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?

Personally I think its a case of each to their own, I would never judge someone based on their faith or lack of as faith is such a personal thing.

Why do you go? Like others have said, because I believe in God, I like the community (and coffee after) I like the opportunity to speand some time reflecting on my week and myself. I go to Communion every Thursday, and most Sundays.

Don't you go out dancing and drinking on Sat and have a terrible hangover? Very rarely, maybe 2-3 times a year. Was maybe once a month pre-DC. If I have a heavy night I still go to Church sometimes, depends how much I am hanging! Also I didn't go to Church for some years (I was a beliver, I just didn't attend the services) but still didn't go out partying much.

Or don't you want to have a lie-in with the papers? I don't read papers, and on Sundays can lie-in until 9.30/10ish compared to 7.30 on a school day.

Do you have roast dinner after? Not very often, but again it's not something I did when I wasn't a Church goer.

Where do you live? South East.

I have close friends from many religions, and many athiest. Sometimes we discuss the differences in our believes (or lack of). But we have plenty of other stuff in common that we can base our friendship on.

No, I'm not contemptuous, honest. I just don't understand it.

I find faith a personal thing, I'm a Catholic, its just what I am. I go to mass for 45 mins every 2 weeks or so, say the odd prayer, treat others as I would like to be treated and that's it. My husband doesn't go to Mass, its not a big deal.

If someone doesn't believe in God or have a faith then that's their choice. Horses for courses, different strokes etc. I can't get that het up about what others believe in or don't believe in.

Oh. Well, if you're not, then you might want to um, revisit the way you talk about in RL, in case someone cries/gets cross/starts praying for your soul

OP I'm not sure you really genuinely want to know why people go to church as you haven't engaged with the people who have have posted their reasons. Or are you just writing them off as 'delusional' people (you couldn't be friends with anyway)? You are amazed at people doing something you clearly have absolutely no understanding of - perhaps you need to educate yourself and find out more. Or perhaps you just wanted a sensational title to the thread.

And no, I do not agree that Lucie made a fair point - at least not in my world. I would never dream of ruling someone out as a friend based on their belief/ non-belief/ politics. To do so is incredibly intolerant and narrow-minded.

Hully, I don't mind people being without a faith. It's entirely up to them what they believe.

However, if they start seriously suggesting that I'm nuts or delusional for going to church, I can sometimes find it hard not to take that personally.

I don't think it is that hard to go to church with a hangover. It's not so good if you have to teach Sunday school though.

Apart from church parade at Brownies, I haven't ever had any religion in my life at all. Atheist parents, relatives, friends etc. Maybe that's why I both don't understand it and find it so fascinating.

I know some people without a faith who are lovely people.
I know others who are complete and utter prats and I would happily never see them again.
I also know Christians and Muslims that I cannot stand.

Hullygully But you don't need to understand it Lots of people do things or believe in things that I think - seriously?

misslinnet - but if you relaly believe, isn't it odd when people don't? Doesn't it seem to you that they are wrong and misguided?

Really? I now want to know where you live and what you do I can't begin to fathom never having had a chance to chat about/see this stuff enough for it to appear at least a normal everyday and fairly well-loved sort of nuttery, as opposed to, you know, Conan Doyle looking at paper cut-outs of fairies at the bottom of the garden...

Obviously if you don't have faith, Hully, you are not going to understand those who do.

Why don't you just live and let live?

I don't believe for a minute that you are trying to educate yourself. You may have some stirrings though, in that God-shaped hole within you, so watch out!

My dh never ever misses Mass unless he is ill.Even abroad [eg Poland where he speaks no Polish] he finds a church and goes on Sunday.
Why?
Because he is a devout Catholic who genuinely believes.
Do we go out drinking etc on Saturday night?
No never-and if we did he wouldnt miss church.
Roast dinner is always Sunday at about 5 as we have brunch after Mass-only a cop of tea and a slice of toast before as he doesnt like to eat within an hour of taking Communion.
I am not RC but I go with him sometimes-for love I suppose :)

I like to try and understand things as far as I am able, wiggles. It's interesting.

Then why not make an effort to find out rather than judging based on religious? How can you judge something when you admit yourself you have no idea about it?

I (a Catholic) married an athiest. None of my friends are practicing Christians. I have no problem making friends with people who believe in different things to me. Most of our values are shared though.

Honestly I find it hard to believe a friendship would get that far without discovering that about someone. I think it's something that would be fairly obvious within a few weeks of getting to know someone closely. I can't honestly answer that question as I cannot ever envisage myself getting that close to a religious person.

I am happy to live and let live and all that, I still like to hear about it and try and figure it out. Same for everything I don't understnad.

People tell me my beliefs are nuts all the time but I'm not allowed to get offended because my views don't conform to a very specified and popular doctrine. I don't think people telling you that what you believe in mskes no sense should be insulting to you.

We go every other week. So...

1. Why? We live next to the church, our village and the congregation are small and we feel a bit of a duty to go regularly as none of us want to see the church shut down. I am not particularly religious but I like the peace and the moments of reflection, I like to count my blessings and take the time thank God (or just plain luck) for a happy and healthy life. I have a great respect for the Christian traditions and history of this country and I like singing (spent much of my childhood singing in chapel choir).

1. We live in the middle of nowhere and have 3 children, the dancing days are few and far between sadly. Hangovers... well sometimes.... but the service is at 11.15 and so it's not that bad. Anyway the calm serenity of church is good for hangovers.

1. Lie in with papers!!! Ha ha in my dreams (c.f. 3 young children)

1. Yes, Sunday lunch afterwards - usually with friends or family over too. I will prepare it before church and put it in on low temp so I can then pull everything together once we get back from church.

1. Deepest darkest nowhere in the West Country.

Hully the best way I can explain faith is that it is like an emotion - because ultimately, it is love of God.

Now then, as far as I am aware, I am the only person in love with my husband. I do not expect anyone else to be in love with him, or to feel what I feel when I see him. That feeling is mine. It can't be measured or explained - it is just there. It came out of nowhere, and it exists.

Faith is a bit like that. I wouldn't expect to be able to persuade someone to feel it anymore than I would persuade them to fall in love with my husband. Of course they might, and I am surprised they don't - but it's a personal thing. A sensation, not a choice.

That analogy, by the way, will not stand up to close scrutiny. . .

Yes, but refering to someone elses beliefs as "nuts" or "delusional" usually isn't the way to understanding.

good point krumbum, me too!