Which religion do you follow? Why did you pick that one?

[zaangalewa]

Your statement here is absurde. Your ideas about Catholics are far from any reality.

Is this all you have?

You know your truth. I fear this truth has nothing to do with experiences you made with Catholics but with second-hand-experiences you made with enemies of the holy catholic church. You should not believe everything what someone says about Catholics. Some critics is very important - but on the other side: wrong ideas about Catholics are often nothing else than the excuse for some people to do what's wrong.

 

[zaangalewa]

Agnostic Atheism, simply because I see no evidence for the existence of any supernatural powers.

A wonder is not in confrontation with the natural laws - a wonder is in confrontation with our knowledge about the natural laws. Sometimes we don't have explanations. We say so since the third or fourth century. How are you for example today able to explain how some pounds of a mix of stardust named "Kurt Ranke" initialized to write an enzyklopedia of fairy tales in the german language? Why is the same mass of stones and sand somewhere in Indiana or in Andromeda not doing something similiar? One day some other pounds of stardust - perhaps with unknown names now - will write book 14 of this encyclopedia. But we don't know what will be written there. So what do you really know?

 

[koshergrl]

These are taken directly from the SBC. They are neither assumptions nor erroneous.

All of those beliefs are scripturally sound, and are why the SBC is so successful. Yes, we believe different people have different roles.

Yes, I don't dispute the more conservative interpretation of scripture. But no musical instruments in some of the churches? That sure wouldn't be true of any Southern Baptists I've ever known, including the one I married, and I know a LOT of Southern Baptists. And they all line dance, square dance I'm pretty sure the SBC has not given an official position on dancing and leaves that up to the local congregations to decide. And while the SBC has taken the position that ordained positions in the church is restricted to men, it does not mandate that as a requirement for local congregations who also decide that issue for their own people. Our last real estate agent, a very lovely lady, was an ordained Deacon in her Southern Baptist congregation in Virginia.

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

 

[hortysir]

All of those beliefs are scripturally sound, and are why the SBC is so successful. Yes, we believe different people have different roles.

Yes, I don't dispute the more conservative interpretation of scripture. But no musical instruments in some of the churches? That sure wouldn't be true of any Southern Baptists I've ever known, including the one I married, and I know a LOT of Southern Baptists. And they all line dance, square dance I'm pretty sure the SBC has not given an official position on dancing and leaves that up to the local congregations to decide. And while the SBC has taken the position that ordained positions in the church is restricted to men, it does not mandate that as a requirement for local congregations who also decide that issue for their own people. Our last real estate agent, a very lovely lady, was an ordained Deacon in her Southern Baptist congregation in Virginia.

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

You left out the bestest part of Southern Baptists


Fried chicken

 

[koshergrl]

Yes, I don't dispute the more conservative interpretation of scripture. But no musical instruments in some of the churches? That sure wouldn't be true of any Southern Baptists I've ever known, including the one I married, and I know a LOT of Southern Baptists. And they all line dance, square dance I'm pretty sure the SBC has not given an official position on dancing and leaves that up to the local congregations to decide. And while the SBC has taken the position that ordained positions in the church is restricted to men, it does not mandate that as a requirement for local congregations who also decide that issue for their own people. Our last real estate agent, a very lovely lady, was an ordained Deacon in her Southern Baptist congregation in Virginia.

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

You left out the bestest part of Southern Baptists


Fried chicken

Potlucks!

Before the loony church (not Southern Baptist..independent) I belonged to ANOTHER tiny conservative Baptist church (my sister joined first, I wouldn't have) and they had a pastor (eventually fired) who took a stand against EATING at church, of all things.

You get your occasional freak, and he was one. The one before that was really a great pastor, but his wife was insane and a total *****.

They're just people.

But the DOCTRINE of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST church is a good, sound one..

 

[Uncensored2008]

Potlucks!

Before the loony church (not Southern Baptist..independent) I belonged to ANOTHER tiny conservative Baptist church (my sister joined first, I wouldn't have) and they had a pastor (eventually fired) who took a stand against EATING at church, of all things.

You get your occasional freak, and he was one. The one before that was really a great pastor, but his wife was insane and a total *****.

They're just people.

But the DOCTRINE of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST church is a good, sound one..

