I may have found a church I like
I think I may have found a church that I can actually attend and feel like I'm staying true to my personal beliefs. I've not been to a church (other than when I visit my parents) in over ten years because I felt that I had to sometimes go against my own conscience in order to feel like I belonged there. I've been a Presbyterian most of my life -- not exactly a restrictive Christian denomination, lol -- but I still felt like there was a lot of emphasis on having children and not necessarily accepting all people into the fold. I loved my Presbyterian church in Florida, where it was emphasized that our Communion was not just for members of Presbyterians but for anyone who believed in it. When I moved here in 1995 I tried a few churces, but they were full of either people much, much older than me or families -- nobody my age who was single or not married -- and I felt like an outsider.
So, I've been investigating Unitarianism lately and decided to check out the local church. I'm fortunate that it's only about 10-15 minutes away. The are a Welcoming Congregation, which means they openly accept people of various sexual orientations and other religions. This is important to me. I'm so sick of people claiming to be "good Christians" who seem to hate everyone who aren't exactly like them. I'm tired of feeling like I need to go against my own beliefs and what's in my heart in order to be part of something bigger. I like that the Unitarians are very involved in many social issues that are close to my heart and that we don't all have to have the exact same beliefs in order to be part of the mix.
I suppose that to many people this means I'm no longer a "true" Christian. Well, maybe I'm not. I've been questioning my spiritual beliefs quite a bit lately, to be honest. In the end, I will do what I think is best. I can't imagine that God wants me to hate everyone who thinks differently than I do.
And just to be clear...
I do know plenty of Christians who are good and very decent people, and don't mean to say all are hateful. I think I've come into contact with too many who are, but also many who are wonderful people. I just don't feel like any of the churches I've tried in the past are as inclusive as I tend to be in my own life, and that's what I need. This post turned into a bit more of a rant against hateful people than I intended.
So, I've been investigating Unitarianism lately and decided to check out the local church. I'm fortunate that it's only about 10-15 minutes away. The are a Welcoming Congregation, which means they openly accept people of various sexual orientations and other religions. This is important to me. I'm so sick of people claiming to be "good Christians" who seem to hate everyone who aren't exactly like them. I'm tired of feeling like I need to go against my own beliefs and what's in my heart in order to be part of something bigger. I like that the Unitarians are very involved in many social issues that are close to my heart and that we don't all have to have the exact same beliefs in order to be part of the mix.
I suppose that to many people this means I'm no longer a "true" Christian. Well, maybe I'm not. I've been questioning my spiritual beliefs quite a bit lately, to be honest. In the end, I will do what I think is best. I can't imagine that God wants me to hate everyone who thinks differently than I do.
And just to be clear...
I do know plenty of Christians who are good and very decent people, and don't mean to say all are hateful. I think I've come into contact with too many who are, but also many who are wonderful people. I just don't feel like any of the churches I've tried in the past are as inclusive as I tend to be in my own life, and that's what I need. This post turned into a bit more of a rant against hateful people than I intended.
Labels: religion
