An explanation for religion

The best thing that happened to both of my parents is getting the hell away from each other.

 

Where do I keep those scarlet letters........

 

When you find them let me know. I desperately need one.

 

I agree. Although it has hurt, and deeper than I expected it to when I knew this was the road to travel, I'm also not one to forsake the assembly. My children and me will be in attendance somewhere. I taught a lesson a few times about the way Christians eat their own and how to guard from that. Two of the people in my class that I heard from cited that lesson and made me feel good. The problem in my scenario is this church is the one that my wife grew up in. Many of the members are at her house for Thanksgiving, so naturally, if sides are selected I'm out.

I did see it coming though. We had a member 4 years ago who everyone knew had issues with drugs. I visited this young man many times and offered everything I had to help him get clean. While in a drug-induced weekend, his girlfriend left her child with him for a weekend. The young child ended up dead from him shaking it in punishment. Our next Sunday service was to "vote" on his removal from the church. My vote was the only one keeping it from unanimous. My take has always been that had the entire church not labeled him a condemned drug addict from years ago, this may not have happened. And although heinous and unfathomable to kill a child, by the grace and mercy of God that could have been me. To my knowledge, I'm still the only person to have visited him before and after this happened.

 

Some are Christians, but most are just traditionalists. If they were born Hindu they would be devoted Hindu. If they were born following the mountain god juju, they'd stick to that. They happened to be born Christian. So they will never grow beyond their original superficial notion of that identity.

 

Solid

 

Pharisees

 

Well said.

 

Solid!

 

Organized, traditional religion is a farce. I choose to be Christian because life has a higher purpose and it helps me to give back to the people around me and guide me in life. I grew up Baptist and all it was to me was a huge passing contest about who was more Christian than another. It's was sickening.

Everyone in the church should have refuge from the outside as long as they seek the church for the right reasons. If a crackhead is starving and needs a meal then he should get one. If a divorced mom needs some help with her kids then by all means she should get it provided that service is available. It just saddens me that some churches preach about open doors for the misguided yet the first time one of their own does something they shun and dissociate.

 

This made me think of the calling of Matthew. Specifically the bold.

 

Which is why churches are on so many street corners. Someone got offended because their grandfather and grandmother did something a certain way, and so they created a new church across the street. Tradition can be a scary thing.

 

Half the churches in America would be appalled if they saw who Jesus congregated with in today's times. Limiting who can come in and out of church doors doesn't make you righteous, it makes you a social club.

 

The problem in this country is that the churches have so much political control despite the numerous different denominations and creeds.

 

The problem is that some churches want to be political in any shape, form or fashion.

 

Also true. Baptists practically control the elections in my hometown. It doesn't matter how society around them feels.

 

The city got the moron so many were clamoring for as mayor and there are package stores now. Unless they are holding up construction of the bypass, I don't know what else they can control.

 

Sorry to hear NYY. Hope everything works out.

 

Which is the moron you speak of?

And package stores needed to be passed. Taxa revenue and the potential for restaurant business is a big deal in a county that is broke.

 

Tim Pierce. He's a moron. Then again, this is the city who voted a mayor out of office because he got a grant to make downtown look 1,000 times better.

The package stores were stupid to bring in first IMO. Should have voted on liquor by the drink to sway some chain restaurants there first.