I truly believe that you do not have to attend church to show your beliefs. Your actions show your love of God, your beliefs and commitment. That can never be taken away from you. I have felt since I was young, that the church’s emphasis on money was wrong. (One had to pledge a certain percent of your income and put it in an envelope specifically given to you to use. It was almost as if you were being shamed if you didn’t follow through with your commitment)
I would love to find a REAL church. My experience is that most of them are little Payton Places. They do not speak the world of God. I can't give my money and look forward to attending.
I am baptized, and I am part of the body of Christ, he resides in my heart and soul, he is my Master, but he made me no puppet. He gave me life and this body and this blood and these cells, and this brain. With baptism, I became his own, with confirmation I became an organic sanctuary, I am but a living and breathing part of his church, no temple or cathedral needed. If all the buildings fall the ground, there is still church. Jesus rebuked Peter's idea of building 3 tabernacles for him at the transfiguration. At the start, people hid in houses to gather and proclaim Christ, they knew they were part of the body of Christ. When I see a building costing millions to worship HIM, I turn away and find a good place in nature to kneel and pray and talk to him. I am no pagan, but God is easier to access for me when I am in the midst of his Creation, along with the birds and the butterflies and even the lowly worm.
I went to catholic school in the 60's and I remember getting those boxes of envelopes, pre-printed with my name for the weekly Sunday collection plate. I don't think we got envelopes for the daily mass before school. I still remember the mass being in Latin, too!
Me too! I remember my parents using them for Sunday collection in our Lutheran Church. Looking back, as I got older, I thought it was very mercenary. I realize there is church upkeep, a minister to pay, but still I hate the emphasis on money and the expectation of giving a percentage of your income. Things happen in life: illness and unexpected medical bills, loss of job, your car breaks down, inflation, etc. There should not be an expectation to tithe a certain percent of one’s income.
I truly believe that you do not have to attend church to show your beliefs. Your actions show your love of God, your beliefs and commitment. That can never be taken away from you. I have felt since I was young, that the church’s emphasis on money was wrong. (One had to pledge a certain percent of your income and put it in an envelope specifically given to you to use. It was almost as if you were being shamed if you didn’t follow through with your commitment)
I don't need a church to talk to God !
I would love to find a REAL church. My experience is that most of them are little Payton Places. They do not speak the world of God. I can't give my money and look forward to attending.
I am baptized, and I am part of the body of Christ, he resides in my heart and soul, he is my Master, but he made me no puppet. He gave me life and this body and this blood and these cells, and this brain. With baptism, I became his own, with confirmation I became an organic sanctuary, I am but a living and breathing part of his church, no temple or cathedral needed. If all the buildings fall the ground, there is still church. Jesus rebuked Peter's idea of building 3 tabernacles for him at the transfiguration. At the start, people hid in houses to gather and proclaim Christ, they knew they were part of the body of Christ. When I see a building costing millions to worship HIM, I turn away and find a good place in nature to kneel and pray and talk to him. I am no pagan, but God is easier to access for me when I am in the midst of his Creation, along with the birds and the butterflies and even the lowly worm.
Exactly.
No middlemen. No sanhedrin.
I went to catholic school in the 60's and I remember getting those boxes of envelopes, pre-printed with my name for the weekly Sunday collection plate. I don't think we got envelopes for the daily mass before school. I still remember the mass being in Latin, too!
Yeah, I'm old....
Me too! I remember my parents using them for Sunday collection in our Lutheran Church. Looking back, as I got older, I thought it was very mercenary. I realize there is church upkeep, a minister to pay, but still I hate the emphasis on money and the expectation of giving a percentage of your income. Things happen in life: illness and unexpected medical bills, loss of job, your car breaks down, inflation, etc. There should not be an expectation to tithe a certain percent of one’s income.