White Flight

[Gerr]

If my church lets out before 1:30pm it was a relatively short service. But hey, it's the sabbath. What else you got to do?

That's what I ask my wife!

Quote:

It's legal, as of right now anyway. Worshipping on the right day, good music, good preaching, at least to my liking. If someone doesn't like it, well, vote with your feet.

You are fortunate to have good music and preaching in your church. What if you have neither? A lot of people's attention span is just a little longer than children. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of preachers that do/did not put me to sleep.

[olger]

Originally Posted By: olger

That's what I call direct speaking

g

Man, you are even more twisted than I thought.

You mean I am doing better ?

g

[olger]

If my church lets out before 1:30pm it was a relatively short service. But hey, it's the sabbath. What else you got to do? It's legal, as of right now anyway. Worshipping on the right day, good music, good preaching, at least to my liking. If someone doesn't like it, well, vote with your feet.

I see no problem with a longer church service - I think it's kinda cool.

g

[Outta Here]

What if voting with your feet is INCORRECTLY judged as being a "racist" vote?

[olger]

"Racist" is a kiss-of-death label in a foolish society that has a desire for justice but no God to base it on.

g

[missionlady]

Quote:

Very simply, I have often heard white folk claim that the problem now is that they are the ones are getting the raw end. They are victims of reverse racism. Of course it happens but it is sometimes way of not dealing with issues by saying well, "we get discriminated against now" so it's "even stevens"

So are we to ignore that many black people are racists, just because black people have been discriminated against in the past and sometimes still are?

My husband had to leave a job because of false accusations against him that could have ruined his career. These accusations, which were not believed by his employers (but they were too fearful of their own jobs to do much about them), were brought by a racist and she was not white.

What did my husband do to deserve that treatment? We lived in a mostly black neighborhood for a couple of years. We enjoyed the friendship of many of our neighbors (except the crack addict neighbor that burglarized our house while we at prayermeeting). One of my best friends in grade school (in Michigan) was a black girl. I don't even like to refer to her that way. She was a girl that was my friend and just happened to also be black.

When my husband was having his job problems, our black pastor (and again I don't like focusing on that-he is our friend who happens to also be black) was outraged by my husbands treatment by the racist.

There are cultural differnces in our country (and around the world) that should not be ignored.

I had a very interesting discussion with a young black women about black/white differneces. Mostly about how we care for our hair, and other similar issues. She very frankly told me that she had had very little association with white people before she moved to where we lived. There was nothing racist that either of us expressed. Just a natural, healthy curiousity about our differences.

But when people are always focussed on being black or white or Asian or anything else, that can become unhealthy.

I do not attend a "white" church (I would be called a racist if I did. Why is it not racist then to have black churches?

I'm sorry this is so long. I know many people will not read it because of the length.

Bottomline: I believe it is racist to spend too much time dwelling on whatever color one is, instead of talking about being in the only race on this earth: the human race.

[GreatLakesGramma]

Originally Posted By: Tallmark

1. They love their services to run into the mid afternoon. If it's a communion Sabbath, an 11 AM service could let out at 2:30 PM.

so what?

Some of us like to spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine on Sabbath. It isn't healthy sitting indoors in stale air and artificial lighting, being physically inactive all day long, nor is it conducive to optimal brain function. Sister White even wrote that we shouldn't spend the entire Sabbath inside, especially with children.

Also, when I had my granddaughters on Sabbaths, I was always SO THANKFUL when church got out. I am not as young as I used to be, and don't have the energy to deal with trying to keep little children quiet for a long service, especially little children who inherited high-energy genes from a father with ADHD. I now understand perfectly why some mothers without believing husbands to attend with them only bring their children to Sabbath School, and skip church.

[Kountzer]

Then again, there is a more mainstream Texas conference church which is much closer, that we visit occasionally. Their service is streamlined. Instead of a choir everyone stands and sings a hymn or two. The pastor gets up and delivers a 45 minute or so homily, or sermon. By 12:30 outta there. I like that also.

[Gerr]

You take a risk of being misunderstood whenever you vote or express an opinion.

[Stan]

It seems some think everything should be the same...

[Robert]

It seems some think everything should be the same...

You can't fix the problem. It's human nature....

If Africa would have been white folks and America black folks....you would have still had slavery.

[Kountzer]

What if voting with your feet is INCORRECTLY judged as being a "racist" vote?

Take that issue up with the person who started this thread. As I mentioned before, until this thread I didn't know there was such a concept in this church. But, being as how we are in the endtimes it doesn't surprise me.

