and when was the first time you went?
I never even went being a staunch atheist till I was 21 and that was only partially out of curiosity and the opportunity arising, and respect for my friend and his family that let me stay at their home for a night.
It was a bit odd knowing I didn't believe in it and there were a lot of church songs and stuff. I actually ended up helping more than most of the people who go there with setting stuff up and taking stuff down simply cause i could.
It was an interesting experience.
i goto church every week and have been since birth. in high school i went like 5 times a week. now it just once a week tho. i lock myself in the a/v closet and say i am copying CDs (that they sell) and just read carl sagan
I used to go to church and didn't pay attention, I waited until it was over to trade yu-gi-oh cards with all the other kids. hocuspocus;
Quote from: silvertone on November 15, 2011, 08:59:08 PM
i goto church every week and have been since birth. in high school i went like 5 times a week. now it just once a week tho. i lock myself in the a/v closet and say i am copying CDs (that they sell) and just read carl sagan
carl sagan is a good christian.
i first went when i was baptized as a little babby thyme :3
i last went when my grandma died 7 years ago (well it was a tiny chapel but w/e)
i won't be going there again until someone in my family dies or gets married
I was raised in a Catholic education system so saw their Mass once a week when I was younger, and once every few weeks in high school. My parents, fortunately, never made a habit of worshipping anything (except money)...
Quote from: bluebirdofhappiness on November 15, 2011, 09:02:18 PM
carl sagan is a good christian.
he actually spends the first or second chapter of this book saying why religion is Kinda Dumb.
Quote from: silvertone on November 15, 2011, 09:03:27 PM
he actually spends the first or second chapter of this book saying why religion is Kinda Dumb.
i was being very tongue-in-cheek when i said that
I live in the bible belt so of course I have.
I haven't actually went to sunday service in a long while though.
NOPE!
Quote from: bluebirdofhappiness on November 15, 2011, 09:04:27 PM
i was being very tongue-in-cheek when i said that
yeah, i know omg!!!
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:05:28 PM
NOPE!
lol
tell us about your experience in church-going, hippo ifeelbetter;
Quote from: Thyme on November 15, 2011, 09:06:34 PM
lol
tell us about your experience in church-going, hippo ifeelbetter;
It's a dark and embarrassing chapter of my life. I prefer to pretend like it never happened. n_n
before i became a non-believer, my mother stopped taking us to church because of the predominately southern baptist sects in our small town in georgia
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:08:58 PM
It's a dark and embarrassing chapter of my life. I prefer to pretend like it never happened. n_n
okay :(
Quote from: bluebirdofhappiness on November 15, 2011, 09:09:04 PM
before i became a non-believer
You went
back to being a non-believer. hocuspocus;
still am. <3
unfortunately
Only for funerals or weddings, which are practically the same. I feel weird when I am inside of a church. I sit there and I wait for the show to end--as any other good spectator would--or to heed a command issued at the audience by the authority figure at the pulpit, dressed in robes and evoking God's name. It is a strange place. I incite the angels to attack me, but they never seem to care.
Yes, since I was a baby. They got me running the sound room now.
Quote from: silvertone on November 15, 2011, 09:12:51 PM
i'll make a believer outta u
beth gibbons is my idol though i don't believe god condones it
Quote from: bluebirdofhappiness on November 15, 2011, 09:16:27 PM
beth gibbons is my idol though i don't believe god condones it
kill yr idols
Quote from: Thyme on November 15, 2011, 09:09:53 PM
okay :(
I went deep into the rabbit hole of evangelical christianity. There's just a lot to tell, I guess.
...
And I don't think I've told Boyah anything about that side of my life... Have I? confuseddood;
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:20:04 PM
I went deep into the rabbit hole of evangelical christianity. There's just a lot to tell, I guess.
...
And I don't think I've told Boyah anything about that side of my life... Have I? confuseddood;
my mother was/is an evangelical christian :'(
I don't understand how someone can take an organized religion seriously?
