Telaquapacky posted a very moving testimonial in another thread, and it prompted me to start this one.
I put this in General Religious Discussions because I am interested in everyone's responses. So in the spirit of sharing, how did you come to worship, or not worship, where & how you do? Was it a sudden flash, or was it through purposeful study, or some other circumstance?
I guess I'll start.
This part of my life is really in flux right now, I believe. I spent my childhood in Bethsadia Southern Baptist Church, a small church out in the pine woods of northern Louisiana. Music has always moved my heart, and when I was 10 years old, I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior when a song I heard nearly every week "I Surrender All" grabbed my heart in an almost physical grip and pulled me down the aisle.
Much good and bad has happened in my life, and I am hardly a model Christian, though I do hold myself to a high secular standard. No words of man have ever resonated as truth to me the way some music does, especially gospel music. I hear the voice of God dancing in the harmonics.
Testimonials, Please
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
Testimonials, Please
Raised a good catholic girl, hit age 12 and my parents stopped taking us to church and they have gone on and off since then. I never really took religion to heart.
I raised my daughters with the knowledge that I do not practice but if ever they were interested they could ask me where to turn. I told them both their aunt and granny were very religious and if they wanted they could speak to them about it.
In an 18 month span of time In my recent adulthood I lost 5 very very dear people in my life and some were religious and some were not and I formed the opinion that neither were treated differently throughout their illness's or dieing times they were all victims of circumstance and I then decided my only faith is in myself.
I raised my daughters with the knowledge that I do not practice but if ever they were interested they could ask me where to turn. I told them both their aunt and granny were very religious and if they wanted they could speak to them about it.
In an 18 month span of time In my recent adulthood I lost 5 very very dear people in my life and some were religious and some were not and I formed the opinion that neither were treated differently throughout their illness's or dieing times they were all victims of circumstance and I then decided my only faith is in myself.
�You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.�
• Mae West
• Mae West
Testimonials, Please
I am a regular churchgoer, until recently heavily involved in Sunday School. Church of England so we keep ourselves to ourselves and don't talk about it much. In this country the Church has shaped our culture and heritage, not to mention the landscape. It is part of us. I wonder how people manage without.
It is a pity that the Church of England as the establishment today shows itself to have such poor judgement. However, the 'grass roots' flourishes regardless, a vital part of the community.
It is a pity that the Church of England as the establishment today shows itself to have such poor judgement. However, the 'grass roots' flourishes regardless, a vital part of the community.
-
chonsigirl
- Posts: 33633
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:28 am
Testimonials, Please
I was raised in an evangelical Protestant household, and my parents were missionaries. They went to various areas of the world, and sometimes we went along too. My family raised me to believe the Bible as Word of God, and that Jesus came to save us. I believed in Jesus as my Savior when I was 7 years old.
I have gone through good times and bad times. I would never have survived the bad times if God wasn't there to help me out. He has always taken care of me, miraculously saved my husband's life-he's home and only progresses forward in his recovery.
Oh, I could tell many a story of when God saved me from dangers, and horrible accidents, and my own stupid acts. But suffice it to say, Iwouldn't be here writing this if He didn't.
I have gone through good times and bad times. I would never have survived the bad times if God wasn't there to help me out. He has always taken care of me, miraculously saved my husband's life-he's home and only progresses forward in his recovery.
Oh, I could tell many a story of when God saved me from dangers, and horrible accidents, and my own stupid acts. But suffice it to say, Iwouldn't be here writing this if He didn't.
Testimonials, Please
When I was eight years old, I was adopted. I was christened shortly afterwards at the local church, Church of England. My Godparents gave me a copy of the Holy Bible for my christening. I still have this book.
At eight years old, I was an avid reader (some would say a bookworm). I read anything I could lay my hands on. The Bible, however, fascinated me. It was full of brotherhood, conflict, miracles, wisdom, and more.
My new parents were not churchgoers, although they would use the church for weddings, christenings, and funerals. They did not require their children to be religious, but they always answered our questions as best as they could. For my part, I decided to go to church to learn more. I went to the C of E church, then later, I went to Sunday School at a local Baptist church.
By the time I was ten years old, I realised that something was not quite as it should be. The words and messages of the Bible were preached, but I saw little evidence of practice.
When I turned eleven, my family moved from Torquay to St. Albans. Torquay cost too much to live in and the wages were low. My parents had moved to Torquay to be close to Dad's family. In St. Albans, Dad could go back to his work as an aircraft engineer. But I didn't continue going to church.
