Is it bad if you dont go to church every sunday because i havent gone to my church for a long time very long time.

Yup, sure is if you believe so.

It doesn't say you'll go to hell if you don't. The church is just a manmade institution anyway, meant as guidance. But I suppose if you have God in your heart (if you believe this), there's really no point since that alone is guidance as well.

I must confess.....the last time I went to a church was at a wedding......

But, like I've said on here before, I have a shrine here at my home adjacent to the indoor pool we have, and so, if I want to pray I can pray there. In fact, personally I don't believe it matters WHERE you pray, God can hear you.

My beliefs don't exactly run along the lines of any religion, Judaism mixed wuth Catholicism, mixed with more 'secret' and 'lost' knowledge and books....but still I do like to go into an actual church to pray...when no one else is there....

Is there a particular reason why you dont go, and why would you need to ask. Something tells me that you could answer this question yourself?





Nice.

(Holds himself back from making a sarcastic comment)

There is an old Jethro Tull song about this very subject, it's off the Aqualung album and is entitled Wind-Up:

I don't believe you:
you had the whole damn thing all wrong
He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.


The idea of attending church was introduced by men as a means of controlling other men. It has nothing to do with God, who does not need winding up like clockwork every week.

If God exists, he knows what is in your heart.

(Obviously The Church will disagree because they rely on church attendances for income.... Which if you think about it says it all really)

I don't think it is bad.

But I from personal experience will be much better off attending church once a week rather then not. It makes me happy and more motivated to do right.

Hmm... your beliefs are partly Catholic- that explains a few things.

Who is Catholic?

Having membership in a church is NOT a prerequisite for salvation. Acceptance of what Christ accomplished IS.
Christians are encouraged to join a church to have fellowship with like minded friends and for biblical education. There are many Christians who have never set foot within a church building. The church really is as Jesus said......

Math 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name,(Jesus Christ) there am I in the midst of them.

Although it really depends on what you believe in, usually, in terms of christianity, forsaking church for some other activity means that you are putting your own desires before learning more about God - a sinful activity.

I don't think it's 'bad' not to attend church on a regular basis. I haven't been to church in a few years, but I remain strong in my faith and I pray/offer up prayers everyday. My advice to you, is not to let it bother you, just be strong in what you believe (beliefs).

It's fine I never go to church. I'm more or less Christian.

There is nothing wrong with being Catholic or part Catholic

Judging by that post of yours you come across as a bit of a bigot!!

As for attending church, no I don't do church as I like to pray to God in my own time and in my own way

It all depends on what you mean by "church", and if you are Christian. As Christians we are encouraged to meet up with others with similar views (church simply means body off believers). LIke Irish said, when two are gathered in my Name, there I am.

But as for specific religious organization, there is no need to go there regularly. From a Christian viewpoint, as long as you are meeting up with people who are also Christian, then you are doing what God wants. It just happens that church is the easiest place to go to for these things.

I must strongly disagree with Essan's statement though:



If this were the case, they would want all people to attend their specific church in their specific area. And while there are some that do this (going as far as to actively go to another church of the same denomination and enticing members to that church), most will say find a church (not necessarily ours) and worship.

The money churches collect does not go to a communal coffer where all churches can use. The offertory of each church is used by that specific church, which would seem to indicate that most churches would want you to attend their specific church for money.

This is not the case.

Sorry to go off on a tangent, I just had to say that.

Regards, PA

The mandate of God was to "rest" on Sunday with no mention of attending a church. The concept of church attendance being a requirement came from the early church fathers and that certainly doesn't qualify anything or give them the right to declare absence from church a sin.

It's actually a Saturday iaapac, Sunday has nothing to do with resting. It was supposed to be a day set aside for God. Today, Saturday (the Sabbath) is not required by Law because that Law has been fulfilled in the Sabbath rest in heaven (see Hebrews 4 for more details), so every day should be a day for the Lord for Christians.

regards, PA

I would say that the only thing that is 'bad' is your feeling of guilt, CharmedFan3. So I think that you should not feel guilty for something that you chose to do.

God gave you free choice and I do not think that God would punish you for doing your free will. Besides, God has many religions and people also have the choice to follow one or none. I think that you think about God and wish to do right, and I think that God will know your heart

Excuse me!?

And yes PA, and all, the Sabbath is technically Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. Why it was changed is beyond me. I, practice the Friday/Saturday Sabbath. Actually I do know....a Roman turned Christian changed the day in honor of his 'favorite god' the Sun 'god' for which Sunday is named after. Sunday is NOT the Sabbath, nor the day God rested, Sunday in fact is the FIRST day not the last.

Right you are, PA. Forgive me. Actually it is sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, right?

I just answered the question. Sunset to sunset is the Sabbath.

