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(If you just want to know why its cool scroll down to the below the bold text)
I decided to go back to church recently. Id always gone as a child, to a church called St Andrews, but when I reached the age of around 18 I decided to stop going. I was young and most people at the church were either very young children (5-11 years old) or 30 plus, with a lot being OAPs.
Putting it simply it was boring. I didnt like the style of the church service and the people, who are still friends of hte family I must add, were not friends of mine personally.
Because of the older age of the congregation, the service was like a concert you would take your nan to. Old fashioned hymns played on the organ are not my cup of tea. Well, at least not when they sound as bad as they did. You'll just have to trust me on that.
For a couple of years I went nowhere. Id been wanting to join a church that was full of people my age and mentality. I really had no idea where to go.
One day while doing overtime in work, I was sent to another shop. This is a regular occurence in my summer holidays and I get to work with different people which is often pleasure.
This particular day I was with a girl called Jen who mentioned that in her spare time she goes to church. A church full of young people. Not only that, it has a music group with drums, guitars etc. A full band in effect. I thought this sounded pretty good but what really sold it to me was when she said that after the sermon you can ask questions.
This was brilliant I though. Church had always been a place where you go and sit quietly and listen. If you had any questions you could talk to the minister after the service, but not during it.
So I went along and it was true. Anything you didnt understand (or dissagreed with) could be addressed in a short question session after the talk.
You can miss everything out up until this point if you only want to know why its cool
Anyway, all of this is just explaining why I think the church is good for me, but the title of the topic is "My Church is cool".
To put it simply, it has Podcasts of sermons. Thats just genious. They record the sermons each week then have it on a RSS feed on their website.
Check them out if you want
All of the old stuff is available in the resources section.
I decided to go back to church recently. Id always gone as a child, to a church called St Andrews, but when I reached the age of around 18 I decided to stop going. I was young and most people at the church were either very young children (5-11 years old) or 30 plus, with a lot being OAPs.
Putting it simply it was boring. I didnt like the style of the church service and the people, who are still friends of hte family I must add, were not friends of mine personally.
Because of the older age of the congregation, the service was like a concert you would take your nan to. Old fashioned hymns played on the organ are not my cup of tea. Well, at least not when they sound as bad as they did. You'll just have to trust me on that.
For a couple of years I went nowhere. Id been wanting to join a church that was full of people my age and mentality. I really had no idea where to go.
One day while doing overtime in work, I was sent to another shop. This is a regular occurence in my summer holidays and I get to work with different people which is often pleasure.
This particular day I was with a girl called Jen who mentioned that in her spare time she goes to church. A church full of young people. Not only that, it has a music group with drums, guitars etc. A full band in effect. I thought this sounded pretty good but what really sold it to me was when she said that after the sermon you can ask questions.
This was brilliant I though. Church had always been a place where you go and sit quietly and listen. If you had any questions you could talk to the minister after the service, but not during it.
So I went along and it was true. Anything you didnt understand (or dissagreed with) could be addressed in a short question session after the talk.
You can miss everything out up until this point if you only want to know why its cool
Anyway, all of this is just explaining why I think the church is good for me, but the title of the topic is "My Church is cool".
To put it simply, it has Podcasts of sermons. Thats just genious. They record the sermons each week then have it on a RSS feed on their website.
Check them out if you want
All of the old stuff is available in the resources section.
Well I guess there are these so called explanations for every occurrence and situation. Somehow I thought they would use reasoning that because we are sinners in the first place, we have to be punished. It's like a ever revolving catch 22. If the entire planet was converted to Christianity, we'd still face discrimination, abuse of power, poverty and so on... what are we being punished for then?
Another thing they're so quick to push is that their way is the only way. They mention Buddhism as a bury head in the sand approach, but I don't think Buddhism is like that... they take more of an accept what you can't change, and focus on the aftermath approach. Many will say it's common sense. Whereas Christianity pushes on 'death will happen, but the only way out is God'.
In a way it's preying on people's fear of death, the inevitable be all and end all of our existence, and wanting us to blindly follow in their faith for something they aren't guaranteed.
