One in five Americans will be heading to church on Christmas this year, according to a survey by Statista Consumer Insights.
You will find more infographics at Statista
Continue reading “One In Five Americans Will Flock To Church This Christmas”
I go to church daily… but only with close friends, and mostly in the virtual world. These church conversations are a continuing reflection on moral matters, located in the explicit context of an information and spiritual war. I have learned a lot by deeply reflecting on the behaviour of myself and others from a divine viewpoint.
I never attend ceremonies at any formal building, I don’t associate with any named congregation, and I don’t have a label for my beliefs. For that matter, I refuse to participate in organised religion or official ritual in any way or form. What follows are personal observations on spiritual life that I have solely distilled from these explorations with wise colleagues.
In 1976, some of the families sharing older ancestral lineages in my hometown were asked to march together in our bicentennial parade. Although I was at an age where I found it somewhat embarrassing, I did enjoy waving at my friends and schoolmates along the way. Especially the girls.
Although the Saccharine Seventies manifested as a tarnishing patina on the silver platter of Norman Rockwell’s America, much of the shine still remained then in my hometown; even in the years before Ronald Reagan’s repolishing as the table was set again for his 1984 “Morning in America” commercial.
Continue reading “America’s Well-Documented Decline Amid Wars in the Air”
By Doug “Uncola” Lynn via TheBurningPlatform.com
On Mother’s Day, my family and I attended a worship service at the church where my wife and I were married three decades ago. While sitting in the pew, waiting for the service to start, it struck me how little the nave had changed. Actually, from what I could see, it had not changed at all.
Traveling back in time, mentally, to the day I was married, I pictured my bride, the room, and the people in attendance. Then I imagined time passing outside in an array of flowing colors, similar to a DVD set on fast-forward; as the worship area remained unmoved and steadfast, like a super-sized stone stuck in the center of a rushing river.
Continue reading “Meditations and Musings, in a Church, on Mother’s Day”
Guest Post by The Zman
I have a passing interest in the Church of England and its American variation, the Episcopal Church. An old friend is in the church so I get some first hand descriptions of what it is like to be in a dying institution. That’s the only way to describe the Episcopal Church. Attendance declines every year as old members die off and new members never materialize. Go into an Episcopal service and you can’t help but notice that most everyone is a senior. The actuarial tables are the church’s greatest enemy.
The Church in the United States enjoys cozy relations with the State. Liberal pastors question the salvation of anyone who doesn’t vote for a Democrap, while conservative pastors question the faith of anyone who doesn’t vote for a Repuke.
But, nowhere is this coziness more apparent than when the church accepts Special Tax Privileges from the State … which is nothing more than a way to muzzle what a preacher can say, for what the State giveth the State taketh away.
This is an anathema because it makes it almost impossible for the church to maintain an “in the world but not of the world” stance … whereby the church speaks the truth, stands for the truth and obeys the truth without becoming an instrument of the State.
Churches becoming wards of the State is well-documented for Nazi Germany, and we now know that the Soviets co-opted Church leaders to spy on their own people during their oppression of Eastern Europe.
That same betrayal is now happening here.
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CHURCHES ARE PAYING THE GOVERNMENT TO SPY ON FAMILIES
According to an Arizona Dept. of Child Safety document churches are working with social workers to spy on families and they’re also using “Child Safety and Risk Assessments“.
Continue reading “When The Bride Of Christ Becomes A Whore For The State”
OVERVIEW
This pictorial essay will be unlike my essay on castles, —- (Castle thread here) —– whereby I went into details regarding the history of castles, key features of their construction, and the pictures supplied contained narrative about that particular castle. I am neither an architect nor engineer, and I would just wind up copying and pasting a lot of stuff. However, that topic is interesting, and I’ve included a couple awesome videos at the end of the article in the “Resources” section.
Rather, this essay contains my ideas about “church”, as well as thoughts about the meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion. I write from my newfound Deist perspective, which is still in its infancy stage, and quite imperfect. Pictures of churches will serve as a backdrop. The majority of churches shown will be from the Medieval Era — for they are amongst the most glorious architectural structures ever created by mankind.
Wells Cathedral, England, 1175 AD
PREEMPTION OF OBJECTIONS
Preemption #1: Right out of the gate, let me preempt a possible objection from the Religious Right (i.e., religious people who are always right). I KNOW A “CHURCH” IS NOT A BUILDING … technically speaking. The church is “the body of Christ” … wherever two or more are gathered in His name, you got church! OK, are ya happy now?
Preemption #2: I also know that real worship can take place anywhere and in any form. Gorgeous Gothic Cathedrals are not required. The 1895 poem ‘The Prayer of Cyrus Brown’ by Sam Foss, expresses this idea well: ——- “Lasts year I fell in Hidgekin’s well / Headfirst, said Cyrus Brown / With both my heels a -stickin’ up / And my head a-pointin’ down / And I made a prayer right then and there / The best prayer I ever said / The prayingest prayer I ever prayed / A-standin’ on my head.” OK, are ya happy now?
Preemption #3: You won’t like this article if you’re a religion-is-the-opiate-of-the-masses type person, such as this comment I found in my research; –— “Religious architecture and art were to medieval feudalism what advertising and commercialism are to modern capitalism: a rather effective way to build support for the status quo using aesthetics instead of argument. Like the fashion magazine of today, it’s a powerful way to make regular people buy into the system.” This person is not moved by beauty, cynically scoffs at majesty … and, basically, is an idiot. You might want to just look at the pictures.
Preemption #4: The overarching theme behind the pictures and commentary is one of Awe & Majesty. We’ve practically lost these feelings in our culture. Everything is “Awesome, dude!”, but nothing produces Awe. I have less than zero interest in examining the “psychology” behind this. Psychology will only attempt to reason it away. I don’t care about the chemical and electrical impulses that cause my amygdala to produce these emotions. Maslow can take his hierarchy of needs and stick them where the sun don’t shine. Freud can eat a chopped cucumber salad, and contemplate how that symbolizes the demise of the penis. To hell with all of them, I say! The “brain profession” can explain everything …. they just can’t appreciate anything.
Guest Post from Mike Krieger
Throughout what has been one of the most brutal winters in recent memory, a small church in Rockford, Illinois decided to do the right thing and offer a warm, safe place to sleep for local homeless people. The church provided shelter to 30-50 people a night during the winter months, and probably even saved several lives as a result. For this horrific offense, city officials have zeroed in and told them they must stop this act of charity due to “zoning issues” and “safety hazards.”
This story is just another tale in a recent disturbing crackdown by local municipalities against private citizens and institutions trying to make life a little less painful for homeless people. Recall my very popular post from a month ago titled: South Carolina City Implements Law that Requires a $120 Permit to Feed Homeless People.
Now from WIFR 23News:
ROCKFORD (WIFR) — Leaders at a Rockford church say they have been told by the city that they can no longer act as a warming center and temporary homeless shelter because of zoning issues and apparent safety hazards.
Apostolic Pentecostals of Rockford church tells 23 News they were told Wednesday by the city that their facility doesn’t have adequate fire safety equipment and also isn’t zoned to serve the community as a warming center or shelter.
You got people out in the cold,” says church owner David Frederick, “and I think the city should allow us to stay open all night.”
Frederick says he has been warned by the city if his church takes people in he would be doing so illegally.
I’m really glad local “authorities” across America have got their priorities straight.
Full article from WIFR and video here.
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
