What Happened to Church?

[Cecilie1200]

How much did they hit you up for that?

A week of penitence.

All churches are not Catholic.

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

 

[ptbw forever]

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.

Yeah, these mega churches are an embarrassment.

I felt the same way when I went to Southeast Christian one time.

Yup. As I described it before, it's Drive-Through Christianity: you drive up, grab your order, zoom away, no muss no fuss, you don't even have to get out of your car. But I think we all know how much serious nutrition you get from the drive-through. And eventually, it makes you weak and flabby. If you want the spiritual nourishment of Christianity, you gotta get out of the car.

Unfortunately these churches are pretty much all that is left of Christianity now.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Nothing happened to church, it's still the same losers going to hear someone read from a book that nobody believes is true.

Wow, I sure am glad that's been "settled" by someone no one was really addressing, expressing opinions no one values.

I'm sure we'll all get RIGHT on caring deeply about applying your vacuity to our own lives, so that we can be just like you and gain all the benefits of your life.

Tell me again, what are those?

 

[Taz]

How much did they hit you up for that?

A week of penitence.

All churches are not Catholic.

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Ceci's just been schooled. non-Christians know about Protestants, and all the other denominations. You've just been schooled again.

 

[ptbw forever]

How much did they hit you up for that?

A week of penitence.

All churches are not Catholic.

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Because the idiot pope is so visible.

 

[Taz]

Nothing happened to church, it's still the same losers going to hear someone read from a book that nobody believes is true.

Wow, I sure am glad that's been "settled" by someone no one was really addressing, expressing opinions no one values.

I'm sure we'll all get RIGHT on caring deeply about applying your vacuity to our own lives, so that we can be just like you and gain all the benefits of your life.

Tell me again, what are those?

Believe in what you can see, not what someone else tells you you're seeing. You'll be much better off. And it won't cost you like a toll booth every time you go to church.

 

[ptbw forever]

How much did they hit you up for that?

A week of penitence.

All churches are not Catholic.

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Ceci's just been schooled. non-Christians know about Protestants, and all the other denominations. You've just been schooled again.

I used to be a Catholic.

 

[hadit]

The reality is that you are trying to define the rule by the exception.

Not really. I understand some, maybe most, people turn to faith before rationality and effective measures. and, boh oh boy, is that always a disaster.

When we refuse to use our God-given gifts and expect Him to drop the goodies in our laps, of course disaster comes. That's not faith.

Nope, that's Prosperity Doctrine, the herpes of the Christian world.

A disaster strikes when you ask god for stuff? Like the fires in California, the flooding, the hurricanes and the tornados that hit the US? You all should stop begging god for things, He is clearly not happy about it.

I know you've had this explained to you ad nauseum but you simply refuse to accept it, because that's the same argument that pops up over and over again and gets slapped down just as many times.

 

[Taz]

A week of penitence.

All churches are not Catholic.

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Ceci's just been schooled. non-Christians know about Protestants, and all the other denominations. You've just been schooled again.

I used to be a Catholic.

And now you're doing 15 to 20 at a supermax prison for emulating your old priest?

 

[ptbw forever]

All churches are not Catholic.

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Ceci's just been schooled. non-Christians know about Protestants, and all the other denominations. You've just been schooled again.

I used to be a Catholic.

And now you're doing 15 to 20 at a supermax prison for emulating your old priest?

Now I am a deist.

 

[hadit]

Nothing happened to church, it's still the same losers going to hear someone read from a book that nobody believes is true.

Wow, I sure am glad that's been "settled" by someone no one was really addressing, expressing opinions no one values.

I'm sure we'll all get RIGHT on caring deeply about applying your vacuity to our own lives, so that we can be just like you and gain all the benefits of your life.

Tell me again, what are those?

Believe in what you can see, not what someone else tells you you're seeing. You'll be much better off. And it won't cost you like a toll booth every time you go to church.

You do realize, don't you, that you accept many things that someone else tells you you're seeing that you can't see yourself? And again with the money thing. That really gets people hung up.

 

[Taz]

The reality is that you are trying to define the rule by the exception.

