Sinking the Bismarck, 2011

Going to church should be about worship and about living a better life through your religion. If going to your church makes you feel awful, it’s the wrong church. If you believe that there is only one God, then all the houses of worship are ultimately pointed the same direction, find one that matches your personality.

I think I said it before, worship is like food, we all need it. But we don’t all need just Chinese, or just Italian or just southern down home cooking. Some of us can’t stomach hot peppers, some of us don’t like curry, some of us don’t eat grits, etc. And none of us should have to put up with a restaurant that tells us we are doing wrong if we find another restaurant with better service and more-enjoyable food.

Prayers for you Leeny!

Just to put in an oar on this subject.

You need to examine why are you so determined you want to stay.

If it is “I like the pretty stained glass windows”, there are other pretty windows.

If it is “I feel like I am abandoning this or that friend”, leaving this particular congregational membership for membership elsewhere does not preclude visiting occasionally.

God has a very big house…it is called the universe. Find a nice room where you are not feeling stifled.

P.S. remember the “Sinking of the Bismark” (meaning the ship itself) was historically a good thing.

Definitions of a Pastor

1.a minister or priest in charge of a church.

2.a person having spiritual care of a number of persons.

If the laity is just to be the support and not be supported, what is the difference between the squeezing of tithes and the government’s taxes?

Christ said “feed my lambs” not “fleece my sheep”. If he wants to proselytize he needs to get down from the pulpit and go out among the wolves and be a beacon of light not sit on his ass trying to lure in more assets to fill the coffers.

If your council is following this hokum, this building may as well be a warehouse. At least then it would be fulfilling its function instead of foisting a sham on its members and the public.

That “church doctor” sounds like a very unChristian person. A pastor is not an administrator.

Leeny, I think you would be happier in another church, since it doesn’t seem like this one is going to change for the better any time soon.

Leeny, I am absolutely flambergasted at this churchdoctor! Run, don’t walk, away from this place!

Well, probably because I grew up with people of different faiths, and was raised as a member of a non-proselytizing faith, I have absolutely no desire to go around converting anybody else. And I don’t like people trying to convert me. Since I work with people of other (or no) religion, it would not be practical or effective for me to put Jesus into a discussion of business practices. However, my husband thinks that being a religious missionary and bringing unbelievers the Word of God is a good thing. We will have to leave it up to God as to which if any of us is right.

So I guess it comes down to- what do YOU believe? The pastor is not your significant other. He is not going to change his mind or his ways because you are angry with him. It may be that the rest of the congregation will reject his vision/interpretation, as you have. But if they do not, then it seems that you need to find a church which shares your interpretation.

Over the centuries, there has been a lot of dispute over interpretation of holy writings. People have (and still are) using these differences as an excuse to kill each other. Nothing new about idiosyncratic interpretations.

I remember a story that might be worth telling.

A preacher died and went to heaven. He was in line behind a cab driver. As he waited for his chance to meet God he over heard God tell the cab driver how impresed he was with all the people that the driver had led to God and God then gave the driver the best of everything that heaven had to offer. When the preacher meet God ,God had very little to say or offer to the preacher. The preacher asked God why the driver had been so richly rewarded and God told him why. God said that when the preacher preached ,people slept but when the driver drove people prayed

Ron, that is hilarious!!!

There are many religions in this world. You have to search your heart to find what you believe, where your faith leads you. I know you did not look forward to Quinn’s arrival from the very beginning. You have not been happy with his pastoral care (certainly he seems lacking from what you have said), and you feel that the ministry he is bringing into the church is destructive. I understand 21 years is a long relationship with a church and I understand not wanting to leave. There is nothing saying you can’t go to another chuch this Sunday. Take time away from your church and visit a few other local churches. You may find that what you need is right there.