tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post7573393660541983356..comments2023-08-07T06:03:05.434-05:00Comments on chronicles of blunderview: Churchjoycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10269164806627544548noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-53299461471609008352007-04-12T21:19:00.000-05:002007-04-12T21:19:00.000-05:00I realize I am about a year late in posting. But ...I realize I am about a year late in posting. But this one deserves all the posts it can get. I loved it! So true. I too, love going to church... Going to ladies retreats where they lock you in a room until everybody cries...don't like them so much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-43462387640614875362007-04-12T19:35:00.000-05:002007-04-12T19:35:00.000-05:00G'day Joyful Joyce! You have no idea how many yea...G'day Joyful Joyce! You have no idea how many years I have tried to find you! Then of all places!!! I couldn't sleep last night hoping you may get my message on Brian's site. WOW!! Then as I peruse your site, I fight back the tears. There is more to this story but.... I read your words and just miss you and the years in between. Then your story about the church. Maybe I'm not fit to commentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-84660433015436564412007-04-11T02:38:00.000-05:002007-04-11T02:38:00.000-05:00Joyce, sorry I'm a bit late in catching this. Hmmm...Joyce, sorry I'm a bit late in catching this. Hmmm...last week I was busy "doing" churchy things...simultaneous sighs and glorious moments! I love how you wrote what you wrote...and I "get" it! I agree with it.<BR/><BR/>For background, I was BNR (born-n-raised)in Midwestern small town church. Moved to different small town near big city college. Did "obligatory" church attendance in same denom Karla MGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09840050000753549956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-26228596239397099092007-04-09T07:04:00.000-05:002007-04-09T07:04:00.000-05:00I go to church now, and I cry whenever possible. T...<I>I go to church now, and I cry whenever possible. The cheaters and the fat people link arms with the pretty people and the faithful ones. We laugh and cry and eat together. Sometimes we'll bring a pizza to someone who looks hungry. Or maybe we'll throw some money into a dish to pay for a funeral. When we sing, I let my arms do what they want to. I sing with my whole body: the sound of the Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03418200517338216765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-55232076075420346482007-04-06T23:31:00.000-05:002007-04-06T23:31:00.000-05:00Recently found you on Judy's blog...in comments. ...Recently found you on Judy's blog...in comments. I do so understand what you write here. One thing that has so puzzled me and was the last straw at the last church we tried to attend a couple years ago...when those who come in the door of a church of their own accord are not made to feel welcome, for what earthly reason do they feel the need to canvas the neighborhood and invite the neighbors???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-24243940366613013592007-04-05T13:19:00.000-05:002007-04-05T13:19:00.000-05:00I read somewhere that 'religion' is what the mob a...I read somewhere that <BR/>'religion' is what the mob at the basecamp practices while they are busy arguing about HOW everybody else should climb <BR/>and those who actually ignored them and climbed to the summit by themselves or in small groups found 'spirituality' instead.Romeo Morningwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10826410608415260786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-68469732043477745862007-04-04T20:03:00.000-05:002007-04-04T20:03:00.000-05:00Well said....I have been experiencing mixed feelin...Well said....I have been experiencing mixed feelings about my home church for over a year now...one of the reasons I am dwelling quite heavily in Acts....I really appreciate what you had to say in this marvelous 'mini series'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-30087167452337152602007-04-04T17:49:00.000-05:002007-04-04T17:49:00.000-05:00I know six million people have already commented o...I know six million people have already commented on this post but that won't stop me!<BR/><BR/>Except I have nothing either poetic or intelligent to add.<BR/><BR/>I just couldn't let this post pass by unremarked on because it is so good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-91447697329244186142007-04-04T13:58:00.000-05:002007-04-04T13:58:00.000-05:00It is so sad that this is what the "church" has be...It is so sad that this is what the "church" has become.it's a gong show...https://www.blogger.com/profile/06273304731867914962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-45532197246773705632007-04-04T13:46:00.000-05:002007-04-04T13:46:00.000-05:00What a poignant post. I became tired of sighing a...What a poignant post. I became tired of sighing and found another faith community (I don't want to use the church word because it comes with so much baggage) which I love to attend.<BR/><BR/>I love what rosster said about being a fish swimming against Christian culture. I often feel that way.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15222197140433385319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-56680305732560272242007-04-04T11:22:00.000-05:002007-04-04T11:22:00.000-05:00Joyce,With Peter Popoff selling holy water on late...Joyce,<BR/>With Peter Popoff selling holy water on late night television, what's a church to do? Dismantle the whole thing and start over?<BR/>Chocolate Jesus is looking pretty good about now.<BR/>And I mean that in the most reverent way possible. <BR/>Your post is heartbreakingly true. <BR/>JoanneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-57681695355407600042007-04-04T09:12:00.000-05:002007-04-04T09:12:00.000-05:00Buechner (here he goes again on his Buechner rant....Buechner (here he goes again on his Buechner rant...) says the closest picture to what he thinks the church should look like is an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. The lawyers and bankers in a circle alongside the down and outers, made equal through their weakness and brokeness, relying on a higher power and each other...It is an intereting and powerful image..Rossterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04783145966967604850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-8602623344101898632007-04-04T08:51:00.000-05:002007-04-04T08:51:00.000-05:00You are wise. We are all so flawed, and we bring ...You are wise. We are all so flawed, and we bring those flaws with us to church in one form or another. It's so much easier to be in a circle of people who ADMIT they're flawed though.