Are
You Happy Because You Go To Church?
I have found that I am much happier because I don't go to church. In fact I love to go to the beach and enjoy other activities in life. Going to church is the same monotonous routine week in and week out. In my life time I have heard thousands of sermons by preachers who stand in pulpits pretending that they are "somebody", when in reality they are nobody. As a former member of the Worldwide Church of God, in fact very often when I did go to church happy and cheerful, I came away depressed. The unhappiness I experienced is because of the preachers and their foolishness. I was a young adult then and had to learn the hard way, that preachers are NOT God.
The world is overrun with hypocrites who stand in pulpits and who sit in pews. Preachers and church goers have driven many into atheism, because the hypocrisy is simply unacceptable. The church world is full of self-righteous human beings who think they are "righteous", while many others are not. Is it a sin to drink a bottle of beer? Is nudity a sin? Is it wrong to "think" and ask questions? Is it "rebellion" to doubt or question preachers? Is it a sin to skip church? Does God judge you as preachers preach that He does? Are "professional" pastors really reps for Jesus Christ? If you smoke marijuana are you bound for hell? Does human government represent God or Satan?
Well, you get the point! No matter how you "think", there are other options that you may have never considered and it is extremely doubtful that God is going to take a baseball bat to your head. If you think that God sits on the edge of His throne, ready to pounce on you for what you think and how you live, you have been indoctrinated and programmed most likely by frauds who stand in pulpits. Humans have been running around naked in the jungles of the world for thousands of years, and no doubt God loves them just as much as he does self-righteous people with clothing on their naked bodies. My oh my, must women wear a net or bonnet on their head in order to please God?
Come now and let us reason, because no matter what you think that God thinks, you are most likely WRONG!
Van Robison
I have found that I am much happier because I don't go to church. In fact I love to go to the beach and enjoy other activities in life. Going to church is the same monotonous routine week in and week out. In my life time I have heard thousands of sermons by preachers who stand in pulpits pretending that they are "somebody", when in reality they are nobody. As a former member of the Worldwide Church of God, in fact very often when I did go to church happy and cheerful, I came away depressed. The unhappiness I experienced is because of the preachers and their foolishness. I was a young adult then and had to learn the hard way, that preachers are NOT God.
The world is overrun with hypocrites who stand in pulpits and who sit in pews. Preachers and church goers have driven many into atheism, because the hypocrisy is simply unacceptable. The church world is full of self-righteous human beings who think they are "righteous", while many others are not. Is it a sin to drink a bottle of beer? Is nudity a sin? Is it wrong to "think" and ask questions? Is it "rebellion" to doubt or question preachers? Is it a sin to skip church? Does God judge you as preachers preach that He does? Are "professional" pastors really reps for Jesus Christ? If you smoke marijuana are you bound for hell? Does human government represent God or Satan?
Well, you get the point! No matter how you "think", there are other options that you may have never considered and it is extremely doubtful that God is going to take a baseball bat to your head. If you think that God sits on the edge of His throne, ready to pounce on you for what you think and how you live, you have been indoctrinated and programmed most likely by frauds who stand in pulpits. Humans have been running around naked in the jungles of the world for thousands of years, and no doubt God loves them just as much as he does self-righteous people with clothing on their naked bodies. My oh my, must women wear a net or bonnet on their head in order to please God?
Come now and let us reason, because no matter what you think that God thinks, you are most likely WRONG!
Van Robison
There has to be some balance between being on one's own and belonging to an organization of like minded folk.
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective (I guess the only one I have) and experience, both have their benefits and liabilities.
I have tried to sit in a church and listen and find my background and study leaves me resisting the shoulds, musts and shallow literalism. I make a lousy audience.
I have sat home thinking, "this kinda sucks too."
Last Friday I even attended a "Blue Moon" get together. (I'd only do that once in a Blue Moon :)
I listened to a talk on Ascension. It was the pagan form of the Christian view with achieving and moving into different "Dimensions and frequencies" sounding awfully much like various resurrection speculations.
It got to feeling like Church where the one person knew and the audience didn't yet.
The magic moment for me came when someone asked "will our children be able to tell a difference in us and will they be able to ascend with us?" Ugh..sounded a lot like the same concerns such topics as resurrection and a place of safety provoked in our former fearful speculations. The answer was , "oh yes, children are innocent and pure already so will ascend with you."
Sorry, harkening back to a recent article..."And you know this?"
I was polite. Met some nice people but the switch went off, the filters back in place and the wall up.
While belonging is comforting and feels much safer than not belonging, buying into the knowing of others has become very difficult for me personally. Doing one's own homework, drawing one's own conclusions and enjoying the search as opposed to the "finding" seems what my own temperament and desires to know require.
