but i've been reading here and the mama's seem to be SOOOO knowledgeable and non-judgemental. So no flames please, i'm really not trying to piss anybody off. Ok, here goes...
i am looking to educate myself about God and Jesus. I really don't know much of anything, i just remember bits and pieces from growing up in church on an occassional basis, KWIM?
I was raised Southern Baptist. For LOTS of reasons, i really don't feel like i want to return to a Baptist church. Mainly because in my past experiences, Baptists (that i knew anyway) were very snobby, judgemental, and just downright mean to people. In our church we were raised to believe that dancing, drinking, smoking, etc....was a sin and would NOT be permitted. (not that i do these things, but you KWIM)
Well as a teenager (and now) i could not understand what was wrong with dancing. I still don't. Isn't dancing talked about in the bible? Isn't it a celebration? I also can not believe that God would turn his back on someone for drinking a glass of wine. yes too much of anything is not a good thing, but isn't wine spoken of in the Bible in a postive light?
I was raised as a Christian, although i'm not so sure what that means. I was raised to believe that Jesus died for our sins, and is our Saviour. So that makes me a Christian right? i don't know "why" i believe that but i just do. Sort of like "blind" faith i guess.
DH was not raised any specific religion. His mother got involved with what i was taught were cuts all thru his childhood. Stuff like Church of Scientology, Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Morman church, different things like that. (i'm not saying they are cults, that just what my mom says, and i don't know anything about them one way or the other.) He rarely remembers going to church but on a few seperate occassions and that was with his grandma. They went to a Methodist church.
Since we were not religious when we met/married, we decided that we would just learn and read what we could and sort of "decide" what our path would be. Now my dh can be a VERY philosophical man. He's read the Bible several times, front and back, and says sometimes he is inclined to believe that Jesus was more of a Prophet than anything. That would put him more of in a Jewish category, right? Another example of what he is thinking is Genesis. he believes that it is ludicrous to think that God could create the World in 7 days. he says as intelligent reasonable people, we should question that. So after talking about it, we now sort of believe that God created the world in 7 days, but days as the Bible speaks of could have been thousands of years. I talked about this with my mom and she blew a gasket! She keeps saying that's wrong! Not to question the Bible, etc...etc... (she's a devout Baptist) Does that make sense? Now i've just stopped asking her questions about stuff because she gets SO worked up.
Well now we have Gage, 14 mths old. My mom keeps telling me its our duty as parents to "raise a Godly child" which i want to do, but UNITED. I want us to do it TOGETHER. KWIM? DH says he wants us to raise Gage in a spirtual sense but one that makes sense to us as well.
So how do i go about finding a religion for my family? I'm having problems even getting myself motivated to get out of bed in the mornings, so i'm starting to take meds for that. HOPEFULLY that will help me and i can try to muster up the courage to visit a church. But what church? How do you decide that? i don't want to visit a Baptist church just because that's all i know of to do. I don't think that's right either. Any thoughts or comments or just any type of guidance would really be appreciated here. I'm not trying to step on any toes, as i'm truly interested in all walks of religious faith. I just feel so lost and i can't even figure out how to get *un-lost* KWIM? I think DH would really try anything that i asked him to, but i don't even know what to ask him to do!!! Thanks again...
<font color=purple>Dawn~~~Registered nurse and wife to Robert 2/13/99, SAHM to Gage 9/23/00 CD, FB, vaxing consciously, AP'in EBF good lovin' family!</font color=purple> http://www.amitysworld.com/dcf/User_...d6689dc20e.jpg
__________________
Dawn~~~ER RN Mommy to Gage 9/23/00, Trace 10/2/02, & the sweetest mountain baby Avery Ryann 3/17/04!!! Wife to the love of my life Robert since 2/13/99!!!!!
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Hi. I just wanted to reply to a couple of things. I am not really one to be asked personally about some of this, at least not lately, but I can clarify a couple of things. I certainly hope I dont get any of this wrong, but I suppose someone would come along to correct me if so.
