What Happened to Church?

[BreezeWood]

.
What Happened to Church? ... two centuries ago -

EarthLink - Business News

Tens of thousands of Russians protest retirement age hikes

A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 attended a protest in Moscow that was called by the Communist Party. A similarly large crowd gathered in Yekaterinburg to protest and demonstrations also were reported Saturday in large cities including Rostov-on-Don and Volgograd. No arrests were immediately reported.

- that was called by the Communist Party.


why the christian church at the turn of the last century became irrelevant is being played out again in Eastern Europe - who will steadfastly support the moral authority of their country, that will be resolved shortly. and likely less than not in favor of their beloved Putin, rectifier of the Russian Orthodox Church -

who represents better the 1st century, the Communist Party of Russia or the Russian Orthodox Church ...

 

[ding]

Do I seem like an ignorant person to you?

Yes, ofcourse you are. As am I . There is nearly an infinite amount of things we are both ignorant of.

But that's not how you couched your earlier comment. In fact, if that were what you believed you would have never had needed to make any distinction at all.

You think you are superior to others because they believe in a higher power than man. It comes through in almost everyone of your posts.

 

[ding]

So then you don’t believe there are behaviors which naturally lead to success and failure?

We could nuke Chicago, that would be a success in stopping crime in Chicago. Anyhoo, I am not going to respect faith, regardless of whether or not it raises a test score. If you wish to do so on that merit, good for you, I guess.

You didn't answer the question. I am trying to show you how faith has a practical application.

Do you believe that there are behaviors that naturally lead to success and failure? Or do you believe shit happens randomly?

 

[ding]

There really is a natural law of compensation at work.

I don't disagree, it's quite natural to self soothe. It may have even been advantageous, in an evolutionary sense. I agree that it is hardwired into us to argue and believe from ignorance. Bigotry is also hard wired right into us, at every level, which could also have been advantageous. Best to stay away from the small red berries... even if you can't tell which are poisonous and which are not...

This does not, however, lend any support to the idea that faith should be respected or considered rational. It is irrational, by definition. And it is true....it is the last refuge.

Do I seem like an ignorant person to you?

He's just a sicko freak troll, playing "I Touched You Last !!!", and a sexual deviant just here to fling poo on the walls and wet its diapers. No need to expect honest answers from it.

No. He believes he is better than others.

Which in and of itself is a failed behavior which will naturally lead to failure.

 

[ding]

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.

For most people nowadays going to church is just keeping up with the Joneses

I won’t argue that we as a people have not forgotten God because we have. People who pay lip service to God is nothing new. But tragedy and suffering has a way of making people remember God. I’m pretty sure he has everything under control.

All true. However, I'm not planning on taking "God has it under control" as license to do nothing myself. I very much believe that God began making the need to find a church home so uppermost in my mind because He has something He wants me to be doing, and I'm beginning to believe He made the drive-through Christianity that has become so prevalent obvious to me as part of that (I only physically attended one other church, but I questioned my sister extensively about her church and I spent a lot of time looking into other churches after the first, because I didn't want to spend weeks going through the exact same thing). I suspect that, down the line, God is planning to shake up His church, and there are going to need to be congregations that are strong and vibrant and ready to lead the way. I'm praying for this new pastor whoever he is, that the church chooses someone who is ready to lead in that direction. And whatever I'm supposed to be doing, when God tells me what that is, is supposed to be part of all that.

I believe that we need to fix our self first and foremost before we try to fix others. Let God worry about them. I try to not get in his way.

 

[Taz]

I'm asking for proof of god's existence. So you're saying that if I keep up what I'm doing, God will give me the proof I seek? COOL!

They're saying you won't like it when He does.

Show me something god did to someone to punish them.

He vanished into thin air, hid his face,(so to speak), left them alone, and abandoned them to their insanity...

No one knows what that is like better than you.

So you have nothing. Again.

Wrong Taz. God is with me continuously and has been without fail, every single day for decades. He tells me his secrets, shares with me his treasures, reveals to me his wisdom, and has welcomed me into his sanctuary...

You have nothing. No God, no vision, no morals, no ethics, no honesty, no purpose, no peace.

You cry about it every day.

Who do you think you're fooling?

I have vision, morals, ethics, honesty, purpose and peace. All without god. How come?

 

[Taz]

There really is a natural law of compensation at work.

I don't disagree, it's quite natural to self soothe. It may have even been advantageous, in an evolutionary sense. I agree that it is hardwired into us to argue and believe from ignorance. Bigotry is also hard wired right into us, at every level, which could also have been advantageous. Best to stay away from the small red berries... even if you can't tell which are poisonous and which are not...

This does not, however, lend any support to the idea that faith should be respected or considered rational. It is irrational, by definition. And it is true....it is the last refuge.

Do I seem like an ignorant person to you?

He's just a sicko freak troll, playing "I Touched You Last !!!", and a sexual deviant just here to fling poo on the walls and wet its diapers. No need to expect honest answers from it.

No. He believes he is better than others.

Which in and of itself is a failed behavior which will naturally lead to failure.

So you're a failure then.

 

[ding]

There really is a natural law of compensation at work.

I don't disagree, it's quite natural to self soothe. It may have even been advantageous, in an evolutionary sense. I agree that it is hardwired into us to argue and believe from ignorance. Bigotry is also hard wired right into us, at every level, which could also have been advantageous. Best to stay away from the small red berries... even if you can't tell which are poisonous and which are not...

