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Originally posted by frogstompEcstatic? A bit much maybe… 😉 Joyful? Ya.
Wow!! such fun , I bet you were estatic lol
It can be a bit like a combination symphony and participatory sacred theatre. Some people like it quieter and more contemplative, some more serious and studious (though seriousness is not the same as sincerity—one can be sincere and jocular at the same time). Depends on your aesthetics. (That varies across religions, too.) Some people like baseball, some opera….
Originally posted by darvlayDo you think a pastor is playing the guilt-card when he talks in terms of right/wrong?
I would have liked my Youth Pastor to be someone who was more like a Big Brother and not like a Big Father. Someone who gently nudges you in the right way, gives you lessons through life experiences and is able to teach without judging or using fear/guilt. There are, no doubt, plenty of Pastors out there who I am sure are great. But mine was more like an ...[text shortened]...
I don't really understand your first question. I don't care what a church looks like.
Originally posted by lucifershammerNo, but I think one can play the guilt card when doing so. It's in their tone. It's in their body language. And it's in their all-around demeanor when you speak with them personally.
Do you think a pastor is playing the guilt-card when he talks in terms of right/wrong?
Originally posted by darvlayI've heard it said, that if you do find the 'perfect' church; 'don't go there, you'll ruin it!' There is no such thing as a perfect church, one that pleases everybody; and no such thing as the perfect Christian.
It's, like, so boring. When they didn't let me play my guitar on stage, I used to sit through the whole two hour service trying to write Beatles lyrics from memory. My Youth Pastor actually came to have a chat with me once because he was afraid I was straying off the path of righteousness for the sake of rock n' roll (little did he know I was already dr ...[text shortened]... . So, I would just like to know what the rest of you hate about church. Who wants to go first?
We go because God advises us in Hebrews 10:25
25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
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i don't like going to church. i don't see why i have to go to a certain place to worship god. isn't he supposed to be everywhere??
going to church is another form of control. think about it. they want all these people to come together to listen to ONE man preach the word of god. we stand when we're told, we sit when we're told and we kneel when we're told.
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Originally posted by tatichicki think i see where you are coming from.
i don't like going to church. i don't see why i have to go to a certain place to worship god. isn't he supposed to be everywhere??
going to church is another form of control. think about it. they want all these people to come togeth ...[text shortened]... e're told, we sit when we're told and we kneel when we're told.
Nemesio had a thread going not too long ago where he mentioned that Thich Nhat Hahn deems that spiritual ritual can be a good thing once you have reached a certain level of spirituality. i agree with this. but i also think going to church (and other similar spiritual rituals) can be dangerous before that point is reached.
for instance, if one were supremely confused about his own beliefs, then going to a specific church week after week is not a very good way to generate new ideas. you meet a whole bunch of people all parroting the same notions -- hardly an atmosphere for free thought. now consider all the children out there who are dragged to church and sunday school by their parents. it's like putting their little minds in pickle jars beneath the sink. no thanks.
for those people who enjoy going there on sundays, listening to some arbitrary readings, singing some songs, holding hands and whatnot -- fine, they can keep their brains confined to the pickle jars. but for others, i think the ritual of church can be another type of fascination, one where you become more affirmed in your own beliefs by viewing the church-going atmosphere in its proper perspective. indeed, for me, going to church is definitely reaffirming, but in an ironic way.
Originally posted by Jay PeateaIt doesn't sound strange to me. I am not religious, but I enjoy going to churches, too. They are usually quiet, peaceful and aesthetically pleasing. It's also usually cool there, which can be a lifesaver in summer! I don't attend services unless there is some special reason (the last time I attended a service was Easter; I had a Christian friend visiting who wanted to attend, and I accompanied him), but I occasionally enjoy them, too. Sometimes the priest even has something interesting to say, and I enjoy the songs, at least if the organist is good. As a musician I also often play in churches, and some of my favourite pieces are religious in nature. I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying this, even if you don't believe in the religious content. It's part of our culture.
Strange as this may sound, I quite like going to churches, but only in the capacity as a visiting tourist. I'm talking about medieval churches & cathedrals. St Peters in Rome for example is a fantastic place, full of wonderful artifacts and some of the best art in the world.
Originally posted by tatichickso.......you don't believe in movie theaters, operas, lectures, council meetings, chess tournaments, baseball games or any form of schooling?
i don't like going to church. i don't see why i have to go to a certain place to worship god. isn't he supposed to be everywhere??
going to church is another form of control. think about it. they want all these people to come together to listen to ONE man preach the word of god. we stand when we're told, we sit when we're told and we kneel when we're told.
Let's not dismiss all the benefits of church because of a few periferal complaints (that can apply to almost anything else we gladly partake of).