Activity – PiPoe – The Giza Forum (Legacy)

PiPoe posted an update 5 years, 1 month ago

This is a very recent experience. First a smidge of background…
In the interest of finding more like-minded people on a local basis, I took some advice from an article I felt had the potential to produce positive results.
One suggestion I attempted to implement was to seek out a local church (the article suggested that at least the people who were attending church, regardless of how you felt about some of the beliefs espoused, would be of a mindset toward Good.
I have not set foot inside a church (other than historical cathedrals with a tourist mindset) since I was six years old. I did not care for what I was being taught in Sunday School and received permission from my family to stay home from then on out while they continued to attend services. Experiences and information absorbed since that young age did not alter my opinion of the value of church attendance. So, it was not a small decision for me to consider exposing myself to this environment once again.
Local choices were Baptist, Jehovah, or Lutheran. Accurate or not, I felt that Lutheran would probably be the most palatable for myself.
I visited this church on a Saturday. It was deserted so I just looked around, found an office with posted hours, made a note of them and left.
Tuesday, which was one of the days that the office was scheduled to be open (morning hours only), I returned. Once again the church grounds were deserted an the office was unoccupied. There was a phone number posted so I called and left a message requesting a return call to let me know when the office would be open.
Today, I received a return call. I was informed that the office is just now ‘re-opening’ and that was exclusively Thursday mornings. I was also informed that it was Required I wear a mask. Fortunately, this return call was answered by my voicemail as I think I would have bloodied my tongue from biting down on it.
This experience has reinforced my aversion to churches; I will not approach this venue again. I may seek out a way to form a non-denominational gathering whereby participants can read passages from their various religious texts and sing, chant, or whatever. I’m betting there are more people than just myself who would like to gather for spiritual activity. We’ll see.
I guess this was a mini rant. My apologies if I offended anyone.
- justawhoaman replied 5 years, 1 month ago
  You might consider “remote church” and consider joining Jeffrey Prather, ChristChaplaincy, on Sundays from your home. He has 2 services which you can hear. “Eashoa didn’t say go to church. He said go into your home to pray in Matthew 6:6. So we pray from our homes.” https://www.christchaplaincy.com
  
  I personally get up in the morning and “tune into” Scott Kesterson with Bards FM on YT. It gives me a calmer perspective for my day than if I just get up and think about the chaos around me. I spent all my youth singing in the choir, which meant being in church 2 times per week, and at a point in my early adult life, I found the Anglican/Episcopal Church left me so, like you, I prefer more of a non-denominational gathering, even if it is through a phone or a computer.
  
  Jeffrey Prather’s FB page. Worth a look. https://www.facebook.com/Kineticprayer
  - PiPoe replied 5 years, 1 month ago
    Thank you Justa for your thoughtful response. I will look into your suggestion as it may enhance my understanding of certain belief systems.
    I practice Yoga most days – it relaxes me and helps me maintain a balance of sorts. It also is the time that my mind is in an appropriate frame to form offers of love, protection, and guidance to specific individuals and the world at large.
    I am mainly seeking greater in-person interaction (at least to a small degree with people that I feel comfortable talking about more than just the weather). I’ve never been one to enjoy small talk; to keep me engaged it either needs to be of a problem solving nature or of something I consider useful to learn. Needless to say, many social gatherings were attended more out of duty than desire and I generally would seek an ‘out’ at the earliest time politeness would allow lol.
    Thanks again for your input.
    - justawhoaman replied 5 years, 1 month ago
      
