I came across this interesting statement tucked away in a Christian blog post:
The poor, deluded dude missed the most obvious – and most desirable – option of all: ABSENT!
– the chaplain
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The Wise Fool
March 5, 2011 at 9:51 am
I feel you that could paraphrase the quote like this:
In 2020, only 10% of [churchgoing] Americans will attend church simply because of God. The rest will need to be hooked in by God-themed, feel-good entertainment. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s showtime!
Cephus
March 6, 2011 at 2:27 pm
That’s probably true, religion is turning into a social club, a means to be entertained by some joker on a stage dancing around for the audience’s amusement. It can’t be too long before they start demanding that churches lose all the God-talk in favor of something a bit more fun.
desertscope
March 6, 2011 at 11:34 pm
From my experience, 0% of Americans are comfortable in a traditional Catholic church setting. The hardwood pews, the stand-sit-kneel-sit-stand-grovel rituals, and the shaking hands with the questionable characters seated nearby…
It was all discomfort. Also, wearing uncomfortable shoes was probably a requirement, as I remember that distinctly from toddlerhood.
Sarge
March 7, 2011 at 10:09 am
@ desertscope: It’s an odd thing about those shoes and the attendant discomfort of Sundays in some families.
Besides being subjected to the tribute that sense must pay to nonsense, apparently discomfort was part of the requirement for religion. Clothes that didn’t fit correctly after two weeks, ties in hot weather,
Being required to be in the company of rather dodgy people who may or may not be worth keeping company with at all…
My father (devout Southern Baptist) and a neighbor (devout Catholic) were bemoaning the state of religion, and they actually agreed on certain items of dogma.
It’s TRUE, I tell you!
I was already in the army, was home on leave, and the neighbor’s daughter had gone to college, fell in with “The Jesus People”.
Neighbor talked to my father because he was a Protestant and was presumed to know about these things.
But they agreed that such things were not “real religion”
Religion was going into a specified building for a specified reason at specified times.
It was little boys in shirts, and coats that were too tight, little girls in white dresses with their hair done up, and all must have shiny shoes.
Apparently, this ecstacy and joy manifested by the Jesus people was highly suspect, one should temper it with guilt and unworthiness feelings, quiet.
You should express a cautious happiness and gladness, like you didn’t know whether the embrace of “The Spirit” would end in a slap and shove.
I mean, there were orders of service, rituals, and these people thought anypne could do them??!! (outraged incredulity, here)
Around here, churches that were flourishing about thirty years ago, had hundreds of members are closing their doors for lack of membership. Ones that were actually landmarks are falling to peices, been unoccupied for ten years.
But more and more store front operations are beginning to pop up.
the chaplain
March 7, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Wise Fool & Cephus:
Christians are most entertaining when they least intend to be.
des & Sarge:
Discomfort is part of the suffering Christians must bear for Jesus’ sake. Tight shoes are not much to ask, considering that he endured a really bad weekend for us.