[Nada.Leona]

As I mentioned in my way too long previous thread, I have been called back to Christianity by Jesus. About a week before Kyle and I broke up, He seemed to be everywhere I looked. Now I find myself in prayer for several hours a day, reading the Bible daily, and thinking clearer and more sound than I have in a long time.

I think back to my time with Wicca and think fondly of that time -- I learned a lot from it and don't see it all that different from Christianity.

My question to you all is: what made you stray away from the religion you were raised in? What made you come back to it? Or what made you choose a completely different path?

I would love to hear some of the stories of lost and found faith.

 

[momtoadiva]

Great question. My mom was brought up strict penecostal (sp). Girls don't wear make up, pants, cut their hair etc. Mom hated it and she brought me up more or less without religion and allowed me to go to church and be a part or not. Grandma Mom's mom of course would take me to church with her and well it was kinda scary and weird. They would jump up and start yelling, talking in tongue I was young it was frightening. I didn't think this should be what religion was all about...being scared so I just never got back into it.
My Dad's dad was Baptist and women were to be barefoot and pregnant. Neither one I was brought up in; were women held with any regard and IMHO I dont believe thats what God would think.
I do believe and have my own relationship with God. For me that's sacred I prefer to have a peace of mind and quiet when I'm with him or talking to him...I find that most in my own home.

 

[hunertime]

I was born and raised Catholic my mom took us to church when she could and my dad didn't go. I met my husband he was Lutheran and went to church and was involved I wanted that i turned Lutheran and I haven't looked back since.
I am happy you have found your faith and the Lord is working in your life.

 

[stinkbug]

I'm one who has drifted.....quit attending our church about 2 years ago and haven't really been looking for anything else. We were treated disrespectfully by some when they found out our daughter was living with her SO (they are married now), and before that, that her room mate was gay. Also I found it interesting that after attending there for nearly 10 years.....NO one called or asked about our absense. I was fed up with some of the *suggestions* that were made in a coercive way (telling you who to vote for, etc) and I just haven't looked back. We still tithe to a local charity that we are dedicated to.

 

[quiltergirl]

I felt forced out of my church when the denomination started becoming more and more conservative. It was basically a "hostile takeover" and many lay people as well as clergy left or were asked to leave. I was a seminary student at the time. The denomination ordained women (as far as I know still does) but congregations were not very willing to accept women pastors. I still struggle with what to do when God calls but the church says no.

Over the years I have become more spiritual -- but I don't see myself returning to organized religion. My art has become my ministry I believe that God is all and in all -- as close as the air I breathe. Wherever I am God is. We do attend a monthly contempletive prayer service, but have our own private mediation practice on a daily basis.

 

[momtoadiva]

Off subject but I had to take a religion class for college and we were ask to write a paper about religion. I wrote a very heated topic about women in the bible and how they were treated by men. How the bilble was very obviously wrote by men, due to some of the sacraficing of women. He-he my instructor had a man's man attitude and it showed, just thought I would take him down a notch or two. I got an A "very interesting" on the paper onder:

 

[TheRootedNomad]

I was raised Catholic and have found it to be a very guilt driven religion. It is much more black and white then what I feel is the reality of life. I will probably stay with this denomination and have started raiseing my children loosely in it for tradition and consistency. I guess you could say I'm currently just drifting.

 

[Edna_E]

I drifted simply because I got busy doing other things. What started with simply not going to church occasionally eventually took me to a point where I had not been over a church threshhold for several years.
What got me back was a statement from my 2 year old son. I had broken up with a man I'd been dating rather seriously, and was sitting on the couch crying. DS came over and patted me and said "I know you think you'll be lonely but remember you're not really alone!" I said "I know, honey. I know you're with me and you love me!" and he replied "Not ME, mom. I have to go to school! God is ALWAYS with you!" I realized that this kid had never been to church or Sunday school, and kind of thought that was a direct communication. Went back to regular church going and have for 18 years now.

 

[wulong32]

Great question. My mom was brought up strict penecostal (sp). Girls don't wear make up, pants, cut their hair etc. Mom hated it and she brought me up more or less without religion and allowed me to go to church and be a part or not. Grandma Mom's mom of course would take me to church with her and well it was kinda scary and weird. They would jump up and start yelling, talking in tongue I was young it was frightening. I didn't think this should be what religion was all about...being scared so I just never got back into it.


I was raised Apostolic Pentecotal until I was 14, then I refused to go. Everyone was extremely conservative, and well, a little weird. I realized that a religion where I would be condemned for trimming my hair or wearing nail polish wasnt something I wanted to be a part of.Im sorry, but I dont think a loving God would send me to hell for trimming off my split ends.

 

[larabelle]

My mom was also brought up strict pentecostal. Girls didn't wear make up, pants, cut their hair etc. My Dad's dad was Baptist and women were not held in high regard.
My mom was so judgemental and had no mercy in her. I associated God with the same attributes and I did not want to be associated with a God like that. When I became an adult I begin reading the bible for myself and attending a liberal church which did not focus on outward appearance but rather the condition of the heart and ones relationship with God. I was instantly drawn back to God and have not left.

 

[PplAmanda]

I went to a Pentecostal church with my great grandmother and great aunt when I was growing up. I was the only one in my immediate family to go.
I stopped attending when I was around 16 and never went back.
As an adult I was looking for a church to attend and started researching online and reading my Bible and praying.
I found a wonderful church that I love and, looking back on my life, realize that I was always destined to find.
Exactly 1 yr and 7 days ago I was baptised and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am so happy that our heavenly Father led me down this path. My husband joined shortly after we were married 6 months ago and we love learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and attending services together.
I hope that you find where you belong as well Lady Nada. Thanks for starting this thread!

 

[forHISglory]

I didn't stray far. I was raised in a little country one room church; it was American Baptist. I'm guessing it was just a normal Baptist church for its size. When my parents moved to a different county, they then attended a larger church that was quite a bit more conservative. By this time, I was old enough to realize that while the theology was similar to my former church, that the rules attached to it were difficult to keep. But by this time, I was gone to college out of state. There, I attended a Southern Baptist church off and on. Again, the theology seemed OK, but the rules were much more liberal. After college, I finally joined a SBC church and I've been happy in it. My family thinks that it is WAY too liberal, but I find them to be very loving and giving. I have really grown in my faith and knowledge since that time. So, see? I didn't stray too far! But I found it important to choose a church carefully, and not choose it just because of who else (family or friends) went there.

 

[ab27]

I believe in God, but the problem is that people have twisted religion for their own ends. The bible has been rewritten and books taken out to suit political powers since it was originally written. As far as how old the earth is, no one knows. Many of what these preachers teach doesn't follow along with scientific scrutiny. Sure, there is having faith, but having faith in contrary to massive amounts of careful evidence is stupidity. I think there was much left out of the bible, and churches today focus too much on petty things, like long hair on guys and other matters that I doubt God cares about.

 

[mombottoo]

I was not raised in one specific organized religion, but I was raised as Christian. Since becoming an adult I have not attended church other than for my wedding, other weddings, my son's Confirmation & Baptism, funerals and the mother/daughter banquets my grandma's church held. My children attended Sunday School while they were growing up and I let them know my feelings on faith.

That being said, I don't believe a person has to attend a church or be a member of a church to be a Christian. I still consider myself to be of the Christian faith and I believe that Jesus Christ is whom the Bible claims him to be.