Re: dogma protests

joel (bluefringe@worldnet.att.net)
Thu, 02 Dec 1999 11:44:12 -0500 

> joel wrote:
> 
> > at this point i'm not affiliated with a denomination, really, but i try
> > to attend church Sunday mornings.
> 
> What churches do you attend?  Why, when you have no denominational ties,
> are you limiting yourself to Sunday worship?  Please look around.

i grew up attending a rather legalistic Baptist church.....they've 
changed a good deal but due to a lot of factors, some regarding 
them, some regarding me, i only attend there about once every 
month or two months, this being since late summer when the 
program changed and i no longer taught 4 & 5 year olds.  i still 
have good relations with a lot of people there, including those in 
charge, though.
most of the time i attend a small non-denominational church and 
once in a while I go to my girlfriend's non-denominational church, 
but she lives about an hour away so it's not often.

the reason i generally attend Sunday mornings is because that is 
one of the few times when i am not at school or work and people 
are meeting.
as far as actual worship goes, i find worship as being a separate 
entity from church attendance.  often they correspond, other times 
they don't.  for me, worship occurs when i see, hear, or read a 
great work of art and understand that God is the source of the 
talent, and created the inspirations behind the art.  worship 
happens when i take a walk with my girlfriend in the park and 
understand and appreciate that God made the beauty i'm taking in. 
 worship, to me, is enjoying anything and understanding and 
acknowledging that God is the source of it.

i make it sound like i do a lot better at this than i actually do.  i 
realize that these ideas are probably foreign to a lot of people and i 
don't think any less of someone who doesn't see things the way i 
do.  i'm not here to shove anything down anyone's throat;  i was 
asked about these things, therefore i responded.  

> > i focus more on a personal relationship with
> > God rather than ritual, legalistic traditions, etc.
> 
> Group worship is cool, no doubt about it.  Getting together with a bunch
> of people who believe in the same thing, is what makes it worth it.

i agree, it can be a very satisfying, exciting, fulfilling experience.

joel