to be amazed at people going to church

[Hullygully]

I really didn't think anyone still did the whole church on Sunday thing (this is not meant rudely, am just genuinely amazed).

Why do you go?

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover?

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers?

Do you have roast dinner after?

Where do you live?

Many Quakers believe in God Hully, but not all.

Historically Quakerism grew from the christian tradition in England in the 17th century. At that time belief in a Christian God was almost a universal experience within society. (Although there must always have been doubters I suppose)

Individual Quakers nowadays have different ideas of what God may be, and some use other words to describe their experience such as spirit or light. There are a small number who describe themselves as "non-theists" We try to be tolerant of this diversity within our group, some of us believing that it can be a source of strength bringing much to our faith community - and perhaps setting an example to other groups and to the wider world ( where intolerance of diversity is the cause of so much hatred and war )

HTH

Just looked them up - they have Christian atheists, ie follow the moral teachings of Jesus, but don't believe in him or God as supernatural. I can go with that.

The other group somewhat similar to Quakers in their beliefs (or lack thereof) is Unitarians, but there aren't very many of them left in the UK. I think there are quite a lot of 'United Unitarian' churches in the US - where churchgoing is so much more ubiquitous, I suppose it provides an alternative for people who don't have traditional christian beliefs. (I don't know much about it, but it sounds like an interesting idea for people who want something churchy to do on a sunday and a 'fellowship').

Yes, I'd be interested in what the Unitarians have to say - and have met some lovely Unitarians in the past - but I think you're right Grimma that there just aren't so many Unitarians as Quakers, so harder to find a Unitarian church community to join (except perhaps in the big cities)

1. because I believe and want to worship with like minded people; because corporate worship is an integral part of Christian life; because I am an Elder in the CoS; because I sing in the choir; because I have so many positions of responsibility that it would be unthinkable for me not to go unless I absolutely can't; but, most of all, because I enjoy going to church and spending time focussing on God and because it sets me up for the week ahead.

1. No, I don't really drink and can't go dancing anyway. Also, things like that aren't really compatible with my understanding of my faith.

1. No, I can think of few things that I would enjoy less and anyway I have a full house of people to attend to.

1. Never, we don't eat things like that in here.

1. West cost of Central Scotland.

I was brought up in a family where my mother was involved in the church bur my dad was ambivalent. I went to Sunday School etc. but we were never forced to go to church. I came to my own faith as a teenager and it has grown over the years.

As far as not being friends with someone whose beliefs are different to your own, I think that's actually very sad. It is true that, nowadays, most of my friends come from my Church community but that's only because I am so very heavily involved. I still have friends whose beliefs are very different from mine, but we all respect each other's right to believe as we will. As Christians we are supposed to "love our enemy" and to pray for them not disparage them.

As I've said before, I am married to a very vocal, aggressive atheist who absolutely rubbishes faith of any kind. it doesn't stop us having a secure marriage, though. I respect his right to believe or not believe whatever he wants. It does make me a bit sad, though. Not in a "fear fro your immortal soul" kind of way, more in a "I wish you could have the peace and joy that I have" sort of way. To me, God brings peace, joy, strength and freedom and I wish that everyone could have that.

Like cassette my experience of Alpha courses (have led some and some similar called 'Start') has been different to how Crunchy and Juggling describe them - they've been open to any questions, a springboard for those exploring faith matters and not simply a means to an end ie conversion - although I'm perfectly happy to say that if that happens then leaders are obv very happy - what would be the point of sharing faith with those who wish to discuss it if we didn't want those others to experience the fulness of life we have?

I like cory's description of church - a wednesday morning with her friend who is disabled and not able to go to 'church'. Church is as much a gathering of people to worship and learn together in someone's front room as a big gathering in a cold building on a Sunday morning. More so, in some cases.

