Hi David,

Christ said; "Blessed are the cheese makers" but that is not to be taken literal as it applies to all manufactures of dairy products. (Life Of Brian).

I some times think much of the biblical interpretation is just that above, simply wrong or given a false meaning to suit today's narrative. There are those who want the narrative to reflect what is their beliefs and values of today, and not those of some medieval time, so there you go.

BTW, I attend Christian fellowship, not as Christian, being an agnostic willing to learn, but for that its rather pointless.

Dear Paul1405,

I hope Christians have great fellowship and love for each other and non-Christians.

I am rather sensitive on the matter as I have been targeted for conversion many times. I have become friendly with Christians. Some Christians when I tell them I am not a Christian react with "I hope you will become one" or similar remarks. They can somehow imagine that living in places that are predominantly Christian all my life I can be unaware of the concepts of their religion. I have an interest in Christianity as I have in religion in general. I find it fascinating that people turn to religion. My father as a young man was an atheist. As he got older he returned to the religion of his childhood and became a religious Jew. That was fine w me. He could be whatever he wanted to be. The problem was that he wanted me to accompany him on his spiritual journey, and I wanted no part of it. I find religion fascinating and like to learn more about it but as an observer not a participant.

I like the words of Jimmy Durante. "Why can't everybody leave everybody else the hell alone?"

Dear David F.,

When a Christian wants you to convert, that does not usually mean that they want it for religious reasons - they probably just like you to join their tribe!

Likely also the reason for your father to rejoin Judaism.

You say that you are fascinated by religion - but is it religion that you are fascinated by, or the behaviour of people who claim to be religious?

Churches today are essentially social clubs. People like to be surrounded by others whose ideas are in agreement. That is still much better than the days when churches were centers of political power and influence.

Dear Yuyutsu,

Wanting you to join their tribe is for religious reasons. God and many other religious concepts are nonsense. They are totems which keep a tribe together.

I agree with your last paragraph. Churches are social clubs. I favour social clubs. They bring people together. Perhaps, someday, people may accept the idea that religious sects are social clubs, and members of one social club can be friendly with members of another social club.

Better a social club than the craziness that burns heretics at the state.

You wrote, "You say that you are fascinated by religion - but is it religion that you are fascinated by, or the behaviour of people who claim to be religious?"

People who claim to be religious are religious. The content of religion is mostly nonsense. Social clubs can be friendlier groupings without the god nonsense.

Dear David F.,

You cannot be serious when on the one hand agreeing that churches are essentially social clubs and on the other hand claiming that they are religious institutions:

- If people essentially go there to socialise (and/or to gain social influence and/or acceptance) then they do not go there for God!

(I believe that there are some who are sincere and go to church for God, but they are a minority - they also tend to move from one church to another when they find that the others are there just for the social benefits and do not take religion seriously as themselves, or as you say, that they only use the name of "god" as a tribal totem)

To claim that "People who claim to be religious are religious" is like saying that "People who claim to be a doctor are doctors" - as if no qualifications are required, just claim to be an astronaut, join a club where everyone pretends to be an astronaut and voila - you are an astronaut...

«and members of one social club can be friendly with members of another social club.»

It does not usually happen: bikie gangs, sport clubs, nations, corporations, it just seems to go against human greedy and competitive nature.
Had churches been indeed religious, then they could stand a chance of transcending human nature, but as we agreed, they are essentially just social clubs.

Hi Yuyutsu,

Maybe they are multi-tasking, my wife's church is certainly a social and religious institution, which is the more important to the parishioners, that's debatable. I also believe many seem to place the rituals and practices of the institution above any spiritual benefit they may perceive they are obtaining. That's not to say there are not good people, in my view they are.