Fundamentalist Christian Bible Churches

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it appalling that a Christian school would send their students out door-to-door asking for donations.

not just the schools. We've gotten multiple requests from various friends and families to contribute to their forthcoming mission trips. One letter said something along the lines of how important the trip was as Christians because the only other missionaries in the region were Catholics and Muslims. Um, I'm Catholic and that's pretty darn Christian to me!

Seriously! As in, try, "the first and original Christians!" Sheesh.

[Anonymous]

On another note, I am predicting this has the potential to blow up into yesterday's version of the Metro thread (aka "why are whites happy" thread) and two days' ago version of the "My SIL plays too many video games and is antisocial at my IL beach vacations" thread.)

[Anonymous]

I oppose catholic missionaries in third world countries because of their stand on contraceptives. So yes, that is not very christian in my book. And I know the catholics in america use contraceptives

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a town (not DC) with many fundamentalist Christian churches. Lately, I have been talking to acquaintances who attend these churches and read some blogs and websites and done other research about them and my conclusion is that these churches are nothing more than big social organizaations. So many of them have "fellowship" meetings that consist of hikes or potluck dinners or breakfast meetings or ski trips or other fun outings. These churches also seem to have plenty of money to pay for a lot of full time staffers. One church has two full-time youth leaders. From what I can tell, all the youth leaders seem to do is host a weekly pizza night with the teens plus weekend outdoor outings such as camping trips and paintball. One of the youth leaders is approx. age 30 and he and his wife have a very nice house and are raising four young children. They look like models from Outside magazine. I'm thinking he makes a pretty good salary for a very easy job. I grew up in the Catholic church and it was nothing like this. The Catholic church emphasized helping the needy. The priests had volunteers (mostly older women) helping them run the church and rectory. These new age independent Bible church seems to emphasize the self. It just seems like religion-lite. They have many "ministries" - such as "divorce care" and "young parents group". These churches just seem so funny to me. The people only like to associate with other "Christians" and talk about "praying" for silly things. They do seem to have "mission trips" once a year to places like Guatemala, but even these trips, which are funded by the trip, seem like nothing more than a vacation with a little bit of praying or house-building built in. What does anyone else think about these Bible churches?

Wow!
I think this just may be the difference between Catholicism as you practice it and other denominations.
I for one am Christian but do not consider myself what most people would label “fundamentalist”
However, I belong to a large church that has numerous ministries.
God is concerned about the divorced, teens, etc. he wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives.
What is wrong with that?
The Word calls for us to fellowship – you know “…where two or more are in agreement”
We are not supposed to come to Church on Sunday that is it…

Please understand that the Church is the body of Christ – not a building…we as Christians are the body – we are the Church.

And you speak about the Catholic church having volunteers..ok
But do you think the Catholic church is running on pennies?
The church you speak of has paid staff…so?
It’s a different organization.
I don’t believe in praying to Mary – or having to confess to a priest.
I don’t that is scriptural.
It’s a different belief system.
So?

[Anonymous]

OP here: I should clarify - I was raised Catholic and now I am sort of agnostic/leaning atheist. However, I do really admire the teachings of the Catholic church. I am pro-life and I admire the Catholics for helping the needy, etc. I admire so much about the Catholic church (except for all the recent problems.) These new Bible churches seem to be all about the members - not about helping others that I can see. Also, I feel like these church members are not willing to be friends with non-church members. I feel sort of excluded in this town. Plus, it seems like they are hyprocritcal. A friend of a friend recently got divorced. she had 3 kids under 5. Now, one year later, she is remarried to a man with 4 children under age 6 and he ex husband is remarried, too.

[Anonymous]

OP continued...And all her friends are all congratulating here and praying for her. And all I see is one big mess of step-families and property divisions. it seems like anything goes. All the churches seem to be about is "praying" for each other and being "grateful" but nothing substantive. It is sort of whatever folks want is okay. I agree with the poster who said - there is no "there" there. It all just seems sort of silly to me and really just a social organization disguised as a church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an atheist, but I do respect other people's right to believe and worship any way they choose. My opinion is that if people don't hurt anyone, don't try to impose their beliefs on others and use their church to help others then good for them.

