LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jumpinjessflash)

I posted this in my personal journal this morning and wanted to get some feedback from all of you on this church and also get reccomendations on what type of church might be better. I quit going years ago due to hypocritical, judgemental church experiences but have recently become close to my faith and want to find a church that will accept my viewpoint and belief system, even if they don't necessarily agree.

"Yesterday, I went to church.

Oh, so you didn't know I was a Christian? No big surprise there. Not only have I drifted from my faith over the last few years, I am loathe to tell people I don't know well. I don't want to be associated with them. You know, the Pat Robertsons, the George Bushes, the conservative right. I feel like I'm in my own camp many times, shunned by Christians and non-Christians alike for my liberal outlook.

I'm pro-choice and don't feel abortion is murder. That probably puts me in a small minority there. In the Bible, the punishment for murder is death, but the punishment for striking a woman and causing a miscarriage? A fine. To me, that implies that God did not consider a fetus a fully independent, developed person; worthy of the same protection of a living person.

My God is big enough to include evolution AND creation.

I also am a huge advocate of gay rights. Not only is it NOT MY PLACE to judge, so many Bible verses are taken out of context and twisted for the selfish purposes of people who want to use the Bible to back up their bigotry and hate. If homosexuality is genetic, which I personally feel it is and have seen plenty of research to back that up, why would God choose to "make" people gay if it's against His word? Is it possible that homosexuality was banned at the time so that God's people would procreate, as the world population was much smaller at the time? Regardless of what the true answer to this is, I don't feel it's up to me to decide, and I love and support all my gay friends.

Lastly, the Bible says that we are supposed to proselytize; to spread the Gospel. I haven't been comfortable with this personally, as my life is not necessarily a shining example of how a Christian "should be". If someone comes to me and wants to learn more, great! Otherwise I tend to live and let live, and I'm very open to anyone else's beliefs and worldview.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Mohandas Gandhi

Therein lies my biggest issue with Christianity in the modern day and age.

All that being said, I don't claim to have all the answers, but for myself, I choose God.

The church I went to yesterday, I am hoping will be my spiritual base; somewhere where I can grow in my faith and connect to other Christians. Whether they share my liberal viewpoint or not, I pray they will be open to it and not shun me for it."

Any input you all have would be great. Thanks!