To cut the story short, i choose to worship God in my room henceforth. I move to town recently based on connection in my church only to realize that i have been foooling myself for more than 20yrs.
First my so called oga who is elder in my church is the most wicked person i have ever met in my life. Most of the members are hypocrites who want to take advantage of others while most pastors are after their pockets. I blame myself for allowing people take advantage of me

donttryme:
To cut the story short, i choose to worship God in my room henceforth. I move to town recently based on connection in my church only to realize that i have been foooling myself for more than 20yrs.
First my so called oga who is elder in my church is the most wicked person i have ever met in my life. Most of the members are hypocrites who want to take advantage of others while most pastors are after their pockets. I blame myself for allowing people take advantage of me

God never said you have to be a membership holder in any religion to serve Him so you alone can decide for yourself whether you are finally done with religion and servitude to men or not.

Kobojunkie:
God never said you have to be a membership holder in any religion to serve Him so you alone can decide for yourself whether you are finally done with religion and servitude to men or not.

Its me and my God henceforth, i'm very angry and depressed right now thinking about how i allowed myself to fooled cheaply. You will be shocked if i tell you what happened to me.

donttryme:
■ Its me and my God henceforth, i'm very angry and depressed right now thinking about how i allowed myself to fooled cheaply. You will be shocked if i tell you what happened to me.

Sadly, most people never really break completely free or religion. It is like they end up coming back to the vomit as they fail either to find a replacement or they miss the idea of belonging to a group. Your battle is yet to begin and it will all be between yourself and your former addiction to religion-- serving under men who pretend to be gods representatives over you.

Kobojunkie:
Sadly, most people never really break completely free or religion. It is like they end up coming back to the vomit as they fail either to find a replacement or they miss the idea of belonging to a group. Your battle is yet to begin and it will all be between yourself and your former addiction to religion-- serving under men who pretend to be gods representatives over you.

I am not going back there again.

donttryme:
■ I am not going back there again.

For your own sake, I hope so too. Any man hooked to religion are simply puppets to the egos of the men and women who sit as religious authorities over them. God has absolutely nothing to do with any of it. He is rather a cover story.

Kobojunkie:

I lost my grandmother just last week and burial is schedule to hold this week. I approach my oga to help me with transport so that i will go home and pay her my last respect because i'm her only grandchild and my dad is late but this man refuse to help that he is undertaking a project and there is no money. I also meet my pastor but he told me stories. This is the same church i have been contributing my little money for its growth weekly. I turned to members for help even if it means borrowing but no one agreed to help. Mind you, my oga is very rich but for the past months that he took me to town, i have seen hell on his hands. I can not blame him anyway, I put myself in all this mess courtesy of gambling, now that i want to focus, all my doors are are been blocked.

donttryme:
■ I lost my grandmother just last week and burial is schedule to hold this week. I approach my oga to help me with transport so that i will go home and pay her my last respect because i'm her only grandchild and my dad is late but this man refuse to help that he is undertaking a project and there is no money. I also meet my pastor but he told me stories. This is the same church i have been contributing my little money for its growth weekly. I turned to members for help even if it means borrowing but no one agreed to help. Mind you, my oga is very rich but for the past months that he took me to town, i have seen hell on his hands. I can not blame him anyway, I put myself in all this mess courtesy of gambling, now that i want to focus, all my doors are are been blocked.

Sadly, Nairaland is littered with stories of people who had bitter experiences too. And many of them ended up going back under their slave masters at the end of the day. It is hard to break from all that brainwashing so you have a battle ahead.

Kobojunkie:
Sadly, Nairaland is littered with stories of people who had bitter experiences too. And many of them ended up going back under their slave masters at the end of the day. It is hard to break from all that brainwashing so you have a battle ahead.

Lol you don't know me. I was just trying to to brief here. there is nothing that will take me to church again by God's grace, i will be leaving town to my village this week and will not come back again. From now on, its me and God, God and me, Me and God, God and me till i die.

donttryme:
Lol you don't know me. I was just trying to to brief here. there is nothing that will take me to church again by God's grace, i will be leaving town to my village this week and will not come back again. From now on, its me and God, God and me, Me and God, God and me till i die.

Here's hoping you find and stick with God and God alone from now one.

Kobojunkie:
Here's hoping you find and stick with God and God alone from now one.

Thank you

Kobojunkie:
Here's hoping you find and stick with God and God alone from now one.

You must be the happiest person right now as you have seen somebody alligning with your warped "idealogy".

LIVINGICONREBOR:
■ You must be the happiest person right now as you have seen somebody alligning with your warped "idealogy".

