Why Go to Church

[Fool]

Christianity and Judaism were never "just do your own thing" entities, plus groups can often do things that are much more difficult for individuals to do. Even in just may own local church my wife and I attend, there's significant charitable work that's being done on a regular basis, for just one example. Religious services help to teach and organize, for examples, and I do believe there's some significant benefits that can be derived from that.

true but for 40 years the body of god wandered with the people. it is neither here nor, not in a box, nor with a fox, but where you will.

makes you wonder where god is.


its here, now.


i saw your beaming face and i realize something strange had just happened. i didn't understand then. i do now



And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

 

[Sleeppy]

Same reason we're here..

 

[leroy]

if you can go with god?

What motivates someone to go else where that god might be but can't be here otherwise?

Is god served at fast religious services in a box? a bag? paper or plastic?

Why do you go to restaurants, if you can eat in your house? …….some people simply like to go to church, or in some cases it is just a cultural thing.


In my experience, no christian claims that going to church will give you acces to beter stuff.

 

[Fool]

Why do you go to restaurants, if you can eat in your house? …….some people simply like to go to church, or in some cases it is just a cultural thing.


In my experience, no christian claims that going to church will give you acces to beter stuff.

restaurants don't necessarily offer the same cuisine that you eat at home; especially if you're eating ethnic.

 

[leroy]

restaurants don't necessarily offer the same cuisine that you eat at home; especially if you're eating ethnic.

most restorants have home delivery service anyway.

The point that I am making is that some people simply enjoy doing thigs outside even if they can do the same thing at home.

 

[IsaiahX]

if you can go with god?

What motivates someone to go else where that god might be but can't be here otherwise?

Is god served at fast religious services in a box? a bag? paper or plastic?

Church is not limited to a specific place or building. Any place where God's people meet together to teach and inspire each other serves the function of a church building.

 

[Fool]

most restorants have home delivery service anyway.

The point that I am making is that some people simply enjoy doing thigs outside even if they can do the same thing at home.

and the point i'm making is that some enjoy tasting the cuisine of others and realize it's just another way of expressing the same main ingredients but in another seasoned, prepared Way. again cuisine is based on culture and cultures are based on environment. two different environments are going to produce two different cultures and two different cuisines, two different religions.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

if you can go with god?

What motivates someone to go else where that god might be but can't be here otherwise?

Is god served at fast religious services in a box? a bag? paper or plastic?

People go to church to worship with their peers. However people define the church for good or for worse is on the individual. Church is when a group of people come together for the same purpose. Like One Body. In this case, people worship with others of like mind.

What is wrong with church and communal worship?

Bias and negativity aside, what is wrong with worshiping with others?

 

[Fool]

People go to church to worship with their peers. However people define the church for good or for worse is on the individual. Church is when a group of people come together for the same purpose. Like One Body. In this case, people worship with others of like mind.

What is wrong with church and communal worship?

Bias and negativity aside, what is wrong with worshiping with others?

to worship god doesn't exclude love of any other that doesn't look like self. the body of god is made up of every human being. to be like minded, godly is to love neighbor as self. we are a corpuscle in the body of the Absolute.

who are the people in your neighborhood?

to be is not an appearance. it's an action. the fruit of the spirit is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

to worship god doesn't exclude love of any other that doesn't look like self. the body of god is made up of every human being. to be like minded, godly is to love neighbor as self. we are a corpuscle in the body of the Absolute.

who are the people in your neighborhood?

to be is not an appearance. it's an action. the fruit of the spirit is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Yes. A church or body of people believe exactly what you wrote.

So, what is wrong with a church?

 

[Twilight Hue]

if you can go with god?

What motivates someone to go else where that god might be but can't be here otherwise?

Is god served at fast religious services in a box? a bag? paper or plastic?

Some people just like socializing. I would say churches are more like a rally event to get people pepped up for the week.

