Going to church if you're not religious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of mainstream Catholics are like this (including me). I've never been evangelized to by a parishioner at a Catholic church.

Catholics aren't particularly evangelical unless there is an abortion clinic involved, I don't think...

Not even when it comes to that. We go to church, get it over with, and that's it.

But aren't you still supposed to try to convert people?

It's not like Judaism, which has no proselytizing element at all.

Some Christian churches, like evangelicals, proselytize. Many do not, though. I’ve attended two types of Protestant churches and never was I told or asked to go out and get converts.

[Anonymous]

Nothing wrong with this at all. As long as you’re open minded, they’ll be thrilled to welcome you as a “seeker.” (That’s church slang for someone who doesn’t believe but still wants to come to church—it’s so common there’s a word for it!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one thing I've wondered is will fellow church members feel compelled to evangelize to me if I'm open about my unique POV (participating, but not really believing).

This is not something I’d be compelled to broadcast. It’s completely unnecessary and more likely to result in someone trying to save your soul.

Not in my church (Presbyterian). There is a woman in the story group who says openly she’s agnostic, and nobody ever gives her flack.

Intriguing ... Any good churches in the Bethesda - Chevy Chase area with this feature (not a bug)?

This is (or was) true at St Columba's Episcopal and is a long-standing tradition at St. Mark's on Capitol Hill where the longterm pastor was openly agnostic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing wrong with this at all. As long as you’re open minded, they’ll be thrilled to welcome you as a “seeker.” (That’s church slang for someone who doesn’t believe but still wants to come to church—it’s so common there’s a word for it!)

Yes, but there, the implication is that the person is looking into becoming a believer. While in real life, some church members have are not seeking. They have rejected belief and come to church for other reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of mainstream Catholics are like this (including me). I've never been evangelized to by a parishioner at a Catholic church.

Catholics aren't particularly evangelical unless there is an abortion clinic involved, I don't think...

Not even when it comes to that. We go to church, get it over with, and that's it.

But aren't you still supposed to try to convert people?

It's not like Judaism, which has no proselytizing element at all.

Some Christian churches, like evangelicals, proselytize. Many do not, though. I’ve attended two types of Protestant churches and never was I told or asked to go out and get converts.

ditto. the evangelicals make the most noise, but they are not representative of all protestant churches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Religious attendance is down across the board. Churches want members.

There is an Episcopal church I pass by often (in a different city) that says on its door "believing is not a condition to belonging".

St Marks' sign says "Skeptics welcomed here."

Certainly, it's partly that churches want members, but it's also that the clergy themselves don't hold the fundamentalist beliefs that are associated with some Christian sects.

They don't harp on (or even mention) accepting Christ as your savior or facing eternal damnation if you don't. They focus on the positive "love one another" message of Jesus.

[Anonymous]

[guardian]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of mainstream Catholics are like this (including me). I've never been evangelized to by a parishioner at a Catholic church.

Catholics aren't particularly evangelical unless there is an abortion clinic involved, I don't think...

Not even when it comes to that. We go to church, get it over with, and that's it.

But aren't you still supposed to try to convert people?

It's not like Judaism, which has no proselytizing element at all.

While some of the liberal denominations (e.g., branches of Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist) have had missions overseas, they do not proselytize in the US.

While Jews actively discourage people from converting, liberal protestant denominations don't encourage or demand it. Catholics vary, and only (as far as I know) demand that the children be raised catholic, not that the non-catholic spouse convert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of mainstream Catholics are like this (including me). I've never been evangelized to by a parishioner at a Catholic church.

Catholics aren't particularly evangelical unless there is an abortion clinic involved, I don't think...

Not even when it comes to that. We go to church, get it over with, and that's it.

But aren't you still supposed to try to convert people?

It's not like Judaism, which has no proselytizing element at all.

I don't think so. I've never had his experience at Catholic Church.

[Anonymous]

Pretty much any mainline Protestant and most Catholic churches would welcome you with open arms. Presumably you'll be going to the church where your wife already attends, and she should have a good feel for the general vibe there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing wrong with this at all. As long as you’re open minded, they’ll be thrilled to welcome you as a “seeker.” (That’s church slang for someone who doesn’t believe but still wants to come to church—it’s so common there’s a word for it!)

Yes, but there, the implication is that the person is looking into becoming a believer. While in real life, some church members have are not seeking. They have rejected belief and come to church for other reasons.

Yeah, I was being a little tongue in cheek. Fervent evangelicals believe that anybody attending church has been moved by the spirit to seek God, even if they don’t know it or believe otherwise. Potato, potahto... the bottom line is that it’s fine to go to church for non-religious reasons. As long as you act “in good faith,” so to speak, lol!

[Anonymous]

There was an earlier similar thread on this topic:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/807821.page