However, as I said, that's what faith is. It gives hope. I just wish Christians and other religions could see that they could easily lead as fulfilling and prosperous life with close community ties and so on, without blind devotion. If they died and left a mark, changed things for the better where they could, that's what life after death is.
Another thing they're so quick to push is that their way is the only way. They mention Buddhism as a bury head in the sand approach, but I don't think Buddhism is like that... they take more of an accept what you can't change, and focus on the aftermath approach. Many will say it's common sense. Whereas Christianity pushes on 'death will happen, but the only way out is God'.
In a way it's preying on people's fear of death, the inevitable be all and end all of our existence, and wanting us to blindly follow in their faith for something they aren't guaranteed.
However, as I said, that's what faith is. It gives hope. I just wish Christians and other religions could see that they could easily lead as fulfilling and prosperous life with close community ties and so on, without blind devotion. If they died and left a mark, changed things for the better where they could, that's what life after death is.
There are some good things on my churches website addressing issues such as Why God allows suffering and other such issues.
I'll just link to it rather than copy bits out. Take a look if you are interested.
http://www.christchurchliverpool.org/resources/apologetics/
I'll just link to it rather than copy bits out. Take a look if you are interested.
http://www.christchurchliverpool.org/resources/apologetics/
I went to a Christian school when I was young, and attended the occasional service at the request of my school friends. Somehow I just couldn't blindly follow the words, and eventually I stopped going completely.
I believe faith is good, I really do. A lot of the teachings in all religions teach a world of good, with sound a moral code, ethics and so on. But the bits inbetween, that ask for blind devotion and following without reason, other than because of the belief that it is the true (and only way), is a sharp blow to thinking freely.
"Unlike human rulers, however, God always does what is best for his subjects. He is the kind of king you’d like to be ruled by."
- Yes, starvation, disease, taking advantage of those beneath them in society or status, prejudice I could go on. It's all best for us.
"we are all rebels, because we don’t live God’s way. We prefer to follow our own desires, and to run things our own way, without God. This rebellious, self-sufficient attitude is what the Bible calls ‘sin’."
-So people with a good moral code, doing what's best for the community, caring for their loved ones, it's all sin because we're not following God. Meanwhile, Christians who take advantage of others, generally exploit their position where they can, it's fine, because they're following God.
"The Bible rings with the incredible news that Jesus died as a substitute for rebels like us. The debt that we owed God, Jesus paid by dying in our place. He took the full force of God’s justice on himself, so that forgiveness and pardon might be available to us."
-Hang on, so this loving, caring leader, OUR KING, who is supposed to do what's best for us, places guilt for not following him and as a result penalizes us? This leader sounds better and better!
All grabbed from here Link
I believe faith is good, I really do. A lot of the teachings in all religions teach a world of good, with sound a moral code, ethics and so on. But the bits inbetween, that ask for blind devotion and following without reason, other than because of the belief that it is the true (and only way), is a sharp blow to thinking freely.
"Unlike human rulers, however, God always does what is best for his subjects. He is the kind of king you’d like to be ruled by."
- Yes, starvation, disease, taking advantage of those beneath them in society or status, prejudice I could go on. It's all best for us.
"we are all rebels, because we don’t live God’s way. We prefer to follow our own desires, and to run things our own way, without God. This rebellious, self-sufficient attitude is what the Bible calls ‘sin’."
-So people with a good moral code, doing what's best for the community, caring for their loved ones, it's all sin because we're not following God. Meanwhile, Christians who take advantage of others, generally exploit their position where they can, it's fine, because they're following God.
"The Bible rings with the incredible news that Jesus died as a substitute for rebels like us. The debt that we owed God, Jesus paid by dying in our place. He took the full force of God’s justice on himself, so that forgiveness and pardon might be available to us."
-Hang on, so this loving, caring leader, OUR KING, who is supposed to do what's best for us, places guilt for not following him and as a result penalizes us? This leader sounds better and better!
All grabbed from here Link
Your church does sound cool. i had a not so cool expereince recently. like yourself, used to go to church, now i'm getting older thought it would be good to go back and try and get my little boy invovled
However, the church i went to was very intense. everyone was crying while they were praying and singing, i was the youngest (and most normal) person there (it appeared).
Anyway after the service i was talking to the vicar person about my job (probation officer) He then began to say how i could help to spread the word of jesus with the people I deal with at work.