Hippo that sounds so interesting what'd you do?
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:20:04 PM
I went deep into the rabbit hole of evangelical christianity. There's just a lot to tell, I guess.
...
And I don't think I've told Boyah anything about that side of my life... Have I? confuseddood;
Not a whole lot, at least as far as I remember. Maybe you mentioned a few things here and there in different threads on the serious discussion board, but I'm not sure.
It's okay if you don't want to, Hippo.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:22:04 PM
I don't understand how someone can take an organized religion seriously?
sam harris is my anti-idol
Isn't it funny how modern churches are modeled? They resemble a business center from the outside, with all of that glass and predictable geometry, yet inside they form a giant auditorium, with enough seats to fill a stadium. It seems the architecture truly reflects the message.
I was baptized not long after birth :'(
My mother goes to church every Easter, maybe half of the Christmases, and used to bring me all the time, but for the last couple of years she's let up on it some.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:22:04 PM
I don't understand how someone can take an organized religion seriously?
It has a lot to do with community.
And security.
And a promise of happiness.
Overall, it can just feel good to believe.
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:36:07 PM
It has a lot to do with community.
And security.
And a promise of happiness.
Overall, it can just feel good to believe.
+ food
I suppose I understand that but I mean deep down you gotta know it's bullshit, right? I have more belief in my weed than I ever will in Jesus.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:28:53 PM
Isn't it funny how modern churches are modeled? They resemble a business center from the outside, with all of that glass and predictable geometry, yet inside they form a giant auditorium, with enough seats to fill a stadium. It seems the architecture truly reflects the message.
ever been to texas? goowan
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:38:24 PM
I suppose I understand that but I mean deep down you gotta know it's bullshit, right? I have more belief in my weed than I ever will in Jesus.
unfortunately, I think most people leave those 'deep down' criticisms for other people to deal with and will be ok with anything that's just 'good enough'
...makes people really easy to manipulate
jews serve more food than christians so much so they have holidays centred on food
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:38:24 PM
I suppose I understand that but I mean deep down you gotta know it's bullshit, right?
No, far too many people are somehow unable to recognize that. n_u
I think my mom doesn't truly believe in christianity but goes to church anyways
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:38:24 PM
have more belief in my weed than I ever will in Jesus.
Haha. You speak the truth here.
And it's hard to say what I believed "deep down" at the peak of my Christianity. I knew a lot of things were bullshit. Like the Adam and Eve story and most of the miracles of the old testament. But I legitimately believed in the existence of God.
It's strange to me now, but I did.
Quote from: vziard on November 15, 2011, 09:39:00 PM
ever been to texas?
No but I can imagine.
Quote from: vziard on November 15, 2011, 09:39:00 PM
unfortunately, I think most people leave those 'deep down' criticisms for other people to deal with and will be ok with anything that's just 'good enough'
...makes people really easy to manipulate
I have never really taken issue with the notion that one may need a supportive community of like-minded folks in order to overcome some personal difficulty or challenge etc... However, I take issue with the belief that prayer and worship will form a 'personal relationship with God' that is going to cure ills and bring you happiness. That's so infantile and naive I can't even comprehend what is good about the premise? Aren't I a much tougher, more noble being if I live life righteously alone, and on my own two feet and hands?
god was my forbidden boyfriend
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:47:57 PM
I have never really taken issue with the notion that one may need a supportive community of like-minded folks in order to overcome some personal difficulty or challenge etc... However, I take issue with the belief that prayer and worship will form a 'personal relationship with God' that is going to cure ills and bring you happiness. That's so infantile and naive I can't even comprehend what is good about the premise? Aren't I a much tougher, more noble being if I live life righteously alone, and on my own two feet and hands?
Yes, yes, you speak the truth. Action is more important than prayer.
