Weddingbee Boards: Forum: Christian

Weddingbee Boards: Forum: Christian - Recent Topics http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Weddingbee Boards: Forum: Christian - Recent Topics en Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:48:08 +0000 moonadea on "How many Christians really support gay marriage/gay rights?" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/how-many-christians-really-support-gay-marriagegay-rights#post-3058600 Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:26:40 +0000 moonadea 3058600@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ My partner and I have been discussing possibly attending a church again. We were both raised religious (she Catholic, me non-denominational Christian) but left due to being gay and a few other reasons. After doing some research and seeing people comment on the boards here, we've realized that there are actually several churches of various sects in our area that say they welcome gays, and some Christians also say they support gay marriage/gay rights. Is this really true? Is there really a place for us in church or is it more a matter of Christians trying not to offend people? amnystik on "Great teaching series for newlyweds & well just us married folk" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/great-teaching-series-for-newlyweds-038-well-just-us-married-folk#post-3209283 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:49 +0000 amnystik 3209283@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ One of my favorite teachers on Marriage is Jimmy Evans with Marriage Today! He is an INCREDIBLE biblical communicator and does an amazing job teaching some touchy topics in ways that completely line up with scripture are easily received. For Valentines they're having a sale on a couple of their DVD's series!!!!!! You can see snip-its of both on the website =D 1. <a href="http://store.marriagetoday.com/collections/dvds/products/sex-love-communication-dvd-series">Sex, Love, and Communication</a> - Definitely a good prep for building that right kind of intimacy! 2. <a href="http://store.marriagetoday.com/collections/dvds/products/you-me-money-dvd-series">You, Me, & Money</a> - More about creating a partnership in your finances so that you can make a great team! =) I just ordered both and only paid 44 bucks after shipping! Not bad for a 4 part & 3 part DVD series.... So I had to share =D Miss BBQ on "Awkward family situation" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/awkward-family-situation#post-1377356 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 06:20:12 +0000 Miss BBQ 1377356@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ We wanted to add communion to our ceremony since FI's family is Catholic and it's a big part of their weddings, and even though ours will be in a Methodist church I wanted to include elements that were relevant to both denominations. Initially, we wanted just the two of us to do communion. The way the Methodist church does it is to come to the front, get your bread, dip it in the cup and go back to your seat. Our pastor has told us that he'll let us do communion, but if we do then he does it for the entire congregation (guests), and if we want it to be just us then we REALLY REALLY have to convince him otherwise. The situation is this: the majority of my family are non-practicing Christians, but I have several immediate family members that do not believe in God at all.  I don't know if it's a good idea to have everyone go up for communion and leave those people out? Plus, do Catholics have a problem with doing communion in a non-Catholic church? I just don't want to make anyone feel awkward, but I totally understand wanting it to be open to everyone... MisssPumpkinBarry on "I want the focus on my ceremony to be on Christ..." http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/i-want-the-focus-on-my-ceremony-to-be-on-christ#post-2731270 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:12:40 +0000 MisssPumpkinBarry 2731270@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ NOT on me!!!!!! Am I the only bride who feels this way???? I am sick and tired of going to weddings where it's all about the bride or groom and not about what Christ has done for them or how marriage is a beautiful representation of God and the church.  Our wedding is end of December so I do think foot-washing would be out of the question lol. I also don't want to change our entire reception into a worship service.  What are some ways I can keep the focus of the day on God and marriage... and not on me specifically??? I'm excited to hear responses!  dandelion83 on "He's not christian" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/hes-not-christian#post-3162830 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:17:48 +0000 dandelion83 3162830@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Well I've been lurking these boards for a while now, now I need some input.  My SO and Ihave started talking about marriage, and I'm super excited about it.  We've been dating seriously for about 7 months now... everything just clicked immediately with us.  I feel like I know him as well as I know myself!  We have had conversations about faith before, and I have always shared that my faith is something that is very important to me.  In the time he's known me, God and I have been sorting some stuff out, and so I haven't been active in a church community.  I've decided that I would like to belong somewhere again, and learn and grow as a christian again. It has never bothered me that SO wasn't christian, when we talked about it, he was undecided, but open to hearing what I had to say, and seemed very accepting and curious.  