Communion

[maggiebee]

Just home from our Communion Service. Found it very uplifting and it was great to have visitors from Zimbabwe with us. They sang unaccompanied and their voices were just wonderful. I'm always amazed that when some churches in the UK struggle, the churches in many African countries have congregations in the high hundreds.

[mikey4444]

I'm so glad naomi, as I hate to go to bed on an argument !

Khandro...when I need your agreement to join in a debate, you can be sure I will forget to ask for it !

[Khandro]

mikey; I'm sorry for the mistake mea culpa but you seem to have construed that I was addressing you last night. I invariably put the name of the intended recipient at the start of my posts, but for some reason last night I omitted to do so, in fact I thought you outlined your position well without denigrating anyone.
The OP isn't even a question, it seems to me to be simply someone wanting to share an 'uplifting' experience with others and should not have been used as a basis for broadcasting anti-religious views. My post was addressed to naomi, not you.

[mikey4444]

Khandro....than I owe you an apology as well !

Its sometimes difficult on AB, to see where any comments are aimed at, especially when a post or two occurs before you can reply. I thought it was a little odd, as I have said nothing on this thread, that I have not said before. In fact, the thread was rather light-hearted and amusing, until we all started to argue !

And I am more than happy to take my fair share of the blame for that !

I am so glad we have cleared that up !

[naomi24]

Khandro, oooo …. you’re bristling again.

For your benefit I will explain. Maggiebee was ‘amazed’ that churches in many African countries have congregations in the high hundreds, so I told her why they have large congregations – without denigrating anyone incidentally. Mikey is definitely the culprit there – but perhaps you missed that bit when you were imagining my non-existent anti-religious posts here. Anyway, I trust Maggiebee is no longer amazed and I do hope you are are feeling less grouchy this morning. That irritable black cloud that hovers above your head when you stumble across my posts must become very wearing for you. Have a nice day. :o)

[ummmm]

When I was about 8 I used to go to a gospel church. I was playing in the area and heard the singing so went in. I went every week for about 2 years. I loved the singing, the hand clapping, the whole atmosphere. It was on a Friday and they had a youth club after.

Then on Sunday I'd have to go to Catholic mass. I would be so bored I'd sit there counting the people I knew or try and count the infectious yawning.

[Khandro]

naomi; you quoted from the OP, ".......... the churches in many African countries have congregations in the high hundreds."
To which you replied; "People from less educated areas of the world are often more religious." 16:24 Sun 07th Jun 2015

Which is both uncalled for and clearly an insult to both them and any one holding religious beliefs. mikey countered that by saying how it was untrue and then off you go with your boring and tiresome anti-religious propaganda. I repeat; that isn't in any way what the original post is about.

[naomi24]

Khandro, no insult. I thought the link I provided quite helpful. Mikey only offered the USA as an example which we agreed is an exception – he conveniently ignored the rest. Sometimes the truth is unpalatable, Khandro, but it’s the truth nevertheless. Cheer up.

[mikey4444]

Khandro...I would give up if I were you...Naomi is always right !

[naomi24]

Well, not always perhaps - but this time at least. :o)

[Mamyalynne]

Equally quite a few of us pointed out very healthy congregations in our churches , and we even spelled words correctly - so maybe educated to some extent.

[jomifl]

Mikey, many surveys (the result of which can be found on the unesco website) show that Religiosity correlates with low IQ, short lifespan, poverty and lack of education. Many quote the USA as a proof of the opposite but in fact it is just one outlier which is balanced by others showing that non religious uneducated people can live a long time despite being poor. The lowest IQ, shortest life expectancies and lowest standard of living are in tropical west Africa whilst longest life span, highest IQ, and hidghest standard of living are in atheist Japan.

[Mamyalynne]

Hey up - Is it time for the Last Rites?

[naomi24]

Mamyalynne , sarcasm won’t change the facts.

[Mamyalynne]

True.

//On the individual level, the education level is positively correlated with a belief in a God in African countries, and negatively correlated in Western countries. The frequency of church visits is however positively correlated with education level in English-speaking countries as well as in Protestant Europe//

[Mamyalynne]

Goobledook?

I'll stick with assessing each person I meet.

[naomi24]

?

[maggiebee]

Ann, I'm Church of Scotland. My own church has links with Kenya (Kayole) and my daughter's church is linked to St James in Blantyre, Malawi. Lucky to have a very forward thinking minister who tells it like it is. Part of the sermon on Sunday was about the future of the church. He thinks it will continue and grow but not necessarily in its present form. Food for thought.

[Mamyalynne]

Last word on this thread.

I shall stick with meeting people and then deciding if they are intelligent or educated because of or in spite of their religiosity and not have to read lengthy reports to give me a clue.

Maggie - Thank you for what started out as a lovely warm thread.

[maggiebee]

You're very welcome mamya.

[naomi24]

And a hair shirt for me, Maggiebee, for having the temerity to try to explain why you need not remain amazed.