Do you go to Mass regularly?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

philologos wrote: »

Except for the fact that the Bible tells me to be in fellowship with other Christians and to further the Gospel?


Church community is an essential part of Christianity.

I'm not a Roman Catholic, but I believe church is important and I won't have an atheist tell me how I should be Christian, rather I will look to the Bible for that much.

You quote a book called Hebrews to make a point about the fellowship of Christians?

The Bible also tells you can own slaves and kill people who work on Sundays. We both know everyone can play the Bible game. Perhaps I get more spiriual reflection from solitude? Suppose I get make a better connection to my God when alone? Does that mean I'm wrong because the Bible tells me I should be in company?

No. The Bible does not tell you to do anything. It advises, it teaches, but it does not order.

mcmoustache

Surley wrote: »

Please excuse my ignorance but, saved from what?

Saved from God himself. A bit like being saved from the Mafia by paying the Mafia protection money.

Mafia: "Pay us money and we'll protect you."

You: "From Whom?"

Mafia: "Err, from us."

Greentopia

Greentopia wrote: »

Just curious-are you a member of another religion, or none? no problem if you'd rather not say, just asking

buddhist

cloud493

My deal with churches is, I've never met a unpleasant catholic priest. I'm sure their are some, but I've never known them.

But I don't go to church for them. I don't go to church to think 'bet he was involved in child abuse' or 'bet he's gonna scam these old people out of a few quid' I go, because of my belief in god. Simple as.

jupiterjack

every sunday without fail man.

Greentopia

bluewolf wrote: »

buddhist

Ah, ok. Thank's for telling me. I have a close friend who's a Nichiren Buddhist. I'd view Buddhism as more a philosophy than a religion. My friend tried to get me interested in it, and I read up on Nichiren but it's not for me.

Now Zen Buddhism I could see myself getting something from as it seems to focus a lot on meditation and enlightenment. I'd find that useful I think.
Also Buddhism is compatible with my atheism so I may look into it actually.

Greentopia

cloud493 wrote: »

My deal with churches is, I've never met a unpleasant catholic priest. I'm sure their are some, but I've never known them.

I've met a few I've liked too. I may despise the Catholic church as an institution but priests are human beings and I take them as I find them and treat them as individuals as I would anyone else.

I had a great chat with a young priest in Archbishop Desmond Martin's house in Drumcondra when I was leaving the church a few years ago. Pleasant enough guy-I brought up the issue of child abuse within the church, among other issues I had with it, and he said he wanted to stay in the church and effect change from within. I thought that was rather deluded and naive thinking but I could see he was at least sincere in his convictions.

Now nuns on the other hand...had a few of them who taught me in school that were rather less than pleasant. :rolleyes:

Johnny_BravoIII

Seeing the Catholic Church and Catholics individually suffer so grievously at the hands of loyalist paramilitaries over the troubles was another reason why I was determined to attend - people up here were killed for their faith and I never lost sight of that

Would you not question religion?

Imagine, if only young Luther hadn't gotten so uppity over transubstantiation.......

Luther: It doesn't taste much like blood. Are you sure it's blood?
RC Church: Yes, it's actually Jesus's real live blood.
Luther: Seriously?
RC Church: Yes
Luther: You mean it's a metaphor for christ living forever, his blood flowing through us metaphorically?
RC Church: No it's actually his blood. His real actual blood
Luther: But it's wine
RC Church: Did you not see me do the Amen, Hocus-Pocus trick. That changes it from wine to blood.
Luther: You better go back to magic school kid? I believe we we shouldn't be taking metaphors literally. Clearly Jesus was telling a story, christs blood is everlasting, meaning he lives forever through us if we remember him......yada yada......was jesus promoting cannibalism?
RC Church: Blasphemy!!.........Blasphemy!!!....................Blasphemy!!!
Luther: Screw you guys, I'm off to form my old religion, your magic is ****......
RC Church: Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!
Hang em! Burn em! Stone up!.........Invent guns and shoot em!!..............Leave bombs in chipper's on em...........!! .......

