Comments on: A Simple Question

By: Cliff

Cliff — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:32:14 +0000

Mary, What I like about Boldgrace is that we gather together even when we are not of like mind. You are right, that freedom is the key to any type of gathering in His name. You will notice on this site that most if not all of our criticism targets organized religion, especially where freedom is not allowed. Thankyou for the points you have made.

By: Mary Cage

Mary Cage — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:02:57 +0000

In the early days of the Church (the body of believers in Jesus) people gathered together in simple meetings where Jesus was praised and worshipped. They sang songs and people stood up and talked about Jesus and their belief in Him as the Son of God. But organized religion called “Church” is not the same today as in the early days. It began I suppose in the 300’s A.D. when the Church became organized, ruled over the state and began to force itself on people. The “Church” then began its long journey into apostasy. Today people are brainwashed to believe it is the Church — with all its rituals and laws — that holds the keys to salvation. And people willingly submit themselves to the religious system which tells them how to live their lives to be “right with God.”

There is nothing wrong in fellowshipping with other believers, and if two or three people meet to study the Scriptures, praise the Lord, sing songs together, and proclaim Truth in an atmosphere of freedom, then that is a part of “The Church” meeting together. Jesus said it only takes two or three gathered, and He is in the midst. Jesus is certainly not opposed to our meeting together; He desires it. We who are alienated from the organized denominations — even us Inclusionists — still gather together at our conferences, oftentimes travelling long distances to attend them, because we want to be with those who are like-minded. Those meetiings have become “church” to many of us. Many of us, who yearn for gathering together, but are isolated from other believers, use the Internet with its forums and blogs like this one to gather together. “Church” is still a part of us. It is the form, however, that has changed and continues to change.

It is not gathering together that is wrong. Gathering together is GOOD. What is wrong is false legalistic religion, which the organized, hierarchical churches are full of. God is in the process of judging them, and that is why so many are leaving.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:12:42 +0000

Kiara,
Trust what your heart is telling you because that’s where your Loving Father IS. Believe that He will love you at all times regardless of your performance and you will begin to feel a peace that can not be described by words. It takes time to really trust Him that way because we have been so indoctinated to think His love is based on US, but that is the great lie. He is far, far, above our petty insecurities. His love is constant and true and will never let you down.

By: Kiara

Kiara — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:12:06 +0000

This is an issue that is very important to me right now. I used to be a big time church goer: I went to two different services and church youth group. However, over the last few years I find myself feeling more alienated. After I move out of my parent’s home in the fall I won’t be attending a church for awhile. I don’t know if this will be a permanent change or not.

My main reason for wanting to leave organized religion at least for now is really to clear my mind. I’m tired of wandering whether I “believe” things the right way. Last weekend I was looking at a link to an ex-Mormon site that was brought up in light of the fundamentalist cult that was investigated in TX. I’m not critizing or praising the Mormon faith. However I found something quite interesting. The webmaster of the ex-Mormon site posted hundreds of e-mails from Mormons. Those letters are written in the exact same way many evangelical Christians write or talk to those who have left their faith. The only difference is that the Mormon letters warned about not following Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon instead of common Christian doctrines.

How can anybody be truly secure under that system? I still have a hard time dealing with that kind of fear myself. I don’t know where I’ll be in my spirtual path next year but I need to let go of that fear based religious spirit regardless of what name it takes whether it be Evangelical Christianity, Mormonism, Islam, etc. I wish all of ya’ll the best regardless of what church you attend or don’t attend.:)

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:00:12 +0000

Still, I try to avoid as many vipers as possible. Life is somehow better that way! But, to each his own.

By: John T.

John T. — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:44:39 +0000

Bruce………

The Viper is Life…………and it bites us all. Its called learning. I have met the same level of deception outside the church as I have inside the church. In both cases their were ones who knew they were doing it and ones who didnt. Life is Life……………………Lol wasnt that a song

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:54:04 +0000

I agree completely, Redlefty. You should do whatever you feel you need to do. I’m not out to “fix” anybody. We all must find our own way, in our own style. But, at the same time, if I see someone about to be bitten by a viper, is it not fair to warn them?

The viper is sneaky, and tricky. Full of deceit and cunning. Beware. It will bite you when you least expect it.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:15:49 +0000

Connie said: Some of you may be already on the far shore, sailing on without your boat (organized religion), and the others of us are still in the boat (organized religion) on our way to self-realization]:

I love that quote. Not sure yet what I believe about reincarnation but I’ve often thought that there are some travellers on this earth that are old souls who live this life with a wisdom that could have only came from many lifetimes of lessons. Who knows?

By: Redlefty

Redlefty — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:16:05 +0000

“For those who are happy then we are happy for you, but you don’t need to convince us. ”

Very fair, Cliff. I certainly respect your space to find your way.

Bruce, can you offer the same to us churchgoers? You’re working pretty hard to convince us.

By: dan

dan — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:56:41 +0000

I am currently reading a book by Brain McLaren call Everything Must Change.It has open my eyes to see how people see things in this world and how Jesus Christ bought a new way of looking at this world we live in.
Love Dan