What do you hate about church?

VintageBetter

VintageBetter

Member
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.
 

As an atheist, I don't get to church that often :) , but I do run into those TV preachers when I'm channel surfing. Supposedly, if you send in a continuing donation of $68, I think, in 68 days, you'll get back $4,624., or something like that. If that worked, Wall Street would have the biggest church ever built.;)
 

hollydolly said:
Nothing..I don't go to church neither do the Majority of Brits.

In the US from what we understand Church is a big deal for many... it hasn't been like that here since I was a child..
Click to expand...
It varies, Hols. In some areas church is a big deal and it will continue to be if it was for your recent ancestors. Dad's family was very religious. Mom's family was not really at all yet I was forced to go to and stay in Catholic school for 8 years until I was physically strong enough to fight. Neither side helped. It's weird the power something like religion can have over people but it does.
 
chic said:
It varies, Hols. In some areas church is a big deal and it will continue to be if it was for your recent ancestors. Dad's family was very religious. Mom's family was not really at all yet I was forced to go to and stay in Catholic school for 8 years until I was physically strong enough to fight. Neither side helped. It's weird the power something like religion can have over people but it does.
Click to expand...
My parents were not the least bit religious and on weekends when they weren’t at their cottage or vacationing somewhere, they’d make us go on the bus to Sunday school. I didn’t hate it but resented the fact that I was ‘forced’ to go. Even at a young age, I was a REBEL!
 
For the better part of my 20's I was deeply involved with church. I went to a house church, where the "progressives" met. Our meetings were original, and we switched every week to a different person leading the discussion/worship. I also performed singing and playing the guitar, both alone, and with other musicians. We gave played in concerts. I always liked it until I started having doubts that were too important to ignore. They eventually convinced me to move on.
 
hollydolly said:
Nothing..I don't go to church neither do the Majority of Brits.

In the US from what we understand Church is a big deal for many... it hasn't been like that here since I was a child..
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say it's a big deal for many. It is for some., but US churches are definitely not overcrowded every Sunday.

Church enthusiasm is kind of a regional thing here, actually. There's a region in the US called The Bible Belt, but I'm sure it's less bibley than it was, say, 50yrs ago. There's a lot of church enthusiasts in the south, but there are also lots of folks down there who practice various forms of spiritualism that don't have a literal church.

The US has millions of new immigrants every year from all over the world. And, as you'd expect, they bring their religions with them (and are free to do so, of course), so it's impossible to be accurate about that demographic...it frequently evolves due to world events.
 
I no longer attend church but what I didn’t like when I was high school/ college age was the gossiping, hypocrisy, casual racism, not actual practicing what Jesus taught once one walked out the church, the idea that ‘our way is the only way and the rest of you are going to hell’. Also, women being second class citizens.

Luckily, I had family members and other adults in my life that truly lived their Christianity on a daily basis. So today I don’t hate any religion though I dislike the direction humans may try take a religion.

I actually did enjoy the music of the church (southern Baptist) and sometimes miss it.
 
What Do I Hate about the Church?

The only problem with the church is that it's a gathering of imperfect people seeking different things...some good, some bad, some are givers some are self-serving, some are still seeking their way, some have found their way and want to rejoice and fellowship with others, some are there to help others, some are there to use others.

I don't do hate...except that God hates sin (so do I). He loves the sinner though (so do I). He never gives up hope that they will genuinely seek forgiveness and turn from sin whenever it presents itself. Sin is everywhere including in the churches.

We all sin (so do I)...some more than others, some worse than others. Some are sorry and ask forgiveness. God forgives the genuine repentant sinner no matter how great the sin...but Only if the one asking forgiveness means it and it shows. And that ticks some people off.
 
Last edited:
“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.
 
I grew up attending church...Presbyterian mostly, nearly every Sunday. When I joined the military, Sundays became a "fun" day, so I gave up Church. In the past 60+ years, the only times I've attended a "service" have been for weddings and funerals.

I firmly believe that trying to live an honest and productive life is a far more important pathway to Heaven, than trying to "buy" your way with Tithes and Offerings.
 
I enjoy going to church. Our congregation is mostly composed of people who mean well.....mostly. My active membership in a democratically administered Presbyterian church is an important part of my social connection with community.
Spiritually, my experience with The Divine, my own mystical experience with a higher consciousness so vast as to be beyond my vocabulary to describe or to even comprehend doesn't have very much to do with my church or any other organized religion. And I'm comfortable with that.
I think that consciousness is a fundamental component of matter and energy and that there's a universal mind who doesn't care what name we call it or what religions we invent to try and explain things.

How to behave? Not bringing suffering to any other living beings is a good start. Try to be helpful. And don't be reluctant to find what wisdom and beauty that can be found in the traditions of other cultures.
 
Murrmurr said:
I wouldn't say it's a big deal for many. It is for some., but US churches are definitely not overcrowded every Sunday.

Church enthusiasm is kind of a regional thing here, actually. There's a region in the US called The Bible Belt, but I'm sure it's less bibley than it was, say, 50yrs ago. There's a lot of church enthusiasts in the south, but there are also lots of folks down there who practice various forms of spiritualism that don't have a literal church.

The US has millions of new immigrants every year from all over the world. And, as you'd expect, they bring their religions with them (and are free to do so, of course), so it's impossible to be accurate about that demographic...it frequently evolves due to world events.
Click to expand...
yes that's a good point to make actually. When I said Brits generally are not church goers, of course I forgot about the many other religions..particualrly those where they worship at a Mosque..those are very busy as far as I'm aware.

there are no Mosques anywhere near where I live because there's no or very little... of those of that religion living here.. but there are Many , many mosques all over the Uk ...and there are Jewish worshippers at synagogues, .. and of course in the cities there are many ''Black churches..''

Why London's Black Churches Are So Popular

I've often said that if white Christians made going to church as fun as Black people of all religions.. then it would be a whole different Ball game... for the uk
 
I'm not a fan of any religion - with rare exception they tend to be hypocritical and racist. As a teenager, I joined the Catholic church because I wanted to feel I "belonged" somewhere. I had been involuntarily moved around so much, I felt so completely the outsider everywhere. I rejected the Catholic church in my mid 20's and religion completely in my forties.
 
I no longer attend church but I do like some of the sponsored programs. The senior luncheon is open to all and the food bank helps a lot of people. The new minister tried to do away with both efforts but some good people intervened.
 


Back
Top