i was going thru a "rough patch" years ago. i had some friends who were into the "orthodox catholic church" down the road. i went to them for "help". only a few weeks and a handful of services but i got it. the services were really cool. small church, maybe 100 people crammed standing in the room. the service was all sung out. incense and candles burning. darkly lit room. it was really a very "spiritual" atmosphere. all the people were very nice. i attended a few "picnic" type events and really like the sense of community and welcomeness (is that a word?) i received. it was just all the god blahditty blah that turned me away. i saw a few things that just were not right but were justified because it was "gods way". simple things like people having to stay married because the religion does not allow divorce. people who clearly understood that they may be a lot happier apart, yet they felt they had to make "sacrifices" because of their beliefs. that's just hard for me to hold onto. if they could do it all without god i'd be there eveyday.
Got me some Jesus education a few moons ago (quite a few).
When I was bumming around up North I took a baptist evangelist to Cedar bay in return for him paying some fines I had managed to attract for some herb and implements
After I brought him out of the bay, I stayed with the baptist head bloke in Cairns for a few days. Quite scary when they talk about 'The Devil'. They appear to have a genuine fear of being tricked by 'Satan'.
Far too zealous in their religious parctices for me. Dancing is a sin, but singing isn't. Associating with non-christians, even some other christian faiths is a sin.
Now the Krisnas are different. They're friendly, but you have to abstain from sex except for making babies.
The Ba'Hai's (sp?) I like. Part of their religion' rules are that they cannot preach their religion to others. If someone asks, they can give them answers, but you can't do a 'Jehovah's Witness' on someone.
In every census we've had in Australia, I list my religion as a 'Devoted Happy'. Some people I knew in the late 70's to early 80's were planning on starting a religion to get tax free land
.
That was the name they came up with.
A Devoted Happy must always do their best to share happiness in the world. That's about the whole ideology of our little church.
"Come Aboard Sinners! The Devoted Happys will save you!! Wrap your laughing gear around this little number."
