Zobel said:

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This reminds me a little about people invoking the thief on the cross - "what about him, huh? HE didn't need to be baptized!" The reasonable answer is if you find yourself being crucified next to the king of glory, you can probably assume the same opportunity is there for you. For the rest of us….

If you're called to be a hermit or an anchorite or stilite, ok. For the rest of us…

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It wasn't supposed to be a gotcha. I was just curious as there seemed to me to be a bit of a contradiction

https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188758
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188791
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188830
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188988
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72190020

How many more responses are you going to make to the OP? He's clearly not coming back. You're cut off.

dermdoc said:

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10andBOUNCE said:

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I'd probably ask for some additional background to show you're not trying to troll or just stir stuff up before people chime in.

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Agree. Fellowship with believers is crucial in my opinion.

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Indoctrination thrives with reinforcement.

Reinforcement: The systematic process of solidifying specific beliefs, values, or ideologies in a person or group so they are held uncritically and become resistant to change. Unlike standard education, which encourages open inquiry, reinforcement in indoctrination often involves emotional manipulation, ritualized repetition, and social pressure to ensure a person's identity becomes inseparable from the doctrine.

It always fascinates me when people fail to see that going to church is reinforcement.


Ritualized Devotion: Repeated physical acts, such as loyalty pledges, flag-raising ceremonies, or mass recitations, transform ideology into habitual devotion. These rituals serve to embed obedience into daily life as a moral imperative.

If you were wondering about the rituals in church.

Martin Q. Blank said:

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https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188758
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188791
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188830
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72188988
https://texags.com/forums/15/topics/3603813/replies/72190020

How many more responses are you going to make to the OP? He's clearly not coming back. You're cut off.

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You some sort of texags hall monitor?

Wasn't treating it as a gotcha. I think there are people called to extraordinary circumstances. Not everyone is called to be a monk, even fewer to hermit. It reminds me of St (?? Can't remember) the stilite who, when he was sitting on his column, began to attract pilgrims. A bishop came and ordered him down. When he immediately began to come down, the bishop told him he had his blessing to stay..the telltale was the humility. But even so, that's not normal.

TPS_Report said:

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dermdoc said:

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10andBOUNCE said:

---

I'd probably ask for some additional background to show you're not trying to troll or just stir stuff up before people chime in.

---

Agree. Fellowship with believers is crucial in my opinion.

---

Indoctrination thrives with reinforcement.

Reinforcement: The systematic process of solidifying specific beliefs, values, or ideologies in a person or group so they are held uncritically and become resistant to change. Unlike standard education, which encourages open inquiry, reinforcement in indoctrination often involves emotional manipulation, ritualized repetition, and social pressure to ensure a person's identity becomes inseparable from the doctrine.

It always fascinates me when people fail to see that going to church is reinforcement.


Ritualized Devotion: Repeated physical acts, such as loyalty pledges, flag-raising ceremonies, or mass recitations, transform ideology into habitual devotion. These rituals serve to embed obedience into daily life as a moral imperative.

If you were wondering about the rituals in church.

---

I am "indoctrinated" with the Holy Spirit and it is wonderful! And I like to be around other believers for "reinforcement".
Shalom.

Howdy, it is me! said:

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I GET to go to church - yay! Not everyone is so blessed to be able to so easily and freely worship with their brothers and sisters. If you don't want to or like to do it now, you're not going to find heaven very enjoyable…

1 Timothy 3:15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

The church is the household of God, a pillar and buttress of the truth - pretty important.

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Agree.

10andBOUNCE said:

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one MEEN Ag said:

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Thunderstruck xx said:

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I feel like I am a good enough Christian and person to not need to spend time at church every week. I think it's been over 20 years since I've been to a church for just the weekly service.

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Honest attempt at answer here through some questioning.

What role do you think the church holds today?
What do you think your obligations are to God about how to order your life?
Have you really thought about how good you are?
If you had joined the early church in year 34AD, and then spent 20 years never attending another service, do you think the church would call you a Christian?

Remember Jesus talking about separating the sheep from the goats is about his own flock. You're gonna stand in God's presence one day with 20 years of not even attending church and demand to God you are a sheep? This is clearly goat behavior.

At its core, your question is deeply evangelical. What is the bare minimum that must be done for me to be saved, and then I can go on about my daily life like an atheist.

No understanding of the church as a hospital, sin as a sickness, communion as the purpose of service, the cycles of the church as means for man to work on theosis.