I want to say I don't understand it as well, but then I remember that I used to do this. It's really kind of unsettling how easy it is to be manipulated into believing these things.
And aren't you a philosophy major what the hell!
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:58:32 PM
And aren't you a philosophy major what the hell!
Yes, yes I am. But to be fair, I was religious going into philosophy.
In the long run, philosophy did wonders for me.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 09:47:57 PM
No but I can imagine.
I have never really taken issue with the notion that one may need a supportive community of like-minded folks in order to overcome some personal difficulty or challenge etc... However, I take issue with the belief that prayer and worship will form a 'personal relationship with God' that is going to cure ills and bring you happiness. That's so infantile and naive I can't even comprehend what is good about the premise? Aren't I a much tougher, more noble being if I live life righteously alone, and on my own two feet and hands?
Well Christianity is supposed to be about being humble and helping out other people, especially those that are less fortunate than you are and those that are unable to care for themselves. And treating others with kindness instead of hatred and deceit. Granted not everybody does this (maybe not even the majority in the US) but that's the way it's supposed to be. And certainly not everybody teaches any of this either.
And you're not guaranteed to live happily or without any misfortunes or ills either. It's not promised every thing is going to be all hunky dory all the time. The Bible even says that you will encounter misfortunes and hardships and partly because of your beliefs. And it's not that evident in the US (persecution because of a belief in Christianity) but other countries do have it way worse. And course that can be true for a number of things not just this.
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:56:42 PM
Yes, yes, you speak the truth. Action is more important than prayer.
I want to say I don't understand it as well, but then I remember that I used to do this. It's really kind of unsettling how easy it is to be manipulated into believing these things.
Actually it does say this in the Bible too. Not that Actions are more important than prayer, but that faith without deeds is dead. It basically says "What good is your faith if you don't do anything to show it or back it up" as such some of the points in my previous post.
Quote from: James 2:14-1714. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15. Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 10:05:02 PM
Well Christianity is supposed to be about being humble and helping out other people, especially those that are less fortunate than you are and those that are unable to care for themselves. And treating others with kindness instead of hatred and deceit. Granted not everybody does this (maybe not even the majority in the US) but that's the way it's supposed to be. And certainly not everybody teaches any of this either.
And you're not guaranteed to live happily or without any misfortunes or ills either. It's not promised every thing is going to be all hunky dory all the time. The Bible even says that you will encounter misfortunes and hardships and partly because of your beliefs. And it's not that evident in the US (persecution because of a belief in Christianity) but other countries do have it way worse. And course that can be true for a number of things not just this.
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:56:42 PM
It's really kind of unsettling how easy it is to be manipulated into believing these things.
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 10:04:13 PM
But to be fair, I was religious going into philosophy.
Now that tattoo on your lip and other things can finally make sense.
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 10:05:02 PM
Well Christianity is supposed to be about being humble and helping out other people, especially those that are less fortunate than you are and those that are unable to care for themselves. And treating others with kindness instead of hatred and deceit. Granted not everybody does this (maybe not even the majority in the US) but that's the way it's supposed to be. And certainly not everybody teaches any of this either.
This is called being a decent human being, which everyone should strive to be. It has nothing to do with Christianity or any religion and is much older and in fact quite natural as far as I am concerned, because order calls for balance in the world. Now I can see how and why this was realized and weaved into a morality tale of fantasy, but the words stem from character, not the other way around.
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 10:04:13 PM
And you're not guaranteed to live happily or without any misfortunes or ills either. It's not promised every thing is going to be all hunky dory all the time. The Bible even says that you will encounter misfortunes and hardships and partly because of your beliefs. And it's not that evident in the US (persecution because of a belief in Christianity) but other countries do have it way worse. And course that can be true for a number of things not just this.
What's the meaning of this?
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 10:13:51 PM
Now that tattoo on your lip and other things can finally make sense.