[GreatLakesGramma]

There was slavery in Africa long before there was slavery in America. And Native Americans were enslaved here before Africans were.

[Amelia]

*gp

If Jesus were preaching, how long would you stay in the pew?

[GreatLakesGramma]

Jesus did almost all of his preaching outdoors. I personally don't believe that would change much if he were visibly here now. And since Sister White wrote that ministers should keep their sermons simple enough that even little children could understand them, I believe he would also keep the children's attention. Plus, in that setting, if someone really needed to eat something, I doubt that anyone would criticize if they pulled out their lunch and munched while they listened. Everyone would be too focused on Jesus to even notice.

In our church, we have had a diabetic collapse when the sermon went on too long.

[lazarus]

but I am sure he is of african descent and is a naturalized american, and hence an african american, if he wishes to call himself that, but he is not african american, i.e. of african descent, and born and raised in this country. There is a distinction.

Tagging on. Of African decent, born and raised in the UK from Jamaican parents. Still a UK citizen. In the US doing missionary work!!!

I don't call myself an African American because obviously i'm not but also out of respect for their experience and culture. I admire their experience of struggle and progress in the civil rights movement. Some have been puzzled as to why I don't call myself African American even when they know i'm from the UK. That puzzles me.

[lazarus]

Originally Posted By: lazarus

so what?[/quote']

So what? Bro. Laz, that's exactly the kind of attitude that would drive some if not a lot of people away! .

I said "so what" because it said "they love their services..." If they love it so what? Who says church has to be over at 12:00?

Personally my communion sermon is 15 mins. That's just what I do. In my previous church when we had communion church was done 15 minutes later that usual. We simply adjusted things to make it happen.

[lazarus]

Some of us like to spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine on Sabbath. It isn't healthy sitting indoors in stale air and artificial lighting, being physically inactive all day long, nor is it conducive to optimal brain function. Sister White even wrote that we shouldn't spend the entire Sabbath inside, especially with children.

Sister, I've preached the same thing. I take my sons out to ride their bikes ON THE SABBATH!!! shock-horror! I had a few phone calls when I said that during a sermon. If church gets out at 1pm or even 2pm there's still so much time left to do outdoor stuff especially in the summer.

Its not bad to be in church for a long time. It's different. For some to have a worship service lasts 1 hour in short changing God.

Quote:

Also, when I had my granddaughters on Sabbaths, I was always SO THANKFUL when church got out. I am not as young as I used to be, and don't have the energy to deal with trying to keep little children quiet for a long service, especially little children who inherited high-energy genes from a father with ADHD. I now understand perfectly why some mothers without believing husbands to attend with them only bring their children to Sabbath School, and skip church.

I can understand that having three boys under 10.

[lazarus]

Jesus did almost all of his preaching outdoors.

There may have been a number of reasons for this. There probably were not many 5000+ venues. Many of the people Jesus spoke to would not have been allowed in a sanctuary to hear a sermon: Publicans, sinners, women and children.

[lazarus]

In our church, we have had a diabetic collapse when the sermon went on too long.

I understand your point but I wouldn't blame the sermon. If the same thing happened at a ball game would we blame the Lakers because they took the game into OT?

[Outta Here]

At a Lakers game, no one would be offended if someone were to walk out early. Also, they could catch the rest of the game on the radio or on television later in the day.

[Kountzer]

I must admit I don't have a degree. I have about 90 hours of college credit. I love to read and write, but no degree. Maybe I will go back and finish that thing. I've seen young people, african american kids get their degrees and soar to unimaginable heights.

Then again I will be sitting in the passenger seat, giving a road exam to some 20 year old nigerian girl, and she already has a degree. And she is about the 7th or 8th person like that I've met. Maybe more than that. I can't help but be impressed. If the Lord tarries maybe some of that, whatever it is, will rub off on more of us born here.

[Amelia]

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Some have been puzzled as to why I don't call myself African American even when they know i'm from the UK. That puzzles me.

OK, that puzzles me too, LOL. Labels can be a problem. And the more places one is from, the more needs to be added. You could say you are African-Jamacan-British. But why not just British? And why not just American? Why must there be labels?

[Gerr]

*gp

If Jesus were preaching, how long would you stay in the pew?

Depends. Publicans and harlots, and common folk, hours and some all day. Pharisees? Probably too long!

[GreatLakesGramma]

Originally Posted By: GreatLakesGramma

Some of us like to spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine on Sabbath.

Sister, I've preached the same thing. I take my sons out to ride their bikes ON THE SABBATH!!! shock-horror! I had a few phone calls when I said that during a sermon.