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Philosophy/religion

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Original poster

If you don't go to church, why not?

188 replies

ilovejonty · 07/12/2008 17:35

Is it because you don't have a faith/ belief in God?

Or:

Other reason - for example, never been, don't feel the need, intimidating, you are too busy etc...?

If you would like to go to church but don't, what would encourage you and what would put you off?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 09/12/2008 20:31

i don't believe in organised religion.

also, even when i did, i was too lazy to go.

GentleOtter · 09/12/2008 20:31

I don't agree with the Church of Scotland having shares in companies that make detonators etc plus they are rich beyond belief but are always on the mooch for money.
I never feel close to God inside a church.

Coldtits · 09/12/2008 20:32

I don't believe in "Because I said so"

choccyp1g · 09/12/2008 20:33

I'm an atheist. If there was a place for atheists to collectively not-believe I might consider attending.

Coldtits · 09/12/2008 20:37

Actually choccyp1g makes a good point. I would love to go to church but it would be entirely hypocritical. Instead we have the routine of the local car boot sale on a sunday morning, where I see all the people I know who don't go to church. I would love to go to a nice big beautiful church with good acoustics and sing songs (even hymns, they're nice to sing) but I can't. I'm not a Christian and I don't believe in a god.

Idrankthechristmasspirits · 09/12/2008 20:37

I want to go but dp doesn't agree at all and doesn't want the kids to go.
I will probably start going alone.

Drusilla · 09/12/2008 20:40

Because I don't believe there is a god. I admire the buildings though (some of them anyway).

MrsWeasleyStrokesSantasSack · 09/12/2008 20:44

I used to go to church every sunday with the DCs, helped at sunday school when needed, helped to run a toddler groups etc but felt that one of our clergy was patronising after a while I started to feel uncomfortable and then I stopped going.

UnquietDad · 10/12/2008 23:02

Like drusilla - don't believe there is a god, but I like the buildings and so I go into churches but not to church.

UnquietDad · 10/12/2008 23:04

Actually I'd have to say the opposite of what choccyp1g says. If there were some kind of "atheists' gathering place (real-life, not online) I wouldn't join it. I think that would miss the point. We are united by our non-belief in something, and that's all.

CountessDracula · 10/12/2008 23:05

Because I have no belief
I do go occasionally eg xmas to take dd and expose her to it so she doesn't think there is any great mystery.

Also I LOVE singing and i love hymns (in a singy way not a religious way) so I am always happy to go to any service eg carol where there is singing.

CountessDracula · 10/12/2008 23:06

Also I have nothing against people who do go for religious reasons. I am appalled by those who go purely to get their dcs into school though (there are many round these parts).

gothicmama · 10/12/2008 23:07

cos I have not found the right church or I am amazed each time I go by the way people behave

skrimbo · 10/12/2008 23:17

I don't believe in organised religion.

I lost a lot of respect for "church" when I was younger and see too many Christian organisations, getting together for a sing song and not much else.

I have great respect for organisations that actually use their face in a positive usefull way. For instance the salvation army, my MIL likes to go to church, I think for her it is about belonging and companionship, plus the minister at her church is amazing, he plays a very active part in the community,again great respect for this man.

skrimbo · 10/12/2008 23:18

That would be use their faith

UnquietDad · 10/12/2008 23:24

I think there are a lot of organisations and groups that do good in the community. Some of them are faith-based and others are not.

I tend to be of the opinion that you get nice Christians and horrible Christians just as much as you get nice atheists and horrible atheists.

How good you are as a person depends on what you're like as a person, and I don't think there is any correlation with the brand of sky-god you worship or deny, any more than there is with the brand of cereal you eat for breakfast.

JingleBennysAndJooniper · 10/12/2008 23:29

I do not believe and am a member of the humanist society

HangingbaublesofBethlehem · 10/12/2008 23:30

used to enjoy church pre-children but now just quite frankly feel too exhausted to fit it in. Never have enough time and could not justify time in church when whole house is trashed and need to go to supermarket etc. Also don't feel great about church and kids, wouldn't feel confident leaving them in church creche etc especially as dd is disabled. I do miss church, loved the singing, loved the feeling of being a cherished part of the community but just can't contemplate fitting in anymore in my life at the moment.

believer07 · 11/12/2008 14:57

I have a very strong faith in God. I do not belong to a church and have not done for quite a few years. I find that most churches do not preach the truth of the bible and even fewer stick to it. I find that alot of the very modern churches use a kind of creepy friendship programme to get you into the church, then once you are in and are coming along they then move on to new people and you find yourself left alone in a massive organisation. I have found that I have grown more as a believer outside of the church, I still meet with other believers but in a more informal context. Also I second the fact that so many of them preach on giving, and seem to be just out for your money to fix whatever needs fixing or to build whatever needs building.

My advice is to read your bible, pray and find a christian whose life reflects what is taught in the bible and ask them questions, but always make sure things that you are told line up with the word of God.

Lauriefairyonthetreeeatscake · 11/12/2008 15:00

I go occasionally, dh goes every week (as he is a local preacher). I don't go weekly because I need to stay at home with my foster daughter if she doesn't want to go.

Right now she wants to go because she is the Angel Gabriel in the Nativity but before that she didn't want to go every week and we would not force her.

janx · 11/12/2008 15:16

I was brought up a catholic and stopped going as soon as I was old enough - found it a repressive out of date guilt inducing religion and have no urge to go again

InspectorGadget · 31/12/2008 16:16

I do not believe in a god. I am a humanist, and don't believe I need to have faith or follow the teachings of a holy book to be a good person or to lead a good life.

I dislike the hypocrisy of organised religion.

That said I do enjoy the architecture of churches (at weddings etc) and usually have a good look round whilst everyone else is singing or praying (from my seat that is, I don't go roaming around!)

Anna8888 · 31/12/2008 16:18

I don't go to church because it is a complete waste of valuable time and I don't have any personal use for organised religion.

Blu · 31/12/2008 16:19

Nothing would make me go to participate. Don't believe.

But often take DS to churches for architectural / historical visits, and will find time to take him to a carol service or something - for his cultural knowledge.

elastamum · 31/12/2008 16:23

I am an athiest, but I do go to church for the kids school services. They are also non believers but it is a christian school so thay have to go

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