The Cowboy Church

[Bevo&Pevo 5154]

2 hours ago, immamac said:

This thread is fascinating and completely fucking derailed. I need time to spit out the discussion or I can just rename and move the thread where it belongs. This has remained very civil and there's lots of really good opinions and facts being stated from all kinds of vantage points from way more than just 2 posters. 

The real question is do we want a thread about cowboy churches specifically for cowboy church talk and then rename this thread to something else related to rural evangelical discussion? 

I wouldn't over think it, just let 'em roll and see where it goes.  Or you could squash the riot with a water cannon.

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

Cowboy Church Chat?

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

21 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Sorry guys, I wasn't clear. I hear many prayers about abortion, not the congregational kind, but in prayer groups. My personal belief is that all forms of birth control, and Plan B tablets should be free. They work up to five days. You have five days, 120 hours to make a choice. After that no more being wishy-washy. Do it then, or don't.

BB, you are right I don't hear prayers about the second amendment, but I do hear prayers to preserve our Constitution and Bill of Rights. I hear outside conversation about avoiding becoming a Socialist Nation and a Godless Society. I don't do the CC, I don't even go to Church much (hey, I'm a lousy Christian too, just trying to get better). CHIEF Jr. is the only child, of an only child, if he were to be killed, or died for some reason, my lineage stops there. God, so loved the World he gave his only begotten son. I can't and I won't, I'm not God. Would I defend him? Damn right. I sure don't want anyone or anything telling me what I can use, or can't use.

As far as the erosion of our Civil Rights and surveillance state. That's just going to happen. It's part of the internet culture we now live in. Do people have the right to free speech, yeah. You aren't going to be put in prison for saying something. But the consequences for saying it can mean financial ruin from being crowd sourced. But I hear a lot of Red votes complain about it. Blues are vindictive about it. Reds just give you shit but don't tend to go that far.

CHIEF

 

Having been brought up Catholic, the whole conflation of patriotism and religion is bizarre. Catholics just don't do that shit. It weirds me out when I see congregations say the Pledge of Allegiance in church. Render unto Caesar, motherfuckers. We didn't say the pledge at Strake, either, just prayers to the Trinity, Mary and the saints. 

My one (devout) Mormon buddy says the no patriotism deal is the same in his church, though some members are always trying to bring it in. Because he was a bishop he would shoot them down. 

Seems like it's mainly a fundagelical thing. 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

3 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Having been brought up Catholic, the whole conflation of patriotism and religion is bizarre. Catholics just don't do that shit. It weirds me out when I see congregations say the Pledge of Allegiance in church. Render unto Caesar, motherfuckers. We didn't say the pledge at Strake, either, just prayers to the Trinity, Mary and the saints. 

My one (devout) Mormon buddy says the no patriotism deal is the same in his church, though some members are always trying to bring it in. Because he was a bishop he would shoot them down. 

Seems like it's mainly a fundagelical thing. 

All the kneeling and chanting you guys do is bizarre to me, so are a lot of other things the Catholic Church does.  As is saying the pledge in church. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

6 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

All the kneeling and chanting you guys do is bizarre to me, so are a lot of other things the Catholic Church does.  As is saying the pledge in church. 

Fair enough. 

[workswithseed 2110]

6 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Having been brought up Catholic, the whole conflation of patriotism and religion is bizarre. Catholics just don't do that shit. It weirds me out when I see congregations say the Pledge of Allegiance in church. Render unto Caesar, motherfuckers. We didn't say the pledge at Strake, either, just prayers to the Trinity, Mary and the saints. 

My one (devout) Mormon buddy says the no patriotism deal is the same in his church, though some members are always trying to bring it in. Because he was a bishop he would shoot them down. 

Seems like it's mainly a fundagelical thing. 

Yeah, I don't know any Pledge of Allegiance being said in any CoC church. That's weird, but so is sprinkling babies, and no actual baptism.

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

Just now, workswithseed said:

Yeah, I don't know any Pledge of Allegiance being said in any CoC church. That's weird, but so is sprinkling babies, and no actual baptism.

I saw it in a sunrise Easter service conducted by a hardshell Baptist congregation in Port Neches. (On video; I wouldn't be caught dead at such a travesty.)