I know a Formosan couple (God help you if you call them Chinese or Taiwanese) who belong to a fundamentalist church. They go to church at 8:00 Sunday morning and stay until about 10:00 Sunday night. The whole church cooks massive meals and everyone eats together. It's rather amazing the community that is built that way. Food is very spiritual to these people.

 

[koshergrl]

Potlucks!

Before the loony church (not Southern Baptist..independent) I belonged to ANOTHER tiny conservative Baptist church (my sister joined first, I wouldn't have) and they had a pastor (eventually fired) who took a stand against EATING at church, of all things.

You get your occasional freak, and he was one. The one before that was really a great pastor, but his wife was insane and a total *****.

They're just people.

But the DOCTRINE of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST church is a good, sound one..

I know a Formosan couple (God help you if you call them Chinese or Taiwanese) who belong to a fundamentalist church. They go to church at 8:00 Sunday morning and stay until about 10:00 Sunday night. The whole church cooks massive meals and everyone eats together. It's rather amazing the community that is built that way. Food is very spiritual to these people.

Well if you're there for 12+ hours, you have to eat!

 

[koshergrl]

The looney church that didn't allow drums was good for potlucks though...they had a terrific kitchen, though in the cold, cold basement...

In fact, every Baptist church I've been to has had a really good, functional kitchen.

The preacher who said he didn't like eating at the church (and who, incidentally, was obese) also wouldn't allow the women of the church to hand out goodies at holidays IN the church, so they had to wait outside and get people as they came in.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, they fired his stupid fat ass.

 

[Steven_R]

Agnostic Atheism, simply because I see no evidence for the existence of any supernatural powers.

A wonder is not in confrontation with the natural laws - a wonder is in confrontation with our knowledge about the natural laws. Sometimes we don't have explanations. We say so since the third or fourth century. How are you for example today able to explain how some pounds of a mix of stardust named "Kurt Ranke" initialized to write an enzyklopedia of fairy tales in the german language? Why is the same mass of stones and sand somewhere in Indiana or in Andromeda not doing something similiar? One day some other pounds of stardust - perhaps with unknown names now - will write book 14 of this encyclopedia. But we don't know what will be written there. So what do you really know?

I think I get what you're trying to say, but it's like you original message was in English, translated via Google Translate into Chinese, and then translated back into English via Google Translate. It's like it's English, but doesn't make sense.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Well if you're there for 12+ hours, you have to eat!

I'm not religious, but I think it's kind of cool - how I would imagine the early church was - more community than just a sermon.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

All of those beliefs are scripturally sound, and are why the SBC is so successful. Yes, we believe different people have different roles.

Yes, I don't dispute the more conservative interpretation of scripture. But no musical instruments in some of the churches? That sure wouldn't be true of any Southern Baptists I've ever known, including the one I married, and I know a LOT of Southern Baptists. And they all line dance, square dance I'm pretty sure the SBC has not given an official position on dancing and leaves that up to the local congregations to decide. And while the SBC has taken the position that ordained positions in the church is restricted to men, it does not mandate that as a requirement for local congregations who also decide that issue for their own people. Our last real estate agent, a very lovely lady, was an ordained Deacon in her Southern Baptist congregation in Virginia.

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

I play the drums. Your church needs a drummer? I don't care if it's religious music, I just like to play. But I suppose you aren't located near Denver, so...

Your point is a valid one, about bigotry. However, nothing I wrote about Southern Baptists was incorrect, and you seem to agree. That doesn't mean I'm not bigotted toward the religious - I am. It's something I'm working on.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

Yes, I don't dispute the more conservative interpretation of scripture. But no musical instruments in some of the churches? That sure wouldn't be true of any Southern Baptists I've ever known, including the one I married, and I know a LOT of Southern Baptists. And they all line dance, square dance I'm pretty sure the SBC has not given an official position on dancing and leaves that up to the local congregations to decide. And while the SBC has taken the position that ordained positions in the church is restricted to men, it does not mandate that as a requirement for local congregations who also decide that issue for their own people. Our last real estate agent, a very lovely lady, was an ordained Deacon in her Southern Baptist congregation in Virginia.

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

You left out the bestest part of Southern Baptists


Fried chicken

Racist!

