Independent Christian Thinkers

[Willow]

I found this search via robbymac's web site that was posted awhile back here. Anyway... it lets you put in your zip code and find other independent christians outside of church... for those of you who can't manage church yet.

http://indieallies.meetup.com/

The sad thing about this is... I found the link... but dont' think I fit in anything labeled "christian" anymore. I am a christian... but can't deal with environments that don the label.

[Carmen]

I hope it isn't some sort of scheme of emergent churches to gather the "unchurched" into organized groups (to control). Maybe I'm being overly suspicious. You know me. :p But I can take care of myself.

I'll add my address and see what happens. Something good may come of it.

[Carmen]

Ooops! They want money, otherwise I would have started a group. Shucks.

[tke316]

I seem to be about 80 miles from anything. And none of the anythings 80 miles away have anything to do with independent Christians. What the heck is Ifa religion? :confused:

[Willow]

IFa religion? I didn't see that.

Carmen... good wisdom there... you may know more about emergent churches than I do? There is a pastor of an emergent church signed up on that list. I happened to know his name. hmmmmm.

Money??? I didn't try to start a group... just signed up for info.

[tke316]

I found the answer with a Google. Ifa is a indigenous religion of the Yoruba of Southern Nigeria. They have a short list of things they reject. That Jesus is the only way to the Father is on the short list of things they reject.

[Willow]

Is that a person that popped up on your area code group? There will most likely be a variety of people who have put their names in the list.

[yeshua'smags]

Well there's a red flag for ya! :eek:

RUN! Run away!!:D

[Doug64]

Hmmm.

Methinks me will pass.

Doug

[Willow]

:( oh well... thought i was onto something there. Maybe isolation isn't such a bad life after all. *sigh*

[tke316]

Is that a person that popped up on your area code group? There will most likely be a variety of people who have put their names in the list.
I just put in my zip code and it gave me a list of all the stuff going on within 70 miles or so. There were no "independent Chrisian thinkers" but there was a bunch of other stuff.

There were Bible studies, stay at home businesses, vampires, Wicca, Pagan, poker, tons of stuff. :rolleyes:

The Ifa religion meet-up group was probably a special interest group, probably African-American trying to get back to their African heritage.

I studied the Yoruba when I was an Anthropology major in college back in the good old days of long hair and anti-war protests (wait a minute - deja vu all over again). I don't remember the Ifa divination stuff. I was just ticked off that the Yoruba book wasn't written as well as the one on the Yananamo or the one on the Cheyenne. :(

[Willow]

Ohhh... I see... you went to the general part of the site. I went to that too. The site is just a reference point for groups who meet in an area with points of interest. We had organic farmers meetings around here... and of all things... song writers groups!!!

[tke316]

:( oh well... thought i was onto something there. Maybe isolation isn't such a bad life after all. *sigh*

Hold on thare Babba Louie. I'll do the thin'in' 'round har.

You are onto something. :) I didn't find independent Christian thinkers:( , but I did find a group in my town interested in getting a writer's group going:D .

There are other things people want to get together about other than faith. ;)

I get some fellowship from a Saturday morining group of guys who get together for an hour to eat, pray and have a short devotonal. They are ecumenical. There's a few Lutherans, a couple Bible-church types, a 7th Day Adventist, a couple mega-church attenders and an ex-Catholic. :cool:

The oldest is 92 down to the youngest who's pushing 50 (that's exercise enough).;)

I've got a book reading club and an MS support group. Isolation would be the death of me.:eek:

[yeshua'smags]

Hold on thare Babba Louie. I'll do the thin'in' 'round har.




Ahhh, the cartoon knowledge never fails!:D

Aww, Willow, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to thumb my nose at your post, I hope I didn't offend you!:) :o

[Willow]

Naw mags... you didnt' offend me. I was just disheartened that my discovery turned into a cult... then I was re-encouraged when I realized that tke had clicked into the general groups in his/her area. Whew. Sorry tke... didn't know your gender!!!

