The Boys at Fark Discuss the Megachurch phenomena. (56kers beware)

[TheMightyFavog]

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=2436775

The Most Poignat comment comes up near the top. One of the guys tells us why Megachurches ar popular.

They put on a more entertaining show than the smaller churches. Seriously, thats the main reason.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Is that the reason?

I figured it was the same reason why slackers prefer big lecture classes in colleges- less chance of being noticed by the instructor/pastor.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Yes. it's true. You have to understand these mega-churches are mega-rich and we're

not just talking about a huge auditorium sanctuary that is also used as a movie theatre or concert hall. These things often have 'campuses' with their own schools and healthclubs and coffeeshops and singles groups and whatnot.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. That's true.

[StraightDope]

4. Hello, fellow farker!

You must have some thick skin if you post on Fark's boards. It's anything goes, no holds barred verbal warfare over there.

[TheMightyFavog]

6. I'm member number 23456

You're right about the discourse, but at least it ain't the yahoo boards.

[Sherman A1]

5. Well, Duh.....

Religion is simply a product and they do a better job of selling it than the other smaller churches. If it can be more fun and entertaining then they will naturally have a bigger audience/congregation.

[Warpy]

7. Hell, I've said the same thing

Those megachurches are showbiz venues. The article on them in Harper's mentioned that religious materials like crosses were nowhere in evidence save in the congregation/audience's jewelry and the pastor's podium. That was basically it. The "service" consisted of music of several genres, skits, and political harangues thinly disguised as sermons. This is SHOWBIZ, folks, and has much more in common with circuses than it does with worship.

The only time the megachurch fails to deliver is when a congregant finds him/herself in some kind of personal difficulty. The pastor has a hard time counseling people he doesn't know as anything but the name on the weekly check deposited into the collection basket---IF s/he can get in to see him.

I had a friend who got sucked into the whole megachurch deal when she was getting clean and sober. She was going through a tough time and realized the anonymity of being part of a big audience wasn't what she needed, and started attending the church she grew up in. She said it was like coming home.

Maybe the fad will die an ignominious death and the whole audience will eventually desert. Those sterile concert venues can easily be turned into secular venues and with any good sense on the part of the pastor, they will be.

[L0oniX]

8. Mega fake churches ..totally unlike the one in the book of Acts

There is no real church of the Bible anymore!

[uppityperson]

11. what is the "church of the Bible"?

[L0oniX]

13. Read Acts.

[uppityperson]

14. How about YOU tell me what you are talking about rather than telling me to read

and interpret something as you do. How about we just skip that and you tell me your interpretation and what you mean?

[L0oniX]

16. Most people don't read and would rather have a big mega church tell them

what the bible says which is not always what they say it says. Just read the first half of Acts. It only takes about an hour and then you can compare what you read about with the churches of today.

[uppityperson]

18. I want to hear YOUR impression, why YOU said what you did.

Besides, don't know if we have a bible, secular humanists that we are.

[neuvocat]

9. Otherwise known as the visible church.

There is always an appeal to the senses...BUT NEVER TO WHAT SHOULD BE LEARNED IN THE SCRIPTURES AND THAT'S WHY THE FUNDIES DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT'S CONTAINED IN THEIR BIBLES!!!!

[xchrom]

10. while i don't agree in the least -- i have one word for you --

JESURTAINMENT.

[Kerrytravelers]

12. Bwwwwaaaaahhhhh !!!!!!!! Jesurtainment!

That's great! You should copyright it!

[SoCalDem]

15. or Jesu-licious

:)

[Warpy]

17. I liked this one

"Megachurches are really, really effective salt licks."

The one about moths to a flame or a bug zapper is apt, too.

[TheMightyFavog]

19. This comment made me chuckle

That is great, isnt it? Kind of reminds me of the tower of babble story in the bible, about people building bigger and better towers in order to "get closer to god" and in the end god smacked them down for their pride.

Just waiting on that holy handgranade to come rolling into each and every one of these giant phalic compensating blasphemys known as mega churches.