RubberDuck Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Last Sunday my best friend had his infant son baptized, and I went to his church for the occasion. I obviously don't agree with the belief, the dogma, and the rituals, but this was important to my friend, so it was important to me. Everything was going fine, my wife was just glad to have me in any sort of church. I was even enjoying some of the old time hymns that were being sung, they were, and still are, pleasing to my ear. The difference now is that I enjoy them from a musical standpoint, not a religious one. Then we arrived at the congregational prayer. Just previous to the prayer the preacher talked about a younger man who had just found out that he had a serious form of liver cancer and was currently undergoing a slew of medical treatment to stop the spread of the cancerous cells. As it came time for the preacher to officially pray for the members of the congregation (I've always figured if your name was mentioned in a congregational prayer it was bonus points), the minister prayed for this man and then started rambling on about how christians don't have any faith in doctors or medical technology, but in god alone. I must have sighed or shifted when I heard this because I got a nice stare from my wife. I felt like standing up and taking the pulpit to plead with the church members to get this man out of chemo and into a prayer group, to put their faith where their mouths are. I know damn well, as many do here, that if this man somehow recovers and the cancer goes into remission after extensive medical treatment, the congregation will declare it a miracle. Why don't they try to be like the wackjobs who try to pray away diseases that have been curable for the last 100 years? In a sense I have more respect for the whackjobs, at least they put up or shut up. I think I know why more rational Christians seek medical treatment, but very very few ever really admit why, it's because prayer.....doesn't.......work, and they know it. If you spent any decent time in a church you'd have to be completely out of touch with reality to see that there is no rhyme or reason as to who lives and who dies despite all the pleading and praying. Prayer studies have shown the same. I had a conversation about this with my wife after we got home, it didn't go very well like all the other conversations we've had on the topic, but I have moved her from a fundie to a more liberal minded Christian, which is good enough for me for the time being. I wasn't ready for the entire truth right away either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted June 24, 2011 Moderator Share Posted June 24, 2011 Last Sunday my best friend had his infant son baptized, and I went to his church for the occasion. I obviously don't agree with the belief, the dogma, and the rituals, but this was important to my friend, so it was important to me. Everything was going fine, my wife was just glad to have me in any sort of church. I was even enjoying some of the old time hymns that were being sung, they were, and still are, pleasing to my ear. The difference now is that I enjoy them from a musical standpoint, not a religious one. Then we arrived at the congregational prayer. Just previous to the prayer the preacher talked about a younger man who had just found out that he had a serious form of liver cancer and was currently undergoing a slew of medical treatment to stop the spread of the cancerous cells. As it came time for the preacher to officially pray for the members of the congregation (I've always figured if your name was mentioned in a congregational prayer it was bonus points), the minister prayed for this man and then started rambling on about how christians don't have any faith in doctors or medical technology, but in god alone. I must have sighed or shifted when I heard this because I got a nice stare from my wife. I felt like standing up and taking the pulpit to plead with the church members to get this man out of chemo and into a prayer group, to put their faith where their mouths are. I know damn well, as many do here, that if this man somehow recovers and the cancer goes into remission after extensive medical treatment, the congregation will declare it a miracle. Why don't they try to be like the wackjobs who try to pray away diseases that have been curable for the last 100 years? In a sense I have more respect for the whackjobs, at least they put up or shut up. I think I know why more rational Christians seek medical treatment, but very very few ever really admit why, it's because prayer.....doesn't.......work, and they know it. If you spent any decent time in a church you'd have to be completely out of touch with reality to see that there is no rhyme or reason as to who lives and who dies despite all the pleading and praying. Prayer studies have shown the same. I had a conversation about this with my wife after we got home, it didn't go very well like all the other conversations we've had on the topic, but I have moved her from a fundie to a more liberal minded Christian, which is good enough for me for the time being. I wasn't ready for the entire truth right away either. I always remember the day that at least 15 huge churches formed a 'prayer chain' for my only sister who was quickly dying at age 40 from a massive brain aneurysm. She had 2 children, 8 and 14. I was (or thought ) in good standing with god at the time . Being a real good girl, going to church and all....... I was on my knees the whole day as the doctors did everything they could.......She died 6 hours later. They told me at church that my the 'purpose' of this, would be revealed to me later........ yeah, right......................I eventually became an atheist! (there, I said it for the first time!) I have watched so much mental and physical afflictions in the church - I always asked god why he allowed this suffering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScifiChick Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Wow. This is why I like Catholics. Ever since I've become a heathen, I only go to church for weddings and funerals. On two occasions, I went for a christening - somehow, after becoming a heathen and marrying a heathen, we both got asked on two occasions to be god parents - by people who know our beliefs! In any case, I've been really "lucky" of late, because all the funerals I've been to have been either Polish or Croatian, and I don't speak Polish or Croatian, and they do the services in the respective languages. It's been great. The last one was a bit awkward 'cause it was my husband's uncle, and he got asked, at the last minute, to be a pall bearer. We filed in for the service, following along with the rest of the large family. When we got to the front, all of the pews for family were full. To our left, there were some empty pews. We ended up having to sit in the very front by ourselves. We didn't pray. We didn't kneel. We didn't do anything except sit silently and respectfully and return the dirty looks the priests sent our way. The best part was it was all on camera. But I count these little trials as blessings considering what many people on this site are going through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScifiChick Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 They told me at church that my the 'purpose' of this, would be revealed to me later........ yeah, right......................I eventually became an atheist! (there, I said it for the first time!) I have watched so much mental and physical afflictions in the church - I always asked god why he allowed this suffering. I hope you find saying it as freeing as I did the first time I said the lard's name in vain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyString Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 My husband goes to church every Sunday, so occasionally I go with him. I always come out of there shaking my head. Things are so different for me now...it's like I'm living in a different world than all those people. Oh wait, I am living in a different world - it's called reality!!!!! They told me at church that my the 'purpose' of this, would be revealed to me later........ yeah, right......................I eventually became an atheist! (there, I said it for the first time!) Proud of you Margee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubberDuck Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 I always remember the day that at least 15 huge churches formed a 'prayer chain' for my only sister who was quickly dying at age 40 from a massive brain aneurysm. She had 2 children, 8 and 14. I was (or thought ) in good standing with god at the time . Being a real good girl, going to church and all....... I was on my knees the whole day as the doctors did everything they could.......She died 6 hours later. They told me at church that my the 'purpose' of this, would be revealed to me later........ yeah, right......................I eventually became an atheist! (there, I said it for the first time!) I have watched so much mental and physical afflictions in the church - I always asked god why he allowed this suffering. It's "almost" as if there's no one listening. The Christian view on answers to prayer covers all the bases, if you use this technique with praying to Zeus you will also find that Zeus answers all prayer. The problem I had with prayer even when I was a Christian was that prayers for healing were answered at a peculiarly close rate with the healing that the evil heathens experienced. Must be the debil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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