 

[koshergrl]

Well if you're there for 12+ hours, you have to eat!

I'm not religious, but I think it's kind of cool - how I would imagine the early church was - more community than just a sermon.

That's what church is supposed to be.

 

[koshergrl]

Yes, I don't dispute the more conservative interpretation of scripture. But no musical instruments in some of the churches? That sure wouldn't be true of any Southern Baptists I've ever known, including the one I married, and I know a LOT of Southern Baptists. And they all line dance, square dance I'm pretty sure the SBC has not given an official position on dancing and leaves that up to the local congregations to decide. And while the SBC has taken the position that ordained positions in the church is restricted to men, it does not mandate that as a requirement for local congregations who also decide that issue for their own people. Our last real estate agent, a very lovely lady, was an ordained Deacon in her Southern Baptist congregation in Virginia.

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

I play the drums. Your church needs a drummer? I don't care if it's religious music, I just like to play. But I suppose you aren't located near Denver, so...

Your point is a valid one, about bigotry. However, nothing I wrote about Southern Baptists was incorrect, and you seem to agree. That doesn't mean I'm not bigotted toward the religious - I am. It's something I'm working on.

If you like to play, you should join a church. Seriously, it's one of the best ways to get stage time, lol.

 

[Coloradomtnman]

I know a Southern Baptist whose church felt that it wasn't inappropriate to have musical instruments in church, at least not during services, and it is one of those areas that the SBC leaves up to individual congregations which is why I designated that statement with the word "some". Same with dancing.

I took the SBC's statement about only men being ordained as pastors for all their churches at their word. If your husband's church doesn't follow that practice then I was misinformed by the SBC or your husband's church doesn't follow the SBC's guidelines strictly.

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

I play the drums. Your church needs a drummer? I don't care if it's religious music, I just like to play. But I suppose you aren't located near Denver, so...

Your point is a valid one, about bigotry. However, nothing I wrote about Southern Baptists was incorrect, and you seem to agree. That doesn't mean I'm not bigotted toward the religious - I am. It's something I'm working on.

If you like to play, you should join a church. Seriously, it's one of the best ways to get stage time, lol.

I used to play well enough to do paid gigs, and I really love performing onstage. You know, I hadn't thought of that and that's not a bad idea - as long as the church is okay with an atheist performing for them.

 

[koshergrl]

I didn't say anything about my husband's church.

And none of the southern Baptist churches I know about think it is inappropriate to have instrumental music in the church so the Southern Baptist you're describing is very typical about that.

The old fashioned Church of Christ--not the UCC--and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites most usually don't have instrumental music in their churches. But the SBC takes no position on that in any way. I'm pretty sure you'll find a piano and/or organ in the auditorium of any Southern Baptist Church you visit and a number of Southern Baptist congregations, if not most, now have full fledged praise bands with guitars, drums, and other instruments. There isn't much better church music anywhere than that put out by the Southern Baptists.

One thing to know about the Southern Baptist Convention is that they do not dictate what the local congregations do in any way. They provide clear guidelines for what a Southern Baptist believes in matters of faith, but the local congregation is completely autonomous to set its own rules and practices.

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

I play the drums. Your church needs a drummer? I don't care if it's religious music, I just like to play. But I suppose you aren't located near Denver, so...

Your point is a valid one, about bigotry. However, nothing I wrote about Southern Baptists was incorrect, and you seem to agree. That doesn't mean I'm not bigotted toward the religious - I am. It's something I'm working on.

If you like to play, you should join a church. Seriously, it's one of the best ways to get stage time, lol.

I used to play well enough to do paid gigs, and I really love performing onstage. You know, I hadn't thought of that and that's not a bad idea - as long as the church is okay with an atheist performing for them.

They won't be.

One of the requirements is generally that you're a member of the church. And requires a profession of faith....the music is meant to please God. That's sort of the one requirement you can't get around, sorry!

I forgot you were a professed atheist.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

If God has no body, and thus no ears, how does he receive pleasure from music which is just vibration of air molecules? To hear music, nevermind actually appreciate it, you need a brain. And ears. And a body.

 

[Foxfyre]

The looney church that didn't allow drums was good for potlucks though...they had a terrific kitchen, though in the cold, cold basement...

In fact, every Baptist church I've been to has had a really good, functional kitchen.

