why stay in a church if you don't follow the beliefs

[smileyeagle1021]

If a person is not going to follow the beliefs and teachings of a church then why continue to call one's self a member of that group and why continue to participate in the sacraments within that church?

Ree brought this up in another thread and I didn't want to threadjack.
I see it all the time, I cannot tell you how many Mormons I know who will proudly proclaim that they are Mormons, active in the church, participating in the Sacrament... that drink alcohol, smoke, drink coffee, work on Sundays, etc.
I know why they do it... it's a social status thing. They think that as being an active member in the church they are automatically in a better social situation than their neighbors who aren't (and in some areas that may be true). I can see a lot of people doing it because they were raised that you had to be a member of the church in order to gain salvation.

You know what though, my personal opinion, this falls under you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you absolutely must be a member of a church and do all the things that one church says is wrong, then find a church that will accept whatever it is that you are doing, otherwise, if you believe that one particular church is the only way to salvation, then I'd suggest you actually do what that church says you need to do for salvation or it all may be for vain anyway.

[Exaspera]

That's probably why the term hypocrites was coined. "Do as I say and not as I do."

[Jack]

I was Christian attending a Baptist church as as teenager, but once I did my research and adopted an atheist position, I felt a bit rotten when my mom made me go to church anyway. Like I shouldn't be there. I tried my best not to participate though. $

[HYHYBT]

Depends on the degree; if you disagree with all or most of what the church says, then of course you ought not to be there, but expecting people not only to agree with absolutely everything their church says or does, but also to be perfect, is hardly reasonable.

[Rageaholic]

Depends on the degree; if you disagree with all or most of what the church says, then of course you ought not to be there, but expecting people not only to agree with absolutely everything their church says or does, but also to be perfect, is hardly reasonable.

Exactly, I find myself disagreeing with most of what the church says except for the "love your neighbor" and "do unto others" part, but I don't need the church for that, so I'm not part of it. I don't see how someone is being a hypocrite for being part of the church, but having a few disagreements, like women preists and their stance on homosexuality. I think if people feel the church is wrong on those things, they should have the right to speak up without being shut down. It's not like they are asking for them to change their entire believes.

Also, there are different denomonations of Catholicism. People may believe in the core believes, but may disagree on the rigid set of rules and have a different interpration of them. Those are usually liberal catholics, and that's just one example.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what a faith believes when there are so many different interprations of it. Sure, there are core believes such as the sacrements, but there are always details that are up to debate. For me personally, not only do I disagree with a lot of what the church says, I am specitical as to if it's really the truth and made a decision that the church isn't for me. But there are people who do believe in that, but have a few disagreements. I fail to see why those people should have to get out just because of those differences.

[crashhelmet]

I know why they do it... it's a social status thing. They think that as being an active member in the church they are automatically in a better social situation than their neighbors who aren't (and in some areas that may be true).

I've seen this a lot in the different places I've lived. In a lot of those places, it does have an impact.

I can imagine that there in Salt lake, if you're not a Mormon and active int he Mormon Church, you're shunned as an outcast. I've lived in communities in the south where if you weren't a Southern Baptist and a member of a specific church, you were blackballed by the community. Some people join simply to avoid the persecution.

I agree though that you shouldn't join a church if you're not going to abide by its laws and teachings. I'll also be the first to admit that I'm a hypocrite in this aspect.

I'm a Catholic. I'm also a sinner that commits some of the mortal sins on a regular basis. I can ask for forgiveness until the day I die, and while I may be forgiven, it's still hypocritical.


CH

[jedimaster91]

You know what though, my personal opinion, this falls under you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you absolutely must be a member of a church and do all the things that one church says is wrong, then find a church that will accept whatever it is that you are doing, otherwise, if you believe that one particular church is the only way to salvation, then I'd suggest you actually do what that church says you need to do for salvation or it all may be for vain anyway.

For once a position on the church I actually agree with you on.

This drives me crazy. No church expects its members to be 100% perfect 100% of the time. However, they generally expect members to be working on it. I think part of the problem with the LDS converts is a lot of them get baptised without really understanding what they're committing to. For instance, right now in our ward, one set of missionaries has been tracting in a Section 8 apartment complex. Nothing against anyone in Section 8 housing, but it's a completely different culture than these missionaries from the West are used to dealing with. Many of the tenants in this complex have no Christian background at all and the missionaries are trying to get them baptised without addressing that fact. Quite frankly, I don't think we'll be able to hold onto the girl getting baptised this weekend because she's not ready. They're teaching way above her head. I don't doubt that she felt something that she wants to keep in her life, but right now she lacks the understanding of what exactly it is she felt and what it's going to take to keep it. Getting baptised is the easy part. Living to what one commits to is another thing entirely.

As for the ones who have been in the church awhile and definitely know better, but do it anyway, they're hypocrites. And there are some rules that if broken will land you in front of a disciplinary counsel; especially if they're broken willfully.