[lextek]

Quote:

Originally posted by matthewd5 does the world of headphone tour count? it was 90% senior citizens. it didn't seem that the messages being given out and the group there had anything to offer us. matthew

Our church is "Q-tip" filled too. Nice people though. I really think church is fading. Younger people are just too busy. We go as family most Sundays. And any family activity is good.

 

[Audio-Me]

I attend a local United Methodist Church every once in a while with my mother. If my whole family went, I'd probably go every Sunday. It's boring at times, but it feels nice to absorb the vibe there, I believe in God and hope that I'll understand the religion more as I get older.

 

[andrzejpw]

Wow! Am I the only one under 18 that actually attends church regularly?

 

[gloco]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw Wow! Am I the only one under 18 that actually attends church regularly?

Yeah you freak

I got out of that when i hit 6th grade, thank god.

For me it was a huge waste of time, that's how i felt about it, it didn't "move" me at all. Just left me bored and miserable for those 2-3 hrs.

 

[Ken]

religion is for the bad times. Churches as we know them are almost product driven with their own leaders and rules. I believe there is something else, its probably beyond our comprehension.

 

[2 channel]

Quote:

Originally posted by gaineso Sometimes I understand what Mother Theresa meant when she said "I know God will not give me more than I can handle. I just wish He didn't trust me quite so much."

Mother Theresa didn't say it, the the Apostle Paul did in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (someone had to quote the bible seeing as this is a religion thread...let the flaming begin,...)

2

 

[ray4jc]

i did'nt read all the posts..but..

why religious threads....hmm...well it does dig deep down into people and allows them to express themselves..just like any other thread...

personaly for me...God is the center of my life....i believe in the Bible....and yes i even believe there is absolute truth....i believe alot of things i'm sure i'd get flamed for...but....as everyone else has the right to say what they believe...then so do i....

again..i think we can all learn from each other...oh and i am at church every chance i get and soon will be employed by one

ray

 

[pigmode]

I was just there yesterday--two miles off-shore all alone in an 18 kt. breeze with a good sized swell running with nothing but a 19' racing kayak between me and the Ocean bottom 600' below.

Hallelu-Jah

 

[jlo mein]

i have to say that i HAVE watched the *Hour of Power* one week on tv....

 

[Budgie]

I had a huge argument with a preacher over this subject once. My belief is that if God is omnipresent, then anywhere you are at is a place you can worship. So what is the point of the big building and hanging out with a bunch of people I don't know? I feel closer to God when I am out in the woods. Less distraction and no body standing at a podium putting me to sleep. I think the real purpose of church is to give people a social life, that they would not have otherwise. Nothing wrong with that, just not my bag of tea.

 

[DanG]

Well, my parents sent my brother and me to a Jewish day school when we were five since neither of them was allowed to learn religion in the Soviet Union... both of us stayed through sixth grade and then finally had enough. I think that the problem was that there were too many Jewish kids together. Know the joke that goes, put two Jews in a room and you have three opinions? There were 180 of us in 9 grades with a good number of Jewish teachers to boot (only one Gentile teacher). I learned a lot about Judaism and even learned to speak Hebrew fluently... also, the school's program was about two years ahead of my local public school (in an affluent suburb, mind you, and so considered pretty good), so that was good, I guess. Anyway I continued to believe in God but wasn't observant and didn't go to synagogue except for high holidays until I was almost 19 and for some reason became very religious... I'm now observant of keeping the Sabbath (which just ended), keeping Kosher, and trying to get myself up at 8:30am every Saturday morning without the aid of an alarm clock (it's electronic).

The problem of organized religions I try to circumvent by picking and choosing the parts of the man-made religion (that is, statutes written by Rabbis that are not directly written in the Torah). For example, there are many laws of Kashrut (keeping Kosher) that are outdated and are not specifically prescribed in the Bible, so I don't observe them... but when I see it in the Bible or if the reasoning of the Rabbis who wrote the laws is logical, then I observe.

 

[coolvij]

I go to a School of Vendatic Philosophy every Sunday, and I go to a Catholic church every Sunday.


Tires me out, it does, all that philosophical pondering, coupled with all that sitting/kneeling/prayer.......[sigh]

 

[BenG]

There was a 'Church of Coltrane' in San Francisco that did services, closed down a few years ago.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Two to three times a week. Prefer Sunday Nights and Mid-Week. I've got no idea what our denomination is. All I can tell you is one way or another, we are Jesus Freaks.

The music is Hymns one song and something best described as Jesus Rock & Roll the next. If we have a chior, everyone is in it. We have a few folks with mics, but after the first word or two, they are usually drowned out unless its a new song. We have a piano, synth/organ, drums, bass guitar, two reqular guitars (one player is about to be inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame), a french horn, a trumpet, a trombone, a flute (played by the lovely and talented Mrs. Redneck), and occasionaly other insturments.

Our typical service isn't. (Ray, I'd love to have you visit, but you've been warned

)

The congregation can't easily be described. Picture little old ladies standing next to, big guys with prison tatoo's, hippies, yuppies, and homies. Our oldest member is a 98 year old lady. We are about(?) 80% white, 10% black, 5% asian, 5% hispanic, which makes us one of the most integrated churches in town. We have a couple Christian/Jewish families. There is also the token visiting stereo-type family from a main-line denomination that are in a state of shock. Fortunately we have a few doctors and nurses that attend as well.

Our senior pastor is this super clean cut father of two, who didn't grow up in church, was a FBI drug task force agent for several years and an alcoholic, is an ordained Methodist minister and seminary grad, and has been pastoring the same church longer than any other pastor in Hot Springs. His is also after the benevolence pastor's job.

Our assistant pastor has got this college-philosophy-teacher-thing going for him, usually sports a go-tee, grew up in a very strict church and was a drug addict, hippie, and college drop out. I don't think he has any formal religious schooling. Quit taking a salary from the church last year because he's independantly wealthy (tells folks he married a rich woman.)

Our benevolence pastor (the guy who's job is to give away as much as possible) is quiet, unassuming man who was a good ol' boy redneck druggie and occasional dealer, and all around hell raiser. We feed about 100 families a week.

My two best friends at church are interesting. One is a 40 something bachelor that lives with his retired school teacher mother, drives a station wagon, and when he is not being a handy man for little old ladies and single moms, takes the first person he can find(literally) sailing every time the wind blows.

The other is a biker that looks like what you would picture Jesus looking like, with hair half way down his back (often in a pony tail when on his bike), is an ordained minister, grandfather, walks up to total strangers (the stranger the better) and asks if he can pray for them. (So if Jesus in a leather jacket ever wants to pray for you, you've met Pete)

Basically we are a wierd bunch. But thankfully, Jesus loves the weird.

 

[john_jcb]

In the late 60's I found God and his name was Eric Clapton. Over the years I have strayed but have always returned to hear his sermons.

From his early work with the Yardbirds we knew. His time with Mayall and the Bluesbreakers confirmed it if there ever was a doubt. Cream, Derek and the Dominoes and Blind Faith all were chapters in the book that will someday be written when the songs are played as gospel.