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Those that go to church only on religious holidays

swordpath

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Bugs me like crazy. I've never seen so many people in church attire than there were this morning, shuffling around town. Churches dismissing, and people pouring out of them. You never see that here, in one of the most atheistic/anti-religious cities in the country.

What's the point? You won't earn your salvation going to church two days out of the year... How do people justify this and not feel like a complete tool?
 

Lark

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Bugs me like crazy. I've never seen so many people in church attire than there were this morning, shuffling around town. Churches dismissing, and people pouring out of them. You never see that here, in one of the most atheistic/anti-religious cities in the country.

What's the point? You won't earn your salvation going to church two days out of the year... How do people justify this and not feel like a complete tool?

Do you know what will and wont "earn your salvation"?

I was going to write a lengthy response to this but I think I'll stick to saying why does it bother you?
 

Thalassa

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I don't know why people do this. When I was in WV and my mom or sisters tried to get me to go to church on Easter, it's kind of like...why would I?

I think this might be something people with Fe do. I don't know.
 

swordpath

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I don't believe in heavenly salvation to begin with, but that's kind of besides the point.

What bothers me is that there is no respectable reason for people to attend church only on holidays... I can respect the devout, who regard church as a central part of their life and it's a regular ritual for them. I can respect those that dislike church and don't attend, but still may be "spiritual".

I can't respect people who treat church as some custom, doing it only because that's how they were brought up. I sure as hell can't respect people that think there's some sort of 2-day church quota and then they're square with "God". I'm not a Christian, but I know what the Bible instructs... and it's certainly not a lukewarm, mediocre lifestyle.
 

Thalassa

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Well, I don't understand it, but on the other hand I don't think you should concern yourself so much with other people's spiritual beliefs.

For all you know they pray every day at home.

But I agree - some people do it for purely Fe reasons, for reasons of social ritual.
 

swordpath

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Well, I don't understand it, but on the other hand I don't think you should concern yourself so much with other people's spiritual beliefs.

For all you know they pray every day at home.

But I agree - some people do it for purely Fe reasons, for reasons of social ritual.
And if that's how they do it (pray everyday at home), why go to church solely on a holiday?
 

Totenkindly

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Religious holidays are also tied to nostalgia and tradition, so you're going to get large numbers going on Christmas Eve and Easter here in the USA simply because it's also a typical "family gathering" day, no one wants to fight, and it's part of the routine, and maybe taps into what people did as part of their family in years past. So it's more a "family" thing than a "faith" thing, Ignite.

I really doubt a lot of people consciously think that they're going to be "saved" by attending two religious holiday services a year. More, they think they'll be saved for being a "good person" or something similar. (Although I'm sure they think it can't hurt, either.)
 

prplchknz

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who cares? I mean really in the big scheme of thing who cares when or why people go to church? I hate when people are assholes but people are assholes and nothing you can do to change that.

p.s. I'm not calling you an asshole
 

swordpath

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You're right, but I just think it's a silly routine/ritual. Turns the whole thing into a joke.
 

swordpath

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who cares? I mean really in the big scheme of thing who cares when or why people go to church? I hate when people are assholes but people are assholes and nothing you can do to change that.

p.s. I'm not calling you an asshole
For the same reason some people cringe when a chalk board is scratched on and others pay no mind. It just so happens to bothers the crap out of me.
 

swordpath

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who's not bothered by nails on a chalk board?

The little bastards that would commit the foul act in front of the classroom.

I get goosebumps just touching a chalk board/chalk. I don't know why.
 

Thalassa

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And if that's how they do it (pray everyday at home), why go to church solely on a holiday?

Because they like it?

I like watching Catholic mass on television sometimes on Christmas Eve or Easter, like live from the Vatican. It's quite the artistic spectacle. All of the candles and the bells and incense and the hymns in Latin.

Maybe these people enjoy pastel dresses and calla lillies and empty crosses. Churches usually put on special shows on holidays too, with their adult choirs and children's groups.

Also, what Jennifer said. Family, tradition, nostalgia.

For me I associate holidays with my family more with the home part, like hunting Easter eggs and eating a special dinner, or having Christmas Eve with the pretty tree and all of the lights.

I went to church growing up, but my nostaligia is still tied more to the home things and the symbolism that was adopted from European pagans. That means I don't have to go to church to get that feeling.

To me church means something else entirely, which is why I don't understand it.
 

Lark

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I don't believe in heavenly salvation to begin with, but that's kind of besides the point.

What bothers me is that there is no respectable reason for people to attend church only on holidays... I can respect the devout, who regard church as a central part of their life and it's a regular ritual for them. I can respect those that dislike church and don't attend, but still may be "spiritual".

I can't respect people who treat church as some custom, doing it only because that's how they were brought up. I sure as hell can't respect people that think there's some sort of 2-day church quota and then they're square with "God". I'm not a Christian, but I know what the Bible instructs... and it's certainly not a lukewarm, mediocre lifestyle.

I dont get annoyed about peoples personal beliefs these days when they arent interfering with me living my life, I have marked and see these sorts of sentiments expressed by athiests more and more though. With respect its one of the less endearing things about the new athiesm.

I DO respect time honoured traditions and traditionalism, including familial ones, the only caveat I can think of is that it isnt interfering with others or oppressive. At one time I also used to think it was an issue if the traditions or customary habits involved were compulsive, like As Good As It Gets, although to be honest if it makes someone happy, its sustainable and isnt interfering with anyone then to each their own.

This isnt anything to do with an athiestic envy of religious traditions or holidays?
 

Beargryllz

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Don't bitch at me, my family wanted to be together today, so it happened. I'm not even religious. Y u mad?
 

kyuuei

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1. While usually people can argue about this sort of thing.. it is easier to get people to agree about holidays.
2. I'm not religious, but I went. It is a family thing.. I was supporting my Aunt, who was singing.

Actually, I really enjoy church, I just dont go day-to-day because... I'm not christian.. so it seems silly to go just to go.
 

skylights

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i do that sometimes because there's not a religious community around me currently that's aligned enough to my values for me to go regularly, but i want to celebrate the holidays as a special day devoted to that ceremony. and i just like the ceremony. often it's beautiful. plus like others have said... family, tradition, nostalgia. to me, holidays are a time for gathering, reflection, celebration, regardless of what they mean, exactly, to your religious beliefs.

i don't see why it should be upsetting to anyone for me to show up. i'm kind of a weird pantheist/agnostic/liberal christian/spiritualist blend, i definitely don't feel like i'm "buying" salvation, or whatever. rarely am i going to darken the door of a church that is so conservative so as not to welcome open religious inquiry and individualistic faith - and if i do, it's only for the benefit of a loved one. not for my own gain, that's for sure.

plus then there's the other side of the spectrum, the catholic church requiring you to go to mass once a week or you've committed a sin so big that you have to go to reconciliation, can't even share in communion until you're reconciled, and booting people out of the church when they don't like them... imo someone attending services on a few holidays only isn't nearly as weird as places of worship turning people away.
 

Mole

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I like to go to church occasionally to see how the church is changing.

The first thing I notice is that there are no longer any pretty boys up on the altar with the priest.

The second thing is that, for all intents and purposes, the nuns have left - we don't see nuns anymore.

The third thing is that there are so few priests, priests are being brought in from overseas.

The fourth thing is that the laity have taken over education, health and welfare.

And the fifth thing is that they still practise the authoritarian mode rather than the helping mode.
 
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