THE BORE

General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: lordmaji on January 12, 2011, 09:54:40 AM

Title: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 12, 2011, 09:54:40 AM
I'm curious, how many of you go to church? how many of you do not? and Why? for both reasons.

I do not, I've considered going just because a few really good friends of mine go and they wanted me to go, so I contemplated humoring them w/ my presence. I still haven't gone. The Church bothers me because of the amount of hypocritical and judgmental people that seem to flock to Church. It's my main reason for steering clear really. Scary people, especially racist southern baptists. wow, they are horrible. :lol (not all of em, but a good few of em).
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 12, 2011, 09:59:25 AM
Regularly? No. Occasionally? Yes. Maybe three times a year total but only for social occasions. My church back home is made of people who I grew up with or reared me as a child so I can't just abandon them. I drop in to say hello sometimes. Has been like this since freshman year of college.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Brehvolution on January 12, 2011, 10:00:48 AM
nope
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Chinner on January 12, 2011, 10:00:53 AM
im an atheist. deal with it.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on January 12, 2011, 10:01:30 AM
No, I'm an atheist
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: demi on January 12, 2011, 10:02:38 AM
No

Not because of a silly label either, just never went
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Diunx on January 12, 2011, 10:10:18 AM
I go when someone dies but I just do it to avoid family drama.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Human Snorenado on January 12, 2011, 10:38:50 AM
As a kid, I went to friend's churches very occasionally, and for a few months when my mom went through a phase went to a Unitarian Church with her as well.  But even the Unitarian Church was too strict for me.  I'm a lapsed Unitarian.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Beardo on January 12, 2011, 10:39:16 AM
Church is gay.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mupepe on January 12, 2011, 10:49:21 AM
I go when my wife's mom makes her go because I feel bad about making her go alone.  I don't go because I find it boring.  when I get there all I want to do is leave.  I don't care how silly it is that people believe in it or how hypocritical they are (aren't we all?).  It's just fucking boring.  Ugh.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 12, 2011, 10:50:54 AM
I dicked with my ipod touch in church last time I went. Didn't regret it.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mupepe on January 12, 2011, 10:52:43 AM
My MIL gets mad because I don't like to stand up, sing, hold hands and all that other crap.  Plus I always just end up whispering jokes into my wife's ear and making her laugh.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 12, 2011, 10:54:47 AM
I hated doing that stuff as a kid. I'd be in the church choir and every kid was singing but me. I thought it was stupid.

Honestly I always thought church was boring. When I was a kid, Sunday was NICKTOONS DAY dammit. New Ren and Stimpy! New Doug! New Rugrats! But I'd have to go to fucking church and goddamit I had to find out if Doug had dicked Patty Mayonnaise yet.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Robo on January 12, 2011, 11:05:20 AM
I was raised Atheist and have been to church services four or five times total in my lifetime, at least three of which were during a Young Life camp that I was duped into attending under the guise of, "it's like that movie Heavyweights for normal people and BETTER", but in reality was more of a Christian brainwashing clinic, albeit an entertaining one.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Brehvolution on January 12, 2011, 11:13:49 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn0_lL5CcKE&feature=player_embedded
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: GilloD on January 12, 2011, 11:30:02 AM
I wish I still did. It meant so much to me. Churches in Korea ate very comservative. I miss my church in New York. I', drunk.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on January 12, 2011, 12:59:28 PM
only for funerals :fbm
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: fistfulofmetal on January 12, 2011, 01:14:17 PM
no, i'm intelligent.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 12, 2011, 01:15:29 PM
Right now, we go maybe once every couple months. It's very important to my wife, so I think we're going to start going more often. I don't have a problem going with her. We attend a liberal Lutheran (ELCA) church that doesn't freak me out or make me uncomfortable.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Van Cruncheon on January 12, 2011, 01:22:04 PM
nope, although the idea of community sounds nice. dogma is creepy!
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on January 12, 2011, 01:38:10 PM
dogma

I just remembered the god awful Kevin Smith movie :yuck
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 12, 2011, 02:01:15 PM
no, i'm intelligent.

design???  :o  :D
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Robo on January 12, 2011, 02:01:42 PM
I was raised Atheist and have been to church services four or five times total in my lifetime, at least three of which were during a Young Life camp that I was duped into attending under the guise of, "it's like that movie Heavyweights for normal people and BETTER", but in reality was more of a Christian brainwashing clinic, albeit an entertaining one.