<BR/><BR/>Your conference experience sounds a little similar to mine last week in Dallas.Heather Pletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01975795000759157299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-32660157357344959602007-04-04T08:49:00.000-05:002007-04-04T08:49:00.000-05:00Babe-o-rama: Thanks for the nod. I'm always thrill...Babe-o-rama: Thanks for the nod. I'm always thrilled when you comment, instead of "skimming".<BR/> <BR/>HO- happy to be of "mucking about" service... And just for the record, I think I have found "it", but I thought this wasn't quite the forum for writing a biography...<BR/><BR/>Michele- I love church to the ends of the earth. I hate missing it.<BR/><BR/>Ruth: ditto. Coming here is a huge part joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10269164806627544548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-39381482829194482452007-04-04T08:39:00.000-05:002007-04-04T08:39:00.000-05:00Life is messy, isn't it? So is religion, faith, a...Life is messy, isn't it? So is religion, faith, all of it. I went to church for years as well, Christian Reform Church. I loved the singing and the rituals but the people were hard to take sometime, especially how they looked at me. When I got pregnant and refused to get married, the judgements became to much and I gave up.<BR/><BR/>I miss church though. Whenever I travel, I love to visit Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-63469206727967015222007-04-04T08:37:00.000-05:002007-04-04T08:37:00.000-05:00grawsh, thanks Rosster. I too have thought a lot a...grawsh, thanks Rosster. I too have thought a lot about that passage that you shared here. (worthy of another post) I'm beginning to wonder if its narrow because so often we miss the forest for the trees.joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10269164806627544548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-67169763110289921132007-04-04T08:05:00.000-05:002007-04-04T08:05:00.000-05:00"but small is the gate and narrow the road that le..."but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life..." <BR/><BR/>I used to think this was referring to those inside or outside of the church, when I saw the world through my "us" vs. "them" (see comment above)spectacles . I have come to believe that the path to life means often being the fish swimming against the current of the Christain culture. <BR/><BR/>I think if I had the gift ofRossterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04783145966967604850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-35225348914129683962007-04-04T03:50:00.000-05:002007-04-04T03:50:00.000-05:00Wow, you have a gift girl.....amazing stuff...you ...Wow, you have a gift girl.....amazing stuff...you actually put into words what's in my head...thank-you....LindalewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-30390372976173393742007-04-04T02:02:00.000-05:002007-04-04T02:02:00.000-05:00Once again, once again that is why I am giving you...Once again, once again that is why I am giving you this - a thinking blogger award -- check out my blog for more details. <BR/><BR/>-KrinaQueenheroicalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01212327407393341334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-67131332999573277342007-04-03T20:54:00.000-05:002007-04-03T20:54:00.000-05:00I had a brief conversation with my sister today. ...I had a brief conversation with my sister today. I informed her that I had just figured out what is wrong with so many churches.<BR/><BR/>"They" want to reach "Them".<BR/><BR/>That's the problem.<BR/><BR/>Unless we realize that we are all always "Them" we will never be able to reach anybody.<BR/><BR/>The farther I go 'in Christ' the more he reveals to me what a real mess I am. <BR/><BR/>He Judyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17065893613028995685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-9001139836140074732007-04-03T20:36:00.000-05:002007-04-03T20:36:00.000-05:00thank you for sharing this. i'm glad you live her...thank you for sharing this. i'm glad you live here.Roohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09014829847475377261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-82012614195159797382007-04-03T19:02:00.000-05:002007-04-03T19:02:00.000-05:00oh my.and still you bother.amazing.oh my.<BR/><BR/>and still you bother.<BR/><BR/>amazing.mmichelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06400779291547414615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-9158690595162589772007-04-03T17:03:00.000-05:002007-04-03T17:03:00.000-05:00You're a real digger Joyce, an Agapeologist. I kno...You're a real digger Joyce, an Agapeologist. I know what you're looking for and I hope that you find it.<BR/>Here in the Western Hemisphere Religion has morphed into an Entertainment/Political Business..transformed to accomodate the Yuppy Boomer Demographic of the 80s.<BR/>Unfortunately the emergence of the so-called Super Church has tainted the entire spectrum. If you watch any of those Romeo Morningwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10826410608415260786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20035630.post-23184087912977138452007-04-03T15:59:00.000-05:002007-04-03T15:59:00.000-05:00Gott im Himmel, that was good, Joyce. "The cheater...Gott im Himmel, that was good, Joyce. <BR/>"The cheaters and the fat people link arms..." That is something quite evident at Maranatha. I hope it will be part of the evolution of faith for many more places, but, sadly, it's not that likely. It may occur in small pockets here and there but, the larger church is, well, just that...LARGE...and seemingly more concerned with getting larger.<BR/>I'm Brian the Mennonitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08091226580685851468noreply@blogger.com