Re: Okay, Mountaineer -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 15:15:52 07/02/02 Tue
Author: mt. healthy mountaineer, chief petty officer
Subject: Re: Okay, Mountaineer
In reply to: mvd 's message, "Okay, Mountaineer" on 13:58:23 07/02/02 Tue

I was merely referring to my own thoughts and feelings as a young man:

"Although I would have thought his thoughts entirely correct if I had stopped my practice of my faith in my teens and early twenties, I now see things more as they are and less with the dismissive pettiness that I had towards my own home church as a young man."

These are fully my own feelings. Any similar feelings that you may have had are, I believe, quite common (overwhelmingly so) to the age group I referred to and are not local to just you or me. The reason I've mentioned it at all is that you are characterizing a group based on your experiences of THAT time of your life. It is obvious that it was an emotional decision to leave the church - you would have to be Spock for it not to be - because leaving one's church is more than leaving a doctrine. As Adilbrand mentioned just last month, there are other issues - there will be wedge between and a group of friends and acquaintances, no matter your previous closeness due to your rejection of their beliefs. There is a certain loss of heritage, especially in the Lutheran church, which has such a strong ethnic heritage.

My point was, and is, that you do not know the inner workings of a church body and the practice of the Christian faith as a full adult. Your characterizations will be as flawed as would be my characterizations of Dungeons & Dragons - I have not picked up a 20-sided die in over a decade. I have not seen the new updates. I have barely read any of Vince's site concerning D&D (although I did look at a lot of the pictures). That is why I throw in no opinions on D&D when it comes up.

Your opinions on religion in general are, for the most part, well thought out and reasoned. You have thought and have read a great deal on the subject. However, when it comes to the every day life of a Christian and a church, that is something that you will know nothing of... It is not the same as when we were young people. Has the church changed? No, not really. But, there is way more depth here than you or I knew about. It is more than liturgical rite or a building or a certain hymnal or a certain translation of the Bible. If this is what you know:

"I can remember much standing, sitting, standing, recitation of catechism verses, hymns, and amens. Not really all that exciting. Lutherans could probably do with a little jazzing up, but that is why they attract only the most middle of the road people. Most Lutherans are pretty conservative and middle class. In a nutshell, they don't want to rock the boat and they don't want you to rock their spiritual boat either, for matters of the spirit are rather discomforting to them!"

then you really don't know us at all.

P.S. I think dismissive and pettiness go together quite well - they are very complimentary (think math term here) words!

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Replies:

Despite what you may think -- mvd, 15:45:11 07/02/02 Tue
- What I really meant to say was ... -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 16:12:32 07/02/02 Tue
  - Okay, I have no adult perspective. -- mvd, 16:33:12 07/02/02 Tue