Different types of churches/christians

[Sugarkane]

I always thought it looked like more fun being in a black church. They seem more entertaining and lively. And they sing gospels and everybody gets really into it and enjoys themselves. Whereas white churches from what I know seem to be the opposite [especially in England]. You have to sit down and be quite through the whole service. It seems more restrained.

[quankanne]

ethnic communities seem to cut loose during their services and are more comfortable being vocal about their faith. I'm Catholic, and enjoy going to the Spanish-language Masses for that reason, especially for the passionate music. Sad music is heart-breaking, spiritual stuff is uplifting and the joyful songs? Out of this world, IMO

 

but it's their way of showing reverence to God: Others do it quietly ...

[John Michael Kane]

You two have similar names.

[BetheButterfly]

ethnic communities seem to cut loose during their services and are more comfortable being vocal about their faith. I'm Catholic, and enjoy going to the Spanish-language Masses for that reason, especially for the passionate music. Sad music is heart-breaking, spiritual stuff is uplifting and the joyful songs? Out of this world, IMO

 

but it's their way of showing reverence to God: Others do it quietly ...

 

I'm Protestant, and I agree with the above.

[Eve]

I like both the musical flamboyance of Black Churches and the reverence of Church of England type services.

 

I probably feel most at home in a Methodist setting.

 

I mostly like empty old Churches.. I enjoy stopping off and having a mooch around such places.

 

Take care,

Eve x

[Floridaman]

I always thought it looked like more fun being in a black church. They seem more entertaining and lively. And they sing gospels and everybody gets really into it and enjoys themselves. Whereas white churches from what I know seem to be the opposite [especially in England]. You have to sit down and be quite through the whole service. It seems more restrained.

Have attended a variety of denominational services.

 

As a child, went to the Methodist/Presbytarians...

 

In college, visited a roommate's "deep fundamentalist" Baptist church where the preacher yelled and screamed.... Not for the faint of heart nor my cup o' religion...

 

Attended the city's large, "more mainstream" Baptist church before heading to the Lutheran campus ctr. my senior yr.

 

Later, dated an Assembly of God divorcee whose church had "speaking in tongues," which wasn't my taste either.

 

While single in my mid-20s, tried to attend the city's larger mainstream denoms. like the Methodists, the ones that had singles groups. Figured would have better luck meeting women there.

 

Whilst dating my future wife, we would go to her Catholic church, the one she was raised in. Yes, I sought forgiveness of some things she and I did before we got married there. (Were in our 30s and in an LDR, seeing each other on weekends).

Though a Protestant, had no problem attending mass and she isn't Catholic anymore.

Now we attend a "non-denominational" denomination.

Edited July 5, 2011 by Floridaman

[Eve]

Hands down, The Catholics probably put on the best funeral. My late mum was a Catholic (but had other leaning too such as Buddhism etc) and her funeral was some deep deep, moving, Holy, symbolic stuff.

 

I was amazed.

 

.. They carried it all on at the burial site too.

 

I thought to myself, 'well, shes alright now', after all that. Probably converted more than a few people there too.. seriously, I **** you not..

 

All that was missing was satan appearing and being defeated by the priests.. which I could well imagine going off. Yes, that intense...

 

I have been to only a couple of other funerals.. but if I had to rate them, the Catholics kicked ass with their ceremony.

 

Personally, I like the way Catholics just get on with their services. No wishy washy explanations. No weak introductions. You get the full deal and if you don't understand it.. well, that's up to you, lol. Probably the Italian influence methinks. Also I just LOVE the buildings.

 

Take care,

Eve x

[FitChick]

Religion isn't about putting on a good show.

[quankanne]

I have been to only a couple of other funerals.. but if I had to rate them, the Catholics kicked ass with their ceremony. LOL ... thanks! I think we do a fine funeral liturgy, myself! But *only* because it's incorporated into the very familiar setting of the Mass, so there's nothing scary or unexpected or unusual, just a strong sense of continuity.

