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Philosophy/religion

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How to return to Christian beliefs?

153 replies

ANewLifeIsMine · 07/07/2023 20:20

Maybe the title of this thread is misleading.

I am middle aged. As a child I was Christened and went to Sunday School.

In my early youth my parents vehemently decided that suddenly they did not believe in God, and we were taken out of Sunday School and no longer attended church, with the exception of Christenings, Marriages and Funerals.

It would be true to say that my childhood was difficult. It was one of those upper middle class childhoods whereby your DCs are a badge of honour. We were brought out and displayed to make my parents look good, though as parents they were hands off, unless we did something very right that they could show off, or very wrong for which they could admonish us. Religious beliefs were scorned.

However, I feel strongly that God has never left me. I believe in the God my Grandparents spoke of, and the valuable lessons I learned through them e.g. do unto others.

I believe that God is in everything, not just churches.

My own relationship with God has been remote, but I have always felt that he is with me.

I see my return to faith as a very personal thing, I neither want, nor need, to go to church. As I said, I believe that God is everywhere.

How do I return to my Christian faith? In a chaotic world, how do I learn more about the lessons of the bible?

I do not want to go on a formal course. As I say, my relationship with God is very personal. I'm asking; how do I enhance, enrich and grow my faith further? How do I pray, for example?

Apologies for the length of this post. I'm serious about this and would be grateful for any serious answers.

OP posts:
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tarnishedsilvercolour · 08/07/2023 20:39

If you don't feel ready or able to go to church, technology is your friend.

The Lectio365 app is a great tool for prayer/reflective time. It has a morning and evening prayer reflection that you can listen to. The evening one sends me off into a lovely, peaceful sleep.

If you'd like to start reading the Bible but don't know where to start, I'd also suggest the Youversion app. It's basically the Bible (in many, many different versions) and there are daily reading plans based around topics. So you can (for example) search for 'finding God' and it'll give you options for 3 or 5 day Bible reading plans with some reflections at the end.

Building little things like this into your day will teach you new things about the Bible, prayer and a new relationship with God. 🙏🏼

WhatADrabCarpet · 08/07/2023 20:42

Wow @speakout ...spot on. Very eloquently put.

OP.

I'm just wondering if you're feeling a bit lost.
Maybe have a chat with your parish priest.

I'm not convinced that you'll find the answers that you're looking for, if I'm honest.

A prescriptive religion that dictates your thoughts is not healthy.

You need to think , hard, about what you want from life, not from a script that's been sinisterly re-written to suit a particular narrative of it's day( hundreds of years' ago.)

EducatingArti · 08/07/2023 20:46

I would recommend a book called Out of Sorts by Sarah Bessey.
It has really helped my start to work through what I believe and why.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Sorts-Making-Peace-Evolving/dp/0232532397/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3EKRIJWZOK9MV&keywords=out+of+sorts&qid=1688845564&sprefix=out+of+so%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-1

Coveescapee · 08/07/2023 20:47

There is nothing sinister about Christianity. Although most people now describe themselves as non-Christian it saturates and is the main factor in almost every aspect of the way we think in the UK as well as the legal system, equality, value system, fairness etc. See the book Dominion by Tom Holland for more information (even Richard Dawkins admits this). I would recommend Bible in a Year podcast by Father Mike Schmitz.

BeverlyHa · 08/07/2023 20:55

Watch the Chosen, free online
Seek online the term: Harvest online with Greg Laurie - when you are ready, they have online zoom groups

BeverlyHa · 08/07/2023 20:56

Anne Graham Lotz - one of Billy Graham's daughters has a beautiful website - mature, lovely, elegant, balanced lady with all things Christian

BeverlyHa · 08/07/2023 20:58

Message me if you want also, I have been through all denominations and there are weeks I go to any church or just one, there are weeks I cannot go because I work even on Sundays

BeverlyHa · 08/07/2023 21:00

youversion Bible.com - plans for you to read bits and bobs around various topics. Nona Jones who was the faith head of Facebook is leading now in Youversion, very 21c modern day woman and a christian. Sorry for posting 4 comments, got excited because this is how I came back to Christ and never stopped at one church but stopped at one God :)

StrawberryWasp · 08/07/2023 21:29

Is there a Catholic church near you?

For me one of the ways back to faith was engaging in ritual. I found going to mass and letting go of the cognitive questioning & resistance, but succumbing & committing to the ritual, changed things for me.

Through this the meaning has emerged, I felt it first, before I understood and accepted that.

That has led me to reading, podcasts and apps which are helping me understand the meaning of my faith and developing a relationship with God.

I'd recommend getting a study Bible, which supports the reading with context and additional information. It's fascinating apart from anything else!

The Halo app has been recommended to me.

I'm trying to have a morning prayer routine. (This is new)

I opened myself up to just going with the feeling that was pulling me and just kept getting more and more drawn to faith over time.
It's felt quite miraculous 😊 (in a small way)

triforcetotem · 08/07/2023 22:11

BeverlyHa · 08/07/2023 20:56

Anne Graham Lotz - one of Billy Graham's daughters has a beautiful website - mature, lovely, elegant, balanced lady with all things Christian

OP said they don't like the US-style fire and brimstone churches. So not sure the televangelist's daughter Anne "9/11 was god's punishment" Graham is appropriate.

