What Happened to Church?

[Crixus]

I went to a new church for the first time this morning (because I moved to a new city a few months back, and now I need to find a new church home), and I have to say I don't feel even remotely sufficiently churched.

Maybe I'm just really old-fashioned. I grew up in the same two churches throughout my life; in fact, my husband and I were married in one of them. They were both good-sized, but neither was a "mega-church", and it was not only possible to know everyone in the church, it was impossible NOT to. The services took upwards of two hours from start to finish, and they happened three times a week. When the service ended, there were often people still praying at the altars (this church doesn't even HAVE altars), and it took at least another hour for people to get done talking and interacting and head out the doors. The song service was inclusive; the entire congregation worshipping God through music together.

This service was over in an hour; the song service was the "worship team" - basically a music group - giving a performance with lights and videos on screens and a FOG MACHINE, for crying out loud. It was a lot more like going to a concert than anything interactive. Everyone was out the door in about fifteen minutes, the pastors (they apparently have a huge heirarchy of them) were nowhere in sight, and there was no effort made to even identify new attendees, much less meet them and make them feel welcome. The sermon was still on-point in the Word of God, and they don't seem to have edited out the "icky" parts so many churches do - y'know, references to the Crucifixion, blood, death, Hell, all that uncomfortable stuff - but I have to wonder how you're supposed to learn and grow and connect with the Christian community and draw closer to God when an hour a week of listening to other people perform is all the effort you put into it.

First, church is business now nothing more. Where one go’s to church is mora a status symbol these days rather then worship. No one believes in god anymore.

First, you have just disqualified yourself from having anything meaningful to say on this thread. Second, you therefore need to be warned that repeated posts about "God doesn't exist, Christianity is stupid, you're all wrong" are going to be viewed and empty spam and an attempt to derail the thread, and treated as such.

This thread is for people who actually attend church to discuss the state of modern churches. If you are not one of those people, yet insist on being here anyway, you will be respectful and not try to hijack the conversation and make it about your obsessive need to evangelize your religiophobia.

We now return you to the regularly scheduled conversation.

First, get off your high horse. It’s shit smells bad and you sound like ChrisL. Second, read your bible. Your whole lamentation is proof that you your self are a fake Christian. People like you attend church so you can open threads like this so you can feel all holey and good about your self. Really, it belongs in the coffee shop. Now, feel free r resume your fake Christian “no REAL churches left” lamentations to get the attention you feel you lack.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Why the resistance? You have no problem accepting that jesus lay with prostitutes....but jesus being gay triggers you? What am i missing, here?

You have no problem accepting that jesus lay with prostitutes.

He did?

but jesus being gay triggers you?

got some proof of that?

.

got some proof of that?

the same proof you might provide that Jesus claimed during the 1st century events that everyone is a sinner and that attaining admission to the Everlasting is only possible by his permission ... your tangible proof.

so, none of ya got anything for proof...

One question.


Why are you assholes spamming the thread?

Kind of a question that answers itself: these assholes are spamming the thread . . . because they're assholes.

Well, I'm done with answering them, so don't beat up on me any more. It appears you will actually contribute to the forum, so I apologize for trolling the trolls in your thread.

Hey, it's my thread. I don't start threads I don't actually want to talk about. Won't promise to post every day, because . . . well, I have a life, and I will blow off the message board without a second thought if something real comes up. I'm sure you know what that's like. But I always come back.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I went to a new church for the first time this morning (because I moved to a new city a few months back, and now I need to find a new church home), and I have to say I don't feel even remotely sufficiently churched.

Maybe I'm just really old-fashioned. I grew up in the same two churches throughout my life; in fact, my husband and I were married in one of them. They were both good-sized, but neither was a "mega-church", and it was not only possible to know everyone in the church, it was impossible NOT to. The services took upwards of two hours from start to finish, and they happened three times a week. When the service ended, there were often people still praying at the altars (this church doesn't even HAVE altars), and it took at least another hour for people to get done talking and interacting and head out the doors. The song service was inclusive; the entire congregation worshipping God through music together.