Don't get me wrong I am sure the people at this church were very nice and obviously have a strong faith which makes them happy....it just wasn't for me.
The church you went to sounds fantastic
However, the church i went to was very intense. everyone was crying while they were praying and singing, i was the youngest (and most normal) person there (it appeared).
Anyway after the service i was talking to the vicar person about my job (probation officer) He then began to say how i could help to spread the word of jesus with the people I deal with at work.
Don't get me wrong I am sure the people at this church were very nice and obviously have a strong faith which makes them happy....it just wasn't for me.
The church you went to sounds fantastic
If sermons were taken out of church, I'd still probably be going.
That is pretty neat actually.
I lasted 45 seconds listening to the lastest sermon, anybody beat that? :)
I lasted 45 seconds listening to the lastest sermon, anybody beat that? :)
(If you just want to know why its cool scroll down to the below the bold text)
I decided to go back to church recently. Id always gone as a child, to a church called St Andrews, but when I reached the age of around 18 I decided to stop going. I was young and most people at the church were either very young children (5-11 years old) or 30 plus, with a lot being OAPs.
Putting it simply it was boring. I didnt like the style of the church service and the people, who are still friends of hte family I must add, were not friends of mine personally.
Because of the older age of the congregation, the service was like a concert you would take your nan to. Old fashioned hymns played on the organ are not my cup of tea. Well, at least not when they sound as bad as they did. You'll just have to trust me on that.
For a couple of years I went nowhere. Id been wanting to join a church that was full of people my age and mentality. I really had no idea where to go.
One day while doing overtime in work, I was sent to another shop. This is a regular occurence in my summer holidays and I get to work with different people which is often pleasure.
This particular day I was with a girl called Jen who mentioned that in her spare time she goes to church. A church full of young people. Not only that, it has a music group with drums, guitars etc. A full band in effect. I thought this sounded pretty good but what really sold it to me was when she said that after the sermon you can ask questions.
This was brilliant I though. Church had always been a place where you go and sit quietly and listen. If you had any questions you could talk to the minister after the service, but not during it.
So I went along and it was true. Anything you didnt understand (or dissagreed with) could be addressed in a short question session after the talk.
You can miss everything out up until this point if you only want to know why its cool
Anyway, all of this is just explaining why I think the church is good for me, but the title of the topic is "My Church is cool".
To put it simply, it has Podcasts of sermons. Thats just genious. They record the sermons each week then have it on a RSS feed on their website.
Check them out if you want
All of the old stuff is available in the resources section.
I decided to go back to church recently. Id always gone as a child, to a church called St Andrews, but when I reached the age of around 18 I decided to stop going. I was young and most people at the church were either very young children (5-11 years old) or 30 plus, with a lot being OAPs.
Putting it simply it was boring. I didnt like the style of the church service and the people, who are still friends of hte family I must add, were not friends of mine personally.
Because of the older age of the congregation, the service was like a concert you would take your nan to. Old fashioned hymns played on the organ are not my cup of tea. Well, at least not when they sound as bad as they did. You'll just have to trust me on that.
For a couple of years I went nowhere. Id been wanting to join a church that was full of people my age and mentality. I really had no idea where to go.
One day while doing overtime in work, I was sent to another shop. This is a regular occurence in my summer holidays and I get to work with different people which is often pleasure.
This particular day I was with a girl called Jen who mentioned that in her spare time she goes to church. A church full of young people. Not only that, it has a music group with drums, guitars etc. A full band in effect. I thought this sounded pretty good but what really sold it to me was when she said that after the sermon you can ask questions.
This was brilliant I though. Church had always been a place where you go and sit quietly and listen. If you had any questions you could talk to the minister after the service, but not during it.
So I went along and it was true. Anything you didnt understand (or dissagreed with) could be addressed in a short question session after the talk.
You can miss everything out up until this point if you only want to know why its cool
Anyway, all of this is just explaining why I think the church is good for me, but the title of the topic is "My Church is cool".
To put it simply, it has Podcasts of sermons. Thats just genious. They record the sermons each week then have it on a RSS feed on their website.
Check them out if you want
All of the old stuff is available in the resources section.