non christian attending church meeting today, wow pressure from pastor-any non christ

[joel]

any non christian ppl in here. well today i attended a church meeting, my new friend i met in class told me to come and attend. it held at someones house ,considering its small attendance of only approx 30 ppl guys and girls.

 

after meeting the pastor , and almsot everyone. we all go gather and talk about school, life and introduction since i'm new-my name, where i go to school, where i live....etc

 

i foudn the pastor to be very assetive , asking where i attend my last church, asking me how long i been going for and pretty much trying to get me to attend their church. he was very pressuring saying things like "i like to see you again, i can show you pastlife", "do you now what bapatise is"-he read the statement in bible to tell me what it was about-he even wanted to get me bapatise by pouring water on me. asking me when i can come back to the church meeting-which is like a 1 hr bus ride-have no car. busy as i am with school and work i just kinda of declined,but said maybe tues. the pastor and even some other church goers actually want me to attend their church-introducing me to the statements, and words of jesus.

 

my freind who introduce me to it, said church really helped him. he had family problems, a internet addiction and it helped him a lot spirtually. the pastor taught him self control, how he saw ppl as ungrateful and now after attending church seeing ppl differently. he even said after attending churhc he was happier with life, and saw things in a brighter way. he even mention how ppl need a spirtual life.

he mention how private school kids do better in school and also in life, b/c they emphasize a spirtual aspect of life to them, while public schools don;t . you can't just work, school and then one gets stress, u need a spirtual aspect. ppl that don;t have a spiritual aspect smoke , drink, drugs to ease off stress.

 

i wonder why that pastor is so eager for me to join his church, i attended for 2 yrs at another church-didn;t like it, only went b/c of family friend. i'm not even christian or even attended church growing up. why are they so eager for me to join, and why do some of em even offer to pick u up from ur house to go to fellowship bible study

[Citizen Erased]

God some Christians annoy me. I used to have some friends who would always try to convince me to come to church with them. Once they even asked my mother first to get her to convince me to go Not knowing of course we are Catholic and no way on God's green Earth was my mother letting me go to a "heathen church"

 

It comes down to two things. If you believe in God and if you believe in the the teachings of the particular denomination. If not then DO NOT be baptised, don't go to anymore meetings. "It changed my life" blah blah blah. That's great and all, but if you only embrace a religion so your life changes then that is the WRONG REASON.

[Sean0775]

you can't just work, school and then one gets stress, u need a spirtual aspect. ppl that don;t have a spiritual aspect smoke , drink, drugs to ease off stress.

That pastor is a blithering idiot and you shouldn't listen to a word he says. I know a lot of regular church goers that drink and smoke simply because they enjoy the feeling it gives them. Anytime someone tries to claim that a person has nothing without a spiritual life, it's just like the morality police in politics trying to tell us how to live. In a way it's worse because rather than trying to get laws past, these psycho christians try to use faith to manipulate people. I lost my faith in "god" after going to a christian group meeting in college for that reason. I don't believe the true God wants us to be so willfully ignorant of the world around us.

[joel]

well i went to church before , but another one through a family friend-just to check it out, and had nothign to do. i wanted to go to meet ppl, make friends, maybe check out the hot girls too lol haha. i went for 2 yrs off and on , sometimes fellowship and church-was not serious about the religion-just went to network , friends...etc

 

this classmate told me to come, i didn;t now i was goin to get pressured. it was inside the pastors house, they are constructing a church at another location. i think hes trying to recruit new members considering his size of members from what i saw was only 30 ppl yesterday.

my friend said going to church reguarly can really help u in life: that i'm not sure? he said with life, school, friends-if u having a rough time and that going would u later find out how much help it later brings. u notice how life changes. not sure if its true.

btw i am not christain, was not raised as one. family is non religious,

[joel]

That pastor is a blithering idiot and you shouldn't listen to a word he says. I know a lot of regular church goers that drink and smoke simply because they enjoy the feeling it gives them. Anytime someone tries to claim that a person has nothing without a spiritual life, it's just like the morality police in politics trying to tell us how to live. In a way it's worse because rather than trying to get laws past, these psycho christians try to use faith to manipulate people. I lost my faith in "god" after going to a christian group meeting in college for that reason. I don't believe the true God wants us to be so willfully ignorant of the world around us.