I, too, was duped into going to young life. They really do their best to make you feel bad about your beliefs. They managed to get to me and I came home Christian for about mmm a week? After that I realized these thoughts weren't my own but I was pressured into them. I consider it my life lesson on brain washing.

I can be a very spiritual person, but I don't believe in a faith that is contained in brick and mortar walls, no matter how pretty the stained glass is.

Yeah, they definitely prey on agnostic's fears and uncertainties.  I left more appreciative of the message and the role of religion in some people’s lives, I think, but their obsession with Christian mythology was abhorrent and a huge turn-off for me, personally.  That was actually the first time I heard of the Young Earth theory, which they discussed extensively as if it were fact.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Great Rumbler on January 12, 2011, 02:19:01 PM
Every week.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: etiolate on January 12, 2011, 05:00:50 PM
Once in a great while I go to church, but I don't really gain anything from the experience. I have tried going to the Quaker house here, but it was a less invasive yet equally ordinary set of hours.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 12, 2011, 05:37:36 PM
Every week.

How come?

If you don't go to church why?

if you go to church why?

:P
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Great Rumbler on January 12, 2011, 06:27:29 PM
Every week.

How come?

If you don't go to church why?

if you go to church why?

:P

I've always gone, never came across a real compelling reason to stop.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: brawndolicious on January 12, 2011, 06:39:45 PM
I go to a mosque every now and then for important holy days since it's much easier than having a religious debate where you ultimately have to explain that there is no known answer to how spiders make their webs.  It's actually a lot more interesting to observe people there than back when I was devout and was only worried about morality.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Akala on January 12, 2011, 08:29:39 PM
only for funerals :fbm

.

I do find old churches beautiful though.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on January 12, 2011, 08:33:30 PM
Went every week as a kid, then we started having church at home lol. Once I went to college I didn't have to go too much, and now I don't go at all.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Bocsius on January 12, 2011, 08:52:57 PM
Every week.

This. Why? I'm a believer.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: OptimoPeach on January 12, 2011, 09:19:43 PM
Yeah if there's one thing I appreciate about how my parents raised me, it's that they didn't force church on me. I think the last time I was in church was Christmas mass like seven or eight years ago with my Bible-thumping cousins.

It sounds silly, but I'm actually so proud of my dad for being able to renounce organized religion after hearing some of the shit he tells me about growing up Catholic
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Brehvolution on January 12, 2011, 09:54:58 PM
I went every week when I was growing up. When we moved to NY when I was 10, we went to the same church for 6 years til my parents got divorced. My mom played the piano for hymns at every service.

Years after the divorce, the church declined to re-marry either of my parents.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 12, 2011, 10:04:06 PM
Yeah if there's one thing I appreciate about how my parents raised me, it's that they didn't force church on me.

Same here. My wife grew up going to church, however, and it means something to her. I really don't have a problem going with her, and we found a great church that's incredibly progressive and liberal. None of the creepy dogma, just a message of love everyone, help others and protect the Earth.

With that said, I've made it very clear that I do not agree with forcing our children to attend church if they decide that it's not for them when they're old enough to make that decision.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Cormacaroni on January 12, 2011, 10:12:34 PM
Yeah if there's one thing I appreciate about how my parents raised me, it's that they didn't force church on me.

Same here. My wife grew up going to church, however, and it means something to her. I really don't have a problem going with her, and we found a great church that's incredibly progressive and liberal. None of the creepy dogma, just a message of love everyone, help others and protect the Earth.

With that said, I've made it very clear that I do not agree with forcing our children to attend church if they decide that it's not for them when they're old enough to make that decision.