Thug life forever, bro. baddood;
Quote from: vziard on November 15, 2011, 10:13:19 PM
Ah, a mocker, that's indecent.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 10:13:51 PM
Now that tattoo on your lip and other things can finally make sense.
This is called being a decent human being, which everyone should strive to be. It has nothing to do with Christianity or any religion and is much older and in fact quite natural as far as I am concerned, because order calls for balance in the world. Now I can see how and why this was realized and weaved into a morality tale of fantasy, but the words stem from character, not the other way around.
And that's what Christianity does teach. How to be a decent human being. Though again, not everybody actually follows this. And yes you can be a decent human being without being a Christian and you don't need Christianity to be a decent human being. But what's wrong with Christianity also showing these things?
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 10:13:51 PM
What's the meaning of this?
Because you said this,
QuoteHowever, I take issue with the belief that prayer and worship will form a 'personal relationship with God' that is going to cure ills and bring you happiness.
i regularly attended the church of latter-day saints until i was around 13 years old awdood;
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 10:19:25 PM
And that's Christianity does teach. How to be a decent human being, though again, not everybody actually follows this. And yes you can be a decent human being without being a Christian and you don't need Christianity to be a decent human being. HBut what's wrong with Christianity also showing these things?
One thread may appear white, in your eye at least, but the rest of the fabric is stained red. So even if I allow that premise, it is still unnecessary, and I do not need another reason for objection. But you are also glossing over how polarizing, exclusive and contradicting your scripture is, not to mention the history of its manifestation as an entity and religion. Do you understand the difference between a belief and an organization?
Quote
Because you said this,
And notice how much conviction I had.
Quote from: Sakamoto on November 15, 2011, 10:21:39 PM
i regularly attended the church of latter-day saints until i was around 13 years old awdood;
lmqo
Yes, just about every sunday until I was 18
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 10:31:01 PM
One thread may appear white, in your eye at least, but the rest of the fabric is stained red. So even if I allow that premise, it is still unnecessary, and I do not need another reason for objection. But you are also glossing over how polarizing, exclusive and contradicting your scripture is, not to mention the history of its manifestation as an entity and religion. Do you understand the difference between a belief and an organization?
And notice how much conviction I had.
Do you understand that I was saying what Christianity is supposed to be about? I even said pretty much those exact words in my first response to one of your posts in this thread. Add to this that you yourself were talking about some its beliefs.
Also, all of humanity is stained red, not just the religious parts or people of it. And I am fully aware of some of the atrocities committed under the banner of the Christian religion.
And do you have some sort of a problem that Christianity has these teachings that I mentioned in it? Are you opposed to it having them in it? Because you seem to try to denounce it or try to find some way to invalidate them whenever I bring those things up.
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 10:19:25 PM
Ah, a mocker, that's indecent.
And that's what Christianity does teach. How to be a decent human being. Though again, not everybody actually follows this. And yes you can be a decent human being without being a Christian and you don't need Christianity to be a decent human being. But what's wrong with Christianity also showing these things?
too fucking boring, get rid of it
Jeez, just let the poor guy be. Whatever makes you a better person isn't exactly condemnable
Quote from: NPR on November 15, 2011, 10:43:45 PM
Jeez, just let the poor guy be. Whatever makes you a better person isn't exactly condemnable
anything unnecessary is useless, this is the outline of my harshly mechanistic worldview
Quote from: vziard on November 15, 2011, 10:45:30 PM
anything unnecessary is useless, this is the outline of my harshly mechanistic worldview
Drugs
Quote from: NPR on November 15, 2011, 10:43:45 PM
Jeez, just let the poor guy be. Whatever makes you a better person isn't exactly condemnable
He's the one that started the discourse. Haha.
And yeah, striving to be a better person is great, but having absolute moral authority is troublesome. Most Christians claim to have this.
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 10:39:49 PM
Do you understand that I was saying what Christianity is supposed to be about? I even said pretty much those exact words in my first response to one of your posts in this thread. Add to this that you yourself were talking about some its beliefs.