I'm not isolated for the most part... I have work and horse and motorcylcle buddies. I do miss deep spiritual discussion and worship buddies. The internet provides fulfillment of a sort in this area... however, some real life study buddies would be cool.

[yeshua'smags]

Tell me about it! We haven't had real human friends since before we got married!!
Why is it so hard after a certain age?

[Willow]

I don't know. I can't even seem to get comfortable with finding a life companion. Wish I could. I guess after a certain age, people get set in their ways... maybe have a few too many hurts and disappointments... think? I know I vascillate between feeling utterly lonely and then feeling smothered by the normal demands of life and relationships. It becomes a relief to be alone again... then the cycle repeats.

[yeshua'smags]

-Yeah, sometimes I want to be on my own again just so I can go buy something without having to be accountable for it. Sometimes I miss making my own decisions.

I am so jealous of these women who have these awsome friends that get them through everything, and make eachother laugh, and help with eachother's kids...where are these women?

I used to only have guy friends, but that becomes inappropriate after you're married, I guess. Sucks! ---- not the married part the absence of friends part---:D :cool:

[Willow]

grass is always greener!

[tke316]

-Yeah, sometimes I want to be on my own again just so I can go buy something without having to be accountable for it. Sometimes I miss making my own decisions.

I am so jealous of these women who have these awsome friends that get them through everything, and make eachother laugh, and help with eachother's kids...where are these women?

I used to only have guy friends, but that becomes inappropriate after you're married, I guess. Sucks! ---- not the married part the absence of friends part---:D :cool:

[tke316]

-Yeah, sometimes I want to be on my own again just so I can go buy something without having to be accountable for it. Sometimes I miss making my own decisions.

I am so jealous of these women who have these awsome friends that get them through everything, and make eachother laugh, and help with eachother's kids...where are these women?

I used to only have guy friends, but that becomes inappropriate after you're married, I guess. Sucks! ---- not the married part the absence of friends part---:D :cool:

I had written a post, but I tried to edit it and it took me more than ten minutes so it got axed. :mad: I'll get it again later. I ran out of time now. :o

[Katie]

I am so jealous of these women who have these awsome friends that get them through everything, and make eachother laugh, and help with eachother's kids...where are these women?


I had this. I lost most of them overnight. If you had asked me at the time, I would have told you my friendships were real and true. Guess not. It's been hard to accept and believe it could happen.

[yeshua'smags]

The same thing happened to us. When we got married, we lost the first round of friends. Then when my son was born, we lost the second round.

These were REALLY close friends, since high school friends, blood brother/sister friends. One of them lost his brother after a bone marrow transplant, we were all together. One couple are Judah's God-parents. He doesn't even know who they are! When I lost my daddy, we were all together. We were in eachother's weddings. When I was in the hospital having Judah, we were together.

What happens?

[Carmen]

IFa religion? I didn't see that.

Carmen... good wisdom there... you may know more about emergent churches than I do? There is a pastor of an emergent church signed up on that list. I happened to know his name. hmmmmm.

Money??? I didn't try to start a group... just signed up for info.

I wasn't saying that MeetUp itself has an agenda to gather and control the unchurched, but some of the groups started there might.

If you join a group you'd be expected to pay monthly rates, probably depending on how many are in the group.

I think that a similar site could be set up to help the unchurched meet other unchurched for free, supported only by donations. I don't have the time to set something up myself, nor the capability to manage something that large, but if someone else does I'd manage a donation for it.

[Willow]

I don't see any reason why it couldn't be a casual sort of get-together rather than a paid monthly meeting. I have thought about starting something... but you have to really want to do it for it to work. My heart wouldh't be in it enough.

[tke316]

-Yeah, sometimes I want to be on my own again just so I can go buy something without having to be accountable for it. Sometimes I miss making my own decisions.

I am so jealous of these women who have these awsome friends that get them through everything, and make eachother laugh, and help with eachother's kids...where are these women?

