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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask about the alpha course here because hardly any traffic goes through the philosophy/religion topic?

52 replies

franklampoon · 01/09/2010 19:15

I am considering doing the Alpha course.
Anyone got views or experience?

Sorry to post here but got no replies on religious topic

OP posts:
Itsjustafleshwound · 01/09/2010 19:18

Did the Alpha course at Brompton Church. It was a pretty quick conversion from 'let's see what Christianity is about' to pretty full on evangelism - I can't say I liked it

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 01/09/2010 19:18

I've done it. I found it very useful as someone coming at Christianity from a fairly clueless standpoint. I vaguely remember being quite argumentative about some of it, but I can't remember what...I liked the way it tackled some of the big issues.

tokyonambu · 01/09/2010 19:18

www.guardian.co.uk/global/series/alpha-male

tinylion · 01/09/2010 19:25

Hi - I've done the Alpha Course- I did it at a Baptist Church. I found it interesting but a little bit "right, now you've had the facts. Time to feel the Holy Spirit and say you're a Christian!!"

Fact is, is that I wasn't convinced 100% (and probably never will be) so I didn't really have that urge to suddenly be "born again". There was the pressure to become a full member of the Church. Perhaps it was just because they were Baptist (and fairly evangelical) but eventually after lots of questions they said "look tinylion, you just have to let it all go and have faith"...well, I'm not really like that...although I do believe in good/evil and God.

It basically goes through - who was Jesus?, why he is relevant today?, what Christians believe? How God's love can change your life etcetera. There's a video first and then questions.

I had some questions about validity of virgin birth, why I think Jesus was prophet rather than Son of God, but it didn't really deal with those.

Useful if you are interested in Christianity and want to meet like minded people. Less useful if you have some indepth questions about points of faith.

Hope I've given some useful info - oh, and you usually get a decent meal after the talk!

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 01/09/2010 19:31

I think it depends on who is leading the group. The minister leading mine had a PHD in Theology, and was very interested in all viewpoints. I enjoyed the debate with her, and she never muttered the 'It all comes down to faith' line. Maybe I wouldn't have got so much out of it if we'd stuck just to the topics in the book.

horatia · 01/09/2010 19:36

It's based on fundamentalist and evangelical views, from Holy Trinity Brompton. By all means use the course to find out more about their particular take on Christianity, as well as more general information and debate, but I'd suggest keeping in mind that fundamentalism does not represent all Christians or churches.

Some non-fundamentalist churches also use the Alpha course because it seems to be the most well-known introduction to Christianity, so check out what sort of church is offering the course first. They may have a more open approach to the material than HTB would have.

More information on HTB here

IMHO the fundamentalist churches tend to be against homosexuality, against women leaders and so on "because it's what the Bible says" in their opinion (taking small parts of the Bible literally). HTB has an all-male leadership team (unless you're a woman married to one of the male leaders that is) here

LittleSilver · 01/09/2010 19:38

I did it.

I enjoyed it.

I started going to church again afterwards and have never looked back.

The poster who said it's a bit "Right, now you're a Christian time to feel the Holy Spirit" (or words to the effect) is absolutely right though.

Why not give it a whirl? You can always walk out.

boiledegg1 · 01/09/2010 19:48

Well I'm not a Christian but I have been to two!

I went along to the first one with a friend from work who was a Christian. I wasn't keen but she kept asking so I said I would go along to the first session just to see. I liked the people in the group, who were very down to earth and I found the real life application of it all really interesting. There was even a weekend retreat in an old monastery as part of the course which I found very peaceful. We watched a programme each week on a different topic then discussed it over a meal. It explains things such as the holy trinity in a straightforward way. There was no pressure to become a christian, but I chose afterwards to get involved with some of their church outreach to the homeless, again there was no pressure.

The second time, another friend who wasn't a christian wanted to go along to one but didn't want to go on her own. This was hosted by a more evangelical church that delivered the material themselves rather than using DVDs. I didn't enjoy it so much as the presentation of the material was dry, and on the 'away day' I felt pressured to make a commitment and it all got uncomfortable. If I'd experienced this course first I probably wouldn't have wanted to go a second time, although the material itself was still interesting second time around.

scrappydappydoo · 01/09/2010 19:53

If its run well (as in you don't feel pressured) its a great opportunity to ask difficult questions. I did 3 before becoming a christian - walked out the first one, argued in the second and then felt comfortable enough to become a christian in the 3rd. Give it a try - if you don't like it - you don't like it.

UnePrune · 01/09/2010 20:09

Here is a blog written by a man who did an Alpha course. It makes interesting reading!

