The Separation between State and Religion

In time we will realize that Democracy is the entitlement of individuals to every right that was in its times alloted to kings. The right to speak and decide, to be treated with decency, to serve and be served by people in a State of “love” that is, to serve with one’s work for the development of ‘life’. To belong to the Kingdom of Human Beings without racial, national, social or academic separations. To love and be loved. To die at the service of the whole and be honored in one’s death, for one’s life and work was legitimately valued. To be graceful and grateful. To have the pride and the humility of being One with the Universe, One with every realm of Existence, One with every living and deceased soul. To treat with dignity and be treated with dignity for One is dignified together with All others and Life itself. To walk the path of compassion, not in the sorrow of guilt but in the pride of being. To take responsability for one’s mistakes and sufferings and stand up again and again like a hero and a heroine and face the struggle that is put at one’s feet and in one’s hands. Millions of people, millions and millions of people might take many generations to realize the consciousness of our humaneness but there is no other dignified path for the human being.

The “work” as I conceive it is psychological and political. Psychology is the connection between the different dimensions within one’s self and Politics is the actualization of that consciousness in our practical lives. Religion is the ceremony that binds the connectedness between the individual and the Universe. The separation between religion, politics and science, the arts and sports is, in the sphere of the social, the reflection of the schizophrenia within the individual and the masses. The dialogue between individuality and the "human" belongs to consciousness. The tendency to develop cults resides in the shortcomings we’are finding in life as it is structured today. “Life” has become the private property of a few priviledged who cannot profit from it because as soon as it is appropriated it stops to be “life” or “life-giving”.

We are all the victims of our own invention and each one is called upon to find solutions. The only problem is believing our selves incapable of finding them. We are now free to use all Systems of knowledge objectively, sharing them without imposing our will on each other. To become objective about our lives means to understand that the institutions that govern its experience are critically important. That we are one with the governments, one with the religious activities that mark its pace, that the arena’s in which we move our bodies and the laboratories in which we explore our possibilities are ALL part and parcel of our own personal responsibility. That WE ARE ONE WITH EACH OTHER AND EVERYTHING AROUND US and acknowledge for ourselves a bond of love in conscious responsibility. That we human beings know ourselves part of each other and are willing and able to act on our behalf for the benefit of each and every individual. That we no longer allow governments, industries, universities or any other institution to run along unchecked by the objective principles of humaneness. That we do not allow gurus to abuse their power or governors to steal the taxes and use them to their personal advantage in detriment of the whole. That we do not allow abuse from anyone anywhere because life is too beautiful to do so and that we are willing to stop the rampant crime with the necessary compassion Conscious knowledge is every individual's right. Conscious action is every individual's duty.

Blog Archive

Sunday, 19 December 2010

On megachurches


Megachurch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A megachurch is a church having 2,000[1] or more[2] attendees for a typical weekly service. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000.[3] While 3,000 individual Roman Catholic parishes (churches) have 2,000 or more attendants for an average Sunday Mass, these churches are not seen as part of the megachurch movement.[4]
Globally, these large congregations are a significant development in Protestant Christianity. While generally associated with the United States, the phenomenon has spread worldwide. In 2007, five of the ten largest Protestant churches were in South Korea.[5] Most megachurches tend to be evangelical or Pentecostal, and are often semi-independent from the major Christian denominations.[citation needed]

Contents

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[edit]History

Wiki letter w cropped.svgThis section requires expansion.
The megachurch movement, with a large number of local congregants who return on a weekly basis, is usually thought to have begun in the 1950s.[6] There have been large churches earlier in history, but they were considerably rarer. Examples include Charles Spurgeon's BaptistMetropolitan Tabernacle in London which attracted 5,000 weekly for years in the late 19th century, and religious broadcaster Aimee Semple McPherson's Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, which was similarly large.[7] The current largest megachurch in the world is the Yoido Full Gospel Church, with 830,000 members as of 2007.[5]

[edit]Denominational links

This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved. (February 2010)
In the United States, more than half of these large church institutions are non-denominational churches.[citation needed] Those that have ties to a larger body are most often members of the Southern Baptist denomination, which accounts for perhaps one in five megachurches.[citation needed] The Assemblies of God claim approximately one in ten.[citation needed] Another one-tenth of the megachurches are associated with historically African American denominations, such as African Methodist Episcopal, (A.M.E.), and the Church of God in Christ (COGIC).[citation needed]

[edit]Adjustments to cater for size

This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved. (March 2007)
Coping with the large numbers of people who attend megachurches requires many adjustments.
The immense architecture of the megachurch requires that the entire congregation can see and hear. Large open spaces allow line of sight to elaborate video presentations and projections.
The need for large parking lots to accommodate worshipers has often led these churches to be located on the outskirts of large cities, on tracts encompassing multiple acres. A recent trend shows megachurches may have one or more "satellite" locations away from the main church, which will have a small local staff. However, the main message is presented by the senior pastor via video presentation. This is referred to as the multi-site movement.
The ministry of these churches must also be adjusted for size. Much of the actual teaching work of the church is handled by committees and smaller meetings outside the weekly services themselves, which are almost exclusively meant for collective (sometimes enthusiastic) worship, with relatively few people engaged in up-front roles. Congregational oversight is generally limited to an annual meeting (where a budget and "board of directors" is approved); in some cases, the senior pastor has complete authority over all decisions.
Many megachurches were launched by a single pastor, a person who combined engaging sermons with the organizational skills needed to facilitate a large scale weekly service and the ability to manage the team who runs the individual church. To complement the large-scale sermons, some churches supplement this strongly with smaller independent groups (called "cell churches" by some, notably David Yonggi Cho).