I could not feel God's spirit in the churches. Rather, I found it in certain individuals who were so blessed, full of fun, compassionate, and kind. But these people were not all of the Christian faith.
Since then, I have learnt a lot more that has shown me that religion is a political tool and has been used as such. Remember the old woman who gave all that she had into the collection box at the synagogue?
Jesus was a poor man and as far removed from the synagogues of his day as he is from the present day churches. I for one know and confess that I could not even hold his cup, let alone drink from it. Yet, deep inside me, I believe in Jesus and in JHWH. I just cannot see a single religious organisation that truly practises the faith. I walk in the world full of God's people and those that either cannot see, or do not want to see God. Then there are those that think they see Him, but do not realise that no one can ever see but a part of God.
I am still learning. I have also looked at other world religions and I find the Judaeic-Christian religion to hold an unique message. While a common theme tends to run through all religions, the one of Jesus and JHWH stands apart from the rest.
There have been many times in my past when I have fallen, yet something has helped me to pick myself up again. I have concluded that this was God, each time. He loves me and I love Him and He is helping me to understand His Creation.
I believe that God is there, but I do not think that He is what everyone expects Him to be. He is more than that, and nothing that we can imagine. I just have to remember that He loves His Creation.
At eight years old, I was an avid reader (some would say a bookworm). I read anything I could lay my hands on. The Bible, however, fascinated me. It was full of brotherhood, conflict, miracles, wisdom, and more.
My new parents were not churchgoers, although they would use the church for weddings, christenings, and funerals. They did not require their children to be religious, but they always answered our questions as best as they could. For my part, I decided to go to church to learn more. I went to the C of E church, then later, I went to Sunday School at a local Baptist church.
By the time I was ten years old, I realised that something was not quite as it should be. The words and messages of the Bible were preached, but I saw little evidence of practice.
When I turned eleven, my family moved from Torquay to St. Albans. Torquay cost too much to live in and the wages were low. My parents had moved to Torquay to be close to Dad's family. In St. Albans, Dad could go back to his work as an aircraft engineer. But I didn't continue going to church.
I could not feel God's spirit in the churches. Rather, I found it in certain individuals who were so blessed, full of fun, compassionate, and kind. But these people were not all of the Christian faith.
Since then, I have learnt a lot more that has shown me that religion is a political tool and has been used as such. Remember the old woman who gave all that she had into the collection box at the synagogue?
Jesus was a poor man and as far removed from the synagogues of his day as he is from the present day churches. I for one know and confess that I could not even hold his cup, let alone drink from it. Yet, deep inside me, I believe in Jesus and in JHWH. I just cannot see a single religious organisation that truly practises the faith. I walk in the world full of God's people and those that either cannot see, or do not want to see God. Then there are those that think they see Him, but do not realise that no one can ever see but a part of God.
I am still learning. I have also looked at other world religions and I find the Judaeic-Christian religion to hold an unique message. While a common theme tends to run through all religions, the one of Jesus and JHWH stands apart from the rest.
There have been many times in my past when I have fallen, yet something has helped me to pick myself up again. I have concluded that this was God, each time. He loves me and I love Him and He is helping me to understand His Creation.
I believe that God is there, but I do not think that He is what everyone expects Him to be. He is more than that, and nothing that we can imagine. I just have to remember that He loves His Creation.
-
telaquapacky
- Posts: 754
- Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:00 pm
Testimonials, Please
I have a story about a testimony you might find interesting. Some years ago, I used to go to do jailhouse ministries with some other church members. The jailers would first go through the cells announcing that a church group was there, and sometimes we would get a big crowd- some times a small crowd, in a large, common, barred room. The crowd would be small if some of the inmates ridiculed our efforts and made anyone feel silly for going.
This one particular day, though the jail was almost full, we got only two men. One was a smart-aleky looking long haired white guy. The other was a sorrowful looking mexican with a broken arm in a cast and sling.
We did the usual thing, starting with a song service I would lead with my guitar, and someone would give a short talk or Bible study or testimony. One of us gave a testimony.
Then the smart-aleky guy told us that he would like to give his testimony. He started giving this mock conversion story about all the sexual sins he committed before his "conversion," in which he went into the most graphic and offensive detail, really stretching his imagination, in an attempt to get us to react or to disgust us.
We watched and listened, passive and smiling, giving no indication that we disapproved of anything he said, though it was clearly concocted to mock us. I guess we didn't want to give him the satisfaction of getting our goat.
