preserve history and the sort of tribal unity in religion?
I don't think this is a bad thing, by the way, totally not. I think it's a very important thing to remember history and to preserve some tradition as well as respecting our ancestors. And community is important. The church in old societies, when everyone HAD to go, was more of a meeting place than a worship place.
2007-02-11 03:48:12 · 7 answers · asked by serf m 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
We go to church to fellowship, worship, build each other up and to become one.
2007-02-11 03:55:01 · answer #1 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm Catholic and I have to say that I really don't think it's for a sense of community. I will admit that it's nice to see so many people attending and that we are all there for the same reasong, but that is not why I go.
I've been to Mass when there's five people (snow storm) and when there's been six hundred or more, so it's really not for the community part.
I go because I'm called by God to attend and to receive Holy Eucharist as well as other Sacraments for my soul. If anything, I truly don't believe many Catholics go for the community part as most people see us as stuck up since we aren't very openly friendly. We don't stand around afterwards to talk and have coffee and we don't know everyone in the church, we are there for God, not people.
So I must say it's not the sense of community that I attend Mass, I would go if it was me alone or a thousand people, it wouldn't make a difference.
2007-02-11 12:18:12 · answer #2 · answered by Aleria: United Year Of Faith 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you're fooling yourself if you really believe that church used to be a meeting place not a worship place. If you look into the writings of Christians of the past (not necessarily theologians), you see God is a big part of their thought process. That wasn't just about acceptance by other Christians. If you didn't believe, you didn't go. There have always been a lot of people who didn't go to church, even when religions were mandated, attendance was not.
2007-02-11 11:56:35 · answer #3 · answered by Babar 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps some do go to church for only those reasons. I go to worship God, though. The sense of community is just an added bonus.
2007-02-11 11:56:10 · answer #4 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not in my case, at least. I go because I'm
1) Called of God
and to:
2) Provide the Sacraments to the Body.
The Sacraments are God's means of providing His Grace. Outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace.
Tradition IS important - but only insofar as it is joined with Scripture and reason.
2007-02-11 11:54:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The sense of community is nice but I more often go for the 'grounding', the reinforcement of sorts that what we do is right and just and good.
2007-02-11 11:55:03 · answer #6 · answered by Sun: supporting gay rights 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think this is a big part of it where I live.(Arkansas) Being raised Catholic in Chicago I saw this was part and a dieing part. Now we are seeing people more isolated sitting in front of their TV not knowing who their neighbors are. I don't think this is better no matter what all these anti religious fanatic nuts we have now think.
2007-02-11 11:53:34 · answer #7 · answered by crackleboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