Forced to go to church

When you are an adult you have the choice of doing things voluntarily. However, as a minor under your parents supervision you are required to abide by their wishes. I’m sure they only want the best for you and are doing their best to raise you with good values.

v Religion and church 

1.        The common purpose of religion is to aid the entity in its search for Truth. 

2.        Each entity's level of development and understanding is different. 

3.        It takes many different styles of religion to accommodate the growth needs of entities at various times. 

4.        The value of a religion can be judged by its operation and intended accomplishments. 

5.        Churches exist for the benefit of entities. 

6.        Churches are to religion what a bathtub is to water. 

7.        They allow the entity an opportunity to soak in the fellowship of like-minded entities. 

8.        Churches also allow an entity a method through which to share. 

  From my chosen path I stray, Yet my God any’er turns away; For I have learned – and understand, That where God is – is where I am!

Try to explain your thoughts to your parents and explain to them why you want to change Churches. If they say no, go anyway and offer your obedience up as a sacrifce to God.

that sucks…I stopped going to church about a 1 year ago…I just refused and told my mum if she doesn’t let me stay home I’m just not gona come(sometimes go wednesdays)

Children are to obey their parents…

You will soon be a grown up…

Then, you can do as you please…

The bible says to train up a child, in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Apparently, your parents, are Christian, and they believe in the church that they are going to.

Every young person, experiences changes as they grow up. However, I would urge you to listen to your parents, for now. Later, you can make up your own mind.

JUST GO TO CHURCH NO MATTER HOW BAD you HATE GOING TO THAT CHURCH you ONLY GOT ABOUT ANTHER YEAR SOME TIMES you HAVE TO DILL WITH THINGS LIKE THAT…HOPE THIS IS SOME GOOD ADVICE!!!

yes, but unless I read the question incorrectly eas_and_dmh_true_love_4_ever doesn’t want to LEAVE the church, just CHANGE churches. there is a huge difference. to obey your parents is good but I think that to have an open dialogue with them is great. there are so many churches with wonderful youth programs that to do as I suggested and ask permission to attend one of the sunday night youth groups (that way no family church is missed) and then ask the parents to attend a regular service. Maybe you could do both. attend your family’s church on wednesdays and sunday mornings and then attend a different youth group on sunday night. perhaps over time, they would be okay with your new youth group on wednesdays also and then maybe sunday mornings. let’s face it some chuches are not youth oriented and that means boredom for the kids and many times leads to bad behavior. the fact that eas_and_dmh_true_love_4_ever states the desire to continue attending church is the point. and in this day and age, it’s a big point.

my mother and I attended a very strict church when I was growing up. in bible class we would be publicly humiliated if we didn’t get a verse right. if you went to the pastor with a problem, he would share it with your parent, no matter how private. I once brought a friend (who had very long hair) to church with me and the pastor said that he was welcome but that he should get a haircut before he came again. There was virtually no youth group. I obeyed my mom and went, right up until I was 18 and leaving for college. but you know what? no matter what church when I attend now, I still feel funny there.. it is good to obey your parents but I see a great difference between wanting to quit church and wanting to change churches. I wish that your parents (and silverwings) could see that a change would be good and might help to keep you in church in the long run. talk to them. go with a friend to another church’s youth group on sunday night. then talk (not argue) with them again and ask them to attend a service at that church on sunday morning.. they are probably fearful of you attending a church where they are not in control. remember, part of growing up is questioning your parents. it’s natural. good luck

Hmm - does everyone at your church have the same idea as your parents? Maybe (strange as it sounds) you could get some support from a youth pastor or someone. And if they are all obsessed that their church is the only one to go to, that’s a bit of a warning sign - exclusivity and refusing to accept that other Christians are also faithful to Christ isn’t a good thing.

that sucks…I stopped going to church about a 1 year ago…I just refused and told my mum if she doesn’t let me stay home I’m just not gona come(sometimes go wednesdays)

You have to decide what kind of relationship you want with your parents and how important this is to you. You could simply not cooperate, I.e., just don’t go.

You’re too old to physiaclly force, but your parents can legally take away all priviledges, and all your nice stuff too if they decide to.

The smarter approach would be to talk to them about it (it sounds like you already did?). If that fails, you can always resort to deception. Pretend to be sick Sunday morning. Stay at a friends house Saturday and ‘forget’ to get up in time, etc. Don’t feel bad about deceiving them - they forced you into it by being unreasonable.

Have you tried saying straight out: ‘I still follow Jesus but I’d like to worship him at my friend’s church this week’? Does your mother feel that you’re trying to give up church altogether? If she fears that, then changing churches shouldn’t seem so bad to her. I have friends who go to a megachurch in Seattle and their teenage daughter goes to a tiny church down the road - they’re happy that she found the church that suited her. I pray that your mother could get used to a similar idea.

I agree with the above. if there answer is no right now they don’t sound like they are changing their mind so just wait until your 18 to change churches. I no I gave you advice about family feuding with your parents and I no I told you to ignore them. if they say no to something like this just drop it because then that gives them another reason to get mad at u. even though this is like nothing to them apparently it is. hope I helped :] funmail me if you need more advice.

the thing is, is that I go on wednesdays but not sundays and um well they dont let me even visit churchs. I dont even get to go to my boyfriends church but every blue moon. They know that I still will go to church but they dont even want me to visit other churchs because they say that the church that we go to now is our home church and that should stick wiht it. except for the fact that when im 18 that I can do whatever I want so yeah.

threaten to really badly behaved at church. and if they don’t believe you. . . the second you get into the doors of the church pretend to trip on a rug and shout “JESUS FCKIG CHRIST!”
I’m athiest so I have no problem saying these things, maybe you do.