Do you go to church regularly?

Was thinking about this even before I saw the Come to Jesus thread on the first page. Was wondering how much of a churchgoing population we are here at SportsJournalists.com. I'm guessing not so much overall. I've found myself going to church less and less frequently over the past few years to where I could pretty much be considered a JCE Catholic--Just Christmas and Easter.

And to add a little flavor to the topic, we'll throw out a Card Sharks approach to where we think the results might come in. I will propose the number that say they attend every week or most of the time will be 32%. What say you--higher or lower?

 

I don't beat people over the head with my Christian faith, but it is the MOST important thing in my life ... not that I ever measure up, but then again, measuring up isn't what it's about ... my answer to the poll question could come with an asterisk, since I actually live on the grounds of a church ...

 

To paraphrase the late Lewis Grizzard - no matter what (or who) you did Saturday night, going to church the next morning just makes you feel better.

Totally unrelated side note: I've seen at least 2 guys updating their fantasy football teams during our church's 10:30 a.m. contemporary service.

 

I don't go to church. My mother tried to make me when I was in high school and I went to live with her. I was so adamant against it that she ended up not bothering.

 

Earlt results are trending higher than I projected.

May have to wait for the night crew to drag down the results.

Or I have fewer heathen brethren than I thought.

 

I don't recall ever feeling better for having gone to church. I just felt annoyed.
On a related note, Christmas and Easter are not required as Catholic duty. You're duty as a Catholic is to confess once a year and receive communion during the Easter tide.

 

Yes. Every day. Sometimes, twice a day.

 

I'd say I go about every other Sunday. I have a goal of most Sundays, but I'm not there.

One thing that I'm struck by is the amount of charitable work my church and so many others do.

There are so many kids who have happy Christmases, Easters, food, school supplies, and clothes on their backs because of my and other churches. It's really helping people at the most local level.

Churches also give a lot of nonreligious support to those who are suffering, ill, shut in, addicted to substances, grieving or in pain.

So I get that church isn't for everybody... but those of you who ridicule it, bash it or smartass it (Sonner)... try to think about what would happen if churches just ceased to exist.

 

I am actually teaching Sunday School class this week.

I don't usually pick up strange men in the gym, though.

I think you get more out of it realizing that we all are human and screw up and do stupid and terrible things. And so does everyone else in the congregation. Feel less guilt that way.

 

I am a Trustee at my church. I think it was my experience with budgets and grounds that made them ask me, not me being a model church goer, but I do get a close look at all that is done. Luggy is correct, it is a ton.

The big problem is that my church tries to do so much, that it gives a watered down effect to everything. For example, do we send $5,000 to Haiti or to Africa, or do we spend $5,000 helping the homeless in Richmond? Do we use that money to help send our teens to camp?

And with the current state of the economy, people are giving less because they have less. So that means we cannot help as much fiscally, but your time is free.

 

Every few years or so I get dragged to a church service as part of some family get together. I don't mind the structured one hour Baptist church service. But if I walk in and find amps and a drum set I know I'm in for some crazy charismatic service that will be the Jesus equivalent of a Grateful Dead concert and my reaction is akin to putting a cat in a tub filled with water.

 

Dude ... on the rare occasions that I go to the gym, I want to be left the fuck alone.