New to the group

[karen2]

Just wanted to introduce myself. I am relieved to find this site. so often I tell people I was raised in a strict religious family, and they ask which church, and when I tell them Non Instrumental Church of Christ they have no idea what I am talking about. Its reassuring to know there are others who understand the struggles of being raised in that church.
I currently dont go to church and honestly have panic attacks if I even try, but find myself questioning God and things I learned, maybe He is different than what I learned?

I hope I can find answers and support here.

Karen2

[FinallyFree]

So glad you have joined us here!

[agricola]

Welcome to the group - and yes, indeed - the 'picture' of God which some coc's convey to members is seriously not-normal.

Every faith with a deity has an overall version of that deity - and every small group within that faith has a 'take' on that version which can vary a little or a lot from the main standard one. The 'take' of the coc is a bit off the normal standard traditional Christian version. Have you visited the main site? (which this dialog group is attached to) There are some good short explanations of a lot of ways the coc is skewed from traditional Christian teachings.

[KLP]

Welcome Karen. That other post of your about having to stand up and be rebuked publicly is bizarre and one of the oddest things I have heard. I have rarely seen people be present for when they were disfellowshipped. And even if you poked the hornets nest, I still cannot not imagine the justification for treating a youth in this manner.

[Cootie Brown]

All of our Church of Christ experiences and stories reflect identifiable similarities. Any and all versions of Christianity that read and interpret the Bible literally and believe it reflects actual historical events are also are traditionally and doctrinally legalistic. Legalistic environments tend to be stressful and that is reflected in their beliefs and traditions.

I am no longer a believer and haven't been for many years now. If God is still important in your life then I would suggest you visit some liberal and/or mainline Christian Churches like the Disciples of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian, or Episcopal.

If that option isn't attractive to you, because you still fear God and hell, then I would suggest you read some religious historians, not apologists, like Bart Ehrman and David Fitzgerald. I've been studying and researching the origins and evolution of the Bible and the Christian faith for a number of years now and the evidence has convinced me the Bible is not historically true or in any sense literally true.

The historical evidence indicates the Bible is a collection of Theological Myths (aka wisdom teaching) but those stories are not true in any literal or historic sense. Many believe Theological Myths are sufficient to establish and support a form of spirituality that includes a belief in God or a God. That option clearly isn't for everyone but for those that might have an interest in exploring it I can recommend another site called Ex-Christian.net. It's a very active site for people from all over the world that have decided to leave Christianity. Some retain a belief in God and some don't.

In any event, I wish you well in your search for truth.

[Ivy]

Welcome, karen2!!

[flawed]

Hi and welcome Karen2. Hopefully you will find healing here. Being raised COC was tough, but I try to remind myself it could've been worse, I could've been born into a Jehovah's Witness family or the Duggars

[karen2]

Thank you everyone for the welcome...i am just really excited about this site and the support. its interesting, that sometimes you dont realize something isnt " normal" because that is all you have known. I have had such a hatred and fear of the church thinking they all thought and acted the same. I have so much to learn,

Karen2

[Tsathoggua]

Welcome aboard!