      It isn’t about Jesus, Mohammed, Budha, or whatever the messenger, it is about believing in a one God versus one Satan. That simple, to me.
- Ken replied 5 years, 1 month ago
  When I moved out to where I live 20 years ago, I complained to a relative who was trying to get me to join his church, that I was alone and that it was a sadness for me to have no community outside of a religion or a bar, of which I desire neither. It is a perversion that people within a community cannot gather unless some institutionalized structure stands over them. I appreciate your rant and am sorry you experience what you did. I have found peace in my own ways and though it is natural to want to be with kindred spirits, it is not always possible. If you can find those that you seek and can create that which you seek, that would be a beautiful thing. More power to you.
  - PiPoe replied 5 years, 1 month ago
    Thank you Ken. I am at peace with myself; it took a long time but I finally got there a few years ago. I am glad you have found peace too.
    I guess what I miss most about socializing in person is the energy (the good kind 🙂 ) and gatherings with shared food and music. Those events tended to be fun and uplifting (even if I didn’t stay long).
- Peter replied 5 years, 1 month ago
  Imagine how much faith it takes to wear a mask. If they perform the 501C3 ritual they are not fit for worship. Find your tribe. Your instincts are correct. Love, compassion, charity and respect to all. We’re about to go through it.
- FiatLux replied 5 years, 1 month ago
  Congratulations on making that effort, PiPoe, even if this time it didn’t pan out. I feel basically the same way you do about church, but I’m considering doing just what you did, in my new location, after I move. As long as they’re not covidian cultists and they’re reasonably accepting, decent people, I don’t care if we have different ideas about religion–strange as that may sound. But I know that most churches have completely gone along with (unconstitutional) government edicts and many aren’t going to be a good fit for me in other ways, so I’m not getting my hopes up. A lot depends on your local area, too, as to how many like-minded people you’re going to be able to find. Because there aren’t many for me where I live now, I’m planning to move. (Even if I don’t make a single new friend, I’ll be relieved to be in a place where I won’t be ticketed by the cops for failing to wear a muzzle.) I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but I’d encourage you, if at all possible, to keep looking for a few like-minded, or even partially like-minded, people to hang out with in person, regardless of the setting. Very best of luck with the search!
  - PiPoe replied 5 years, 1 month ago
    Thank you FiatLux.
    I have not given up on finding local like-minded folks. I still have other avenues yet to explore 🙂
    I hold good thoughts for you finding the people you wish to find in your new location. I am excited for your move!
- Peter Ross replied 5 years, 1 month ago
  PiPoe writes: “I may seek out a way to form a non-denominational gathering whereby participants can read passages from their various religious texts and sing, chant, or whatever. I’m betting there are more people than just myself who would like to gather for spiritual activity. We’ll see.”
  What you describe resembles a Quaker Meeting. If there are any Quakers near you, you might try getting in touch with them. If not, you could declare yourself to be a Quaker and start a meeting of your own. Best wishes in your search.
  - PiPoe replied 5 years, 1 month ago
    Quaker? I never would have imagined. I’ll look into it. Thanks.
    - FiatLux replied 5 years, 1 month ago
      
      I’ve looked into Quakerism a bit. Their worship services–if you can call them that–would work perfectly for me. They consist mostly of silent meditation or “listening for the voice of God.” I looked up some of their meetings, both locally and elsewhere. What I came across was groups totally on board with covid measures–sometimes not having meetings at all–and groups that sounded like they’d bought into the critical social justice movement, which I can’t abide. One of the Quaker tenets is a commitment to social reform–traditionally, things like prison reform and abolition of slavery. So I fear they’re particularly easy prey for the critical social justice crowd. (As an aside, I do get a sense of the transcendental and the divine just being inside some Eastern Orthodox churches and cathedrals, and the experience can be sublime, though I’m not a believer. That’s something I’d do on my own, so it’s not about meeting people.)
      
      PiPoe replied 5 years, 1 month ago
      
      Hi FiatLux,
      Thank you for sharing your experience with the Quaker segment. I have located a semi-local Friends group. I will be contacting them (by phone – I’ll not waste my time investigating in person again) to see what they’re doing now. If they’ve bought into this insanity, I’ll simply keep searching for like-minded people elsewhere. I’ve checked some local meditation groups too and so far they’ve all halted in-person services/gatherings – just nuts. It may be that I’ll have to start my own gathering (of whatever sort) – so be it if that’s the case.
      I have a strong sense that it is important to address this situation from local, non-local, physical, and spiritual viewpoints. So, a (or more than one) local group needs to be formed if it doesn’t already exist.
      It might be a lot less challenging if I were in a different state or area. I hope your quest presents fewer hurdles. If we’re determined, we’ll make it happen 🙂
      
      PiPoe replied 5 years, 1 month ago
      
      I forgot to mention…
      Have you read The Power of Eight by Lynne McTaggart? I’m in the midst of it now – it has some relevance and some usefulness to the situation (in my view) and expounds on a concept discussed by Dr. Farrell.
      
      FiatLux replied 5 years, 1 month ago
      
      Nothing wrong with starting a group yourself if possible, and I think you’re right about needing to approach the situation from as many different angles as possible. We’ll all get there eventually… just need to keep turtling on, as CAF says. I haven’t read Lynne McTaggart yet, but I’m aware of her work and she’s on my (looong) to-read list.