i saw a post on facebook this morning from a professing christian with one of those mega-rockband-wanna-be churches, only they rock for god not man (yeah, right...like they don't play for man). anyway, it was basically a plea for people to come to their church, because, surprise of all surprises, it's not like all those other judgmental churches they think everyone grew up in. Basically it said, come to our church and have fun, wear any clothes you want, and we will accept you no matter what. we have a cool band, so you can hear some head-bangin loud-as-hell music first thing sunday morning. (HOW is that peaceful???) only our music has words about god, even though you can't hear the lyrics because we shout and scream so loud (we have to keep up with those heavy metal sinners, you know, so we can keep drawing people in here). we even dress cool and talk cool. cool any way you look at it. come on to our church and you can be cool too. Cool with Jesus.
ok i got off the point. my point is that they think people don't come to their churches because they've been judged harshly in their childhood churches and now reject everything god. for me, i never went to church growing up and if i feel as if i'm being judged, i'll just leave that place and go somewhere else. i'm just me and don't want to follow someone else's idea of who they think i should be. i like to be free. can't be caged.
truth is, i just plain don't like most christian churches, and believe me, I've been to almost every christian denomination I could find: Assemblies of God, Hand-Clapping Presbyterian, Non-Hand-Clapping Presbyterian, Catholic (Regular and Roman), non-denominational, Baptist (all flavors), Mennonite (which is not Protestant, but Anabaptist, like the Amish), Charity (also Anabaptist, but a little looser), Full Gospel, Pentecostal (a few different levels of those), Cool Rock and Roll Churches, Cowboy Churches (ok, I didn't go to the cowboy church, but I SAW it! It takes place in a big barn), and too many more to name.
it's either boring as hell, or, if i go to a cool church, i have a migraine for two days (they just haven't figured out how to work those amps right and the sound is always fuzzy, static-y and just loud, loud, loud noise). and, it's the same, same, same message over and over and over and over. most mainstream christian churches never really have a new message or anything new to offer -- they just constantly repackage for a new feel or a new look. same message, new package. nothing new under the sun, just some cool new clothes and some rockstar wanna-be's. give me steven tyler or robert plant over them any day -- they're much more inspiring. i might even get up early on sunday then.
Disclaimer: I don't mean any disrespect for those that enjoy these churches, i just don't prefer them. But if that's your thing, then that's great. Different folks, different strokes. :)