 

I also like how though everyone is grieving because their loved one is dead, the whole thing is about hope and love. Can't beat that, IMO

 

scariest funeral I went to was for DH's step-granny, who was Baptist. They let the junior pastor talk and the sermon was a bit sickening because he was talking how a once-vibrant and very vocal Clifford was unable to talk in her final days, just groaning to communicate. Oh, and I think there was talk about man's sinful nature to a point where you didn't know WHERE that poor woman was going, even if she DID profess her salvation through Christ. NOT the image we needed, you know? In contrast, his aunt's Methodist funeral was lovely – very calm and elegant and hopeful.

[quankanne]

believe it or not, there are historically ethnic churches in this country and by no means is meant as a derogatory term to say that St. So and So is a Mexican parish or St. X is an historic black parish or even Our Lady is a Vietnamese church ... because that's what the congregation's make up is. Anyone who reads into it is being more than a little bit sensitive to something that's not even there, IMO

[Floridaman]

:laugh: "Black" chuches? Wow.

 

I was raised going to "white" :lmao: church; quiet and boring Catholic services. Guess what? I am....black! How did I get in there?!

 

Do you bloody hear yourselves? I am disgusted.

It's a common term in the U.S.

Like black gospel or something.

Nothing derogatory or racist implied.

[taiko]

believe it or not, there are historically ethnic churches in this country and by no means is meant as a derogatory term to say that St. So and So is a Mexican parish or St. X is an historic black parish or even Our Lady is a Vietnamese church ... because that's what the congregation's make up is. Anyone who reads into it is being more than a little bit sensitive to something that's not even there, IMO

 

I agree, my wife's home parish is 90% Black and empty even though the community it serves has become 50% Latino over the years. But most of the local Catholics ignore the Black Priest and their assigned parish and drive a few miles down the road to the Latino Priest and his overcrowded parish. I am sure the Bishop feels pressure to keep the parish open as the last Black seat, as opposed to African immigrants churches, no matter how the demographics continue to change

 

It is said that Sunday at 10:00 AM is the most segregated time in American life. Besides parishes/congregations of integrated churches like the Roman Catholic Church breaking down by race you have denominations built to service one race or ethnic group like the various Orthodox churches. The Assemblies of God and Church of God in Christ split among Pentecostals. The African Methodist Episcopal and what became the integrated United Methodist. The Southern versus Missionary Baptist......

[oldguy]

We don't use that term in Canada, so that is why I was offended.

Do you have ethnic churches in Canada? Predominantly oriented towards one ethnic flavor or another?

For instance; there is a huge difference between an Irish Catholic funeral & an Italian Catholic funeral. I would hate to see one done away with in favor of the other.

[sally4sara]

We don't use that term in Canada, so that is why I was offended.

 

We don't use the term cheongsam here in the US either. At what point is is proper for me to grow offended over it? When someone wears one or when someone doesn't call it an Asian Girl Dress?

 

I just learned today that my ex has decided to push christianity on my 13 year old without conferring with me first. If he goes to church with his dad it will probably be a "white" church since his dad is a yankee recently transplanted to Savannah, GA and a "black church down there would probably be too much fun for him to feel properly penitent.

[oldguy]

We don't use the term cheongsam here in the US either. At what point is is proper for me to grow offended over it? When someone wears one or when someone doesn't call it an Asian Girl Dress?

 

I just learned today that my ex has decided to push christianity on my 13 year old without conferring with me first. If he goes to church with his dad it will probably be a "white" church since his dad is a yankee recently transplanted to Savannah, GA and a "black church down there would probably be too much fun for him to feel properly penitent.

