#where things fall apart is dogma. shitty leadership. tribalism. intolerance. ignorance. etc. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

neverendingford · 1 year ago

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I'm gonna kind of see the thing about religion and then slide on past to talk about churches as a social support structure because it's kind of related.

Churches specifically are still just as communally relevant as they ever have been imo. We keep talking about cultural isolation? well churches are a place that are explicitly welcoming, accepting (the good ones at least), and focused on creating connection between people in real life. The message of love and support for fellow humans is never out of style.

Churches have often functioned as daycares, after school activities, economic assistance, and even dating/courtship pools, so like... #notallchurches or something. I was talking with a coworker who also moved out of state and she had trouble making social connection until her wife connected with a local church. And like,, that's what successful (depending on your definition I suppose) churches have always been. Explicitly supportive community. Connections to people in your community.

Is this a little bit christocentric? yeah, but religion is often specifically used as a way to support humans when they undergo hardship, and the social structure of a church (as I know it from growing up christian in the western US) really does act as a support for that.

tangential ramble: over

I'm very frustrated by people who think that religion itself is the problem and should be eradicated.

#color says shit #text post #for the record. I have zero intention of ever stepping foot in a church ever again. too much actual trauma.#but I'm not going to let the hurt I've received push me to a point of generalized ignorance etc.#the church as a social structure fills a genuinely important role in society and honestly with the isolation we experience nowadays?#perhaps even more important now than ever. “there's no places for teens to hang out” church events.#“there's no free events to go to” (good)church events.#“it's hard to meet people irl anymore. they all just want to drink and bar hop” church events.#a good active church has various community groups. groups for all ages. community outreach. education initiatives. communal food events.#where things fall apart is dogma. shitty leadership. tribalism. intolerance. ignorance. etc.#while religion is absolutely not for me. I am not about to make the assertion that therefore it is not for everyone.#the specific conservative fundamentalist sect I grew up in? not for anyone. the gospel of love and growth and acceptance? yeah that's bette

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