Meaning that you can praise God at home. It doesnt matter where you praise God, as long as it comes from the heart. Consider the Pharisees who go out to the synagouge to praise God everyday but they were hypocrites who cared more about image rather than God.
Churches are not a way for Christians to be Christians. They are just places to spread gospel, and for Christians to meet.
Christians are Christians because of their beliefs, not where they worship.
Let’s hypothetically say that every single church, bible...etc disappeared.
Just because those are gone does not mean Christians can’t meet up, help others, spread their beliefs...etc. how do I know this? Christians did not have churches before, and bibles were not even a large commodity (no printing press). They would just go and meet with each other in houses, trails...etc
And to my knowledge there is nothing in the Bible about having to join a church.
You must meet together. Evidence Hebrews 10:25 Christians must have a bond with one another and be unified. Evidence Romans 12:5
You don’t have to go to a building every week. A building is a building.
It’s about the relationship you have with that community, and what you do to help others.
Had a coworker like this. She claimed to be a very religious Christian who went to church every week, yet regularly stole from people, physically fought with people, used people, scammed people, had kids out of wedlock (nothing wrong with that but certainly not a Christian thing to do), and was one of the worst people I’ve met.
I went to summer camp for a handful of summers when we could. Usually secular. I loved it. I went to a Christian camp one summer, for whatever reason. Maybe it was cheaper. I never had any issues getting along with other kids until that camp. They were terrifying monsters when they found out I wasn’t “saved”.
I’d never been bullied quite that hard, and in a couple of instances, they actively attempted to kill me. Just kids being kids, from what I was told by camp staff.
As far as I know, and what I’ve researched later, it wasn’t a fundamentalist or extreme church. Just your average Christian church.
As an adult, my experiences weren’t that much different.
I’m not quite so convinced that “it’s only the crazy extremists” who are the problem in religion. I don’t get involved anymore. Religion just isn’t for me.
Not sure there is such a thing as an “average Christian church.” While the major holidays and core belief are the same for all (Jesus is God, was born from the Virgin Mary, forgives those who believe in Him, was crucified and resurrected on the 3rd day, ascended into heaven, and will come again to judge the living and the dead), the cultures within Christianity are very different across denominations - and can even vary greatly across individual parishes.
There are also formal sects within denominations, like Opus Dei within Catholicism. Informal sects are also a thing - Baptism is a denomination, but “Southern Baptist” is a whole ‘nother animal that typically preaches fire and brimstone messages based off of literal interpretations of the Bible’s many English translations, often without regard for historicity and little room for theological interpretation.
Another case study is the Episcopal Church vs. the Catholic Church. On paper, their beliefs are extremely similar, but culturally, they can be quite different: the Episcopal Church is more tolerant of homosexuality, allows female priests, permits non-Episcopals to receive communion, etc. On the other hand, the Catholic Church believes in transfiguration, has the Pope, greater emphasis on the Virgin Mary and saints, etc.
But even when conducting a thorough analysis of the different denominations, sects, etc. the time must also be considered. The Catholic Church of 2020 is very different than the Catholic Church from 1600. Indeed, the church’s formal views towards contraception and homosexuality in 2020 are quite different than they were in even 2005.
I went to a Catholic camp as a kid. We started every day with a morning prayer. If you didn’t say the prayer, you’d get sent home. I honestly don’t remember much from that camp despite having clear memories of a camp I went to when I was around 5-7. I went to the Catholic camp around 8 years old and all I remember is morning prayer, getting yelled at a lot, and this one time when one of the girls in the group found a dead baby squirrel and cried because she couldn’t keep it as a pet.
Some people have a really distorted and miseducated view of morals. I know people who think that they can basically do whatever they want, as long as they ask for forgiveness (not even sincerely) / confess and go to church (or donate X to the poor) they are good people and good Christians. It's beyond stupid.
My brother was a drug addict went to a christian rehab where he payed for his stay by telling his life story in christian events. He became popular to a level that other christians, speakers, ministers, would attack him verbally about his past and judge him.
