5 ms·

> an experiment in local-only networks is worth investigating. That's what church is. The experiment has been successful for at least 2,000 years.

Eupraxias 4y ago
It's a good model, and more active church communities would likely be a net positive for society. But the model does come with some nasty side-effects, not the least of which is a required subscription to the invisible-friend belief service.
- 082349872349872 4y ago
  I understand some Unitarians only ask of their congregants that they believe in at most one god. Edit: upon reflection, the side-effects are probably contained in the etymology of the english adjective 'parochial'
- CharlesW 4y ago
  As a former Catholic, subscription authentication is not strict. It's also apparently not difficult to get admin privileges — one of the priests teaching at my tiny high school was gay, and the pastors of both churches in my small midwestern town were eventually discovered to have been uncomfortably handy with children. In the faith, the joke is that all Catholics are "à la carte Catholics" to some degree or another. Many will even dismiss papal ex-cathedra statements that they don't like, even though papal infallibility is Catholic dogma.
  - Eupraxias 4y ago
    This is among the reasons I very nearly converted to Catholicism, though doesn't everyone have to at least believe in the divinity of Jesus? I've always thought that churches should solicit people of the same general morality to participate, regardless of god-belief. As such, it's sad that there isn't something like a community church that filled this need for those of on the outside. Speaking of admin privies, I can verify. I had a close friend many years ago who was a card-carrying member of the Church of Satan. He went on to become a Catholic priest, swear to God.
- invalidOrTaken 4y ago
  Empirically, that side effect is in actuality an engineering constraint.
shitpostbot 4y ago
paulryanrogers 4y ago
For definitions of 'success' so narrow as to be useless, if not harmful. Having been raised and spent decades in churches, even the most liberal are toxic places that pollute the mind with fallacies, platitudes, or worse.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
bovermyer 4y ago
That's a fair point. However, churches come with an entry requirement beyond just local residence, and I'm interested in more variety.

Eupraxias 4y ago

It's a good model, and more active church communities would likely be a net positive for society. But the model does come with some nasty side-effects, not the least of which is a required subscription to the invisible-friend belief service.

082349872349872 4y ago
I understand some Unitarians only ask of their congregants that they believe in at most one god. Edit: upon reflection, the side-effects are probably contained in the etymology of the english adjective 'parochial'
CharlesW 4y ago
As a former Catholic, subscription authentication is not strict. It's also apparently not difficult to get admin privileges — one of the priests teaching at my tiny high school was gay, and the pastors of both churches in my small midwestern town were eventually discovered to have been uncomfortably handy with children. In the faith, the joke is that all Catholics are "à la carte Catholics" to some degree or another. Many will even dismiss papal ex-cathedra statements that they don't like, even though papal infallibility is Catholic dogma.
- Eupraxias 4y ago
  This is among the reasons I very nearly converted to Catholicism, though doesn't everyone have to at least believe in the divinity of Jesus? I've always thought that churches should solicit people of the same general morality to participate, regardless of god-belief. As such, it's sad that there isn't something like a community church that filled this need for those of on the outside. Speaking of admin privies, I can verify. I had a close friend many years ago who was a card-carrying member of the Church of Satan. He went on to become a Catholic priest, swear to God.
invalidOrTaken 4y ago
Empirically, that side effect is in actuality an engineering constraint.

shitpostbot 4y ago

paulryanrogers 4y ago

For definitions of 'success' so narrow as to be useless, if not harmful. Having been raised and spent decades in churches, even the most liberal are toxic places that pollute the mind with fallacies, platitudes, or worse.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

bovermyer 4y ago

That's a fair point. However, churches come with an entry requirement beyond just local residence, and I'm interested in more variety.