[Captainant 27677]

9 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

All the kneeling and chanting you guys do is bizarre to me, so are a lot of other things the Catholic Church does.  As is saying the pledge in church. 

Meanwhile, baptists pledge allegiance to the flag, the christian flag, and the bible. Fucking ridiculous shit 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

It's time for the moderates in both parties to get together and form a new party.  They have a lot more in common with each other than they do the rest of their own party. 

[Guest Lobo]

1 hour ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Having been brought up Catholic, the whole conflation of patriotism and religion is bizarre. Catholics just don't do that shit. It weirds me out when I see congregations say the Pledge of Allegiance in church. Render unto Caesar, motherfuckers. We didn't say the pledge at Strake, either, just prayers to the Trinity, Mary and the saints. 

My one (devout) Mormon buddy says the no patriotism deal is the same in his church, though some members are always trying to bring it in. Because he was a bishop he would shoot them down. 

Seems like it's mainly a fundagelical thing. 

I was not brought up Catholic but most of my friends/classmates were (working class neighborhoods with lotsa Irish, Italians, Mexicans, and then Germans who were 50/50 split between Lutheran and Catholic).  I don't remember their families being overly political, but it was a different time. 

Then we get married and I now belong to my wife's Catholic Church (I'm not converted FWIW).  And maybe because it's Austin, but it's a very apolitical church.  Obviously the sanctity of life comes up every so often, but outside of the "We pray for our leaders...Lord hear our prayer"...politics just never comes up.  I'm guessing based on the many parishioners I know there, it's a center-right congregation, but it's also in an extremely educated part of Austin so probably not a lot of people that are gonna be easily led down some partisan path of bullshit.  So it being really the only Catholic Church I ever attended, I assumed most of the Church as M.A.C. states is apolitical...which I appreciate (the Baptists in Texas being a fucking exhausting example of the opposite approach where it's some idiot preacher's agenda crammed down your throat for 45 minutes with 2 songs bookending it). 

But we go visit her family members in Western Kansas, Kansas City, and Wichita area.  And we go to their churches and holy shit...it's partisan hack homily 101.  I think it's because these aren't terribly well educated parishioners...they just sit and smile and take action based on whatever they are ordered to do...and the outliers are made to feel unholy if they don't take part.  And it's fucking sad.  People are looking for inspiration, for guidance, for spiritual fulfillment...and it's basically communion, demands for money, and then 30 minutes about why their faith is being stolen along with their country.  It's just awful to watch people that are simply there out of faith and tradition and community being lectured like they did something wrong for not supporting the priest's/bishop's political wishes.  Just awful.  

[CHIEF 5090]

41 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

It's time for the moderates in both parties to get together and form a new party.  They have a lot more in common with each other than they do the rest of their own party. 

Isn't that the truth. I mean, I support free birth control. I don't believe in Medicaid for all, but that should just pass a means test, and if you can afford it, you can go to doctors that only take private insurance. What needs to happen is the salary qualification for Medicaid needs to be raised to something like $120k-150k. Generally, if you are making that much, it is employer provided. But a 4 person family can only make about $52k to qualify, that is insanity. That would be the quickest fix, as the system is already in place. Another idea is to offer to pay off student loans of nurses, nurse practitioners, and recent medical school graduates if they are willing to move to areas that are remote enough to have inadequate medical facilities. Provide them housing and a modest salary, for a set period of time.

Also, why can't we offer the first two years of a junior college or trade school for free? There are so many good medical jobs that only require an Associates degree, and most all of the trade schools programs are less than two years. If you do well, you will qualify for scholarships, at worst you only have 2-3 years of college to pay for. CHIEF Jr. went to UTD for his first year, total expense was about $50k, one day he came in and said, it was just too damn expensive, and didn't want to put that financial strain on our family. He came home, went back to his job, and went to Hill College three semesters, each 15-17 hour semester was at most $1800, his Tarleton semesters run about $4300. He has zero student loans, and all we provide him is roof over his head, and food on the table.

Finally quite moving to a system like China's Social Credit system. There, if you are critical of the government, go to the wrong bars, you might be a Christian...etc. It lowers your "Social Credit" rating. If it gets too low, you can't use public transportation, you can't use a bank, you are ostracized. We are seeing some of that with the Cancel Culture uprising in the US today, the idea of a COVID Passport. People are not allowed to have differences of opinion.

