Religion in America

Preface:
I am in the past was Protestant, and I know such churches, and also Catholic religion in Germany, the bible, the Lord's Prayer, and the traditions of the Christian churches. Often regions in Europe practice Ecumenism. It means, for example, they hold services for the congregation together, or alternate. In June I was in Hungary at an Ecumenical wedding. In the Catholic church a Catholic priest (in a white robe) and a Protestant pastor (in a black robe) held the service together. In Bali I visited lots of Hindu temples, and in the Turkey some of famous mosques. This is my only background about religion. I am atheist, and visit the church normally only once a year at Christmas with my family.
The services, which I know, are very bible oriented, using the old fashioned language and the stories from the (old or new) testaments. Everywhere in-, and outside of Christian churches you can see paintings, or sculptures of the Lord, of Jesus, and Maria, and also of the prophets.


On Sunday we visited the Crossroads Community Church. The first observation was: nowhere any signs of a church, no crosses, no altar, etc. The first impression was that could not be a real church. Outside it appeared, like a big mall with a huge parking space and inside like a big congress center with meeting point, information center, coffee bar and a recreation area with WiFi and comfortable couches. There were kids' club with creative wall paintings like in a zoo or jungle with big climbing house and rooms for children at different ages, also for children with special needs. Toys and drinks were offered, so that, I think, people, especially children, like to come here. A lot of meeting rooms were in the background, as we later learned, for example, for use by different support groups.
The auditorium was very impressive, like a very huge cinema or meeting hall with drink holders at every of the 4000 seats; in the middle a stage with two screens besides, like at a big rock concert. A rock band played and a prayer, using Jeans and a T-shirt, was performing his message like an entertainer. The message and the pictures were very emotional, and I thought al well that more gratitude in the every days live would be advantageously.
In the hall they offered free bibles, and some materials: "What we believe", "Seven hills we die on", and about serving and Baptism. I read these, and I think that this kind of relogion is a special form of humanity. They give the people the choice and the freedom what they think who God is. They say that the church are the people (church = people). They ask the people to help them to improve something in the world, starting at themselves, to take care on each other, to grow, to push out of the comfort zone, to do the life together, to engage for cultural communication in the community, and to be authentically. I think, with or without focusing on God, if they achieve some people with some of these messages (to be a better husband, to help the neighbour, to develop some understanding for other people and behaviours), it could help to make the world better.
I think, this is an interesting way to get through to people in our today's time.

An other religion we occupied with is the Islam. We visited a mosque, and learned something about the religion, the Koran, the seven things the Muslims believe in, and the five pillars, they have to do. It was also very interesting, but the big difference is that the rules are very strict. As a "real" Muslim you have to pray five times day-to-day, you have to practice the Ramadan, and to pilgrimage to the holy sites once a life (or more), etc. I think, also the exterior signs, like the woman's clothes, are very strict and extreme. In the Turkey we got to know far open religious manners, and that the exterior signs are not the most important things to be a good believer. Most of the women there don't wear the traditional clothing and the scarves.
Also this religion supplies a lot of interesting offers to the community, like using football places and other sports equipment, meeting halls and classrooms.
The Muslims say that everyone is welcome to learn something about the religion, too. I think, this way of practicing a religion is more difficult to interest people in "God", or how they call him "Allah", who have not background in this, yet.

I think, both of the "Institutions", we have visited, contribute to a larger Cincinnati community, each in it's way.

To be continued...
Bye for today!