Just an observation and no judgement

[AssisiFollower]

Thank you for sharing your observation and so bringing it for discussion.

As others have mentioned as replies to your post, you most importantly have to feel sorrow for these people.

I myself only converted after I turned 18. When I was a teenager, I was “dragged” into a Christmas midnight mass service by my father, who is non-practicing and sort of C/E. I remember – and as I remember this, I feel just indescribably horrified with myself and my former ways – sitting down for the entire service, reading a book.

Nobody said anything to me about it, but obviously now I feel terrible by how upset I must have made all of those parishioners! At the time, had anyone said anything to me about it, maybe I would have gotten defensive or would not have wanted to listen. But I can ASSURE you, that if anybody had politely informed me that what I was doing was not only rude but incredibly offensive (and saddening), I would have given my action – and their beliefs – a deeper thought, something which unfortunately did not happen for me for a few more years.

Sometimes, as we know, people do not want to listen to even the most polite of criticisms, but we do to them a great disservice if we do not inform them of what we know.

 

[Tingo]

I love God, therefore I care deeply how people behave in His house, just like you might love your mother and so care deeply how people behave in hers. I can’t imagine you would like to see guests leaving trash strewn around her house?

If you love someone you notice how others treat them and how others behave in their presence, and hopefully don’t take it kindly when disrespect is shown.

Nope. Not the same. My mother was not omnipotent.

 

[InJesusItrust]

So let me get this straight: you believe that the creator of the universe and the saviour of all humanity is becoming physically present before you, and you are able to be distracted by people drinking coffee? How?

You see the most magnificent sculpture in the universe, perfect in every way, except for food stain on it…

 

[LilyM]

Nope. Not the same. My mother was not omnipotent.

By that logic Obama is many orders of magnitude more powerful than your mother, so you are meant to be so dazzled by his presence as to be nearly oblivious as to whether he is disrespected or insulted? It doesn’t follow, bud.

 

[LilyM]

You see the most magnificent sculpture in the universe, perfect in every way, except for food stain on it…

Or a flawlessly snowy white tablecloth … Except for that little spot of red wine someone has spilled in the corner there.

 

[Lucky7]

To be honest, I have to wonder who is really at fault, the non-Catholic who is invited to a baptism, or the Catholics that don’t speak up. I do believe there is a way to politely speak up without being judgemental. However, if us people who consider ourselves devout don’t say a thing, how can we expect guests to behave?

CM

Exactly. I can’t get on board with “don’t say anything because if you do they may never come back”.

 

[Seeker1961]

Exactly. I can’t get on board with “don’t say anything because if you do they may never come back”.

I don’t think anyone is saying that-I would only say that we say it with the knowledge that these folks may have no idea that the practice is not normative and have no intention to be insulting. There’s what you say and there’s the way you say it.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Please don’t be too offended by their behavior. In the year prior to our conversion, my husband and I visited a Baptist church for a while. The atmosphere was totally different there, but it was normal for the Baptist members. Nursery was required to be used for the children, and we were given a pager after signing our children in. There was a coffee shop in the “lobby”, just outside of the “sanctuary” (Baptists use those words in ways Catholics do not about their church buildings). As we walked in to the “sanctuary”, it was built like a music hall or theater, with ramps and stadium seating. Every chair was cushioned and reclinable and had cup holders. It was darkened, with only stage lighting illuminating the room.
Going to a worship service felt more like going to an amateur Christian rock concert combined with a college lecture experience, complete with outlines and note-taking. It was quite bizarre actually. It didn’t take long for us to decide we needed the reverence and the mystery and the beauty of the Catholic mass. We were hooked on Catholicism after two masses. But for people who are used to this environment, bringing Starbucks to church is not only acceptable, but even expected. It is sad, yes, but it is not their fault.

I think the description of their service is going to give me nightmares… such irreverence…

To the OP, it is sad that they did not have enough respect for the Church to observe her customs, but it’s good that you prayed for them. It was the best response given the circumstances.

 

[Seeker1961]

I think the description of their service is going to give me nightmares… such irreverence…

To the OP, it is sad that they did not have enough respect for the Church to observe her customs, but it’s good that you prayed for them. It was the best response given the circumstances.

Admittedly off topic-but I have a question.

The description of the Baptist church service had no discussion of doctrine or the theology presented-just the outer conduct. If the content of the doctrine was leading people to Jesus, and helping those who would otherwise never darken the door of a church to have that experience-is it wrong?

I have read many stories here of folks who started out in Protestant churches and were eventually led to the Catholic church as their faith matured. Should we condemn such places if they are leading even a small minority to a true faith in Christ?

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Admittedly off topic-but I have a question.

The description of the Baptist church service had no discussion of doctrine or the theology presented-just the outer conduct. If the content of the doctrine was leading people to Jesus, and helping those who would otherwise never darken the door of a church to have that experience-is it wrong?

I have read many stories here of folks who started out in Protestant churches and were eventually led to the Catholic church as their faith matured. Should we condemn such places if they are leading even a small minority to a true faith in Christ?

It’s important to bring people to God, but it is also important that people understand the importance of what is written in the Bible; and they need to understand the reverence it deserves. It may not be “wrong” in a moral sense, but I also don’t think that it is particularly “right” considering what we owe God.

I personally believe that this lax attitude is more of a problem than a solution. While it’s true that there are a few who seek a deeper understanding of their faith and eventually find the full Truth of the Catholic Church; a much larger percentage of them are happy to have their coffees and listen to their pastors talk about this and that. They don’t seek to learn more about the Faith because the importance of it is not readily apparent in their worship. It’s more about comfort, and what feels good; not about the Truth. If these church’s would reinforce the importance of scripture through their service methods, and reinforce the importance of studying scripture, then I think a much larger percentage of them would realize that their church is lacking the full truth and begin to make their way home to us.

This problem is not limited to the Baptist Church either, it’s just that it was the church given in the description.

I don’t think we should continue this discussion in this topic though. If you’re interested in continuing, I’d be more than happy to; just start another topic. ^^

 

[Seeker1961]

It’s important to bring people to God, but it is also important that people understand the importance of what is written in the Bible; and they need to understand the reverence it deserves. It may not be “wrong” in a moral sense, but I also don’t think that it is particularly “right” considering what we owe God.

I personally believe that this lax attitude is more of a problem than a solution. While it’s true that there are a few who seek a deeper understanding of their faith and eventually find the full Truth of the Catholic Church; a much larger percentage of them are happy to have their coffees and listen to their pastors talk about this and that. They don’t seek to learn more about the Faith because the importance of it is not readily apparent in their worship. It’s more about comfort, and what feels good; not about the Truth. If these church’s would reinforce the importance of scripture through their service methods, and reinforce the importance of studying scripture, then I think a much larger percentage of them would realize that their church is lacking the full truth and begin to make their way home to us.

This problem is not limited to the Baptist Church either, it’s just that it was the church given in the description.

I don’t think we should continue this discussion in this topic though. If you’re interested in continuing, I’d be more than happy to; just start another topic. ^^

I’m trying to figure out what section to place it in, because I think we do have the potential for a good discussion!

 

[ProdglArchitect]

I’m trying to figure out what section to place it in, because I think we do have the potential for a good discussion!

Probably the Non-Catholic religions section… It can be a problem in Catholicism every now and then; but it’s nowhere near as rampant as in the various protestant religions.

 

[Seeker1961]

Probably the Non-Catholic religions section… It can be a problem in Catholicism every now and then; but it’s nowhere near as rampant as in the various protestant religions.

“Come as you are” worship…over in the non-Catholic forum. Come over and join the chat one and all.