Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
if you seriously think that is a "neutral" statement and "nothing negative"
then you agree the following are also "neutral statements" and "nothing negative"
"For SOME atheists, a lack of a satisfying personal life increase the need to be an atheist. We have one poster who seems to be in a place of no personal friends, therefore joining with others bashing God online is their only friend. That's not most atheists, but it is some."
"For SOME Buddhists, a lack of a satisfying personal life increase the need for a Buddhist life. We have one poster who seems to be in a place of no personal friends, therefore meditation is their only friend. That's not most Buddhists, but it is some."
Those are not my views. Those are given as examples. My view is no, they are not neutral statements; and yes they are negative.
I'm not aware of many situations where atheists come together for fellowship. Atheism doesn't seem to be a fellowship type of situation.
Yes, I would agree -- SOME people may turn to Buddhism due to a lack of a satisfying personal belief. But I wouldn't say that they turn to Buddhism for fellowship, with the exception of the clique of monks.
You're very into pointing out other people's negativity. Try practicing on yourself for a while, too. (And yes, I know that's a negative comment).
2. But, no they don't. There are things in Buddhism that I very much disagree with, so I'm not promoting it. But to say that Buddhist "worhsip" (and I hesitate to use that word) is the same as christian worship is ridiculous. I have been in Muslim mosques; very different from either of the above. No the same behaviors.
3. Sorry, but I disagree from your kumbaya viewpoint. (And that was pejorative).
the behaviors you named specifically, and which i quoted, can be found in every flavor of religion and spirituality:
"contemplative" "solitary" "no friends" "fellowship" "no fellowship involved" "shut ins" "loners" "social life" "nodding" "saying hello" "meditation" "15 minutes or an hour" "seeking the inner self" "solitary meditation" "typical community stuff" "funerals" "holidays"
no one said the worship was the same. no one said the beliefs are the same.
but the specific behaviors you are attributing to one group or another (in quotes above), are found in every group.
Very true! And I'm glad you found a much better group! Yikes to be made uncomfortable in your own home
It even applies to things like towns. One town can have a real friendly outgoing vibe. And another snooty. I still miss where I grew up. Or work places... used to work in a office building that had over 20 floors. Our floor was real laid back, some floors were like you entered a mausoleum. Human chemistry for sure.
Very true! And I'm glad you found a much better group! Yikes to be made uncomfortable in your own home
It even applies to things like towns. One town can have a real friendly outgoing vibe. And another snooty. I still miss where I grew up. Or work places... used to work in a office building that had over 20 floors. Our floor was real laid back, some floors were like you entered a mausoleum. Human chemistry for sure.
Fellowship can be good. But it can vary so much even within a particular organization. When I was struggling with weight (as I am again now), I tried Overeaters Anonymous in Colorado Springs. The particular group that I went to was great. It was all men, they relaxed the rules to make it work for the group, and I enjoyed the fellowship. Tried it here and, even though it was the same organization, very strict rules (for example, absolutely no cross-talk), and it seemed very mechanical to me, and almost embarrassing to be there. I have walked into some christian churches and felt very welcomed, others that felt unwelcoming, and still others that just felt neutral. When I moved here to Arizona I thought I would start a card group, and the first group of people that came...made me feel uncomfortable in my own house. Dropped that. Started a fresh group of different people, and we have a great time. Human chemistry is a big part of how successful fellowship is.
This is absolutely true. When I first moved to the part of the state in which I now live, I decided to seek out an Episcopal Church. I'd belonged to one once before, and so I thought I'd be comfortable there.
There had been a historical weekend in the county when all the historical sites were open and listed on routes, and I'd found a pre-Revolutionary war church that was just beautiful. I decided to start going there.
I went the first day, a few people introduced themselves, I signed the guest book, met the priest, a woman of about my own age. It was nice. I went back a couple of weeks later, a few people smiled at me, the priest didn't remember me but that was OK. Eventually between May and October, I attended services at that church ten times. No one spoke to me after the first visit, and every time I went, the priest introduced herself and asked me my name as if she'd never seen me before. Not for nothing, but I am a six-foot-tall woman and have thick, gravity-defying reddish hair. They only have about 30 or so people in the church. You really don't remember seeing me before? Then one Monday after I'd attend church there, I was in line at the same cashier at the supermarket behind the priest. She looked right through me without a lick of recognition.
The other weird thing was that everyone disappeared after the church service. I left through the front door, and I figured everyone else accessed the street or parking lot through the other door. Well, the last time I went, a woman got up and angrily declared that she was sick of doing coffee hour all by herself and that if other people didn't sign up, she was going to quit being in charge of it. I sat there stunned. I'd attended this church ten times now, and not once did anyone tell me there was coffee afterward or invite me to go. That's where everybody went afterward--over to the parish hall for refreshments.
I am not an easy cryer, but that day I went home after church and sat on my couch and cried. I couldn't even make friends at a church. I'd seen another small Episcopal church in the next town and thought I'd go to that one and if no one was friendly there, either, I'd give up on the church idea.
It was a completely different experience. It was Halloween, and this woman came in with her son all dressed up like a zombie. She saw me and asked if I was new, and introduced herself and her son, and then when it was time for the Peace, she introduced me to EVERYONE. The priest took her son up front and said, "Look up Saint (Somebody) on your computer when you get home. He looks just like Aidan!" It was fun and funny and I did feel welcome. It turned out they didn't do coffee hour but a bunch of people had the habit of going for breakfast to a coffee shop around the corner. They invited me. I didn't go, but I went back the next week and went with them. And I still belong to that parish. I came to learn that there were others there who had gone to the first church I went to also, and they had the same experience.
I later became friends with the woman who is the priest at the first church. She had no memory of me ever attending her church, but she was shocked to learn that I had gone there first and why I ditched her church for the "lesser" one. She said, "We consider ourselves to be so friendly!" I said, "Well, you're not. You might want to talk to your parish about that."
Anyway, if you're looking for any type of community, a church or otherwise, some may work out, and some may not. Communities have personalities.
Science is not hard It is soft and ever changing -that is proven daily
As to religion being invented- people are always trying to be better than the animals they so quickly revert to
Last edited by Huckleberry3911948; 12-08-2019 at 04:17 PM..
Science is not hard It is soft and ever changing -that is proven daily
As to religion being invented- people are always trying to be better than the animals they so quickly revert to
Science is not hard It is soft and ever changing -that is proven daily
As to religion being invented- people are always trying to be better than the animals they so quickly revert to
Humans don't "revert" to animals. We areanimals.
If we continue to evolve, we'll be among the best of them.
For SOME people, a lack of a satisfying personal life increase the need for a spiritual life. We have one poster who seems to be in a place of no personal friends, therefore god is his/her only friend. That's not most people, but it is some.
He is talking about me. He joined the thread simply to attack me as he does on all threads I post on. He needs Jesus.
Jesus had zero friends. He was a loner. But He had God so He was doing fine.
I mentioned in a certain context weeks ago that I had no personal friends & so now the attacker stalks me around the forum telling everyone over & over that I have no friends. LOL
I live in a tropical paradise where everyone is friends by default. So I have thousands of friends. But I choose to spend all my personal time alone in prayer & meditation in order to be close to God & The Spiritual Side.
If we continue to evolve, we'll be among the best of them.
well, at least we will have our looks anyway.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
