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Those that go to church only on religious holidays

prplchknz

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my mom's very religious and helps out with church functions, sometimes when I'm in town I go with her to help set up and clean up for events, but I don't believe in god or heaven so I'm not going to be saved I'm going as a favor for my mom. I also don't take the eucharist because even though I am baptized orthodox and if I did believe in the religion I haven't been to confession since I was 14 and you can't partake unless you've been in the last 6 months
 

Spamtar

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yeah, I would hear lots of complaints when I was in church from other church-goers, who felt like people were insincere to just show up twice a year and felt like the entire service was fake... while they, since they committed to going all the time, were sincere in their beliefs.

I am sincere in my belief that going to church weekly/daily is too often. How many times can one go over the accounts of same gospels before the magic starts to wane.
 

Spamtar

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my mom's very religious and helps out with church functions, sometimes when I'm in town I go with her to help set up and clean up for events, but I don't believe in god or heaven so I'm not going to be saved I'm going as a favor for my mom.

Well if there is a God, then I think he should give you some brownie points for this anyways.
 

King sns

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I very rarely go to church and when I do I find I am irritated. I understand the ceremony but it seems to have little to do with me. And it's as though the congregation is walking in their sleep. Frankly I don't see any chance of them waking up. The nuns have left. The young have left, even the altar boys have left. And all that's left is to put a brave face on it, and guess what, they are going to develop the land into Aged Persons Units, rather expensive ones. It's as though they are completely determined to do something but I don't know what. I don't think criticizing them helps and I don't think joining them helps. It's as though they are waiting, somehow abandoned and lost, waiting for Godot. I saw the play, "Waiting for Godot", and I felt the same way I do at church. It's kinda like life imitating art.

I completely agree! I think that this "worship" style is probably insulting to God. It's like come on people! At least pretend you want to be here. The parishioners look like every last bit of joy has been sucked out of their soul. I must be missing some essential piece of the picture, but I'm not seeing the worship. I think that I've only rarely witnessed true worship in churches. I know, I know. It's sad that our savior was brutally murdered on the cross. However, I can't shake the feeling that the people around me in church look miserable and empty for some other reason. I try to focus on the mass instead, and that's a big flop, since it's the same words at almost every single mass that mean little to me. Boo.

The joy that comes from mass for me has more to do with childhood memories with my family than the mass itself.

When I visit certain friends, we go to a very old fashioned church where everyone wears veils and long skirts and go on every holy day and practice every ritual. While I don't have a problem with this, there is little joy and laughter amongst these people. (Even the kids.) The friends I go see are friends with these people. I asked the friend why an eight year old girl in the congregation had to wear a dress that looked like a table cloth. It's very unfortunate to live a life such an unnatural life from such a young age- in the name of religion.
 

King sns

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Why is that unnatural?

I think I understand what you're saying but I'm less inclined to believe that it is religion which is making people miserable, they live in the same world as anyone else and its not an easy place to live with much happiness or so it appears. I've been to all sorts of mass, traditional, latin, gospel choir, praise, with upbeat, down beat, all sorts of themes too but you meet the same mix of people with the same character, like the rest of life.

Victor suggests that people who take any solace in religion are brainwashed, entranced and all the other stock athiest hate speak, I'm not convinced that he is an example of a happy individual in contrast to the congregations attending mass that you mention.

Well, I semi-agree with you, in the sense that I don't 100 percent agree with Victor. I do agree in large part with the one post that I responded to, though. I am actually likely to think that the priest has more of an idea of spirituality than a lot of parishoners do. I have great respect for most priests. I also agree that some people can truly use religion to better their lives and feel fufilled.

