Who goes to church?
- Thread starter JRogers
- Start date
I go when I am not racing/riding or out of town etc...
Its the same church as I was brought up in as a kid.
But somehow I escaped getting all the hangups or bitterness so many people seem to get.
Its all light and positive for me.
Organized religion can be bad that is for sure, but it does not have to be. When I was in college, I picked up a bible and read it from cover to cover like a regular book. I did it simply for my own interpretation.
The one thing that did was just give me a general positive mindset on how I want to live my life that has stayed with me.
I don't need to go to church, nor do I feel real different when I do.
I feel alot closer to God when I am boosting a 30 foot stepdown than I do sitting in a stuffy pew.
I don't talk about it much because the details are not important to me, and I don't give a goat fart how anybody else lives their life.
I believe in the separation of church and state, lesbians are awesome and beer is wonderful. Amen.:biggrin:
Its the same church as I was brought up in as a kid.
But somehow I escaped getting all the hangups or bitterness so many people seem to get.
Its all light and positive for me.
Organized religion can be bad that is for sure, but it does not have to be. When I was in college, I picked up a bible and read it from cover to cover like a regular book. I did it simply for my own interpretation.
The one thing that did was just give me a general positive mindset on how I want to live my life that has stayed with me.
I don't need to go to church, nor do I feel real different when I do.
I feel alot closer to God when I am boosting a 30 foot stepdown than I do sitting in a stuffy pew.
I don't talk about it much because the details are not important to me, and I don't give a goat fart how anybody else lives their life.
I believe in the separation of church and state, lesbians are awesome and beer is wonderful. Amen.:biggrin:
ditto. I only have one child now, maybe more in the future. Having him in my life seems to make me want to go to church, hard to explain. Luckily, we have found a church (Methodist) that's embraced my family and me and we feel quite comfortable there. I go at least 3 Sundays a month.i go weekly when i'm not on duty (or racing). i grew up in it but i've also found a deeper need and meaning for "church" as an adult but especially as a cop and dad of 3. i can tell a huge difference in my tolerance and attitude at work/home when i've been away from the church for a while. i suppose it has something to do with accountability.
I've gone consistently every Saturday night or Sunday morning (to a non-denominational Christian church) pretty much my whole life. At least until recently when I picked up a second job. Now I do as often as I can, but that isn't as much as I like it to be. When I was old enough (about 12 or 13) my parents made it my choice to go or not to go. I kept going.
I believe the level of importance goes as follows:
1.) God
2.) Family/Friends
3.) Church
With that said, my fiance' is going to be family when we're married and living together, and I have financial responsibility to prove to her so that's why I don't feel terribly guilty for not going all the time.
I do listen to Christian radio, I do tithe, I do read my Bible, I have never had a drink in my entire life, I do have tattoos (a good amount of them), have had piercings, do swear, and have struggled with just about anything you can struggle with. And I have skipped church to go riding.
My conclusion: church is an amazing thing, but often as a whole, a religion can approach certain aspects of daily life in an inappropriate manner. I have my gripes about all aspects of religion, and all denominations of Christianity. A group built by imperfect hands will, inevitably, be imperfect.
I believe the level of importance goes as follows:
1.) God
2.) Family/Friends
3.) Church
With that said, my fiance' is going to be family when we're married and living together, and I have financial responsibility to prove to her so that's why I don't feel terribly guilty for not going all the time.
I do listen to Christian radio, I do tithe, I do read my Bible, I have never had a drink in my entire life, I do have tattoos (a good amount of them), have had piercings, do swear, and have struggled with just about anything you can struggle with. And I have skipped church to go riding.
My conclusion: church is an amazing thing, but often as a whole, a religion can approach certain aspects of daily life in an inappropriate manner. I have my gripes about all aspects of religion, and all denominations of Christianity. A group built by imperfect hands will, inevitably, be imperfect.
I was raised church of christ. I went to a church of christ school through freshman year in high school. I was OK with church, the idea of organized religion and god until I started attending middle school. I didn't fit in, and the teachers were as intolerant of me as the students were.
I finally convinced my parents to let me transfer to a public school. Then I got a job so I could stop going to church too. I worked every Sunday until I was 20 so that i wouldn't have to argue with them about it.
One of the main reasons we eloped was so that I wouldn't have to deal with explaining to my mother that I didn't want a religious ceremony, or a church wedding.
Since then I have become much more open with my mom about my choice to not go to church, but she still questions me about it constantly. it won't be an issue until we have children, and by that point, we will be living far enough away from her that she won't try to pick them up every sunday morning for church.
I've gotten over my grudges with religion and I have found other ways to fulfill my need for spirituality in my life. But I would have to say that my last years involved with organized religion warped my views of a lot of things, strained my relationship with me mom, and made my life and life choices very difficult. I'll never go back.
I finally convinced my parents to let me transfer to a public school. Then I got a job so I could stop going to church too. I worked every Sunday until I was 20 so that i wouldn't have to argue with them about it.
One of the main reasons we eloped was so that I wouldn't have to deal with explaining to my mother that I didn't want a religious ceremony, or a church wedding.
Since then I have become much more open with my mom about my choice to not go to church, but she still questions me about it constantly. it won't be an issue until we have children, and by that point, we will be living far enough away from her that she won't try to pick them up every sunday morning for church.
