Does being in a church make you uncomfortable?

I grew up Catholic and attended Catholic school, so I know all of the rituals, hymns, etc. So in that regard it's familiar.

On the other, as a gay atheist, the amount of cognitive dissonance I went through during the last mass I attended made me want to never go back.

With that said, Christian people are some of my best friends and I rather enjoy more than a few Christian rock/metal bands

 

Well basicly being an agnostic makes it weird. It just feels that something is wrong and I shouldn't be there. Same goes with singing religous songs (rarely ever happens)
I tend to think that someone else could feel uncomfortable/ seamy and tend to symphatize with them

 

People singing out of tune makes me uncomfortable.

Some of them happen to be at churches, others are located at stores, streets or bars.

 

Yes. Not because of my sexuality, but because I used to be Christian, I feel like I turned my back on the religion, so I have no right to be there. I feel like I'm being invasive to another's religion, but I will gladly go for any charity event they may hold, or I would accompany a friend who wanted to visit. Churches aren't such a big thing in the UK. I know many Christians who only go to Church for religious holidays, so it's not something I've had to deal with often.

 

I really think all conservative Christians and especially church leaders should read this thread and repent in dust and ashes for all of the damage they have done to non-straight people.

I've gone to church most of my life but, being from Canada, have honestly never heard one sermon against homosexuality. I hear it is a common occurrence in the USA though.
Not sure what they are trying to accomplish?

My last pastor made the odd comment though which I felt was not very gay-accepting. It was not challenged by anyone, so rather than causing a ruckus, I changed churches. However, I let him know it's one of the reasons I left. Yes, he is elderly, but he should know better, and the congregation should have called him on it.

 

Of course not, I don't have anything to fear from them. They should fear me.

 

I like visiting churches, but they make me uncomfortable, mainly due to the fact that I don't share their values.

 

I am not Christian (Buddhist/non-practising). I find churches interesting and calming. I've attended a Christian mass and although I do no understand what's happening it is fairly fascinating.

 

I believe in God and that's it. No disrespect but although I view a Church as just a building, I appreciate it's value to others and treat it with respect. Sometimes I do feel peaceful inside them.

The only times I don't like Church are school events or when people do very (in my opinion) odd stuff like speaking in tongues, because I really don't know what is happening at that time. On the same note, does anyone know of any studies done on people when they are speaking in tongues to see if something actually does change in their body?

Edit: I also like a church if it stands out for its historical value or architecture, so I don't consider them all "just buildings".

 

That's a good question Herald. To me speaking in tongues after the time of Jesus meant speaking in different languages, not speaking some heavenly language (gibberish?) nobody can understand. I get uncomfortable too in a church that speaks in tongues.

 

I say somewhat, I am an atheist, but my parents don't know and it would be awkward telling them, so I just go anyway, the most awkward part is seeing people that was in my previous school, they don't like me that much :/

 

I'd genrally like religious places because you feel theres a bigger force out there, I am not very religious but I believe. As a muslim when I go in one, and I go like once in a year by the way, I feel kinda relieved. My sexuality and the probability that most of the people in it are homophobic doesn't really affet me. I guess I just put sexuality and religion into to different places, so one doesn't really affect the other

 

Yes, the are cold ugly buildings full of delusional people.

Happy days

 

Read my post under Are churches full of delusional people? in Chit Chat.

 

I'm neutral. I went to a church for my grandfather's wake and didn't have any particular feelings.

 

I get uncomfortable. I just feel like I don't belong. If everyone there knew I was gay they wouldn't allow me to be there anyways. Although, there is one church in this tiny town that put on their sign out front "LGBT are welcome to worship here." That is unheard of in this area and I'm sure they caught a lot of heat. So I'm not sure how I would feel at that church.

 

No, and yes.

No, because of the Church I go to currently. Baptists aren't known for being LGBT-friendly, and about half the time on Sunday I want to either leave, debate the pastor, or start quoting Pulp Fiction.

Yes, because I know there are other churches out there that are different, that accept that I can be gay and a Christian. So my feelings are ambiguous.

 

I would not be able to go to a church where no one believed in old earth creation, where they did not allow any kind of baptsim, where they were the angry God kind, where they yell, or where they say women are not equal with men (at my church the male pastor played marry, and a gay couple has attended).