And why is it okay to call someone a 'Yankee'? In the South it is a means to define & separate a person & remind them that they do NOT belong. As a 'YANKEE' who has lived in the south for nearly 15 years I found that term to be offensive after awhile. I even found it to unintentionally affect the relationships I formed & decisions I made. I use to think; 'So much for Southern hospitality'. In all fairness; I remember rarely hearing that in or near largely populated areas. I rarely hear it anymore at all, maybe because I've acclimated, maybe because I turn a deaf ear to it or maybe because I associate with a better class of people now:lmao: When I was overseas, in the military, being refereed to as a 'Yankee' was a source of pride. I guess it depends entirely on the intent & the perception. Quite a few years ago I listened to an OLD white man, in his early 90's, tear up as he remembered a close life long friend who had recently past. In his story he dropped THE "N" bomb while referring to him. Seeing my reaction he excused himself. Even though that one word causes me to cringe when I hear it I realized his intent was 180 degrees from my perception. I try to consider that now when I initially feel offended.

The rants of an 'Oldguy'

Edited August 3, 2011 by oldguy

[Floridaman]

We don't use that term in Canada, so that is why I was offended.

Yes, at first glance, it appears to be an odd term as no one would say "white churches" like there are separate houses of worship.

 

"Black churches" isn't a term I'd use in formal writing. Would prob. say "black-oriented" or "predominently black" churches... though I do recall network news reports referring to "black church fires" during the 90s, though it turned many churches, not just "black" churches, were being burned, so no racism there.

I just learned today that my ex has decided to push christianity on my 13 year old without conferring with me first. If he goes to church with his dad it will probably be a "white" church since his dad is a yankee recently transplanted to Savannah, GA and a "black church down there would probably be too much fun for him to feel properly penitent.

The video they show at the visitors center in Savannah, at the museum and next to the SAC design college, refers to a "black church" that hid slaves.

Yes, I'm aware of the ethnic makeup of the fine city.

 

On your child's church attendance, I have no problem with that or if you were the one taking your child to church.

Agree with you, however, that your EX should have told you about it. I don't see that as "pushing." It won't "hurt" a child to attend.

[taiko]

I just learned today that my ex has decided to push christianity on my 13 year old without conferring with me first. If he goes to church with his dad it will probably be a "white" church since his dad is a yankee recently transplanted to Savannah, GA and a "black church down there would probably be too much fun for him to feel properly penitent.

 

Not necessarily in this case the difference between "white and black" churches is probably more properly the difference between mainline and evangelic congregations. Most of the time when you see the so-called Holy Rollers, as in the movies Borat or Robert Duvall's The Apostle, they will come from predominately white congregations of Charismatic churches.

[sally4sara]

On your child's church attendance, I have no problem with that or if you were the one taking your child to church.

Agree with you, however, that your EX should have told you about it. I don't see that as "pushing." It won't "hurt" a child to attend.

 

If his father was the one with both physical and legal custody of my son and raising him how he wants to do now, and I, during my summer visitation began pushing Scientology on the boy, could you not see how easily this could cause unrest in the home where he lives the vast majority of the year?

 

He basically went behind my back and exposed my son to a religion that says I am an adulterer for being remarried after his drunk philandering father walked out. One that tells him that because he is male and I'm female, I am not to teach him religious text but rather the other way around. Of course if he gets petulant and disrespectful over it the christian god says I can put him to death and/or beat him down. So I always have that backing me up.

[sally4sara]

And why is it okay to call someone a 'Yankee'?

 

It was to illustrate that he will not be guaranteed a welcome by everyone that lives around him because that term still means something to people of that area who do not receive change well. Religion being all about the continuation of old beliefs and ways, the odds are that a higher percentage of people who do not respond so quickly to change will be present in a church. That being said, he will likely have to "get in where he fits" in for a better chance of success in becoming a member of a church's community.

 

Me being able to use a word that you can geographically identify in an attempt to condense what could easily become a wall of text on the intarwebs if I wanted to be super PC about it, a dynamic I do not foster but can recognize is why the word was used.

[Queen Zenobia]

Yes, at first glance, it appears to be an odd term as no one would say "white churches" like there are separate houses of worship.