The preacher who said he didn't like eating at the church (and who, incidentally, was obese) also wouldn't allow the women of the church to hand out goodies at holidays IN the church, so they had to wait outside and get people as they came in.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, they fired his stupid fat ass.

Well I've heard of pastors dismissed for a lot of reasons, but forbidding holiday treats is a new one on me. But its a big wide world with a lot of folks with their own ideas about things.

The praise band in our church includes a great electronic keyboard, a concert grand piano, acoustic and electric guitars and bass, mandolin, banjo, cello, violin, trumpet, a massive drum set, flute, mouth harp, concert harp, and whatever else might happen to available. Everything isn't up there for every service of course, but at some time during the year you might see just about anything. One week our worship leader snagged a Blue Grass gospel band that happened to be in town so that Sunday we had a washboard and jug up there along with the banjo, guitar, etc. It was great!!!

My one gripe is that in addition to our old more usual church kitchen, a few years ago we added onto and about doubled the floor space--added a full size gym and a commercial kitchen among other facilities. And we have to undergo formal training in order to be allowed to use that new kitchen. It just isn't as much fun as cooking in the old one.

But I can worship with anybody who will welcome me. I love the deep historical traditions and pageantry in the high church Catholic and Episcopal services, really enjoy the a capella hymn singing in my sister-in-law's Church of Christ, enjoy re-experiencing again reciting the rtitual creeds and prayers with the Methodists and Presbyterians, have thrilled to the majestic offerings of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and can join right in the amen corner with the Baptists.

And when I am with Christians who are doing their best to give praise and worship the Lord as best they can, I believe God doesn't care much how they express that.

 

[Foxfyre]

If God has no body, and thus no ears, how does he receive pleasure from music which is just vibration of air molecules? To hear music, nevermind actually appreciate it, you need a brain. And ears. And a body.

How do you know that? If you have never encountered a spirit being, how do you know what it needs to enjoy anything? One thing is for sure. If we imperfect mortals are capable of knowing what God can and cannot do, he wouldn't be much of a god would he?

 

[Coloradomtnman]

I thought you were a woman, Foxfyre , or are you currently married to someone else?

That there is some autonomy among the many congregations of the SBC was my understanding. Perhaps my friend's church is atypical (though they do sing, she reports), my point stands nonetheless. As a musician, it would be difficult for me to imagine worshipping without music and there seems to be something off-key about songs without instruments. As an atheist, worshipping is difficult for me to imagine doing at all. It's a part of faith that I do not understand and view with suspicion. Some forms of worship seem more like brainwashing or regular inoculations against doubt or disbelief.

There are BAPTIST churches where instruments (particularly drums) are not a part of worship. I belonged to a conservative New Testament church where the pastor said drums were a no-no (he had scripture to support that, but I personally think he was a little whacko). That church had about 20 members, MAYBE...

But SOUTHERN BAPTIST is a very, very musical denomination. We sing, we have praise teams and drums and electric guitars figuring prominently at most churches. Not ours, but just because we don't have anyone to play the drums lol. Though we do have a set, and an AWESOME sound system and stage and choir pit.

My experience with people who have an instant negative reaction to Southern Baptists is that they don't know much about them. They hear weird crap from other people and run with it, without ever having experienced it or even reading anything about it themselves. In other words, bigotry.

I play the drums. Your church needs a drummer? I don't care if it's religious music, I just like to play. But I suppose you aren't located near Denver, so...

Your point is a valid one, about bigotry. However, nothing I wrote about Southern Baptists was incorrect, and you seem to agree. That doesn't mean I'm not bigotted toward the religious - I am. It's something I'm working on.

If you like to play, you should join a church. Seriously, it's one of the best ways to get stage time, lol.

I used to play well enough to do paid gigs, and I really love performing onstage. You know, I hadn't thought of that and that's not a bad idea - as long as the church is okay with an atheist performing for them.

They won't be.

One of the requirements is generally that you're a member of the church. And requires a profession of faith....the music is meant to please God. That's sort of the one requirement you can't get around, sorry!

I forgot you were a professed atheist.

I was baptized, does that count?

If not, there's probably some Universalists around that might need a drummer.

Then if I end up converting, you Baptists will lose this soul to Universalists!