Galwayguy35

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

The church, its paedophilic members and it's ignorant/dumb followers can go fück itself. Funerals only.

You have to be majorly thick to support or believe that shïte in this day and age.

Maybe say that to someones face that they are ignorant/dumb and see how you get on.

Ghost Buster

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Maybe say that to someones face that they are ignorant/dumb and see how you get on.

Well i would have thought that as christians they would turn the other cheek and forgive.It IS in the bible after all.

Galwayguy35

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Maybe say that to someones face that they are ignorant/dumb and see how you get on.

He is a big man behind a keyboard though, insulting a hell of a lot of people with idiotic comments.

Ghost Buster

IvySlayer wrote: »

Do you just skip over the parts about stoning gays to death, selling slaves, and that eating lobster is an abomination?

No no no!!
Silly/ bad stuff = Parable. Needs interpretation.
Good stuff = Face value

Galwayguy35

Ghost Buster wrote: »

Well i would have thought that as christians trhey would turn the other cheek and forgive.It IS in the bible after all.

So you agree with what he said then do you?

Run_to_da_hills

Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »

Would you not question religion?

Imagine, if only young Luther hadn't gotten so uppity over transubstantiation.......

Luther: It doesn't taste much like blood. Are you sure it's blood?
RC Church: Yes, it's actually Jesus's real live blood.
Luther: Seriously?
RC Church: Yes
Luther: You mean it's a metaphor for christ living forever, his blood flowing through us metaphorically?
RC Church: No it's actually his blood. His real actual blood
Luther: But it's wine
RC Church: Did you not see me do the Amen, Hocus-Pocus trick. That changes it from wine to blood.
Luther: You better go back to magic school kid? I believe we we shouldn't be taking metaphors literally. Clearly Jesus was telling a story, christs blood is everlasting, meaning he lives forever through us if we remember him......yada yada......was jesus promoting cannibalism?
RC Church: Blasphemy!!.........Blasphemy!!!....................Blasphemy!!!
Luther: Screw you guys, I'm off to form my old religion, your magic is ****......
RC Church: Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!
Hang em! Burn em! Stone up!.........Invent guns and shoot em!!..............Leave bombs in chipper's on em...........!! .......

The Catholic church thrives on this form of "magic"and superstition yet such daemonic occult practices are forbidden in scripture.

http://solitaryroad.com/scrip25.html


.

Ghost Buster

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

So you agree with what he said then do you?

No. How do you infer that?
Im just pointing out how jesus instructs his followers to deal with such comments.
Matthew 5:39

Galwayguy35

Ghost Buster wrote: »

No. How do you infer that?
Im just pointing out how jesus instructs his followers to deal with such comments.

I wasn't inferring anything, just asking you what your opinion of what he said was. Personally I have no problem with what anyone believes or doesn't believe in. But calling people ignorant and dumb because of their personal beliefs or faith ain't cool, and it was Catholics he was aiming it at.

Greentopia

Greentopia wrote: »

Ah, ok. Thank's for telling me. I have a close friend who's a Nichiren Buddhist. I'd view Buddhism as more a philosophy than a religion. My friend tried to get me interested in it, and I read up on Nichiren but it's not for me.

Now Zen Buddhism I could see myself getting something from as it seems to focus a lot on meditation and enlightenment. I'd find that useful I think.
Also Buddhism is compatible with my atheism so I may look into it actually.

