[godfather dust]

I stopped going to church because Catholicism has been infiltrated. It's been corrupt for centuries but now it's gone off the rails.

I always liked confession. I go and confess my sins, pray and try to do the right thing after and it lifts some weight off my back.

Looking for a new church, wondering if any offer a concrete way for forgiving yourself for your sins and asking God for forgiveness.

[eskimobobseal]

Don't take this the wrong way - but you don't need to confess to anyone but God himself. Ever feel guilty about something? Take it directly to the Lord.

[Byzantium]

(04-09-2016 01:37 PM)godfather dust Wrote:  

I stopped going to church because Catholicism has been infiltrated. It's been corrupt for centuries but now it's gone off the rails.

I always liked confession. I go and confess my sins, pray and try to do the right thing after and it lifts some weight off my back.

Looking for a new church, wondering if any offer a concrete way for forgiving yourself for your sins and asking God for forgiveness.

Orthodoxy.

Roman Catholicism traditionally had a very legalistic approach to confession. Confess to this particular sin means doing this number of Hail Marys, etc. Whereas in Orthodoxy, the priest just assures you of God's forgiveness (of which he is just a witness to) and gives you whatever advice he may have.

[Spectrumwalker]

I do understand how confession through prayer alone might not lift the weight off your shoulders. I've been there before.

My suggestion, whatever church you find, offer to take your pastor or priest out for coffee and a chat. Talk about what you've done, why you did it, and how you can drive on. Releasing and exposing the battle within you is good for the mind.

This is much more personal. Much more human. If you're the type of man whose conscience bears a heavy weight after wrongdoings, this is more effective to get you to stop. As opposed to confessing in secret each time the weight becomes to much to tolerate.

Only Christ can forgive sins. Not another sinner behind a box.

[Byzantium]

(04-09-2016 11:38 PM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  

Only Christ can forgive sins. Not another sinner behind a box.

John 20:21-23 (KJV)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se...ersion=KJV

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

[Spectrumwalker]

Byzantium, ok. The default verse. And? That's the go to verse, the catholic church claims their priests have the power to forgive sins "under authority of Jesus Christ".

"Whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained". This means priests also have the authority to not forgive. Which they can if their subject "lacks contrition". Which then puts them in direct contradiction to scripture. In Jesus's own words Matthew 6: 14-15; "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses". Who then forgives the priests? Do priests just forgive themselves? Go up the chain of command all the way to the Pope? Surely this new age Pope now is no man of God. From my understanding the way clergy work amongst themselves to forgive each other their sins sounds pretty convoluted and ridiculous.

No matter how the catholic church splices and rationalizes verses, giving priests the power to forgive sins on behalf of God elevates them to the role of Christ. There is no way around that. We have only one mediator between men and God. Jesus Christ.

No where is it recorded in scripture the apostles went around forgiving sins on behalf of God even though they had plenty of opportunities. Had they been, it's safe to say that most likely would have been recorded as it's kind of a big deal. Their power was to spread the Gospel, and those who believed in the death, burial and resurrection would be saved and have their sins forgiven. If they chose not to believe, well, que sera, sera.

[Grodin]

I'm not Episcopal, don't know much about them, but it's similar to Catholicism and I believe they do confession

[Heinrich von Geobbels]

(04-09-2016 01:37 PM)godfather dust Wrote:  

I stopped going to church because Catholicism has been infiltrated. It's been corrupt for centuries but now it's gone off the rails.

I always liked confession. I go and confess my sins, pray and try to do the right thing after and it lifts some weight off my back.

Looking for a new church, wondering if any offer a concrete way for forgiving yourself for your sins and asking God for forgiveness.

1. Episcopalian
2. Anglican
3. Lutheran
4. A number of high-church Methodists have a practice of communal confession

However, be aware that most of the churches in these denominations no longer hold to traditional Christian dogma such as the Apostles or Nicene Creed. It will take a lot of research to find a splinter group that still holds to traditional Christianity.

I would encourage you to find a local church within your area and visit each one, including some of the low-church (non-ritual) protestant churches. Each church has a personality that is a conglomeration of all the separate personalities that make up the fellowship. There will be some churches that simply will not mesh with you. Leave them in a friendly manner and go to the next one.

However, speaking from sad experience I would encourage you to avoid churches that teach their denomination has the only Christian truth, power is centered in one or just a very few people, nothing more than a dog and pony show that treats the congregation as a theatrical audience, or has no outreach to the community at all (soup kitchen, programs for the elderly, support of local homeless shelter, food or clothing bank or supports one in the community, etc.)

Good luck.

[The Beast1]

(04-12-2016 08:53 AM)Heinrich von Geobbels Wrote:  

(04-09-2016 01:37 PM)godfather dust Wrote:  

I stopped going to church because Catholicism has been infiltrated. It's been corrupt for centuries but now it's gone off the rails.

I always liked confession. I go and confess my sins, pray and try to do the right thing after and it lifts some weight off my back.

Looking for a new church, wondering if any offer a concrete way for forgiving yourself for your sins and asking God for forgiveness.

1. Episcopalian
2. Anglican
3. Lutheran
4. A number of high-church Methodists have a practice of communal confession

However, be aware that most of the churches in these denominations no longer hold to traditional Christian dogma such as the Apostles or Nicene Creed. It will take a lot of research to find a splinter group that still holds to traditional Christianity.

I would encourage you to find a local church within your area and visit each one, including some of the low-church (non-ritual) protestant churches. Each church has a personality that is a conglomeration of all the separate personalities that make up the fellowship. There will be some churches that simply will not mesh with you. Leave them in a friendly manner and go to the next one.

However, speaking from sad experience I would encourage you to avoid churches that teach their denomination has the only Christian truth, power is centered in one or just a very few people, nothing more than a dog and pony show that treats the congregation as a theatrical audience, or has no outreach to the community at all (soup kitchen, programs for the elderly, support of local homeless shelter, food or clothing bank or supports one in the community, etc.)

Good luck.

Agreed, I would personally avoid Episcopal, the anglicans, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. They all are pro gay and allow women to be pastors.

This past weekend I was in a Lutheran church that doesn't allow female pastors, bars homosexual activity, refuse unmarried couples who live together to be members, and finished with the Nicene creed (albeit slightly adapted for Brit English speakers). They are aligned with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (in America). I sought them out for those very reasons. The beliefs tend to attract pastors and people who are resilient. They're solid bed rocks for building families and seeking out like minded individuals.

So long as you find a church that operates along those lines you should be fine.

A none denominational Christian church I used to go to back stateside (pastor was trained as a southern baptist) ended up becoming a bit too dogmatic for my tastes. I have a few heart breaking posts about my experience with them. They started concentrating power in a small group of people and began "corporatizing" themselves which left a bad taste in my mouth. I went back to my roots which brought me happiness.