Church in your Youth

[Railroad]

Just curious.

 

[CandyRain]

I looked forward to going to church when I was little. It was Sunday school and I went every Sunday.

I don't go to mass EVERY Sunday now, but I go more often than not

 

[2ndAmendment]

I stopped going to church in college. Thought I was too smart and the God was not real. Got more educated and smarter and realized that God is real and that I need to be with others that worship Him.

 

[vraiblonde]

I went to church and Sunday school when I was a kid. VBS was something I looked forward to every summer and I went to our church's week-long sleepaway camp as well. I was also active in Youth Group.

I attended church sporadically as an adult - usually as a guest of a member, so I actually experienced several different churches. Haven't been attended a service since Larry and I got married, except for once or twice for a baptism or something.

 

[MysticalMom]

I grew up in a weird family. One side Pagan, one side Southern Baptist. I went to a lot of different churches as a kid, with friends and family. Asked alot of questions, studied alot and you all know where I ended up.

 

[Pandora]

I didn’t start attending church until I was in the 2-3rd grade and that was a non-denominational church with some girls that lived down the street. Neither of my parents attended to despite the fact my dad’s father was a pastor in a Methodist Church, my great parents active in a CMA church in P.A., and my mother’s dad’s family is and was active in a Lutheran Church. My mother ended up attending Lutheran services and then left and joined the Catholic Church all when I was in the 5th grade. After that, I was active with the Catholic Church until my early 20’s. I received all the sacraments in the Catholic Church, and when my kids were younger, we started going again. My father was an atheist at the time, now, he is a Deacon in a local church.

The constant complaint I heard was that church is boring, kids, adults, a good majority of people. A service has to be something that you walk away from feeling rejuvenated. Look at Joel Olsten’s services on TV, he keeps your attention, incorporates scripture into everyday life. I am now attending a church that does just that. My kids actually look forward to going and so do I, that is what church is about. Not a place to go and be bored ½ to death for an hour and a half.

 

[Nanny Pam]

I went every Sunday, rain or shine. (Catholic)
Now I go once in a while. I would rather spend time at my Mother's grave, praying, which I feel is just fine, since God is everywhere.

Although I KNOW she went straight to Heaven!

 

[Mikeinsmd]

Raised Catholic, even an alter boy. Was forced to go as a preteen but quit going altogether by highschool. Most here know my views, prove it, I'll believe.

 

[oldman]

Mom made me attend Sunday School and Church each Sunday. Guess I was the family rep as I had to carry her tighe envelope and drop it on the plate. Did the VBS and even was a choir member even though I had and have a tin ear. Guess when I was about 13 or 14 Mom didn't tell me to get ready, so I didn't. Have attended various services now and then since but they have been few and far between. I prefer to make my own decisions on what the Bible says and not accept anothers opinion.

 

[kom526]

Altar boy here too. ALWAYS did midnight mass at Christmas and Stations every other Friday during Lent. Stopped going for awhile during HS started back up in boot camp, then became a full fledged C&E. Now that I am married (10 yrs this week) we go every week and seek out churches when we go on vacations.

 

[fttrsbeerwench]

Being from Kentucky, EVERYONE was southern Baptist... My dafd pulled us out of church because he suddenly developed a problem with either the tithing, or that my mom wasnt' home being his little servant.

When we moved here, my mom returned to Catholicism. Throughout middle school and high school I visited every church in SOMD. I have been freaked out by holy rollers and told I had no soul becuase I could not speak in tongues.

I was 15 when I found what I was looking for, and it's stayed with me faithfully since day one.

 

[MysticalMom]

Being from Kentucky, EVERYONE was southern Baptist... My dafd pulled us out of church because he suddenly developed a problem with either the tithing, or that my mom wasnt' home being his little servant.

When we moved here, my mom returned to Catholicism. Throughout middle school and high school I visited every church in SOMD. I have been freaked out by holy rollers and told I had no soul becuase I could not speak in tongues.

I was 15 when I found what I was looking for, and it's stayed with me faithfully since day one.

Been there and done that "Holy Roller, preacher pointing straight at you and yelling YOU ARE GOING TO HELL SINNER, all red in his face Southern Baptist stuff". It's scary and it's mind warping. I would never do that to my children. I used to have nightmares about it when I was young.

 

[2ndAmendment]

Raised Catholic, even an alter boy. Was forced to go as a preteen but quit going altogether by highschool. Most here know my views, prove it, I'll believe.

That's why it is called , "faith." "Blessed are those that believe and have not seen." - excerpt - John 20:29

 

[MysticalMom]

That's why it is called , "faith." "Blessed are those that believe and have not seen." - excerpt - John 20:29

Belief without proof just doesn't work for me.

 

[Mikeinsmd]

That's why it is called , "faith." "Blessed are those that believe and have not seen." - excerpt - John 20:29

I know. You and I have debated this before.

 

[virgovictoria]

Don't remember much of my own edumacating, save CCD (probably somewhat irregular) and 1st Holy Communion... Not even sure about church - I guess I went sporadically, though my mom wasn't much for going. She grew up, basically, in a Catholic boarding school, and religion sort of mellowed after the first five kids, I guess.... With my sister's kids, I remember feeling content going to Sunday School with them on occasion, and the little ones were left to running around as the Priest felt it important that they feel comfortable in church. And I also loved hearing the little voices sing "Jesus loves the little children...."

As I grew older, I always felt uncomfortable - as an outsider or poser - in that I counted myself as a "Catholic", yet really knew nothing of the Bible or even of the religion - or even of mass. Even at my own Catholic wedding.

Through the years, I have come to realize that I am not above or below attending church or mass or letting it flow through me - or not. I don't know how I feel about religion or history or how much I know, believe or don't know.

It's pretty personal really.

I do know I haven't figured it out yet...

 

[2ndAmendment]

Belief without proof just doesn't work for me.

I know. You and I have debated this before.

I just have to keep trying. It is who God has made me. Please don't take offense. Know that I do it out of love, please.

 

[tlatchaw]

I stopped going to church in college. Thought I was too smart and the God was not real. Got more educated and smarter and realized that God is real and that I need to be with others that worship Him.

That's a very familiar story.

 

[BS Gal]

I was dragged to a Lutheran Church for about ten years. We went at 9:30 in the a.m. and were there until 1:00 p.m. or later. I remember my dad telling us that we were going to go, we were going to smile and we were going to be pleasant, and if we weren't, we were going to be in big trouble when we got home. I got very burned out. It was very, very boring.

 

[Vince]

Raised Catholic. Went as a kid and still go every Sunday I can get there.