Which Church

[just_George]

I have never thought of myself as a religious person but have always believed in God and tried to live a moral life- according to Jesus I suppose.
I have been thankful and prayed but just quietly by myself, Is that still ok?
My life has gone through a great change and I found the only person that was really there was God,I hope that dosen't sound too new age christian,and I would like to give church a go- but which one?
Is catholic too structured and am I too old? what is baptist or methodist?

[Khandro]

'No man is an iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine'........
John Donne.

[naomi24]

No man need be an island. There are continents filled with people living full lives outside of organised religion.

[Cloverjo]

Following on from my previous answer, I haven't found a religion for me. When I was a young single parent I hung around the church hoping to be welcomed in. I wasn't.

[modeller]

I wonder why Theists NEED to be constantly propped up with mythology ?
If any religion had been true it would have been proved thousands of years ago.
As it is billions of prayers, are offered up every day and fail. If prayers worked we should be swamped with examples of their success.

Just George. I'm sorry to say you have an impossible task. We can never prove, by definition , that something imaginary exists .
We may want to. For many, they may have an inner need to, it is their crutch. Just remember the world is no better or worse today than it was when we humans first evolved thousands of years ago.

[jourdain2]

Just like to say thank-you for BA, just_George. I think some of the respondents may be referring to rather old-fashioned times, or perhaps they have been unlucky in the church they tried. In over 30 years I have found a welcome in all the various churches I've been to. Perhaps I've been lucky - but if you want a church (and I have found great society and unspoken spiritual help) you may, of course need to try several. You would be very welcome if you lived anywhere near us, but that is a very long shot! (E. Yorkshire). :)

[Khandro]

modeller; Nobody on here is trying to PROVE anything.

[RATTER15]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.venganza.org/&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwjh2OKewoTJAhWDdQ8KHSePBsU&usg=AFQjCNEU4dqm4sEmKuGr2o3Sqk06WWphfQ&sig2=1BxSoKQoIzd27KnQ6LKE1g

[Mamyalynne]

George, wherever you chose eventually after checking some out, I hope you are comfortable there - you will know if any are right and you' also know if they aren't.


Take care.

[Old_Geezer]

Your loss Clover. But unfair to put others off seeking evidence.

[Khandro]

modeller (again) // We can never prove, by definition , that something imaginary exists .//
You might, (though I doubt it), accept the existence of human experiences from which you may, for reasons I have no wish to enter, be excluded by your own dependence on what you perceive as rationalism.
One glaring example being the 'Argument from Religious Experience'.
The argument from religious experience stems from the experience of God to the existence of God. In its strong form, this argument asserts that it is only possible to experience that which exists, and so that the phenomenon of religious experience demonstrates the existence of God. People experience God, therefore there must be a God; case closed.
No matter how much this infuriates you, for some, it is a life-enhancing fact requiring no proof whatsoever.

[Old_Geezer]

You experience the connections your neurons make. Hopefully this relates to something real outside of you, but it need not. (For example consider hallucinatory drugs that will allow you to experience that which has no outside reality.) Just because someone experiences something and labels it "experience of God" it can not be logically inferred that, that means a God exists. Belief may enhance (or detract) from the individuals' life experience, but considering God to be a fact remains an unproven belief. Nothing wrong with that as long as one knows it for what it is.

[naomi24]

Khandro, //People experience God, therefore there must be a God; case closed.
No matter how much this infuriates you, for some, it is a life-enhancing fact//

Whatever these people experience might be life enhancing for them, but that they are experiencing ‘God’ is not a fact.

[Khandro]

naomi; Only atheists seem to be so troubled and concerned about God's existence, people of a religious disposition are normally quite relaxed about such matters and need no proof.
A person say, in love, has no need to prove that love exists. To the person who does not, or cannot love, love as a concept and an experience is incommunicable.

[naomi24]

Khandro, //Only atheists seem to be so troubled and concerned about God's existence//

An oxymoron to say the least. ‘God’, it appears, is whatever the individual faithful want it to be.

[Old_Geezer]

Is the suggestion that "God" is not a being or entity of some sort, but a label given to a feeling ?

[Khandro]

OG; Please define what you mean by 'feeling'

[Old_Geezer]

Like where you say, "A person say, in love, has no need to prove that love exists. To the person who does not, or cannot love, love as a concept and an experience is incommunicable. "

[Khandro]

yes