I always just assumed that given how close we are, that when the time was right he would become involved with me.  To make a long story short, I asked him to try a new church with me as I didn't want to go alone.  He said "no". I was shocked, I completely didn't expect that.  I didn't expect him to become an instant christian, but I did expect him to come to church with me.  Now I don't know what to do or think, and I'm questionining our relationship.  What are your thoughts? MissTaken on "ticked off and resentful of my FI for trying to take Ave Maria away from me" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/ticked-off-and-resentful-of-my-fi-for-trying-to-take-ave-maria-away-from-me#post-3210416 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:34:49 +0000 MissTaken 3210416@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ I posted a long time ago about this issue. I was raised Catholic, my FI non denom Christian. We've been attending a Presby church. Since I was raised Catholic, I want to lay flowers at Mary and kneel in front of a statue of Mary to pray to God to bring me strength when I am a mother one day and to look at Mary as a role model. I then want to give flowers to my mother  and FI's mother to thank them. In the past, I cried because I wanted FI to share that moment with me. But I took everyone's advice and realized that I shouldn't expect him to do something he doesn't believe in or is not comfortable with. Well, I decided that this is very meaningful to me. I really want to incorporate this into my ceremony. I decided that instead of my FI going with me, I would take my mom. It would seriously make her so happy. It would make me so happy to share that beautiful moment with my mom! It's just something that I REALLY NEED and WANT to incorporate. NO LONGER NEGOTIABLE. Well, FI says no. He doesn't want a statue of Mary at HIS ceremony. He still doesn't get it. Doesn't understand. Doesn't find it necessary. It's not in the bible so he doesn't believe it. WTF?! There's a thousand things in the bible that he doesn't believe (slavery, treatment of women, eating shellfish, etc whatever). And quite frankly, I'm not asking him to change his beliefs! I'm not asking him to do ANYTHING except respect what is meaningful to ME, even though HE doesn't understand it. I would NEVER try to take something away from him and his mom that is special for him, even though I didn't understand it or didn't "get it". We share the SAME core religious beliefs.  Adding this to the ceremony doesn't change anything. I really don't understand and don't know how else to make him understand or respect my own sets of beliefs. I really feel like he's being so selfish! :( And I really don't want to get into a discussion about praying to mary. I really don't. There is one God, but many different ways to worship. I'm not so arrogant to believe that my way is the one and ONLY right way. There are so many different beliefs and translations from the bible and I don't think it's necessary to go into any philosophical discussions because that would be an endless argument. I just need to know how to deal with this. So frustrated! DeadlyNightshade on "Sometimes I dont want to call myself a Christian and wish there was another name" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/sometimes-i-dont-want-to-call-myself-a-christian-and-wish-there-was-another-name#post-3214182 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:29:40 +0000 DeadlyNightshade 3214182@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ This is a total VENT.  I'm sorry if I offend anyone, that isn't my intent but this is how I feel.   I sometimes feel SO out of place in my religion.  I feel like so many of the other Christians around me just don't stand for the same things I do. My best friends are gay.  The love of my life is an Atheist.  I don't think I need to go to church every Sunday or AT ALL, for that matter.  I read the bible, yes, and use it as somewhat of a guideline.  But I seriously doubt that a good chunk of it was ever meant to be taken literally. Not to mention that half of it seems to have been lost in translation. All I can honestly say is that I believe in God and am wholeheartedly in love with the basic things that Christ stood for.  Kindness.  Forgiveness.  Love.  The fact that we are all flawed. And yes, I believe that he made a sacrifice for me. Yet no matter where I turn I get people telling me that I'm not doing it right.  Both Christians and people who don't believe.  Are you serious??? When did my relationship with God become YOUR problem?  Apparently I don't hate enough for the other Christians or some Atheists.  I'm not a true Christian to either. So then what am I?  So you can have your stupid labels back.  I'm going to keep going to gay clubs with my friends and marching alongside them in protest.  I'm going to keep living in sin "unequally yoked" with my heathen of a boyfriend.  Nevermind the fact that he's more Christlike than any of the Christians I've ever spoken to.  And I'm going to keep praying IN MY HOME because I seriously DONT think GOD is limited in where he can hear me. And you know what, no I DONT automatically think that I need to tell people that they need to find Jesus because I actually think that there are MANY paths to God.  I just happened to have found the one that works for me. /RANT> Sorry, I just had to deal with my Christian mother and my Atheist friend both attacking me in one day.  It felt like the 100th time and I had to let out some steam.   