Do You Attend Church?

[Little Dragon]

But sometimes people behave in negative(or even dangerous) ways if they have a poor opinion of what you are, or are doing. While that wouldn't make me change my ways, it would make me more aware, and to prepare for any problems I may have incoming.

Certainly true. You can't frolic with oblivious abandon in the the forest clearing, when there are wolves about.

 

[JustGeorge]

Certainly true. You can't frolic with oblivious abandon in the the forest clearing, when there are wolves about.

And they often are...

 

[Little Dragon]

And they often are...

I always assume so.

 

[Muffled]

Was reading a guy called Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar, from Cincinnati. He said he encountered more genuine spiritual openness and willingness among prisoners in the local gaol, than among regular church goers. That’s the sort of cleric the church needs more of imo.

I believe no one wants to express beliefs that are contrary to orthodoxy unless like me they are willing to take the flak.

 

[Muffled]

Hey, I wrote the book on heresy!!!

Can I get it for free? The place I usually pay for books is the Salvation Army Store for 37 cents.

 

[Muffled]

I do not believe I am in error. So everyone who doesn't believe like you is in error?

I believe I can show you the way if you are willing to accept the truth.

 

[Audie]

Went twice. It was boring.

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

Please bear with me as I have a tendency to waffle...

I was christened in a church and attended church up to the age of 10.
The church was built in 1155 and stands at the top of a steep hill, within a wood pretty isolated. It is built out of stone and apparently fell into disrepair in the 1500's until it was brought back to life by Browne Willis.
Thomas Webster painted a famous picture in this church in 1846
View attachment 82836
As a child all I ever remember is how cold it was, whether Summer time or Winter time it felt freezing on the inside.
Then my parents moved to another village 5 miles away and we stopped going there, well they did, I would still go but on my own and when nobody else was about.
However cold it felt, I was drawn to it by it's architecture/energy and setting in the woods.
To this day I still go, and in all of these years it has given me an inner peace. Yet I still only go when nobody is around. I'll sit on the benches outside or around the graveyard, have a debate or two and wander back to my sofa surfing lifestyle.

I'm just curious to how people interact within a church, I know they pray and sing, but what happens in the before and after stages. Do they talk religious, or does that only come in when the vicar starts talking?

Any church attending people here, I would appreciate some insight?

Thanks in advance!

Those old churches are awesome.

I go to church as an atheist with my wife and kids because they are believers and I want to be with them. It is an evangelical church in the south. Pretty mainstream.

It usually goes like this:

2 songs
introduction/announcements/prayer
1 song
Communion - start song during communion.
Sermon
Song
Baptisms
Closing announcements/prayers/offering

There are pastors that stay afterward for anyone that want to talk to one.
People usually mill around and talk before leaving

Service lasts about 1 hr 20 minutes or so.

 

[Colt]

Please bear with me as I have a tendency to waffle...

I was christened in a church and attended church up to the age of 10.
The church was built in 1155 and stands at the top of a steep hill, within a wood pretty isolated. It is built out of stone and apparently fell into disrepair in the 1500's until it was brought back to life by Browne Willis.
Thomas Webster painted a famous picture in this church in 1846
View attachment 82836
As a child all I ever remember is how cold it was, whether Summer time or Winter time it felt freezing on the inside.
Then my parents moved to another village 5 miles away and we stopped going there, well they did, I would still go but on my own and when nobody else was about.
However cold it felt, I was drawn to it by it's architecture/energy and setting in the woods.
To this day I still go, and in all of these years it has given me an inner peace. Yet I still only go when nobody is around. I'll sit on the benches outside or around the graveyard, have a debate or two and wander back to my sofa surfing lifestyle.

I'm just curious to how people interact within a church, I know they pray and sing, but what happens in the before and after stages. Do they talk religious, or does that only come in when the vicar starts talking?

Any church attending people here, I would appreciate some insight?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, 12 step meetings are often held in churches that welcome us. So I attend lots of different churches 1 hour a week! But not a church for my religion.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Never attended church.
Been to a few marriages in one.
Found it all very very creepy.
Edit....
Creepiest ever was an event in a synagogue.

