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Sorry to be chiming in so late, I have been Kindle-only for a few days.
I was raised Catholic, probably should have given up at age 9, when my mom died, despite my prayers. I had read this verse "whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." and believed it with the pure faith of a child.
Left the church in my early 20's, after doing some thinking and coming to my own conclusions.
When we started snowbirding, I don't know why but I figured most people our age were like DH and I, non-attending. We used to sit in the lobby Sunday mornings and gradually realized that, with the exception of 2 other couples and us, almost everyone we knew went to church. We used to call it the Sunday trinity - church, brunch, and shopping at Walmart. Of course we were from the liberal northeast and most other snowbirds were from the upper midwest.
I am not an atheist, I believe there is a higher power than us, but I don't believe this power interferes in daily life. I guess I am a deist, not a theist.
My belief is that church is a waste of time. I live across the street from a church where the people go for hours on end on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I think their time could be much better spent in the community actually helping people, rather than sitting and having propaganda poured into their heads.
Just think what the world could be like if all church goers were doing good deeds instead!
I haven't set foot inside a church in over 30 years. I saw no reason to change when I retired. I'm a Blue Domer.
I realized decades ago that human consciousness requires a functioning human brain. When the old squash rots, that's the end of the line. There is no life after death. What you see is what you get.
I have envied people who find community in a place of worship (while being unfamiliar with evangelical or Southern-style fervor). I envy the community, if not the origin.
If there were a Unitarian anywhere near me, I'd go. (Nearest one appears to be a single one, some 80 miles away).
For that matter, I think the atheist gathering 80 miles away is a good group in the belly of the beast and do give them money and feedback.
I wonder how many people attend gatherings on Sunday or whatever and gain community through it? And not a love of worship or a belief system?
In the past few years I have come to know that the majority of members of mainstream Christian churches and Jewish synagogues are 55+ or 65+. By "majority" I mean that 50-75% of the congregation(s) are 60-65+. (Last Sunday I went to four different Roman Catholic churches in my city. The majority of the people going into or coming out of Mass were the old and elderly. I spoke with a number of attendees at all four parishes -- one woman laughed (and made me laugh): "ALL of us are old here!" :-) )
I have envied people who find community in a place of worship (while being unfamiliar with evangelical or Southern-style fervor). I envy the community, if not the origin.
If there were a Unitarian anywhere near me, I'd go. (Nearest one appears to be a single one, some 80 miles away).
For that matter, I think the atheist gathering 80 miles away is a good group in the belly of the beast and do give them money and feedback.
I wonder how many people attend gatherings on Sunday or whatever and gain community through it? And not a love of worship or a belief system?
I do not envy such people. We seem to be programmed to seek out and join into tribes and other groups. Those tendencies probably were essential back when mankind tried to survive in the world of woolly mammoths. As you are well aware, dogs behave the same way and have survived over the millennia by being part of a pack.
Unfortunately it seems like our biological tendencies have misfired and have led to tribal warfare, Inquisitions, Holy Wars, witch hunts, Aryan supremacy, and other of the worst aspects of mankind. Of course, those who must participate in the "community" behavior see their communities as correct and others as incorrect or as enemies. When group think is paramount, any belief seems possible.
I have envied people who find community in a place of worship (while being unfamiliar with evangelical or Southern-style fervor). I envy the community, if not the origin.
If there were a Unitarian anywhere near me, I'd go. (Nearest one appears to be a single one, some 80 miles away).
For that matter, I think the atheist gathering 80 miles away is a good group in the belly of the beast and do give them money and feedback.
I wonder how many people attend gatherings on Sunday or whatever and gain community through it? And not a love of worship or a belief system?
The Pew Foundation said about 50%. Of the other half, the survey proved (proved?) that the FOURTH reason they attended church was to praise/worship God.
I'm a pagan, so I think churches are bad luck for people like me.
The last time I was in a church was years and years ago. I attended a Catholic church on Good Friday (or Easter - I don't remember now) with some good friends of mine simply to be polite. I was sitting on the aisle and the priest came down the middle saying, "Peace be with you, peace be with you." Well, he said it to me and I was like, "Um, you too" and my friend next to me almost fell off the pew from laughing. Finally she told me the proper response was "And also to you." Yeah, like I would have known that!
I'm a pagan, so I think churches are bad luck for people like me.
The last time I was in a church was years and years ago. I attended a Catholic church on Good Friday (or Easter - I don't remember now) with some good friends of mine simply to be polite. I was sitting on the aisle and the priest came down the middle saying, "Peace be with you, peace be with you." Well, he said it to me and I was like, "Um, you too" and my friend next to me almost fell off the pew from laughing. Finally she told me the proper response was "And also to you." Yeah, like I would have known that!
I have attended different places of worship, because I'm interested in religions, but not to be polite. And what I have done, if I haven't been familiar with the service, is just sit quietly -- because that is the polite thing to do.
I haven't set foot inside a church in over 30 years. I saw no reason to change when I retired. I'm a Blue Domer.
I was recently in St Peter's in the Vatican and several other churches in Rome and Florence.
I usually get to a church in Vancouver BC before Christmas to listen to choral music.
The last time I was in a church for a wedding was 2009. Funeral 2007. To attend a service, I was probably a teen.
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