I understand that it was changed originally to appeal to worshippers of the Sun! But as I said, read Hebrews 4. It's explanation on the Sabbath rest is most satisfactory to me. Our Sabbath Rest is in heaven, not in a day of the week (this goes back to how Jesus fulfils the Old Testament).

But that's not really the point of this thread, is it? Sorry for hijacking it

Regards, PA

As mentioned earlier, the original commandment was, Remember the Sabbath, to keep it Holy,

I pause for a moment to reflect on why. God, being omnipotent doesn't need to rest, 'Earth, stars, be there' ...poof...'life forms, materialize' ...poof. It was Gods first example for man. He didn't need to rest, but He knew that we did.

I think it is important to attend church on a regular basis. If you have faith, it is important for you to 'hang' so to speak, with others who have faith. The church is not an institution. Of course there is the organizational aspect and the corporate aspect which the masses don't understand or like very much, but in essence the church is a group of people who have faith and come together to worship God. The church isn't the building, it is the members. So, it is good for us if we do Gods will, and Gods will is for us to worship Him. Remember that Christ said, 'Where ever two or more are gathered together in My name, there am I also in the midst'.

I personally don't think it's bad if you don't go to church every week. A church is just a building. In my opinion, it's getting together w/others who pray with you and encourage you that counts.

^^^Exactly

people go to church becuase not so long ago you were put in the jail for not showing up, and for reasons like that people still feel compleld to do it. Theres also the social aspect as in, you'll have to be a right "church going" sorta a person to fit in with certain elitist communities or kinds of ppl so many feel socialy presured to go. All nonesense really, unless you do actually enjoy it, then hey, why not?

Are talking about America or worldwide PLO? I'm sure there'll be Christians in China who would ahve no idea what you are talking about.

I think the reason for attending a local church regularly is to edify other believers. If you only worship alone, you aren't supporting, strengthening and encouraging other christians. Hebrews 10: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another and so much the more, as we see the day approaching.

in catholic churches the collection goes to many things. the building and other bills that the church has, paying living expenses for the priest and maybe the convent or other priests. by living expenses i mean food and clothing, gas money too.

money also goes to certain caholic charities, but it is up to you to contribute, AND they always announce what it is for before the collection, so you can decide. some money can go to certain programs the chuch runs, sometimes locally and sometimes world wide.

and yes a church is just a building, unless the blessed sacrament is stored inside. then it functions as a "house" of god.

men who are wise want us to gather and fellowship. not so that we can contribut to its coffers, but so that we can actually better ourselves. many of you may scoff at that idea, but there really are those men/women that are devout enough to understand that we cannot get to a higher level without help. we cant become better christians by ourselves, we always need to be reminded of what is right, and being among fellow believers is a pretty good way to start.

men did not come up with church to control, but to contribute. is it hard to understand the concept of love? love for ones neighbor and fellow human? the understanding that we need to pass the knowledge along is a pretty good example of loving humanity.

and before someone brings it up: not every human being is perfect. some make bad examples. you cant fault the concept of church for man's sins.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say, "Thou shalt go to church every sunday morning of every year, or thou shalt reap plagues of death and pestilence!"

Nowhere does it command us to attend church. Church, as you describe it, is just a few walls where people congregate. The importance comes with the people with whom you congregate. There is real value in fellowship with fellow believers. Often church is can be seen as a sactuary from the world. Countless times it is a place dedicated for doing the work of God, spreading the Word of God and the Gospel of the good news.

No, it is not wrong to miss church everyonce in a while, or even a sin to not go. The importance of going to church is not in finding a building where a bunch of people who claim to be christians come together to sing a few songs and listen to some guy say a few boring words.

Real church for me invigorates me. I go, and I can worship with many others, without the distractions of the world, and I can just be with God without trying to think of anything else. Church is where people find strength and rest, where people can find help, and in many cases salvation through the blood of Christ.

Church is not this super-holy building that God holds so dear because it's named a "house of God". God holds churches dear because of the people who attend.

So, in conclusion, its the people, not the building or services, that make a church important.

I so agree! It's not horrible to miss church, or a sin. I didn't go for 17 years because I couldn't find one that was agreeable. Now that I've found a really cool one, I can't wait to get up on Sunday's and go. It's about the assembly of like minded people...kinda like this website. And if you have a church you can go to, with like minded people/friends in it...you can ask them your questions...instead of posting to a bunch of strangers. No offense intended! And it's about not trying to face the world alone, but with God friends at your back.

I agree, Starbuck. I didn't go to church for several years myself but then I found one that I enjoy and have been there for over 10yrs.

CharmedFan3, judging from the wide range of opinions here, I guess the best thing to do is to make up your own mind. Or should I say, decide if you choose to feel guilty or not.