imo the church sells religion, not spirituality, two vastly different entities. spirit is found within, religion...not so much.
On Apr 26, 7:09 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > In the past, during my church experiences, I've always had this > technique to determine the quality of a church. What I would do is > attend, volunteer, play music, donate my time and effort and then just > drop out of sight. Believe me when I tell you that there has never > been a church that would call me to find out if I was dead or alive. > This little factor revealed to me the worthiness of the church and the > people that went there. If someone goes to a church and offers to > sing in the choir and then mysteriously disappears without the > slightest concern by the church members, something is seriously wrong > with the church. I realize now that it has become a business like any > other private enterprise that has something to sell. In these days it > is selling spirituality to those who are searching, but the problem is > the non delivery of the goods. The church as it exists now is a > failure and if gathering community is the only thing it can accomplish > then there are many other groups, clubs and organizations to which one > can belong that accomplishes the same thing. > > On Apr 26, 10:16 am, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I feel the need to clarify my statement on finding the right church. > > On reading my post again it might have sounded like I was trying to > > convert somebody. Nothing could be further from the truth. People > > belong where they are happy and comfortable. Where they are respected > > and loved. > > > I've spent most of my life and all of my childhood in the South in > > what is popularly known as the Bible Belt. My father moved us around > > a bit and we'd find a new church where ever we went. Baptist, > > Presbyterian, Methodist and Lutheran are some of the ones we tried and > > Dad would settle on the church(not the denomination) he liked. It was > > the people and many times most particularly the pastor that attracted > > him. Since Dad fancied himself a singer, sometimes it was the choir > > director. It was not unusual for us have 8 or 10 churches within a 3 > > mile radius of our home and it also wasn't unusual for us to travel 15 > > or 20 miles on a Sunday to try out a church he'd been told about. > > > He avoided large churches I think because he wanted to help a young > > church grow. He'd always want to be on the planning committees to > > organize mission trips and what not. He was less interested in the > > spiritual side of the church and more interested in the social aspects > > of the church community. He left the preaching to the preacher and > > worked on planning new construction or whatever needed doing. He > > probably couldn't tell you the spiritual difference between the > > churches we attended any more then I could(I slept most of time.) > > > Point I'm trying to make is a person shouldn't form themselves to fit > > the group; rather one should try to find the group to fit themselves. > > I don't know how Islam mosques orient themselves but I'd imagine they > > can be as different from one another as Christian churches are. I'm > > not talking Shiite vs. Bathist I'm speaking of the people that make up > > the group. > > > Hope that clears up my stance on religious choice. > > > dj > > > On Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 11:27 PM, Rosey <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Spiritual joy, spiritual bliss, spiritual disarray, spiritual > > > disfunction, spiritual, spiritual, spiritual. All of these terms are > > > insignificant to finding the ultimate outcome. We don't have the > > > answer. We probably will never have it, maybe in the afterlife. A > > > person should do what makes them comfortable, comfort should not be > > > defined as simply conforming. It should be defined as feeling within > > > your heart that you are doing the right thing. There are many > > > religions whose members fall into that comfort category. Their mind > > > is set to the idea that through their beliefs they are walking the > > > righteous path. We can all sit here an analyze each other's > > > religions, but when it comes down to it, you have people in every > > > group who are completely satisfied with their faith and feel they > > > don't need anything else. It's humbling. That's a good thing. But > > > because you may have found your happiness in your faith, don't be > > > biased towards others for finding happiness in theirs. > > > > I have yet to discern what I think is appropriate for my sanity. But > > > I am going to do it with freewill and conscious thought. > > > > On Apr 23, 10:33 pm, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> I agree, Rosey. I see religion as an answer to our desire to belong. > > >> It doesn't work for me but I have seen it work for many good people. > > >> It helps give their life meaning and allows them to share thoughts and > > >> purpose with like minded individuals. Being alone is dangerous. So > > >> is belonging to the wrong group, so it's good to be able to shop > > >> around for the right church! > > > >> dj > > > >> On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 6:36 PM, Rosey <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> > So far, from what I understand, some of your are saying that religion > > >> > was devised as a group lure for the sole purpose of monetary gains? > > > >> > Now it makes sense, Moses split the sea so that the Jews could cross > > >> > over and sell logo'ed T-shirts advertising the new monotheistic > > >> > revelation. To those that believe me, I am kidding. > > > >> > In times of despair, religion is an answer. Something to look forward > > >> > to. > > > >> > On Apr 22, 4:38 pm, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> >> Growth, Rosey. > > > >> >> Welcome to the group. > > > >> >> On Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 10:05 PM, Rosey <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> >> > One more question, what causes one to question religion after having > > >> >> > been so faithful to it? I'd really like some input. Thank you. > > > >> >> > On Apr 19, 12:42 pm, Rosey <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> >> >> I decided to start a new post as I originally intended it to be a > > >> >> >> response to the Purpose of Life post but felt it took another > > >> >> >> direction. > > > >> >> >> First off, tip of the hat to everyone in here. I discovered this > > >> >> >> group by chance. Second, purpose to life? Ah, the frailties of > > >> >> >> the > > >> >> >> mind, I have been walking backwards as I've grown weak in faith. > > >> >> >> I am > > >> >> >> muslim, I don't think anyone here is immature enough to negatively > > >> >> >> comment on such a label, but I do have one thing to say: When I > > >> >> >> was > > >> >> >> more faithful to my religion and consistent with prayers I felt a > > >> >> >> sense of completion and calmness. I could even say that I at one > > >> >> >> point I felt that I reached a temporary self actualization. It's > > >> >> >> not > > >> >> >> the religion, but more or less the idea of maintaining spirituality > > >> >> >> that keeps one fulfilled. Through my recent skepticisms and > > >> >> >> analyzations of religion as a whole I have been more distraught > > >> >> >> than > > >> >> >> I've ever been. Is it an oddysey? Why does one who has steered > > >> >> >> far > > >> >> >> from ideological beliefs that a supreme entity exists feel lost and > > >> >> >> agonizingly stressed? Wouldn't one be better off just accepting > > >> >> >> and > > >> >> >> following religion knowing that they are abiding by its rules > > >> >> >> accordingly? Isn't that comfort? > > > >> >> >> Sincerely, > > >> >> >> Lost- Hide quoted text - > > > >> >> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > >> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