Man, you totally wear the pants Gundam. Is it hot in here or is it just me?
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Rman on January 12, 2011, 10:30:44 PM
Every week. 
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 12, 2011, 11:00:12 PM
Every week. 

why?
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Rman on January 12, 2011, 11:13:25 PM
For community and reflection.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: EmCeeGrammar on January 13, 2011, 12:46:27 AM
Used to attend mass when I was a kid, attended some Sunday School here and there but often got kicked out permanently for activating the fire alarm or something equally egregious.  Turns out church staff don't have the infinite patience of their lord.  Once we moved to the states our family attended only Easter and the occassional Christmas mass.  Of course around high school I pieced all the clues together and found out what a load of horse shit it all was, so I stopped going.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Stoney Mason on January 13, 2011, 01:13:15 AM
Very atheist so no.

I remember when I was forced to go as a kid and that sucked big time.


I don't even like funerals because of all the religious mumbo jumbo involved in that.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Cormacaroni on January 13, 2011, 01:54:56 AM
Some bright spark should open a brothel in Nevada and call it 'Church'
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 13, 2011, 01:56:03 AM
Very atheist so no.

I remember when I was forced to go as a kid and that sucked big time.


I don't even like funerals because of all the religious mumbo jumbo involved in that.

This makes me wonder how I want my funeral to be.

How do I conduct an atheist funeral while dead?
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Cormacaroni on January 13, 2011, 02:38:24 AM
Very atheist so no.

I remember when I was forced to go as a kid and that sucked big time.


I don't even like funerals because of all the religious mumbo jumbo involved in that.

This makes me wonder how I want my funeral to be.

How do I conduct an atheist funeral while dead?

I dunno...do you have a baton?
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Groogrux on January 13, 2011, 03:47:17 AM
I have a church right now that I don't attend regularly.  I'm probably there once every 2-3 months.  I don't go because I don't agree with this particular church's doctrine, but it's my wife's church and she likes to go.  I've considered going back to my old church, but I can't tell as of yet whether or not this would cause a problem between my wife and I because of her family. 

She knows that I don't agree with this church and a lot of the things they say, do, and practice, but it's home for her.  Her family on the other hand, calls me "the liberal" and I was even called a "fake-Christian" by her father once before we were married.  After I provided some evidence backed in scripture for why my practices were acceptable, he backed down.

I consider myself a Christian (if that's what you want to call it), but I don't fall in line with a lot of the main stream or "traditional" beliefs on certain things, and I don't practice my faith the way a lot of traditionalist Christians do.  I can't say that I was raised in church, and didn't really believe in God until after I was in college.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Stoney Mason on January 13, 2011, 07:59:48 AM
Very atheist so no.

I remember when I was forced to go as a kid and that sucked big time.


I don't even like funerals because of all the religious mumbo jumbo involved in that.

This makes me wonder how I want my funeral to be.

How do I conduct an atheist funeral while dead?

It's not so much about conducting an "atheist" funeral per se as just having a funeral that celebrates the life somebody lived rather than where they are going ala most traditional religious funerals. Funerals will always probably be mostly sad, but I'm always struck by how little of the funeral is actually about the person who died and more about another preaching opportunity for the pastor.

I think the dinner after a funeral is always much better than the actual funeral. I wish that was the actual funeral itself.

Of course this is only related to the baptist funerals that I generally attend. I don't know how muslim or jewish funerals work. 
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Chinner on January 13, 2011, 08:13:12 AM
you should get strings attached to your body and get somebody to control you like a puppet. would be pretty funny.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Diunx on January 13, 2011, 08:19:18 AM
Himu: funerals are more for the alive than for the dead you shouldn't worry about that and just let your family do what would make them happier.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: tiesto on January 13, 2011, 09:15:20 AM
Only for funerals/weddings. I'm agnostic and every time I've been dragged to church it's been the most boring thing ever.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Robo on January 13, 2011, 11:38:58 AM
you should get strings attached to your body and get somebody to control you like a puppet. would be pretty funny.