You find me a candidate, that runs on some of that, and completely ignores any second amendment rhetoric, I don't care if the are Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, man, woman, transgender, gay, straight, Christian, Atheist, Budist,  liberal Muslim, Dem, or Republican, I'm voting for them.

CHIEF

 

[Guest Lobo]

Cancel Culture isn't really a thing.  Private employers take private action against private citizens because those private citizens could cost those private companies lots of money in the private sector.  The Chinese Social Credit System is a government sponsored program and is state-run and state-monitored with state-implemented consequences. 

In this country, unlike China, you can say whatever the fuck you want and still get on a city bus, apply for a home loan, vote for President, and move freely between the states.  However, if you are enough of a loud-mouthed asshole, you can't get an uber, can't maintain a venmo account, can't vote for American Idol, and may not be able to get on a commercial airline flight.  Because those aren't state-run entities protected by civil legislation.  That is a huge difference.  

You will be hard-pressed to find a bigger critic of our federal government than myself.  However, they are nothing like the Chinese Social Credit System.  Like some of you, I worry though that our main "canceling" comes from our fellow citizen, not from our government.  We're a month into a new administration.  Nobody has canceled me despite me being staunchly outspoken against the Democratic Party.  No church has come to get me despite my adamant stance against organized faiths.  No one has taken my guns, nobody has installed socialism, nobody has fired me, nobody has attempted to re-educate my children.  But what has happened is that the widespread and deep stupidity of my fellow community members has doubled in size and scope.  The "if you're not with us, you're against us" camp continues to grow and gain fervor.  The sheep mentality permeates and aggregates.  

I don't see the political, racial, educational, and religious, ethnic, red state/blue state, or even urban v. rural divides...that many people see in conversations like this about cowboy churches and flags on trucks and everything else in our communal polity discussions.  All that rears its head is the painfully obvious conversation we need to confront as a nation...there are just way too many fucking stupid people that have come of out of the woodwork and they need to go away.  these people can sometimes have financial success, some of them are well educated, some of them are well-intending...but something has happened in the last ~10 years and it's ruining everything.  We are letting the dumbest 30mm Americans dictate life for the rest of us and it's infuriating.  I don't give a shit if they finally feel like they have a voice or are now civically engaged.  Fuck that.  Stupid people used to know their place.  They used to lay low, stay quiet, work hard, and die out of the public arena.  They are all around us and somebody told them they should reveal themselves.  And in doing that, they became keenly aware of a false promise that now they somehow belonged, had merit, had purpose, and had a voice.  I don't know which one of you assholes told them that, but now we're fucking surrounded.  Now our children, mine and yours, have to grow up with this insane thought that being stupid is not only okay, but it means you should be in charge of stuff.  

[CHIEF 5090]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

Cancel Culture isn't really a thing.  Private employers take private action against private citizens because those private citizens could cost those private companies lots of money in the private sector.  The Chinese Social Credit System is a government sponsored program and is state-run and state-monitored with state-implemented consequences. 

In this country, unlike China, you can say whatever the fuck you want and still get on a city bus, apply for a home loan, vote for President, and move freely between the states.  However, if you are enough of a loud-mouthed asshole, you can't get an uber, can't maintain a venmo account, can't vote for American Idol, and may not be able to get on a commercial airline flight.  Because those aren't state-run entities protected by civil legislation.  That is a huge difference.  

You will be hard-pressed to find a bigger critic of our federal government than myself.  However, they are nothing like the Chinese Social Credit System.  Like some of you, I worry though that our main "canceling" comes from our fellow citizen, not from our government.  We're a month into a new administration.  Nobody has canceled me despite me being staunchly outspoken against the Democratic Party.  No church has come to get me despite my adamant stance against organized faiths.  No one has taken my guns, nobody has installed socialism, nobody has fired me, nobody has attempted to re-educate my children.  But what has happened is that the widespread and deep stupidity of my fellow community members has doubled in size and scope.  The "if you're not with us, you're against us" camp continues to grow and gain fervor.  The sheep mentality permeates and aggregates.  

