Holiday guest at a denomination

[Fellow Traveler]

Wasn't sure where to post this one but something someone else posted about CoC folks going to stuff at denominations since the CoC doesn't do Christmas and barely mentions Easter got me thinking. Even as a devout Campbellite, I enjoyed going to stuff at either the methodist church, Catholic Church, or others on Easter vigil Saturday or Christmas Eve. I found it all very uplifting. Of course, I was careful who I told. Did anyone else ever cheat on the CoC this way?

[Scott]

Just seems crazy to me that going somewhere to celebrate Christmas out of the Coc is cheating on them. But since I wasn't brought up in the Coc and joined them on my own I guess I only have myself to blame. At the moment I am struggling with the fact that they told me that I shouldn't listen to Secular music. I am finding that listening to old classic rock music is one of the only things that helps me to feel good, takes my mind off all the crazy things that run through my head and brings me back before I joined them.

[agricola]

We were never allowed to darken the doors at a 'denomination'. It never occurred to me to even try, to tell the truth. When I was a teenage we had a youth group for a short time - it was disbanded after the youth group leader started a program to take us to 'visit' other churches (and a synagogue!) to 'learn what they teach'.

That was clearly not a go. They fired him and broke up the youth group, and didn't try another one for years and years.

[Fellow Traveler]

Just seems crazy to me that going somewhere to celebrate Christmas out of the Coc is cheating on them. But since I wasn't brought up in the Coc and joined them on my own I guess I only have myself to blame. At the moment I am struggling with the fact that they told me that I shouldn't listen to Secular music. I am finding that listening to old classic rock music is one of the only things that helps me to feel good, takes my mind off all the crazy things that run through my head and brings me back before I joined them.

Well in some of their minds it's just crazy to even think of just visiting one. That's why I say "cheating". I can relate to listening to music to bring myself back to a time when my confidence was higher. I'm working on it a little more each day. Now if someone tells me what I should or shouldn't do, listen to, or go to they can suck one!

[Fellow Traveler]

We were never allowed to darken the doors at a 'denomination'. It never occurred to me to even try, to tell the truth. When I was a teenage we had a youth group for a short time - it was disbanded after the youth group leader started a program to take us to 'visit' other churches (and a synagogue!) to 'learn what they teach'.

That was clearly not a go. They fired him and broke up the youth group, and didn't try another one for years and years.

Some CoC churches and the way they treat youth is funny. The older
members think the younger men don't know anything and have no "experience". It's also funny how the church bus can be used to pick up the elderly of the congregation but going to a youth event?? Got to think about that one!!

[GMan]

I too did sneak out and visit. It was rather enjoyable.

[margin overa]

I attended a Passover seder at my friend's family's home when I was just old enough to drive and could sneak in the visit without letting my parents know. Crazy, isn't it, that I had to sneak out to go to a seder meal, like I was trying to get a keg of cheap beer on the sly? Anyway, I knew that the parentals wouldn't approve, I had been invited, and was interested to go, so sneaking out is what I did. My folks were very suspicious of my friendship with a Jewish kid anyway, and generally tried to squash that relationship when they could (it didn't work, though). I didn't go to another church's programs or services at all, though, until I was out of the house and on my own. That was just verboten on the home front.

[B.H.]

My parents had no problems with me going to Assembly of God, Baptist, and even a Methodist vacation Bible school. They would not let me go to a worship service though.


And yes, as a child I told them they were all going to hell.


In kindergarten I told a little girl her parents were going to hell for being a Baptist but she was still a child and so was okay. She started to cry. The teacher gave me time out for saying it. Later in the day she built a big wooden tower out of play logs and I knocked it over with a toy car out of revenge.

[GuitarHero]

I was to invite my friends to COC, and I did a few times--mainly just so there would be someone there to have fun with--but I was never allowed to reciprocate and go with them.

I did go once to a pew-jumping Pentecostal church with some men from our church, so that we could "check them out" prior to a big debate being held in our town. Apologies to those of you who may be charismatic, but DAMN... I was too freaked out to ever want to return.

[Scott]

I thought Christians were supposed to be out among the people in order to convert them.
Isn't that what Paul did? Plus I assume the Apostle's still held on to most of their Jewish traditions festivals etc. I would think the Gentiles that became Christians were exposed to those Jewish traditions and Laws. I would also think a Christian would want to visit and understand the root of what they believe in. Shouldn't be forbidden.