where you feel you can grow more without having to worry about dress.
God gave you a choice.

However if these "rules" that make you feel trapped are talking about no sex til marriage kind of stuff then that is definitely not something to complain about. As tough as it may be to follow, rules like that are biblical o_o I mean without these biblical truths then where would the morality be ya know?
 

[Scazarith]

Well put Anji-Neko-Chan ^.^

The only thing I would add to what you have to say is this: People shouldn't feel trapped in Christianity. God loves us and we should love God. In a relationship such as this, even though it may be a child-parent relationship as some have pointed out, you shouldn't feel trapped. We should do our best to obey Gods rules and be glad to please him.

Samuel is speaking to Saul - I Samuel 15:22-23 "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." NIV

"Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sarifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou has rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." KJV

God gave us free will, but he also gave us proof that there is punishment for rebellion.

I really hope things work out for you and I'll be praying for you PetitEspoir. ^.^  

[Xahmen]

******** organized religion, do whatever feels right to you.  

[sirmartyr777]

PetitEspoir

I am a Christian, and...I feel trapped, all these rules, do this do that, I don't feel free!
I think I may stop being a Christian..and become part of the Old Religion..


I can't explain the Old Religion....its like....read Bec - By Darren Shan, its something like that....I guess but more free etc.

Xx

our claim as Christians is not that we follow the rules the best, but that we have an intimate relationship with God. It's only after we've learned to love Jesus that we really become Christians. Jesus said that if we love him, we will obey his commandments. If the rules were the most important part, we would become like the Pharisees and Saducees that Jesus warns about in the New Testament, so blind by their law-keeping, that they don't recognize the God that they serve. That doesn't mean that we abandon our holiness, our character, our righteousness, just that we get it from Him, and we are glad for it. smile  

[Reverend MacManus]

For those whom may feel they are being led astray, or for a more ideal place to visit to assist with issues as this, I provide you with this link.

http://www.exwitch.org/

It is a small, friendly website comprised of ex witches of the "Old Religion."

I too have been in your position. I started out as a newcomer to Paganism in 2003, when I first learned about and thought I was a Wiccan. From there, when I discovered that my partaking of witchcraft was limited and not as free as I'd hoped there, I delved into LaVey's Satanism, but believed in and felt an existence of the literal entity of Satan. Yes, I was once a Satanist.

They were the darkest days of my life, and I honestly believe I exhibited sociopathic behaviour and the moral consciousness of a cement slab. It was really terrible, and I only used others around me for my pleasure and personal gain. It left a hollow feeling, but one where I felt "dark" and "powerful." How little I knew then.

Coming out of this era in my life I abandoned all religion, thinking it the tool of fools. But, now with little guidance, and feeling morality to be subjective, I again did some questionable deeds and had nothing in my life to really have as my own crutch. As the Bible says, I did. I felt that I could handle everything on my own, and that the way I was following "seemed" right to me.

Well, listening to Manowar, I was then inspired to get into Asatru. At this time I was also getting into National Socialism, or what some of you may know better as Nazism. Of course I was the gentleman about it. I was well informed and well spoken. Nevermind that though.

Either way, early to mid last year I had a change in life, when I was at the St. Louis MEPS station, and just outside my liaison I was given a pocket sized New Testament from Gideons. I haven't really looked back since then. A few months after receiving it I finally started reading it. Through it, that man as a messenger and various other people I had the opportunties to meet and speak with, I believed I was drawn ever closer to God and His Son.

Combine that with a reintroduction to Boondock Saints, and a long time waiting embracing and rediscovery of my Irish background as well, and you have me as I am here today. Haven't really felt better. Sure, I still stumble, and find myself wanting to return to my Pagan ways, but God always finds a way to get back through to me somehow and remind me that I am His, and that He has a plan for me yet.

For easy reading, and something that may help, check out Mere Christianity by distinguished and well famed author C.S. Lewis.  

[Xahmen]

I'm a scientologist.  

[Reverend MacManus]

Zahwomen

I'm a scientologist.

