Im not a religious person, but im starting to worry!

[Katzpur]

Mark,

You said in your very first statement that you girlfriend is not following her father's beliefs and never has. In your last paragraph, you said it scares you that your girlfriend believes her dad's religion is the correct religion. I'm sorry, but these two statements appear to me to be contradicting each other. I'm afraid you really haven't given us a very clear picture of where your girlfriend actually stands.

Regarding your other statements:

Believes that women should cover their heads when they pray before a meal, with a cloth.
Does not have a TV/computer. Although he does use a cassette player to listen to his tapes. These tapes are by a man named John Metcalfe, who i think is sort of the founder of the religion.
He is not happy for me to drive my g/f round in my car or pick her brother and sister up, because it gives off the wrong impression.
He does not even buy newspapers.
My g/f is 21 and has a curfew. She is a grown woman!

I did a quick Google search for John Metcalfe and came up with nothing. As for the vast majority of your girlfriend's dad's beliefs, they are not common to Christianity as a whole and really should not be thought of as being representative of what most Christians believe. I've actually never met a Christian who believes any of these things, and 99% of the people I know do consider themselves Christian.

Does not like the idea of moving into a house together before marriage

This, I believe, is something that not all, but a great many, Christians would agree with. Many Christians believe that sexual relations are sacred and should be engaged in only by married couples.

He is a nice man, and im not going to dislike him because of his beliefs.

You are to be commended for your tolerant attitude. I mean that sincerely.

Kathryn

 

[mrhurst]

I feel i am too set in my ways to be able to change.

Another point i shall add is that my g/f dad was not religious up until around 12 years ago. He just came home, and took everything away. Which i find strange.

 

[michel]

If you start off believing in Christ because you're genuinely and deeply afraid of hell, you will end up fearing all sorts of things. .

Very good point, Sunstone, and I am a Christian.

 

[mrhurst]

Sorry Kathryn ! what i mean is, she does not follow her dads beliefs and in her eyes, she knows she is doing wrong. She watches tv and all that. But she says she has gone against the religion.

 

[mrhurst]

i just found this on John Metcalfe. It seems it may be some knd of cult, although i have asked my g/f about this, she said it was not. Sorry if im focusing to much on her dad, maybe some of you may be interested.

thanks for all your help

 

[mrhurst]

http://www.penfoldbooks.com/product/53/283

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

I'm curious... Do you personally believe that all non-Christians are destined to spend eternity in Hell? (I'm not accusing you of saying that, but your post does make me wonder.)

Yep. You got it. That is exactly what I believe.

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

Oh, and perhaps I gave the wrong idea. I don't believe you should become a Christian just because you're scared of going to hell. What I meant was that fear could lead you to study, and that study could lead you to truly loving and desiring to worship God.

 

[Fascist Christ]

I have never been christened, nor have i attended church. I have always been a believer in Evolution. Recently, i have been talking to my girlfriend about the subject. Her dad is religious, christian i think. He believes in all the christian beliefs, but takes it a step further. He does not have a TV, radio, computer or anything that can apparently distract him from god.
My g/f says that anyone who does not believe will suffer in hell for eternity. I am a nice person, i live a peaceful life. I have never harmed anyone or done any bad things, but im worried im going to go to hell when the world ends. I have always believed the big bang theories, but after talking with my g/f, it sounds like there could be truth in what she says. She also says that anyone who does have distractions from god will go to hell. So does that mean that all christians who watch TV, listen to the radio and play on computers will go to hell?
It makes me wonder if we really should be doing the things we are doing. Should we drive cars? Should we go out for a drink? Did god intend for humans to have fun and enjoy their spare time? We were meant to build houses? If not, how does god wish us to live? There is no way i would be able to give up my tv/radio/football. I have grown up with theses things. At the moment im just feeling confused. I asked my g/f things like, why is the universe so big if god just wanted us humans. She said to give us an idea of infinity, because god himself is infinite. He has no end and no beginning.

Can anyone shed any light on this matter?

Thanks very much, mark.

It is not healthy for anyone to live in constant fear of the unknown.

