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Permalink Reply by Forrest Curo on 10th mo. 19, 2014 at 11:58pm

So, Jesus used to deliver his talks to people gathered for what was probably a traditional supper gathering; and people found that interesting enough. Every church I'm personally familiar with will have refreshments after the service -- Certainly my Meeting does -- but how many people are moved to talk about religious matters on these occasions?

Why don't we?

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Permalink Reply by Laura Scattergood on 10th mo. 20, 2014 at 11:49am

Hi Forrest,  Thanks for your reply   It isn't the visiting and the snacks and the coffee drinking that needs examining The humor for me here is the idea that in the "church's" marketing survey they found that God wasn't that popular, so they eliminated all traces of spirituality to give the people what they wanted.  The shopping for God like a consumer product.     We know Jesus served snacks, of course.  Loaves and Fishes.   One of my children as a preschooler, suggested that maybe Jesus could multiply our pizza when we ran short.   That's a fun way to imagine the story.  A big party with Jesus present, and the pizza never running out.  Afterwards collecting twelve boxes of uneaten pizza.  And a keg of beer that kept flowing. Okay that's stretching it.   But it makes the story fresh in my mind. 
Forrest Curo said:

So, Jesus used to deliver his talks to people gathered for what was probably a traditional supper gathering; and people found that interesting enough. Every church I'm personally familiar with will have refreshments after the service -- Certainly my Meeting does -- but how many people are moved to talk about religious matters on these occasions?

Why don't we?

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Permalink Reply by Laura Scattergood on 10th mo. 20, 2014 at 12:20pm

And then there's"  John 6:26

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Permalink Reply by Forrest Curo on 10th mo. 20, 2014 at 5:38pm

A church that didn't satisfy people in at least some way -- simply wouldn't continue. For many of Jesus' adherents, having anything whatsoever to eat was probably a big draw... and their interest in the religious aspect was tied to the fact that being fed, after long deprivation, was clearly tied to what God was doing with Israel at the time.

Yeah, it's interesting that the marketing considerations might drown out concern for what a religious organization really has to offer... but more interesting, to me, that whatever we're supposed to offer doesn't seem to matter so much to us, either. "I found them all drunk; there was no one athirst among them" as the Gospel of Thomas has it...

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Permalink Reply by Laura Scattergood on 10th mo. 20, 2014 at 7:14pm

Well,  it was just a joke anyway.
 
Forrest Curo said:

A church that didn't satisfy people in at least some way -- simply wouldn't continue. For many of Jesus' adherents, having anything whatsoever to eat was probably a big draw... and their interest in the religious aspect was tied to the fact that being fed, after long deprivation, was clearly tied to what God was doing with Israel at the time.

Yeah, it's interesting that the marketing considerations might drown out concern for what a religious organization really has to offer... but more interesting, to me, that whatever we're supposed to offer doesn't seem to matter so much to us, either. "I found them all drunk; there was no one athirst among them" as the Gospel of Thomas has it...

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