I don't see the political, racial, educational, and religious, ethnic, red state/blue state, or even urban v. rural divides...that many people see in conversations like this about cowboy churches and flags on trucks and everything else in our communal polity discussions.  All that rears its head is the painfully obvious conversation we need to confront as a nation...there are just way too many fucking stupid people that have come of out of the woodwork and they need to go away.  these people can sometimes have financial success, some of them are well educated, some of them are well-intending...but something has happened in the last ~10 years and it's ruining everything.  We are letting the dumbest 30mm Americans dictate life for the rest of us and it's infuriating.  I don't give a shit if they finally feel like they have a voice or are now civically engaged.  Fuck that.  Stupid people used to know their place.  They used to lay low, stay quiet, work hard, and die out of the public arena.  They are all around us and somebody told them they should reveal themselves.  And in doing that, they became keenly aware of a false promise that now they somehow belonged, had merit, had purpose, and had a voice.  I don't know which one of you assholes told them that, but now we're fucking surrounded.  Now our children, mine and yours, have to grow up with this insane thought that being stupid is not only okay, but it means you should be in charge of stuff.  

Exactly, anyone with a great vision for our country, and is really sharp, realizes that it just isn't worth it. Because that is going to have to include good ideas from both sides of the isle, blowing off the special interests, and getting it implemented.

CHIEF

[Bash Riprock 1695]

On 2/9/2021 at 11:07 PM, Gil Bang said:

most are

79% of African Americans are Christian. Racist fucktard.

 

Christians by race/ethnicity

[WhatTheBuck 28783]

13 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Exactly, anyone with a great vision for our country, and is really sharp, realizes that it just isn't worth it. Because that is going to have to include good ideas from both sides of the isle, blowing off the special interests, and getting it implemented.

CHIEF

I favor the Professor side of the isle over the Thurston Howell III side of the isle.

[Guest Lobo]

I favor whichever side Mary Ann is blowing off on.  I mean, in.  

[Mole 4333]

The church 2nd amendment talk reminded me of the time I was invited to a wild game dinner at one of the local baptist churches. We ate all sorts of wild meat, which was cool. The there was some sort of sermon/Gospel presentation. My vague recollection is that it  was some sort of strained metaphor about the meal.

Then they gave away a rifle and the kid who won absentmindedly pointed the rifle at everyone there. Good times.

 

[F250 28777]

On 2/12/2021 at 1:01 PM, MaybeACoordinator said:

Having been brought up Catholic, the whole conflation of patriotism and religion is bizarre. Catholics just don't do that shit. It weirds me out when I see congregations say the Pledge of Allegiance in church. Render unto Caesar, motherfuckers. We didn't say the pledge at Strake, either, just prayers to the Trinity, Mary and the saints. 

My one (devout) Mormon buddy says the no patriotism deal is the same in his church, though some members are always trying to bring it in. Because he was a bishop he would shoot them down. 

Seems like it's mainly a fundagelical thing. 

It's mainly an American Protestant thing. The RCC considers itself the Universal Church and transcends national boundaries so you are not going to find Catholic parishes that put their loyalties ahead of the Vatican.

Years ago I was reading a book about the evolution of the Methodist church post American Revolution. One of the interesting things I remember reading were the letters between some of the leaders in America and John Wesley. It seems immediately after the revolution that many churches started to incorporate American political ideals with their doctrine. One of the first splinters was the Republican Methodist Church. There was a reaction against episcopal hierarchies in favor for congregationalism across the board. Surprise, surprise the NRA Jesus churches are all congregational churches.

Long story short, religion often adapts to its culture.

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

2 hours ago, F250 said:

It's mainly an American Protestant thing. The RCC considers itself the Universal Church and transcends national boundaries so you are not going to find Catholic parishes that put their loyalties ahead of the Vatican.

Years ago I was reading a book about the evolution of the Methodist church post American Revolution. One of the interesting things I remember reading were the letters between some of the leaders in America and John Wesley. It seems immediately after the revolution that many churches started to incorporate American political ideals with their doctrine. One of the first splinters was the Republican Methodist Church. There was a reaction against episcopal hierarchies in favor for congregationalism across the board. Surprise, surprise the NRA Jesus churches are all congregational churches.

Long story short, religion often adapts to its culture.

I kind of get that, but you'd think Mormons would be all about rah-rah America too, but I guess they think bigger than their congregation / state / region / country. I mean, they think everyone who ever lived is a member of their church, so there is that. 