This service was over in an hour; the song service was the "worship team" - basically a music group - giving a performance with lights and videos on screens and a FOG MACHINE, for crying out loud. It was a lot more like going to a concert than anything interactive. Everyone was out the door in about fifteen minutes, the pastors (they apparently have a huge heirarchy of them) were nowhere in sight, and there was no effort made to even identify new attendees, much less meet them and make them feel welcome. The sermon was still on-point in the Word of God, and they don't seem to have edited out the "icky" parts so many churches do - y'know, references to the Crucifixion, blood, death, Hell, all that uncomfortable stuff - but I have to wonder how you're supposed to learn and grow and connect with the Christian community and draw closer to God when an hour a week of listening to other people perform is all the effort you put into it.

First, church is business now nothing more. Where one go’s to church is mora a status symbol these days rather then worship. No one believes in god anymore.

First, you have just disqualified yourself from having anything meaningful to say on this thread. Second, you therefore need to be warned that repeated posts about "God doesn't exist, Christianity is stupid, you're all wrong" are going to be viewed and empty spam and an attempt to derail the thread, and treated as such.

This thread is for people who actually attend church to discuss the state of modern churches. If you are not one of those people, yet insist on being here anyway, you will be respectful and not try to hijack the conversation and make it about your obsessive need to evangelize your religiophobia.

We now return you to the regularly scheduled conversation.

First, get off your high horse. It’s shit smells bad and you sound like ChrisL. Second, read your bible. Your whole lamentation is proof that you your self are a fake Christian. People like you attend church so you can open threads like this so you can feel all holey and good about your self. Really, it belongs in the coffee shop. Now, feel free r resume your fake Christian “no REAL churches left” lamentations to get the attention you feel you lack.

First, my thread, so I'll ride any damned horse I want, and I neither need nor want YOUR approval to post exactly as I choose.

Second, I've read my Bible, and unlike you, I read it for content and context, rather than cherrypicking a few verses here and there so that I could utterly waste my time trying to discuss things I don't believe in for no purposes whatsoever.

Third, my church attendance, the reasons for it, and my attitudes toward church are absolutely none of your business, nor are they anything that you, by definition, are in any position to judge. Didn't ask, don't care, not intending to defend or justify to you.

Really, it belongs anywhere I choose to discuss it. Free country, Constitutional right, and also, this is a MESSAGE BOARD, you pusilanimous twerp. That's what it's FOR. If you don't like what I'm discussing and how I'm doing it, the answer - which is obvious to anyone with two functioning brain cells - is not for ME to stop discussing it; it's for YOU to stop invading threads that don't relate to you.

Now, feel free to either take your "stop talking about things I don't like" and go to a thread you DO like, or sit back and mouth helpless, impotent demands while I do exactly as I please and discuss exactly what i want.

The topic is what has changed in modern churches. It will continue, and the fact that you don't want it to continue will not only NOT stop it, it will just make it more enjoyable.

 

[BreezeWood]

Why the resistance? You have no problem accepting that jesus lay with prostitutes....but jesus being gay triggers you? What am i missing, here?

You have no problem accepting that jesus lay with prostitutes.

He did?

but jesus being gay triggers you?

got some proof of that?

.

got some proof of that?

the same proof you might provide that Jesus claimed during the 1st century events that everyone is a sinner and that attaining admission to the Everlasting is only possible by his permission ... your tangible proof.

so, none of ya got anything for proof...

One question.


Why are you assholes spamming the thread?

Kind of a question that answers itself: these assholes are spamming the thread . . . because they're assholes.

Well, I'm done with answering them, so don't beat up on me any more. It appears you will actually contribute to the forum, so I apologize for trolling the trolls in your thread.

.

Well, I'm done with answering them, so don't beat up on me any more. It appears you will actually contribute to the forum, so I apologize for trolling the trolls in your thread.

so I apologize for trolling ...


that's so cute, apologizing to sissy for being a troll and doing it for her - your the man.

 

[BreezeWood]

.

Fallacy is a logic error. The Bible is not fallacious, but historical and non-fiction. Why don't you take the passages I give and criticize that? Most of the time, non-believers do not comprehend or misunderstand the Bible. Instead of rush to judgment, such as humans came from ape-humans or monkeys, why not present some examples of where you do not accept and form an argument? You can't just dismiss it with assertions.

The Bible is not fallacious ...

the christian bible is a 4th century misrepresentation of the 1st century events it deliberately mischaracterizes for political appeasement disguised as a religion.


Why don't you take the passages I give and criticize that ?

I've done that repeatedly, your signature is an example:

Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

the above is a forgery. the 1st century events did not include your christian religion - everyone is a hopeless sinner, born in sin - those words likewise were never uttered in the 1st century.



why not present some examples of where you do not accept and form an argument?