However, I feel that for many, religion is unnatural because of all the rules imposed on them from childhood. The words in (many) masses are so repetitive that as someone mentioned before the "magic" is eventually lost and the meaning is lost as well. Children in this environment being forced to follow a strict set of laws are not going to understand. Many hardcore religious people I see in my life don't seem to be able to apply it to modern society and turn it into something real. It's just words and practices to me as an outsider. I've grown up in this environment and it has just never clicked right for me. Humans and children are meant to experience things and learn things and be happy. Some interpretations of what God wants from us seems to go completely against the flow of human nature. It seems to me that to be a "Good Catholic" (I was Catholic) and also a natural human are completely at odds with each other. They say you can ask questions of the religion but in reality, you can't question the religion. And if you do, the answers still never add up. (And when you start to question things and get angry and aren't 100% involved, you are no longer a true Catholic.)

My projection of sadness amongst very religous people is paritally my own bias. My personality has seemed to be at odds with religion, rules, and strong beliefs since day one, so it is easy for me to become bitter and worn out and feel that it is unnatural. (For example, Catholic religion tells you that being raised Catholic gives you some sort of a blessing over everyone else. You are blessed with your Catholic faith. But because we "know" what is right, we are expected to do more.) It is very unnatural to me to say "I know" anything. So now I'm going to hell. Because I can't say that I know for sure though I was born Catholic. Sounds more like a curse to me. :( I can't claim to know what God wants from me in modern day society. I can only listen to my heart and hope that I get some answers.

I found that I came to believe more in a higher power (and become closer) when religion was removed from the equation.
 

Beorn

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I enjoy attending church regularly.

However, lately I have not been very regular in my attendance. This does not make me feel guilty or ashamed, but I know that I have missed out on many opportunities to experience joy. I have missed communion and the joyful reminders that I have a loving father and friend who has my best interest in his heart. Church services are an opportunity to be reminded and reflect on the many past mercies I have received. Our culture on a whole undervalues reflection and reminders.

It's very sad when people find church services to be a bore. But, I understand why people find so many of the worship services today to be boring. They mostly teach moralism and guilt. People can only listen to so many pep talks and guilt trips before they get bored. However, a living savior who is both fully God and fully man seems like someone I could spend eternity learning about.
 

Totenkindly

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I am sincere in my belief that going to church weekly/daily is too often. How many times can one go over the accounts of same gospels before the magic starts to wane.

Actual study of scriptures is a different (since it pulls together knowledge in specific, exacting, academic disciplines), and there's a lot to church experience that has nothing to do with listening to the same ten Bible stories told over and over again.

And you damn sure will!

I'm not sure whether this continued interplay is joking or trolling, but if you have something to contribute besides just taking negative one-shots at religion (which certainly is perceived as trolling), please feel free to share.
 
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It's very sad when people find church services to be a bore. But, I understand why people find so many of the worship services today to be boring. They mostly teach moralism and guilt. People can only listen to so many pep talks and guilt trips before they get bored. However, a living savior who is both fully God and fully man seems like someone I could spend eternity learning about.
It can also depend on the format of the services. I noticed that Protestant services seem to place more emphasis on the sermon part, wheras in Catholic services it's usually more focused on communion.
 

Lark

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Well, I semi-agree with you, in the sense that I don't 100 percent agree with Victor. I do agree in large part with the one post that I responded to, though. I am actually likely to think that the priest has more of an idea of spirituality than a lot of parishoners do. I have great respect for most priests. I also agree that some people can truly use religion to better their lives and feel fufilled.

However, I feel that for many, religion is unnatural because of all the rules imposed on them from childhood. The words in (many) masses are so repetitive that as someone mentioned before the "magic" is eventually lost and the meaning is lost as well. Children in this environment being forced to follow a strict set of laws are not going to understand. Many hardcore religious people I see in my life don't seem to be able to apply it to modern society and turn it into something real. It's just words and practices to me as an outsider. I've grown up in this environment and it has just never clicked right for me. Humans and children are meant to experience things and learn things and be happy. Some interpretations of what God wants from us seems to go completely against the flow of human nature. It seems to go so much against the flow of human nature. It seems to me that to be a "Good Catholic" (I was Catholic) and also a natural human are completely at odds with eachother. They say you can ask questions of the religion but in reality, you can't question the religion. And if you do, the answers still never add up. (And when you start to question things and get angry and aren't 100% involved, you are no longer a true Catholic.)

