Do any of the atheists reading this attend any kind of regular
religious service (voluntarily or otherwise)?
Weddings aren't so bad, I ignore the inane theism blather and think
about how happy the couple is going to be that night in their hotel
room. But funerals in churches can be pretty sickening. A few years
back, my oldest best friend died at age 39. He was unquestionably an atheist all his life; he
never spoke of churches except in tones of
deepest sarcasm and cynicism. Well, that God damned preacher made this
big long horrible speech about God and the afterlife, and he even had
the gall to claim that my friend had been a Christian believer in all
that nonsense, which I can tell you absolutely for sure that he was not.
I got so mad I wanted to get up and slug that bastard, or at least yell
at him and tell him off. But I was rather in shock - they had a big
picture of him up on their podium, his senior-year high school picture,
I remembered that picture well, I stared at it through the whole
miserable funeral service. And besides I didn't want to make a big
ugly fuss in front of his father and the other older relatives, of
course.
Remembering that disgusting lying funereal sermon is enough to reawaken
all my contempt for churches and their proprietors, all right. Those contemptible bastards.
What comes to my mind are the words of Jesus of Nazareth himself, specifically Matthew 23:33:
"Hypocrites! Spawn of vipers! How shall you escape the damnation of Hell?" (W. Kiernan)
Hell, it's bad enough going to weddings and funerals and hearing some
of the babble that is spewed.
At a recent funeral, the minister seemed to me to be insulting the deceased, comparing him to one of Jesus's followers who wasn't destined
to do great things or be involved in the top decisions, a follower not
a leader, etc. I can't remember the name of the follower he was
comparing him to. The minister also called the deceased a simple man
who at the church meetings didn't speak out much, etc. (not like the minister whose jaws were
flapping for over half an hour of a 45 minute funeral service). My eyes glazed over rather
quickly at that funeral
and my mind was off in another world, or I would report more about his babble.
I remember one time I was at a Roman Catholic wedding and the priest,
who had just been presiding at a funeral, starting yapping about how
the funeral had been such a happy occasion (I figured either nobody
liked the guy and were glad he was dead, or, it was because they thought
he was in heaven). I seem to recall him implying that something in a wedding made it sad
occasion (and here everybody thought priests had no
idea about marriage :-)) but I lost his "logical" train of thought well before this. May have
been something about the two are now one. Whatever. Most confusing. (Keith Brannen #713)
I just love old church style architecture too much to say never again.
In fact, one of these days, I hope to get to the Vatican City to take
in the art and architecture. (Dan Chaney #1144)
I would rather not go, and have had to give in a few times because
of the feeling of rejection I feel my family would have if I denied
their beliefs. I hate going, yet I don't know if I will go or not, or
if even this time I will come out of the closet and let them know.
The only others that do know is one of my cousins and a good friend
that is also an atheist, and he has been helping me become more
comfortable with the rejection and degradation I will go through with
my family. I guess until I do come out of the closet I will probably
give in and go and have to sit and listen to all the bullshit.
(Ernest Dumenigo #1316)
I will occasionally go to a local Methodist church (pretty liberal).
I am fascinated by religion, and I find the services interesting.
When they stick to the Golden Rule aspects of their faith, as this
church often does, I find the service almost humanistic. There's a definite empathetic "care about your fellow man" vibe to the place.
Being a Christian church, however, it is impossible to avoid the
"Jesus died for you, we're not worthy" aspect, which turns me off.
I can't take it in large doses, but I will go from time to time.
(The Jester #774)
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