There's a cult group of Baptists where I live. No, really. I think they are Radical Baptists. I mean, I'm Christian (Catholic), and the way that they hold Christianity 'close to their hearts' sickens me. I go to a singles group at this church so I can make new friends, but oh crap, is it crazy there...
1) They carry around a Bible in their hands ALL the time. It's like a part of own clothing. They read out of the Bible like it has the Davinci Code within each verse; it took them 30 minutes to disect 5 lines in the Bible, and that each word has a meaning or translations. That's some pretty hardcore stuff, if you are into wasting time. Us Catholics do read the Bible, but we read the scriptures, acknowledge the teachings and then apply them to our lives. Plus the Bibles at this church have text boxes (with stuff like, "did you know?" or "translations") to further disect each verse.
2) The Youth Minister there is crazy. I told him that I dated a Muslim girl for 2 months a few years ago, and he bad-mouthed me saying that I was dating a Satanic person. He believes that every other religion out there is false and evil, including Islam. I told him that when I was at Reshina's house (my ex), I read the Qu'ran and it was interesting (it was in English text), and as another forum user on VGChartz who is Muslim had said (and he was right) that both the New Testemant and Old Testemant are within the Qu'ran, and that Jesus and Mary are important figures. This Radical told me to stop talking because it was making me less Christian (is that even possible)? I mean, I read about other religions and all, and they are very interesting. This jerk needs to broaden his tastes and read about other cultures. So the Youth Minister acts like a selfish and immature brat, but the SAD THING is that he is married to a nice young woman and has a son (only 1 or 2), and I feel sorry that his wife and child have to put up with him...
On top of that, IF this is a SINGLES GROUP, there is hardly any time for people to socialize. When I get there (much earlier than when their 'services' start), there is 5-10 minutes of socializing time, then splitting off into groups for a prayer session, praise and worship songs (holy crap, those songs are so stupid; they sound like a bunch of whiny ass-kissers; Justin Bieber has better lyrics than what they sing), and then Bible reading for 45 minutes. Then it is 10 PM when the scripture reading is done, AND it's a school night. WTF is wrong with these people??
And their Sunday services are so weird, too. They have these classrooms that are setup the same way as their 'singles group,' because all they do in there is read out of the Bible, too, and then rant for 30 minutes. Then after that is done, they go into their 'temple' (I thought it would be a church, but their 'church' is inside a gymnasium!) for a TWO HOUR scripture-reading mass. They have like 5 preachers on stage (dressed up in business suits; it seems like they are trying to sell and convince people to convert), with a chorus in the background dressed up in some velvet-like robes singing praise and worship songs, and sometimes Christian rock or pop songs (it's the same song they sing on their singles group night, only it sounds like they want to rape Christ). Then one preacher stands up and starts ranting with a Bible in hand, while the other preachers sit in reclining chairs with a telephone on a stand next to them (WTF is the telephone for?; my dad said it was the Hotline to God lmao). The preacher standing up will start flailing his arms about and start speaking in tongues. People in the audience are yelling, "Halleluia! Praise God!"
I've only been to one of their 'masses' once, and it scared the fuck outta me. I'm glad I'm Catholic.
Plus, I've shown that Youth Minister these pictures of this Catholic shrine I went to up in Michigan, US, called Cross In the Woods. He blatantly told me off by saying, "You Catholics do the weirdest things, and I think that's a stupid place to have a church or a holy place." Well, if HE thinks so, what do other forum users think of these 3 pictures I have of this place? Is this guy just plain stupid and ignorant? I think so. I feel a sense of serenity when I was at this place, and I wish I could live in this area in Michigan...
