Go to Religion in the Modern World
- Add a comment
- Go to No more church for me - I'm covered
Bhaskar.ing - suffice it to say that one method of indoctrinating young
children is by breaking their will to be out fishing.
Church was always the hardest to get through during fishing season. And if you tried to skip it, someone always squealed on you without fail. If it wasn't some kid your age that wasn't about to put up with the torture by themselves while you were out fishing, it could be any of the adults. The number of prime fishing hours missed pretending that I was doing something meaningful would total somewhere in the 300-500 hundred hours range.
posted by
gomedome
on November 20, 2007 at 10:09 PM
| link to this | reply
Gomedomr
Since I have never gone to churches, in fact, hardly ever to the mandirs (Hindu temples), except to marvel their old architechtural excellence, I am not qualified to comment, but have enjoyed both the write and the comments, and learnt quite a few things.
posted by
Bhaskar.ing
on November 20, 2007 at 9:50 PM
| link to this | reply
Talion - what can I say - I envy your life
Only going to church a handful of times is a great way for any kid to grow up. You missed all of the guilt trips, nightmares and ongoing horror stories that most children suffer from by being exposed to ancient religious constructs at far too early an age. Like, since when has it been okay to tell preteens about killing someone they are supposed to love, by nailing that person to some boards? Your level headedness, cool demeanor and your general gracious perspectives, are a testament to that upbringing. . . and there is nothing wrong with envying these attributes in others.
posted by
gomedome
on November 20, 2007 at 9:25 PM
| link to this | reply
gomedome
Well, you've got me beat. Excluding weddings and funerals, I've attended three religious services.
#1: A field trip for lack of a better term with my 6th grade teacher. All of the "smart" kids were in the same class. Our teacher, under the pretense of expanding our horizons, invited any whose parents allowed the opportunity to go to church with her one Sunday. I was crazy about her and since my aunt was the librarian at the school and know her well, my folks allowed me to go. A handful of my classmates attended as well. Hers was a pentacostal church. I don't know if you're familiar with a black, pentacostal church service, but it's a sight to behold. There was screaming and shouting and people jumping up and down and others passing out in the aisles. Needless to say, I'd never seen adults act this way and it unnerved me. Extremely. My teacher extended other invitations. I refused them all.
#2: I attended Xavier University in New Orleans, a predominantly black Catholic school. A part of freshman orientation was a mandatory attendance to Mass. I knew less about Catholic than I did pentacostals. There was no jumping and shouting and passing out in the aisles, but it was the one of the most boring things I've ever experienced in my life. Worse than watching golf on television. If it wasn't for all the standing up and sitting down, I would've fallen asleep.
#3: In my mid-twenties I flirted with the idea of becoming a professional photographer. I had a 35mm, top-of-the-line at the time Minolta SLR and picked up extra money shooting weddings, portraits, and parties. A guy I worked with quit to become a pentacostal minister. He had his own church and though the congregation was small, it had potential. His church had some kind of celebration and he hired me to take pictures for the occasion. There was screaming and shouting and people jumping up and down and others passing out in the aisles. Though I knew what to expect, it still unnerved me.
Again, excluding weddings and funerals, that will be the last time I set foot in a church.
posted by
Talion
on November 20, 2007 at 9:09 PM
| link to this | reply
FineYoungSinger - exactly, the religion of gymnasts
posted by
gomedome
on November 20, 2007 at 9:00 AM
| link to this | reply
The best is Easter Vigil.
Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading) Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading)Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading)Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading)Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading)Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading)Please stand (chant) Please kneel (prayer) Please be seated (reading)..............
Who needs a Curves membership? I'm a Catholic!
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on November 20, 2007 at 7:41 AM
| link to this | reply
gomedome
I do skip church some times.
posted by
richinstore
on November 20, 2007 at 7:39 AM
| link to this | reply