These days?

Any form of religion , how many attend a weekly, sermon?

I do on Sunday.

I DON'T GO, THE BUILDING WOULD CAVE IN IF I DID. NOT THAT I DON'T
BELIEVE IN A POWER GREATER THAN ME, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE PULLED OUT
FROM UNDER THE RUBBLE.

I don’t seek moral values from a religion so I would be very much
against listening to sermons about moral values. My mother used to be a
Christian (protestant) and I used to take her to church in her old age
and sit through sermons just for her sake. Unfortunately she liked to
attend the old-time-religion type of churches so they were often
preaching fire and brimstone more than peace and love. Having nothing
else to do I actually listened to the boring sermons and all I can say
is that I wouldn’t even dream of doing all the things they were
preaching not to do anyway. So to me it was like they were preaching to
the choir.

When my mother finally became so feeble that she didn’t want to attend
anymore I was not about to ague with her. I have no clue why she liked
to sit through those lectures, she too would never to anything wrong, so
what was the point to it?

I don’t need someone to preach morals to me and I don’t look to religion
for that. The only way that I would go to a ‘church’ is if the purpose
was to praise ‘god’, and rejoice in the love and peace of humanity.

However, even then I would prefer that the church doesn’t attempt to
define ‘god’ per dogmatic sermons based on ancient doctrines. In stead
I would just rather celebrate god’s creation which would include the
entire universe and everything in it, not just human beings.

If I could find a ‘church’ like that I might be inclined to attend it.

My sister actually did find a church that was somewhat like that. They
celebrated humanity rather than preaching any particular doctrines.
They didn’t even have an individual designated leader or ‘preacher’.
Although they did have volunteers who would offer to help ‘coordinate’
the services, and some of the volunteers were regular volunteers and did
well at coordinating things so they may have appeared to be the people
in charge to outside observers.

The congregation would pick topics or offer ideas for ‘sermons’ although
they didn’t call them sermons. Then individual members would offer to
speak on their own personal experiences. So much of the ‘sermons’ were
actually people getting up and delivering their own thoughts, sometimes
these would be personal anecdotes, sometimes they would be poems
recited, in some cases musically talented people would play or sing a
piece of music that they personally found inspirational.

It was more of a celebration of ‘god’ or ‘life’ (atheists were very
welcome to attend their ‘church’). Most atheists do have an
appreciation and awe of life, and so this was accepted as also having an
awe of god’s creation. No one ever argued for any particular way to
look at god.

No morals were taught dogmatically, however some of the personal
testimonies were contained powerful insightful moral lessons. People
would ‘confess’ mistakes that they have made, not as an attempt to be
forgiven, but rather motivated purely by a desire of remorse. Of course
the congregation always offered their compassion, love and
understanding.

Unfortunately, the church changed over time. Some new member who were
somewhat belligerent began demanding more structure and that ‘their’
religions ideas should accepted. The meek congregation innocently
accepted that all ideas should be heard, and the ‘sermons’ began to
become more dogmatic in flavor attempting to ‘preach’ traditional idea,
rather than sharing individual experiences.

After a while my sister gave up and just quit attending her church.

Anyway, that’s my thoughts. Rather than attending a socially organized
religious event I would prefer to just practice some tradition of my
own. Like maybe once a week talk a walk on a natural trail for the
express purpose of smelling the roses. Although, I do that all the
time anyway, so I don’t really see the point in practicing it on any
particular schedule.

I attend 'church' every day.

my church is that which is and therefore is present in every breath I
take. Every step I take. Therefore I walk in my 'church' at any given
moment. Welcome brothers and sisters to the church of the human.

Organized church... Ha.
I confess my sins to no human. There is no individual between me and
god. Sermons spoken from the book are usually bitter. (why is that).
Most of them keep their doors locked when church is not in 'session'.
(I allways though god never slept)
Most of them expect money.
There is no reason to give money to a church. (what does GOD need money
for he is god).

ABRA, AFTER READING WHAT YOU WROTE, I THINK YOU SHOULD BE A
PREACHER.

I agree with adventure. I live in a state park, see all of GOD's
creation, all the time. Hear rabbits caught at nite, circle of life.
What better church could there be. Believe in GOD, O YES. Line from
Croccidial Dundee, "Me & God, we're mates." ( sorry for the spelling)

Church has an aspect that I don't see anybody else mentioning here, that
being ceremony. When people get together to profess their faith and hear
a common message, it reinforces their personal faith in mankind and
others, as having dedication to something bigger than themselves.

So don't go if you don't want to. It certainly is a simple matter to
find ideas and expressions in a sermon that you might disagree with,
particularly in this age when preachers sometimes mix a little politics
into their sermons. but remember that sometimes there is more than just
following rules that gets people to church. Sometimes it is fellowship.

But keep in mind its not always the perfection of the preacher that
people are looking for when they attend church.

I don't attend weekly.

when I was a kid we had a local bar called The Stone Church...my
stepfather
lived there...

yeah..the joke.."Oh he's at church" haha

As an atheist, I don't go to church.

As a non-drinker, I don't go to bars.

The parallels between the two are something to think about --

I'm with you on that one Lex. I don't go in bars or churches.

My aunt goes to churches just to hear the choirs sing. She actually
goes around searching for the churches with the best choirs. The whole
idea of church is more of a social event for her.

Philospher>

If you are secure in you faith then cermony means nothing. God is where
ever you are and in all places you ain't.

therefore he will allways be with you.

People tend to expect you to follow their rules. (Have you ever noticed
the leaders in a church are the ones that are the richer in worldly
things)

i attend church daily

church is not in a buildin

its where ya are

i take time n pray daily n study

yea i go fellowship with others every weekend

but as a buildin is concerned

im in it

the biggest man i ever new was my dad he stood only 6' 5" but was big
when he was on his kness prayin

yall party on..