Why?

I found myself pondering a certain question time and time again. I feel that we all come back to this question every now and than and I believe that it is healthy to question and re-evaluate how we believe. The question is: Why do I go to church and believe the things I do. Is it to be social and to see friends? Yes, to some degree this is true, but if this was the only reason I would have stopped going to church a long time ago. You see, going to church in a way is to help strengthen one another to do better to become more one with Christ. It's also to follow His principles and to keep covenants. People are not always perfect at this, but I believe (weather a church goer or not) that most people are trying to be better. It is important not to get caught up in mans fallacy's because with so many trying to do better there is going to be mistakes made and feelings hurt.

So my final reason for going to church and believing what I believe pertain to the principles that are taught that bring joy and peace into my life and knowing that I, a child of God, can know God himself and receive answers for myself. I don't have to rely on man to know God. My promises are to God not man. Church is a great place to practice forgiveness. Forgiveness gives us great power to unite one another (my memory of a quote from the movie Invictus). Forgiveness and the ability to "love" past peoples walls that they place before you, sets your spirit free and brings so much joy. Through forgiveness and the power to love comes the ability to serve, to give and to build much needed relationships. I believe that the lack of "knowing" our neighbors is what is weakening our society. Our intolerance to love past walls and to see others as children of God pushes people away and makes them "a stranger".