Canonite on "NWR: Honor and Respect in the church vs at work & VENT" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/nwr-honor-and-respect-in-the-church-vs-at-work-038-vent#post-3212724 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:23:30 +0000 Canonite 3212724@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Basically, DH was treated very poorly by his church (DH's dad is the pastor). DH was put in charge of creating a ministry that would really help the community & the church itself. However, the team who was supposed to support & work with DH consistantly fought DH, tooth & nail over anything & everything & no one stood up for him, even when DH was getting yelled at (over what music he played before the meetings & also over the name of the ministry). DH would come home so frustrated & not happy at all & always stressed & on edge. He told me stories that deeply saddened & infuriated me, how freaked out the team got over stupid little stuff & how badly they treated him. DH's dad (the main pastor) & the members told DH "that's just how it is with churches & with families". DH lasted about 8 months there, then he left & found a job at a local store. He LOVES his job now! His co-workers & managers all love him, respect him & no one yells at him (maybe a customer but its very rare & even then, its not directed at DH & his co-workers or managers reassure him afterwards). DH comes home happy, excited & tells me stories that are hilarious & good & impressive. DH posted something on FB saying how he gets more honor & respect at work than he ever got from his old church & something seemed wrong with that. Now, most people from the church are saying that's just how it is everywhere & if you love people, you put up with them & how it doesn't matter what the people think/act, just about what God thinks. They imply that there's more value in staying with the church than being at his job. & that his responsibilities as a man are to love the people at the church, regardless of how they treat him. Basically, saying how its his job to put up with how he was treated. So is it okay to treat a church leader like that? explosyv1 on "Spiritually Weak FI" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/spiritually-weak-fi#post-3206917 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:02:01 +0000 explosyv1 3206917@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ My FI and I attend church together and that's about all.  We attended premarital couseling where the counseler stressed to us the importance of building our foudation on Chirst.  I thought my fiance would take it and run with it but he has not.  We don't pray together or study together and it bothers me.  I purchased a couples devotional book for us and find myself being the only one who encourages us to pick it up and learn from it.  As I grow older I yearn to build a strong bond with God and want that for my household but am not certain that's where we together are headed. Last night I went to bible study and my fiance came along for the first time.  The preacher asked that we find a prayer partner and gave us the guidelines on what to do with the prayer partner.  He encouraged us to branch out and possibly pear up with people we may not know that well.  Our church focus for the year is creating bonds. When we were leaving I was asking my fiance who he may have had in mind.  He says the name of someone he knows VERY well and who rarely evey attends church.  I was disappointed because it seems like he doesnt take God seriously.  He goes to church on Sunday's gives money and that's it.  My other concern is his moral code.  He's a good natured person but some things alert me.  For instance last night were watching a segment about JFK's mistress.  The lady said she doesnt regret having the affair.  I then replied she's selfish.  He said she was young.  I said that is still no excuse you don't sleep with married people.  The grown woman (even at 19) knows simple right from wrong. I then asked him would you sleep with a married person if we werent engaged.  His response is not now i'm too old.  I said well when you were younger and the circumstances were right would you have done it.  This man says yes.  Problem is you grew up in the church so you should definitely know sleeping with married people is unacceptable.  I kind of gave him the cold shoulder and he knew I WAS NOT feeling him after that response.  Point of this post is I am scheduled to marry this man in a little over a month.  On paper we are perfect however we are not on the same page spiritually and it's concerning to me.  What should I do?  Am I overreacting? thanlon_88 on "Waiting til marriage...." http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/waiting-til-marriage#post-3106695 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:56:41 +0000 thanlon_88 3106695@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ We've been together for 5 years, engaged for just over 2. We've always both been believers of the Christian faith but never really attended church/did anything about it until October 2010. We started attending church regularly and got involved in the chruch community and started a relationship with God. Few months down the road we were both having convictions about sleeping together before marriage and decided to wait until our wedding (June 2012). We talked to our pastors who suggested moving apart, which was not ideal for us (not that we should make excuses) so we decided not to have sex til the wedding. We've done incredibly well (few slips... oops!) but it is just sooooo hard! Anyone else share this experience and want to offer some words of advice to help get me through! Come on June!!!