Cool joke, Dane Cook.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: brawndolicious on January 13, 2011, 12:36:54 PM
It's not so much about conducting an "atheist" funeral per se as just having a funeral that celebrates the life somebody lived rather than where they are going ala most traditional religious funerals. Funerals will always probably be mostly sad, but I'm always struck by how little of the funeral is actually about the person who died and more about another preaching opportunity for the pastor.
I think the dinner after a funeral is always much better than the actual funeral. I wish that was the actual funeral itself.
Of course this is only related to the baptist funerals that I generally attend. I don't know how muslim or jewish funerals work. 
Muslims bury the body as soon as possible so I don't think you would get invited unless you were a close friend or relative.  I've been to dozens of muslim memorials but only one burial.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 13, 2011, 02:50:37 PM
 :lol :banplz :lol
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 13, 2011, 02:53:45 PM
Community is a big thing with church. It's the only reason I go anymore.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 13, 2011, 03:47:52 PM
I've been to dozens of muslim memorials but only one burial.

well there'd be more burials if muslims didn't constantly blow themselves up in suicide attacks

Hail Jesus!  :american :american :american
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Tauntaun on January 13, 2011, 08:04:07 PM
nope, although the idea of community sounds nice. dogma is creepy!

The Bible says to not forsake the gathering together of believers, not meeting in some building and doing this and that because that's what tradition dictates.  Religion is evil, God is good.  ;)  That being said I go to churches where the people aren't religious and they're just people who meet on Sundays somewhere whether it's a church building or some place the rent.  I look at Jesus, the one whom people who are "christians" profess to believe in and he was not too pleased with the religious people of his day.  This sort of struck me one day and I decided to actually be a follower of Christ (read what he said and did and desire to do the same) instead of some religious dude who spouts holier than thou nonsense all day.  This is where I'm at right now.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Akala on January 13, 2011, 08:43:21 PM

I'm always struck by how little of the funeral is actually about the person who died and more about another preaching opportunity for the pastor.

very much so. almost 90% in my experience. I go to religious funerals, but always end up way more pissed afterwards. somehow, I always end up thinking along the lines of "I wish I could believe this stuff! life would be so much easier!"

the situation can be compounded if the person dies a 'bad' death, like a suicide. preachers always go on about how they are in a better place, and they'll be waiting and all that, but sidestep the whole THEY ARE NOW IN HELL aspect.

my ideal funeral would be a celebration of the person's life, although honestly that is easier said than done.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Stoney Mason on January 13, 2011, 09:56:30 PM

I'm always struck by how little of the funeral is actually about the person who died and more about another preaching opportunity for the pastor.

very much so. almost 90% in my experience. I go to religious funerals, but always end up way more pissed afterwards. somehow, I always end up thinking along the lines of "I wish I could believe this stuff! life would be so much easier!"

the situation can be compounded if the person dies a 'bad' death, like a suicide. preachers always go on about how they are in a better place, and they'll be waiting and all that, but sidestep the whole THEY ARE NOW IN HELL aspect.

my ideal funeral would be a celebration of the person's life, although honestly that is easier said than done.

When my grandfather died the pastor decided to take that as an opportunity to make a few jokes/jibes at gay marriage during the eulogy.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Akala on January 13, 2011, 10:04:04 PM
that's pretty fucked up.

unless of course he was in a gay marriage, in which case, what did you expect?
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: EmCeeGrammar on January 13, 2011, 10:16:35 PM
nope, although the idea of community sounds nice. dogma is creepy!

The Bible says to not forsake the gathering together of believers, not meeting in some building and doing this and that because that's what tradition dictates.  Religion is evil, God is good.  ;)  That being said I go to churches where the people aren't religious and they're just people who meet on Sundays somewhere whether it's a church building or some place the rent.  I look at Jesus, the one whom people who are "christians" profess to believe in and he was not too pleased with the religious people of his day.  This sort of struck me one day and I decided to actually be a follower of Christ (read what he said and did and desire to do the same) instead of some religious dude who spouts holier than thou nonsense all day.  This is where I'm at right now.

You're not the Tauntaun I know...
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Van Cruncheon on January 13, 2011, 10:46:40 PM
i'd say tauntaun's always been a damn good christian, if you'd actually paid attention

you fail at e-stalking
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Stoney Mason on January 14, 2011, 12:18:15 AM
that's pretty fucked up.

unless of course he was in a gay marriage, in which case, what did you expect?