Ha! If ONLY they weren't trying to impose their beliefs on others. Those fundamentalist churches are the backbone of the right wing, pushing Republican politics from the pulpit and funneling large sums to candidates. They are the bread and butter of the theocracy the right wing is trying to impose on this country. I wish they would stick to social activities and leave the rest of us alone!

[Anonymous]

Question. Do you think a President Mitt Romney would increase the ranks of the Mormons at the expense of these larger churches?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an atheist, but I do respect other people's right to believe and worship any way they choose. My opinion is that if people don't hurt anyone, don't try to impose their beliefs on others and use their church to help others then good for them.

Ha! If ONLY they weren't trying to impose their beliefs on others. Those fundamentalist churches are the backbone of the right wing, pushing Republican politics from the pulpit and funneling large sums to candidates. They are the bread and butter of the theocracy the right wing is trying to impose on this country. I wish they would stick to social activities and leave the rest of us alone!

They might be trying. but they are not succeeding. Gay marriage is legal in several states ( even Iowa), and the generational demographics are leading it to more acceptance in the next 20 years. There is not a single white protestant on the supreme court or any of the four presidental/vice presidential running mates. I think you are greatly exaggerating the actual power and influence of evangelical christians. I doubt that they have any real specific impact on your life at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I should clarify - I was raised Catholic and now I am sort of agnostic/leaning atheist. However, I do really admire the teachings of the Catholic church. I am pro-life and I admire the Catholics for helping the needy, etc. I admire so much about the Catholic church (except for all the recent problems.) These new Bible churches seem to be all about the members - not about helping others that I can see. Also, I feel like these church members are not willing to be friends with non-church members. I feel sort of excluded in this town. Plus, it seems like they are hyprocritcal. A friend of a friend recently got divorced. she had 3 kids under 5. Now, one year later, she is remarried to a man with 4 children under age 6 and he ex husband is remarried, too.

There have been serious problems for centuries!

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, what we are seeing in America is a new version of self-segregation. People seem to be finding communities where they are accepted and where they seem to fit. For many people today churches have become more than places to express religious devotion, they have also become a major part of their social lives as well.

People will naturally gravitate to social settings where they are accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, what we are seeing in America is a new version of self-segregation. People seem to be finding communities where they are accepted and where they seem to fit. For many people today churches have become more than places to express religious devotion, they have also become a major part of their social lives as well.

People will naturally gravitate to social settings where they are accepted.

This is a new phenomenon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I should clarify - I was raised Catholic and now I am sort of agnostic/leaning atheist. However, I do really admire the teachings of the Catholic church. I am pro-life and I admire the Catholics for helping the needy, etc. I admire so much about the Catholic church (except for all the recent problems.) These new Bible churches seem to be all about the members - not about helping others that I can see. Also, I feel like these church members are not willing to be friends with non-church members. I feel sort of excluded in this town. Plus, it seems like they are hyprocritcal. A friend of a friend recently got divorced. she had 3 kids under 5. Now, one year later, she is remarried to a man with 4 children under age 6 and he ex husband is remarried, too.

There have been serious problems for centuries!

I had to laugh at this too.

OP, did you know in the middle age, the pope used to sell mary's breast milk saying it would help people to sin less?

[Anonymous]

We economists treat churches as clubs in our research, and the facts seems to bear that out. A study done by the Aspen Institute found that most churches spend 70% of their budgets on salaries and building maintenance, only 3% on social programs, and the rest on Christian education. They are basically there to provide services for their membership, not for the community as a whole.

That's also why churches are so successful in the US. People are often far from families of origin, and churches prvide an instant social support network. A lot of people also use them for business networking.

Some people do question the fact that churches get tax exempt status, while some are increasingly providing market services to their constitutents ( schools, cafes, camps) for which secular businesses proviidng the same services are taxed. There may come a time when churches may be asked to pony up taxes if they have a STarbucks onsite.

[Anonymous]

Yes - for this demographic and judging from current expansion rates, it is a new phenomenon.