<<< Isn't dancing talked about in the bible? Isn't it a celebration? >>>>>
Yes. In one instance at least, David, you know, Kind David. Danced in the street in praise to God. (at least that's what I remember) I also think that he did that is what would be termed in those days as naked, but we would call that skivies. )
God has said that David was a man after his own heart so I suppose that if it was good for him, it would be good for us.
<< So after talking about it, we now sort of believe that God created the world in 7 days, but days as the Bible speaks of could have been thousands of years. >>>
Personally, I think that is a good thought. I would think that if you can agree and believe that He made it, no matter how long it really took him, that that is what would be focused upon instead of the particulars. That's just me though, you will probably get other thoughts here as well. I don't think that you are questioning the bible really, instead, taking it as a whole and adding up the sums, you got what you got. Both make sense to me. Really they do, and I am happy with that. Please don't thing that I am taking this lightly, cause I understand where you are. This is just my thoughts on that.
BTW, there is another thread here about creation/evolution that may interest you if you havent read it already. There was a bit about this there too.
Personally I am glad that you went ahead and posted this. I hope that you will be able to find some direction here. One thing to remmeber is to check things out that people say in the bible before forming a total opinion. Don't take my word for it yk? But I know that there are ladies here that can help.
blessings~
<font color=purple>~~Lorie~~</font color=purple>
<font color=blue>~ mama to Miss Liberty, Jaden, and Jacob "sticky" ~</font color=blue>
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
In my early childhood I went to a Baptist church - and had similar experiences that you speak of; no dancing and if someone said "amen" I think the elderly folks would've fell out the pew. LOL.
I then went to a "Church of God" - aka - Pentecostal. This was where I came to know God. Lots of dancing and worshipping, very spirit filled.
I now attend a non-denomational church - which is great. Don't be shy to call churches (pentatcostal, non-denomational) and ask them if they are spirit filled....
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
I think it's a healthy normal thing to seek out religion at some point in your life and I'm glad you posted what you did.
The best advice I can give you is to read, think, and visit churches/synagogues/mosques/temples in your area. Don't be embarrased to visit. Just go on in and take a seat.
You may find a place that's right for both for you. And I personally don't think that you have to be united in the same faith to raise a spiritual/religious child. http://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/smile.gif
Jennifer
Nothing's Gonna Change My World -- John Lennon
]
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Just my thoughts, but if you want to learn about God and Jesus, the Bible would be the source for that. And when you read the Bible with a faithful heart God will teach you all that you want to know.
About the dancing, and churches. Well, it is my belief that in Christianity there is no list of do's and don't's. What you do or don't do is not what determines your salvation. As scripture says "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." "All things are permissable, but not all things are beneficial". God wants our faith, our belief, our respect, our devotion, our love, and all of us. But, when it comes down to whether or not you can watch certain shows, or do certain things, well, that is a choice you make. Some people do santa, some people don't, some people praise God quietly, others praise God loudly. Some of us donate regularily, some of us don't, some of us use birth conrol, others choose to trust God in that area. IS there a list of things that allow us entrance into heaven? No. The only thing God takes into concideration is whether or not you have come to the realization that we stand before God as sinners, and because of that sin, we are unable to draw close to God, but that because of Jesus Christ (God's sacrifice for sin) we can come to God in belief of his gift Christ, and our repentant (sorry) heart and our belief in Christ and his ability to wash our sins away can make us clean before God so that we can draw near to him again which was what he intended for mankind all along.
Everything else in life, doesn't matter. It's all about where your heart is. If your heart desires to be saved from the sin we all carry, and you go to God believeing in Christ and his sacrifice for our sins, then we will be saved. After we are saved, our hearts should desire to do things that are kind, loving, and to be just like our creator. AT that point maybe in our own hearts we will create a list of things we feel would best serve God and things we don't think will serve him, but that list is different for each person who serves God. SO you shouldn't follow anyone else's list of do's and dont's.
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Yeah, I'm Mennonite, and most of the older people think dancing is wrong, because it makes men and women "lust" after one another. Personally, I think it depends on the type of dancing...like, I'm not going to Lambada with my FIL (plus, that would just be disgusting, LOL!). Mennonites really run the gammet, from ultra-conservative to ultra-liberal. It's like my pastor says, we feel the need to draw a line somewhere, and some people are sooooo afraid of crossing it, that they draw the line far short of where the actual "sin" would take place.