When the smart-alek finished, we thanked him, and at that point, the Mexican man spoke up. One of us was from Belize, and spoke Spanish, and interpreted for him. He said that he was very impressed by the other man's (smart aleky guy's) testimony, though he could not understand it, not speaking English. He felt because of the other inmate's testimony, moved to give his own.
He had had a quarrel with his wife, and hit her, then he stole his brother-in-law's car, was chased down by his brother in law, in another car, and a fight ensued, in which his arm was broken, and he was arrested. Tears started falling as he related how bad a husband and father he had been, and how he wished so much to get back with God and straighten out his life. He asked us what local church we had that he could go to after he was released.
On the way out, we all shook the mens' hands, and we made sure to thank the first inmate sincerely for his nice testimony!
This one particular day, though the jail was almost full, we got only two men. One was a smart-aleky looking long haired white guy. The other was a sorrowful looking mexican with a broken arm in a cast and sling.
We did the usual thing, starting with a song service I would lead with my guitar, and someone would give a short talk or Bible study or testimony. One of us gave a testimony.
Then the smart-aleky guy told us that he would like to give his testimony. He started giving this mock conversion story about all the sexual sins he committed before his "conversion," in which he went into the most graphic and offensive detail, really stretching his imagination, in an attempt to get us to react or to disgust us.
We watched and listened, passive and smiling, giving no indication that we disapproved of anything he said, though it was clearly concocted to mock us. I guess we didn't want to give him the satisfaction of getting our goat.
When the smart-alek finished, we thanked him, and at that point, the Mexican man spoke up. One of us was from Belize, and spoke Spanish, and interpreted for him. He said that he was very impressed by the other man's (smart aleky guy's) testimony, though he could not understand it, not speaking English. He felt because of the other inmate's testimony, moved to give his own.
He had had a quarrel with his wife, and hit her, then he stole his brother-in-law's car, was chased down by his brother in law, in another car, and a fight ensued, in which his arm was broken, and he was arrested. Tears started falling as he related how bad a husband and father he had been, and how he wished so much to get back with God and straighten out his life. He asked us what local church we had that he could go to after he was released.
On the way out, we all shook the mens' hands, and we made sure to thank the first inmate sincerely for his nice testimony!
Look what the cat dragged in.
Testimonials, Please
I was bought up as a Christian (Church of England) going to Church most sundays until i was about 11. My Grandfather was church warden of our local church. I had 2 Uncles that were both Bishops in the North of England. I was married in church and my children were all baptised.
Since childhood, my Church visits have been related to Weddings, Christenings, Funerals etc. I can only remember specifically praying to God for help when my Mum was dying in hospital.
My daughter has practised Buddhism for 10 years and has often asked me to attend meetings.....so I decided to attend a meeting nearly a year ago...I was at a particularly low ebb.
I have practised Buddhism ever since. I feel comfortable practising but I have sometimes experienced a conflict of faith....not in what I believe, but part of me doesn't want to offend GOD.....gosh.....it's hard to explain but It's not easy when you've followed Christianity for 57 years. However Living by the 'Ten Commandments' and living by the guidance of Buddhism is basically the same.
I have been happier, more confident and hopefully a 'better' person since I've been practising .
I hope this hasn't gone off topic too much...apologies if it has.
Since childhood, my Church visits have been related to Weddings, Christenings, Funerals etc. I can only remember specifically praying to God for help when my Mum was dying in hospital.
My daughter has practised Buddhism for 10 years and has often asked me to attend meetings.....so I decided to attend a meeting nearly a year ago...I was at a particularly low ebb.
I have practised Buddhism ever since. I feel comfortable practising but I have sometimes experienced a conflict of faith....not in what I believe, but part of me doesn't want to offend GOD.....gosh.....it's hard to explain but It's not easy when you've followed Christianity for 57 years. However Living by the 'Ten Commandments' and living by the guidance of Buddhism is basically the same.
I have been happier, more confident and hopefully a 'better' person since I've been practising .
I hope this hasn't gone off topic too much...apologies if it has.
