Why Do You Go To Church?

I am very curious about why so many people attend church and worship centers.

Is it to save your eternal soul? How do you know you have one?

Is it to learn to be a good person? Can't we just 'do unto others'?

Is it to give thanks for your existence? Do we have to congregate to do that?

I'm puzzled and am looking for intelligent guidance form the ATS family.

reply to post by TheFinder


In taking you at your word for being curious, I don't find my religious friends who attend organized services do so out of some conscious trade of their time for benefit, as you'd suggest. It's not 'They go to save their Souls'. It's as much a core and part of life as they live it as taking a shower or staying in regular touch with loved ones is for everyone else.

In fact, among my extended Catholic family, the social aspect and bonding through mutual experience is often more a factor and critical aspect, in my opinion, than listening the the Priest give Mass and whatever they came up with to speak about that time.

reply to post by TheFinder


I am not religious, but I do have friends that are and on occasion I will go to church with them.

I believe that they go for varying reasons, but I think that the most immediate reasons are for fellowship, community and inspiration. Churches can offer a sense of belonging and an opportunity for those of common beliefs to come together for the sharing of ideas. Often times the sermons can be timely and motivational regardless of denomination.

While I might not subscribe to the particular religious dogma of my friends beliefs, I am still able to enjoy the social experience with them.

It seems that life is too important to base it on 'blind faith'.

Shouldn't we be concentrating on the basic needs and welfare of our fellow man?

Can we improve the world without diluting the basic principle of 'do unto others' and without a 'ruling' class developing?

Originally posted by TheFinder
It seems that life is too important to base it on 'blind faith'.

Shouldn't we be concentrating on the basic needs and welfare of our fellow man?

Can we improve the world without diluting the basic principle of 'do unto others' and without a 'ruling' class developing?

Maybe you aren't getting the responses you wanted because now you are changing the question. You say that life is to important to base on blind faith, but what makes you assume it is 'blind'. Often times people base their faith on personal experience and even...logic.

For instance, for me the existence of God as a prime mover or creator is logical just as the existence of alien life is logical to me. You want to negate people's faith as foolishness perhaps, but you have not walked in their shoes, nor do you know WHY they believe what they do.

To me it is much more important that we as human beings allow each other the freedom to believe as we choose. Just as I don't necessarily believe in the specific faith of my friends, I am still able to have an open and friendly dialog about their beliefs and in any case it is important to me that I respect them without ridiculing their opinions and ideas.

reply to post by TheFinder


I stopped going to church 33 years ago. I was even a alter boy. Yea, I know right?

But the hypocrisy of the congregation drove me nuts. I might have been young at the time, but I knew who was having affairs, breaking laws and those who were just generally nasty people.

My Dad mentioned one time that I should attend church so I could meet new people and socialize, he’s hoping I find a girlfriend there. But I feel that would be hypocritical as well.

I guess that I just explained why I don’t go to church.

But the bottom line is that I feel I’m in church every day. I thank God that I awaken and go from horizontal to vertical every day. I try to give thanks for all the good things that come my way, both big and small, though I’m not always successful at that one.

reply to post by TheFinder


This is my church.
No need to go anywhere to love what is.

reply to post by TheFinder

Why Do You Go To Church?

I don't.

To me, it's a waste reading myths and creating rituals and following them.

reply to post by TheFinder
I don't go as often as I used to, but I love the uplifting music and having fellowship with a lot of the cool senior members at my church- the one's that walk to match their talk. I don't feel like I must go to church to be close with the Lord- you can be wherever you like and talk to him- there's just something great about getting together with like minded others for a common purpose.......gathering in love!

I think it's a mix between the social aspect and the "saving your soul" type of thing.

When I used to go to church, it was an obligation because that is where you went to learn about god and to praise him, so my experience may be different from others.

Church is a place of worship, so I think that is first and foremost, that is the reason they exist after all.

Matthew 6
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jesus was against practices like going to church and praying/praising in front of hundreds of other people. My church never mentioned these verses while I was going, and for good reason I think.

My mom goes to church and after church she usually has a negative energy, ready to argue about every little detail, and when details cannot be found to argue against imaginary things that don't exist are made in order to set up an arguement - something in which can drive anybody crazy because someone is arguing with you about something that does not exist or something that does not make sense.

So church can have absolutely nothing to do with following God. Because God is not a being or thing inside of a church, God is really outside of the church. All the people who do wrong think that it is inside of the church, and that's why they do wrong the moment they step foot outside of the church.

Read the bible, but don't go to church.

Originally posted by TheFinder
I am very curious about why so many people attend church and worship centers.

Is it to save your eternal soul? How do you know you have one?

Is it to learn to be a good person? Can't we just 'do unto others'?

Is it to give thanks for your existence? Do we have to congregate to do that?

I'm puzzled and am looking for intelligent guidance form the ATS family.

I go because I enjoy it and consider the other church members my family. I love my pastor and he has really good messages.

Originally posted by greyer
My mom goes to church and after church she usually has a negative energy, ready to argue about every little detail, and when details cannot be found to argue against imaginary things that don't exist are made in order to set up an arguement - something in which can drive anybody crazy because someone is arguing with you about something that does not exist or something that does not make sense.

So church can have absolutely nothing to do with following God. Because God is not a being or thing inside of a church, God is really outside of the church. All the people who do wrong think that it is inside of the church, and that's why they do wrong the moment they step foot outside of the church.

Read the bible, but don't go to church.

edit on 21-7-2013 by greyer because: (no reason given)

It's very irrational to speak dogmatically about churches from a bad experience in one church. That would be like hating all German people because of what Hitler chose to do. I attended a church like you described, but left and have been going to a great one since then.

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Jesus was against practices like going to church and praying/praising in front of hundreds of other people.

No He wasn't, He was against the hypocrites doing it to look righteous in front of others. He never condemned corporate worship.

People go to church/mosque/temple/sacrificial chamber to worship and give praise to whatever entity they've chosen to submit to, so a better question would be:

What kind of a 'God' would want/require/need/demand...............anything at all?

reply to post by NOTurTypical


Why do people pray in church? He said to pray alone, not in front of hundreds of other people. If church is a place of prayer and worship and also a social meeting place, that means people choose to go there to both socialize and pray with other people.

I thought you hated organized religion? Church is the epitome of organized religion.

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1


No, Legalistic religious churches are the epitome of organized religion. I left a church like that years ago.

My hypothesis would be the sense of community and also showing that you are happy or part of that community.
Almost like keeping up with the joneses but more a staying together with the joneses.

If you dont go your friends and family might start to think that you are losing direction and cold shoulder you, you also may be proud of what your community has built over the years and its like showing respect.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


ALL churches are for prayer. I've never seen a church with only one person praying at a time. Jesus said to only pray by yourself, so he was against churches period. If you can't see that then you are blind to it.

What other purpose does a church serve other than for to people to gather and pray together?

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1
The whole point of bowing your head and closing your eyes during prayer at church is to give each other privacy, the same with covering one's head with a prayer shawl extended by hand. You're not supposed to be watching everyone else.