As for trying churches, it IS hard! I'd get on the internet and see if any of the churches in your area have websites, a good way to find out more if you're shy about calling them.
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Well, I for one, am glad you were brave enough to post!http://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/wink.gif Hey, we all get a little passionate at times but that's just because we love to answer a question or help solve a problem. So here goes my best shot.
I'm gonna jump right out there with a pretty unpopular opinion~but it's mine. I say if you wanna *know* God you gotta go to the source. There seems to be an opinion that we somehow will discover something about someone on our own...come to our own conclusions, discover our own meaning, reach our own conclusions. But I say, God~Yahweh, declares Himself and who He is in His Word. Of course I also believe that the bible has NEVER been disproven historically, scientifically, prophetically or spiritually. God declares that the Word was "God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for rebuke, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." So from my best educational experience in solving word problems I gather a few things from that scripture.
1) It's very words are the words of God and thereby incapable of being wrong, If I believe this then continue on...
2) It will teach me spiritual truths(doctrine), it will show me spiritual follies and err(rebuke) and it will bring me back to a *right* place when I stray(correction) All of this will serve to keep me in a *right* (righteousness) relation ship with God.
4) Without it (God's word), I am incomplete and ill-equipped to handle the work of God which He requires of me (that which I willingly do of my own free will, not for salvations sake)
You can look anywhere you want. But God declares Himself in His Word. Not through your mother, not through that idiot with the fish on his car who just cut you off, not through that guy on TV cryin bout his latest sin, and certainly not through imperfect people warming up a pew a few Sundays a year.
If you(in general) are ever going to have a right relationship with God the focus needs to be on Him (vertical) not on everything around you (horizontal). If you are looking all around, all you will see is living proof that we need a savior.
There are things I don't like about my church. There are people in my church who I don't particularly care for. There are some who annoy and others who I think fall short. But that is when I am self-absorbed and self-centered. When I reach out and do something because of the Great Love and out of the Grace and Mercy that God has shown me, I see through all my pettiness and understand better, how hard it is to grasp the concept of and omnipotent, omnipresent, Loving Creator who is just waiting to bless those who would let Him.
And so I go back to the Word...and He speaks to my heart...and reminds me that He loves me and He has it all under controlhttp://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/smile.gif...I don't need to be a backseat driver.
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
oh boy... this is sooooo tricky!! i'm telling you, there is nothing harder than finding a church! NOTHING. the reason being that there is SO much corruption within the Christian church.. just look at all the denominations! but in the bible they dont talk about one denomination or another... we are supposed to be ONE body. This division is one of th emany things that makes it soooo hard to really know what is right. I FINALLY after years of very painful church shopping and about at the point where i had given up found my current church. its is a homechurch. you can see what home churches are like at www.homechurch.com, or .org? anyway, even at homechurches there is a lot of variation and many that are not in favor of treating children developmentally and with respect etc. BUT i will say that mine is OUR church, or where we fit into the body perfectly. How i knew? because i have had many "false positives" LOL before, here';s how i knew. when i go, i often have what i call "ahh... " moments. in other words, i learn the truth and it is shared with me by the holy spirit in a way i can't describe but i often leave knowing some truth that i didnt before. maybe because i am a why person.. i want answers.. i want to know how everything works.. and God in his infinate lovingness, doesnt slap me aside and say shut up, kid! He has blessed me in so many ways! and EVERY sunday i leave knowing what I need for ME to