Struggling with Church.

"Saved" from what, Endless Strife?

ok I agree that you could interpret what I wrote that way.

No I know - but you did claim that everyone needs something to worship and atheists just need to find the right religion, which is simply not true.

SirChenjin
"Everyone is different though, and for many religion is a lifeline - I do understand that."
Exactly. And I don't expect others to go down the route that I did.

I’m going to disagree with you again Fennel I’m afraid! I’ve had my share of very difficult times but just don’t feel the need to cling onto anything. I’m content with my family, my friends, my hobbies and my work and I find comfort in them.

Everyone is different though, and for many religion is a lifeline - I do understand that.

I became an evangelical Christian in my teens because I was impressed by some church members, who seemed to really live their beliefs, and I was seduced the security, love and fellowship they offered.
If I'm honest I had niggling doubts about the Christian beliefs from the beginning, and over time these doubts grew, and I realised that my faith did not stand up to scrutiny and logic, or my life view, and I left.
Some years later I discovered Humanism, and realise this is which is where I should have been all along. It makes sense for me, have met some likeminded people, and we have great discussions about just about everything. I can understand why others have a strong religious faith, and I would not criticise, or judge anyone, as life is tough and we all find our own way. I don't know whether there is a God or not, but so far I see no evidence that there is. This does not mean that Humanists are not spiritual, and find great pleasure in life, believing this is the only life we have and are not holding out for the hearafter, and there are so many great things, and people to enjoy them with. I am more aware of trying to be less judgmental and more compassionate and understanding than I ever was when I was a Christian.

Perhaps it's only when we have difficult times to cope with that we 'cling on' to these ideals.
For me, Judaism is a very practical code of behaviour. Very detailed about how to live with respect to other people, whether Jewish or not.

Of course I do - but you said “worship”. I don’t worship a style of dressing, or music or any of those things you say are a sort of religion that I need to cling to.

I wonder if faith and religion gives people who think that way something to cling to - while those of us who don’t need that are genuinely happy leading our own lives and simply enjoying things?

Really?
Don't you have a way of dressing, a style of music, beliefs in the right ways to live life, the people who embody your ideals?
To me those are all a sort of religion.
For our confused generation. We need to cling onto something.

Do we? I certainly don’t worship anything

It depends what you mean by religious faith/belief.
I used to think that the devotees of football teams such as our Newcastle United and ManU have their own religion.
We all need something to worship.

They’re really not Fennel - they’re a complete absence of any form of religion faith or doctrine. Those of who who don’t believe in gods and as a result follow no religion and need no religion are perfectly content with that, honestly!

Saggi. You don’t need to have ‘ knowledge’ of the Bible to be a Christian, but you do need to have been told by someone who has, what to do to be saved. That doesn’t involve reading every word, and you’re right, most Christians, myself included, have probably not read the whole book. We have been directed to the New Testament, where Jesus tells us what to do to be saved. In John 17:3 Jesus says “Now this is eternal love, that they know you, the only true God, and the one whom you have sent, Jesus Christ.”
As for evidence of a creator, just look around you. Most of it has not been constructed by man. OP, Christianity is not about a set of rules, that’s religion. It’s about the relationship with Jesus.

SirChenjin - I'm not sure.
Probably because I think agnosticism and atheism, and humanism, are also forms of religious belief.
Also the belief that Mother Nature is the supreme force. As with some of the farmers I've known.

Just a point: some posters have put "elder" in inverted commas. Perhaps they are thinking of the Elders in the Book of Mormon who go round converting people? Can I point out that in Presbyterian churches like the Church of Scotland, the elders form the local church government and have responsibilities for the members in their districts. The minister is the teaching elder and the others are the ruling elders and are drawn from the congregation. I don't know which church the OP has been a member of, but it sounds to me more like the C of S than like the Mormons.

Fennel - you said "IMO each one of us, from our inborn nature, has an affinity with a certain type of religion. Including agnostic or atheist. We need to search to find the one that's right for us"

I'm struggling to understand how else to interpret that - you said that each of us (and that includes those of us who are agnostic or atheist) have an affinity with a certain type of religion and we need to search to find the one that's right for us. Why do those of us who are agnostic or atheist need to search for a religion?

"I wouldn’t dream of thinking that everyone with a faith has an affinity with atheism, agnosticism or any other form of non faith,"
That's not what I meant, SirChenjin.
hard to explain - I think some of us need a God to believe in and follow, others don't accept mystical things.
I'm not saying either is right or wrong.

Thanks Hetty58. I think you’re right. I was brought up to be a people pleaser and that has been my downfall all the way through my life. It’s only now that I’m getting the strength to be my own person and look after my mental health because certain types of people wear me down. No more! ??

Londonwifi, you are reasoning and thinking for yourself, rather than merely following what you were brought up to believe. As you have made your decision, perhaps a clean break is best.

Thank you so much to everyone for your wise words. I have a lot to think about. Your reading and YouTube suggestions are on my to do list!
I have made my decision and although I believe in a God and probably always will, I think it is a kinder God than the God that organised religions worship. I am also unhappy with a lot of attitudes displayed within some of the church members. They can be very judgemental. Having said that, there are a lot of friendly people there too.

I describe myself as a "respectful agnostic", meaning I am a total "don't know" - and respect others' right to believe what they believe.

I am not a Dawkin fan really - I think others have described the atheist stance with more subtlety.

But I do believe in kindness - I just think that is the bottom line - we truly cannot the answers to the big questions; but we can strive to the best of our ability to be kind to those around us, within our own limitations.

To the OP I would say that it might be best to try and leave aside the guilt that goes with leaving a religion and just move forward in kindness.

Why does the OP have to try another branch of Christianity? Once you cease to believe in God that's it. It doesn't matter where or how you hear the story. To you it's still just a story.

I prefer the Roman and Greek gods. They didn't pretend to be all forgiving. If they liked you and they were in a good mood they might give you a helping hand but if they didn't like you or were in a bad mood then you were in serious trouble. [I wish we had a wooden spoon emoticon ]

Kryptonite you are so wrong..... Richard Dawkins has always said that he doesn’t have all the answers....not one scientist of worth would even suggest they have all the answers. But religionists are total fools...because they DO believe they have the answers and if anyone dares to question them for evidence ...they come up with that old chestnut ‘faith’ . Faith is not evidence.... The trouble with Christians it seems to me is that they have never actually read the bible...whereas Richard Dawkins has a thorough knowledge of it! As do I! Once you have the knowledge...it’s very simple to let it slip into the ‘childhood of our species’

Fennel As an atheist I really don’t - and I wonder why you would think that? I wouldn’t dream of thinking that everyone with a faith has an affinity with atheism, agnosticism or any other form of non faith, and that they just to search to find the right one.

It seems from reading some of the posts that having no faith is seen as something that can simply be rectified with a little bit of effort and by trying out a few churches to find the right one for you. It’s actually quite insulting to those of us who have absolutely no faith and never will do.

I have every sympathy with the OP. I gradually lost the faith I grew up in and now call myself a humanist. I still adhere to the ethics of Christianity but can no longer believe in the supernatural/metaphysical aspects. Therefore, I haven't been in a church (apart from weddings and funerals) for around 50 years. My children were not baptised as I left them to make their own decisions and they did - not religious.
You might find the writings of Richard Holloway compatible with your position. Between 1986 and 2000 he was Bishop of Edinburgh and resigned when he realised he was an agnostic. His theological position has become increasingly radical and he has described himself as an "after-religionist",with strong faith in humanity. I think you might like his book, 'Godless Morality; keeping religion out of ethics'.