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Do you go to church just to keep the peace?

Ryksie 6 June 11
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1

Oh, your question reminded me of a fling I had many years ago with an older woman of 33. She lamented some men who were on the obnoxious side that she wasn't really interested in but who 'hounded' and wouldn't go home or go away at the end of an 'evening'. She told me that she just let them 'have their way' to get rid of them. This going to church to suit others bears some interesting similarity. Keep the peace. Monday is only tomorrow.
Or: "Close your eyes and think of England?"

1

My wife is an atheist also but she's looking for sources of community / belonging / socializing and has flirted with a liberal Christian church and a UU congregation. I have gone along with it because I know nothing's ultimately going to come of it. We're both too withheld / private / introverted to drag our asses to church on a regular basis, and if you're not willing to do that, it's never going to reach critical mass.

Some Christian and post-Christian congregations hold their beliefs quite loosely and are unperturbed by people who hang out but don't make a specific profession of faith. Some of them have fun activities and the notion that someone might notice if you live or die has a certain appeal to persons like ourselves who are getting on in years.

That said, it's hard for this former fundamentalist not to reflexively eye-roll around the religious, there are too many bad associations for me.

1

I really don't mind, I can ignore the priest/preacher with no problems, but all the people who invite me are deeply religious and I always say no. I don't want to encourage anyone to keep asking me to go and I don't want them to think "there's a chance of changing me."

1

I did for a while in the beginning but not anymore.

1

Never did, never would! Religion is already far too much of an imposition.

StJohn Level 6 June 11, 2018
1

Hell no. lol. Life is too short for that.

2

Since my awakening I have gone to church for a wedding, I was the mother of the bride. I think I did a Xmas eve service to make kids happy. Next time I likely go will be a christening or baptism. I'm the grandmother. So I don't think I'm keeping the peace, but I am being active with and supportive of my kids and grandkids.

Loving your family means making sacrifices! (AND...nobody knows what you're THINKING!) 🙂

@LucyLoohoo If they knew what I was thinking it would be definitely disruptive. Seriously, one of my girls (the most outspoken liberal atheist one) can read my face like a book and if she starts laughing we're doomed.

2

I ride by them to keep the peace. 'Look! There goes Jesus on a bicycle!'

2

No ! To get some lost sleep !

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