 

[Glaurung]

Echoing Metis, Christianity was never envisioned as a solitary endeavor. Christianity was from its earliest days, a sacramental, liturgical religion.

 

[stvdv]

if you can go with god?
What motivates someone to go else where that god might be but can't be here otherwise?
Is god served at fast religious services in a box? a bag? paper or plastic?

For me it is very simple. I enjoy listening to spiritual discourses and to singing hymns, mantras, bhajans, praise songs. Of course I can listen to it at home or sing them myself. But there is something extra being with others who join and enjoy in it.

It's maybe comparable to sex. You can do it alone, but is it not much more fun to do it with someone else?

But of course ultimately it means that there is some restlessness in me. It's getting better, more and more I enjoy the solitude and silence. I stayed in an ashram for many years, coming back to Holland I went to a church for four years. And now I am okay to visit other places maybe 6 times a year.

I also compare Church to school. I loved to study, but when you master all they teach, then there is no need to go (you can still go of course)

 

[Fool]

Yes. A church or body of people believe exactly what you wrote.

So, what is wrong with a church?

when a church requires a membership and alignment to idolatry. its already missed the point.

But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

 

[Fool]

Some people just like socializing. I would say churches are more like a rally event to get people pepped up for the week.

thats my understanding of why christian atheists go

 

[Fool]

For me it is very simple. I enjoy listening to spiritual discourses and to singing hymns, mantras, bhajans, praise songs. Of course I can listen to it at home or sing them myself. But there is something extra being with others who join and enjoy in it.

It's maybe comparable to sex. You can do it alone, but is it not much more fun to do it with someone else?

But of course ultimately it means that there is some restlessness in me. It's getting better, more and more I enjoy the solitude and silence. I stayed in an ashram for many years, coming back to Holland I went to a church for four years. And now I am okay to visit other places maybe 6 times a year.

I also compare Church to school. I loved to study, but when you master all they teach, then there is no need to go (you can still go of course)

all the things you listed can be done in any type of building, or social gathering. however you won't find "most" churches hosting a jewish, wiccan, hindu, buddhist, or interfaith service on a regular basis.

i'm all for discourse. case in point: this website; which hosts dialogue between many, many different paths that converge on this one site.

i can't begin to tell you how much i appreciate what I've learned here and this site. the ability to touch so many cultural belief systems is amazing.

 

[stvdv]

all the things you listed can be done in any type of building, or social gathering. however you won't find "most" churches hosting a jewish, wiccan, hindu, buddhist, or interfaith service on a regular basis.

i'm all for discourse. case in point: this website; which hosts dialogue between many, many different paths that converge on this one site.

i can't begin to tell you how much i appreciate what I've learned here and this site. the ability to touch so many cultural belief systems is amazing.

Same for me, I learned many things on RF. Not just facts about belief systems but more "understanding" others are happy with their way. Even if it's not my way, just seeing that they try to do their best in their belief is enough for me.

Although I was with a Master who hit us hard with "do not judge other religions, ever. Because you judge God", it's only since I am on RF that I have the chance to put this into practice. And this "not judging others" and "seeing other's (lack of) belief systems as equally valid as mine" is what makes me really happy

 

[metis]

when a church requires a membership and alignment to idolatry. its already missed the point.

Which church is that? It's certainly not Catholicism as Catholic teachings forbid praying to any object or supposed deity. Also, it's important to know the difference between "worshiping" and "veneration" as they are not synonymous terms.

 

[Fool]

Which church is that? It's certainly not Catholicism as Catholic teachings forbid praying to any object or supposed deity. Also, it's important to know the difference between "worshiping" and "veneration" as they are not synonymous terms.

jesus is an object, a created object. and yes there is a difference between showing respect to someone and worshiping them.

 

[metis]

jesus is an object, a created object.

Please show us the evidence.

Hint: the words "opinion" and "fact" are not synonymous. As the saying goes, "you can have your own opinions but not your own facts".