[Wanker Bob 379]

Fake patriotism worshiping symbols while ignoring that real patriotism is doing what's best for your community is annoying and sucks. 

Fake religion worshipping fabricated deities with no evidence whatsoever is perfectly fine.  Deranged but fine. Said fake religion ideas spilling over into legislation and governance is bullshit. Governance should only be based on fact and evidence. 

America's problem is it's been backwards since the beginning. If not for the outcome of WW2 and the subsequent building of a fantastic higher education system that allowed it to raid the best and smartest from around the globe this country would have been relegated to back water garbage 70-80 years ago. It was a dying country with a starving population when WW2 brought it to life. America has been a society of backwards ass troglodytes living off the backs of a few brilliant innovators for decades. It's just taken a while for them to get to this point of destroying the society from within with their cult like mindset and arrogant idiocy. 

[Armybrat 40850]

On 2/12/2021 at 2:36 PM, Lobo said:

I was not brought up Catholic but most of my friends/classmates were (working class neighborhoods with lotsa Irish, Italians, Mexicans, and then Germans who were 50/50 split between Lutheran and Catholic).  I don't remember their families being overly political, but it was a different time. 

Then we get married and I now belong to my wife's Catholic Church (I'm not converted FWIW).  And maybe because it's Austin, but it's a very apolitical church.  Obviously the sanctity of life comes up every so often, but outside of the "We pray for our leaders...Lord hear our prayer"...politics just never comes up.  I'm guessing based on the many parishioners I know there, it's a center-right congregation, but it's also in an extremely educated part of Austin so probably not a lot of people that are gonna be easily led down some partisan path of bullshit.  So it being really the only Catholic Church I ever attended, I assumed most of the Church as M.A.C. states is apolitical...which I appreciate (the Baptists in Texas being a fucking exhausting example of the opposite approach where it's some idiot preacher's agenda crammed down your throat for 45 minutes with 2 songs bookending it). 

But we go visit her family members in Western Kansas, Kansas City, and Wichita area.  And we go to their churches and holy shit...it's partisan hack homily 101.  I think it's because these aren't terribly well educated parishioners...they just sit and smile and take action based on whatever they are ordered to do...and the outliers are made to feel unholy if they don't take part.  And it's fucking sad.  People are looking for inspiration, for guidance, for spiritual fulfillment...and it's basically communion, demands for money, and then 30 minutes about why their faith is being stolen along with their country.  It's just awful to watch people that are simply there out of faith and tradition and community being lectured like they did something wrong for not supporting the priest's/bishop's political wishes.  Just awful.  

I was raised Catholic, but have not been to Mass in 40+ years.

The Wednesday night Bingo was good though, as were the Knights of Columbus allowing us underage recruits to drink at their clubhouse bar.

[deadshank 24653]

4 hours ago, Wanker Bob said:

Fake patriotism worshiping symbols while ignoring that real patriotism is doing what's best for your community is annoying and sucks. 

Fake religion worshipping fabricated deities with no evidence whatsoever is perfectly fine.  Deranged but fine. Said fake religion ideas spilling over into legislation and governance is bullshit. Governance should only be based on fact and evidence. 

America's problem is it's been backwards since the beginning. If not for the outcome of WW2 and the subsequent building of a fantastic higher education system that allowed it to raid the best and smartest from around the globe this country would have been relegated to back water garbage 70-80 years ago. It was a dying country with a starving population when WW2 brought it to life. America has been a society of backwards ass troglodytes living off the backs of a few brilliant innovators for decades. It's just taken a while for them to get to this point of destroying the society from within with their cult like mindset and arrogant idiocy. 

Unless you’re English it is “backward” and not “backwards.”

Oh and feel free to leave to greener pastures anytime.  

[Bevo&Pevo 5154]

1 hour ago, Armybrat said:

I was raised Catholic, but have not been to Mass in 40+ years.

The Wednesday night Bingo was good though, as were the Knights of Columbus allowing us underage recruits to drink at their clubhouse bar.

a good Catholic I see.  It hasn't me 40 years for me but.....

[CHIEF 5090]

One of my favorite jokes, is an Atheist and an Agnostic are marooned on an uninhabited island and are both about to die of starvation. In final desperation, the Atheist decides he is going to pray. The Agnostic tells him, "you have never set foot in a Church, you don't know how to pray". The Atheist tells him he walked by the Catholic Church enough that he heard them praying and will pray based off of what he heard. So he humbles himself, gets down on his knees to pray.....N19....N19....G23....G23. Thanks. I'll be here all week, don't forget to tip your waiters and waitresses.