 

"Black churches" isn't a term I'd use in formal writing. Would prob. say "black-oriented" or "predominently black" churches... though I do recall network news reports referring to "black church fires" during the 90s, though it turned many churches, not just "black" churches, were being burned, so no racism there.

 

The video they show at the visitors center in Savannah, at the museum and next to the SAC design college, refers to a "black church" that hid slaves.

Yes, I'm aware of the ethnic makeup of the fine city.

 

Yeah no one says "white churches", I think the term is "mainstream liberal protestant" now. Perhaps we could use the term "historically black churches" sort of like how we have historically black universities and colleges.

 

FWIW I do belong to a more "exotic" branch of Christianity that has its own eccentricities, which some in this thread might like to experience for themselves.

[sally4sara]

Not necessarily in this case the difference between "white and black" churches is probably more properly the difference between mainline and evangelic congregations. Most of the time when you see the so-called Holy Rollers, as in the movies Borat or Robert Duvall's The Apostle, they will come from predominately white congregations of Charismatic churches.

 

His background is catholic. He will probably not feel comfortable within a lively and fun congregation of strangers. It would be a bit like that part of The Screwtape Letters where the tempter is advised to draw the soul's attention to that which he is not use to to make him feel out of place while at church. To seek out differences in the people around him rather than similarities. I know the man. He will find it jarring.

[Floridaman]

FWIW I do belong to a more "exotic" branch of Christianity that has its own eccentricities, which some in this thread might like to experience for themselves.

What denom. is that? (if we can ask)

I don't need the church's name, city, etc., just the sect, like Assemblies of God, Free Wil Baptist, holy rollers, snake handlers, etc.

[Floridaman]

Originally Posted by Floridaman

On your child's church attendance, I have no problem with that or if you were the one taking your child to church.

Agree with you, however, that your EX should have told you about it. I don't see that as "pushing." It won't "hurt" a child to attend.

 

 

If his father was the one with both physical and legal custody of my son and raising him how he wants to do now, and I, during my summer visitation began pushing Scientology on the boy, could you not see how easily this could cause unrest in the home where he lives the vast majority of the year?

 

He basically went behind my back and exposed my son to a religion that says I am an adulterer for being remarried after his drunk philandering father walked out.

 

One that tells him that because he is male and I'm female, I am not to teach him religious text but rather the other way around.

Okay. There's more to this than just an atheist, for ex., objecting to an EX taking their child to a church, which is what I assumed. Sorry.

 

This church you're talking about, the one with those views, what denom. is that (or family of denoms.)?

Is it a small sect?

 

Divorced people are generally accepted by many denominations.

They don't encourage divorce, of course, but some of those views you listed are a little extreme, I'd say.

Of course if he gets petulant and disrespectful over it the christian god says I can put him to death and/or beat him down. So I always have that backing me up.

Methinks that isn't a New Testament concept.

Edited August 3, 2011 by Floridaman

[Queen Zenobia]

What denom. is that? (if we can ask)

I don't need the church's name, city, etc., just the sect, like Assemblies of God, Free Wil Baptist, holy rollers, snake handlers, etc.

 

Syriac Orthodox. People who know a lot about Christian history will remember that it's one of the "heretical" Miaphysite churches that the Byzantines tried to get rid of.

[taiko]

Okay. There's more to this than just an atheist, for ex., objecting to an EX taking their child to a church, which is what I assumed. Sorry.

 

This church you're talking about, the one with those views, what denom. is that (or family of denoms.)?

Is it a small sect?

 

Divorced people are generally accepted by many denominations.

They don't encourage divorce, of course, but some of those views you listed are a little extreme, I'd say.

 

Methinks that isn't a New Testament concept.

Well she did say that the husbands background is Catholic and it is general Catholic Christian theology that the divorced is still married in God's eye unless the Church declares there was never a "valid" marriage to begin with.