Going to church for the wrong reasons

[LadyOnArooftop]

I see the migrant who converted to Christianity to help his asylum application received an Islamic burial, giving credence to the claim that he went to church for the wrong reasons. People attend church for many reasons, sometimes its for the wrong reason, I know I did...
In the town where I lived there were two schools. A C/E High School, with it's fabulous academic record and smart uniforms. And the local Comprehensive that was so bad the locals called it The Bronx. When my child was in year 5 of primary school. My thoughts turned to what senior school would be the next step. Obviously, the C/E High school was going to be my preferred choice. But there was a major snag, the application form had to be signed by a vicar. So I started going to church. Got involved with all the activities, I even drove the mini-bus to bring the pensioners to the service. My valiant efforts were successful. I got the form signed.
Then came the long wait.... Eventually the letter arrived. To this day I can recall opening it with trepidation... and reading that my child had got a place at the school. I was euphoric. The feeling of excitement and sheer joy. It was better than sex! When my child started at the school I stopped going to church. (another item to add to my 'things i'm not proud of' list)
But one thing sticks in my mind. One day the vicar said to me that he KNEW people were coming to his church for the wrong reasons, but it was his job to get these people to come for the right reason...

If you ever went to church for the wrong reason feel free to share....

 

[Confused_Fred]

LadyOnArooftop your going to force me to write a proper reply.....​

You might not be aware but I'm a bit of a leading light in the Quaker movement. I'm going to talk to you about what being Quaker means to me.

Let's start off with family. My family helped start the Salvation Army over 150 years ago.

Family members were killed trying to shut down pubs and gin houses. Trying to convince the poor if they didn't spend their money on alcohol their lives could be better that the Lord could save them all.

Today we still have the same social problems we did 150 years ago. Alcoholism is less of a problem, drug addiction is more of one. Salvation Army is still try to help families by funding food banks and credit unions.

As far as my Quaker beliefs go...the first thing I was taught was believing God in your own way. There's no such thing as a good Quaker. All you can do is try to be a good person, not a perfect one.

On the question of asylum seekers converting to Christianity with the aim of abusing the asylum process all I can say is they're not the first ones to do this. They're not the first ones to use religion as a way to improve their standing in society.

The Abdul Ezedi case that's caused much debate within the religious communities. If someone wishes to repent and convert who are we to say no? I understand this family and friends arranged this man's burial not it's local church so it seems he had little choice in the matter.

On the question of school places. All parents want the best possible education for their children. I don't blame anyone for lying on a application if it improves the chances of their children receiving decent education. When I think about it... if we only took "True Believers" the schools would soon close due to lack of numbers.

You have to be realistic about religion in the UK today. The days of mandatory church attendance are long since over. People seem to have run out time for religion.

It's one of those things that's mattered more to me as I've grown older. When I was a child I hated with a passion the Quaker meeting meals and everything that went along with it. I've returned to it in my late years. I missed the community, the feeling of family and sense of belonging.

I don't think I've ever seen people this isolated in my lifetime. So many people live alone barely talk to anyone. It wasn't like this when I was a child. It shouldn't be like this in my later years. It's a reflection on how we live now and one of the changes we need to reverse.

So whether you member of a church or a religious community, a local club or a group of people into magnet fishing it doesn't really matter. All that matters is you have a place you feel you belong.

 

[ladymuck]

One of the significant aspects of this, is that Britain is still regarded as a Christian country. Although most people have stopped attending church services, we still have that mindset. There is uproar at any suggestion of Islam taking over. Church schools have a higher success rate than secular, and are still the first choice for many people.
Going to church doesn't mean you're a good Christian, as many think. Some of the best people never set foot inside a church, but practise Christianity by helping others.

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

your going to force me to write a proper reply.....​

A proper reply? You mean all your other posts are improper!

There's no such thing as a good Quaker. All you can do is try to be a good person, not a perfect one.

I take your point. I'm trying to lead a good life. I've become a mensch.


Thanks for the contribution, much appreciated

 

[Moriarty]

The fact that Booth sermoned on a disused Quaker burial ground off Mile End Road in Whitechapel in 1865 has nothing to do with the Quakers.

The Salvation Army was always a christian mission.

 

[Confused_Fred]

The fact that Booth sermoned on a disused Quaker burial ground off Mile End Road in Whitechapel in 1865 has nothing to do with the Quakers.

The Salvation Army was always a christian mission.

You're right to say that but the Quaker Society in the UK did have a lot of support and Influence at the time. The Salvation Army and the Quaker movement share same core values and still do.

You often hear that the Jews control the banks well that's not the case in the UK it was the Quakers. (Barclays bank, Lloyds bank, Gurney's bank and Friend Provident insurance group) Quakers were also slavery abolishes from the mid 1600's.

So for the Quaker movement the idea of backing social change organisation like The Salvation Army was a bit of a no-brainer.

I think it difficult for people to understand how much of a role the Quakers played in shaping our modern society. Those effects are still felt today.

 

[Moriarty]

I don't care what religion one worships, as long as one understands that the country one lives in has a history, a culture and a wish to simply get along with their neighbours.

Anything above that is ideology which I despise as it brings friction.

If people actually "Treat others as you wish to be treated" or "Let the believer in God and the Day of Judgment honour his guest" then we would get along so much better.

I remember fondly my time in Huddersfield where I had Muslim neighbours who would invite myself and my girlfriend over for dinner and visa versa.

We would debate the ideology of religion and faith with happy smiles and good food.
That was however almost 30 years ago.

We simply respected each other, nothing more or less.

Today, that respect is waning, it is sad.
We have more in commen than we have to be at odds.