CHIEF

[workswithseed 2110]

3 hours ago, deadshank said:

Unless you’re English it is “backward” and not “backwards.”

Oh and feel free to leave to greener pastures anytime.  

Wait, would that be Scotland, or Ireland? I bet he loves Woodrow Wilson.

[Sawbonz 27565]

Nvm

Edited February 14, 2021 by Sawbonz

[Sawbonz 27565]

11 hours ago, Wanker Bob said:

Fake patriotism worshiping symbols while ignoring that real patriotism is doing what's best for your community is annoying and sucks. 

Fake religion worshipping fabricated deities with no evidence whatsoever is perfectly fine.  Deranged but fine. Said fake religion ideas spilling over into legislation and governance is bullshit. Governance should only be based on fact and evidence. 

America's problem is it's been backwards since the beginning. If not for the outcome of WW2 and the subsequent building of a fantastic higher education system that allowed it to raid the best and smartest from around the globe this country would have been relegated to back water garbage 70-80 years ago. It was a dying country with a starving population when WW2 brought it to life. America has been a society of backwards ass troglodytes living off the backs of a few brilliant innovators for decades. It's just taken a while for them to get to this point of destroying the society from within with their cult like mindset and arrogant idiocy. 

Says the British expat

[Johnny Sack 8397]

10 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

Says the British expat

Jesus we’ve cucked those Limeys so hard for 250 years now.  Has beens.  Shitty food, worse weather and ugly people with jacked up grills.  

Edited February 14, 2021 by Johnny Sack

[WhatTheBuck 28783]

On 2/14/2021 at 12:37 AM, F250 said:

Long story short, religion often adapts to its culture.

You mean always, not often. As a man-made socio-political institution, it can’t do otherwise.

[Al_4_ISU 12464]

I grew up Catholic and started re-attending our local Catholic church when my wife started working at the school.

Politics almost never comes up.  The only time it did was earlier this year when our priest went out of his way to say that isn't his job to tell you who to vote for, and that regardless of which way you voted, it had no bearing on your relationship with Christ and he pointed briefly to policies in each party that are clearly at odds with scripture without really debating the merits.  Just making the point that either way you voted, you could find something un-Christian in the policies espoused, so don't evaluate your politics on the basis of religion.

That said, Catholicism in general, and especially in this country, is not anywhere nearly as politically entwined as Evangelical Christianity.

[Armybrat 40850]

Apparently the same at Mrs. Brat’s Catholic church.

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

5 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Apparently the same at Mrs. Brat’s Catholic church.

Priests do get all jacked up into politics sometimes. Usually it's kind of subtle. My grandparents were always fleeing hippie influences from parish to parish in the '70s and '80s. "Women on the altar! Guitars!" Only applied to Anglo Mass though. To this day my grandmother's favorite is mariachi Mass in a Mexican church near downtown. That's the only Mass I'll go to now; the music rules. 

It feels like you are getting married in a Spaghetti Western. I come out of there ready to fuck, fight, and drink tequila. 

 

[Armybrat 40850]

The Catholic churches didn’t do any of that when I lived in Mexico.

Love me some mariachi, especially this high school group:

 

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

9 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

The Catholic churches didn’t do any of that when I lived in Mexico.

Love me some mariachi, especially this high school group:

 

Yeah, I loved that...Thanks for reminding me it's out there. 

Mariachi mass is kind of rare; usually there is one church in every big city that has it. In Houston it's St. Joseph's. 

[Al_4_ISU 12464]

The next town down from us is heavily Czech.  They do polka mass a couple times a year.  Masopust, and during Czech Days in the summer.  During the Czech Days mass (which they do late Saturday afternoon), they open all the windows and people sit in the church yard drinking beer and participating in mass from their lawn chairs.

[Zepol87 9187]

On 2/14/2021 at 6:00 AM, Armybrat said:

I was raised Catholic, but have not been to Mass in 40+ years.

The Wednesday night Bingo was good though, as were the Knights of Columbus allowing us underage recruits to drink at their clubhouse bar.