Nope. My 85 year old grandpa wasn't in a gay marriage.  :-*


It was just a random aside from the pastor. He was making some dumbass point that I honestly can't remember. He was ""joking" in some relative sense but I honestly didn't see the funny.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: EmCeeGrammar on January 14, 2011, 07:05:20 PM
i'd say tauntaun's always been a damn good christian, if you'd actually paid attention

you fail at e-stalking

The tauntaun I know is all gay subtext all the time.  And full disclosure, I only selectively stalk people which usually only goes as far as figuring out what they changed their handle to this time.  I forget everything in a few days though.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Boogie on January 14, 2011, 07:45:43 PM
I grew up in a small-town church.  It was very much an environment of family and community, and I miss it.

I haven't attended church regularly since moving away from home, and I wonder if part of it is because I fear that I can't replace or recreate that feeling of family with a new church that I had with the one I grew up in.

I still consider myself a believer, and on better days would like to say my attitude is similar to Tauntaun's.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Boogie on January 14, 2011, 07:54:27 PM

very much so. almost 90% in my experience. I go to religious funerals, but always end up way more pissed afterwards.

As a believer, I don't mind a certain amount of focus on religion for a funeral of a person who was themselves religious.

For example, last spring, I attended the funeral of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty.  As I learned over the course of the funeral, he was a very religious man.  And as such, I felt that the religious tone of the funeral was appropriate.

To a point.

And that point was when the pastor delivering the eulogy decided to make a comparison of the fantasy world in Avatar, with heaven.  'cause, y'know, Avatar was the popular thing then, and it's cool and hip to connect religion to pop culture.  That couple minutes of awkward, gimmicky sermon-shit pissed me right off, in what was otherwise a touching and absolutely heartwrenching ceremony.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Van Cruncheon on January 14, 2011, 08:15:34 PM
i'd say tauntaun's always been a damn good christian, if you'd actually paid attention

you fail at e-stalking

The tauntaun I know is all gay subtext all the time.  And full disclosure, I only selectively stalk people which usually only goes as far as figuring out what they changed their handle to this time.  I forget everything in a few days though.

if you think being christian always means hating/rejecting gay people then you're sadly mistaken about christians in general
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Boogie on January 14, 2011, 08:29:16 PM


if you think being christian always means hating/rejecting gay people then you're sadly mistaken about christians in general

I think the most tragic/offensive/whatever thing about Christianity in the past two decades is how much American Evangelicals have been able to equate "Christianity" with three things:  being anti-evolution/science, anti-gay and anti-abortion.

Things like social justice, anti-poverty activism, general compassion and charity, environmentalism, etc, have all been completely minimized/ignored in favour of those three issues.

Little wonder that the educated under-30 set is so vehemently opposed to religion. Because to too many secular people, for good reason, being "Christian" in their minds means buying into that whole culture of being an anti-gay, anti-science reactionary.

Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: EmCeeGrammar on January 14, 2011, 09:06:45 PM
i'd say tauntaun's always been a damn good christian, if you'd actually paid attention

you fail at e-stalking

The tauntaun I know is all gay subtext all the time.  And full disclosure, I only selectively stalk people which usually only goes as far as figuring out what they changed their handle to this time.  I forget everything in a few days though.

if you think being christian always means hating/rejecting gay people then you're sadly mistaken about christians in general

How the hell did you interpret that from what I said? I didn't intend that at ALL!
....
Let's try this again.
I am surprised to see Tauntaun being serious. Usually I catch him being all jovial about the 'buttsex' and 'peepees' and whatnot.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Great Rumbler on January 14, 2011, 09:31:32 PM
Regardless of what I believe is right and wrong, I don't have the right to be hateful, viscous, or disrespectful to people that don't share my views. Christ taught to love everyone all of the time, that doesn't just mean some of the people some of the time. Unfortunately, that seems to be the teaching that's most often forgotten these days.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Chinner on January 14, 2011, 10:26:34 PM
you should get strings attached to your body and get somebody to control you like a puppet. would be pretty funny.