A smile is a window on your face to show your heart is home
Testimonials, Please
I was raised Catholic. The religion never met any needs for me. Never once did I feel spiritually moved during a mass or ritual. I began searching for answers when I was 17. My friend who I loved was killed in an accident and I needed to find a place to go to get relief from the pain. I visited many different churches. It took a long time to discover that the search had to go on in my own heart and mind. I wasnt going to find answers in a building or from a book. I did some time in a cult in the early seventies. Grew to have more and more disdain for organized religion as I grew older. I felt sick as each crime committed by Catholic clergy was brought to light. Felt myself avoiding zealous members of any organized group. Found that the most peace came to me when I was helping or interracting with other people. By reading and living I discovered that my beliefs most matched the philosophical teachings of Buddhisim. The most spiritual enlightenment always came to me by having the courage to face life situations alone.. without a safety net or an excuse for why things do or do not happen. So now after maybe 40 years of searching I find myself with my own religion. Its just a combination of things that I believe. And I have found many people whos beliefs are similar to mine. I do believe in a divine presence out there somewhere. I think we get spoken to and can hear if we listen. I think our job on earth is to be good people and to help and have compassion for others. I think spiritual growth is stunted when restricted to the rules of a book. I dont make any man my God. Priests, pastors, evengelists etc... I have no idea what I will find when I close my eyes for the last time. But I dont spend my time on earth worrying about it. I have a strong feeling it will be nothing. Just like I have no memory of anything before I was born. If my soul goes on to live again... I probably wont be aware of it. I do question suffering but I dont think Ill ever find a comforting explanation for it.
[FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][/FONT]
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
Testimonials, Please
Bez wrote: [....]
I hope this hasn't gone off topic too much...apologies if it has.
It's exactly on topic, dear. These responses are precisely what I'd hoped for. Thank you. :yh_flower
I hope this hasn't gone off topic too much...apologies if it has.
It's exactly on topic, dear. These responses are precisely what I'd hoped for. Thank you. :yh_flower
Testimonials, Please
Well, for a slightly different perspective, here's my experience:
I was raised *shudder* "Seventh-Day Adventist." What is the message that this particular group of hypocrites likes to send out? Protect and lie for, even embrace infidelity, openly lie about abusive teachers and figures of authority, cover for child molesters, allow teachers in the school system to knock up students and simply transfer them to further locations, and generally be the hypocrites that 99.9% of all organized religions are.
I've said it before, I will say it every single day till I die: A person's walk with God is a private thing. No religion, no person, no so-called "man of God", no one "ordained" or any other such nonsensical crap will ever get me to follow any religion of any sort ever again. Does that mean I am missing out on something? Nope. It means for ME, organized religion is a farce. A huge, fat lie crammed down the throats of the unsuspecting and gullible.
I talk to God every day. Whoever He or She might be. That's all I need. Sometimes I've gotten answered, sometimes I haven't. I figure, if there's a being or power or whatever, up there looking over things, they'll know what and how to answer and what not to.
I was raised *shudder* "Seventh-Day Adventist." What is the message that this particular group of hypocrites likes to send out? Protect and lie for, even embrace infidelity, openly lie about abusive teachers and figures of authority, cover for child molesters, allow teachers in the school system to knock up students and simply transfer them to further locations, and generally be the hypocrites that 99.9% of all organized religions are.
I've said it before, I will say it every single day till I die: A person's walk with God is a private thing. No religion, no person, no so-called "man of God", no one "ordained" or any other such nonsensical crap will ever get me to follow any religion of any sort ever again. Does that mean I am missing out on something? Nope. It means for ME, organized religion is a farce. A huge, fat lie crammed down the throats of the unsuspecting and gullible.
I talk to God every day. Whoever He or She might be. That's all I need. Sometimes I've gotten answered, sometimes I haven't. I figure, if there's a being or power or whatever, up there looking over things, they'll know what and how to answer and what not to.
[FONT=Arial Black]I hope you cherish this sweet way of life, and I hope you know that it comes with a price.
~Darrel Worley~
[/FONT]
Bullet's trial was a farce. Can I get an AMEN?????
We won't be punished for our sins, but BY them.
~Darrel Worley~
[/FONT]
Bullet's trial was a farce. Can I get an AMEN?????
We won't be punished for our sins, but BY them.
Testimonials, Please
Micah 6:8 puts it quite clearly when it says that God requires that we "do justice, love kindliness and walk humbly with your God". Jesus added a two point commandment, in Matt 22, and clearly said that the whole of the law was based on those two points; love God and love your neighbour.
Shalom
Ted:-6
Shalom
Ted:-6
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
Testimonials, Please
Ted, I'd be grateful if you'd post how you came to worship the way you do.
Testimonials, Please
Acc:-6
I was raised in a very fundamentalist/literalist church. I finally came to the conclusion through reading and observation that it was not preaching what I read in the Bible. I also had to question many of the literalist readings such as the creation story, the sun standing still for a day or somewhere around 48 hours, dinosaurs, evolution (which made perfect sense to me) etc. I decided to go to the Presbyterian Church but was not totally satisfied.
I decided to try the Anglican Church which I found to be very open and accepting of the reality around me.