Hell yea. I got drunk more than a few times at the KoC building in Munday, TX while visiting family for summers. 

[troph 24808]

On 2/10/2021 at 6:21 PM, CHIEF said:

I'm not saying I'm an Evangelical or Fundamentalist. But you can't live in a rural town in America, and not know what makes them tick. None of the Woke get it. It's really that simple. Do you think they get to secondary consequences? You give them too much credit. You think the way they vote is based in racism? It isn't. But the consequences break down along racial lines. The Woke Crowd calling them racist only builds resentment. They align themselves with what they read, and interpret in the Bible and nothing else. 

CHIEF

I get abortion and second amendment. I love guns. Love them. For lots of reasons.  I think abortion is an awful decision.  I think it can wreck your life. I think people should avoid it at all costs. I am pro choice though for reasons that have nothing to do with how damaging that decision can be. I love big trucks, I love the country, I love simple people who have the wisdom life brings unaffected by what others say you should say.  My grandmother is this person, not even a high school education and yet one of the wisest women I’ve ever known. Woke culture can sometimes be a total beat down. I get it.  I was also someone who attended southern Baptist churches growing up, I have family that attends cowboy church.
 

Guess what? We don’t talk anymore. Guess why?  One hint... rainbows and unicorns.  
 

Here the thing about racism. It’s urban, it’s suburban, it’s rural, it’s Christian, it’s non-Christian.  It’s complicated.  It’s not so much about what flag is on your truck - the one you drive to CC or the one you don’t to CC but do drive in the Trump parade.  Although don’t get me wrong some people happily advertise their racism. That’s true. But more importantly, racism is institutional, systemic more than anything and no one person is responsible for that.  And as for individual racism it’s really hard to see ourselves as such especially when we self select out from diverse groups for so many reasons.  But in my experience my southern Baptist family and I don’t talk for a reason, I am not like them and that’s a problem for them.  And because I am different I am ridiculed, insulted, and demeaned.  I am exiled for my difference.  That’s where racism grows, that’s where fear of others grows, that’s where discrimination of all types grows.  
 

is your cowboy church like that? I can’t say. But my experience leads me to be scared of walking into a church like that.  The statements of “come as you are and everyone is a sinner, it’s okay” don’t apply to me the way those statements apply to them in my experience. I’m an exception and am not welcome and I suspect others who aren’t the same as them will feel the same.  

Edited February 16, 2021 by troph

[Gatorubet 30241]

79% of African Americans are Christian. Racist fucktard.
 
Christians by race/ethnicity

Black Christians tend to be homophobes. I mean, they can’t hate black folk, so that limits their choices.

[CHIEF 5090]

16 hours ago, troph said:

I get abortion and second amendment. I love guns. Love them. For lots of reasons.  I think abortion is an awful decision.  I think it can wreck your life. I think people should avoid it at all costs. I am pro choice though for reasons that have nothing to do with how damaging that decision can be. I love big trucks, I love the country, I love simple people who have the wisdom life brings unaffected by what others say you should say.  My grandmother is this person, not even a high school education and yet one of the wisest women I’ve ever known. Woke culture can sometimes be a total beat down. I get it.  I was also someone who attended southern Baptist churches growing up, I have family that attends cowboy church.
 

Guess what? We don’t talk anymore. Guess why?  One hint... rainbows and unicorns.  
 

Here the thing about racism. It’s urban, it’s suburban, it’s rural, it’s Christian, it’s non-Christian.  It’s complicated.  It’s not so much about what flag is on your truck - the one you drive to CC or the one you don’t to CC but do drive in the Trump parade.  Although don’t get me wrong some people happily advertise their racism. That’s true. But more importantly, racism is institutional, systemic more than anything and no one person is responsible for that.  And as for individual racism it’s really hard to see ourselves as such especially when we self select out from diverse groups for so many reasons.  But in my experience my southern Baptist family and I don’t talk for a reason, I am not like them and that’s a problem for them.  And because I am different I am ridiculed, insulted, and demeaned.  I am exiled for my difference.  That’s where racism grows, that’s where fear of others grows, that’s where discrimination of all types grows.  
 

is your cowboy church like that? I can’t say. But my experience leads me to be scared of walking into a church like that.  The statements of “come as you are and everyone is a sinner, it’s okay” don’t apply to me the way those statements apply to them in my experience. I’m an exception and am not welcome and I suspect others who aren’t the same as them will feel the same.  