Yes, nichiren is mahayana, I prefer theravada. While I do believe in rebirth, I am not into the other superstitions or revering of buddha himself (who cares who specifically wrote the philosophies or the way if it makes sense in itself?)
theravada is more about analysis I reckon
not a fan of zen

Theravada promotes the concept of Vibhajjavada (Pali), literally "Teaching of Analysis." This doctrine says that insight must come from the aspirant's experience, critical investigation, and reasoning instead of by blind faith; however, the scriptures of the Theravadin tradition also emphasize heeding the advice of the wise, considering such advice and evaluation of one's own experiences to be the two tests by which practices should be judged.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada

meditation is quite useful in everyday life, as is practising mindfulness. you could look into those. or not, as you prefer, I'm not interested in trying to recruit anyone - different strokes for different folks

Ghost Buster

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I wasn't inferring anything, just asking you what your opinion of what he said was. Personally I have no problem with what anyone believes or doesn't believe in. But calling people ignorant and dumb because of their personal beliefs or faith ain't cool, and it was Catholics he was aiming it at.

"So you agree with what he said then do you"
Isnt quite the same as .
"And what is your oopinion on what the poster said"
How you phrased it infered that you thought I agreed with the poster based on the content of my post.

1ZRed

Do I go to mass?
Haha f*ck no! I thought no young person willingly went anymore.

Galwayguy35

Ghost Buster wrote: »

"So you agree with what he said then do you"
Isnt quite the same as .
"And what is your oopinion on what the poster said"
How you phrased it infered that you thought I agreed with the poster based on the content of my post.

Good to know that you didn't agree with him.

Galwayguy35

1ZRed wrote: »

Do I go to mass?
Haha f*ck no! I thought no young person willingly went anymore.

Lots of young people in the churches around Galway.

eviltwin

Haven't been to mass since I was 15, I'm 35 now and will never go back apart from weddings etc. I have better things to do with my time tbh, I work hard all week and get precious little weekend time as it is.

1ZRed

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Lots of young people in the churches around Galway.

Yeah but how many are willingly there? I was made to go by my parents until I was 14 or 15 and I have no desire to go back except for Christmas eve, weddings etc and all my friends are the same.

micropig

1ZRed wrote: »

Yeah but how many are willingly there? I was made to go by my parents until I was 14 or 15 and I have no desire to go back except for Christmas eve, weddings etc and all my friends are the same.

Why do you have a desire to go Christmas Eve?

Galwayguy35

1ZRed wrote: »

Yeah but how many are willingly there? I was made to go by my parents until I was 14 or 15 and I have no desire to go back except for Christmas eve, weddings etc and all my friends are the same.

There is a mixture of young kids and teens all right but alot of them look early 20s as well.

1ZRed

micropig wrote: »

Why do you have a desire to go Christmas Eve?

It's more just tradition. All my family go and then we meet up afterwards at my grandparents. I think it's just nice and I see it as more a custom than anything religious.

1ZRed

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

There is a mixture of young kids and teens all right but alot of them look early 20s as well.

Alright fair enough if that's what you notice but people think I'm in my early 20s when I'm just 18 so looks can be deceiving.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »

Would you not question religion?

Imagine, if only young Luther hadn't gotten so uppity over transubstantiation.......

Luther: It doesn't taste much like blood. Are you sure it's blood?
RC Church: Yes, it's actually Jesus's real live blood.
Luther: Seriously?
RC Church: Yes
Luther: You mean it's a metaphor for christ living forever, his blood flowing through us metaphorically?
RC Church: No it's actually his blood. His real actual blood
Luther: But it's wine
RC Church: Did you not see me do the Amen, Hocus-Pocus trick. That changes it from wine to blood.
Luther: You better go back to magic school kid? I believe we we shouldn't be taking metaphors literally. Clearly Jesus was telling a story, christs blood is everlasting, meaning he lives forever through us if we remember him......yada yada......was jesus promoting cannibalism?
RC Church: Blasphemy!!.........Blasphemy!!!....................Blasphemy!!!
Luther: Screw you guys, I'm off to form my old religion, your magic is ****......
RC Church: Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!Blasphemy!!!!
Hang em! Burn em! Stone up!.........Invent guns and shoot em!!..............Leave bombs in chipper's on em...........!! .......

Sorry, but he loses points for missing out on the obvious vampire reference.

philologos

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

You quote a book called Hebrews to make a point about the fellowship of Christians?

