The Church of What's Happenin' Now (part 2)

Contemporary people tend to assume Christians are morons.

George W. Bush isn't helping.

I don't know whether people in past eras had the same problem. I don't concern myself with that reflection much -- it's enough of a hassle to deal with in the present.

Telling someone I'm a Christian tends to have the same effect I observed years ago, when I dyed my hair blonde. People who had known me for years, who knew how bright I am, suddenly started treating me like I was less intelligent. So it goes with "outing" myself as a Christian. Nevertheless, I do it. I am a one-woman crusade against the notion that you can't be smart, I mean really, compellingly, breathtakingly smart, and be Christian.

But that is really beside my subject matter tonight... Christianity vs. organized religion. Or, why the two should not be assumed to include each other.

For the last couple of years, I've been studying the four Gospels traditionally included in the Bible. I'm sure when I'm really deeply familiar with them, I'll branch out into the Gnostic texts. For now, though, these four will do me.

And as I study them, a little bit per day, I find nowhere that Jesus specifically called for people to worship in organized groups. So, working with the idea generally accepted among organized religions that Jesus was infallible, I conclude that organized group worship is optional, not compulsory.

Tripp has tried to make the argument to me that Jesus assumed people would worship in organized groups, since that was an essential part of the Jewish culture he grew up in. As you can tell, I'm not buying that argument. If Jesus made assumptions, that would make him less than infallible, now wouldn't it?

So, given that organized worship is one option for Christians, it follows that the set of people who worship in organized groups is not an exact union set with the set of people who are Christians. (Venn diagrams! I love Venn diagrams.)

When I "out" myself as a Christian, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm a churchgoer. Nor should same be assumed of anyone who says they're a Christian, or says they're a churchgoer. One does not necessarily imply the other.

For most of my adult life, I chose not to worship in groups. After an early, highly emotional parting from the Roman Catholic Church in which I was reared, I was left with an enduring suspicion of churches. And way, way too many churches lived up, or rather down, to my suspicions. Way too many of them put into policy and practice the opposite of the great, inescapable-if-you-wanna-be-Christian commandment, LOVE ONE ANOTHER. And I was not willing to stand up and be counted among a body of people that said they endorsed that commandment, then turned around and made rules that opposed it. So, no church for me. I visited a church every now and again, Catholic or in one of the Protestant denominations, but always found myself so angry and appalled at the evident hypocrisy (strong word, I know, but it was strong feeling) that I could not return after one visit.

Over several years, a few friends from different walks of my life introduced me to the Society of Friends. I researched the Quakers for a year before I went to a Meeting. I discovered that I liked Meeting, that the Society of Friends' body of published testimonies (as close as they get to policies) didn't appall me, and that I could go back. So I did, and went to Meeting off and on for a couple of years. However, I never penetrated the community any further than that. After a couple of years of semi-regular attendance, I don't think a soul at that Meeting could have told you my name.

Upon moving to CA, I was delighted to discover that there is a Friends Meeting in Orange County. I was not delighted to discover it's a 45-minute drive away. After one session there, I was troubled by the bad earth stewardship of driving that round-trip, so I decided to investigate my nearer options. Hence, SOTH, whom I researched much more quickly and effectively than I had the Quakers.

That's all for blogging tonight, and for the next few days. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.