Christian recruitment of young people

Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed

Be what you is not what you what you ain’t
Location
Central NY
This has never bothered me until now but recently a pastor friend of mine along with Bible camp combined efforts to indoctrinate young people into Christianity. I do not recall being happy as a Christian, matter of fact as a ChristIan I was miserable. I don’t know if Christianity was the source of my discontent but it began with my dad who represented Christianity as a pastor.

Given what I know about Christianity convincing young people to join is wrong and misleading. Christianity and religion have convinced society that these things are good and wholesome endeavors to possess, however, for the ones in power, the ones who pull the strings are truly in charge of the world and their followers.
 

What you are talking about is Christian recruitment to join a church. Was with the church 25 years, but my best Christian experience is during the last 23 without it. I don't think I'll ever go back. It is too regimented and not like the army, more like organized crime, and the Godhead is presented as being unreachable without the church. When you stop going, members act like you have a plague they don't want to catch. Blah. Life is hard enough without church and its shenanigans.
 
Nathan said:
To clarify: Christian Church. I hate to see the "baby thrown out with the bath water", Christianity is NOT the problem, it's the man-made Church, with all their human shortcomings.
Click to expand...
OK, you peaked my curiosity. What us a man-made church?
 
oldman said:
OK, you peaked my curiosity. What us a man-made church?
Click to expand...
The "man-made church" is all of the ritual, all of the dogma, all of the trappings of the man-made organization that comprises a church.

Christianity itself involves following and practicing the teachings of Jesus the Christ, and all he stood for. That's the "baby" that gets thrown out with the bath water whenever a man-made church causes a follower to turn away...
 
Nathan said:
The "man-made church" is all of the ritual, all of the dogma, all of the trappings of the man-made organization that comprises a church.

Christianity itself involves following and practicing the teachings of Jesus the Christ, and all he stood for. That's the "baby" that gets thrown out with the bath water whenever a man-made church causes a follower to turn away...
Click to expand...
I get it. Thanks for clearing that up.
 
Mr. Ed said:
...Given what I know about Christianity convincing young people to join is wrong and misleading. Christianity and religion have convinced society that these things are good and wholesome endeavors to possess...
Click to expand...
Your odd personal experience is not a basis for how the rest of Christian religions ought be morally or ethically judged. Some may agree with you but given the large numbers of still practicing Christians across the planet, many will not including this person. Also Christianity ought not be generally judged by beliefs or actions of specific denominations or of specific members of those groups. Of course some Christian haters have done so for centuries blaming all Christianity for the actions of a few whenever they have an opportunity to. In this Internet era that has risen to new levels as angry manipulators for all manner of controversies toss their diarrhea against walls to see what sticks without the slightest interest in meaningful civil conversations.
 
I'm watching Yes God Yes on Netflix
"Catholic high school girl Alice (Natalia Dyer) discovers masturbation after accidentally joining a lewd AOL chat room. Her sexual awakening also stirs up intense feelings of shame, leading her to go on a religious retreat to make peace with God. While there, she discovers sexuality isn't as black and white as her religious community has led her to believe. Written and directed by Karen Maine. Timothy Simons and Susan Blackwell co-star. "
The main character gets an unwarranted bad reputation at the catholic school she is enrolled at and later attends Jesus camp. At orientation campers completed a survey about emotions and feelings. Alice the main character being honest about her feelings agreed she sometimes feels turned-on. Her honesty was later used against her as the Catholic camp director accused Alice of immoral behavior.
Movie forward to Alice leaving the campfire ending up a lesbian bar where a kind former catholic counselor drove Alice back to Camp Jesus.
 
Well that says more about attitudes of our sleazy entertainment and media industries, quite willing to spread its cesspool morality and pornographic attitudes around with their own biased manipulative creations. Especially atop any groups that are against their foul styles.
 
Last edited:
Nathan said:
The "man-made church" is all of the ritual, all of the dogma, all of the trappings of the man-made organization that comprises a church.

Christianity itself involves following and practicing the teachings of Jesus the Christ, and all he stood for. That's the "baby" that gets thrown out with the bath water whenever a man-made church causes a follower to turn away...
Click to expand...
 
I am a stange duck with limited perception of thoughts not my own.
Your odd personal experience is not a basis for how the rest of Christian religions ought be morally or ethically judged.
To be clear my experience of Christianity is associated in the Baptist genre of Christianity.
 
Take a deep breath, and chill David. Getting all worked up like that just kind of proves the point, don't you know.

David777 said:
Well that says more about attitudes of our sleazy entertainment and media industries, quite willing to spread its cesspool morality and pornographic attitudes around with their own biased manipulative creations. Especially atop any groups that are against their foul styles.
Click to expand...
 
David777 said:
Well that says more about attitudes of our sleazy entertainment and media industries, quite willing to spread its cesspool morality and pornographic attitudes around with their own biased manipulative creations. Especially atop any groups that are against their foul styles.
Click to expand...
? Connect the dots for me, not sure how the above statement ties in with the thread title= "Christian recruitment of young people"
 
True spirituality is a one on one with the Absolute. Traditional organized religions
have been manipulating through the centuries into many fallicies. Many things
they teach are not true. I see this as harmful.
So, do they do more harm than good?
To keep God in the mind, to sing praises to God; these are good things.
To teach children to try to do good; this is nice.
To teach respect for heavenly entities, this is good.
What else?
I can't think of anything.

Yet, Does it do harm to be exposed to many different ideas and philosophies
or does this just add to their knowledge?
 
Perhaps my posts are getting old and uninteresting? I woke up from a dream to learn my Baptist background which was clearly associated with my dad made my life a living illusion grounded in humiliation and unworthiness.
When I stopped believing in Christianity and the Bible I was released from the psychological dependence of my dad. I must have forgiven him a thousand times but I remained captive to the day I lost face.

It is amazing the power a parent has over a child who wanted nothing but to please and find favor in someone who didn't care. You could say I was haunted by a traumatic event that stripped the essence from my soul leaving behind only a shell of a human being.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top