"What sort of philosophy one chooes depends on what sort of person one is."
---Johann Gottlied Fichte
The same is true of religion. The religion one chooses depends on the sort of person he is. Few critical thinkers choose being Baptist or Pentecostal. It's not who they are and they would be miserable around such types.Those are reserved for emotional literalists who simply must believe the right thing, do the right thing in the right place, much like those in the COG's. Those given to their emotions tend towards the more evangelical denominations and are more personally needy and self centered. They think God is better contacted by handwaving and tears. These churches tend to resemble a glorified Sunday School class in their publications, as we see now in the new WCG. Mike Feazell, WCG writer, embodies this "poor sinful pilgim" mentality over and over in his writings. Smultsy Religion comes to mind. It's a personal need projected on others as something they need as well, even if they don't. Controlling personalities seem to be drawn to the Evangelical mindset and the worst combine their religion with their politics and produce the foolishness we see today in American politics. They hunt you down to join them so that you don't go to hell and can give the money needed to keep the organizaiton going. It's their job. Evolution is of the Devil. All gays closeted and everyone in denial. Repression is great.Critical thinkers, those who see the obvious problems of the Bible, and may not hold it to be inerrant or historically correct in places, survive nicely as Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Lutherans. Most don't care about the problems of scripture. They see that humans have made progress in the last 2000 years in Biblical understanding, find a place for those realities which Evangelicals condemn them for, and keep moving. They like it when you join them, but are not known for overt evangelism. Evolution is ok. The Pastor might be Gay but better not say. Don't ask don't tell. Repression and denial is not as greatThose who seek a more personal spirituality and can be considered truly "Non-Comdemnational" make great Unitarians or Unity type Christians. These are the "like herding cats" of Christianity. They have little need to convince others of what they intuitively "know." We are all hairless apes that have become conscious and it's astounding and we'll probably be back a few times learning as we go. Pastor may or may not be gay, tis ok, tolerant congregations of all types for most part. Repression...Denial? Generalizations to be sure, but Fichte was right. Religions and denominations tend to draw those whose personality matches the mentality of the teachings. People join the church they need to join to explain their the world and the world. That is why I went to WCG at 14 in the 60's and also why I outgrew it in the 90's not needing any longer to be controlled by charismatic Bible readers and their reckless and foolish replacements. I now feel more authentic and informed being a cat. I don't have to be right, and I can't say my position offers the kind of peace blind faith provides, but I don't wish to be herded and be expected to follow someone elses vision of the world and what life is. Don't wish to be told what day of the week God is in town and why I need to be there and that God needs my limited resources to speak through others who live nicely off the proceeds.What sort of Church one chooses, does depend finally on the kind of person one is and what one needs.
---former WCG Pastor Dennis Diehl on Gavin Rumney's Ambassador Watch giving his perspective that certain Christian denominations attract a certain kind of people
I find it sad, and surprising that 8/13 do not like church, any church, me included. Why? I was surprised because I thought I was almost alone in that. It's not just the post WCG syndrome. I have many, many friends who were likewise disappointed, offended, hurt, abused and wounded by their church experience. Most of them don't go anywhere anymore.
The Catholic Church has wonderful theology, but they are bigoted. They think they are the ones with the "fulness" of the truth, that the divisive Assumption and Immaculate Conception dogmas are infallible, that the Orthodox are schismatics, and that only those in agreement with Rome are going to heaven, unless out of "ignorance" they cannot agree with Rome.
The Orthodox Church likewise has wonderful theology, but they are bigoted. They believe that it is Rome that is apostate, yet it is they who created silly Pharisaic rules about things such as Iconography and beards, music and so on.
The Protestant Church is so divided and cannot even agree among themselves as to what is right and wrong, yet they too are so bigoted against both the Catholics, Orthodox and even themselves, even though they are just Johnny come latelies and factious.
The so called 4th branch, the Pentecostal Church claim that making money and speaking in tongues makes them spirit-filled, when what they are full of is materialism and seeking outward, physical manifestations. Their so-called spirit-filled bigotry against other Christians, is just the latest version of disgusting Christian one-up-man-ship.
The cults continue to grow too, with their wacky, unhealthy, uneducated, back yard theologies. We can't even escape Flurry out here in the Australian Outback. He's on TV every bloody morning.
The whole thing to me is a money-grabbing, power-hungry, control-freak, empire-building rather than kingdom-building. Most churches seem to be just human enterprises that have little to do with what Jesus taught, how Jesus lived and how Jesus sacrificed.
Why is it that in the business world we have ethics that seem so far above that of the church? I'm talking about lack of confidentiality and misrepresentation. In the business world you can go to jail for breach of confidentiality and misrepresentation, yet week in and week out in the church, people cannot keep their mouths shut let alone honor a request for confidentiality, and people who claim that their wacky idiotic twisting of scripture was given to them by the Holy Spirit, because they are too lazy or lame-brained to actually study the Bible.
I am supremely impressed with God and supremely disappointed with the church. I am impressed that he has a love for a church that I do not, he died for it when I find it so offensive. Why? Why can't I overlook it all like God seems to?
---Koey Koala's brilliant tough minded assessment on the far-from-perfect Christian Church today on his post on JLF (Jesus Loves Fellowship) called "The Thing About Church (on the human level) is?..."
I like your summary too. The only critical thought that came to mind was that it is the sick that seek out physicians, not the well. Of course, that can be taken wrongly about 3 different ways, so I'll add that I don't mean that those not attending church are entirely well, nor that all those in church are entirely sick, and sometimes we don't even realize our own condition.
But I see churches that are all music and arm waving: shallow fluff.
I see churches that get overly wrapped up in making money, especially with "seed fatih" scams: wrong emphasis on where treasure is.
I see some that do nothing but preach and preach, typically about OPS (other peoples sins). Jimmy Swaggart was great for this before he got caught with a prostitute: too self-righteous by comparison.
I see mainstream churches so bound by their tradition and liturgy that they come across as suffocating. Proper form is more important than feeling the joy of the gospel.
I see churches where people jump up and down, gibber uncontrollably, scream, fall down, weep and howl all over themselves. God is not the author of confusion.
Yet there is a time to sing and praise God, to hear from his word, to enjoy the traditions founded many years ago, to encourage people to give and to have ambition in their lives, and to have the Holy Spirit move them. I hope one day to find a church that keeps all of these things in balance and doesn't treat single people like they have a disease that needs to be fixed.
---KMS's smart two cents on the same issue on the post on JLF
---webmaster and founder of message board Jesus Loves Fellowship Mark Tabladillo thanking a fellow poster for benefiting a review and taking a concilliatory tone on the Sabbath question on a the continuous thread, "Are you tired of arguing about the Sabbath?"
---"Koey Koala", a poster on Jesus Loves Fellowship message board discussing about tolerance on worship days on a thread that asks, "Are you tired of arguing about the Sabbath?"
'THE YOUNG AMBASSADORS---FLURRY STYLE!"
They're here and going to a community neighbourhood near you. Be afraid. Very afraid!
---PasedenaGuy10 of Worldwide Church of God Alumni message board