I've gotten over my grudges with religion and I have found other ways to fulfill my need for spirituality in my life. But I would have to say that my last years involved with organized religion warped my views of a lot of things, strained my relationship with me mom, and made my life and life choices very difficult. I'll never go back.
and for once you are at the forefront of it...I'm starting to see a definite trend here...
The valley we moved to, to start our business 7 years ago was often called "the valley with the most churches per capita of any state in the union"...Do not know where this data came from, but there are a lot of churches and a lot of jesus freaks and bible thumpers...probably why the place is such a mess.
Show me a town with no churches and we are there for retirement.
Show me a town with no churches and we are there for retirement.
I grew up in a town with more churches than people (so it seemed) and I now live in a house that is within 4 blocks of 7 churches. It does make for a quiet Sunday, though. The bells are cool.
Is this the "favorite smells" thread?holy sacrament?
I gave church up for Lent.
I don't feel like having sex for 40 days after watching Josh HartnettOh dear...
act.
Whoa...whoa...whoa....You call *THAT* acting? You are too kind my friend...
Nice try. I prefer yoga and meditation.holy sacrament?
If you feel the need to go to church to be told how to live your life , fine. I live by a couple simple rules .
1) treat others as you would be treated yourself.
2) if it ain't yours , don't fvck with it. - can be applied to people as well as things.
1) treat others as you would be treated yourself.
2) if it ain't yours , don't fvck with it. - can be applied to people as well as things.
Have you ever tried yoga, on weed? -Jon Stewart
Amen!
Crap, you beat me to it!
Lots of interesting stories, feelings and other things coming out here. As for me, I grew up going to church nearly every Sunday (Episcopal). Parents have been very involved in the local church for a long time- helping and running events, donating time and money, etc. My parents made us go basically until college, but now it's kind of optional when we're home. I still go if I am not busy or too tired to move. I even taught Sunday School last year (3rd-4th grade).
Left to my own devices, my attendance kind of slides off, but I do enjoy going (in spite of my own lack of religious faith in, well, almost anything). My parents, though they made us go, never pushed anything on us in terms of doctrine. To be honest, I don't even really know what they actually believe or don't. My brother and sister certainly have little interest in religion and my parents don't seem to mind one way or the other.
I'll probably start going to services more- school has chapel service every day at 10:30 and all classes stop from 10:30-11:30 for it (along with some coffee after). Since I'm there anyway, the chapel is attached to the building and services are short and sweet, it's about as convenient as it gets.
hahaha, but seriously DMV does sound better!
Nah - I never went to church as a kid. Xmas and Easter were the extent of it...
I hated church as a kid. My dad found a different religion and it helped split up the marriage. Not the churches fault, but it didn't help motivate me to practice.
Now I go once in a while and I enjoy it. It's nice not to be scared (probably realize now that i'm catholic) and take my family while seeing old friends.
I do worship God in the woods before I go to church, so I don't make it there much until winter. I really don't like the whole "this is the one religion", but every religion I know (except for budhism I think) believes that, so I might as well stick with the one that I know. God will probably understand.
Now I go once in a while and I enjoy it. It's nice not to be scared (probably realize now that i'm catholic) and take my family while seeing old friends.
I do worship God in the woods before I go to church, so I don't make it there much until winter. I really don't like the whole "this is the one religion", but every religion I know (except for budhism I think) believes that, so I might as well stick with the one that I know. God will probably understand.
well i went to church all my life until about a year ago...i still believe things...but for some reason i stopped going....i should probably start going
I know a guy here in town, goes to church just to meet the ladies, I have seen some of his 'scores', they are really, really hot and really, really nuts! But he says they bang like porn stars.
He thanks jesus everytime!
He thanks jesus everytime!
I used to go to church every sunday as a kid then when I went off to college, I stopped going. I was never very religious. I'm far too logical to have faith. I do sometimes miss the sense of community. My wife's Dad is a preacher and basically had Jesus beat in to her (literally in some instances) when she was a kid and has no desire what so ever to go back.
pretty much mirrors my upbringing.
Hmm...whenever I don't have a sense of community, I just invite the neighborhood over and throw a rager. I find that my community bonds best when drunk and peeps enjoy a party. Plus, it's a good way to meet all the desparate housewives... 
Yeah, drinking buddies are greatHmm...whenever I don't have a sense of community, I just invite the neighborhood over and throw a rager. I find that my community bonds best when drunk and peeps enjoy a party. Plus, it's a good way to meet all the desparate housewives...
Shallow acquaintances are always there for you when you need them.
I was being facetious...sry...Yeah, drinking buddies are great
Well I hope you feel appropriately chastisized, if not I can get out my nun outfit and ruler.
I'm not sure if that's a threat or an invitation....Well I hope you feel appropriately chastisized, if not I can get out my nun outfit and ruler.
Is this some kind of weird sex thing? Because I'm not sure it belongs in a thread about religion.Well I hope you feel appropriately chastisized, if not I can get out my nun outfit and ruler.
I've seen things, maaaaan.....things you wouldn't beeeeelieve, maaaaaan....Is this some kind of weird sex thing? Because I'm not sure it belongs in a thread about religion.
*closes '68 VW bus window to hotbox*
Does it matter?I'm not sure if that's a threat or an invitation....