The Bible also tells you can own slaves and kill people who work on Sundays. We both know everyone can play the Bible game. Perhaps I get more spiriual reflection from solitude? Suppose I get make a better connection to my God when alone? Does that mean I'm wrong because the Bible tells me I should be in company?

No. The Bible does not tell you to do anything. It advises, it teaches, but it does not order.

Practically the same response as I received earlier. You might want to catch up here.

The Bible very clearly does tell me as a Christian what I should so. Particularly in respect to obeying the words of Jesus.

The Bible very clearly tells Christians to be in fellowship with one another. I'll take that over the advice of atheists telling me I should just keep God private.

1ZRed wrote: »

Yeah but how many are willingly there? I was made to go by my parents until I was 14 or 15 and I have no desire to go back except for Christmas eve, weddings etc and all my friends are the same.

It depends on the church really. At my church a sizeable portion of the congregation are in their twenties and willingly so. Some younger, some older.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

philologos wrote: »

Practically the same response as I received earlier. You might want to catch up here.

The Bible very clearly does tell me as a Christian what I should so. Particularly in respect to obeying the words of Jesus.

The Bible very clearly tells Christians to be in fellowship with one another. I'll take that over the advice of atheists telling me I should just keep God private.



It depends on the church really. At my church a sizeable portion of the congregation are in their twenties and willingly so. Some younger, some older.

Doesn't change what I said: it advises, it does not tell or order.

And it also implies equality. Christisn in the fellowship of Christians is one thing, but one Christian dictating to a group of Christians is another. If anything, your quote hints toward something like Bible study and discussion, rather than one man dictating at a service.

General Relativity

I wonder how many of you declared Catholic on the last census. :rolleyes:

micropig

General Relativity wrote: »

I wonder how many of you declared Catholic on the last census. :rolleyes:

All of them:D

Morag

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

If, when they reach the age of 16, they feel that it is not for them, then I'm happy for them to bow out.

Dogmatically once they are confirmed they can choose for themselves to go or not.
Last time I was in a church for was a funeral, time before it was a wedding.
Both times I had family members checking to see if I was going to burst into flame.

Taco Corp

General Relativity wrote: »

I wonder how many of you declared Catholic on the last census. :rolleyes:

I wonder how many mammys filled out the form and declared their kids as catholic when they themselves would not?

General Relativity

General Relativity wrote: »

I wonder how many of you declared Catholic on the last census. :rolleyes:

not i

Kamjana

General Relativity wrote: »

I wonder how many of you declared Catholic on the last census. :rolleyes:

I did,because i am Catholic and i do attend mass regularly.

Birroc

Sharrow wrote: »

Last time I was in a church for was a funeral, time before it was a wedding.
Both times I had family members checking to see if I was going to burst into flame.

I love it! It will take a generation for that to change but it will.

TehDagsBass

I go as often as I want to take the body of a man, followed by his liquids, in my mouth and tell my dirty stories to excited men in dark boxes.

philologos

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Doesn't change what I said: it advises, it does not tell or order.

And it also implies equality. Christisn in the fellowship of Christians is one thing, but one Christian dictating to a group of Christians is another. If anything, your quote hints toward something like Bible study and discussion, rather than one man dictating at a service.

The Bible does command Christians as to how they should live. Christians should have fellowship with one another and worship God corporately as well as on their own, Christians should work together in society to tell more people about Jesus, and Christians should encourage one another in the Gospel to be able to do that. In order for that to happen in an organised way, there needs to be leadership.

Organised Christianity is as essential as it has always been to the Gospel.

In terms of where I currently go to church, yes there's a sermon on Sunday, but there are also small groups mid-week with other church members where we do study the Bible together. Moreover if I need to discuss with my pastor after if I misunderstand his sermon or think that it is mistaken I'm more than free to go to him and ask him about it.

BunShopVoyeur

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

The church, its paedophilic members and it's ignorant/dumb followers can go fück itself. Funerals only.