Also, all of humanity is stained red, not just the religious parts or people of it. And I am fully aware of some of the atrocities committed under the banner of the Christian religion.
And do you have some sort of a problem that Christianity has these teachings that I mentioned in it? Are you opposed to it having them in it? Because you seem to try to denounce it or try to find some way to invalidate them whenever I bring those things up.
I don't need you or anyone else to tell me what Christianity is about or ought to be. I don't care for it. But you can't deny your humanity. And that is the difference between the truth and a lie--the testament of time. My point and grievance is that a moral allegorical story has been packaged and sold as a lifestyle, history and present day fact. With emphasis to the message only after the teachings have been accepted. This is not only a travesty, but obvious foolishness. If something is natural then it is real, and needs nothing but a medium and a subject to transcend. That is why evolution, for example, as an idea and as a practice, does not need an organization or worship to exist and be known--to have an effect--when it is legitimate.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 10:54:26 PM
I don't need you or anyone else to tell me what Christianity is about or ought to be. I don't care for it. But you can't deny your humanity. And that is the difference between the truth and a lie--the testament of time. My point and grievance is that a moral allegorical story has been packaged and sold as a lifestyle, history and present day fact. With emphasis to the message only after the teachings have been accepted. This is not only a travesty, but obvious foolishness. If something is natural then it is real, and needs nothing but a medium and a subject to transcend. That is why evolution, for example, as an idea and as a practice, does not need an organization or worship to exist and be known--to have an effect--when it is legitimate.
Then why not just say that outright to begin with instead of saying that you "can't understand" or mocking other people and their beliefs?
And yes it is foolishness for somebody to accept something without looking into it and studying it first. But not everybody does this. And not every church puts the "emphasis to the message only after the teachings have been accepted". You know everybody is different and has their own differences.
I did not mock anyone and I still cannot understand how people are able and willing to accept a lie so that they may be able to have a compromised truth. That is sad. If you believed more in yourself, this would be a non issue.
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 11:12:52 PM
I did not mock anyone and I still cannot understand how people are able and willing to accept a lie so that they may be able to have a compromised truth. That is sad. If you believed more in yourself, this would be a non issue.
Because they have found and/or believed it to not be a lie. Just like pretty much any other thing. Though there are those who abuse the religion and use it for their own gain and maliciously manipulate others with it. And you'll probably say everybody does this and denounce everything about it because of it.
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 11:18:37 PM
Because they have found and/or believed it to not be a lie.
I'm sorry, I just can't get over this statement. It's impossible to find something that does not exist. But as we have seen repeatedly, many people still insist that absence of proof is not proof of absence. The underlying theory here is fundamental. So even if in a certain case Christianity and or religion has 'worked' in a person's life--per that perspective-- it does not and cannot change my opinion of it. I am much more inclined to credit the individual, and view the religious aspect as an inconsequential placebo.
I'm not saying it should change your opinion of it and I'm not trying to change your opinion of it. But your first observations of it in this thread weren't giving the whole story so I was adding to it.
when i was younger i used to detest the church
after goofing off and playing tag in the churches here i've grown to admire their architecture
so i like going to churches at night with no one but myself and practicing saints
as for the practices themselves, i sometimes attend them
i like strengthening their connection with their 'god'
i've always found it slightly humorous--someone godless helping someone else be engulfed by their beliefs
i don't know why anyone would try to dismiss their beliefs
it's almost nearly impossible to change them anyways, so why not help them*~~**~~
Quote from: Space Left Intentionally Blank on November 15, 2011, 11:30:12 PM
I'm not saying it should change your opinion of it and I'm not trying to change your opinion of it. But your first observations of it in this thread weren't giving the whole story so I adding to it.
It's funny because until tonight I had never thought of you in this context. And yet I have treated you as one human should another, before and after. Doesn't that say everything?
