I think religions are losing their relevance in recent times. In my own journey I rejected religion at a very early age (5). That's when my (supposed) friend told me I was going to sink down below the ground, way, way down until I got to Hell where I would burn for eternity for telling a lie. I ran to my mom, crying, and told her what he said. My mom was unable to explain why somebody would say that and tried to reassure me, but it set the stage for my rebellious anti-religious ideas and path.
I opted out of church, and my parent's didn't force it on me. I later got curious and started reading about different religions and maybe started to appreciate it more but I saw how it was twisted and abused throughout history. I had no use for dogma, strict control and power games that they used. My religious friends would try to convince me of the merits but every time failed, and could not give me any tangible evidence or arguments. It was "faith", they had it but I didn't.
Many years later I started to see miraculous examples of a divine plan, in evolution, in nature, in physics, light, and the mind boggling complexity of the web of life. I finally had to admit that not everything can be quantified and there had to something more.
Now every day I think about life, the creator, God if you will, and I feel blessed and in awe sometimes, always open to discovering a higher truth.
This reminds me of an article I read in the late 60's or maybe as late as '70 or '71 where a Catholic priest bought an unused bank branch with a drive through window and he and another priest would sit and wait for parishioners to drive through this convenient confessional and called it Toot and Tell. Kid you not. In was here in the US in Minn. or Wisc. or somewhere in the northern tier of states. Maybe they can do Tik TOk and Tell. Who knows?
I hear our Aussie and Canadian friends use the term GOBSMACKED and never really considered using until now but I would like to add some 4 letter words as well, but I won't. I am Gobsmacked at this piece of information. Gobsmacked!!!
Well, the Catholic Church has taken a big PR hit in particular and the other churches are not far behind. A makeover is definitely warranted.
If a church wants to continue to exist, it has to reach out to people wherever they are. They cannot just stand at the pulpit and hope that people wander in. If those people are spending their time on Instagram or YouTube, why wouldn't they have a presence there as well?
They also have to recruit clergy as well. They need to show that there is more to it than delivering a sermon or performing mass. They need to show that it is not just a vocation of the elderly. They need to show that it is not just the occasional deviants that show up the news headlines when things are not as they should be.
Jordan Peterson’s “flirtation” was widely viewed across social media platforms and engendered both positive and negative reactions from his audiences. He did it in a way that sought to stimulate thought and to inform people about the spiritual dimensions of our earthly existence which was quite unexpectedly from an academic in psychology. His approach was in my estimation far from the usual promotional visual gimmicks and antics of most social media “influencers” and one which took considerable personal risk. He lost many atheist followers. But he elevated the discussion on whatever platform on which his shows appeared.
Would you be so kind as to elaborate further? Who is Archbishop Viganò and how might his participation in such a social media campaign impact the direction of this curious attempt to attract those unreached by the Gospel?
I think religions are losing their relevance in recent times. In my own journey I rejected religion at a very early age (5). That's when my (supposed) friend told me I was going to sink down below the ground, way, way down until I got to Hell where I would burn for eternity for telling a lie. I ran to my mom, crying, and told her what he said. My mom was unable to explain why somebody would say that and tried to reassure me, but it set the stage for my rebellious anti-religious ideas and path.
I opted out of church, and my parent's didn't force it on me. I later got curious and started reading about different religions and maybe started to appreciate it more but I saw how it was twisted and abused throughout history. I had no use for dogma, strict control and power games that they used. My religious friends would try to convince me of the merits but every time failed, and could not give me any tangible evidence or arguments. It was "faith", they had it but I didn't.
Many years later I started to see miraculous examples of a divine plan, in evolution, in nature, in physics, light, and the mind boggling complexity of the web of life. I finally had to admit that not everything can be quantified and there had to something more.
Now every day I think about life, the creator, God if you will, and I feel blessed and in awe sometimes, always open to discovering a higher truth.
Amen! This is wonderful to read.
Roman Catholicism - Apostate since 321AD. Social media only enables further inoculation of heresies to those seeking truth
This reminds me of an article I read in the late 60's or maybe as late as '70 or '71 where a Catholic priest bought an unused bank branch with a drive through window and he and another priest would sit and wait for parishioners to drive through this convenient confessional and called it Toot and Tell. Kid you not. In was here in the US in Minn. or Wisc. or somewhere in the northern tier of states. Maybe they can do Tik TOk and Tell. Who knows?
C
p.s. Just trying to help.
I hear our Aussie and Canadian friends use the term GOBSMACKED and never really considered using until now but I would like to add some 4 letter words as well, but I won't. I am Gobsmacked at this piece of information. Gobsmacked!!!
C
Well, the Catholic Church has taken a big PR hit in particular and the other churches are not far behind. A makeover is definitely warranted.
If a church wants to continue to exist, it has to reach out to people wherever they are. They cannot just stand at the pulpit and hope that people wander in. If those people are spending their time on Instagram or YouTube, why wouldn't they have a presence there as well?
They also have to recruit clergy as well. They need to show that there is more to it than delivering a sermon or performing mass. They need to show that it is not just a vocation of the elderly. They need to show that it is not just the occasional deviants that show up the news headlines when things are not as they should be.
Jordan Peterson’s “flirtation” was widely viewed across social media platforms and engendered both positive and negative reactions from his audiences. He did it in a way that sought to stimulate thought and to inform people about the spiritual dimensions of our earthly existence which was quite unexpectedly from an academic in psychology. His approach was in my estimation far from the usual promotional visual gimmicks and antics of most social media “influencers” and one which took considerable personal risk. He lost many atheist followers. But he elevated the discussion on whatever platform on which his shows appeared.
Agree, looks like desperation to me 😂
Perhaps they should reconsider that whole "celibate priesthood" thing, if they want to attract more young people!
I wonder if Archbishop Viganò is a part of the Vatican's social influencer campaign? Think we all know the answer to that one! 😉
Would you be so kind as to elaborate further? Who is Archbishop Viganò and how might his participation in such a social media campaign impact the direction of this curious attempt to attract those unreached by the Gospel?