Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

What have you kept, either as part of your theology or even as part of your personality, from your time in the COC?

I've kept a good bit of Bible knowledge, way too much judgmentalism, an inability to get onboard with infant baptism, and a distrust of anything that follows "God told me..." I'm sure there's more. Interested to see what has stayed with you, both good and bad.

Lev

I have taken a personality that always does my best. Kept me in a bad marriage for too long.

I have taken a belief in God and a desire to worship. Searching for a church that is a good fit since my marriage is over. This is difficult because I want communion every Sunday, a loving God preached, but a more traditional service.

a good bit of bible knowledge (of 'facts' and verse quotes) and way too much judgmentalism....that's about right.

I couldn't care less about infant baptism though. Parents do all sorts of things that decide major aspects of the life of their children; why not baptism?

Another thing I 'took', however, is a certain - paranoia? suspicion? about religious statements from ANYBODY. Being overly credulous might not be the best way to be, but being overly suspicious and doubtful of other people's motives isn't all that terrific either.

Bible knowledge for sure. I really notice it at when I attend adult formation/bible study.

I get my sarcasm and assholishness from the CoC.

Grace said:

This is difficult because I want communion every Sunday, a loving God preached, but a more traditional service.

You might want to check out Disciples of Christ if you haven't already. We have both a traditional and contemporary service at our church, communion every Sunday (in fact, part of the DoC tradition is to have the table front and center...the focus), and definitely a loving God preached.

Pros:
Pretty good guess that there must be a God.
Bible knowledge.
Love of singing, especially harmonizing.

Cons:
Pretty good guess that there must be a God.
Readiness to completely write someone off who sounds the least bit fundamentalist...or someone who sounds like they don't think much about religious/spiritual things.

B.H. wrote:I get .....assholishness from the CoC.

ROFLMAO

On the plus side,I did come away with a good bit of Bible knowledge. But, I also have the unbelievable sense of guilt over, well, everything, and an intense fear of the afterlife. Not so much just a fear of hell, but really of heaven too! From what I heard in the cOC, the afterlife is one of two things, neither of which sound all that good. Option# 1, get into heaven, but then what? It just sounds like an inescapable prison. What is it that you do there? Just hang with God? We are told, "no tears or sadness in Heaven". Okay, good. But, what about the fact that not all of our family/friends will be there? There is no getting around that part. Either A) some won't make it there, or B) they will still be on Earth alive. Either way, that's sad, is it not? And of course, option # 2 is hell. And naturally, the cOC says "there's not a THIRD CHOICE!!".

I've taken away a razor sharp double edge sword able to cut through any smoke screen of religious BS. I will never again automatically defer to or place myself under the intellectual and moral authority of a few men who just happen to hold a title...and certainly not the clergy preacher man just because he has the title. They better have more bona fides than just one wife and multiple baptized children. I've had my fill of folks telling me what I can or can't do or what I should or shouldn't think. Oh, and I have taken a songbook here and there.