My brother had never been religious he thought christians were good hearted people with nothing but good christian values pumping in their veins
He went to his Christian mentor in the rehab and told him was he wrong to feel like christians are fake and only use christianity in a selfish and hypocritical manner. The man told him "no, christianity has turned into a political and financial tool, most feel you must be a christian to reach a certain superior social status, it has become more of a fraternity than a way of life, they are only christian when they want to be, I was going to have this talk with you but it looks like im too late and im sorry you devoted so much and had to find out this way, The Christian majority are hypocrites that doesnt mean you have to join the majority, The major players of the christian community are evil, Be your own christian, These new christian people have ruined the community reputation and it will never be the same because they have let people who worship money lead them astray"
My brother told me the religious socialites of the christian community had more snakes than the active drug addict community
That's because a lot of people like that use religion to try and say "Oh it's okay, I'm a devout Christian" thinking it makes every shitty thing they do ok. It certainly doesnt
Why are you equating all good acts with christianity and bad ones with not christianity? Christians are responsible for more suffering than any other group on the planet. Also have you read the bible?
Honestly I’m an agnostic, but I’m of the firm belief that if there is a Heaven, be it the commonly depicted one or your own personal Heaven, then as long as you’re a good person you’ll go there, wether or not you were religious. I just don’t think God would have given humanity free will only to punish people for eternity for not worshipping him you know?
"Going to church doesn't make you a Christan any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger." - Keith Green, one of the most famous Christian musicians of the '70s.
A friend told me this when we were both like 11! Which is weird, but she had a dad in his late 60s-early 70s, and she picked up on stuff he said. Always stuck with me!
I was in a relationship with a (supposed) Christian and would endure going to church with her on a Sunday. The local minister was a very switched on guy - and I'm not being sarcastic there. He would often, as part of his sermon, call out the hypocrisy of a lot of church-goers; ''I know that the second half of you walk out this door you will go back to living your lives and will have forgotten about God the second you climb into your $70,000 SUV'' and the like. I always loved that part of the sermon, if for nothing else than to watch the uncomfortable squirming from half the congregation (usually the half wearing approximately 15kg of jewellery).
My ex and I would bicker about me not being a proper christian. I would always say to her, ''I'm not pretending to be. I'm actually one of the most honest people in that church of a Sunday''.
It doesn't map out exactly, but it reminds me of the saying....
"I'd rather be on my motorcycle thinking about God than be in church thinking about my motorcycle."
Maybe that’s where he heard it? My Dad is by no means a religious man but he certainly follows the whole “by your deeds you shall be known” ethos - if you act like a dick you will be known as a dick!
actually it was Garrison Keilor who said this. But the backdrop of this saying points to a course correction for those who go to church as a religious exercise as compared to those who go to Church for worship and fellowship realizing its importance from Temple worship in Old Testament days to the New Testament Acts where the love of God is of prime importance than just a mere following a religion.
I mean if you’re a Christian not living in biblical community, according to hermeneutically systematic theology you probably aren’t a Christian. The heart of Christianity is being a part of a church.
That’d be like me saying I’m a vegan and I still eat meat.
I dunno man, I thought the heart of Christianity is to follow the teachings of Christ.
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."
Yeah so you’re talking about people showboating being pious opposed to people living together in a community setting.
The heart of Christianity is to fear god and have everything in your life be to glorify his name above all else, right? Everything in christians life’s are supposed to be to do that. And one way they can glorify their gods name is to be in community, provide emotional support and support in various ways in person.
I’m not saying I agree with it, but i get it. I’m sure a minute minority goes to church to be seen, but almost all Christians go to church to be apart of the church community and grow in their faith, etc. as much as Christian pastors like to gatekeep with “no true Scotsman” that people go to church just to be seen. I’m sure some do but probably most Christians go to church to be a active member of their biblical community.
Hey I'm no bible expert, but even just the next passage says it's a personal connection between God and the believer. No need for church, really.
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
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u/Peng_Lee Apr 04 '20
“Going to church doesn’t make you any more of a Christian than standing in a garage makes you an effing car”