Not trying to beat you up or anything but don't forget the whole "foresake not the gathering of believers" which is a reminder that we need to be in a church where people can help us grow. I personally had horrible experiences with my FIRST 4 CHURCHES... basically, the pastors turned out to be the least healthy (spiritually) members. I quit going to church for a while and fortunately my wife kept looking. She found a church nearby that was fully grounded in the word, the pastor is absolutely non-judgmental and is a very mature Christian who isn't out to get rich (he and his wife sold their house to help the church when the economy collapsed and they drive cars that a guy puts together from totaled vehicles). I'm not saying a pastor has to do these things, just trying to show how he is.
I encourage you to keep trying to find a home church until you do. A good church should challenge you but never condemn you, should boldly talk about financial things (like tithes and offerings) but not to the point that they are hurting their members or doing it for obvious personal gain (the pastor can drive a nice car and live in a nice home, but shouldn't have the best of both in the entire congregation). A good church should also encourage you and you would never leave a good church feeling worse than when you entered. And btw, there is no such thing as the perfect church unless you can find one with no members, and of course don't join it because you will mess it up! ;-)
Anyway, I'm not trying to judge you and I know that I don't know your circumstances, but just want to encourage you as someone who has really struggled with organized religion (and finally realized that Christianity isn't about the religion) and has found a church home where he can grow, struggle and even fall down without being judged. Sorry for the long rant on this, but I'm obviously passionate about this subject even though I'm not nor have any interest in becoming, a pastor.
Finally, you should probably quit trying to be a good Christian, there is no such thing. A Christian is someone who has accepted Christ and that is that. If you feel God is calling you to give something specific up (conviction) then do so, if you feel "I'm a horrible person because..." that is condemnation and is absolutely not from God. I hope this encourages you. Btw, if you find some of my other posts around this board, you'll see that there is no way I can claim to be perfect and I really don't want to.
Oh, if you find a church that is putting signs together saying "God Hates Fags" run, I believe someone is going to have to answer for that someday.

Okay, first I'm not a Homophobe (which I believe would actually mean I had a fear of them), I am a Christian who actually understands the whole "do not judge others" thing, but I have a question.
Why do gays insist on marriage instead of maybe a "civil union" that would afford them the same rights (healthcare and other insurance, tax advantages, etc)? The way I understand it, "marriage" was a religious practice originally for the followers of God. Most (I know, not all), LGBT's don't believe in the traditional Godhead, so why do they object to anything that isn't a "marriage"?
Again, this is a serious question. I personally don't care, marriage has gone far from a religious ceremony (although, many people do have exactly that when they get married) into basically an agreement to "give it a shot for a
year". Any rational explanations out there? Maybe I missed the whole thing and someone before Moses came up with marriages.
Bob

Homosexuality is the result of demonic possession. Once possessed, they are no longer responsible for their behavior because it is the demonic spirit in control of their actions. They become soulless and void of any desire but to mock God. That is satan's purpose, to mock God for as long as he is allowed to reign upon the earth.
Homos/demons want to marry because they are compelled by beelzebub to do whatever it takes to parade their captive victims in the face of God.
So take heed all who will hear. Homos


P.S. Civil union was just a name I thought made sense for what most people do today.

There sure is and he is mad as hell about it. Just last night the Governor of Oklahoma was on and that is the state where they can go anywhere they want without gun registration and carry their weapons outside of their clothes. Piers could not get anything by this guy. He was great. He asked him because of a caller whose kid who was 7 was killed at Sandy Hook(and if I hear about that one more time)and asked him doesn't his son's right to life trump a person's right to have a gun and the Gov said they are 2 different things. And piers said,"Do you mean to tell me that a psychotic maniac could buy a gun and walk around with it because you don't believe in your state about background checks?" And the gov again said that background checks were an infringement. He was sooo cool, he couldn't be budged by Piers! Live Love from he great country of Texas!

Every time something like this happens, here come the anti guns idiots that say,"SEE!" and another one that has me mad down to the core is that idiot Piers Morgan. He needs to stay out of America's business, I don't know if he's heard or not, but we broke away from his kind centuries ago. He needs a one way ticket back to wherever it is in England he belongs and stay there. Or better yet, let some type of incident happen where if he would have only had a gun...The gun makers have even named a gun after him and he is madder than hell over it! Live Love from the great country of Texas!

There are a lot more people on here that believe in God then don't. It's just that those that don't are such loud mouths.

I think the biggest problem we have as far as religion in the States is, the Christian community are so used to turning the other cheek and letting someone get away with something, that they have just remained silent to long. A lot of them are starting to wake up and speak up now and it is going to get more people speaking up. We are tired of the left walking all over us and taking advantage of our soft spoken manors. When they gang up on one person in court, none of the others come to his aid. I think that is going to change now and the left is going to find that they really are in the minority in this country.

For one thing, we are Not a democracy, we are a constitutional republic.
As stated before, blunt object murders are way up in your "advanced societies." Should we ban hammers?
You know Brain...if someone wants to kill and do evil, they are going to do it.
Now if you want to talk about inflicting mass casualties, guns don't matter. High capacity mags don't matter. If you did a little research, I'm sure you would find that you could build an explosive device from things you have in your own home.
Does that make you a mass killer??