My projection of sadness amongst very religous people is paritally my own bias. My personality has seemed to be at odds with religion, rules, and strong beliefs since day one, so it is easy for me to become bitter and worn out and feel that it is unnatural. (For example, Catholic religion tells you that being raised Catholic gives you some sort of a blessing over everyone else. You are blessed with your Catholic faith. But because we "know" what is right, we are expected to do more.) It is very unnatural to me to say "I know" anything. So now I'm going to hell. Because I can't say that I know for sure though I was born Catholic. Sounds more like a curse to me. :( I can't claim to know what God wants from me in modern day society. I can only listen to my heart and hope that I get some answers.

I found that I came to believe more in a higher power (and become closer) when religion was removed from the equation.

Thank you for posting and sharing your experiences, its very interesting and, not surprisingly perhaps given that no matter how homogenous a community aspires to be it cant eliminate diversity and disparity entirely (I dont think it should try too hard either), not the same as my experiences.

I've highlighted the bit which to me is so different from my experiences, I've a speculative and personal sympathy with some species of libertarian politics too. Anyway, have you ever read Abraham Maslow? He has written some great stuff about religion and religious traditions in relation to spirituality or spiritual experiences, I've got a couple of links if you're interested, even if you're not maybe you could save them for a time you are interested, who knows :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_experience

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Religions-Values-Peak-Experiences-Maslow/dp/0140194878/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303930448&sr=1-1
 

Totenkindly

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Mod Note: I reviewed this thread and discovered a number of posts irrelevant to the topic matter of what's known as the "Christmas/Easter Churchgoer" and motivations for attending church. A large chunk of these posts have been removed from this thread.

Consistently initiating blatant thread derails can result in disciplinary actions, including warnings, infractions, and/or subforum bans.

If you would like to discuss a different topic, please start your own thread.

Thank you.
 

swordpath

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By the way, I'm not convinced that going to church is a mandatory obligation of the Christian religion.
It's not. So why should a holiday be an exception?

I understand that kids and younger adults are going to attend church with their parents on holidays, because it is a social/family gathering and tradition... What I don't really understand is the families (parents) that bring their children to church on holidays, but don't really attend outside of that.
 

Viridian

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I agree with the tradition thing... My nuclear family is pretty much a-religious (is that a word?), but, though we don't go to church in most occasions, we do refrain from eating meat on Good Friday out of tradition. Though we don't count shrimp, fish and chicken as meat. :shrug:
 

Beorn

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It can also depend on the format of the services. I noticed that Protestant services seem to place more emphasis on the sermon part, wheras in Catholic services it's usually more focused on communion.

Ceasing to have communion at every lord's day service was a great mistake of many made by protestants since leaving the Catholic church. There is at least one presbyterian denomination that centers sunday worship around the communion sacrament, but far too few churches in my own denomination do it.

I'm not sure what happened. I know currently Catholic sermons run fairly short and historically Protestant sermons have run rather long. Combine that with the common extremely low view of the sacraments by many protestants and their might have been an unfortunate trade off.

It would be especially nice to take communion during the holidays, but I wonder if protestant churches would be too concerned with the complications of doing that when there are many visitors. Or worst, not concerned at all.

Going along with the the OP I'm curious if anyone who does visit a church just on holidays would feel awkward about being excluded from communion.
 

prplchknz

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Ceasing to have communion at every lord's day service was a great mistake of many made by protestants since leaving the Catholic church. There is at least one presbyterian denomination that centers sunday worship around the communion sacrament, but far too few churches in my own denomination do it.

I'm not sure what happened. I know currently Catholic sermons run fairly short and historically Protestant sermons have run rather long. Combine that with the common extremely low view of the sacraments by many protestants and their might have been an unfortunate trade off.

It would be especially nice to take communion during the holidays, but I wonder if protestant churches would be too concerned with the complications of doing that when there are many visitors. Or worst, not concerned at all.