Not really. I understand some, maybe most, people turn to faith before rationality and effective measures. and, boh oh boy, is that always a disaster.

When we refuse to use our God-given gifts and expect Him to drop the goodies in our laps, of course disaster comes. That's not faith.

Nope, that's Prosperity Doctrine, the herpes of the Christian world.

A disaster strikes when you ask god for stuff? Like the fires in California, the flooding, the hurricanes and the tornados that hit the US? You all should stop begging god for things, He is clearly not happy about it.

I know you've had this explained to you ad nauseum but you simply refuse to accept it, because that's the same argument that pops up over and over again and gets slapped down just as many times.

So why is god heaping all those disasters on the US? You lot have clearly got a heavy prayer thing going on, why isn't that working? Getting too greedy?

 

[Taz]

Catholics have parishes, not churches.

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Ceci's just been schooled. non-Christians know about Protestants, and all the other denominations. You've just been schooled again.

I used to be a Catholic.

And now you're doing 15 to 20 at a supermax prison for emulating your old priest?

Now I am a deist.

wtf is that? It sounds like it has something to do with a dick, yours or someone else's?

 

[hadit]

Not really. I understand some, maybe most, people turn to faith before rationality and effective measures. and, boh oh boy, is that always a disaster.

When we refuse to use our God-given gifts and expect Him to drop the goodies in our laps, of course disaster comes. That's not faith.

Nope, that's Prosperity Doctrine, the herpes of the Christian world.

A disaster strikes when you ask god for stuff? Like the fires in California, the flooding, the hurricanes and the tornados that hit the US? You all should stop begging god for things, He is clearly not happy about it.

I know you've had this explained to you ad nauseum but you simply refuse to accept it, because that's the same argument that pops up over and over again and gets slapped down just as many times.

So why is god heaping all those disasters on the US? You lot have clearly got a heavy prayer thing going on, which isn't that working? Getting too greedy?

Do you really want the theological explanation, or are you simply trolling and will reject it out of hand for the 150th time? Because I can give it to you, but it can get lengthy. Tell you what, it's far afield from the thread topic, so if you really want to know, start a thread on it and I'll educate you. Otherwise, I'll assume all you're doing is trying to derail the thread.

 

[Taz]

Nothing happened to church, it's still the same losers going to hear someone read from a book that nobody believes is true.

Wow, I sure am glad that's been "settled" by someone no one was really addressing, expressing opinions no one values.

I'm sure we'll all get RIGHT on caring deeply about applying your vacuity to our own lives, so that we can be just like you and gain all the benefits of your life.

Tell me again, what are those?

Believe in what you can see, not what someone else tells you you're seeing. You'll be much better off. And it won't cost you like a toll booth every time you go to church.

You do realize, don't you, that you accept many things that someone else tells you you're seeing that you can't see yourself? And again with the money thing. That really gets people hung up.

Yes, but those things I COULD see if I wanted to, I wouldn't need to go to science mass every week to pay money to have someone tell me, not show me, why the earth isn't flat, like you all use to think.

 

[Taz]

When we refuse to use our God-given gifts and expect Him to drop the goodies in our laps, of course disaster comes. That's not faith.

Nope, that's Prosperity Doctrine, the herpes of the Christian world.

A disaster strikes when you ask god for stuff? Like the fires in California, the flooding, the hurricanes and the tornados that hit the US? You all should stop begging god for things, He is clearly not happy about it.

I know you've had this explained to you ad nauseum but you simply refuse to accept it, because that's the same argument that pops up over and over again and gets slapped down just as many times.

So why is god heaping all those disasters on the US? You lot have clearly got a heavy prayer thing going on, which isn't that working? Getting too greedy?

Do you really want the theological explanation, or are you simply trolling and will reject it out of hand for the 150th time? Because I can give it to you, but it can get lengthy. Tell you what, it's far afield from the thread topic, so if you really want to know, start a thread on it and I'll educate you. Otherwise, I'll assume all you're doing is trying to derail the thread.

