Church is so sad.

[wolty]

I recently went to church. It was a Sunday evening worship, informal and community orientated.
It was in an inner suburban church with a youngish pastor running the show.
There were 18 people there, and one heathen, satan worshiping non-believer (that would be me), in a big church that could probably seat 200.

I went with an open mind, interested to see, talk, and experience the worship of one of the thousands of gods said to be in existence.

It started with a prayer. Now we all know how that ends. Nothing happens. Or if it does happen, it was actually statistical luck. I looked around at the earnest people praying and had the feeling of why are you bothering. Your time would be much better spent talking to your neighbours, family, friends, finding out how their lives are going, what there fears are, what their true loves are. But no, they are praying to one of the gods, that doesn’t talk back, doesn’t answer prayers, doesn’t even give them the time of day.

Then we headed onto a song. I paid particular attention to the words that everyone else was singing. It started with sin, how they should all be thankful that the lord jesus died for their sins (even before they had committed any), how the grief at the death of jesus should be foremost in their minds, and how they should be subservant because of this ultimate sacrifice that their lord made for them. I watched how everyone took on board how bad they all were, how much sin they had in their lives, how wonderful it was for someone else to make that sacrifice. It left me feeling sad for everyone there.

Then another prayer (couldn’t we just have got the prayers done in one go?, and why do we need to pray? Shouldn’t god just know?) then another song about sin, death, subservience, grief.

So far, so good. We are now 20 minutes into the service, my feelings for all involved are a mixture of sadness at what they are going through, coupled with sadness at the depressing nature of it all.

We head onto a sermon about servitude, belief and ultimate sacrifice. I won’t bore you with the details, but the interesting thing I found was the interpretation. The pastor reiterated about serving the lord. I felt a different interpretation, I could understand how one could do unspeakable things for god, how service to the lord is above all else, even to the extent of killing other humans. How people can be deluded by belief in dogma, to the extent of starting wars, killing their neighbours, even their own children.

Wow, there I was sitting there thinking about these people going through all this. I felt sad for them, I felt depressed for them, I felt embarrassed for them, and I actually felt pity for them.

And then it was over. One hour of some very interesting feelings, observations and thoughts. And when it was over, everyone got together and had a chat, smiled, talked, laughed. Like they had all gone through something together, come out the other side, and the world was ok. I just wondered if they noticed all the negative connotations.

It doesn’t make me wonder anymore, why most people don’t want to go to church.

[Truthmission]

Interesting what denomination??

Although I do not share all their beliefs, this guys Chuck Smith in the US is easy to listen to..

http://www.twft.com/?page=c2000

[Logic]

I have friends who go to church, but much more enjoy their monthly monday night meet-up with fellow church goers where they go to each others houses and each month discuss a different religion (and dress up like that religion - eg. buddhist night they wore robes and swimming caps ), eat food and drink beer.

Lends evidence to my theory that much of church going is about the community of it and not so much about god.

[gruber]

Of course its a sad place, they worship the death of some guy.

[atheist_angel]

My last church was Joyful! Very joyfully arrogant and bigoted!

[Seamus]

I think the criticism is probably fair enough of that church,but not of churches generally.

Perhaps attend one of those mega- happy clappy churches.They're pretty cheerful (apart from the slightly sinister undertone) I don't recommend one where they speak in tongues. I've been, and it creeped me out.

Some Catholic church services can be quite beautiful. Attending Mass in St Peter's in Rome was an amazing experience,even for an ex-Catholic atheist. (it was worth going just to see the Pieta and Medici tombs))

Attending Evensong at Kings College chapel Cambridge (C of E) with the world famous choir was wonderful. I can fully understand the emotional appeal of churches to many people.


@ Mr Black: It might surprise you to know I once had the experience of ' Feeling The Holy Spirit".This was unusual for Catholics. It occurred during "Benediction" whilst I was at a monastery on retreat. I was 16.


For believers the ceremony is quite beautiful and moving,

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a devotional ceremony celebrated within the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in some Anglican and Lutheran Churches, Western Rite Orthodox churches [1], and Latinised Eastern Catholic Churches.
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament begins with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (i.e., consecrated Host) in a monstrance set upon the altar. The liturgy includes singing the ancient Latin hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas, O Salutaris Hostia and Tantum Ergo, followed by the benediction proper. The celebrant holds the monstrance wearing a humeral veil covering his shoulders, arms and hands, and then blesses the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament by tracing the sign of the cross with the monstrance held steadily upright before him. The liturgy concludes with the Divine Praises and Psalm 117 with the antiphon, "Let us forever adore the Most Holy Sacrament."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedic...ssed_Sacrament

[wearestardust]

Originally Posted by Truthmission

Interesting what denomination??

Although I do not share all their beliefs, this guys Chuck Smith in the US is easy to listen to..

http://www.twft.com/?page=c2000

Not sure that's relevant. I think Wolty's point was that he experienced a bunch of people spending time sitting in a big room focussed on

sin, how they should all be thankful that the lord jesus died for their sins (even before they had committed any), how the grief at the death of jesus should be foremost in their minds, and how they should be subservant because of this ultimate sacrifice that their lord made for them. I watched how everyone took on board how bad they all were, how much sin they had in their lives, how wonderful it was for someone else to make that sacrifice.

That's core Christian message, It's just that when one is a believer one doesn't look at it with quite that slant. I was a worship leader and would be up their with my electric guitar, bellowing for Jesus, but the message was still just as Wolty put it.

[wearestardust]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

I think it was WeAreStardust, who said he had experience the same state after listening to a particularly good recording through headphones.

T'was me (ha hah!)

I do sometimes miss the feeling of comfort of being in a church community, worshipping together; and I have spent more than a few moments in older churches (ranging from 19th c country churches here to the "new church" in Amsterdam - "new" because it's 'only' 700 years old) reflecting on the piety that resulted in craftsmen doing their best for god in the best way they knew how.

That said, sometimes I still really crave a cigarette as well despite having given them up too.

[deesl4e]

The last church I went into was a Catholic Church. It was for a funeral and had to have been one of the most saddest and disturbing half hours of my existence on this planet.

[wearestardust]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

@WAS: Happy Kurosawa's 100th Birthday to you!


Mifune-san felicitates on your behalf.

I had no idea. Tks. If he can wear a silly hat then I shall be no longer embarrassed for evermore!