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[quote=judgementday]I would like to answer this as well as I somewhat agree with TRV and Vundy's thoughts..


First off judgementday, I commend you for mentioning that. A lot of people that have been through a situation like that understandably hide it or completely are led away. I am happy - actually thrilled - that you are still in the decision process and that those situations haven't led you to giving it up completely.

That kind of attitude that the Church had toward you was wrong and unacceptable.

Working on Sundays - It is mentioned in the book of John how Jesus went around healing people on the Sabbath, in which working was an absolute no-no! The religious leaders at the time were upset with this and asked him about it, to which Jesus replied, "My father never stops working. And so I work too." There are a couple of other examples in Matthew and Mark of this, but that rule was pretty much abolished when Jesus came along. I know several people that have had to work on Sundays, and during college my first year I worked at an animal clinic and had to miss Church to provide care for the animals that were boarding. And let me add that I felt the exact same feeling when you were ridiculed publicly. When I went forward at age 13, the youth pastor at the time said some bad stuff about me in front of the congregation when I went forward to be baptized, mostly because of his striking fear in me to do it. He was scaring kids in the youth group to go forward to get his "numbers" up to retain his job at the time. Referring to you as the "anti-christ" was terrible. Whoever did that, I would not want to be them and have to answer to God for it. There are groups that have been known to call people such things and it makes me cringe every time I hear a story like that.

As for the wicked, mean-spirited people - you are right! Sadly, there are people like that and have been since the time of Jesus. Jesus said that "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." He always reached out to the poor, to the people who were really, really struggling that a lot of the religious leaders at the time were "too good" for. One story in John I like is about how the leaders are about to stone a prostitute (that is what happened to people who were caught in prostitution at the time) and he said, "those of you who are without sin, cast the first stone." Not one person threw a stone. He told her that she would not be condemned, but to change her ways. Jesus always was helpful to the people that really struggled with sin. The only times I see in the Bible that he yelled at people were when he yelled at the religious leaders. Often people in those positions were in it for the money, for the fame, etc. That happened a lot in that time and he made sure to put an end to it there. It is sadly no different today. There are some churches out there that still have that kind of hypocrisy in the church.

Revelation is by far THE toughest book in the Bible. There are so many things in it that people think they can explain but cannot. My guess is you, like me, probably encountered a few of those people. In fact, I bet if you were to walk into a room with ten Christians that knew the book of Revelation like the back of their hand, you would get ten different opinions on it. That is such a complex topic, the end of time. IMO there is just as much, if not more of that in the old testament in the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and some in Isaiah than there are in Revelation. There are just so many things in there that are above our comprehension, despite what people say. I started out studying that book and the old testament and thought the exact same thing you did on it...what is the point of this? What are all these symbols? How does it apply to me?

One of my favorite verses comes in Deuteronomy 29:29 because it shows that although we have questions...there are just some things that we do not understand, and maybe, those things are not meant for us to understand. "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."

I would recommend taking a look at the four gospels first. Take a look at the book of John. I really like that one. John was SUCH a positive person. If you do enjoy more of a historical perspective, take a look at Matthew. Also, take a look at some of Paul's books. Paul first comes up in Acts where he is talked about, and wrote several of the books afterward. He was an evil leader and killed many Christians - before he eventually became one himself and changed his life around. Paul had an attitude of "if I can do it, ANYONE can!"

Judgementday, I don't know the area you are from, but I am confident there is a Church group somewhere in your area that you will be proud to be a part of. As for those people in the past that put that bad scar on you mentally with Churches - I would much rather be the biggest, most hardcore athiest out there than to be one of them. I can tell you have a good attitude and have been blessed with a lot of talents. You have questions - and that is SO normal. You're not alone and one great thing about BGR, you've got people that are honored to be here for you! I can guarantee you that every pastor, (I bet LWC would even say!) once questioned, once had the exact same thoughts you did and wanted answers.

Living that Christian life is tough. Anybody that tells you different has sinned because they just lied. Every day brings a different challenge and if someone does something as simple as the little white lie, holds anger towards another person, etc. then they have sinned. Since everybody has done that, everybody has sinned and everybody needs a savior. In a previous post I mentioned Romans 7:15 where Paul talks about how hard it is to come through, and how he hates the evil things he does. It's impossible to "work" your way into Heaven. Nobody is capable of it. That's why we all need Jesus.