This statement fits the definition of witnessing, it seems to me. The description of Great Debates is For long-running discussions of the great questions of our time. This is also the place for religious debates and (if you feel you must) witnessing.I’m sure the appropriate Mod will be along shortly and provide an official ruling.
Onward, Christian Dopers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Cecil, the Perfect Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see his banners go!
Haven’t been to church much in quite awhile becuase I got tired of the empty-headed happy-face people I found there. Not that I’m any better, but it wasn’t getting me anywhere and I sure as hell wasn’t helping them. As a rule, non-christian freinds have been much more honest, faithful and supportive. Actually, I’d say that among the people I know there’s generally been a corresponding ratio of professed religiousity with assholery.
But lately I’ve been trying to force myself to go to a Presbyterian church, and some good Missionary freinds are dragging me along. They spent 20 years as missionaries in Borneo (and are going back soon), but the surer sign of their faith is that they give me free beer whenever I go to their house. They’ve been a big help.
Life has pretty much been sucky for awhile now, between my unmedicated brain-chemistry imbalances and being broke and not knowing if I have a career. Oh, and that failed relationship still hurts. My sharing consists usually of talking as much or more about my doubts than my belief, although I think that may actally be a better thing for all concerned.
Kudos to you, Iceland Blue, for standing up to be counted. The Christians on this board should indeed be encouraged to explore their beliefs from whatever starting premise they choose, not necessarily “Is there a God, or what?”
Diamond-hard atheist as I am, I would not dream of bursting into such a discussion: it would be like barging into your living room when I could simply leave a note at the door letting you know what debates you could have with people like me.
As it is, I encourage the Christians here to discuss any aspect of their faith in peace. I’ll guard the door.
I’m probably in the running for the unofficial dope record for longest serving altar boy, from 6 yr old to 21 yr old (15 years total). I was having a hard time sitting still in church , so mom suggested I try serving mass… Wound up running the altar serving program at the end. It was a bit embarassing sometimes to be taller than the celebrating priest, but I almost always wound up looking at the incense, which I thought was cool.
Now I’m in a small Bible study group that meets every two weeks. We’re not all Catholics, but I’m a pretty ecumenical a Catholic Christian, with emphasis on the Christian. We’re working through John’s gosple right now.
I also sing in our small choir for our 8:30 mass. We have a soprano leader & keyboard player, one high soprano who does all the descants, one soprano. One tenor/barytone who sings melody for the men in the congregation to follow (me) and one alto. We’re currently looking for tenors. (Any catholic tenors in Calgary reading this?)
As for evangilization / prosletizing, I try to follow St-Thomas Aquinas’ saying (Was it him?)
“I am constantly evagelizing. I sometimes even use my voice.”
I’m not big on witnessing to everyone, trying rather to pick my moments when folks are actually receptive.
I agree, Elenia. I was focusing on the “What’s been happening in your church? Mission work? Starting new Bible groups or prayer groups?” part of the post. Which seems pretty MPSIMS to me.
And iampunha, I was making my prediction based on past threads where someone dared profess to be a Christian. It’s the rare thread involving religion here that doesn’t become an opportunity for someone or some many to come in and tell Christians how stupid they are for believing in God. Which topic will never be discussed to anyone’s satisfaction around here, as some believe it’s Ignorance, and some don’t. (Strange, people don’t seem to do that with non-Christian deity-believing Dopers. Hmmmm. Must be a “political correctness” thing.)
Another Roman Catholic here. I’m going to a new church (since I moved from Mississippi to California) and I’m not really involved in anything at the moment. I went to a Catholic high school and am attending a Christian university, so I’ve been raised in the Church my whole life.
Share the ways the Lord has blessed me, eh? Well, the single biggest blessing of my life (and I’m realizing this more and more as time goes on) is my family. They’ve done so much for me, especially in the past year or so as I was preparing for college…too much, really, to relate here. It’d take a whole new thread.
Since you asked, I am a Christian and I frequently make a point of it when it is relavent to any of my posts. I belong to an Evangelical Lutheran congregation that is working to grow. We spent a few years with temporary pastors and have only had a new permanent one for a little over six months. We’re an inner city church and have been doing a lot of oureach in our immediate area. As is typical of Lutheran churches we’re mostly white but working make out gongregation more diverse. We are also desginated as a reconciling in Christ congregation by the Lutherns Concerned of North America. That means we welcome and affirm anyone who wishes to worship regardless of gender identity or sexual preferance among other things. I estimate almost half of our congregation is gay and lesbian, many of whom are in committed relationships. As you can imagine it rubs some folks the wrong way, including other Christians, so we have some challenges ahead of us. In 2005 the ELCA is going to face the question of gay and lesbian clergy who are in relationships as they are now required to be celibate. I expect that no matter which way the decision goes it may force a split in the ELCA.
Anyway, pay us a visit if you’re ever in Phoenix. We promise the pastor won’t put you to sleep with her sermon and the coffee is always hot after service. Thankfully we don’t serve lutefisk at our potlucks.
trupa, I really like that St-Thomas Aquinas quote.
Whadya wanna bet they bump it again? If they keep thinking about it the grumpy old Norkies and Squareheads will die off and the liberals in the Church will finally have it to ourselves. Or we could gently point them to the Missouri Synod congregation down the road.
I know, I know, we are INCLUSIVE and as a bunch of Norskies and Squareheads don’t want to actually hurt anybody’s feelings, but I started out Catholic and am not burdened by such attitudes. And my wife would be irked if they quit before leaving the Property Commission a large bequest, but she started out a Methodist. :eek:
He existed, yes. He is also ‘son’ of God. Though ‘son’ is not the same as biological son for obvious reasons (I don’t think God his genes for instance). I believe we are all ‘sons’ and ‘daughters’ of God in a similar though lesser way than Jesus was.
Haven’t been round here so much lately, but I am still here, and I am still a Christian. I’ve nothing against godless heathens - we’re supposed to love them like ourselves, after all - but I’m not one myself.
Having said that, I’m a very irregular churchgoer, these days. (I mean that I attend church irregularly, not that I am irregular in person … although, come to think of it, I should be getting more fibre in my diet … err … )
[Rainman]Definitely a Christian. Definitely.[/Rainman]
A project that our church is involved with is called Hands Together. Their mission is two-fold: They provide free medical care to those in need along the Texas/Mexican border. Sort of like Doctors Without Borders. The other aspect of their mission is to build casitas (little houses) for people that can’t afford their own.
My specific part of the mission (thus far, I hope to go back) is to have taken two trips down to Rio Bravo Mexico and help install central air conditioning in the dormitory where the doctors stay. It’s critical that the doctors be as comfortable as possible so that they will want to come back and bring their friends with them. You can see a picture of the dorm here.
The first time I went, we installed the ductwork. Since I’m a computer geek and my AC skills end exactly at the thermostat, I was way out of my comfort zone. The second time we went, we worked in the attic (it was in July). I’ve never been so hot in my life. The temperature was around 130F. It was the most amazing feeling to step out of the attic and into the 95 degree heat and feel like you had just walked into a walk-in cooler.
Or we could gently point them to the Missouri Synod congregation down the road.