Cool joke, Dane Cook.
i love dane cook, thanks for the compliment!
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Tauntaun on January 14, 2011, 10:35:52 PM
i'd say tauntaun's always been a damn good christian, if you'd actually paid attention

you fail at e-stalking

The tauntaun I know is all gay subtext all the time.  And full disclosure, I only selectively stalk people which usually only goes as far as figuring out what they changed their handle to this time.  I forget everything in a few days though.

:wtf
spoiler (click to show/hide)
PENIS!  :tauntaun
[close]
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Cormacaroni on January 14, 2011, 11:38:40 PM
I don't have any problem disrespecting a view if it is clearly absurd, like belief in a god of some sort. I don't necessarily need to share that disrespect of course, unless someone chooses to do something like ring on my doorbell and try to sell me a copy of the Watchtower. They do that, they get both barrels.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 15, 2011, 02:14:50 AM
I think the most tragic/offensive/whatever thing about Christianity in the past two decades is how much American Evangelicals have been able to equate "Christianity" with three things:  being anti-evolution/science, anti-gay and anti-abortion.

Things like social justice, anti-poverty activism, general compassion and charity, environmentalism, etc, have all been completely minimized/ignored in favour of those three issues.

The church we go to in Seattle is based on all of these ideas. It's a breath of fresh air.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Van Cruncheon on January 15, 2011, 12:23:27 PM
yeah, i'd be much less hostile to Christianity if the greater political body of its practitioners reliably observed those ideals, rather than their current evangelical mode.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Positive Touch on January 15, 2011, 12:59:43 PM
agreed.  don't try to tell me about tolerance and love when your religion is used as justification for restricting or eliminating other people's rights. i live in a state with damn near every possible restriction on abortion there is, where one of the biggest money-hungry christian swindlers resides, where assholes will talk about kindness and understanding one minute and about their hatred and paranoia of anyone who isn't conservative white and middle- or upper-class, and where a preacher is more likely to talk about fear or personal salvation than understanding and outreach.  i've met plenty of really amazing christians in my life, by ive also seen way too many hypocrites use their faith to harm others.  also man in the sky lol
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Stoney Mason on January 15, 2011, 01:04:04 PM
There are parts of this country where I think religion is being handled fine. California being a great example. No one cares what religion you are or if you are religious for the most part out there. It's a private affair like it should be. If you are that's cool. It's mostly in the South and South east where its used as a political or social weapon to beat up on certain groups.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Positive Touch on January 15, 2011, 01:24:15 PM
and the midwest, parts of the north, the rockies....

you also seem to be forgetting that the homophobic crusade against prop 8 in CA was spearheaded by religious leaders
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 15, 2011, 01:30:49 PM
and the midwest, parts of the north, the rockies....

you also seem to be forgetting that the homophobic crusade against prop 8 in CA was spearheaded by religious leaders

... from Utah.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: cool breeze on January 15, 2011, 03:34:16 PM
I went to preschool at a church.  I thought I was christian in my youth; when I found out I wasn't, I thought I was jewish.  Turns out my family was a bunch of middle eastern muslims that didn't force religion on me and the preschool was in a convenient location.  Aiding to the confusion was that we celebrated christmas, except without any mention of Jesus.

Other than that, I've only been in church for weddings and jew church for bar mitzvahs. 

oh, and the teachers at the preschool used to steal my lunch.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 15, 2011, 03:51:17 PM
Don't get that too twisted, Gundam.  There was plenty of homegrown opposition here as well.

All we ever heard about up here in Washington was how the Mormons were dumping tons of money into Prop 8.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 15, 2011, 04:52:26 PM
Not surprising.

I'm honestly shocked that Oregon and Washington haven't legalized gay marriage yet. Hopefully one day soon.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: etiolate on January 15, 2011, 06:36:08 PM
I forgot I to go to a church multiple times a week, but its a coffee house inside a church. Once in awhile you'll hear corny Christian rock bands playing in the adjacent building. The church itself doesn't have actual Sunday sermons, but it seems they just have random meeting times at certain locations(houses, gym) and gather up.

