I think this story is consistent with the mission of The Free Press, and the criticisms are rather missing the point. Religion/spirituality in American life has been a recurring theme. This particular story challenged my personal goal of keeping an open mind when I read this sort of stuff, because my knee-jerk reaction would normally be to dismiss it as privileged narcissism. So, I kept an open mind while reading it...and still concluded it was privileged narcissism. And, no, Jesus was not a self-help guru--He didn't say "love yourself."
I always appreciate Olivia’s writing because she does a beautiful job of describing what she sees without letting bias seep in. It was an interesting piece. That being said, I’ve been accused of being in a cult more than once because I’m Catholic...by people who would probably love this place. I’m happy for anyone who finds God, wherever that may be, but if anything has cult potential it’s a place like this. It seems to appeal to people because they get spiritual encouragement without any commitment, work, or sacrifice. I’m definitely biased here, I know, but I can’t imagine a church service where I don’t feel equal parts comforted and convicted. Personally, I feel better in an environment where I’m encouraged to do better rather than this “you do you” attitude.
I don’t understand the hate for this article, TFP has been exploring the phenomenon of people searching for a higher power since the beginning. This is just another article showing a different side of that theory. One option is to simply not read it. The other option is to consider what they are getting at. TFP was created because they wanted people to consider more points of view. If that is beyond your abilities, then maybe this isn’t a place for you.
I find it interesting but also very sad. We are not called to be the best version of humans, we’re called to be like Christ. I pray for anyone on a spiritual journey, that they finally find the Way, the Truth, and the Light. No one can come to the Father except through the Son.
I am so grateful to live in Alabama. I eat barbecue, watch college football, watch the Atlanta Braves, drink beer, go to church, go the the lake, hang out with wife and kids at the pool, go to a concert every now and then. I will take the bumpkin life any day of the week.
I have worked with churches over the past year that are slowly dying. The people who attend do so more out of a force of habit than out of any conviction. The only new people attending are people leaving other places, but no one is being brought to any "conversion." This article was fascinating as it shows the primary drivers:
People are very self-absorbed in their pursuit of meaning. I can be a good person where I want, doing what I wish while setting the parameters for me.
Most are single with little responsibilities to others.
They have money and can take care of themselves. Who needs anyone or, god forbid, responsible for anyone?
There are no intellectual materials that read, inspire, or change behaviors.
We live in a world where it's my religion, and as more people under 40 only love and care about me, the churches I work with will slowly die, and belief as we know it will be a minority passion. Thanks for having an article that shows the evolution or devolution of our culture.
The very traditional Catholic Church I attend is packed for five Masses each Sunday. It’s filled with young single people, young families, and an ever-expanding crop of children. God is right there, on the altar, in the tabernacle, in the hearts of parishioners. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
It's amazing how few people really understand Christianity and dismiss or even disparage it when it's actually already everything they say they want and seek.
And I didn't either for most of my life so I get it. I grew up Protestant, was then agnostic, then atheist. Then I had a spiritual experience when I was dying in a hospital and knew God, the One, was real, that we are indeed all connected as One, and that God is what he said he was in the Christian and Judaic traditions: The I Am. Love. And you can be with that Love at any time simply by transcending/subjugating ego (fear, selfishness, anger, hatred) and choosing it. That actually gets you most of the new age and the eastern traditions more or less. And yes, He's all around us and with us all the time.
But later I had another experience that showed me that Jesus is also real, the knowable form of God, and that He is in fact the Way - both the gateway for a return to Oneness/Love and "the Way" as in the Tao for how to be. His whole message in his day on earth was to set aside rules and dogma for the only two that really matter, which are actually the same thing - choose Love over ego. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law..." He asks us to choose Love over ego on our own, but what about when we don't / the past? He graces us where we can't or didn't through His own sacrifice and forgiveness of our foibles, and in so doing also shows us how to be loving to others through forgiveness. That's what communion (reconciliation) is all about - literally and physically returning to the state of Oneness that is Love.
I ultimately eventually chose Catholicism because despite its human failings, in its purest form it's the only teaching that matched what I was independently shown and experienced. It honors free will to choose Love (this is also true of a couple of Protestant sects), encourages you to do that through word, thought and deed, and recognizes reconciliation for what it is - return to connection in Love as Love to All That Is: God/all creation/each other. It also sees people the way I know from person experience that God sees us - as profoundly loved (not as Luther's dung heaps). Also the rules they do set out are really about living into love - that does take some self control and some limitations - it's not anything goes, which might be a damper on the young people's idea of a good time.
There are many ways of knowing but for the seekers, it's actually pretty simple. Any choice of Love is choosing Love/Oneness/God... the Christian Way, Jesus, just helps us live into Love and to return to Love/Oneness/God fully.
The Church of the Self-centered. Nice.
I think this story is consistent with the mission of The Free Press, and the criticisms are rather missing the point. Religion/spirituality in American life has been a recurring theme. This particular story challenged my personal goal of keeping an open mind when I read this sort of stuff, because my knee-jerk reaction would normally be to dismiss it as privileged narcissism. So, I kept an open mind while reading it...and still concluded it was privileged narcissism. And, no, Jesus was not a self-help guru--He didn't say "love yourself."
