To still go to church even the weekend my friend is staying with me?

[returnthelamp]

My friend is coming to visit and to stay with me Saturday - Wednesday. We have mutual friends in the area who we will also meet up with together. I go to church on Sunday mornings and it’s important to me so I’d still like to go whenever my friend is staying. AIBU? I don’t know if she’d like to come with me (she’d be welcome to) but she doesn’t have to and I’d be quite happy for her to relax at my house or for her to get the bus somewhere to do her own thing for the morning. It will only be for a couple of hours and then I’ll be home. Would it be ok for me still to go when she’s visiting?

Total atheist here. Would not bother me in the slightest. I tend to be thankful for those that invite me into their home, even if it’s just for one evening/night. If someone was having me to stay for four days, I’d be even more chuffed.

Am really surprised by some of the YABU responses. What if the host needed a couple of hours away to go visit a parent, take their child to a club, go to an interview, go help a different friend with something important, etc? Is it just the religious aspect of them taking a bit of time out that offends you, or would you be offended whatever the reason? I must live on a different planet because there is absolutely no way I would take issue with someone, who is hosting me for 4 days, taking a couple of hours away to do something important to them.

Of course you should still go to church if you're got a visitor, and it’s not rude of you at all if your friend doesn’t want to come. It’s clearly an important part of your life and Im sure your friend would understand. Im sure no-one would expect a Muslim not to pray when they need to, and attending a church service once a week should be seen in the same way. And I say that as an atheist.

It is important and you make a commitment to attend. I go at least once a week, sometimes more and I volunteer and attend bible classes. It makes me feel happy. I’m lucky in that my church is only five minutes walk. OP’s friend can chill at home, go to church with her or go for a coffee somewhere.

So, in addition to your dodgy "a quarter of the weekend" maths, Jesus was not against organised religion itself, but rather against hypocrisy, legalism, and the abuse of religious authority by leaders like the Pharisees. Secondly fellowship, prayer, breaking bread, and supporting one another are foundational pillars of the faith of Christianity.

Extremely rude to leave your visitor. They've made the effort you visit you so you can forgo a Sunday service.

Exactly!

I tend to only go stay at someone's house/have guests stay if we are genuinely good friends.

My friends are spread all over, so when we do get the chance to have a visit, the main goal is to have a fun, and a good catch up. Trips to see one another are meant to be enjoyable, and stress free.

I would be absolutely fine with a friend leaving me to sleep in, while they went to church.

She said her visiting friend is welcome to join her at church, or she can have a lie in. It's not a quarter of the weekend, it's two hours on Sunday morning, they have plans from the Saturday to Wednesday.

you don't actually need to go to church to worship god. In fact Christ was fairly anti organized religion but that's got lost.

I think OP knows she doesn't have to go. If she is a Christian, as you've put, I'm assuming as an attending member of her church, she knows more about her church, religion and life than you do?

Im an atheist, but would have no problem with you going to church on Sunday. Because it's important to you, and im not a self absorbed twat who cant be alone for a couple of hours.

Two hours out of a five day stay is no where near a quarter of the friends visit

Sure. Just let her know in advance.

Really? So you’re being hosted by a friend for 4 days and you’d begrudge them a couple of hours doing something else? I’d say you’re a bit self-absorbed tbh.