You have to be majorly thick to support or believe that shïte in this day and age.

Maybe say that to someones face that they are ignorant/dumb and see how you get on.

Internet hard men. A terrifyingly ignorant and dumb breed.

TehDagsBass

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

Internet hard men. A terrifyingly ignorant and dumb breed.

And sure, what does he even mean by it? If you tell a Christian that they're hilariously ignorant and dumb, surely you don't need to see how you'll get on? Surely, as compassionate Christians, they'll forgive you and pray for you instead of doing something you've to worry about?

BunShopVoyeur

TehDagsBass wrote: »

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

Internet hard men. A terrifyingly ignorant and dumb breed.

And sure, what does he even mean by it? If you tell a Christian that they're hilariously ignorant and dumb, surely you don't need to see how you'll get on? Surely, as compassionate Christians, they'll forgive you and pray for you instead of doing something you've to worry about?

Too right. They're forced by their cult leaders to forgive you no matter what you say or do to them. Hilarious

partyatmygaff

TehDagsBass wrote: »

And sure, what does he even mean by it? If you tell a Christian that they're hilariously ignorant and dumb, surely you don't need to see how you'll get on? Surely, as compassionate Christians, they'll forgive you and pray for you instead of doing something you've to worry about?

Yes, but objectively that won't stop the person making statements wholesale about a few billion people from looking like someone less intelligent than a "feeble minded idiot", will it?

Seeing as you have a habit to reference other threads, I think i'll do so too. I didn't get a chance to reply to you in the other thread before it got locked. You never told me, how would you term someone less intelligent/capable than a "feeble minded idiot"? (Cue: RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE, ABORTION THREAD, I'M RIGHT YOU'RE WRONG. MY OPINIONS ARE TOO RIGHT TO ALLOW ME TO BE POLITE TO PEOPLE WHO HOLD DIFFERENT OPINIONS. I'M A CRAP TROLL e.t.c.)

Sarky

Sharrow wrote: »

Dogmatically once they are confirmed they can choose for themselves to go or not.
Last time I was in a church for was a funeral, time before it was a wedding.
Both times I had family members checking to see if I was going to burst into flame.

At this stage for either of us I'd say it's more likely the church will catch fire instead.

Agricola

Not if I can avoid it.

Galwayguy35

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

Internet hard men. A terrifyingly ignorant and dumb breed.

Read your own post if you want to know about ignorance.

partyatmygaff

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

The church, its paedophilic members and it's ignorant/dumb followers can go fück itself. Funerals only.

You have to be majorly thick to support or believe that shïte in this day and age.

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

Internet hard men. A terrifyingly ignorant and dumb breed.

Indeed.

admiralofthefleet

no, im not a member of any evil cults

marty1985

Wait, you mean I get to be as bigoted as I want and don't have to treat any religious beliefs with respect and get to label them all evil and deluded and stupid and say my atheism is a lack of belief even though that has traditionally been labelled agnosticism so I don't have to defend any position of my own and get an inner glow of superiority? Wow.

tdv123

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

Yes - I go regularly, and I don't regard myself in anyway holy or particularly good living.

I have kids that I bring to Mass and I insist they go. If, when they reach the age of 16, they feel that it is not for them, then I'm happy for them to bow out.

Masses are very well attended in Armagh (although have still suffered significant decline over the years), and I have to say I feel a sense of belonging by going, altough I would prefer not to go into the spiritual side of things here.

Seeing the Catholic Church and Catholics individually suffer so grievously at the hands of loyalist paramilitaries over the troubles was another reason why I was determined to attend - people up here were killed for their faith and I never lost sight of that.

The Catholic Church is under attack again, as evidenced by so many posts and threads on these boards, but an awful lot of that is very much self inflicted. However my attendance at Mass was never to worship any priest or bishop, and the wrongs of so many has not impacted on my faith.

You know you can worship god with sleep?

One time I worshiped him by just leaving the room.