View attachment 208891

the above is the creation and intent of 4th century christianity to persecute and victimize the innocent the target most coveted by the forgeries instilled in their document. their wanton lust.

the history of christianity to this date speaks for itself, it is not a church it is a political agenda that has never had an enduring relationship of hope for everyone as the events of the 1st century leaving what few their unsuspecting congregations may be in turmoil. that is not you and sisy.



You can't just dismiss it with assertions ...

bond: Instead of rush to judgment, such as humans came from ape-humans or monkeys -

you are a master of assertions the same with the others you deceive only yourselves.

I see nothing in this post that relates whatsoever to the thread topic. Granted, I might have missed it in all the gibberish, but I feel fairly certain in telling you that any time you are gabbling mindlessly about "the history of the church" and your favorite this-makes-me-sound-smart catchphrases of "antiquity" and "4th century", you are off-topic and attempting to hijack the thread.

Please stop.

.

I see nothing in this post that relates whatsoever to the thread topic. Granted, I might have missed it in all the gibberish, but I feel fairly certain in telling you that any time you are gabbling mindlessly about "the history of the church" and your favorite this-makes-me-sound-smart catchphrases of "antiquity" and "4th century", you are off-topic and attempting to hijack the thread.

Please stop.

- and attempting to hijack the thread ... Please stop.


I have less than 15 posts in this 113 pg thread, a thread which consists of you arguing relentlessly with one other poster having nothing to do with the topic that everyone else has been required to endure. I suggest you mature to the point of something other than regurgitating stale juvenile ad hominem responses for answers you seem presently incapable to reply with accordingly.

 

[Cecilie1200]

.

Fallacy is a logic error. The Bible is not fallacious, but historical and non-fiction. Why don't you take the passages I give and criticize that? Most of the time, non-believers do not comprehend or misunderstand the Bible. Instead of rush to judgment, such as humans came from ape-humans or monkeys, why not present some examples of where you do not accept and form an argument? You can't just dismiss it with assertions.

The Bible is not fallacious ...

the christian bible is a 4th century misrepresentation of the 1st century events it deliberately mischaracterizes for political appeasement disguised as a religion.


Why don't you take the passages I give and criticize that ?

I've done that repeatedly, your signature is an example:

Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

the above is a forgery. the 1st century events did not include your christian religion - everyone is a hopeless sinner, born in sin - those words likewise were never uttered in the 1st century.



why not present some examples of where you do not accept and form an argument?

View attachment 208891

the above is the creation and intent of 4th century christianity to persecute and victimize the innocent the target most coveted by the forgeries instilled in their document. their wanton lust.

the history of christianity to this date speaks for itself, it is not a church it is a political agenda that has never had an enduring relationship of hope for everyone as the events of the 1st century leaving what few their unsuspecting congregations may be in turmoil. that is not you and sisy.



You can't just dismiss it with assertions ...

bond: Instead of rush to judgment, such as humans came from ape-humans or monkeys -

you are a master of assertions the same with the others you deceive only yourselves.

I see nothing in this post that relates whatsoever to the thread topic. Granted, I might have missed it in all the gibberish, but I feel fairly certain in telling you that any time you are gabbling mindlessly about "the history of the church" and your favorite this-makes-me-sound-smart catchphrases of "antiquity" and "4th century", you are off-topic and attempting to hijack the thread.

Please stop.

.

I see nothing in this post that relates whatsoever to the thread topic. Granted, I might have missed it in all the gibberish, but I feel fairly certain in telling you that any time you are gabbling mindlessly about "the history of the church" and your favorite this-makes-me-sound-smart catchphrases of "antiquity" and "4th century", you are off-topic and attempting to hijack the thread.

Please stop.

- and attempting to hijack the thread ... Please stop.


I have less than 15 posts in this 113 pg thread, a thread which consists of you arguing relentlessly with one other poster having nothing to do with the topic that everyone else has been required to endure. I suggest you mature to the point of something other than regurgitating stale juvenile ad hominem responses for answers you seem presently incapable to reply with accordingly.

No one is "requiring you to endure" anything. Unless someone is sitting next to your computer, holding a gun to your head and demanding that you read this thread, you are free to stop "enduring" this conversation right this second. In fact, I'm fairly sure almost everyone in it wishes you WOULD, since you are the thread equivalent of a burst appendix.