Disturbed about "Religion"

I'm very disturbed by an experience I had with a church this weekend, I was out of town and attended a prayer service and a church service both left me feeling very empty and extremely sad.

You can't fault their holiness on the outward appearance. They are very much far extreme in that area of standards. The part that disturbed me was their "production/show" in their prayers and services. I'm still not sure if they want visitors that are not believers. I heard so many types of "sinners" they do not want. If they are scared of their worship they don't want them because they aren't hungry, if they come only when there is a meal or something special they don't want that kind of people. I sat in shock listening to a minister preach with so much hostility. His comments were so harsh and demanding. I watched people jump, run, shout and totally go crazy but there was NO power there, no emotion other than physical actions. It was so cold and dead. While sitting in their prayer service it hit me that their prayers are so demanding and sound so angry. The God they serve is made out to be a God of judgment and is one that is sending people to Hell. I watched people march and flail their arms not because a touch of the spirit but because they were ordered to do so by their minister because someone made the mistake of falling asleep in prayer service so now everyone must march back and forth and do weird motions and scream angry demands so they don't fall asleep. I totally, obviously, do not agree with their ways and in my opinion I didn't feel God there, instead I felt a oppression and depression. I heard so many things that would "send me to Hell". Such as, jean fabric in the church, regardless of if services were going on or not. No one allowed in jeans!! So many rules but the people were so solemn and unhappy looking. Thinking through it all today on my drive home I was reminded of the Pharisees and how they saw themselves as the perfect christian but God called them vipers and turned his face from them. I don't want to get to a place where I am perfect on the outside but inside I am a hypocrite.

See I sound harsh but 8 years ago that was were I was at, Oh not that exact church but the strict demands from ministry and I thought I was Hell bound and could only hope that God would somehow accidentally get me into Heaven. I was taught if I had done something that I didn't even realize and died right after I would go to Hell if I hadn't repented.

I thank GOD am out of that. I was raised with people constantly asking me why I attended a cult and why did I let someone rule me that way. I was so shocked and angry at those people only to find out years later looking back that is what it really was.

I am thankful for a church and pastor that believes in the mercy and grace of God.