THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHURCH AND KINGDOM HALLS???????

by vitty 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Billygoat

  I find other churches much more interesting than the Kingdom Halls. I think some of it has to do with most pastors realize they can't drone on for an hour or more and still keep your attention. Our pastor's sermon never last more than 25 minutes. There are announcements, praise music...I love it! I can honestly say when I don't go to church, I really feel like I've missed out on something. I think the other thing that makes my church nicer is I know the people there genuinely care about me. The "brothers and sisters" didn't really give a rat's butt about me.

  Andi

  Nos - The priest with the incense is probably singing in Latin - not speaking in tongues. Few churches do that anymore...especially ones that use incense or use "trees" to splash water.
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  LittleToe

  It varies WIDELY both with denomination and even individual church. You don't get the same bland stuff dolled out in every congregation. If such variety freaks you out, maybe you have more than just a church problem
  If you don't like a given church it's easy to just walk out and try another one. They often have creche facilities for the kids, too.

  Many services I've been to have lots of singing at the start, and maybe a 15-30 min sermon. The whole thing doesn't usually take more than an hour and is about worship, not study (you do that on your own time, with no obligation). Since most Ministers have an interest in the subject and some kind of qualification, they often bring out interesting stuff. Besides, their job depends on it...

  Nos:
  It sounds like you went to a "Charismatic Catholic" church. They are fairly rare over here.

  Personally I find the Catholic/Episcopalian style services too much rote, for me. I'm not a "litany" kinda guy, and the prayers that are read out, or responsive prayers involving the congregation leave me cold.

  Edited to add: Oops, I never even thought about the latin thing. That's becoming even more rare than Charismata.
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  Room 215

  It's gotten much worse at Kingdom Halls over the past decade or two, as what used to be Public Talks have deteriorated into dumbed-down service talks to the JWs, replete with JW theospeak and self-praise that any outsider who wanders in would find all but incomprehesible.

  Over this period, the Society's ``outlines" have gone from being sparse doubled-spaced true outline requiring the speaker considerablye leeway to add in his own research, to virtual manuscripts which leave the speaker with little option but to parrot what's written there. .
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  prophecor

  Church services that I've been to are packed full of energy. There's nothing boring about going to some Baptist Churches. The services are often enlightening, chior, live instruments. They've had the tendency to inspire me. The way the word is disemanated from the pulpit is powerful. Though if your not prepared for the investment in emotional energy, you might be overwhelmed as they have a tendency to touch your heart emotionally, to get you to feel as well as think.
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  Bumble Bee

  Prophecor

  That has been my experience too. You sometimes can't help but become emotionally involved. There has been times that I so wanted to cry, but you don't show that kind of emotion at a KH, so it's still alittle hard for me to do. I have only been to one church so far, and man, just stepping through those doors was one of the scariest things I've ever done in my life - I kid you not!! I didn't know what to expect, would an angel of God be there to strike me down for entering BTG?? lol

  The services I've been to they start with music, live band, sometimes the choir, prayers, sermon, break to meet and great others there, more music, prayers. Sometimes there is coffee and dessert afterwards, they have numerous childrens ministries from young to late teens, sports etc. There are individual bible study groups usually on Tuesdays, in someones home, sometimes early on Sunday mornings. There is much more opportunity to get involved with fellow church members and the community than at a KH.

  BB
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  Doubtfully Yours

  The few meetings I force myself to go I'm so bored out of my mind it's pathetic.

  Just the other day I yawned out loud and my husband shot me this look that if looks could kill I'd been dead right then and there!

  Just so farging boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  DY
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  Jez

  Meetings=boredom

  I can tell you that my 10 year old attends a local church regularly and would not dream of missing. She is so excited to go. The young program is fantastic. They do crafts, sing, teach through stories, drama, etc. It is a very loving accepting environment for her.

  I have went to a few Sundays with her, to support her. The singing is great! The sermons are personable. But..well...just not my thing anymore....

  Jez
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  buffalosrfree

  Big differences, at church, you worship God (whomever that is), at the hall its a dumbdown talk or why you should be obeying, following, and kissing butt of, the Borg. The meetings are so boring its sleep inducing. One thing about Southern Baptist churches, during the service, you don't hardly ever see anyone sleeping. Yet at the hall most are barely awake. The same for Lutheran services, And most of all churches at least for the most part (my experience) have yourth programs, the only youth program seen in the society is Bethel, and or pioneering (selling mags for the Borg).

  Upon reaching their teens, my kids were bored stiff at the Kingdumb Hall. Like father like children.
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  Incense_and_Peppermints

  in churches you are in a dark, quiet building... beautiful stained-glass windows depicting Jesus, the Virgin Mary, etc. surround the room and sunlight filters in, bathing everything with colored light. the room is filled with pews made of dark rich wood, like mahogany, and behind each seat is a little holder for a book of hyms... at the front of the room is an altar, and anyone can walk in on any day and kneel and pray or meditate. outside, there's a tower and huge bells at the top, which chime and bong on the hour. one of the more beautiful churches here is next door to the civic center, and even on really crowded days with tons of people, you can hear the church bells rise above the din. sometimes i walk across the street and go inside, just to get a nice spiritual fix. here's a picture of it: St. Mary's Bascilica, Phoenix, Arizona. (founded in 1881)

  
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  LittleToe

  Now to show a little balance, here, I have to be candid and say that I've been to some pretty awful services, too.
  However my experience, thus far, has overwhelmingly been good - they would seem to be borne out by the responees, so far.

  Jez:
  I hope you don't mind me singling you out, for a minute. It's just that I wanted to say "good for you!".
  Most exJW's don't even confront the fear of "church" and go. The fact that you went, experienced it first hand (instead of relying on what the WTS or others have said about it), and found it not your thing - well, I have to admire that.

  So many times I hear on this board "ah, religion and church, what a crock!" followed by a baffling silence when they are challenged about whether or not they've actually ever been. Almost as funny, though I have to give credit where credit is due, are those who go to a single church and then deride every church because they found that that church wasn't their thing.

  Now please don't get me wrong, as I'm not encouraging anyone towards religion. I've often stated here that in regards to spirituality, or as I like to call it "connecting to the Divine", "religion might be one path that is useful to some as a stepping stone, but it can become a very treacherous and slippery stepping stone if all our weight remains on just that".

  Sometimes even the act of willingly entering a church just to see what it's REALLY about, dispels more WTS-demons than a whole bunch of words can do. I don't negate what a huge mental barrier that step can be, for some, either. However, IMHO, it is very cathartic.

  My sister went to one a few years ago, completely independant of me (I've never encouraged her that way). She phoned me up the same day to tell me, and was sooo excited. She said (to paraphrase) "Ross, I couldn't believe it. There was no cross, no collection, the singing was great, the sermon was really moving and he mentioned witnessing and Jehovah in it... it was exactly the opposite of what I had been told it was like!!!". She's been to church maybe twice since, it's not her thing, either. But I have to admire people who live life and really experience it, especially when it comes to contronting personal fears and the dreaded indoctrination.
  This seems to be one area that some folks find harder than most.