Quote from: Socks on November 15, 2011, 11:34:27 PM
It's funny because until tonight I had never thought of you in this context. And yet I have treated you as one human should another, before and after. Doesn't that say everything?
And that's fine and good. And I'm not going to say that it's wrong, or you're wrong because you didn't use Christianity or religion to do this or be able to do this or learn/know how to do this. And I'm not saying it's impossible to be good without religion because it is possible. And it's fine for people to be decent humans without religion too.
And not every religious person just uses religion as a means to be a good person or to stay a good person either. There definitely are some that do, but not everybody does. (I know somebody somewhere would have gotten that out of the first paragraph and focused on that. I'm sure if anybody here would have done that though.)
Yes for a lot of my life, but we pretty much left after the whole child molesting scandal. One of our priests ended up getting arrested. Also the answer is no, thankfully.
My mom is still fairly religious and so is my dad to an extent, I think. All of my religious influence was positive in my eyes, and nobody in my church's community seemed to spew hate like some groups do. I really think it was actually a positive experience for me, even if I don't believe in it all that much anymore.
I have a few close friends who are still very strong Christians, and they're a couple of the nicest people I know. I'll go to their church youth group from time to time because even when the religious message is removed, the values and lessons they teach are definitely something worth taking away.
So basically I got lucky because none of the Christians I know are assholes so it didn't fuck me up.
also that was a really long and serious post for me
brb dick jokes
Ive been going to the same church, practically every Sunday since i was about 2 years old.
I went to every VBS(vacation bible school) when i was a child and i also went to sunday school.
I went to a few christian based private schools growing up which also had various Chapel Times, and entire classes devoted to studying the bible.
Ive been in BSF(Bible Study Fellowship). its a sort of bible study after school, in the evenings.
Ive been to about 3 different youth groups, one of which was just called youth group to make parents believe it was safe. (it was actually they place where i had my first lesbian experience lol)
After highschool, i went to a His Hill Bible School. Its a sort of post-highschool, pre-college thing. I lived there and I devoted an entire year to it, which meant i spent 7 hours a day learning about the bible and or doing christian based volunteer work in the community.
and yet, i draw furry porn. how curious.
Quote from: Sakamoto on November 15, 2011, 10:21:39 PM
i regularly attended the church of latter-day saints until i was around 13 years old awdood;
I dated a gay Mormon once. Then, I found out he had a wife. Never again.
Quote from: Hippopo on November 15, 2011, 09:36:07 PM
It has a lot to do with community.
And security.
And a promise of happiness.
Overall, it can just feel good to believe.
Yeah, I mean you can definitely see the community aspect extremely easily. Everyone knows one another (at least at this place) and they are all united under the belief in the bible. It's something I never really experienced as neither of my parents are that religious. My mother is atheist and my father claims belief in a god but he doesn't actually go to church and never really has. My grandmother tried imbibing me with belief in the bible but it never really worked out due to the lack of influence from my parents.
It's a really interesting thing to observe being from my background, as opposed to the background of most people there including many children.
I used to go to church once or twice a month as a child and did vacation bible school over the summer which was pretty fun actually
Then probably around age 11 or so I stopped going much
then by 13 I only went when my dad took us which was like once every couple months, probably like 8 times a year or something
by high school I went maybe 5 times a year tops with my dad
Haven't been to an actual church service since I was probably 17, although possibly 18
I find it quite interesting though, everyone dressing nicely to attend sort of a community meeting thing, a few people making it hard to keep in laughter with their piousness, etc.
I started to enjoy listening to the sermons towards the end of it though, because even though I hadn't believed in any of it since I was 13-ish, I always liked to try to understand what he was saying, and in my head I would find the parts I agreed with for the most part and pick apart all the other strange things he would say.
I've been several times. Can't say much about it other than that I went. Several times.
goto church every week
also i never specified i was a christian (never was) hence the usage of the term non-believer