After some 9 years as university in which I studied Bible translation in both Hebrew and Greek as well as interpretation and Biblical history and after much discussion and learning informally from scholars with whom I am acquainted I came to realize that the Christian faith had to change or risk losing its credibility.
The authors I read and those I have discussed with and learned from made complete sense to me. After the education and experiences that I have had as well is much prayer and meditation I have reached the point where I happily refer to myself as a Christian-pluralist. This BTW my church knows and accepts. It must do so since I have been appointed recently to the Eucharistic Ministry.
And yet, after all that time, I still take courses at the Vancouver School of Theology where I have been able to interact with more scholars and learn from them and still read as much as my eyes will allow. I know so little and there is so much more to learn and do. I try, with God's help to live as I believe and to teach as I believe. It has been my calling to be a servant and that is how I live.
Others are free to take what I say or disregard it. That is their choice.
I hopoe this answers your question.
Shalom
Ted:-6
I was raised in a very fundamentalist/literalist church. I finally came to the conclusion through reading and observation that it was not preaching what I read in the Bible. I also had to question many of the literalist readings such as the creation story, the sun standing still for a day or somewhere around 48 hours, dinosaurs, evolution (which made perfect sense to me) etc. I decided to go to the Presbyterian Church but was not totally satisfied.
I decided to try the Anglican Church which I found to be very open and accepting of the reality around me.
After some 9 years as university in which I studied Bible translation in both Hebrew and Greek as well as interpretation and Biblical history and after much discussion and learning informally from scholars with whom I am acquainted I came to realize that the Christian faith had to change or risk losing its credibility.
The authors I read and those I have discussed with and learned from made complete sense to me. After the education and experiences that I have had as well is much prayer and meditation I have reached the point where I happily refer to myself as a Christian-pluralist. This BTW my church knows and accepts. It must do so since I have been appointed recently to the Eucharistic Ministry.
And yet, after all that time, I still take courses at the Vancouver School of Theology where I have been able to interact with more scholars and learn from them and still read as much as my eyes will allow. I know so little and there is so much more to learn and do. I try, with God's help to live as I believe and to teach as I believe. It has been my calling to be a servant and that is how I live.
Others are free to take what I say or disregard it. That is their choice.
I hopoe this answers your question.
Shalom
Ted:-6
Testimonials, Please
SnoozeControl wrote: Wow, there's a lot of that that resonates with me. The closest I ever felt to God wasn't in a church but when I was visiting the redwoods on the coast of Northern California and a ray of sunlight came down through the branches. Sounds corny, but I was struck by how beautiful the world is (in parts.)
I agree. Be the best person you can be. I obviously have a long way to go, but its a lifetime commitment.
I am delayed replying as I cannot receive e mail notification. I feel whatever it is we feel spiritually.... when I put my hands in dirt, observe things growing, See tears in the eyes of a friend,surprise on the face of a child when they pet a cat. Receive encouragement from strangers. I feel spiritual energy when I look in the face of someone who is cruel. What we believe is all around us... breathing. We just have to raise our antennae up. I had feeling we had similar beliefs Snooze. I just became aware this week that I am a receiver. I receive the feelings of others,when I dont tune it out. That is why I am a sufferer, and that is why people tell me things that even they are surprised that they tell me. The world reveals itself to you, when like minded people discover each other. I believe that religion inhibits those threads from forming. It is a detour preventing access to the road that leads to individual spiritual growth. So I am grateful that I believe the way I do. Life is richer, and changes everyday because the experience is not restricted by notions conceived by and adhered to, by those looking for a pat answer.
I agree. Be the best person you can be. I obviously have a long way to go, but its a lifetime commitment.
I am delayed replying as I cannot receive e mail notification. I feel whatever it is we feel spiritually.... when I put my hands in dirt, observe things growing, See tears in the eyes of a friend,surprise on the face of a child when they pet a cat. Receive encouragement from strangers. I feel spiritual energy when I look in the face of someone who is cruel. What we believe is all around us... breathing. We just have to raise our antennae up. I had feeling we had similar beliefs Snooze. I just became aware this week that I am a receiver. I receive the feelings of others,when I dont tune it out. That is why I am a sufferer, and that is why people tell me things that even they are surprised that they tell me. The world reveals itself to you, when like minded people discover each other. I believe that religion inhibits those threads from forming. It is a detour preventing access to the road that leads to individual spiritual growth. So I am grateful that I believe the way I do. Life is richer, and changes everyday because the experience is not restricted by notions conceived by and adhered to, by those looking for a pat answer.
[FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][/FONT]