Frankster

I am from Orange County California (fourth most conservative in the country). I began my search at the United Church of Christ website:

 

http://www.ucc.org/index1.php

 

I found what I was looking for at the first church I visited and have been a member there for three years.

 

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I live in Canada and, after upbringing in the Roman Catholic Church, abandoned religion for many years until returning nearly five years ago. I knew from the get-go RC wasn't gonna work (boring services attended mostly by people who go out of guilt) and ended up going to a seeker-oriented new church for several years until switching to my new wife's Baptist (not southern) congregation. It's not really up my alley, but she's been a member there for 20 years and the relationships made there are important to her.

My point? I'm a progressive Christian and would rather attend a church where following Christ is actually meaningful in people's lives. I could attend a United church, which is much closer to my spiritual path, but find most liberal churches become social clubs attended by people who don't much care about their spiritual walk. Yuch. Lukewarm liberals are a major turnoff for me.

Can anyone tell me why so many liberal Christians become so lukewarm?

Frank King

Whitby, Ontario

I have enjoyed reading everyones responses to my initial post.  To comment...

 

John Spong and Matt Fox, among others, have inspired me and instilled in me the desire to not accept the same old, same old, so to speak.  I can no longer try to fit myself (round peg) into a something that I no longer believe (square hole). 

 

I guess that I am searching for that round hole that I can fit into.

 

I have to say that, being around some very good 12 step programs have also contributed to my spiritual growth.  I have "come to believe" many things that are more about spirit and connection to a Higher Power than doctrine and theology.

 

I too have attended many, many different Christian churches as well as UU.  I have not felt a connection in any of them as they all seem to have one foot in the literal interpretation of the Bible and doctrine and the other kind of just not to sure of where to step next...even those churches that had a "liberal" leader still lived in a world that I no longer belong too.

 

I believe that God is the Ground of all Being and that Ground is the creation from which all life and love springs forth...I believe that Jesus connected to this reality in a way that average people cannot or will not...I believe that there is no where to go but back to God...I believe that death is only a doorway into a new beginning...totally different from the reality that I am now experiencing.  I believe that most, if not all RELIGION is/was designed to relieve the "angst" of non-being (Spong) and that those in positions of power use and have used this "angst" to control us all - through politics, religion and economics.

 

Because I have come to believe these things, how can I (round peg) ever think that I could possibily squeeze myself, once again, into that square?  I need to grow - a round peg and a flexible round hole...

 

This is a spiritual dilema that my not have a one size fits all answer. 

 

Any thoughts?  

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