Further Light and Knowledge

Think of this, too, if you will. Of all human activities that we could possibly engage in, church is one of the least interesting. Truly. Admit it. It is dull. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. But it isn't as fun as surfing. It's no round of minigolf. As opposed to, say, sex and love, or childbirth, or cooking and eating, or travel, or having a good laugh, or gardening, going to church is dull. It's necessary for human order and provides solace to troubled minds and keeps people off the streets and encourages them to dress up and read aloud. There is often singing, which is also good. But the reason for church is that we are troubled, and we are going to die. So it's not really as much fun as the mall. We are here now and we have money; that is the forward-thinking proposition on which the existence of malls is based. Think about it: On the one hand you have the proposition that we are all going to die, along with what will happen to us afterward and what will we do about all the evil in the world. On the other you have the proposition that we are all here right now and we have some money and there is a little place down the road called MiniGolf.

May be, Church is penance.

I'm reading Salon's "Since You Asked." I read this 'graph, which struck me as groovy, and wanted to share:

The irony is that church offers the same higher benefits: social, inspirational and moral. But for most people, church doesn't do it as well.

The evidence actually contradicts you, dear Tol. The vast majority of people seem to get more meaning and benefit out of church/religion than they do out of shopping. Witness the millions (billions?) who keep going. There is something there for them, even if it doesn't appeal to you.