progress. i thihk my biggest "ahh.. momment was when i realized what "grace" is. IN the bible there is the old testament, there are all these meticulous rules.. like in the latter part of Exodus, there is even meticulous rules about how to build a temple! its unreal, and what i learned was that we are not capable of following these rules.. i am not able to do EVERYTHING i do to the glory of God. do i try? sure! when you are saved it automatically makes you WANT to do what you are supposed to. Will i go to hell if i mess up somewhere along the line? no. the reason is when Christians say the prayer to give their heart to Jesus, they change into a covenant of Grace... what that means is no longer does the law have power over you, you have entered into a relationship. the Holy Spirit will soon convict you of different things.. like for me this year i was told not to participate in halloween... He's been telling me for YEARS that i'm not supposed to be eating meat or dairy or eggs that were obtained via suffering but i havent been very obedient :-( but see the point is that it is all very very individual. You can't fall back on th elaw like i ahve tried to and say, well it doesnt say in the biblenot to eat meat, etc. etc. You also can't say to others, God says not to eat meat because he was saying it to ME not EVERYONE. that's the thing.. people want to feel like they are righteous etc. and God does not want that.. none are righteous! pointing out others sins is just another way of saying i am better than you. and that is not what God wants.. i would say that the number one way to distance yourself is by being prideful.. ALL sins come down to that one thing!! If you can lose pride and make your walk about YOU and nto about how you are better than others because you are walking, you will enjoy a closer relationship with God. Also, it is essential to pray adn read scripture daily.. i have fallen out of that lately and it is sooo noticible.. i dont feel nearly as close to God as i could.. i need to go back. i thihnk the greatest thing ever about this relationship is that it is irrevocable.. just like my children are always my children, even if they do bad things, God has a covenant with me that can't be broken, no matter what i do, i belong to Him and He will always be my Abba. i just can't imagine anything more wonderful than that!!! Blessings to you!!
rebecca
__________________
Rebecca
mom to 4 so far
Alex, 10, Nikolas, 6, Chloe, 4, Annabeth, almost 2 kvenvolden@msn.com
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Renee, what exactly is a Mennonite? I'm just curious because of how you described things, it seems so different, like you said from ultra conservitive to ultra liberal. just curious...
<font color=purple>Dawn~~~Registered nurse and wife to Robert 2/13/99, SAHM to Gage 9/23/00 CD, FB, vaxing consciously, AP'in EBF good lovin' family!</font color=purple> http://www.amitysworld.com/dcf/User_...d6689dc20e.jpg
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
WOW Jennifer! you are so passionate, i'm just amazed! You have inspired me, truly you have. I guess my biggest thing is the fear factor. Fear of the unknown, KWIM? I feel like such a failure, but when you put "If you(in general) are ever going to have a right relationship with God the focus needs to be on Him (vertical) not on everything around you (horizontal). If you are looking all around, all you will see is living proof that we need a savior" that TOTALLY made sense to me. I hate worrying about what is "right and wrong" and i think that if i truly want to have a relationship with God, i do need to go to Him, not a church or my mom or anything else. The church will come i think, but you get my meaning (i hope!) but anyway thank you.
Now for my next question. I've been trying to read my Bible ( i have a Woman's Devotional Bible that i bought) and i do love the daily devotions and such in it. But as far as the Scripture, it is SOOO hard to read and make sense out of. Is there a Bible that is sort of translated into layman's terms that i could buy? Thanks again for your honest and forthcoming post. I really appreciate it. Its so good to see a woman dealing with loss can still have love and be positive in her heart. (((HUGS))))
<font color=purple>Dawn~~~Registered nurse and wife to Robert 2/13/99, SAHM to Gage 9/23/00 CD, FB, vaxing consciously, AP'in EBF good lovin' family!</font color=purple> http://www.amitysworld.com/dcf/User_...d6689dc20e.jpg
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Dawn, I think it is great that you posted this here! Don't be nervous!
