Say the word “church,” and people begin making a LOT of assumptions. Let’s see if we can clear up some of those matters for you.
| Q | Don’t real churches have buildings? |
| A | Not really. The word church comes from the Greek: ecclesia, referring to a body of like believers. The church is, and always has been, the people, not the building. Since we do not limit ourselves to one physical location, we see no good reason to have a building at all! It cuts way down on expenses! |
| Q | Do you believe in God? |
| A | Which one? There is no exact global count of worshipped gods, but anthropologists estimate that at least 18,000 different gods, goddesses, and spiritual entities have been worshipped throughout human history. No matter which one we might choose, everyone else would think we’re wrong. So, we don’t choose, and we don’t discriminate. Believe, or don’t believe. That’s a personal choice. |
| Q | So, you don’t preach the Bible? |
| A | First of all, we don’t preach; we teach. We provide information, and it’s up to the individual to decide what to do with it. Secondly, we find wisdom worth sharing from a wide variety of sources. Wisdom is not limited to one book. |
| Q | Aren’t you afraid of going to hell? |
| A | Not in the slightest. While the basic concept of an eternal place of torture extends back as far as Zoroastrianism in the last century BCE, it didn’t make its way into Western theologies until the 4th century, via Augustine. Dante is responsible for that whole “circles of hell” thing, but it never really caught hold as a topic in society until the Christian evangelism movement of the late 19th century. Scientifically, the presence of a heaven or hell would require some form of metaphysical realm, and physicists are quite certain no such thing exists. |
| Q | What happens to us when we die? |
| A | Life itself is composed of pure cosmic energy. When the human body ceases to function, that energy leaves the body and returns to the cosmos. Whether that process can be seen or measured is a matter of theory and superstition. The body itself is composed largely of Oxygen (65%), Carbon (18.5%), Hydrogen (10%), and Nitrogen (3%). The rest is a small mix of other chemicals. When the body is deceased, the chemicals immediately begin to break down and deteriorate. Without any intervention, the body skeletonizes within one month, depending on environmental conditions. |
| Q | Do I have to belong to the church to participate in conversations? |
| A | Absolutely not! Membership is totally voluntary. We want everyone to feel welcome even if they don’t linger. |
| Q | Is there a membership fee or a required tithe? |
| A | Nope! First, we have no formal legal structure that allows us to accept such payments. Second, we find the concept rather suspect. We may eventually have merch, but at the moment even that sounds like a lot of work for little reward. |
| Q | What if I don’t get along with someone in the church? |
| A | That happens in any organization. Sometimes, personalities and past experiences just clash. We’re not going to tell you to “love everyone” or “forgive and forget.” We’re going to ask you to do two things. 1) Respect the humanity of the other person. 2) Make the adjustment that is best for your inner peace. If the person harmed you in any way, LET US KNOW so that we can respond appropriately. |
If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
You may also find help on our About page.