I don’t go to a Cowboy Church. The church I go to, when I go, has several gay couples. I’ve had two women kiss passionately two rows in front of me, it wasn’t even a deal, much less a big deal. I have a gay cousin, that I knew was gay as a child. I love him very much, and have reached out to him on Facebook. I haven’t seen him in 40 years, except when his grandmother died. One of the main tenets of Christianity Is that love is unconditional. I always strive to be sure that those in my Christian circle remember that. 
 

CHIEF

[troph 24808]

11 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

I don’t go to a Cowboy Church. The church I go to, when I go, has several gay couples. I’ve had two women kiss passionately two rows in front of me, it wasn’t even a deal, much less a big deal. I have a gay cousin, that I knew was gay as a child. I love him very much, and have reached out to him on Facebook. I haven’t seen him in 40 years, except when his grandmother died. One of the main tenets of Christianity Is that love is unconditional. I always strive to be sure that those in my Christian circle remember that. 
 

CHIEF

I appreciate that.  I'm very fond of the United Methodist Church and the Episcopals and Presbyterians that are welcoming.  But let's be honest, Southern Baptists and their non-denominational offshoots from Bible Churches to Cowboy Churches and then the other non-denominational and more charismatic churches that dominate the South (and Texas) are not welcoming of others.  That's really not disputable and while they certainly have the right to reject me or anyone for that matter (First Amendment is sacrosanct for all of us), it is a breeding ground for discrimination and that is why many of these congregations are viewed from the outside with such suspicion.  They really can't have it both ways, at least not from the perspective of the oppressed. 

Gun rights and abortion (less so abortion) are things that we can more easily agree to disagree on, but it just so happens the churches who have members adamant about their gun rights and pro-life positions, happen to also be the ones that reject people who are different.  So it's really a both/and - maybe people like me don't get the gun rights and abortion issues (I argue I *do* get them) but it's also the case that those congregations don't understand what it's like to be a different color, religion or sexual orientation or what it's like to be queer.  And it's really interesting to me because I think God and all of the infinite wisdom his conservative followers claim him to have made me to be an outlier because he likes difference, because he thinks nuance and complexity is beautiful and interesting.  and yet, I'm suspect as are my Muslim brothers and sisters, and the list goes on. hmmm....

Edited February 16, 2021 by troph

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

7 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

I’ve had two women kiss passionately two rows in front of me

CHIEF

why, CHIEF?

[baboso 6056]

With apologies to Butch Hancock:

There's some big ol' Buicks by the Baptist church
Cadillacs at the Church of Christ

Pickups with rebel flag stickers at the Cowboy church...

[troph 24808]

1 minute ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

why, CHIEF?

even I'm wondering why he didn't snap pics and put on the hot or not thread. i mean come on.

[CHIEF 5090]

35 minutes ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

why, CHIEF?

To be honest, I think it was to get a rise out of people, they were new. No one batted an eye.  You could tell, they were looking around itching for a confrontation. There are quite a few gay members in this congregation. There was a country dance in the auditorium just the night before. Being a bedroom community to DFW we have a pretty diverse crowd for Granbury. Nearly all of the POC go to church there. It is non-denominational, but the pastors were raised in Southern Baptist Church. This church has the cream of the crop of our society as members, and also the dregs, that you can see sitting there Jonesing to get home and get their next fix. They are all looked at as God’s children. But at least they’re trying, and I’m glad to see them there.

Troph, you are probably my favorite poster on this board. You would be so much fun to hang out with. I just want you to be happy, which you obviously are. But I definitely understand your reasoning and agree wholeheartedly with your view on many fundamental churches. But there are a fair amount of churches that would welcome you with open arms and in places that you wouldn’t think about. We happen to have one here, and the congregation is all in agreement. 
CHIEF
 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by CHIEF
Diverse for Granbury

[hullabelew 3724]

On 2/16/2021 at 12:40 PM, baboso said:

With apologies to Butch Hancock:

There's some big ol' Buicks by the Baptist church
Cadillacs at the Church of Christ

Pickups with rebel flag stickers at the Cowboy church...

There ain't gonna be no radial tires
Turnin' down the streets of gold