about your religion?

Question

tell me a little bit about your religion. when you're at church was is the environment life? loud? quiet? singing? formal? informal?

i'm trying to do some "research" about different relgions and their experiences. THANKS a bunch!

Answer 1

I'm catholic. At church, its boring as ****. It's formal, not that loud, not that quiet. Singing. Ladies wearing mini-skirts is a plus as well.

Answer 2

I'm Episcopalian. Our services are very close to those of the Roman Catholic Church.

When we go into the church before a service, the only sound will usually be that of the pipe organ playing. People are often praying or otherwise preparing themselves for the service, so talking and chatting are absolutely out of the question inside the sanctuary. The mood is one of intense and solemn reverence.

Just before the service starts, there's a little song called an introit (this is not done in every Episcopal church, but is done in ours). Then the processional begins, with the priest, crucifer, torch bearers and other acolytes and attendants, including the choir. Aside from the processional hymn, several other hymns are sung, as well as a special number from the choir and/or a soloist. There is a sermon, an offering, announcements, the Prayers of the People, a recitation of the Nicene Creed, and the Eucharist (I didn't mention these in exact order). Our church, like most Episcopal churches, practices open Communion, so the entire congregation, including visitors, is invited to join in.

After the recessional, there is an organ postlude, which many people stick around to listen to. When the service is over, then it's off to the parish hall for refreshments and fellowship.

Answer 3

I'm a member of the church of Christ. We have a mix of everything. You'll find everything from coat and tie to blue jeans. The preacher's never hollers but is loud enough. He's also a little long, the serivce averages 1hr 10 min. We have a lot of babies so the congregational noise is a bit distracting at times but we love these little ones so much that it's really not a bother. We sing a traditional hymns / praise and worship mix with and without the song book. Words are on a big screen. Singing is always a cappella. Communion comes every Sunday. We take up a collection only on Sunday morning. As a member of the leadership, we believe if you do not feel like you've been in the presence of the Lord, we've not done our part.

Answer 4

I'm an Eclectic Pagan. I don't really have a "church" where I gather with others, but there are gatherings that many Pagans do attend. As I haven't been to any gatherings or such, I don't have first-hand experience of what it's like.
Of course, I do have my own solitary "church" which is wherever I feel most connected at the time. In most cases for me, it's outside or in my room. It's quiet and I usually just meditate, pray, continue my research/ learning, or once in a while do spellwork.

My family, however, is Christian and I attend their church with them. It's not really loud, but it's not quiet either. It's mostly informal, and the choir or other singers do their singing after the starting prayer and before the preacher starts.

Answer 5

I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses and we go to a Kingdom Hall for our meetings. It's usually really loud when you first go in! Everyone is happy and talking! :) Then everyone quiets down when it's time to start. We sing (how loud it is depends on how many people are there, etc. Different from place to place) then someone says a prayer. Depending on which meeting it is we have Bible based talk or a question and answer type disscussion. Everyone has their own Bible and we all look up scriptures together. We end the meeting with another song and prayer.
It's formal, everyone dresses up a bit, but also informal because everyone talks before and after. It's a really happy and positive atmosphere!

Answer 6

I'm Roman Catholic. When one first walks into the church, it is fairly quiet, because some people will be kneeling and praying, and it would be impolite to disturb them. There's a feeling of religious anticipation as we wait for the Mass to start. When it does start, there is a processional hymn. Several hymns will be sung during the service. There are also prayers, and a homily (sermon). Sometimes, incense is burned, and Gregorian chants may be sung, but this isn't the case every time. The focal point is Communion (the Holy Eucharist), which is a memorial of the Last Supper, in which we share bread and wine. Catholics believe in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. After Communion, there is a post-Communion prayer, and then a recessional. After the service is over, then people feel more free to talk, and things become a bit louder as they socialize outside of the sanctuary.

Answer 7

I'm Pagan and do not have a "church". Sabbat gatherings are usually outside (except Yule, but I rarely ever attend Yule gatherings)... there's singing, music (I love the drums), dancing, food and more food and more food... it's both formal and informal as there is usually a ritual done for the Sabbat which is a formal affair... but the gathering itself is always informal. People come together to share their lives, not just religious ideas, at Sabbats. I've always viewed these gatherings as family reunions, not a religious thing at all... There are other gatherings - Full Moon, New Moon, Esbats, etc... but I'm more a Solitary Witch and normally observe those with my immediate family, but the Sabbats are for gathering with my Pagan family.

Answer 8

I am Wiccan. Here are some links with information about what we believe.

A relatively objective (non-Wiccan) set of articles on what Wiccans do and believe:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

Another useful article:

http://www.religionfacts.com/neopaganism/paths/wicca.htm

A good site by Wiccans:

http://wicca.timerift.net

And the US Army Chaplains Handbook excerpt on Wicca:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_usbk.htm

Wiccans tend to worship in small groups. We "cast circle", which is a way of creating sacred space wherever we happen to be, and conduct our ceremonies within that area; most circles are no wider than fifteen feet across, and often less, with an altar in the center or at the northern edge of the circle. We invite the spirits of the four cardinal directions/elements to join us, as well as the Gods we honor. Because of this, our services are very intimate and intense, with everyone concentrating fully on what's going on at any given moment because every Wiccan is a priest/ess -- everyone is involved in the ritual, there is no "congregation" that sits back and watches.

Some Wiccans worship in robes, others in steet clothes. A few practice ritual nudity, called "going skyclad", but this is not a common practice, and if one person goes skyclad in a group, everybody does. Skyclad practice is most common in covens, which are groups of Wiccans who are initiated into a common Tradition within the faith.

Wiccan rituals can be loud or quiet, depending on the nature of the working. If it is loud, it is usually because we are singing or chanting; if quiet, it is usually because we are meditating or praying. Dancing in a circle is often included as a way to raise energy and enter a light trance state, which is conducive to performing magic. Some Wiccan rituals are very informal and spur-of-the-moment, with people improvising as they go along. Others are very formal, with memorized invocations, for example. Often a small ritual meal of cakes and wine is shared in circle.

After the ritual is concluded and the circle has been "taken up", there is usually a period of socializing with food and general conversation, which is usually very merry.

Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me.

Answer 9

...I used to celebrate a Christian mass in an old barn in Connecticut when I was young, before I moved to California... The congregation was led by a great theologin named John...He & the church are still there and I go to mass there whenever I am in town... It was very peaceful and calming... We were like a congregation of hippies, since we had Native-American type iconography of Jesus, the Christian Saints and others, incense and candles burning around the altar, and a group of folk guitar and bongo players, etc... Very earth-mother-ish...
I tried church in Orange County, Ca, when I moved, but could not get past the vulgarity of the parking lot full of $50,000 cars... Would Jesus have wanted you to drive a Mercedes even as children starve and entire continents go without medicines and aid? I doubt it.

cheers!

Answer 10

I am Wiccan. My "church" is anywhere I feel the need to connect. I sing, listen to music with my friends, family, and alone. I can be quiet or loud, formal or informal. I enjoy and celebrate life and all that it brings.

I hope you find what it is that you seek.
Blessings

Answer 11

Well, I'm a non-theistic Pagan. I don't worship anything, particularly, but I often hold rituals to denote the passing of the seasons and other life changes. I work solitary, so my rituals are pretty quiet and involve a lot of meditation, incense and herbed baths, and perhaps some chanting. When possible I work outside, to share in the wonder of nature.