I will share my thoughts with you. To be a Christian, all you have to do is BELIEVE! Believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins as a gift to you from God! That's it! Allow Him into your heart to be your Lord and Saviour. Being a Christian is more of a personal relationship with Christ than a list of dos and don'ts. I second those that say read read read your Bible! It will clear up so many things for you. Personally, and I may be wrong for saying this, but I wouldn't talk to your mom too much about it right now. From the way I see it, she is probably so anxious to have you back in the church, she isn't that patient to really answer your questions. I am a Christian. I attended a Baptist church much like the one you described growing up. Then I went to a non-denominational church for years and LOVED it. Recently dh and I have been looking for a church for various reasons. It is VERY HARD to find a church. And there are NO perfect churches out there. Everybody sins, it isn't a perfect world. Right now we are again attending another Baptist church (which I said I wouldn't do). I really like it. Yes, there are things I disagree with, but for the most part, it is great. I think the most important thing is to find a church that teaches the TRUTH. And to find one where you can find some Christian friends who believe the same way you do. I believe that dancing in itself is not wrong, except for provocative dancing. Drinking is not wrong in my opinion either. But drunkeness is. As far as drinking goes, the Bible says not to be a stumbling block to others. In other words, I might be able to handle a few beers, but my neighbor might not. He might tend towards alcoholism and not know how to stop. So, therefore, if I continue to drink in front of him/with him, I am causing him to stumble. I think it is a very personal issue your family has to decide for itself. My dh and I are still struggling with it. He feels like it is fine to drink socially/ I do too, but get hung up on the stumbling block issue. I like an occasional wine cooler, but would GLADLY give it up so as not to cause others to stumble or to hurt those who have been hurt by alcohol in the past (daughters of alcoholics, for example). Anyway, sorry for the long post. I hope this helps a little!!!
Oh, BTW, I too don't believe that when it talks about God creating the earth it was a literal 7 days. It could have been years. I don't know how long it meant by day in Genesis. Although I do believe that "all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof and correction" there are certain things about the language used back then that you have to take into context. I just have not done enough study on this particular subject.
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Hi Dawn,
Forgive me for "butting in" on your conversation with Jennifer (I don't think she will mind!http://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/smile.gif), but I wanted to recommend "The Message" biblical paraphrase by Eugene H. Peterson. I think it is only available in the New Testament, Proverbs, Psalms and Prophets. It is written at a very readable level (I think around 5-6th grade reading level) in today's English. I have found it to be very easy to read and understand.
I also like the New Living Translation. HTH.
<font color=blue>Blessings,
...Lisha...</font color=blue>http://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/smile.gif
<font color=purple>Mama to <font color=green>Lauren (7/90)</font color=green> and <font color=orange>Max (10/97)</font color=orange>, still ga-ga over <font color=red>Daniel</font color=red> (my loving husband since 1987), contently living in small-town America</font color=purple>
Re: ok, i'm VERy scared and nervous to post this...
Thanks Jennifer! You weren't butting in at all! I'm going to see if i can check those out! Thanks again!
<font color=purple>Dawn~~~Registered nurse and wife to Robert 2/13/99, SAHM to Gage 9/23/00 CD, FB, vaxing consciously, AP'in EBF good lovin' family!</font color=purple> http://www.amitysworld.com/dcf/User_...d6689dc20e.jpg
Don't know that I've ever posted on this board before but here goes.... I'm southern baptist..born and raised. Now that being said.......southern baptists are some of the most hypocritical people i know. I know of soooo many who act one way on Sunday and another all during the week. No you shouldn't drink its a sin and you'll burn in hell for it...but guess who's at the bar on Friday nights? Also I've found that as I grow in my relationship with God I don't quite agree with some things i have been tatught. Some other things I'm struggling with. Lately our church has left me cold. I get more from sitting down everyday reading my Bible than from worship service. We have an awesome SS class though. My very best friend IRL is Pentecostal. We talk about beliefs alot. Being raised SB though I would probably freak out going to church with her :-) She teases me all the time about it. I think I probably lean more fundamentalist than anything. No I don't think dancing is wrong...my dd does praise dance..my other dd is a gymnast. I do believe what the Bible says though. It says God created the world in 7 days. That there was morning and night. I take that at what it says. I don't think we are supposed to able to understand everything..like how he could create this whole world in only 7 days. I think it is beyond us. he gives us knowledge and this is something we don't need to know. think about it...they are able now to clone human beings(which I think is wrong) what if they could create a whole new world? they would think(and I'm sure some already do ) think they are like God. Scary! my views may not be popular but that;s where I'm at right now in my walk.
Wife to the love of my life Robert since 2/13/99!!!!! 
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