What do you hate about church?

"Hate" is such a strong word. I would have posed the question as "is there anything you don't like about church" or, to make the topic more broad to include churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc., "is there anything you don't like about your place of worship".
 

VintageBetter said:
I'll start: I am so sick of male preachers teaching the Bible as if heaven is a football game. Or a basketball game. Or a race with blue ribbons to be won at the end. (Alas, if time is infinite, there is no end, correct?)

I am so sick of the male vision of the Bible's many analogies.

I am sick of the male privilege exercised by the church for centuries.

I'm sick of church structure. I hate how we're supposed to sit there for 30 to 45 minutes and listen. When do we get to ask questions or present our opinions or tell people what's going on in our lives? (Don't say "in Bible Study" because I've been to many of those where the church structure is the same: "you heathen just sit there and listen to the learned teacher"). Example: Why don't they have a microphone set up in the aisle so those brave enough among us can walk right up and ask the preacher/pastor some question in the middle of the sermon? Why, after all these centuries, are we treated like little jars to be filled and not equals with church leadership?

I'm sick of praise songs that are the same verse sung 70 times. I hate those the most. When did someone think boring people to death musically was a good way to illustrate the spiritual? And if I say honestly, "I really hate that song", why am I seen as a trouble maker for being honest?

I guess I ask too many questions. If some church came along that did actually shake up the whole church formula, they'd probably be roundly and severely condemned by other churches. Peer pressure.
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Have you considered starting your own women’s Bible study? It’s not illegal. You don’t have to be ordained. Just do it.

Or become an Episcopalian. My understanding is that a majority of the new priests are women.
 

horseless carriage said:
“You cannot reason someone out of something he or she was not reasoned into.” (Jonathan Swift, 1721).
This quotation informs as to why, when we discuss politics and religion, we can’t seem to come to an agreement. Instead, these topics usually end in arguments and anger. Afterwards, most participants are more convinced than ever that their viewpoint is correct. That's why I don't argue any points on either subject.
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From great doubt comes great faith.

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Yes. Hate is a bad thing. Whatever issues I’ve had with a church, I’ve never felt hated. It’s sad to see a person who gets worked up to the level of hate.
 
rgp said:
Way back when I was married ..... 69/70 somewhere in there. My wife and her mother were at church [catholic] and during the service it started raining.
When they came out, the wife's car had a flat tire. Her dad was working, I was cruising yard-sales looking for a roll top desk for the wife.

Not a single member of the congregation stopped to offer any help. The wife [in her Sunday best] ended up changing the tire herself.
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Doesn’t the confessional take care of things like that?
 
Every time I use the word "hate." As in, "I hate that truck noise we have to listen to all day with the new construction.," my husband gets his prissy face on and tells me, "Hate is a strong word." I hate that. Yes it is a strong word, that's why I use it. Saying I find that truck noise mildly annoying wouldn't even be true. It's just a word people. Get over it.
 
Della said:
Every time I use the word "hate." As in, "I hate that truck noise we have to listen to all day with the new construction.," my husband gets his prissy face on and tells me, "Hate is a strong word." I hate that. Yes it is a strong word, that's why I use it. Saying I find that truck noise mildly annoying wouldn't even be true. It's just a word people. Get over it.
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I know what you mean, I hate it when people get all hissy over word choice as well. For example the word phuck ;) it too is just a word .
 
rgp said:
I know what you mean, I hate it when people get all hissy over word choice as well. For example the word phuck ;) it too is just a word .
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I almost got fired over that one. It's a word I've only said two or three times in my entire life, but I said it at work -- before the doors were open to the public, and , I thought, before any of my co-workers had come to the front where I was.

I had just received some really bad news via the phone so I hung it up and then The Word popped out. By the end of the day the tattle tales had done their job and I was in the bosses office getting threatened with firing. Funny thing is the tattle tales used to make me queasy each and every day using those bathroom words that I hate.
 
I saw a woman Christian minister on the news giving a commentary on the Biblical sacrifice of Christ. She said she doesn't believe that anymore, she just believes that God is love and that's enough. My jaw dropped.
 
Della said:
Every time I use the word "hate." As in, "I hate that truck noise we have to listen to all day with the new construction.," my husband gets his prissy face on and tells me, "Hate is a strong word." I hate that. Yes it is a strong word, that's why I use it. Saying I find that truck noise mildly annoying wouldn't even be true. It's just a word people. Get over it.
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I hate when people say that too.. ''hate is a strong word''... yes that's why I'm using it.... :D
 
What is the ekklesia in the Bible?


“Ekklesia” is the Greek word used for “church” in Matthew 16:18. When Jesus said, “I will build my church”, “my Ekklesia” He was not talking about a building; He was talking about people: about YOU. And when 2 or 3 of you gather together, He comes to be in your midst.3 Oct 2021

An interesting analysis not always commonly known/recognized or used? - but if true - take the building away and leave 2 or 3 or more gathered in Christ name then they are an 'Ekklesia"'. No need for a building - could be a park ; mountain top ; back garden ; riverside etc etc - there who needs a building heh??
 
Mobilman44 said:
Okay, I'm in a writing mood and will tell the story of why I left the Church at the ripe old age of 14....
I was a regular at the Church, mainly because my best friend was the son of the Pastor. My parents nor sisters went there. Anyway, one nice summer day the Church threw a picnic at a forest preserve area, and I went with my friend and his family. There was well over 100 - 150 people there, all set up by the side of a fast flowing creek.

It turns out the creek had a waterfall at one end, and me and a few others decided to walk across the top of the waterfall. The water was maybe a foot deep at the top, and then it fell for 8-10 feet and went on downstream from there. Well, as you might guess, I lost my footing, fell on the top of the drop off, and the water rolled me over and down to the deep, churning water below.

I still recall being thrown around under the water, and then washed downstream. The current was fast and the creek was a good 30-40 feet wide and I was in the middle. At some point I finally managed to stand up. I was scared, panicky, and yelling for help. The water was rushing by me up to my neck, and I was afraid to move because the bottom was all sand and I could step into a hole. I couldn't really swim, so that was out of the question.

So I could see these people all along the bank, and I'm screaming for help, and no one made a move. I don't recall how long this went on until I got the nerve to take steps downstream to shallow water. About then I started cussing, yelling ever swear word my Chicago education had taught me. Of course this really upset the church people, but at that point I didn't care.

I finally made it to waist deep water and managed to make it to the shore and up the bank. I was pretty upset, and to make it worse, no one came over to console or help me. It was a very somber ride home with the Pastor's family, and that was the last time I attended Church as a youngster.
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That’s a horrible story and so sad that no one tried to help you. Ugh!!
 
Brookswood said:
Yes. Hate is a bad thing. Whatever issues I’ve had with a church, I’ve never felt hated. It’s sad to see a person who gets worked up to the level of hate.
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Precisely.

There are times when "hate" is appropriate. For example, hating war, hating abuse, hating disease, hating crime, etc. But other times, lesser extreme words might be appropriate. Reminds me of people saying that they're 'starving' when in fact they are just hungry or that some minor inconvenience is 'the worst thing in the world'. I know this is off topic however I wanted to explain my reasoning for my earlier post #101 in this thread.
 


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