Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Just Going Through the Motions

A piece of meat that has the look and consistency of a clinker; vegetables overcooked to a nauseating mush; a baked potato without salt, pepper, butter, sour cream, or chives; a slice of stale, dry pound cake for desert; and for a beveage tepid tap water tasting of chlorine. Not an appetizing meal, yet the host and hostess might argue that they meant well when they asked some friends over for such a dinner.

Are some of our church services any more appealing than this so-called meal? Let's look at the items on some church menus:
o Unrehearsed or inadequately rehearsed reading, especially by the First Reader.
o Hastily or carelessly prepared Wednesday Meeting readings.
o Mistake-ridden or badly played music, even familiar hymns. Mrs. Eddy expected quantity and quality.
o Karaoke-style solos using Broadway numbers or popular songs.
o Musicians rehearsing up to the time of the prelude, or beyond, or other hustle and bustle going on when the auditorium or meeting room should be silent and conducive to prayerful thought.
o First Readers who apparently don't know or care that the name of our Church is Church of Christ, Scientist, not Christscientist.

The point is, if these or other minor or major atrocities are being perpetrated in the name of Christian Science, why bother with church services at all, since they apparently don't much matter? Actions like these, and they do occur, make a mockery of our religion and show an indefensible lack of respect for our Leader. If a church doesn't at least get exactly right the little it does, what benefit is it to Christian Science, which should be the whole purpose of services? Plodding wearily week after week through sloppy resemblances to what the Church Manual requires is just so much make-work and bootless activity.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hats off to you! You can really write, and I do enjoy looking at your blog. And thinking about what you say.

Anonymous said...

Bully for you for referring to the founder of our church as "Leader"! You obviously feel deep respect for Mary Baker Eddy.
A fan from England

Anonymous said...

Our "Leader", how we do worship her so.

Anonymous said...

Might I lovingly suggest you find another church? If you have a gripe (and it is apparent you have many) then YOU become reader, YOU get on the committee that picks the solos, YOU roll up your sleeves and help solve the problem It is not a church of just ONE person, but a gathering of many different tastes, ideas, talents and contributions.
Your rants amount to just pissing in your own Wheaties and are malpractice against the movement.

Anonymous said...

Although I'm not a COP, let me correct something in the comment before the last one: Christian Scientists do not worship any one but God almighty. We rightly acknowledge the vast good the teachings of CS given us by Mary Baker Eddy have done for us and are doing. Respect her, yes. But the thought of worshipping is not what we're inclined to do at all. It is our loving heavenly Father we love supremely.

Anonymous said...

Are you saying you dont love our "Leader" supremely?!