How would you deal with a non-believer in your holy place?

Question

I am not a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, scientologist...after studying each faiths guidelines and practices, I choose not to affiliate myself with any one faith. It seems that each faith has at its core beneficial “truth”. However, over time they have become somehow tainted. I have moral issues in joining a club that I don’t have 100% agreement with.
The big upside I see in organized religion is the brotherhood. I honestly think that this is the reason most people join there “club”.
How would you feel if I, someone who has shunned your faith, a practicer of spiritual acts that would get him cast out of some worship circles, took you up on your invitation and joined you on your holy day, with the sole intention of...socializing. I have done this in the past. Upon disclosing my true, spiritually shallow intentions, I'm usually met with anger, and/or disappointment.
Can I ask, what is the source of that reaction? What would be your reaction? Would anyone join if I started an “All Faiths Club”?

Answer 1

like you, I do miss the 'hanging out' together thing that we used to have at the old church..........but back then, we had things that we did together, like taking care of the old folks' yards and painting their porches and stuff (we were youngsters then).... I miss singing in the choir, too....if you're open to it, there's a Universal Unitarian type church somewhere near you.... they wouldn't mind having you at all!!!.... and your idea of an 'all faiths club' would still leave out us agnostics and atheists.... sigh....

Answer 2

It sounds more to me like you would benefit more from starting your own club, no matter what club that would be. Your set of standards are always going to be just that, YOURS. You will be lucky to find ONE person in this world to agree and believe exactly like you do to a tee, let alone a whole "club" full of them. I think the issue here is mere toleration. If you learn to be more tolerant to those who differ from what you believe, brotherhood would be easier to find. As far as anger and resentment are concerned, I think the only way those reactions would be present, would be if your intentions were misleading. If you had to "disclose your true, spiritually shallow intentions", you had to have hid them from the start. Hence: deception. That wasnt nice.

Answer 3

I know a guy who once invited a young man, just like you described, to come to his church. That young man had absolutely no interest in becoming a believer, he just wanted to check this place out and see if it was all the things he thought thought it would be. He went with his friend one Sunday and it felt very wierd to him, because people were standing, clapping and singing. Some of them were even raising their hands over their heads with their eyes closed...it was really strange, but he went back again and then again, and before he knew it he realized that he was beginning to understand what all that stuff was about. He even realized that he wanted to know more.

That was 26 years ago and I am so glad that my friend cared about me enough to invite me to church with him that Sunday.

Churches are not supposed to be clubs, but sadly, some are. There are still many churches who are doing what they are supposed to do. They are like hospitals where people who have been injured, hurt, damaged and discarded by life come and find other people just like them who have already recovered from the same things. These people love the people who come to the hospital, regardless of where they come from and only want to help them get well.

Interesting thought...an "All Faiths Club". What would they talk about?

Answer 4

The answer to your first question in bold is, "I'd be nice and welcome you." The answer to the statement you make at the end that you would join on the holy day with the sole intention of socializing would just have me curious...I'd wonder why you wanted to socialize with people doing an act of worship that you have no interest in. It would seem weird if I, having no interest in Shintoism, just walked into their place of worship just to mingle....

But I would still be nice.

Answer 5

Peace.....You will never achieve 100% agreement with anyone or anything in this life - not 100% - 100% of the time.....sorry!
As for the reaction - they may have suddenly met and realized your deception of not being sincere about being there. the anger was probably hurt feelings and embarrassment. God Bless, "orthros"

Answer 6

Come on IN! You might also check out liberal churches like the Unitarians. Only 10% are Christian and they range the gamut of beliefs.

Answer 7

the source of that reaction is because you are still condemned to hell.
My holy place is in my pants so you are not invited.
I used to go to church for like 21 years until I started thinking for myself and I am not looking forward to joining any club. Good idea though I think you will have a lot of followers.

Answer 8

We'd be happy to have you, hope you like pound cake during the study hour.

Seriously--no one who seeks fellowship with others should be turned away. What are they going to do, ask everybody their motives before they let them in the door? How unChristian.

Answer 9

My faith doesn't "shun" anybody.
Non-believers are welcome. But the sacraments are reserved for professing members of our specific denomination. In other words, you can observe all you want, but you have to become a member in order to participate in the service.

Answer 10

Personally, I would welcome you to my church, whatever your motives were for visiting. The only reason for anger on my part would be if you acted in a disrespectful manner, ie being noisy, interrupting the service.