I went to church last night....

You went TO a church, sure.. Did you just roar thru the parking lot on your hog to scare everyone? Or did you actually go inside? (Or both? thatd be fun :D)
 
You went TO a church, sure.. Did you just roar thru the parking lot on your hog to scare everyone? Or did you actually go inside? (Or both? thatd be fun :D)
:D..I did ride the hog...and I did a little roaring...I did go inside...and yah..with the way crucifix's were flying up towards me as I found a seat, I may have scared a few of the people...especially when they read what is written on the back of my nephew's helmet, which I totally forgot about...:eek:



I knew I felt a distubance in the force... :eek:
Yah...all of Heaven did too.:D
 
Good for you True (I guess...:))

Ironically, I go almost every Sunday and leave feeling like I've missed God there more than I found him. He meets me a lot more everywhere else if I'll look for him... :)
 
...especially when they read what is written on the back of my nephew's helmet, which I totally forgot about...:eek:

"Property of Hell's Angels" ?

And you didnt wear your leather vest with the big "Biker Bitch" patch on the back, did you?
 
Yeah was/is the same for me.

Nice avatar.
Thanks Tele..thats my Foto flame.

"Property of Hell's Angels" ?

And you didnt wear your leather vest with the big "Biker Bitch" patch on the back, did you?
No...it says...*I'm not getting bald...just getting more head*...:eek:

I went into the kitchen, found some colored electrical tape and covered it as soon as I happened to look down as I placed it on the pew seat...then I realized, why I was seeing those looks.:D
 
Good for you True (I guess...:))

Ironically, I go almost every Sunday and leave feeling like I've missed God there more than I found him. He meets me a lot more everywhere else if I'll look for him... :)

that's why i pretty much stopped looking for a church and gave up entirely. the reverence i crave was accompanied by a stodgy, crusty, holier-than-thou attitude, and the spirit of forgiveness i believe in was accompanied by dumbed-down music, dumbed-down sermons, and people who are eager to wallow in such tripe.

i long for the days of the pastor who performed my wedding: a real intellectual and theologian with a sense of humor and a common sense approach.
 
1975...down by the river....the moon was full and bright....a slight breeze in the air...bonfire burning with wild garlic...keeping mosquiters away mid-flight...

Young people...most of whom...lived in homes of chaos and doom...came to the river and gathered round...searching for a peace that couldn't be found....

Yes, there was reefer madness that night...a toke or two, until around midnight...but no one died...no one yelled...no one attacked...no one failed...

A reading was presented...from the word of God...no pressure to receive...nor accusations of wrong...freewill to choose...they could leave or stay...but all sat in place...listening to the say...

They all felt the presence...of God that night...the power of his Spirit moved through the night...some were changed forever..not just by hearing the sounding of words...they saw someone cared...to listen to their hearts...to feel their hurt.


I was present that night as an observer. I had already been touched by God as a child, but this was the first time, I had ever witnessed someone reach out to others for no other purpose, than caring...no threats of damnation or looking down their noses at them...only offering them a different way to look at and to live in the world...no Bible beating...just opportunity to find more knowledge...of course, there were always the struggles..the temptations...the doubts and fears. They were told, that it's okay to stumble...it's even okay to fall...and if you do fall, not run away from God...but run to Him.

If only the churches could get that mindset into their hearts...allowing people to go thru trials and stumbling without attack, without shunning or whispering behind their backs...but to be there for them..with love and encouragement...allowing for the Holy Spirit to temper and refine.

Unfortunately the churches main concerns seem to be...funding and appearance...and let's see if we can out do the *whatever*church down the road in attendance and functions..you bring the most visitors and you get a prize!!..etc..etc.

WTF are they doing..? It's like a gathering of car salesman...more concerned about the sale than the longterm performance of the product offered. Sell em and forget them!!! If they want maintenance, make em pay for it!!!!

Jesus was railed against for eating with unbelievers...for touching the untouchable....loving the unlovable...forgiving the unforgivable...I myself, still believe, that loving the imperfect is the perfection of love...I just have to remember to apply it every day.

I left that service feeling just as empty as I went in...it all seemed so robotic and commercial...and I just can't seem to find my way back....
 
Amen to that.. I'm basically opposed to organized religion for just that reason.. Too much holier-than-thou and hypocrisy.. I'm spiritual in my own way, I don't beleive there's one 'right' religion, I beleive all religions are a path to the same spirituality. I wouldn't waste my time going to any church except for events like weddings, etc.. I don't need approval or acceptance from anyone based on my spirituality, and I don't really care for ppl who judge everyone else.
 
I don't mean to sound aspic or bitchy, because there are several people attending that have genuinely good hearts and a generous soul. I guess, I just don't have the tolerance for the other side of it all. It stresses me out too much.

I want to be real in whom I am...hateful, loving, judgmental, compassionate...whatever...I don't like wearing a spiritual cloak. God already knows all my nasties, so why should I pretend I have none? I have a problem with lying...I ain't very good at it!! If I tell a lie, it will be revealed all over my face and actions...so I try to be honest in my answer...and sometimes I wind up in really hot water doing that...and every now and then, I try to lie or be a bit deceitful...and get myself in even more hot water!

If it is something private I don't want to share, I prefer to just tell em, it's private, if at all possible, rather than to lie about the answer.
 
1975...down by the river....the moon was full and bright....a slight breeze in the air...bonfire burning with wild garlic...keeping mosquiters away mid-flight...

Young people...most of whom...lived in homes of chaos and doom...came to the river and gathered round...searching for a peace that couldn't be found....

Yes, there was reefer madness that night...a toke or two, until around midnight...but no one died...no one yelled...no one attacked...no one failed...

A reading was presented...from the word of God...no pressure to receive...nor accusations of wrong...freewill to choose...they could leave or stay...but all sat in place...listening to the say...

They all felt the presence...of God that night...the power of his Spirit moved through the night...some were changed forever..not just by hearing the sounding of words...they saw someone cared...to listen to their hearts...to feel their hurt.


I was present that night as an observer. I had already been touched by God as a child, but this was the first time, I had ever witnessed someone reach out to others for no other purpose, than caring...no threats of damnation or looking down their noses at them...only offering them a different way to look at and to live in the world...no Bible beating...just opportunity to find more knowledge...of course, there were always the struggles..the temptations...the doubts and fears. They were told, that it's okay to stumble...it's even okay to fall...and if you do fall, not run away from God...but run to Him.

If only the churches could get that mindset into their hearts...allowing people to go thru trials and stumbling without attack, without shunning or whispering behind their backs...but to be there for them..with love and encouragement...allowing for the Holy Spirit to temper and refine.

Unfortunately the churches main concerns seem to be...funding and appearance...and let's see if we can out do the *whatever*church down the road in attendance and functions..you bring the most visitors and you get a prize!!..etc..etc.

WTF are they doing..? It's like a gathering of car salesman...more concerned about the sale than the longterm performance of the product offered. Sell em and forget them!!! If they want maintenance, make em pay for it!!!!

Jesus was railed against for eating with unbelievers...for touching the untouchable....loving the unlovable...forgiving the unforgivable...I myself, still believe, that loving the imperfect is the perfection of love...I just have to remember to apply it every day.

I left that service feeling just as empty as I went in...it all seemed so robotic and commercial...and I just can't seem to find my way back....
Excellent post:D
 
God will find you when your spirit is ready. Just be prepared when he does find you; so will the enemy. God wants you and so does Satan. More often than not, if you are touched or inspired in church, the next day you are shot down in flames over what you got from the service. It's the devil's way of making sure that God can't win. If you overcome that, there are rewards from Him, and soon after that, attacks from Satan. It's a never-ending cycle, and only those who are strong enough can survive it, faith intact. Those of us who don't, realize that once the Almighty gets his hands on you, that He will come back for you. Remain strong in your faith and know in your heart of hearts that He is always faithful. Or be like me and backslide until you have to turn to Him because He has taken all other choices away from you.
Of course, there are those who can discount everything I have said. They are the ones who He is working on the hardest.
 
Good thread.

A lot of religious stuff hits me as social puffery of one type or another. I know there are sincere (consistently sincere, not just for the hour of the service) people in there too but in my own experience they are the exception, not the norm.

What matters is what you do, not what you say you believe. A lot of church stuff is just saying over and over what you believe.
 
Most churches simply exist to please people, and get money.

No offense intended, I grew up a Christian. And if you ever read the bible, you'll realize that Religion as we know it today. Is nothing like God or Jesus wanted it to be.

So many things in the church are wrong, I wouldn't doubt you feeling like you missed God.

Anyways, away from my rant. Its good to see people going..
 
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