Aligning with my ideology? OP says he finally sees the delusions that has him brainwashed for over 20 years yet somehow you managed to twist it to make it about me. Very interesting!

donttryme:
To cut the story short, i choose to worship God in my room henceforth. I move to town recently based on connection in my church only to realize that i have been foooling myself for more than 20yrs.
First my so called oga who is elder in my church is the most wicked person i have ever met in my life. Most of the members are hypocrites who want to take advantage of others while most pastors are after their pockets. I blame myself for allowing people take advantage of me

Do you go to church because of somebody or people?

spencekat:
Do you go to church because of somebody or people?

Read my subsequent post and you might get an idea of where i'm coming from.

Depending on how you see church. If you see it as your father's house and inheritance, no one can stop you going to church. You can imagine the frustrations and hypocrisy Jesus had to cope with as He went to the temple and the synagogues every sabbath day. And He had to listen to the drabbest, dead, hypocritical, cringeworthy sermons for about 30years. You have easier choices today as there are different branches and denominations to choose from.

Image123:
Depending on how you see church. If you see it as your father's house and inheritance, no one can stop you going to church. You can imagine the frustrations and hypocrisy Jesus had to cope with as He went to the temple and the synagogues every sabbath day. And He had to listen to the drabbest, dead, hypocritical, cringeworthy sermons for about 30years. You have easier choices today as there are different branches and denominations to choose from.

This is just a deviation , i am not here to either support the OPs refusal to go to church or to go against it. However the church is not "God's house" as you put it. That is the mistake we Christians make. And it is unfortunately a huge one.(that is the reason we spend billions building massive cathedrals )

The church is the people.
it is the congregation of people who come together to fellowship in one spirit under Christ.

The place of worship is of little or no significance. It may be a shed at the back of a house, under a tree, or anywhere.
"Where ever 2 or more are gathered in my name....."

We are not practicing judaism. It was then that we had the temples where God's presense resided(the holies of holies). And when we had the Levites.
That was then.

Stop mixing the 2 religions. Learn the differences.

Image123:
Depending on how you see church. If you see it as your father's house and inheritance, no one can stop you going to church

Its true, no one has the power to stop me from going to church. But i can't sit back and watch people play over my intelligence.

You can imagine the frustrations and hypocrisy Jesus had to cope with as He went to the temple and the synagogues every sabbath day. And He had to listen to the drabbest, dead, hypocritical, cringeworthy sermons for about 30years

I'm just a human and not Jesus christ. Stop the comparasion please

You have easier choices today as there are different branches and denominations to choose from.

Choices like which one? I stated clearly that i can not continue to enrich few individuals which did not care about me and can not offer a little help when i need them most, i also added that some things are going on the church which i am not comfortable with.

Now that I have cleared the above misconception lets me attempt to give an answer to you Op.

First and foremost let's dive into the bible and bring out the most favoured scripture we Christians quote whenever this question arises.
That is Heb 10:25.
"Thou shall not forsake the gathering of the brethrens...."
This is the King James version.
Howevre that verse would be incomplete without the adjourning verses . We need to read all to comprehend the circumstances that led to Paul saying those words.

Heb 10: 19-25

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
(This is NIV)

As you can see here Paul was admonishing the brethrens not to give up on hope , and to support one another in love , and in verse 25 he said, "we should not give up on meeting together." As some of us are in the habit of doing.

That group of verses shows the entire message which Paul was trying to pass across .

Verse 25 does not stand alone, and you will be missing the true picture if u just quote that single verse.

With that said, we can see that communion of Christians is important. We need each other to strengthen our hope and faith.

However NOT GOING TO CHURCH IS NOT A SIN
Don't make that mistake !

Going to church is not living righteously.

In fact, you can be going to fellowship/church and still be living backwardly .

Communion/fellowship can be between 2or more brethren of like minds on any day of the week when u find convinience and are prepared to sit and share the word.
That is a church!

That we are carried away by the traditional ways of things doesn't mean it is the standard.

So dear OP, if you truly love God and want to grow in spirit as a Christian, endevour to find a group of people of like minds whom you can study together and share love.
That is what Paul admonished. It isn't compulsorily it is a named congregation .

But endevour to always fellowship with brethrens. Any day, any time.

Porksupplyib:
Now that I have cleared the above misconception lets me attempt to give an answer to you Op.

First and foremost let's dive into the bible and bring out the most favoured scripture we Christians quote whenever this question arises.
That is Heb 10:25.
"Thou shall not forsake the gathering of the brethrens...."
This is the King James version.
Howevre that verse would be incomplete without the adjourning verses . We need to read all to comprehend the circumstances that led to Paul saying those words

Thank you for posting this comment. Most people quote single bible verses to support their position. My pastor was like "bro shadrack, things are hard now so i suggest you should not go home for your granny burial, even the bible say we should let the dead bury themselves"
Can this man say the same when his relative is dead without taxing the church?

donttryme:

Its true, no one has the power to stop me from going to church. But i can't sit back and watch people play over my intelligence.

I'm just a human and not Jesus christ. Stop the comparasion please
Choices like which one? I stated clearly that i can not continue to enrich few individuals which did not care about me and can not offer a little help when i need them most, i also added that some things are going on the church which i am not comfortable with.