 

[Dark_Waltz]

I have never been christened, nor have i attended church. I have always been a believer in Evolution. Recently, i have been talking to my girlfriend about the subject. Her dad is religious, christian i think. He believes in all the christian beliefs, but takes it a step further. He does not have a TV, radio, computer or anything that can apparently distract him from god.
My g/f says that anyone who does not believe will suffer in hell for eternity. I am a nice person, i live a peaceful life. I have never harmed anyone or done any bad things, but im worried im going to go to hell when the world ends

You really think someone who supposedly loves you and has supreme power is going to let you burn in hell for all eternity for not very much,

I think not...

 

[Fluffy]

Firstly, I like your screen name. It is the same name as one of the most well liked teachers at my school.

I think you need to ask yourself a few things. If god does exist, what would it say about him if he cast those who did not believe in him (given no evidence nor rational reason for doing so) into eternal torment? Then, if this is true, do you not thing that the same god would not make an exception for those who merely chose to believe in him to avoid this torment? Lastly, would you want to spend your afterlife with a god who was so petty?

I, personally, don't believe that the Christian god stands for any of those things. If you are a moral person who strives to do the right thing and fails when he does not, then I think that God would be a damn sight more pleased with you than had you done the same but only out of belief or love for him. I'd advise you to keep on doing what you are doing if it feels right for you.

 

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

MrHurst,

It does sound very much like your GF's dad is involved in either a "Branch Dividian" style cult, or at least a very old school and overly strict brand of Quaker type of church. Either way, pretty creepy stuff.

You asked a question earlier about why people who were Christians, chose Christianity, or something to that effect. Personally, I think most folks were born into it. My wife is Catholic, from a big time Catholic family, everyone she is related to is Catholic. For her, her religion is very much like Judaism (She doesn't think this, I do.) in the sense that she was born into it. Her people are Catholic, and of German and Polish descent, therefore so is she.

I have a very strong feeling, that a few noted exceptions aside, most people who profess to be Christians, are going to be people whose parents dragged them to a Christian church as a child. I grew up that way, as did my brother. He now takes his kids to Church, tho he doesn't buy into any of it more than I do. He feels he is obliged to take his kids, as it is the right thing to do.

My guess is that if adult Christians were taken to mosques or synagogues as children, they would grow up to be Muslims and Jews, respectively. Of course I will soon be slammed by people who will insist that they would have seen the "truth" of their parent's beleif systems despite never having heard the message as a child, but such is inevitable.

MrHurst, you have been encouraged by several self-professed christians to do research into the faith, and decide for yourself, rather than get religion based only on your fear of Hell. Let me strongly urge you not to do this. If you want to get religion, just show up to church, and beleive whatever they tell you, forking over 10% of your salary for the privelege of missing the first quarter of the early NFL game each Sunday.

Don't ask too many questions, and whatever you do, don't do any research. If you do, you may find yourself in the sad and lonely world of the freethinker, naturalist, skeptic, agnostic, etc. . . Those people think for themselves, have to make sense of the world around them, and are generally hated and condemned by the religious community.

Just blindly follow the preacher. You will find when you go, that the preacher will often refer to himself as the shephard, and will often refer to his congregation as sheep. Very appropriate and telling analogy. Good luck in your search, and I hope yours does not turn out as mine did.

B.

 

[Ernestine]

True religion does not try to frighten people into serving God. One of the primary commandments is to love God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength. We, in genreal should be concerned because of the times we live in. Just because your
g/f professes to be religious doesn't mean she/family will be saved. You must worship God in spirit and truth. Jesus said that narrow and cramped is the road leading to everlasting life and few are the ones finding it; broad and spacious the road leading to destruction (there is no hell) and many are the ones finding it. Serve God as his word, the Bible requires, with a willing heart and you have an equally or better chance than your g/f & her family of surviving.

 

[michel]

True religion does not try to frighten people into serving God. One of the primary commandments is to love God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength. We, in genreal should be concerned because of the times we live in. Just because your
g/f professes to be religious doesn't mean she/family will be saved. You must worship God in spirit and truth. Jesus said that narrow and cramped is the road leading to everlasting life and few are the ones finding it; broad and spacious the road leading to destruction (there is no hell) and many are the ones finding it. Serve God as his word, the Bible requires, with a willing heart and you have an equally or better chance than your g/f & her family of surviving.

May ask what faith you are ? and what made you 'believe' ?

 

[Dark_Waltz]

Not wanting to generalise but alot of christians do only seem to worship because they fear their God, And does the christian God not want them to fear him? If you read the bible it certainly seems that way.