a few questions

[~EmsMum~]

From about the age of 13 till around 17 I was a christian... and then from around the age of 17 I seemed to of dipped out of the church for my own personal reasons..

Id love to go back into the church, but I don't want to give up my life I have now.... I love going to the footy,watching my v8's,having the odd few drinks and listening to non religious music...

my question is if I went back to church would I still be able to do the same things or not??

[B-belle]

yea for sure! Just find one that thinks its not a "sin" to do those things...

[SamanthaJane]

I went to a catholic high school, so we went to the catholic church every month or so for a service.

Being high school students, the majority of us didn't exactly 'stick' with all the requirements of being catholics.

However, we all still went to church.

I enjoyed going to services and listening to the priest give talks. I always found it interesting.

I'm not sure i'm really "allowed" to go into church if i don't stick to every catholic rule though... i hope so... because i'd love to again one day :confused:

[B-belle]

Hmmm my dads a catholic and has been divorced a fair few times...he still goes to church:D

[Lunar]

I listen to Matellica and the likes, drink alcohol (occasionally) even have the od flutter on the pokies (once every 5 blue moons...lol), I swear sometimes too:o , but everyone is welcome in God's house. That is what we go there for, pray to him for forgiveness, help, or for whatever reason. I have not been to church since the day we got married (nearly 2 yrs ago:no: ) but I still pray. You don't have to go to church every week to love God, and you don't have to obey all the 'old rules' I think society has changed alot and the church is very accepting of different walks of life. We are all God's children, he loves and accepts us all.
If you feel you want to return to church, go! You can still keep the life you have today, God will still love you.
:hugs: to you Mandy.

[Pixie]

Why would you not be able to do those things? There is nothing to say you can't!

Well if there is I haven't read/heard of it and I am in a lot of trouble :laughing:

[Verdi]

Ofcourse you can!!! Well i do and i am the ministers daughter and my hubby is a drummer!!!!:yes:

[blessedmummy]

yep of course you can! its fine, i occasionally listen to non-christian music(once in blue moon!) and have a drink occasionally, dont worry, its fine.
hope you enjoy going back to church!

[Nan]

We enjoy all those things in our house (okay, so Eden doesn't drink heehee) and we are leaders in various groups in our church! You go for it, Mandy. God never said "Thou shalt have no life"!!! In fact, He said the opposite. ".....but I have come that they might have life and have it to the full" (John 10:10) Woohoo. :smiliedance: That sounds good to me.
Love,
Nan. xx

[kymmy]

my question is if I went back to church would I still be able to do the same things or not??

I say, why not?
My hubby and I go to Church most Sundays. We are quite active.
We don't drink, or smoke, but we haven't changed our lifestyle. There is no way i am going to stop listening to my music. And hubby likes death metal :eek: "Isn't that devil music?":devil6: It comes down to your belief, I think. !
I don't like to be judged but I can't tell ppl not to judge me. All I can say is, The Lord knows your heart and that is more important than setting up a pretty picture for others to look at.

[~EmsMum~]

thanks for that girls :yes: :hugs:

[Tea Lady]

Hi Mandy, I know your Q has been answered already (I'm just slow as usual!) but I just wanted to add that no church should expect you to do / not do things unless there's a good reason in the bible. I know this isn't always the way churches operate, but I think this is a good reason to know your bible well - then you will know what makes God happy and you won't have to rely on others telling you what they think.

Of course there are times when you'd want to listen to peoples' advice but ultimately I'd rather be trying to please God than a very fallible group of people with their own (often well meaning!) ideas.

From what you said a couple of months ago, that church you went to sounded pretty good - would you go back there?

[~EmsMum~]

Hi Mandy, I know your Q has been answered already (I'm just slow as usual!) but I just wanted to add that no church should expect you to do / not do things unless there's a good reason in the bible. I know this isn't always the way churches operate, but I think this is a good reason to know your bible well - then you will know what makes God happy and you won't have to rely on others telling you what they think.

Of course there are times when you'd want to listen to peoples' advice but ultimately I'd rather be trying to please God than a very fallible group of people with their own (often well meaning!) ideas.

From what you said a couple of months ago, that church you went to sounded pretty good - would you go back there?

id probably go back there or I would either go back to the church where i first went to

[Mamaduke]

Just treat going to church/belonging to a church as an extension of your family - no need to change anything about you.

When DH & I went to Lucas' Baptism meeting Father asked each one of us what being a Catholic meant to us - you should have seen the looks on people's faces...:eek: absolute horror!!
When it came to my turn I simply said...
"Being a Catholic is just another part of my family...
I don't have to come to Sunday lunch every week, and I don't necessarily agree with everything my 'family' says/does...but I know at the end of the day family is always there and it's somewhere that I belong."

BTW...Father loved it!

[reAllytee]

As always what MD said !
Sheesh im Catholic & from a lot of the old school priests standards im never to walk into a church again but i do !
Not every priest is so old school nor does my faith waver because im not married & have a child out of wedlock.
God is everywhere i dont need to go to church every week to prove my faith only He can be the judge.
I would never change myself to go to church & why should i ? This is how He made me :D

[KiLLaKaZ]

your question has been answered but i just have one more thing to add. this is something one of my pastors said a while back, & i never forgot it:

churches should not be telling you "you shouldn't drink, smoke, gamble, etc". if you are a true believer in God then HE will convict you of anything HE sees as being wrong (IF it's wrong!) & you will come to your own decision about giving it up.

sorry, i have not written this as eloquently as he said it, but i'm hoping you understand the meaning...

[~EmsMum~]

your question has been answered but i just have one more thing to add. this is something one of my pastors said a while back, & i never forgot it:

churches should not be telling you "you shouldn't drink, smoke, gamble, etc". if you are a true believer in God then HE will convict you of anything HE sees as being wrong (IF it's wrong!) & you will come to your own decision about giving it up.

sorry, i have not written this as eloquently as he said it, but i'm hoping you understand the meaning...

I know what you mean, thanks for adding that :hugs:

[leejackshands]

i do the same, not all the time though, but i do set one day a week to listen to christian based music. currently i dont go to church as i havent been able to find one that i feel comfotable in yet.