---

Sorry, not computing. Most of my experiences with RCC has been Christmas and Easter only go-ers.

The evangelical slander is tiresome.

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My experience with RCC friends is the exact opposite. They are some of the most faithful Christians I have met. I agree with you on the evangelical "slander". I know of no evangelicals who are concerned about the bare minimum to be "saved".
And my idea of being "saved" is probably totally different from a lot of Christians. I do not look at it as being "saved" from hell. I look at it as restoration.

Quote:

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TPS is parroting a definitively modern worldview, where everything can be both simultaneously abstracted and dissected to where there is no room for underlying meaning or purpose.

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My favorite explanation of the disconnect between the 'deconstructionism' of academic ideas and the real world came in the move Back to School.

The ECON professor is droning on about the academic concepts then Rodney Dangerfield's character stands up and explains to the students how reality actually works "You gotta pay off the guy at the docks, then you gotta..." (paraphrasing).

So there is this massive disconnect between these deconstructed concepts in an academic setting and the actual reality out there.

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet

I think you've got the wrong view of history here. The enlightenment and the post enlightenment secularism in society and academia are not good things. If you want to boldly confront your own blindspots here, this is a great podcast that critically examines the dawn of secularism and its solutions and its problems, and what life was like in the age of christendom as well as the age of paganism.

Its a great podcast. Once you listen to it, and you hear other people start using the buzzwords of modernity you'll immediately grasp the roots of what they mean, even if they don't.

Thunderstruck xx said:

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I feel like I am a good enough Christian and person to not need to spend time at church every week. I think it's been over 20 years since I've been to a church for just the weekly service.

---

The idea of being a "good enough Christian" to not need church isn't something the Bible supports.
Scripture is really clear that following Christ isn't meant to be done alone. Hebrews 10:25 says not to neglect meeting together, and not just occasionally, but as a regular pattern of life. That's not a suggestion, it's a command.

Also, the Bible describes believers as one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). A body part doesn't function on its own. If you disconnect from the body, you're not operating the way God designed you to.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says God gave pastors and teachers to equip believers. If you remove yourself from that, you're choosing to go without something God specifically provided for your growth.

The "I'm good enough" mindset is the opposite of the gospel. The gospel says we're never self-sufficient, we always need grace, truth, and correction.

This isn't about earning anything or checking a box. It's about obedience and design. God didn't just save individuals, He placed them into a church.

Not saying this to come at you, just pointing to what Scripture says.

AGC said:

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TPS_Report said:

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dermdoc said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

I'd probably ask for some additional background to show you're not trying to troll or just stir stuff up before people chime in.

---

Agree. Fellowship with believers is crucial in my opinion.

---

Indoctrination thrives with reinforcement.

Reinforcement: The systematic process of solidifying specific beliefs, values, or ideologies in a person or group so they are held uncritically and become resistant to change. Unlike standard education, which encourages open inquiry, reinforcement in indoctrination often involves emotional manipulation, ritualized repetition, and social pressure to ensure a person's identity becomes inseparable from the doctrine.

It always fascinates me when people fail to see that going to church is reinforcement.


Ritualized Devotion: Repeated physical acts, such as loyalty pledges, flag-raising ceremonies, or mass recitations, transform ideology into habitual devotion. These rituals serve to embed obedience into daily life as a moral imperative.

If you were wondering about the rituals in church.

---

Name a single tribe that doesn't practice these things (political parties, crossfitting, veganism, climate change, colleges, neighborhoods). I'll hang up and wait.

One of the biggest modern myths that exists is the independent thinker (standard education encourages open inquiry - surely you didn't type that with a straight face). Which AI or dictionary curated by modern ideologies are you using?

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No need to hang up and wait. ALL tribes indoctrinate. It's a part of the human condition.

TPS_Report said:

---

AGC said:

---

TPS_Report said:

---

dermdoc said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

I'd probably ask for some additional background to show you're not trying to troll or just stir stuff up before people chime in.

---

Agree. Fellowship with believers is crucial in my opinion.

---

Indoctrination thrives with reinforcement.

Reinforcement: The systematic process of solidifying specific beliefs, values, or ideologies in a person or group so they are held uncritically and become resistant to change. Unlike standard education, which encourages open inquiry, reinforcement in indoctrination often involves emotional manipulation, ritualized repetition, and social pressure to ensure a person's identity becomes inseparable from the doctrine.

It always fascinates me when people fail to see that going to church is reinforcement.