I always appreciate Olivia’s writing because she does a beautiful job of describing what she sees without letting bias seep in. It was an interesting piece. That being said, I’ve been accused of being in a cult more than once because I’m Catholic...by people who would probably love this place. I’m happy for anyone who finds God, wherever that may be, but if anything has cult potential it’s a place like this. It seems to appeal to people because they get spiritual encouragement without any commitment, work, or sacrifice. I’m definitely biased here, I know, but I can’t imagine a church service where I don’t feel equal parts comforted and convicted. Personally, I feel better in an environment where I’m encouraged to do better rather than this “you do you” attitude.
“... people will come to church, if it’s a place to be seen. “
This is all you need to know about these “churches”.
I don’t understand the hate for this article, TFP has been exploring the phenomenon of people searching for a higher power since the beginning. This is just another article showing a different side of that theory. One option is to simply not read it. The other option is to consider what they are getting at. TFP was created because they wanted people to consider more points of view. If that is beyond your abilities, then maybe this isn’t a place for you.
I find it interesting but also very sad. We are not called to be the best version of humans, we’re called to be like Christ. I pray for anyone on a spiritual journey, that they finally find the Way, the Truth, and the Light. No one can come to the Father except through the Son.
Be blessed everyone ✌🏼
I am so grateful to live in Alabama. I eat barbecue, watch college football, watch the Atlanta Braves, drink beer, go to church, go the the lake, hang out with wife and kids at the pool, go to a concert every now and then. I will take the bumpkin life any day of the week.
I hardly made it through the first two paragraphs. What a bunch of self-absorbed spoiled brats.
I have worked with churches over the past year that are slowly dying. The people who attend do so more out of a force of habit than out of any conviction. The only new people attending are people leaving other places, but no one is being brought to any "conversion." This article was fascinating as it shows the primary drivers:
People are very self-absorbed in their pursuit of meaning. I can be a good person where I want, doing what I wish while setting the parameters for me.
Most are single with little responsibilities to others.
They have money and can take care of themselves. Who needs anyone or, god forbid, responsible for anyone?
There are no intellectual materials that read, inspire, or change behaviors.
We live in a world where it's my religion, and as more people under 40 only love and care about me, the churches I work with will slowly die, and belief as we know it will be a minority passion. Thanks for having an article that shows the evolution or devolution of our culture.
I wonder how many times I just rolled my eyes...
Of course it "borrows from Eastern traditions" (ask anyone there to give one concrete example of a tradition and its influence).
Of course they call Western religion dogma (tell anyone there you disagree that transgender women are real women).
Of course the whole thing is about "celebrating life" (only each their own).
What's the odds on some sort of Bohemian Grove crazed sex scandal breaking out at these places? I’ll give it about 25/1.
Oh, and can someone point out the secret room where the Harvey Weinstein statue is? I wanna get a selfie.
“What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.” -Flannery O’Connor
The very traditional Catholic Church I attend is packed for five Masses each Sunday. It’s filled with young single people, young families, and an ever-expanding crop of children. God is right there, on the altar, in the tabernacle, in the hearts of parishioners. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Bit of a silly subject for the Free Press.
I thought I hated Communists…I may hate these people even more.
An infinitesimal sample of the top 1% does not "the young" make.
It's amazing how few people really understand Christianity and dismiss or even disparage it when it's actually already everything they say they want and seek.
And I didn't either for most of my life so I get it. I grew up Protestant, was then agnostic, then atheist. Then I had a spiritual experience when I was dying in a hospital and knew God, the One, was real, that we are indeed all connected as One, and that God is what he said he was in the Christian and Judaic traditions: The I Am. Love. And you can be with that Love at any time simply by transcending/subjugating ego (fear, selfishness, anger, hatred) and choosing it. That actually gets you most of the new age and the eastern traditions more or less. And yes, He's all around us and with us all the time.
But later I had another experience that showed me that Jesus is also real, the knowable form of God, and that He is in fact the Way - both the gateway for a return to Oneness/Love and "the Way" as in the Tao for how to be. His whole message in his day on earth was to set aside rules and dogma for the only two that really matter, which are actually the same thing - choose Love over ego. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law..." He asks us to choose Love over ego on our own, but what about when we don't / the past? He graces us where we can't or didn't through His own sacrifice and forgiveness of our foibles, and in so doing also shows us how to be loving to others through forgiveness. That's what communion (reconciliation) is all about - literally and physically returning to the state of Oneness that is Love.
I ultimately eventually chose Catholicism because despite its human failings, in its purest form it's the only teaching that matched what I was independently shown and experienced. It honors free will to choose Love (this is also true of a couple of Protestant sects), encourages you to do that through word, thought and deed, and recognizes reconciliation for what it is - return to connection in Love as Love to All That Is: God/all creation/each other. It also sees people the way I know from person experience that God sees us - as profoundly loved (not as Luther's dung heaps). Also the rules they do set out are really about living into love - that does take some self control and some limitations - it's not anything goes, which might be a damper on the young people's idea of a good time.
There are many ways of knowing but for the seekers, it's actually pretty simple. Any choice of Love is choosing Love/Oneness/God... the Christian Way, Jesus, just helps us live into Love and to return to Love/Oneness/God fully.
Peace and love to all people.