This does not, however, lend any support to the idea that faith should be respected or considered rational. It is irrational, by definition. And it is true....it is the last refuge.

Do I seem like an ignorant person to you?

He's just a sicko freak troll, playing "I Touched You Last !!!", and a sexual deviant just here to fling poo on the walls and wet its diapers. No need to expect honest answers from it.

No. He believes he is better than others.

Which in and of itself is a failed behavior which will naturally lead to failure.

So you're a failure then.

Sometimes.

 

[hobelim]

They're saying you won't like it when He does.

Show me something god did to someone to punish them.

He vanished into thin air, hid his face,(so to speak), left them alone, and abandoned them to their insanity...

No one knows what that is like better than you.

So you have nothing. Again.

Wrong Taz. God is with me continuously and has been without fail, every single day for decades. He tells me his secrets, shares with me his treasures, reveals to me his wisdom, and has welcomed me into his sanctuary...

You have nothing. No God, no vision, no morals, no ethics, no honesty, no purpose, no peace.

You cry about it every day.

Who do you think you're fooling?

I have vision, morals, ethics, honesty, purpose and peace. All without god. How come?

you might not realize this but you have been openly displaying you dishonesty, lack of morals, ethics, and the absence of peace all over these pages...every since you have been posting here.

Its all be written down in your own words for anyone with eyes to see

 

[Taz]

Show me something god did to someone to punish them.

He vanished into thin air, hid his face,(so to speak), left them alone, and abandoned them to their insanity...

No one knows what that is like better than you.

So you have nothing. Again.

Wrong Taz. God is with me continuously and has been without fail, every single day for decades. He tells me his secrets, shares with me his treasures, reveals to me his wisdom, and has welcomed me into his sanctuary...

You have nothing. No God, no vision, no morals, no ethics, no honesty, no purpose, no peace.

You cry about it every day.

Who do you think you're fooling?

I have vision, morals, ethics, honesty, purpose and peace. All without god. How come?

you might not realize this but you have been openly displaying you dishonesty, lack of morals, ethics, and the absence of peace all over these pages...every since you have been posting here.

Its all be written down in your own words for anyone with eyes to see

I have higher moral standards than you do, Christianity is far from being the pinnacle of morality. I'm honest, not a lying sack of shit like you who quotes something one minute, and disavows it the next. I'm also very peaceful and I'm not insulting everyone like you do constantly. You just can't handle the hard questions.

 

[BreezeWood]

.
the recorded history of all three desert religions is enough to dispel any authenticity they may contain for the purpose of their being a religion as derived from any other source than the text they are written in.

they are collectively political discourses in the disguise of religion amiable to their congregations self interests as their particular purpose for retention.

 

[koshergrl]

wow this thread got stupid fast.
Probably because it's a bunch of marxists trying to generate a false narrative. Meh. Take away...leftists hate Christians and Christianity because it stands in the way of their vision for the world..which is a world with a lot fewer people. Thanks we already know that.

 

[Avatar4321]

I understand how you feel. We are visiting my sister in laws church today. It’s loud. They were talking about the light of Christ and it’s pitch black in here. I don’t know how people can feel the Spirit it’s so loud.

I want to be spiritually nourished by Church, not have a headache afterwards

 

[koshergrl]

.
the recorded history of all three desert religions is enough to dispel any authenticity they may contain for the purpose of their being a religion as derived from any other source than the text they are written in.

they are collectively political discourses in the disguise of religion amiable to their congregations self interests as their particular purpose for retention.

Er..no, it isn't.

Which is why most archaeologists are deeply religious.

As well as many other historians.

 

[Avatar4321]

Church is for losers, next time you go, just look around.

You’re welcome any time

 

[Vandalshandle]

 

[BreezeWood]

.
the recorded history of all three desert religions is enough to dispel any authenticity they may contain for the purpose of their being a religion as derived from any other source than the text they are written in.

they are collectively political discourses in the disguise of religion amiable to their congregations self interests as their particular purpose for retention.

Er..no, it isn't.

Which is why most archaeologists are deeply religious.

As well as many other historians.

.

Er..no, it isn't.

there is no period of recorded history the desert religions have ever conducted themselves in a way not associated with the self interests of their respective congregations as their primary goal including the publications of their documents serving the same interest. -

contrary to the events of the 1st century and the renewal through history of those principles that were not hindered by the desert religions and their participating congregations to the present time.

 

[Taz]

Church is for losers, next time you go, just look around.

You’re welcome any time

Mormons and Muslims are the 2 biggest bunches of losers.

 

[ding]

Church is for losers, next time you go, just look around.

You’re welcome any time

Mormons and Muslims are the 2 biggest bunches of losers.

These must be examples of you being such a good person.

 

[SweetSue92]

wow this thread got stupid fast.
Probably because it's a bunch of marxists trying to generate a false narrative. Meh. Take away...leftists hate Christians and Christianity because it stands in the way of their vision for the world..which is a world with a lot fewer people. Thanks we already know that.

Mostly, they hate Christianity for a host of reasons. If you are a Christian, and you give any serious thought or study to your faith, you know why they do.

I have some to the conclusion very few of them do. They are reflexive, most of them, or they can't allow themselves to contemplate it. The ramifications are too important, or too scary, or both.