Ritualized Devotion: Repeated physical acts, such as loyalty pledges, flag-raising ceremonies, or mass recitations, transform ideology into habitual devotion. These rituals serve to embed obedience into daily life as a moral imperative.

If you were wondering about the rituals in church.

---

Name a single tribe that doesn't practice these things (political parties, crossfitting, veganism, climate change, colleges, neighborhoods). I'll hang up and wait.

One of the biggest modern myths that exists is the independent thinker (standard education encourages open inquiry - surely you didn't type that with a straight face). Which AI or dictionary curated by modern ideologies are you using?

---

No need to hang up and wait. ALL tribes indoctrinate. It's a part of the human condition.

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Cool, thanks for demonstrating Ritualized Devotion and Reinforcement to your tribe so we could see what it was. Excellent object lesson.

Excellent point

TeddyAg0422 said:

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Excellent point

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The thing non believers don't understand is that they think they will lose their freedom if they submit to Jesus. And it is actually just the opposite.

TeddyAg0422 said:

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Completely correct. By reshaping yourself to act inline with the natural order/law, you ultimately become free and leave behind your slavishness to sin

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That is what repentance is. Comes from the Greek word metanoia, which simply means change of mind. So many people think it means bearing yourself up. It actually means liberating the true you as God created you to be.

Derm, careful. You're not allowed to interpret the Bible by yourself.

10andBOUNCE said:

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Derm, careful. You're not allowed to interpret the Bible by yourself.

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I will be 71 in about two weeks. I do what I want. My give a dam has been busted.
And every RCC friend of mine agrees with me. With all due respect, I feel your view of the RCC is distorted. Granted, some of the RCC posts on evangelicals are way off the mark also. Lots of misinformation and bias. From both sides.

Now that was funny.

I am certain I have some distorted views of Rome. I am also certain they have distorted views of classical Protestantism.

10andBOUNCE said:

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Now that was funny.

I am certain I have some distorted views of Rome. I am also certain they have distorted views of classical Protestantism.

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It is a shame actually. Division is of the devil.

dermdoc said:

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TPS_Report said:

---

AGC said:

---

TPS_Report said:

---

dermdoc said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

I'd probably ask for some additional background to show you're not trying to troll or just stir stuff up before people chime in.

---

Agree. Fellowship with believers is crucial in my opinion.

---

Indoctrination thrives with reinforcement.

Reinforcement: The systematic process of solidifying specific beliefs, values, or ideologies in a person or group so they are held uncritically and become resistant to change. Unlike standard education, which encourages open inquiry, reinforcement in indoctrination often involves emotional manipulation, ritualized repetition, and social pressure to ensure a person's identity becomes inseparable from the doctrine.

It always fascinates me when people fail to see that going to church is reinforcement.


Ritualized Devotion: Repeated physical acts, such as loyalty pledges, flag-raising ceremonies, or mass recitations, transform ideology into habitual devotion. These rituals serve to embed obedience into daily life as a moral imperative.

If you were wondering about the rituals in church.

---

Name a single tribe that doesn't practice these things (political parties, crossfitting, veganism, climate change, colleges, neighborhoods). I'll hang up and wait.

One of the biggest modern myths that exists is the independent thinker (standard education encourages open inquiry - surely you didn't type that with a straight face). Which AI or dictionary curated by modern ideologies are you using?

---

No need to hang up and wait. ALL tribes indoctrinate. It's a part of the human condition.

---

It is so strange to me that non believers choose faith as the ONE thing that is indoctrination, etc, when about 90% of life
is.
We are indoctrinated on manners, how to act in social situations, school, how to be a part of an athletic team, at work, etc. But yet Christianity is the one thing where "indoctrination" is harmful. I want to be more indoctrinated with the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Sorry.

---

Much of what you noted as indoctrination is actually just teaching/training.

Learning to act as a member of a combat infantry unit isn't indoctrination, it's training. Being taught during the training that the Americans are decadent and soft and will crumble when faced with Japanese fighting prowess isn't training, it's indoctrination.

Indoctrination is incredibly powerful and it occurs in many different areas of activity and among the entirety of humankind. Indoctrination doesn't automatically invalidate its own truth. A person can be indoctrinated into something that is completely true, partially true, or completely false. The problem with indoctrination as it pertains to religion, is by giving it the patina of the divine, it becomes unquestionable (i.e. the Will of Allah.) Then, when someone finds a contradiction in holy scripture of the perfect Ra, rather than look into it to see if perhaps there is an issue, the believer quotes scripture saying Ra's thoughts and ways are not the same as ours. Mighty convenient.

