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The first image that came to mind when I looked at the topic "Religious Climbing" was that of a monk or nun on belay. You see I am Catholic and the term Religious is used broadly when talking about a nun, monk, or other member of a Religious Order. I wonder if there are any climbers among the ranks of the "Religious"?

It is really easy to go to church on Sunday...and Wednesday...and still get to climb...when you live in Stanton

Also, Pigsteak, if you were truly searching for the Christian version of God, you might want to try the Bible instead of CS Lewis....Screwtape was enlightening, but it isn't straight from God's mouth.

PS-It doesn't do any of us any good to assemble as God's people, if we don't want to be there.

"It's not about Religion, it's about a Relationship"

How can you maintain a intimate relationship with your savior if you only hang out with Him on Sunday and then put Him into the closet Monday thru Saturday?

There's my 2 cents..

rhunt,

who said anything about putting him in the closet? going to church doesn't make you anymore religous than it makes the the piano up front saved by being there 7 days a week...

true faith will weave its way thru our life, presenting itself when necessary. unfortunately, too many of us have nightmarish images of churches of our youth, and we then throw out the entire focus.

hey demos....careful there, young man. you were assuming that I did not read the Bible first...show me where I said that. Plus, show me where anything Lewis says is in contradiction to the Bible.

Chew on this one..I believe it is 100% possible to become a Christian, and to never set foot in a church, or ever open the Bible. Example: 100 years ago, many were illiterate. God had to give them the same opportunity to know him. reading the Bible will not save you. going to church will not save you. not going to church will not send you to hell either.

good point rev. Piggie

pigsteak wrote:rhunt,

Chew on this one..I believe it is 100% possible to become a Christian, and to never set foot in a church, or ever open the Bible. Example: 100 years ago, many were illiterate. God had to give them the same opportunity to know him. reading the Bible will not save you. going to church will not save you. not going to church will not send you to hell either.

Fabulous

It all comes down to choice. Do you want to do what's right and obey God? Or do you want to fulfil your selfish desires and make yourself happy while you still live on this earth?

Are you willing to sacrifice for God? Is climbing so important that you can't give it up for a short time every week to worship God? Is climbing more important than the eternal condition of your soul?

Please don't answer me. I won't be the one judging you some day. My duty as a Christian is not to judge but to teach others.

I live in Stanton which is fifteen minutes from the Red. I would invite anyone that climbs in the Red but still wants to attend services on Sunday mornings to email me. I can still get in a good afternoon of climbing after sevices.

those who want to worship can also hold an informal early church at Miguel's, and then still get in a full day of climbing....rev Piggie will take his turn at the pulpit...

Wicked Tribe wrote:It all comes down to choice. Do you want to do what's right and obey God? Or do you want to fulfil your selfish desires and make yourself happy while you still live on this earth?

Are you willing to sacrifice for God? Is climbing so important that you can't give it up for a short time every week to worship God? Is climbing more important than the eternal condition of your soul?

Please don't answer me. I won't be the one judging you some day. My duty as a Christian is not to judge but to teach others.

This is very judgmental actually.

pigsteak. nice points, well thought out and not demeaning... again, nice.

I would ask about the people that lived when the bible was only for the "religious" people that captain static mentions. Reading the bible by the common man was taboo. There was also the issue of there not being a friendly neighborhood zondervans, or wait, even a printing press!

Yep, pretty much all those people who never ever read a verse of the bible (oh, and only heard it in Latin, which they couldn't understand), they're all going to hell right?? woohoo, I'm glad i didn't live then!!

I'm with pigsteak, i get a great deal out of reading other authors, like Fredrick Buechner and Madeline L'Engle, and listening to Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and Bob Dylan.

Can you have a relationship with Christ without ever reading the bible or setting foot in a church... damn, I hope so. The church was once a bunch of people sitting around talking and wondering what it all meant, there wasn't a New Testament, just a bunch of letters written by some very flawed men... Then the church became ruled over by Governement... then ole Martin Luther came along and now the Church is mostly ruled over by the Bible... which is not to say the bible isn't cool, but it is just a piece. It's not as if God stopped doing cool stuff once the Bible was finished... right?

So, all sarcasm aside, back to the question:

how do i deal with it? I don't call what i do "dealing with it".

I go to a church (sometimes) which doesn't have rules or memebership or an offeratory. It is centered on having meaningful relationships with people and God... no matter what we're doing.

If the weather is nice, I go climbing (sometimes) so that I can enjoy creation with my all my body and soul; relishing what my body can do (or cursing what it can not yet do).

Sitting alone, cleaning the anchors after a climb, I take in all that my eyes can see. Maybe sometimes I even see a little ways past that.