So you have nothing, got it.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Ah, I see the usual attempts at trying to discourage people from mentioning a key goal of you deviants, 'normalization' of pedophilia.

Statements Regarding Cardinal McCarrick - Archdiocese of Washington

More details emerge on latest sex abuse allegations against cardinal McCarric

View attachment 206542

A month after the Vatican suspended Cardinal Theodore McCarrick from ministry, saying the prominent former D.C. archbishop had been credibly accused of sexually abusing a teenager decades ago, four additional complaints about sexual misconduct by the cardinal have surfaced.

"While shocked by the report, and while maintaining my innocence, I considered it essential that the charges be reported to the police, thoroughly investigated by an independent agency, and given to the Review Board of the Archdiocese of New York. I fully cooperated in the process."


- trying to discourage people from mentioning ...


Picaro the christian knows first hand about pedophilia - they invented it when they wrote their book in the 4th century and have been screwing society by it ever since. lies over truth.

Naw, the Africans and Persians were into pedophilia long before Christians existed.

.

Naw, the Africans and Persians were into pedophilia long before Christians existed.

EarthLink - Top News

US prelate McCarrick resigns from College of Cardinals

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has accepted U.S. prelate Theodore McCarrick's offer to resign from the College of Cardinals following allegations of sexual abuse, including one involving an 11-year-old boy, and ordered him to conduct a "life of prayer and penance" in a home to be designated by the pontiff until a church trial is held, the Vatican said Saturday.

- long before Christians existed.


the corruption began in the 4th century - and has continued unabated since that time and will continue as long as their document, bible is a misrepresentation of the events and religion of the 1st century.

I suspect that, down the line, God is planning to shake up His (their) church, and there are going to need to be congregations that are strong and vibrant and ready to lead the way.

and there are going to need to be congregations that are strong and vibrant and ready to lead the way.

reflecting the Religion of Antiquity is nothing new, nor the results any different today as then.

Yes, the entire millennia-long history of Christianity is all about the Inquisition and witch trials.

While you're sanctimoniously condemning the Church, and alloting yourself some sort of moral high ground, how about we look at what atheism did for humanity?

And I'm not going to tell you again to quit trying to hijack the thread with your "4th Century Antiquity" crap.

 

[ptbw forever]

I'm aware. The point is that non-Christians always seem to think all Christianity is the Catholic Church.

Ceci's just been schooled. non-Christians know about Protestants, and all the other denominations. You've just been schooled again.

I used to be a Catholic.

And now you're doing 15 to 20 at a supermax prison for emulating your old priest?

Now I am a deist.

wtf is that? It sounds like it has something to do with a dick, yours or someone else's?

You need to study some American history.

Some of our greatest founders were deists.

A deist is someone who believes in a creator, but doesn’t follow any religious doctrine and doesn’t necessarily believe the creator interacts with its creation.

 

[Cecilie1200]

The reality is that you are trying to define the rule by the exception.

Not really. I understand some, maybe most, people turn to faith before rationality and effective measures. and, boh oh boy, is that always a disaster.

When we refuse to use our God-given gifts and expect Him to drop the goodies in our laps, of course disaster comes. That's not faith.

Nope, that's Prosperity Doctrine, the herpes of the Christian world.

A disaster strikes when you ask god for stuff? Like the fires in California, the flooding, the hurricanes and the tornados that hit the US? You all should stop begging god for things, He is clearly not happy about it.

A conversation is horribly misunderstood when you try to participate in it?

You should stop trying to talk. You clearly aren't equipped for it.

 

[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.

Yeah, these mega churches are an embarrassment.

I felt the same way when I went to Southeast Christian one time.

Yup. As I described it before, it's Drive-Through Christianity: you drive up, grab your order, zoom away, no muss no fuss, you don't even have to get out of your car. But I think we all know how much serious nutrition you get from the drive-through. And eventually, it makes you weak and flabby. If you want the spiritual nourishment of Christianity, you gotta get out of the car.

Unfortunately these churches are pretty much all that is left of Christianity now.

Untrue. They're just the ones you see, because hey, they're so freaking big, they obscure everything else.