They don't need to play on your intelligence, use your intelligence. A christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, he looks to Jesus as his example. Your choices include moving to a different branch of the church or a different denomination. It's not a cult is it?

Porksupplyib:


This is just a deviation , i am not here to either support the OPs refusal to go to church or to go against it. However the church is not "God's house" as you put it. That is the mistake we Christians make. And it is unfortunately a huge one.(that is the reason we spend billions building massive cathedrals )

The church is the people.
it is the congregation of people who come together to fellowship in one spirit under Christ.

The place of worship is of little or no significance. It may be a shed at the back of a house, under a tree, or anywhere.
"Where ever 2 or more are gathered in my name....."

We are not practicing judaism. It was then that we had the temples where God's presense resided(the holies of holies). And when we had the Levites.
That was then.

Stop mixing the 2 religions. Learn the differences.

Jesus called the church my Father's house. The church is also called the Body of Christ. This is exactly how i put it.

Image123:


They don't need to play on your intelligence, use your intelligence. A christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, he looks to Jesus as his example. Your choices include moving to a different branch of the church or a different denomination. It's not a cult is it?

You don't seems to understand my position on this matter. I did not put this here for opinions, rather i simply post my resolve.
I spent money in the church in tune of millions since i joined despite when i can not boast of 10k in my name. What is difficult for the same church to help with 25k even if it means borrowing from them? What guarantee did you have that another branch or denomination will be different? Put yourself in my shoes and you will understand where i am coming from please.
Let me ask you this question, can a pastor lost his grandmom and the church will not contribute to make the burial a success?

Porksupplyib:
■ We are not practicing judaism. It was then that we had the temples where God's presense resided(the holies of holies). And when we had the Levites.
That was then.

Stop mixing the 2 religions. Learn the differences.

Judaism was not the system that God set up in Leviticus, and there was only every one house of God. Rather the religion of Judaism resulted when some of priest-class along with other teachers and Levis decided to do God their way by teaching their own ideas/doctrines and traditions. God responded by firing all of His former Shepherds promising that rather He alone would Shepherd His sheep in His new dispensation - Ezekiel 34 vs 1 - 32. Well, new dispensation came and rogue bishops showed up to set up religious shop like their predecessors did, why you have the religion of Christianity.

By the way, Jesus Christ never called His Church His Father's house by the way. The Father's house on earth was reference to the temple in Jerusalem and God Himself destroyed that Temple over 1900 years ago.

Image123:


Jesus called the church my Father's house. The church is also called the Body of Christ. This is exactly how i put it.

Please drop quotation to substantiate what you are saying. Cus I see no where in the bible where Christ called the church my father's house

donttryme:

You don't seems to understand my position on this matter. I did not put this here for opinions, rather i simply post my resolve.
I spent money in the church in tune of millions since i joined despite when i can not boast of 10k in my name. What is difficult for the same church to help with 25k even if it means borrowing from them? What guarantee did you have that another branch or denomination will be different? Put yourself in my shoes and you will understand where i am coming from please.
Let me ask you this question, can a pastor lost his grandmom and the church will not contribute to make the burial a success?

Exactly why i said that people's behaviour should not make you leave church. If you don't like the location, find another. You really cannot be that unfortunate. It's of course your decision to make, i only gave you what Jesus did and will do.

Porksupplyib:


Please drop quotation to substantiate what you are saying.

Huge sigh.

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

Image123:


Exactly why i said that people's behaviour should not make you leave church. If you don't like the location, find another. You really cannot be that unfortunate. It's of course your decision to make, i only gave you what Jesus did and will do.

You still dodged my questions somehow

donttryme:

You still dodged my questions somehow

What's your question? Are you looking up to me, or to Jesus/God? If i told you my answer, you probably will not believe me.
i have also been disappointed and even cheated by people in church before BTW.

Image123:


Huge sigh.

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 

And was John 2:16 referring to the church and not the temple ?

The temple was the house of God. That is a known fact. But after the death of Christ the veil of the temple were rent. The era of the temple ended. The temple of God now lives in you and I. You can now approach the father anywhere and anytime.

Porksupplyib:


And was John 2:16 referring to the church and not the temple ?

Huger sigh.

The two. Are you temple or church according to the Bible?

Image123:


Huger sigh.

The two. Are you temple or church according to the Bible?

Smiles. You cannot pick an unrelated verse in the bible to substantiate a point you are trying to drive at.

The temple of God is the house of God. Today the church is the body of Christ. And it entails the people and not the building. Unlike the temple.

That is why if you and I sit in our sitting room and worship and commune sharing the word of God, we are a church!

Do you know that there are places around the world where christians cannot meet in public or a known place to worship as you and i do here in Nigeria?

And yet the church exist in these places. It is the people and not the place.