Alright, so, I'm catholic and I actually go to church just about every week (or at least a wedding since they count in my book). Anyway, the one thing that aggravates me more than anything else is the absolute madhouse that church becomes on Easter and Christmas. Naturally the large crowds are usually because of the so-called 2 timers that show up to church on Easter and Christmas and no other weekends. The streets are jammed with people trying to get there, the parking spots are always gone, and there is never a seat to be had unless you show up an hour early. It pisses me off so damn much when I, a regular church going person, shows up 30 minutes early to find that I will have to stand the whole hour and a half while some 30 year old jackass seated in front of me plays games on his cell phone the entire mass, often missing the times when everyone else stands up. There's old ladies and people with kids who don't have a seat and are actually paying attention while people who go twice a year to play on their phone get a seat. Do these people actually think that going to church twice a year will help them in the afterlife? Look, if you are gonna go, you go full out and you don't go at all, okay. I'm tired of these jackass wannabes clogging up a weekly ritual for myself and the others who actually want to be there just so they can feel good about themselves when they open presents. That may not sound very Christian, but, these people are just wasting their time and lying to themselves if they think showing up twice a year is gonna do them any good. Alright, I got that out, so, Merry Christmas.
Perhaps the church should require a ticket for Christmas mass. Of course, many of the tickets would never be sold to the public, or even the regular church goers. The priests would each get a big stack to dole out as they see fit. Hopefully you've been sucking up to the priests all year. Pun intended. Choir singers and alter boys would also get an allocation for friends and family. Another group of seats will be given out to politicians and lawyers who keep the church immune from paying taxes. The remaining tickets would go to the church donors based on their annual giving levels. Most of the parishioners would be out of luck though. They'll either pay through the nose via StubHub or TicketCity or they'll just have to watch mass on TV. They'll still be happy though, because they can justify staying home by saying that they can buy a 58" plasma for cost of four Christmas mass tickets. Truth is, they'll be going to Hell. Bernard
I hear you bro. I was brought up Lutheran, but my wife was raised Catholic, so we married in the Catholic Church and brought our 3 kids up in the same Church (baptism, first communion, etc...). We usually go every Sunday, so I know exactly what you are talking about. I was used to very small chuches growing up (Lutheran Churches in Austin). The Catholic Churhes in San Antonio are HUGE!
Longhorny: Sorry, I thought it was God's church, not yours. You do have a point about the cell phones, though. I think most of us can agree on that. Bevo Incognito: In answer to your question, I'm pretty sure the Catholic church DOES say that without going to church regularly, there is no way into heaven. Longhorny, is this correct?
Puddle : I hear you on the people visiting as I'm sure the guy on the cell phone was just that but, I would guess that the amount of people that visit is usually offset by the amount of people who are out visiting. Don't get me wrong, I don't see eye to eye with the Vatican on some things, and to keep this from turning into a religious debate, I wont say what those things are. Bernard: I don't donate money to the church as I give it directly to the people that need it, so, I guess I won't be getting a ticket. Perham : I'm happy that people go to church, I would just like to see them actually pay attention and maybe, just maybe, try and attend the week after Christmas as well, you know, maybe try and make it a weekly affair rather than some sort of annual charade. These people are more than welcome to come to any church they want any day of the year and I would be happy to help them, but, it's just so hard for me to help them when they play on their cell phones and take every single parking spot so that I cant even go to church in the first place. Judge not lest ye be judged? Well, I'm judging them for only going to church twice a year and I go to church every week, so, go ahead and judge me. I'm judging them for not paying attention and playing video games during the mass while I pay attention, so, judge me on that as well. Bluepies: You are right about that, it isn't my church, but yah, at least fake interest in this stuff if you are going to take a seat away from an old lady or something. I think you are right about not 'getting in' if you don't go weekly, but, it's been awhile since I was confirmed and I have my differences with the church so, I may be wrong.
Gonna sound harsh but maybe you should be grateful that you live in a country where you can freely assemble and worship. There are other countries where people risk their lives to assemble and commune with other believers. They would stand outside in the cold with an AM radio for the chance to attend church if needed. And maybe you ought to be glad the "jackass" is in church in the first place. Maybe he'll get something out of it, maybe he won't. That's between him and God. He won't need your assistance. As long as he's not distracting the congregation (meaningfully distracting the congregation) let him play on his phone. And it's obvious you people who throw out the "Do Not Judge" phrase are doing it out of context.
I didn't take it out of context, NewDoc. I'm quite familiar with the Sermon on the Mount and, in my opinion, it is very hard to take the quote out of context.
This is the same way I feel when I buy my favorite cereal or beer or something every week, but then I go to HEB and my favorite thing is on sale, so all these choads go and buy it, and they ran out and I don't get to have any.
I thought the idea was to get as many people in the door as you can and then convince them to come on a regular basis. So it sounds like you aren't giving much of an effort to win them over.
If these people suck so bad and don't give a **** about the service, how did they beat you to church and get a parking spot & seat?
i was raised christian and went to church every sunday as a kid. my family are the 2 timers now. as a christian, i hope you weren't mad when i took "your" parking spot 3 blocks away at the service. btw, methinks you go to church (regularly) to be seen, not heard...longhorny.
I don't know where you live, but it sounds like you have the same problem we have in SA. You need more seats at church or a new extention, or even more churches in the same area.
Christians like Longhorny are one of many reasons I soured on organized religion years ago. I bet he'd really be pissed about Christ hanging out w/ tax collectors and prostitutes...thank of the number of parking spaces and pews they could take up!
I'm hoping that church (all denominations) go the route of colleges and start online mass/ services. Virtual eucharist....that one aspect of mass is still something that needs to be worked out...in my head at least.
Longhorny is failing, spectacularly at that, to understand and embrace the core of Christianity. Someone needs to tell him that church is not the same thing as a country club. Members with infrequent attendance should be welcome. But let's analyze some of Longhorny's continued statements and see if they hold up under scrutiny.
This thread is GREAT. I'd love to see Longhorny's take on the "true meaning" of Christmas. By the way, over the thirteen years I spent in Catholic school (averaging mass 3-4 times per week), I figure I've got "church in the bank" for at least a few more years.
Attendance at church -- either regular attendance or sporadic -- does not help ANYONE in the afterlife. Salvation comes through faith alone, not by works or deeds. Ephesians 2: 8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. You don't "buy" your way into Heaven through regular attendance at chuch, or through mission trips, or through charitable donations. These things are nice, yes, and they are important, but they are not what brings salvation. Only faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Son of Man, and God's divine grace bestowed upon those with true faith, can assure any Christian of an afterlife in Heaven.
Ok, under any other Christian denomination (although I am by no means an expert on non-Catholic denominations, or Catholic for that matter) going twice a year is probably acceptable. However, the Catholic Church teaches that this is not acceptable. Being Catholics, you are required to attend a Mass on Sundays and other Holy Days of Obligation. I refer you to canon 1247 of the Code of Canon Law:
Why do you care what anyone around you is doing? If they aren't making noises, who cares? Why don't you focus on why you have chosen to come to Mass? If I choose to go to Mass to spend focused time, I really could care less what anyone else around is doing as long as they aren't making loud noises (or are kids then I don't pay attention anyways). I go to Mass because it is about me and my relationship with God. Not to watch other people. I go to bars to watch and see other people.
Longhorny acts as an excellent church repellent. He even uses church doctrine to support and justify his judgmental views. How prim and proper. I'm sure Jesus would be proud. He reminds me of the officious Pharisees.