 

i wonder b/c my class mate says he had problems too with life-school, parents nagging him, internet addiction, being ungrateful to life, saw ppl as selfish...etc and that after going to church how life really changed him. he saw life as better, and how it made him happier and more ful filled. he was happier with ppl, friends, family -after going to church and how the pastor there is really there to help u, other churches they don;t even want to talk to u or listen to u and that this pastor nows what he is talking about. he said hes been to the same church i went to and he said he didn't like it,-too much fun and games, bible study was not focussed, and that he liked this church. i think he wants me to come. lol i doubt i will. jsut hate being pressured, feels weird.

[Storyrider]

Proselytizing is viewed as a Christian duty and an integral part of most Christian denominations. Many Christians feel they are saving others from ignorance and from going to hell, so they view it as a kindness.

 

Some are extremely aggressive, rushed, and pushy about it. Since you don't have a strong spiritual life now and have no dedication to any faith in particular, they probably view you as someone who is particularly lost and who could be easily saved.

[lonelybird]

why are they so eager for me to join, and why do some of em even offer to pick u up from ur house to go to fellowship bible study

I am a converted Christian. and this is the best thing that happened to me, I will not trade anything for this. I see myself change, people around me change, God blessed me in a big way, I feel content and fulfilled. and the relationship with Lord is very amazing experience, he (Jesus) teach me things and wisdom on a daily basis, and comfort me often.

 

Hell and heaven is real. I think your friends are out of love, they want you to go to heaven and also have a fulfilled and peaceful life here on earth. and Bible is words of God, full of wisdom. It isn't that 'you have to do this, you have to do that (forcing never works anyway)', it much like if you are hunger for wisdom of God and love God and want to do things right in God's eyes, read Bible, you will draw wisdom from it and can live a successful and spiritual life; but if you don't think Bible is full of wisdom and don't love God, that become 'compel', and you probably can learn nothing from God and his words. so Lord said "blessed are those who are hunger". It is a big loss for those who don't believe and don't read Bible. Bible is a fulfillment and success and everything book. and most important thing is that you have a personal relationship with Lord and you can have eternal life.

[Zona76]

Christian Gatherings with Young People is a nice way to get together and speak about personal thoughts. If you are not happy in one you may find it in another.

May I suggest a non-denominational

As for what you feel personally about baptism and dedication... it's best to be honest and let the pastor know you're not ready for that commitment in your life. Tell him/her when you make the decision it will be one you know you can keep.

 

Christianity is a religion. It's a belief, a faith, and for the most part a way of life.

It takes strength to make a commitment.

 

My personal belief is not only in the bible but includes nature as well.

I believe there is no "Hell"

God loves all his children and would never permit them tortured. Hell is the grave. Hell is Eternal death.

I don't believe I will go to heaven. I feel I will be resurrected to a New Earth. A clean earth in the same design as the original. Eden will begin again and his original plan will return.

I believe in the separation of The Father and the Son. Christianity holds a doctrine that forces you to believe in Trinity.

Am I wrong in what I believe? Some may say yes.

Wow, Sorry...I didn't mean to preach!

[Yosef]

That pastor is a blithering idiot and you shouldn't listen to a word he says. I know a lot of regular church goers that drink and smoke simply because they enjoy the feeling it gives them. Anytime someone tries to claim that a person has nothing without a spiritual life, it's just like the morality police in politics trying to tell us how to live. In a way it's worse because rather than trying to get laws past, these psycho christians try to use faith to manipulate people. I lost my faith in "god" after going to a christian group meeting in college for that reason. I don't believe the true God wants us to be so willfully ignorant of the world around us.

 

OMG, nothing pain me more than seeing a psycho christian. Well, there is one thing, and that's bullying. The bible says to give RESPECT to those who you evangelize or attempt to evangelize. If you are too hard on someone and you try too hard to convert them, it only makes it harder for the "target" to absorb the message. The biggest key when you want to evangalize is to be VERY patient and open-minded. Only expose them to little at a time over a period of time. Not everyone is going to have a "God IS real" moment.

 

Unfortunately, many psycho christians don't understand that concept, overlooking it and totally ignoring it. It's a shame.