That would then explain your lack of understanding as to this question and subject matter.

Now, only knowing the "cult status" applies to Scientology, maybe sometime I'd like to objectively listen to an explanation of it from one such as yourself, and all that has been revealed to you. Well, I suppose it depends on your level, if we are in fact to believe more is revealed to you as more financing is given towards the organization. I could be wrong. But this is for another time.  

[Xahmen]

Just Tony

Zahwomen

I'm a scientologist.

That would then explain your lack of understanding as to this question and subject matter.

Now, only knowing the "cult status" applies to Scientology, maybe sometime I'd like to objectively listen to an explanation of it from one such as yourself, and all that has been revealed to you. Well, I suppose it depends on your level, if we are in fact to believe more is revealed to you as more financing is given towards the organization. I could be wrong. But this is for another time.

Anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask.  

[Reverend MacManus]

Zahwomen

Just Tony

Zahwomen

I'm a scientologist.

That would then explain your lack of understanding as to this question and subject matter.

Now, only knowing the "cult status" applies to Scientology, maybe sometime I'd like to objectively listen to an explanation of it from one such as yourself, and all that has been revealed to you. Well, I suppose it depends on your level, if we are in fact to believe more is revealed to you as more financing is given towards the organization. I could be wrong. But this is for another time.

Anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask.

Mind creating a thread explaining it in full length and detail as you know Scientology? Perhaps an FAQ of sorts? It could prove beneficial overall to the guild.  

[Xahmen]

Just Tony

Zahwomen

Just Tony

Zahwomen

I'm a scientologist.

That would then explain your lack of understanding as to this question and subject matter.

Now, only knowing the "cult status" applies to Scientology, maybe sometime I'd like to objectively listen to an explanation of it from one such as yourself, and all that has been revealed to you. Well, I suppose it depends on your level, if we are in fact to believe more is revealed to you as more financing is given towards the organization. I could be wrong. But this is for another time.

Anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask.

Mind creating a thread explaining it in full length and detail as you know Scientology? Perhaps an FAQ of sorts? It could prove beneficial overall to the guild.

Hrm...
Nah, I was just messing around.
Scientology is science fiction written by a science fiction writer.  

[Reverend MacManus]

Zahwomen

Just Tony

Zahwomen

Just Tony

Zahwomen

I'm a scientologist.

That would then explain your lack of understanding as to this question and subject matter.

Now, only knowing the "cult status" applies to Scientology, maybe sometime I'd like to objectively listen to an explanation of it from one such as yourself, and all that has been revealed to you. Well, I suppose it depends on your level, if we are in fact to believe more is revealed to you as more financing is given towards the organization. I could be wrong. But this is for another time.

Anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask.

Mind creating a thread explaining it in full length and detail as you know Scientology? Perhaps an FAQ of sorts? It could prove beneficial overall to the guild.

Hrm...
Nah, I was just messing around.
Scientology is science fiction written by a science fiction writer.

Oh. I've never looked into nor understood L. Ron Hubbard's works, probably due to the former half of the statement. I should have read Battlefield Earth, but instead watched the movie, which... Yeah...

Hm. Well, whether we think ill of it or not, its influence within Hollywood and its biggest stars. Perhaps there is some truth to the idea of it being a "money cult?" Hm, oh well. Not my cup of blood.  

[Xahmen]

The man was a criminal.  

[Reverend MacManus]

Zahwomen

The man was a criminal.

Is that meant in the purest sense of the legal definition? In that case, what businessman is not the criminal? Even I would be guilty of that working in a metaphysical shop and advertising online religious education. Ironic a bit? Yes, I'm aware. Haha. Believe me, I know.  

[Xahmen]

Just Tony

Zahwomen

The man was a criminal.

Is that meant in the purest sense of the legal definition? In that case, what businessman is not the criminal? Even I would be guilty of that working in a metaphysical shop and advertising online religious education. Ironic a bit? Yes, I'm aware. Haha. Believe me, I know.

No I literally mean that he was a criminal.