We visited a Church this week. Its the Mennonite Church that I have told some of you about. Here is what I noticed
I almost couldnt keep a straight face with the amount of Christianese being spoken. It was amusing to me. I know its irreverant but I nearly laughed my ass off.
The emphasis on money and borderline name it and claim it theology almost made me hurl chunks.
After the worship the emotions were charged and maybe I felt the Spirit. Not sure. I went up front. Wanting more than anything to feel God. Wanting more than anything to have the feelings that I had. I got down on the altar in front and begged God for it but didnt feel the fullness I was used to. I am not saying I didnt feel a peace, but it was in the midst of turmoil. I thought something was terribly wrong with me. I should be in the spirit but it was weak. I am not saying I didnt feel anything but the intensity was not there. Now good Christians would tell me that I am not right with God. Even my wife seemed to get more out of it.
I had my spiritual experience and felt near to God later in the day on the beach in Pac City. There I felt peace.
You could say I got inspired. How about a Church that instead of preaching has an open forum like the Corvallis open forum.l Maybe sing a song or two and EVERYONE gets to speak their mind and the whole Church HAS TO LISTEN and CANNOT JUDGE THEM. HMMM. I wonder if it coudl work. Anyway Ibetter get going. My wife will probably read this and think I am "falling away from God" because I dare to admit that I didnt feel that much in Church. I know I am not though. God seems right there to me now.
5 comments:
No I don't believe you fell away. Sometimes you get close to God where you least expect it. I don't really know why you couldn't feel God in church, but He is everywhere even in Pacific City.
you know, as a former church goer, i often think of the corvallis open forum as my new church. i didn't miss the dogma and indoctrination/brainwashing of my old church but sometimes i do miss the 'fellowship', connecting with other community members. but at cof the only thing (dogma?) we insist on is to respect each other's right to free speech, right to be who you are, and everything else is fair game. and i'd really like to hear more about people's spiritual ideas, there's an imbalance of political talk.
but politics and religion, that's what we're about. because that's what's real and important when you get right down to it. the two most important subjects we deal with in life but someone decided people shouldn't talk about. rather than fear disagreement and conflict, we are recognizing the need to discuss these two 'topics' in a civil and respectful way and i suspect most of us actually agree with a lot more than we realize, we can't know that though unless we talk about it and break down barriers. ('spirituality' is probably a more accurate term than 'religion', but i just think referring to 'politics and religion' resonates more with people)
of course, i don't want to slam the mennonites or any other religion perse, i just want to have a place where anyone can bring their perspective in an honest and open way and ask the tough questions, and perhaps get feedback from peers.
imho, questioning church and churchianty is exactly what Jesus did and to step out of traditional ritual and language to see 'worship' in a new light is right in line with God. for what its worth, from a non-church going sinner who might be condemned to hell, but who is constantly seeking the right path.
nice pics spiritbear.
simply put, i love your idea. i think the vast majority of people would too.
pacific city is such a cool town. we vacationed there for a week last month and plan on returning.
it's been my experience that feeling that connection with god, one, universe, doesn't happen by force. we gotta kind of be "out of our minds" so to speak. i got hit with that feeling of connection with all tonight while i rolled pizza crust. always makes me want to run out into the street crying and yelling "yes" and hugging everyone i see.
You wrote:
>I got down on the altar in front and begged God for it
Surely you meant AT the altar, not ON the altar?! I could even understand UP on the altar, but DOWN on the altar has me really confused - unless it was in some sort of a pit (usually altars are raised higher than the seats or pews). And wouldn't it be totally sacrilegious anyway to get ON the altar?
In some Churches I think the altar might be a pit. Literally I was in the front and UP on the altar but kneeling down on the steps that go up.
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