I can relate.

Been to a handful of services... some funerals and a wedding or two.
I don't anymore. Now I just show up for the servcice in city hall and the party afterwards in case of a wedding.

For funerals I just go to the mourning center, skip the service and the show up at the burial.

Church services are far too creepy for me. Very cultish imo
And that insence stinks so bad...

 

[Muffled]

Went twice. It was boring.

I believe the purpose is not to be interested. The purpose is to be in the presence of the Lord.
1Cor 5:4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

 

[Muffled]

Yes, 12 step meetings are often held in churches that welcome us. So I attend lots of different churches 1 hour a week! But not a church for my religion.

I believe that beats waking up in bed with a strange woman as one person told me. I told him he needed to have a personal relationship with his higher power.

 

[Muffled]

I can relate.

Been to a handful of services... some funerals and a wedding or two.
I don't anymore. Now I just show up for the servcice in city hall and the party afterwards in case of a wedding.

For funerals I just go to the mourning center, skip the service and the show up at the burial.

Church services are far too creepy for me. Very cultish imo
And that insence stinks so bad...

I believe weddings vary. My cousin's wedding had hymns to sing. Not many do. Another cousin had a high mass so what I remember is a lot of bell ringing.

 

[Audie]

I believe the purpose is not to be interested. The purpose is to be in the presence of the Lord.
1Cor 5:4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

The only things you don't believe are things
that have evidence.

 

[Little Dragon]

I believe the purpose is not to be interested. The purpose is to be in the presence of the Lord.
1Cor 5:4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

God is everywhere, apparently.

 

[Altfish]

I used to go to church until age 14 and loved it until... (Not the thread for that story)

It took me 2 years from then, which included reading the KJV before i drifted into atheism.

However

I do on occasion still go to church, christenings, weddings and funerals.

Also i like to visit ancient churches to take in the art and architecture.

This almost exactly.
Went to a funeral today, but even that wasn't at a church

 

[Little Dragon]

I do not believe I am in error. So everyone who doesn't believe like you is in e

I believe I can show you the way if you are willing to accept the truth.

"Accept the truth'' Code phrase for: Belief without evidence and the surrender of critical thought.

 

[rocala]

I am not a churchgoer. Four years ago I was with a group staying on the Isle of Iona, four of us decided to go to Sunday service at the Medieval abbey.
It was a full house. Iona gets lots of Christian tourists. Much to my surprise I enjoyed the sermon, it was about modern slavery. After the service we were asked to approach somebody that we did not know and have a brief conversation, this was very nice.
Overall I enjoyed the experience much more than I expected. The medieval setting was magical.

 

[Little Dragon]

I am not a churchgoer. Four years ago I was with a group staying on the Isle of Iona, four of us decided to go to Sunday service at the Medieval abbey.
It was a full house. Iona gets lots of Christian tourists. Much to my surprise I enjoyed the sermon, it was about modern slavery. After the service we were asked to approach somebody that we did not know and have a brief conversation, this was very nice.
Overall I enjoyed the experience much more than I expected. The medieval setting was magical.

I am not a churchgoer either, or a christian, but I have had some contact with churches as a child. My mother encouraged us kids to go to the youth group that her local baptist church used to run every thursday evening. It was actually a lot of fun. The people that ran the group, were very friendly and kind. Honest and genuine. So I when I think of church, I think of that, and its a positive memory.
However I saw no value in attending sermons, since they centered heavily on sin and sinning, it seemed. I attended two or three, because frankly, we were made to, by my born again christian mother. I have no interest in self flagellation or hating myself, just because I am a human animal, being a human animal. For me sin is just parochial judgement, based on making others feel worthless about themselves, for therein you have power over them and so you can control them.

 

[ChristineM]

This almost exactly.
Went to a funeral today, but even that wasn't at a church

Since moving to France I've been to church more times than i ever did on my adult life in the uk. Funerals are horrible to attend but if one of my deceased friend dogs can do it then so can i.