I am an Orthodox Christian and I rarely go to church. Once I spoke with my best friend who went to a priest school and he told me we are all touched by God and each one of us has God to lead him without churches or priests. Their are just servants to God whose job is to connect people and educate them. The church is a place where you can come and speak with priest, ask for help. in that way it is the house of Lord. I have my own way of communicating and I am not going to say I am a believer or not but my mind is always more open to the side which is not so like to be real.
We attend church once a week if we can. Though I must say that we are not that religious, going to church is our way of thanking Him for all the blessings He had given us. It's much like an offering of an hour of your week and that's about it. I will say that not all people who go to church are religious or abide by His rules. Sometimes, it's an act or even sometimes, an excuse. Some people don't even listen to the sermon of the priest and are busy texting on their cellphone. So yes, going to church does not necessarily mean that you're more religious than other people.
I believe that going to church is still a good thing. However, a person needs to embody that goodness and needs to practice what is being preached. If he does not do this, then going to church is of no good.
I used to attend Catholic mass when I was younger. It is possibly the longest hour of your life. I would have kept going if the wafers weren't so bland. They need to make flavored wafers.
One of the biggest myths is the whole community aspect of religion and church. The people that I would see at church are the same people I hung out with in school and in my neighborhood. I didn't need church to meet and become friends with others. There are so many different ways to form a community that doesn't involve attending church.
I'm pretty sure that in most places you can request a certain day off from work for religious practices and they can get into some trouble for denying it. That being said, most religions have multiple days and times for religious worship.
Like going to Starbucks, a local pub, or a meet-up event, going to church is social activity anymore. I haven't gone for a long time because the quality of those there, quite frankly offends me. They don't see eye to eye with me nor I them, so I no longer go. I do maintain aspects of belief and spirituality, but I don't expect to find any of that there. I tend to keep my social activities and my private beliefs as two different things. Ever since I decided to, life has been better that way.
I don't go to church or anything, but I like church. It's cool if you aren't so focused on the religion, lots of people chillin' being respectful with air conditioning, people donating money, calm and well-mannered...now if only they would take that out of church with them more often -_-
My case is paradoxical. When I was a carnal Christian, I used to go to church. When I became a spirit Christian, I no longer go to church. I learnt alot about the sociology of the church. It is mostly a reflection of what goes on in the society. There are rivalries, petty jealousies and even biases. And worse. Thats why I will only join a Spirit filled church to avoid disorientation. If I join a run of the milk church I would not fit in since I would be a change agent to challenge the status quo.
I think just going to church and sitting there like a lump benefits no one. Going to church and getting involved in some of the activities is often a good thing to do. I miss going to church a little, because I haven't found any out here where I live now that I like. I am not that dedicated a church goer that I am going to drive 45 minutes to a church I like.
