 Posted Sunday, December 31, 2006 8:40 PM
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On occasional trips home I attend my former C.S. church, although
I'm an active Lutheran now. Last month, I was downright pleasantly
shocked. The attendees actually had a social hour with hot and
cold beverages (non-caffeine), cookies, brownies, etc., in an
adjoining parlor area. Never---and I mean NEVER---would such
a "social" have been held in my more than twenty years as a
Scientist. Food and beverages (except for water, or perhaps
juice for smaller children) were outright banned from the church
building. Are such things becoming more common these days?
(Of course, we Lutherans live on coffee and cookies!)
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Posted Monday, January 01, 2007 5:10 AM
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| Anonymous Lutheran, The Mother Church has been having similar things during the past few years, and I have heard of some branch churches doing it as well. According to the MBE Library, there is no directive from Mrs. Eddy that would prohibit such activities. I think that at The Mother Church and at least some branch churches today, there is a growing desire to be more hospitable to guests, as well as foster a warm family sense in the church congregations.
tmcl
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Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2007 3:05 AM
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Personally I am conservative on such festivities. If a church service or meeting has been inspiring, there is no need for them. If it has not been, they will not fill the gap.
In my experience they tend to become forums for unpicking whatever inspiration people may have already received, and the prevailing of a lowest-common-denominator viewpoint.
Of course, there is nothing to stop groups of people from socializing before or after church services in their homes, restaurants or other venues. But I don't think the church is the place to do it.
Religion is to be lived, not chatted about over beverages and sandwiches.
Erol
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Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2007 10:12 PM
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I couldn't agree with you more, Erol. I don't think Christian Scientists should socialize at church either.
But wouldn't this corrosive social influence you speak of apply to churchgoing as well? Surely, a Christian Scientist would be better off at home reading Science and Health in solitude, no?
Birdstrike
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Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2007 10:27 PM
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I'm apologize Erol; I couldn't help it (and I should learn to use the emoticons) . . .
But seriously, your sentiment is typical "Christian Science", and yet you'll fail to carry this line of reasoning to it's logical conclusion. In this case, it ultimately leads to another good thread topic:
Why does a Christian Scientist bother to get out of bed in the morning?
Birdstrike
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Posted Wednesday, January 03, 2007 5:08 AM
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It's all right, I'm fairly thick-skinned
Why does anyone bother to get out of bed in the morning? To pay the mortgage? To feed the cat? I mean really...
Erol
birdstrike (1/2/2007)
I'm apologize Erol; I couldn't help it (and I should learn to use the emoticons) . . .
But seriously, your sentiment is typical "Christian Science", and yet you'll fail to carry this line of reasoning to it's logical conclusion. In this case, it ultimately leads to another good thread topic:
Why does a Christian Scientist bother to get out of bed in the morning?
Birdstrike
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Posted Friday, January 05, 2007 11:45 AM
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| This brings up a matter which has been touched upon on various threads, that might be alliteratively titled, "CS: Materiality, Materialism, and Mammon." The fact is, that as as a population group* CS'ists enjoy above-average income and lifestyles. Note that the branch churches are in the best of suburbs and city neighborhoods.* Since they enjoy affluence, why shouldn't they enjoy fellowship and friendship? This was anissue that got me to question CS early in life, during my junior high years. I thought, "If we CS'ists wanted to take our religion most seriously, we should leave our comfortable homes and ammenities, and retire to a remote area withour books. There we should live celibate, ascetic lives of minimal human subsistance, and devote ourselves to study and the freeing of ourselves from sense and sensuality." Of course, nobody ever took this idea seriously, least of all me! When I suggested it as a hypothetical alternative to a few CS'ists of rank, the best answer I got was, "God loves us and wants to see us live abundant lives." Which makes sense from the viewpoint of a health-and-wealth gospel (which I regard as unBiblical). CS'ists enjoying informal fellowship?? More power to 'em! *Yes, I know there are exceptions.
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