[Cerek the Barbaric]

I just want to say how impressed I am with everybody's attitude on this thread so far. Even though several of you have listed "bad" experiences, this hasn't led to any "Christian-bashing" or "flaming". Everyone has been very mature and respectful in their Posts and I deeply appreciate it. Keep up the good work.

Epona - I'm also sorry to hear about your experience at the funeral. That type of behavior is exactly what Garnet was referring to in her first Post.

Garnet - I realized quite a while back that our core beliefs are really very similar, despite our "opposing" theologies. That's one reason I enjoy your Posts so much.

Now, just to show you that "bad" experiences aren't limited to non-Christians, here's one that happened to my wife and I (both of us are Born-Again Christians).

When we were first married, we would alternate between our two churches (go to mine one week, hers the next). Her church - where we were married - was your typical "little country church" and the sermons were usually "follow the Bible or you'll go to Hell". My church, on the other hand, was the large "city" church. While our pastor doesn't shy away from hard sermons, his approach was more along the line of "this is HOW to follow the Bible".
One week, we were at my wife's church and the preacher really started getting into the message. He was walking up and down the aisle and "Bible-thumping" for all he was worth. One of the ladies in front was also getting caught up in the sermon and saying "Amen, pastor" or "Preach it, brother", etc. I don't have a problem with that because I've heard some sermons that moved me like that too - but this just wasn't one of them.
Suddenly, the preacher took a new tack and told the entire congregation "You should get EXCITED about God's word like this sister up here....and if you can't, then maybe there's something wrong with you".
My wife and I couldn't believe it! That was the last service we ever went to at her church.

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: Cerek the Barbaric ]

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: Cerek the Barbaric ]