Going along with the the OP I'm curious if anyone who does visit a church just on holidays would feel awkward about being excluded from communion.

if I was visiting my mom and she asked me to go to church with her, I wouldn't feel awkward being excluded from communion. On holidays there's a lot of non-orthodox people visiting and they don't take communion either, so no it's not a big deal.
 

Valiant

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This thread makes me laugh... Going to church is some social invention by people who like to organize stuff.
Going to church won't get anyone into heaven. Neither will praying or anything like that.
Or belonging to the right branch of any belief.
In fact, I don't even think "practicing" religion has anything to do with it at all.
Well, of course in a way. But consciously doing some form of ritual, social or not, won't help.

You will get the afterlife you deserve according to your nature. If you are a horrible person, but fear God, and follow the commandments...
Then I think you'll still go to "hell".
 

Beorn

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This thread makes me laugh... Going to church is some social invention by people who like to organize stuff.
Going to church won't get anyone into heaven. Neither will praying or anything like that.
Or belonging to the right branch of any belief.
In fact, I don't even think "practicing" religion has anything to do with it at all.
Well, of course in a way. But consciously doing some form of ritual, social or not, won't help.

Getting into heaven isn't the only reason to attend church.

It's like people are only concerned with what the bare minimum is to appease God.

If he is a loving Father and friend why wouldn't a believer want to go to church?


You will get the afterlife you deserve according to your nature. If you are a horrible person, but fear God, and follow the commandments...
Then I think you'll still go to "hell".

Agreed. I believe the problem is that naturally everyone is a horrible person at their core. Thus everyone needs a new nature. While not absolutely necessary meetings could be helpful in developing this new good nature.
 

Seymour

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Ceasing to have communion at every lord's day service was a great mistake of many made by protestants since leaving the Catholic church. There is at least one presbyterian denomination that centers sunday worship around the communion sacrament, but far too few churches in my own denomination do it.

I'm not sure what happened. I know currently Catholic sermons run fairly short and historically Protestant sermons have run rather long. Combine that with the common extremely low view of the sacraments by many protestants and their might have been an unfortunate trade off.

I was raised in the Church of Christ, and we did tend to have long sermons. The quality of preaching was, in general, much better than I found at other churches I visited. Some protestant denominations (like the Church of Christ) have communion every Sunday, despite being low church. In fact, the Church of Christ is about as "low church" as you can get, having very little in the way of fixed liturgy. When I started going to the Episcopal Church, I found the center of the service was more more the liturgy, while the quality of the homilies was more uneven.

It would be especially nice to take communion during the holidays, but I wonder if protestant churches would be too concerned with the complications of doing that when there are many visitors. Or worst, not concerned at all.

Not concerned about which aspect?

Going along with the the OP I'm curious if anyone who does visit a church just on holidays would feel awkward about being excluded from communion.

On the times I've attended on major holidays, usually it's been open to "all baptized believers" (or words to that effect). If people who "shouldn't" take communion, seems like that's been them and God.
 

Beorn

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I was raised in the Church of Christ, and we did tend to have long sermons. The quality of preaching was, in general, much better than I found at other churches I visited. Some protestant denominations (like the Church of Christ) have communion every Sunday, despite being low church. In fact, the Church of Christ is about as "low church" as you can get, having very little in the way of fixed liturgy. When I started going to the Episcopal Church, I found the center of the service was more more the liturgy, while the quality of the homilies was more uneven.

Interesting. I really don't know much at all about the CoC.



Not concerned about which aspect?
Just whether or not to exclude anyone from it.
Like if a church was uber-seeker sensitive and was afraid of offending or if they simply had such a low view of the sacraments that they just didn't care how or to who they were administered.



Not concerned about which aspect?
On the times I've attended on major holidays, usually it's been open to "all baptized believers" (or words to that effect). If people who "shouldn't" take communion, seems like that's been them and God.[/QUOTE]

Pretty munch the same thing at the Presby churches that I've attended. Except we usually also require that they be members of a local church (any church not that one necessarily) given that there would be a presumption that they are engaged in the unrepentant sin of not holding themselves accountable to the body of Christ. Some really conservative presby churches only allow their own members to partake.
 
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