I've never had an interest in the community aspect of church though. Some of the Quaker meetings were interesting because there is no leader or preacher, just people standing up to speak. Most often it was to bring up some issue around the world where there is fighting. Sometimes an old lady would just quietly start singing a hymn in her seat, then someone would mention their ailing sister, and then another would talk about Ghandi. Following this, a three minute pause of silence would linger until someone would ask everyone to reconsider what was said last week, and amend comments by others. It's a unique experience.

On the other end of the spectrum are the really huge Christian churches which run like a tight little business. I call these the Walmart Churches, and they have gift shops and coffee shops inside, as well as a huge auditoriums where a Sunday sermon becomes biblical theatrical performance. On stage, hanging from wires spins the cirque de soleil ballet, a preacher in jeans going on about the birth of jesus, and a twenty year old walking the aisles in a Moses costume. The managers of these churches gather in as big an audience as they can for donations, and then expand the church with the money. One of the California ones is called Bay Street I think.



Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Olivia Wilde Homo on January 15, 2011, 07:25:23 PM
I went to a progressive catholic church growing up.  To be honest, I never recalled hearing any homophobic or anti-abortion crap, it was mostly progressive issues that they talked about.  There was an African priest and sometimes for sermons would tell stories of him growing up in Africa (the good times and bad).

Pretty much everyone left to go to the more evangelical churches.  This happened after I became an atheist though and never went to church at that point.  It's a shame that people abandoned a church because the church's view of religion wasn't hateful and bloodthirsty enough.

Oh and gay marriage and adoption is 100% legal here.  They won't vote on it again until 2016 I believe.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Mr. Gundam on January 15, 2011, 07:57:21 PM
Man in the sky is lol-worthy for me as well. I started out going out of respect for my wife, but we've found a cool church that is accepting of everyone and is driven by uber-liberal/green social activism. I'm pretty much agnostic but respectful.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Diunx on January 16, 2011, 08:09:35 AM
I'm at church right now, today is the anniversary mass for my granny's dead and I completely forgot about it and went to bed at like 3 am and had to wake ut at 7:30 :fbm
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Diunx on January 16, 2011, 10:19:32 AM
Church is so boring! I hate the standing up sitting down bullshit luckily my family was doing a get together afterwards so my and my cousin were able to bail out when everyone started hugging each other to go pick up the food.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Himu on January 16, 2011, 01:39:03 PM
Mr Gundam is a REAL MAN

:bow
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Purple Filth on January 16, 2011, 02:27:36 PM
Haven't been to church for a while now.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Diunx on January 16, 2011, 04:49:58 PM
Yeah I hate all the singing and chanting its not like they are praising fucking dionysius, just get on your knees and pray while I play on my phone! smh.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: brawndolicious on January 16, 2011, 05:42:47 PM
Oh, actually one of the funniest things in True Blood was when all the southern conservative types go into a maenad-driven cannibal orgy.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: tiesto on January 17, 2011, 09:03:04 AM
I used to have to go every fruggin week as a kid and I hated it.  So awkward with the people who were way too into the singing, holding their arms up and swaying back and forth like the lamest geezer ravers ever.  Oh god, the songs were so bad too, and they were better than most church songs (we had, like, a drummer and like electric guitars.  that's all you need to be cool. fucking boomers)

Maybe I'd go to church if they did something like this:

[youtube=560,345]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlZpSd2lRJQ[/youtube]
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 18, 2011, 10:03:52 AM
I keep getting asked by my "Southern Family" to go to Church with them at least once, I feel like I probably should because of all they have done for me. My main friends here in AL, the one of the few families willing to be a bit more open minded w/ my religious views.

I should go at least once, shouldn't I?
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Brehvolution on January 18, 2011, 10:06:29 AM
I'd go, but just to find a potential hook up.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: lordmaji on January 18, 2011, 10:46:58 AM
I'd go, but just to find a potential hook up.

 :lol :lol that's what my other friend said.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Phoenix Dark on January 18, 2011, 12:24:06 PM
In that case I'd go. It's the least you can do to show appreciation I guess.
Title: Re: Who goes to Church?
Post by: Purple Filth on January 18, 2011, 11:12:55 PM
I'd go, but just to find a potential hook up.

this is one of the top reasons where i'm from  :lol