TPS_Report said:

---

dermdoc said:

---

TPS_Report said:

---

AGC said:

---

TPS_Report said:

---

dermdoc said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

I'd probably ask for some additional background to show you're not trying to troll or just stir stuff up before people chime in.

---

Agree. Fellowship with believers is crucial in my opinion.

---

Indoctrination thrives with reinforcement.

Reinforcement: The systematic process of solidifying specific beliefs, values, or ideologies in a person or group so they are held uncritically and become resistant to change. Unlike standard education, which encourages open inquiry, reinforcement in indoctrination often involves emotional manipulation, ritualized repetition, and social pressure to ensure a person's identity becomes inseparable from the doctrine.

It always fascinates me when people fail to see that going to church is reinforcement.


Ritualized Devotion: Repeated physical acts, such as loyalty pledges, flag-raising ceremonies, or mass recitations, transform ideology into habitual devotion. These rituals serve to embed obedience into daily life as a moral imperative.

If you were wondering about the rituals in church.

---

Name a single tribe that doesn't practice these things (political parties, crossfitting, veganism, climate change, colleges, neighborhoods). I'll hang up and wait.

One of the biggest modern myths that exists is the independent thinker (standard education encourages open inquiry - surely you didn't type that with a straight face). Which AI or dictionary curated by modern ideologies are you using?

---

No need to hang up and wait. ALL tribes indoctrinate. It's a part of the human condition.

---

It is so strange to me that non believers choose faith as the ONE thing that is indoctrination, etc, when about 90% of life
is.
We are indoctrinated on manners, how to act in social situations, school, how to be a part of an athletic team, at work, etc. But yet Christianity is the one thing where "indoctrination" is harmful. I want to be more indoctrinated with the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Sorry.

---

Much of what you noted as indoctrination is actually just teaching/training.

Learning to act as a member of a combat infantry unit isn't indoctrination, it's training. Being taught during the training that the Americans are decadent and soft and will crumble when faced with Japanese fighting prowess isn't training, it's indoctrination.

Indoctrination is incredibly powerful and it occurs in many different areas of activity and among the entirety of humankind. Indoctrination doesn't automatically invalidate its own truth. A person can be indoctrinated into something that is completely true, partially true, or completely false. The problem with indoctrination as it pertains to religion, is by giving it the patina of the divine, it becomes unquestionable (i.e. the Will of Allah.) Then, when someone finds a contradiction in holy scripture of the perfect Ra, rather than look into it to see if perhaps there is an issue, the believer quotes scripture saying Ra's thoughts and ways are not the same as ours. Mighty convenient.

---

I question a lot. Doesn't shake my faith. And I think you are splitting hairs on the definition of indoctrination. I was indoctrinated from a young age to be a Aggie. Is that bad? And medical school, internship, and residency involved indoctrination and training. And I believe military and athletic training also has indoctrination. The Corps at A&M indoctrinates also. I believe indoctrination is good when used for good. And I hate moral relativism. But whatever. God will not force Himself on you. Shalom.

Thunderstruck xx said:

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I feel like I am a good enough Christian and person to not need to spend time at church every week. I think it's been over 20 years since I've been to a church for just the weekly service.

---

Why do you have to go to church?

Catholic: because the Eucharist, and because you are told too.

Protestant: You don't "have" to go

Next thread

If you're a politician then the point of going to church is to virtue signal to your constituents.

Captain Pablo said:

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Thunderstruck xx said:

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I feel like I am a good enough Christian and person to not need to spend time at church every week. I think it's been over 20 years since I've been to a church for just the weekly service.

---

Why do you have to go to church?

Catholic: because the Eucharist, and because you are told too.

Protestant: You don't "have" to go

Next thread

---

I'm "protestant". And yes you have to go because you're told to and to take communion.

TxAgPreacher said:

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Captain Pablo said:

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Thunderstruck xx said:

---

I feel like I am a good enough Christian and person to not need to spend time at church every week. I think it's been over 20 years since I've been to a church for just the weekly service.

---

Why do you have to go to church?

Catholic: because the Eucharist, and because you are told too.

Protestant: You don't "have" to go

Next thread

---

I'm "protestant". And yes you have to go because you're told to and to take communion.

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Really? A Catholic playing hookie is a grave matter, and commits mortal sin

What does your church say about skipping Sunday service? I mean, how bad is it? What are the consequences?