Inkypot · 08/07/2023 23:56

Slowlivingiwish · 08/07/2023 20:28

@Inkypot because I genuinely value the part that Christianity plays in the community. I'm happy to see it flourish.

I have a Christian background but I'm not suited to traditional churchy worshipping. 😊

I am suited to dabbling and praying as & when I want to. Wherever I want to. On my terms 🩷

I love this. And thank you for replying so politely too. You sound really genuine and lovely.

windowof · 08/07/2023 23:57

PurplePolkaDot1 · 08/07/2023 20:28

Speakout always posts aggressively when someone suggests they might want to find their faith again. Her agenda seems to me to be to convince anyone who wants to find religion that it is a terrible thing where everyone lives as though it is 2000 years ago taking slaves etc! Everyone is entitled to their opinion and Speakout certainly lives up to her name but her views on Christianity are wildly different to my experience of going to church - I suspect she hasn’t been to church recently but cherry picks extreme examples of old fashioned views.
My advice OP would be to make a list of churches vaguely near you, then try their online services to get a flavour of what they are like. If they seem the right level of liveliness then you could try them in person. Churches in cities or towns can be good, or ones near universities.

I didn't know this as never come across the person before. It sounds like you're spot on though. Thanks for putting it more succinctly than I ever could Smile

Inkypot · 08/07/2023 23:59

StrawberryWasp · 08/07/2023 21:29

Is there a Catholic church near you?

For me one of the ways back to faith was engaging in ritual. I found going to mass and letting go of the cognitive questioning & resistance, but succumbing & committing to the ritual, changed things for me.

Through this the meaning has emerged, I felt it first, before I understood and accepted that.

That has led me to reading, podcasts and apps which are helping me understand the meaning of my faith and developing a relationship with God.

I'd recommend getting a study Bible, which supports the reading with context and additional information. It's fascinating apart from anything else!

The Halo app has been recommended to me.

I'm trying to have a morning prayer routine. (This is new)

I opened myself up to just going with the feeling that was pulling me and just kept getting more and more drawn to faith over time.
It's felt quite miraculous 😊 (in a small way)

This makes sense. There is something incredibly beautiful and wonderfully humbling about mass. I love the logical reasoning behind everything. It really is a beautiful religion when we take the time to actually learn about it from scratch ourselves.

Nippydippydoodahs · 09/07/2023 19:50

PurplePolkaDot1 · 08/07/2023 20:28

Speakout always posts aggressively when someone suggests they might want to find their faith again. Her agenda seems to me to be to convince anyone who wants to find religion that it is a terrible thing where everyone lives as though it is 2000 years ago taking slaves etc! Everyone is entitled to their opinion and Speakout certainly lives up to her name but her views on Christianity are wildly different to my experience of going to church - I suspect she hasn’t been to church recently but cherry picks extreme examples of old fashioned views.
My advice OP would be to make a list of churches vaguely near you, then try their online services to get a flavour of what they are like. If they seem the right level of liveliness then you could try them in person. Churches in cities or towns can be good, or ones near universities.

Well said - like, change the frigging record!

OscarsAmmonite · 09/07/2023 19:52

StopStartStop · 07/07/2023 20:37

Some people will tell you that you can't be a Christian without taking part in community life.

Where does that leave hermits?!

OscarsAmmonite · 09/07/2023 19:57

OP I love attending Mass but in a larger church. Tried going to my local small parish but it was too close a community and I prefer to be anonymous.

Inkypot · 09/07/2023 20:31

@OscarsAmmonite I take the "community" part to be as involved with communion as you are comfortable to be.
For some it may be singing in the choir, being a Eucharistic minister, helping with children's liturgy etc. For others it may be more about sharing their faith with friends or sharing it by praying alone for their community in the peace of their own home etc.
Plenty space for hermits too, it's all about love ❤️

StopStartStop · 09/07/2023 21:33

OscarsAmmonite · 09/07/2023 19:52

Where does that leave hermits?!

Out on their own... 😂

IronLikeaLioninZion · 11/07/2023 11:50

it's all about love ❤️

So true @Inkypot.

OscarsAmmonite · 12/07/2023 17:31

StopStartStop · 09/07/2023 21:33

Out on their own... 😂

Well yes but it rather undermines your original point!

StopStartStop · 12/07/2023 19:27

OscarsAmmonite · 12/07/2023 17:31

Well yes but it rather undermines your original point!

No it doesn't. My point was that some people say you can't be a Christian without community. It's like making Christianity and exclusive club, you can't be part of it unless you have the right mates. Not my view at all.

You think you're clever. 😂

OldPodge · 12/07/2023 19:38

viques · 08/07/2023 19:14

What about a more reflective belief, like the Quakers?

Yes, do have a look at the Quakers in Britain website.