Well, BA is gonna move away in the next few months so I am thinking this might be a good time to walk away from LDS. Not that I have a lot of bad feelings, it just seems like I need something more Christ-centered, Biblical, charitable, less cultish, and willing to tolerate the pleasure I take in some Mormon scriptures and writings.
I am asking for suggestions as to where I could find that. I am somewhat cautious as I think most of the "Bible Believing" churches I have been to with friends have actually been worse than anything I found in LDS. I am looking for something that is a denomination but doesn't attract yahoos that show up at tea party rallies.
I was raised Catholic but too many friends and family have been raped or diddled by priests for me to go back to that place.
I am kind of in a quandary - maybe I should just take a break from organized religion for a while? Kind of "no thanks, I'm full....."
Check out unitarian universalist as an alternative. It's not a bible believing church - it's a believe whatever you want and live a moral life church.
Personally I feel like all organized religion is a scam there to get your money, so I'm a bit biased, but I like your take a break for a while approach.
However, I have read articles that people who are involved in some kind of religion are happier, not because of the beliefs but because of the social interactions in engenders.
+1 for Unitarian Universalist. I was raised loosely Lutheran, although, I was never really into it. I started going to a Unitarian church in my community and I really enjoyed it!
It's not very Christ-centered, though. It looks at all major religious texts and tries to find the best in all major world religions-- what unifies us all as a human species. Each congregation is different, though, from what I hear.
Take your time and attend a church each Sunday for up to a year or so. Then choose the one that makes sense and feels good to you. Supplement your visits with reading and studying.
You might want to have a criteria in mind. You could list the churches you've investigated and rank them with numbers one to five on each important aspect.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/2012 09:58PM by Cheryl.
I second the notion of visiting churches and finding out for yourself. Over the years I have been assocated with several different American Baptist churches and they are nothing alike. Same with a few United Methodist churches. You can read their doctrinal statements and such all you want but it doesn't really clarify what they're really about.
Go to a Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Baptist church and I think you would find most very welcoming. Mennonites are related to my old denomination Church of the Brethern...very peace loving group. The Methodists where I attend now, are known for their pot lucks and they have good kids programs,great choirs - both contemporary and the regular stuff. I go to the contemporary to hear the guitars, pianos, sometimes a sax, trumpet, etc. Go to each 3 times or more and you will find a fit. They vary of course, but maybe try a bigger church to start and then compare it to a smaller one. Good luck. Don't know where you are but just know these churches will not hound you to come back each wk, give to this or that....it is all voluntary. No pressure.
You might want to give the United Church of Christ a try. It's very liberal yet morer Christ-centered than it's cousin, the Unitarian Universalist Church.
Just recently (yes, I am atheist!). Four consecutive Sundays.
Very nice, very friendly, low-key preaching, emphasis on humanitarian service, nice people. Not pushy to join. After services (only one hour!) the whole congregation moved to the social room to pack aid packages for the homeless. And have coffee and cookies.
No "classes," no lesson manuals. Very warm and friendly communion service (even providing gluten-free bread!).
You would not rush into dating the moment you split, would you?
Why not take a break?
Give yourself some time to get into nature and just experience the beauty of the world alone. Many people report significant healing connecting with personal spirituality through nature.
It might be important to pause before turning to another set of people telling you what to do and what to believe.
You could read books about philosophy of religion, mythology, world religions, atheism, just to orient yourself about where mankind has been in religious thought and where we here in Western society fit in.
You may have already done all of the above and be ready to seek like-minded people having sorted things out for yourself. Personally, I found myself pretty aversive to organized religion but that may be due to so much family involvement (ie., not lonely) and lots of posting here.
I found peace through Buddhism without formal affiliation.
Best of luck in your search and be sure and let us know how it goes!
I'm about to check out the UU's myself. They meet in Springville Utah a few miles from me. According to what I hear, they might be a good fit for me, and maybe you. They let you believe what you want and don't have a creed or any sort of sharp steel template that's forced down onto your soul with a hydraulic press.