There are churches where both seem possible and I have been to them as well until the human drama, backstabbing, 'we hate the minister" and so and so is a jerk starts up yet again.
As an idealist by nature, up goes the wall, in goes the filter and click goes the desire to be in an audience.
Van Robinson may be making a valid point when he asks: "...Does God judge you as preachers preach that He does?..."
ReplyDeleteHere's this comment:
"For the Father judgeth no man..." John 5:22
So where is God the Father in all of that judging that preachers tell their fellow human beings about.
More food for thought:
"(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." Romans 5:13
Well, the world should be happy about that, but there is a lot of suffering in one form or another when sin is involved, isn't there?
One other thing to consider:
Did God give the gift of His law to the Egyptians, the Philistines, the Russians, the Americans for that matter...all part of this present evil world?
The law was given to ancient physical Israel, and without God's Spirit, they could not keep God's law. Result? They all died! Was that just a wrong choice?
Oh, and so judgment begins with the Household of God...and xcogs don't act like the Household of God: God's Church with people sealed by God's Spirit and showing the fruits of God's Spirit in their lives.
So, it appears that God is giving the world for the most part a pass, if you will. Oh yes, sin still happens...and so does suffering...and people are learning to hate evil by having their noses rubbed in it...for whatever that may be worth in the long run!
In any event, Van Robinson, do what makes you happy...well, it sounds like you are doing that.
In conclusion, I like and appreciate the following verse:
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:19
I just read it; I believe it and that's that...
John
Don't go. Don't miss. I do what I decide to do every day and don't worry about it.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
Because I am the center of my universe. I don't need someone to tell me how it all is out of their ignorance and pomposity. I believe in cause and effect, not sin and righteousness and my moral decisions are based on those facts.
Let's see. Today is Tuesday. Haven't quite decided what I'm going to spend the day doing. Right now, I'm on the computer and thinking about a cup of decaf to get the day going. Haven't checked with Phyllis. She isn't up yet. That's pretty much how every day goes for this retiree.
That's true for Saturdays and Sundays too. Time is mine. All mine.
Get a cat.
ReplyDeleteA cat can give you all the shameless selfish narcissism you could ever want. You don't need a minister to make you his narcissistic source. A cat can do it for you.
Besides, it's more convenient to have a cat sit on your lap and purr.
And you'll usually spend a lot less.
Maybe - check this out
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY
Douglas, I actually know a good-looking Unitarian minister who (I expect) would be right nice to have sitting on my lap and purring. She doesn't seem at all narcissistic.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my wife discourages any experimentation of that kind.
Retired Prof,
ReplyDeleteI was only speaking of the Armstrongist churches of God.
No doubt other more benign venues may have greater appeal than the British Israelism Empire Mafia.
And besides, no matter if you are married or not, there's usually an option for a Domestic Companion.
This is an area of your life that you simply have to manage. My current beliefs are that God did not set up a hierarchical church authority structure over New Covenant Christians. We enjoy a personal relationship with Him, as made possible by Jesus Christ. However, there is education. There is encouragement. And, there are always people who know more than we do, although no man can provide what we all need from God.
ReplyDeleteI have found a church that I feel as if I can attend, somewhat anonymously. I could make them intrusive if I wished, simply by joining one of their neighborhood groups or accountability groups. But, I choose not to. It's nice to have a place to take communion, and to rock out with meaning-packed contemporary hymns. I'm not that big on fellowship, though, and choose to do my good works for humanity at large.
God owns a little business that He blesses and lets me run. I have an occasional personal ministry associated with it. If a Christian church calls in for service (this happens perhaps once or twice per year), I do the work free of charge for them because the machinery is utilized in spreading the gospel. I also use some of the profits to assist various charities, such as those who help homeless children, physically challenged individuals, and those in abject poverty around the world.
Do I believe you have to attend church to be saved? No, not at all. I also believe that it would be a sin (violation of conscience)to force yourself unwillingly to go to a church that you couldn't feel good about attending. For right now, I guess I'm pretty fortunate, but my main efforts go into doing my own due diligence through personal prayer, Bible study, and growth towards some hopefully serious good deeds.
BTW, given my own personality, what was taught, and how it was taught, none of this had been possible for me at WCG. Any church that refers to members as "dumb sheep" automatically positions themselves as some sort of predator.
BB
Love your comments Byker Bob! I'm a minister and I certainly understand where you're coming from Van. There are some good churches around where the preacher doesn't talk down to you. I just feel church is very helpful to many people but, like Bob says, the main thing is your relationship with God. God bless you!
ReplyDelete