My DH is a pioneer minister in the Church of England. It means he's an ordained priest, but not a vicar as such. We are looking at what church means for the culture we are living in and what that might look like. Part of the job brief is starting a new church in the community where we are, but that will probably look nothing like the Sunday morning church most people think of. We don't yet know what form it will take, apart from the obvious fact that it will involve lots of wine and nice cakes. What I'm trying to clumsily say is that even the CofE recognises it's not always connecting with folks. this thread shows that people like lots of forms of church, so church can be so many different things (with key doctrine being the same) to reflect different personalities. But it is certainly not always a small group of old ladies in a huge old building.

Apologies for dreadful grammar. IV antibiotics are at fault

Why do you go?
I take my DD and DS, it was originally on my DD's request as she is at a RC school she inevitably wanted to go to church, eventually i gave in and dragged her brother along. my dd and ds absolutely love it i however sit quietly and wait for it to be over.

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover?
Quite often actually, but service isn't till 10:15 which i don't think is that early.

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers?
i don't get up till about 9 - 9:30 which is a lie-in in my books.

Do yo have a roast dinner after?
nope never.

Where do you live?
North West.

After listening to 'Honest doubt' on R4 just now (some participants on this thread might like to catch it, sure it'll be on Listen Again) I thought I'd share Church Going by Phillip Larkin. Its not about 'the whole church on Sunday thing' but I thought some people might like it

I don't buy into religion. This is my take (also posted on the other thread)

Forgive Me Father

God was more than just a little peeved
When naive Eve stumbled upon his secret stash
Of mind altering knowledge
Concealed between the fruit and foliage of Eden
That he cursed her and turfed her out of paradise
But her prediction was a minor infraction
When compared to what happened next
God was seething at man in-breeding
With beings unknown to us
That he instructed Noah on the task
Of building an ark
So he could stand up and piss down on man
For forty days and 40 nights.
When Lot?s wife faltered and halted
As she watched Sodom fall
As God himself threatened it would
She was reduced to a pillar of salt as consequence
But that God ordered death
To all men of Gomarrah for loving a brother
While Lot fucked his daughters
In a cave up a mountain
I fear I will never comprehend.
So forgive me father
Forgive me, for you have sinned.

Amen

I listened to that too.

I meant R4

Isn't the Larkin pome fab?

Damsel - that's all OT stuff, not Christ "ianity"

It's religion all the same.

I had to look up Pyx.

Damsel's piece may be OT but you'll still find Sunday schools happily telling the 'nice' story about Noah.

yes that's true.

I wonder why they make the stories of fear and terror into nicey nicey ones?

So the crucifixion story is written for children and not for discerning adults to understand first and foremost and then pass down to children in an age appropriate manner?

The crucifixion is unavoidable but spin-doctoring the killing off of most of the terrestrial animals in the world and saving only a couple of each into a children's story about god being kind to animals by saving two of each really is quite a trick! And of course, little kids swallow this sugar pill, just like they blithely sing All Things Bright and Beautiful without question (unless they're lucky enough to have Anne Fine's excellent anthology with Eric Idle's parody juxtaposed)

'I wonder why they make the stories of fear and terror into nicey nicey ones'. Well if you don't go to church, and don't read the bible, how do you know that 'they' do?!

I tell DS about the crucifixion. It is only as gorey as some of the stuff on horrible histories. History is full of fear and terror.

Well if you don't go to church, and don't read the bible, how do you know that 'they' do?!

I used to do plenty of both.

I actually agree with you Grimma, Noah's Ark is a pretty horrible tale, and I've long felt uncomfortable with the sugar coated versions of it told in Sunday School/books etc. My dc, who have a love for all things Horrible Histories, rather enjoy the OT stories in their full detail and would prefer to hear the nasty endings too I think if we are going to tell these stories we need to be honest while being age appropriate - nicey nicey isn't going to cut it in the end.

Saying that, toddlers love the pictures in a NOah's Ark book....I just can never get my head round it.

Grimma I've never heard the story of Noah told like that. It is a bronze age myth, and should be told as such. Besides, most of the terrestrial animals have been 'killed off' in mass extinctions throughout earth's history. What makes you think that ordinary Christians don't tell their kids that?