Going to church

Do any of you guys go to church voluntarily on a regular basis? I go to church with my wife 2x a month and attend a lot of the functions. I actually quite enjoy it, and I am a big fan of the pipe organ, and the organist for our church is very excellent.

My wife used to go to church alone and I went with her a few times but they would always push some sort of us vs them type garbage. So I told her that I found their subject matter offensive and if she found me an accepting church I would try it again. So after we moved she found this episcopalian church, talked to the lady priest, talked to her about me being an atheist at which point she told my wife that there was an atheist who already was attending regularly and that she wouldn't try and convert me.

So I gave it another shot and it turns out I really like it. It also gives me a reason to wake up at a decent time on sundays.

Honestly this was the first good experience I ever had with a church in my life.

I go occasionally with my wife. Setting aside my beliefs I don't really enjoy it and the church we go to is a good one as far as churches go. I've been to church off and on since I was a child and by no means do I find any entertainment value in it even though the production at my church is nice.

More or less I feel like I don't have much available time on Sunday as it is so there are other things I'd rather do besides sit at church as an outside observer because that's how I feel when I'm there.

I guess I should note I was a Christian for 32 years which was most of my life since before I could remember.

with the parents for xmas or easter, yeah. Boring as hell and it's the only time anyone really shows up to the place all year anyways. Course, my parents don't know I'm an atheist, nor do I plan to tell them any time soon, so I gotta go.

I don't go to church, I am the church! That is, if you define "church" as the assembly of believers (with certain criteria) and not as a building. But regardless, I am an active member of a church regardless of how you define it.mindstorm

I wouldn't define you as "the church". That seems as if you're trying to be Jesus. What sort of "certain criteria", aside from self-aggrandisement", do you possess that makes you think this.

Also. please let me know what "edification" means exactly. Is it somewhat like brainwashing? 

I don't go to church, I am the church! That is, if you define "church" as the assembly of believers (with certain criteria) and not as a building. But regardless, I am an active member of a church regardless of how you define it.mindstorm

I would define church as a gathering of individuals on a regular basis to participate in rituals based on a common belief structure.

I would define church as a gathering of individuals on a regular basis to participate in rituals based on a common belief structure.

GummiRaccoon

I wouldn't define you as "the church". That seems as if you're trying to be Jesus. What sort of "certain criteria", aside from self-aggrandisement", do you possess that makes you think this.

Also. please let me know what "edification" means exactly. Is it somewhat like brainwashing? 

RationalAtheist

The word used in the New Testament is ecclesia which essentially means assembly but very literally means "called out ones."  The time it was most often used outside of Christianity during that time was to call people out of their daily lives for the purpose of government akin to a town council. When used within the New Testament, the vast majority of its uses would be in reference to a local body of believers who gather together to remember what Christ has done.  The church is the people, not the building.  As such, I am a part of a church.

Denominations in the past have debated the exact nature of the church throughout the years.  Though I might disagree with John Calvin's merging of the church and state as was typical in his time, he rightly defines church as an assembly of believers who gather together to study the Scriptures, administer the sacriments rightly, and who administer church discipline.

Church discipline itself should not be views as everyone telling others what not to do but it is a part of that edification thing I spoke of.  The body of believers is to encourage one another and build one another up so that they might better be a holy people who rightly love God and rightly love others.  

The word used in the New Testament is ecclesia which essentially means assembly but very literally means "called out ones."  The time it was most often used outside of Christianity during that time was to call people out of their daily lives for the purpose of government akin to a town council. When used within the New Testament, the vast majority of its uses would be in reference to a local body of believers who gather together to remember what Christ has done.  The church is the people, not the building.  As such, I am a part of a church.

Denominations in the past have debated the exact nature of the church throughout the years.  Though I might disagree with John Calvin's merging of the church and state as was typical in his time, he rightly defines church as an assembly of believers who gather together to study the Scriptures, administer the sacriments rightly, and who administer church discipline.

Church discipline itself should not be views as everyone telling others what not to do but it is a part of that edification thing I spoke of.  The body of believers is to encourage one another and build one another up so that they might better be a holy people who rightly love God and rightly love others.  

mindstorm

You are part of a church, yes; but you are not a church yourself. 

Did you speak of that edification thing? Encouragement, repeatedly studying a narrow set of texts and disciplining of one-another around a sole cause does sound similar to brainwashing though. Most other ideas are able to stand on their own terms, without the constant cajoling and building people up (while also breaking them down as depraved and wrought in sin) to believe something.

I used to like going to old churches and cathedrals - for the architecture, history and for the organ music.  The history of architecture is fascinating and the seemingly impossible feats of church building and extending formed the basis of structural engineering today.

I particularly remember a trip around Ely cathedral, where I took a tour up and into into the "lantern", built after Ely's Norman central tower collapsed in the 1300's. Those painted panels directly under the lantern window open to reveal a stunning view of the cathedral transept below. We were also allowed out on the roof - that tour was not for the feint-hearted! I'd thoroughly recommend it for any visitors to the county of Cambridge.

I like the sound of organ music too - because the bass frequencies are the lowest occurring notes of any acoustic instrument and there is nothing like those pressure waves bouncing around a large space - I'm rather a sucker for audio!

The sights and sounds of churches and cathedrals must have seemed other-wordly to your average dweller in the dark ages and remain inspiring today - for different reasons to me though.

You married someone who is christian, and you're an atheist? I'm an athiest. I'm not saying I wouldn't marry a christian, muslim, or whatever, but I just find it too conflicting to marry someone, raising children, and then having two parents with different beliefs raise children.

And I don't understand how you can withstand church. I hate it!

You married someone who is christian, and you're an atheist? I'm an athiest. I'm not saying I wouldn't marry a christian, muslim, or whatever, but I just find it too conflicting to marry someone, raising children, and then having two parents with different beliefs raise children.

And I don't understand how you can withstand church. I hate it!

majadamus

Episcopalian church is quite different than basically every other church there is. It looks catholic but they have female priests, openly gay priests, the priests get married and no one hates anyone.

There is no conflicting in our relationship over our religious beliefs.

Not anymore, but I do eventually plan on going to the old, old cathedrals soon. I've always liked the atmosphere of an old church with hundreds of years of history. l4dak47

Agreed. Also gregorian chants are sweet

You married someone who is christian, and you're an atheist? I'm an athiest. I'm not saying I wouldn't marry a christian, muslim, or whatever, but I just find it too conflicting to marry someone, raising children, and then having two parents with different beliefs raise children.

And I don't understand how you can withstand church. I hate it!

majadamus

[QUOTE="majadamus"]

You married someone who is christian, and you're an atheist? I'm an athiest. I'm not saying I wouldn't marry a christian, muslim, or whatever, but I just find it too conflicting to marry someone, raising children, and then having two parents with different beliefs raise children.

And I don't understand how you can withstand church. I hate it!

junglist101

Sometimes, opposites attract the strongest...like a magnet :P

I will go for Funerals or anniversary mass for relatives I was close to. Or weddings depending on the people getting married. Never regularly though, I even stopped going to Xmas mass with my family.

Unless someone has died or is getting married...NO. Amnesiac23

I always get a few little chuckles when going to church. Like when we pray to thank god for good weather lol. All and all they're good people though. It can fun every now and thennintendogamer6

I haven't been to a church service in a couple of years, at least. That's at least partially because I've not found a denomination or, at the very least, a particular church group that I am comfortable with. The last one I attended was on the insistence of a close friend who wanted me to come with him and a couple of mutual friends to a Pentecostal church. I found the service interesting, and the people were nice if not bizarre in certain ways that would be obvious to anyone who isn't Pentecostal. I even gave a few dollars when they passed around the collection plate.

However, I ended up having to leave right after the passing of the collection plate, because one man who was particularly rigid in his beliefs (and, not to mention, an arrogant asshat) decided to begin belittling me because it was the first church service he'd ever seen me attend there.

Aside from formal church gatherings in a building designed specifically for the purpose, I have actually had more rudimentary "get togethers" with friends of mine where we discuss (and often debate) Biblical scripture, among other things.

sure why not! salvation is 1st man!

sure why not! salvation is 1st man!

gamesbenzlo

i don't see the purpose of going to a church if i'm atheist

i do go to funerals to respect the people who passed away but that's it 

I have a question why don't they a Christian union here?

I have a question why don't they a Christian union here?

Shattered-dream

I have an answer: They do - depending on your particular flavour of Christianity. 

There's the Christian Union, and then there's the Catholic Union. There used to be more fundamentalist unions like the Bible Believer's Union and Christian witness Union and their forums are still available, but inactive. They didn't all get along in fellowship when they were active though, so people had to choose their Christian interpretations accordingly.