CrunchyFrog · 01/09/2010 20:12

I don't really understand why you would do one if you weren't already wanting to become a Christian.

I used to belong to a very fundamentalist church, and it was an awful place to have independent thought. I left in the end (even though church members were the only friends I had by this point) as I didn't want to make some leap of faith. It just didn't make any sense to me at all.

Not from ignorance of the "facts," either - I did a spot of Ancient History at undergraduate level, including a semester all about Roman Judea, and another about the Dead Sea Scrolls - I'd say I have a pretty good understanding of the roots of Christianity.

nomedoit · 01/09/2010 20:14

I did it at HTB and it was very well run, with great materials, handouts and even meals provided for people coming straight from work. It was intelligent and I didn't feel under any pressure to convert.
Socially, it was very middle-class. I did feel quite the odd one out because I was a divorced single parent. It really reinforced my feelings of failure about my divorce, though not because anything was said explicitly. It was all those sad little smiles they gave me. Most people were either well-heeled, Boden singles (all the men wear brogues and blue Oxfords or so it seemed) or very smug marrieds. The Church couples were a bit creepy to be honest: shiny/happy/smiley.

DBennett · 01/09/2010 20:14

Been on a at a church in the North of England.

Previous posters have covered my experience, very little philosophy and then right into why christianity is right for you.

Didn't convince me that I'd been wrong about the religion I'd be brought up in.

Having been through it, I think it would be a great way to try out a church if you were already a christian but it's no more than that.

And the advertising is a bit disingenuous.

Hermya321 · 01/09/2010 20:23

I've done it and I think it depends on where and who you do it with. I've been to one where it was mega creepy and others where it was a bit more chilled out and they encouraged debate.

FWIW I am a Christian and I think it's a nice way of looking at Christianity without walking into a church. As one of the previous posters said you can always leave if you feel really uncomfortable.

SallyinSwitzerland · 01/09/2010 20:27

It's very enjoyable from a socialising standpoint. You get to cut through the inane small talk you usually do when meeting new folk and get onto interesting conversations very quickly. I was already a Christian (non practicing Catholic) and I went to a Baptist run course. I was intrigued to discover whether I would fall on the floor twitching and what not as I hear evangelicals are wont to do. Sadly I didnt.

I cant say I had any relevations and the level of reflection is less than you'd get in an ALevel RE course. It's really not very deep.

It is however great for meeting people and being entertained by the people who seem to attend the course purely to espouse their views that God is an alien or Elvis is Jesus and lives in Atlantis

Cheaper than the cinema.

SmellsLikeTeenSweat · 01/09/2010 20:37

DH & I did it & enjoyed it, especially the weekly communal meal. Some of us kept in touch afterwards & had a further monthly 'exploration', which was good.

There are, of course, many different 'strands' of Christianity and after about half-way through the course I started to think Hmm about some of the things they said, but then I had a very good grounding in Christianity as a child - went on the course for DH's benefit.

So I would say it's OK for beginners.

greenbananas · 01/09/2010 20:49

"Cheaper than the cinema" Grin !!

I did it and really enjoyed it - think this was largely down to the fantastic attitude of the group leader, who was genuinely concerned to listen to all points of view and take everybody seriously. The meals were great and I enjoyed the socialising, which generally continued at the pub afterwards.

I was literally shaking with fear before I went in to the first session as I had 'issues' with being in a church environment, but I'm really glad I took the plunge. I'd say a lot depends on who is delivering the course. Hope you enjoy it if you decide to go.

londonlottie · 01/09/2010 21:08

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Message withdrawn

UnePrune · 01/09/2010 21:12

londonlottie, you'd probably enjoy the blog I linked to down the thread.

I got asked to go on two Alpha courses. I can't imagine the askers thought I'd really go for it, so I can only assume I was needed as the test of faith Grin

londonlottie · 01/09/2010 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
franklampoon · 01/09/2010 22:44

my goodness, I have been working tonight and am astonished at all the replies.

Thank you so much.
I am a christian already but have had a very shaky faith for a long time. In fact I have tried very hard to shake it off ! I am hoping alpha will help me make up my mind one way or another

I am going along to the intro evening tomorrow . It's held at the church I already attend sporadically.

OP posts:
AnyFuleKno · 01/09/2010 22:48
Biscuit
Original poster
franklampoon · 01/09/2010 23:20

uneprune thanks for the blog link.
very interesting

OP posts:
Heracles · 01/09/2010 23:30

You know when you get invited along to those meetings where they promise they'll not be selling you a timeshare...?

Original poster
franklampoon · 01/09/2010 23:32

its ok I bought the timeshare years ago.
Just still cant decide if I still want it

OP posts: