Misunderstanding at church

It's kind of weird this topic came up today. I have been considering finding a church just to go to to sit and converse in a soothing place with pretty stained glass windows. Like those church's you see on tv that SEEM so zen-like. Unfortunately, Gods house is usually locked up tight when services are not in progress. Thieves, ya know. Or so I have been told about why they are locked up. And most churches like ya to sing. I sing like Lucy Ricardo. No, I refuse to sing. I also refuse to try to thumb thru some bible in the back pocket pew for those who don't have one. Everyone is like robots in there, last time I went. They know exactly which gospel to go to, and know all the words and lilts to the churchy songs. What happened to Jesus on the Mount, just TALKING? Huh? Why can't a church be that way? Some guy reading passages and not expecting the drones to make that whispering thumbing sound as they look for it in their bible they brought with them, some person shuffling around in their chair, then the horrible knowledge they are preparing to...gasp..SING again.
And what's worse, is the pastor or reverend or whomever is up there giving HIS/HER perception of what such and such means when to me, it means entirely something else.

So..reading this thread has been an enlightened experience for me again. I think I will stick with that magnificent tailed skunk that wanders by, or the silver fox that trots through the yard on its way to its den or the raccoons when they come fetch their dinner and calmly listen to me cooing at them. If I listen really hard...I will hear God speaking to me through them. And no locked doors or songs except the wind in the trees.
 
This thread is funny to me because it happened in church. Re-reading the OP, I agree the pastor was probably making a joke. There are people, like the woman (perhaps), who enjoy causing fights. They like the attention. Tears often come later as an added touch. But I don't understand the pastor falling for it. I assumed a pastor would know people better than an average person, and rise above it, so to speak.
 

NancyNGA said:
This thread is funny to me because it happened in church. Re-reading the OP, I agree the pastor was probably making a joke. There are people, like the woman, who enjoy causing fights. They like the attention. Tears often come later as an added touch. But I don't understand the pastor falling for it. I assumed a pastor would know people better than an average person, and rise above it, so to speak.
Click to expand...

Or maybe she felt he had shamed her, calling her out like that. When he realized she took him seriously, that would have been the time to say he was joking, maybe add an apology and nip it in the bud. He also accused her of gossiping, which wasn't true. If someone does something to you and you tell someone, that is not gossip. It sounds like he knew he was wrong and he was trying to control the situation to make himself look better. Everything he did seemed to make it worse.
 
Kaya said:
It's kind of weird this topic came up today. I have been considering finding a church just to go to to sit and converse in a soothing place with pretty stained glass windows. Like those church's you see on tv that SEEM so zen-like. Unfortunately, Gods house is usually locked up tight when services are not in progress. Thieves, ya know. Or so I have been told about why they are locked up. And most churches like ya to sing. I sing like Lucy Ricardo. No, I refuse to sing. I also refuse to try to thumb thru some bible in the back pocket pew for those who don't have one. Everyone is like robots in there, last time I went. They know exactly which gospel to go to, and know all the words and lilts to the churchy songs. What happened to Jesus on the Mount, just TALKING? Huh? Why can't a church be that way? Some guy reading passages and not expecting the drones to make that whispering thumbing sound as they look for it in their bible they brought with them, some person shuffling around in their chair, then the horrible knowledge they are preparing to...gasp..SING again.
And what's worse, is the pastor or reverend or whomever is up there giving HIS/HER perception of what such and such means when to me, it means entirely something else.

So..reading this thread has been an enlightened experience for me again. I think I will stick with that magnificent tailed skunk that wanders by, or the silver fox that trots through the yard on its way to its den or the raccoons when they come fetch their dinner and calmly listen to me cooing at them. If I listen really hard...I will hear God speaking to me through them. And no locked doors or songs except the wind in the trees.
Click to expand...


Yes. For some of us, each breath is a prayer, and kindness a religion. I prefer to leave theology to the theologians, rather than squabble about how many angels fit on the head of a pin, give me a way to live in harmony with Mother Nature and all her creations. That is close enough to being the avatar of the Divine for me. Namaste.
 
Shalimar said:
Yes. For some of us, each breath is a prayer, and kindness a religion. I prefer to leave theology to the theologians, rather than squabble about how many angels fit on the head of a pin, give me a way to live in harmony with Mother Nature and all her creations. That is close enough to being the avatar of the Divine for me. Namaste 
Click to expand...

That too. Without humans near me. When I want to socialize..I have the internet and message boards. When I "vant to be alone", all I have to do is log off.
 
This church thing has gotten me a tad riled. I need to find a blog place so I can vent it all out. It is way past due. Might even solve the depression issue.

I loathe holier-than-thous who are oh-so-helpful on Sunday, but monday through saturday its more "kiss my hiney" mentality. My sister is one of them. Which is why we do not get along.
 
Kaya said:
This church thing has gotten me a tad riled. I need to find a blog place so I can vent it all out. It is way past due. Might even solve the depression issue.

I loathe holier-than-thous who are oh-so-helpful on Sunday, but monday through saturday its more "kiss my hiney" mentality. My sister is one of them. Which is why we do not get along.
Click to expand...
I am not a group person. The only thing wrong with religion is usually some of the people who fail to practice it. Show me the love ❤️ and all of us will grow. Without it, all we have are God’s frozen people.
 
(Author Unkown, more’s the pity)
Well, it had been yet another bad day in the office, and once again it was the fault of that new girl, MaryAnne. She is one of those Wiccans, a so-called Witch. How can anyone in their right mind make this claim, knowing that it goes against God and all of the teachings of the Bible?
She doesn’t even have the common decency to keep her satanic symbol, her pentagram necklace hidden from the view of the decent, God-fearing people in the office. She has some nerve. I find that I cannot hate her for this though, for I know that she has been deceived. Satan works his evil in ways that she cannot see.
I’ve seen that so called Wiccan Rede that she has tacked to the wall above her computer. On the surface, it looks like a decent loving belief, but all one must do is look, look closely and see that by practicing this way, and not embracing Jesus Christ as savior, she is on the pathway to Hell.
As I’ve said, it was a bad day in the office. Three times in the past few weeks I have been called in to see my supervisor, and he has told me that I am not allowed to preach to MaryAnne the word of God, to show her the error of her ways. Today, my supervisor told me that if I continue to “harass” MaryAnne, he would be forced to terminate me. How can he say this? He himself is a God fearing man. And, how can he be so tolerant of the evil that he sees insinuating itself into our workplace? As I lay down to sleep last night, I asked the Lord for guidance. “God, grant me a true vision of you, so that I may better lead the faithless onto the righteous path.”
“Oh, a true vision of Me is it? Are you sure that you’re ready, truly ready to see, my son?”
I sat bolt upright in bed, and there, at the foot of my bed, white of hair and beard, in a long, flowing white robe, stood the Lord my God. I made to leap from the bed and fall to my knees in front of Him, but He stopped me with a gesture. “Kneel not before me at this time my son. Instead, rise and walk with Me, so that you may get a glimpse of what I truly am, as you asked of me in your prayer.”
He took my hand, and as I looked, my bedroom was no longer there, but a pathway thru the woods. We started to walk, and I was too awestruck for words. We took the path to the left, and we were then inside St. Catherine’s Church, in the middle of a service. While still standing beside me, God seemed to expand and fill the whole of the church.
I could see smiles of contentment forming on some of the parishioners’ faces. I felt blessed. God smiled upon me. “The Catholics hold such pretty masses, don’t they? I like to stop here in this church, because not only do they speak the words, but also they live the life, thru teaching, helping the sick and poor, not only with handouts, but helping them learn to help themselves. Now let us walk on.”
And we were back on the pathway. We traveled a bit further along, and then were in the parlor of a funeral home. A young woman was kneeling before the casket, resting her head on it and crying. I could see by the similarity, that this dead man must be her father. God knelt beside her, and drew His arms about her. “Miss him, that is all right, but weep not for him, for now he is with Me”.
She wiped her eyes, and stood with a sad smile upon her face, and said “Good-bye Daddy. I’ll miss you,” and turned and left the room.
And we were back on the pathway. We walked a little ways, and we were in front of a large lodge of some kind. I could hear music and laughter spilling out of the windows. I turned to look at God, and was shocked to see, not the flowing white robe, but Him wearing leather and animal furs, his hair and beard now the color of wheat, and a sword strapped across His back.
He strode forth, and I saw him approach a figure I had not seen before. As I looked close, I was shocked to see that it was the same face that I had just seen dead, but looking young and strong, and dressed in ancient looking garb, an ax strapped to his waist.
God strode up to him and grabbed him in a great bear hug. “Welcome my son. We’ve been waiting for you. Now, go inside and raise a cup or two, and meet with your brother.” And, with a hearty slap on the back, he sent the man inside.
And then we were back on the pathway. We walked a bit further, and then we were in a mosque. At least I believed so, as I had never been in one before, but had seen pictures of them. The group of worshippers was not large, but I could see their rapt faces as they listened to the mullah speak. He was speaking to them of purity, both of the mind and the body, bringing them closer to Allah.
And as he spoke, God, dressed now in the robes of the desert, walked among them and briefly laid his hands upon each set of shoulders. And, from their faces, I could see that these men knew that the words of the mullah were true, and that their spirits felt touched by God.
And then we were back on the pathway. After we had walked a bit, we found ourselves in an African village. People with skin as black as night, the women with their breast shamefully bared, were dancing in a circle, to the rhythm of the drums being played by a group of men. Somehow though, the bared breasts did not offend me, and the music seemed to seep into my soul.
God was then a mighty lion, and He let forth a mighty roar. The villagers did not seem to hear, but the drums increased their pounding, and the dancers danced with frenzy.
And then we were back on the pathway. We walked a bit more, and were on the top of a cliff. There sat, painted and covered with feathers, an old Navajo man. As I watched, he seemed to change into the form of an eagle and take flight, and we were flying with him, soaring high into the air, seeing the vista spread out below us.
And God, in the form of an eagle Himself, seemed to guide this other eagle thru the air, over mountains and thru valleys, until he came upon a group of men. As I watched, the old Navajo man was no longer an eagle, but a young boy instead, and he sat at the feet of these men, to listen to the words of his elders.
And then we were back on the pathway. We traveled a bit, and then we werein a forest clearing. I knew this place. It was known as a place of devil worship and evil. In the center of the clearing roared a great bonfire, and kiwi torches outlined a circle of sorts. Inside this circle, in a circle themselves, stood 7 men and 6 women, dressed in robes of varying colors, their arms raised to the moon.
Was that one woman MaryAnne? I really couldn’t be sure. And God walked among them in the circle, touching each one. He seemed not to be an older man now, but as he made each of three turns around the circle, he was first a young girl, bouncing with energy, then a woman of middle years, with a tender smile for all Her children, and finally, an old woman, body bent, but holding Her head up with pride. And a woman stepped forward, and yes, it was MaryAnne, and lifted her head to the sky.
“Great Goddess, Mother of us all, thank you for joining us tonight. Stay if You will, go if You must. Know in our hearts You will always be welcome. Blessed be!!”
And we were back on the pathway. As we walked along, ahead in the distance I saw the most beautiful man. Yes, beautiful, though I would never normally think of a man this way. With blonde hair, and a golden robe, he seemed to radiate sunshine. God and this golden man nodded to each other as they passed, sharing a smile together. “My Lord” I asked, “was that an angel?”
“Well, yes, he is known as that to some. He is also known to some as a god himself. That was Lucifer”
And His words caused me to stumble. I couldn’t believe that we had just passed the ultimate evil.
God looked at me, and He knew my mind. And He chuckled a bit. “Think about it logically My son. The Lucifer that you know is a fallen angel, cast out of heaven for challenging Me. If I am the all-powerful being, above all others, how could he do this? How could I allow it?” “But, in the bible….” I stammered. “The Bible is a wonderful book, as are the Koran and the Torah and many others, but they are just books, written by the hand of man, not written by Me. And, it’s a bit confusing as well if the truth be known, but that’s not up to Me to fix. These books are wonderful, but only as guidance, for each man and woman must think for themselves.”
And, I believed He was right in this. “Now, come forth, we must journey little more before you go back.” and He took my hand once again. As we followed the pathway, we soared thru the stars, listening to the music of the heavens, we became a little flower and a mighty oak, we became a babbling brook, and a mighty ocean. We flitted from flower to flower as a little honeybee, and ran across the plains as a mighty stallion.
And, all too soon the pathway returned us to my home. God held my hand a moment longer, and smiled into my face. “My son, you prayed tonight for a true vision of Me. For vision, you must only open your eyes and see what there is to see. Good night to you”. And then He was gone, and I was back in my bed. A dream I thought, only a dream, that couldn’t have been real.
At that time, a bolt of lightning lit up my room thru the window, and thunder crashed thru the sky, and I thought I heard, from seemingly far away, “Remember, the Lord works in mysterious ways My son”.
office-i-love-my-work-150x150.png
This morning as I entered the office, I went to the machine for a cup of coffee, and standing there, I spied MaryAnne. As I approached her, I could see her barely cringe, and I could see in her face that she was expecting yet another onslaught from me and my book. She seemed to cast her eyes about for a way to escape, but there was none.
I walked up to her and smiled. “I think I owe you an apology,” I said.”I’ve been a bit narrow minded of late, and I really had no right to subject you to what I did. It’s not up to me to say how you find your path to your spirit, and I was wrong to think that was so.”
MaryAnne just stood there, not knowing what to say. “So, I just wanted to say that I’m so sorry, and I hope you will forgive my trespass. God bless you MaryAnne, and…uh….Blessed Be?”
You know, I always thought that it was just a saying; about people’s jaws dropping to the floor, but MaryAnne did her best at that moment to prove me wrong.
​
 
What is that? A factual report or a piece of creative writing.
A link to the source would help me to make that determination.

I will try to find it by googling key sentences.
 
debodun said:
Today, one of the parishioners who will turn 96 next month, helped herself to 2 pens that the church keeps by the door. They are there for that purpose and free to anyone that wants them. In a few minutes the pastor came over to where we were waiting to have our pre-service Bible study and said something about her taking two pens.

As soon as the Bible study leader came in and sat down, she jumped up and ran over to him and told him the pastor had reprimanded her for taking two pens. Now I am sure the pastor was just pulling her leg about what she did, but she did not take it that way.

The pastor overheard her telling the study leader and came over and told her what he had said to her was not for her to share with the rest of the congregation and gave a short homily on gossip. The more he said, the more upset the old lady became. She said that all she did was take a couple of pens and there was no need to bring it up to her and that maybe she wouldn't be coming to church anymore. One of the other woman in the study jumped up and went over to the pastor told him that he needed a "time out". Now that didn't sit well with him. He told that woman, "You don't tell your own pastor he needs a time out!", and he stormed off.

The woman that had taken the pens just sat and sniffed, like she was holding back crying, through the rest of the study. It just made everyone uncomfortable and I didn't stay for the service because I felt embarrassed for everyone and that I couldn't look the parties involved in the eye.

Any opinions on that situation?
Click to expand...

I think the pastor acted abominably. He certainly was not acting in a Christian manner -- to berate an elderly lady about a pen, and then to tell her she didn't have the right to tell anyone about HIS poor behavior and give a homily on gossip. Certainly nothing Christian about his behavior. I would find another church with a REAL pastor at its helm.
 
Kaya posted: Exactly. My church is my back yard. Well, when I had one. Now it's in my room. Near my altar. Which happens to hold my pc along with my crystals. I don't need some schmuck telling me what God thinks or says. He tells me Himself.

Way to go, Kaya!
 
Shalimar said:
I am not a group person. The only thing wrong with religion is usually some of the people who fail to practice it. Show me the love ❤️ and all of us will grow. Without it, all we have are God’s frozen people.
Click to expand...

That's it in as nutshell....the group aspect is a turn-off for me. I came into this world by myself, and will leave the same way.
 
It states at the beginning of the post that it is Author Unknown. I found it on the web and liked it. That is, if you are referring to my post?
Warrigal said:
What is that? A factual report or a piece of creative writing.
A link to the source would help me to make that determination.

I will try to find it by googling key sentences.
Click to expand...
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top