[edit]Criticism

See also: McChurch
A common criticism of megachurches is that they draw members away from other churches.[8] This has led to use of the derisive term, "big box churches". The majority of North American church-goers attend small churches of fewer than 200 members.[9]
Critics of megachurches claim that such churches are more concerned with entertainment than religion,[10] earning them the nickname "Disney churches," or "Six Flags over Jesus."[1] Al Sharpton has claimed that such churches focus on personal morality issues while ignoring social justice.[11]
Critics have also raised issues with the application of secular business models,[12] e.g., from Wal-Mart; a seeker-friendly approach, intensive market research, heavy reliance upon opinion polls, polished advertising targeted at affluent young professionals, unconventional worship styles and Eastern influences.
Some megachurches, such as the Christian Open Door, are sometimes criticized by former members and anti-cult associations for an alleged use of cultic practices.[13]

[edit]See also

[edit]References

  1. ^ a b Biard, Julia (2006-02-23). "The good and bad of religion-lite". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
  2. ^ "MegaChurches: large congregations spread across Black America". CBS Interactive. 2004. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  3. ^ "Hartford Institute for Religion Research, database of Megachurches". Hirr.hartsem.edu. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
  4. ^ "Megachurch Definition". Hirr.hartsem.edu. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
  5. ^ a b "O come all ye faithful". Special Report on Religion and Public Life (The Economist): p. 6. 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  6. ^ "Exploring the Megachurch Phenomena: Their characteristics and cultural context". Hirr.hartsem.edu. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
  7. ^ National Historic Landmarks Program, Angelus Temple
  8. ^ "EEUU: las megaiglesias atraen sobre todo a menores de 45 años (U.S.: megachurches attract mostly younger than 45 years)". Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  9. ^ "National Congregations Study, Cumulative Dataset (1998 and 2006-2007)". Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  10. ^ Littlefield, Christina. "Long reach of a big church". Retrieved 2006-11-05.
  11. ^ "Black Leaders Blast Megachurches, Say They Ignore Social Justice". Associated Press. 2005-12-06. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
  12. ^ "Earthly Empire:How evangelical churches are borrowing from the business playbook". Business Week. 2005-05-23. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
  13. ^ Naegelen, Lucien (21 Apri 1996). "Le supermarché de Dieu" (in French) (pdf). Alsace. Retrieved 14 August 2009.

[edit]External links

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Pleaseimprove this article by removing excessive and inappropriate external links. (February 2010)


http://www.enotalone.com/article/19662.html
The National Survey of Megachurch Attendees, a newly released U.S. survey by Leadership Network and Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research, has revealed that compared to attendees of a typical Protestant church, individuals who attend megachurches are more likely to be young, single, wealthy and more educated.
Carried out from January to August 2008, the survey results are based on responses from nearly 25,000 worshipers at 12 carefully selected megachurches all across the United States. Additional site visits, interviews, staff surveys and other information that has been gathered for the study purposes, also contributed to the findings. The new report, titled "Not Who You Think They Are: The Real Story of People Who Attend America's Megachurches," is claimed to be the largest national representative study of megachurch attendees conducted by any researchers to date.
Among the most significant survey findings are:
  • The majority of megachurch attendees - 62 per cent - are under the age of 45 years, while 35 per cent of those in a typical congregation fall into the 18 to 44 years age group.
  • About 30 per cent of megachurch attendees are single, unmarried individuals. In a typical church, singles account for just 10 per cent of all worshipers. 80 per cent of those in a typical congregation are married or widowed.
  • Megachurch attendees appear to be both more educated and more well-to-do, compared to worshipers in other churches.
  • The majority of megachurch attendees are not necessarily new to Christianity, but nearly 25 per cent had not recently attended another church prior to coming to a megachurch.
  • Newcomers in most cases start attending a megachurch at the invitation of family members, co-workers or close friends. Only 19 per cent said that they saw the church or viewed media about it and came on their own. And 16 per cent said they viewed the church's website before attending.
  • The real attraction for the majority of megachurch attendees seems to be the church's reputation, worship style and senior pastor.
  • Long-term attendance is a result of an appreciation for the church's music and arts, social and community outreach, and adult-oriented programs.
  • 45 per cent of megachurch attendees never volunteer at the church.
  • Forty-five per cent strongly agreed that their spiritual needs were being met and only 14 per cent of the worshipers expressed a level of dissatisfaction with their spiritual growth at the megachurches.
The survey also found that regular attendance, involvement, and financial donations increased over the time. Fewer people reported "much growth" in their faith after 5 years of attendance. However, these individuals were still more likely to experience satisfaction in spiritual growth, compared to those who attended the churches of all sizes.
Scott Thumma, M.Div., Ph.D., professor of sociology of religion at Hartford Seminary and a principal author of the survey report, said that the study demonstrated that megachurch attendees are a distinct group of people - often with younger age than worshipers at churches of other sizes - with complex patterns of involvement. They draft their own special, customized spiritual experiences through the multitude of ministry choices and diverse ways for involvement that megachurches offer.
"Participants interact with the megachurch on their own terms in order to meet their individualized needs, rather than following some prescribed or idealized plan created by the church's leadership," Thumma said.
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