I used to only have guy friends, but that becomes inappropriate after you're married, I guess. Sucks! ---- not the married part the absence of friends part---:D :cool:

OK, here's that post I had trouble with yesterday.

I have found myself avoiding many get-togethers with friends/relatives who are either micro-managers of my life or critical of everything. I have one at least one "friend" who makes me feel like I have to justify every breath I take. And he reminds me of my father. This guy is worse than my father in the sense that he implies that every little thing I do is potentially upsetting to God. My dad doesn't do that.

I remember that when I was growing up my mother's friends would stop in for coffee often. Seems like there was at least one drop in every day and one neighbor seems like she was by for coffee sometimes several times a day. ;)

The farmers would stop by to have coffee with my dad. It was funny the way they would pull a kitchen chair up to the front door cause they didn't want to get too far into the house with their coveralls. (silage in the cuffs you know)

(Unique area of the state, not Norwegian or German. Actually most of our neighbors were Dutch.) ;)

My mom and dad played cards every Friday and Saturday night with another couple. I don't know why they did it on Friday and Saturday, since as farmers it really made no difference. To milk the cows they had to get up as early on Saturday and Sunday. I guess it was because the friends' boys got up and milked on the weekend and the dad slept in (no school). :p

I thought when I grew up I would have a life like on the Flintstones. I thought I would have a best friend next door and my wife would be best friends with my friend's wife. I thought we would go bowling and join the "lodge" together. :D

Instead we only have friends at work and few stay in touch if you change assignments. :(

[peanut]

Cyber Space certainly has changes the complexion of friendships. Here we are, meeting in cyberspace, sharing feelings, hurts, even coffee. It's not face to face anymore.

Years ago I had several friends move out of town within about six months of each other. I was determined not to become friends with the new neighbor because I didn't want to get hurt again. Needless to say, I found a super friend in her and although she and her family were relocated only three short years later, I found I was deeply enriched by the relationship.

What I have discovered in this globally mobile world of ours is friends are a gift no matter how long they are activily part of your life. Some end in sadness & you can never understand why.....some just drift apart....but each encounter enriches the soul & offers differing understanding & perspective.

Would anyone like some cream with their coffee?

[yeshua'smags]

Yes! Where is Betty anyway?? And my hubby should have a Barney!

But either the wife is cool and the husband is a doof, or the husband is fun, but the wife is jealous. And forget our neighbors! They won't even speak if you're outside at the same time! This is the weirdest most unhospitable southern town I've ever lived in.

My parents always had friends too! They played cards, had a "supper club", whatever that is, :D and went on trips with them! And we moved every two years, so they were constantly making new ones. How did they do it?

What is the friend-having secret? Where are my Jack-and-Karen-Will-and-Grace? Oh shut up! It is a funny show!;) :D

[yeshua'smags]

Yes, please, Peanut...but I use an embarassing amount of coffeemate!!!:D :D :D
You might want to stock up!:D

[peanut]

Lots of coffeemate!!!!! Check!!!!! Got it already. Sugar anyone?

[tke316]

Lots of coffeemate!!!!! Check!!!!! Got it already. Sugar anyone?

It's Monday. They can't make coffee strong enough for Mondays. :p

[little lamb]

-
I am so jealous of these women who have these awsome friends that get them through everything, and make eachother laugh, and help with eachother's kids...where are these women?

I used to only have guy friends, but that becomes inappropriate after you're married, I guess. Sucks! ---- not the married part the absence of friends part---:D :cool:

[Doug64]

Many of our friends were in the church, too, so when we left contact ended with most of them.

We do know all of our immediate neighbors and do stand in the street and talk on occasion. The city is going through a lot of turmoil at the moment, so nearly everyone is talking about that.

Like this board, the majority of friends who e-mail are women. I read the messages to my wife so she is up to date with everyone. No jealousy around here that I'm aware of.

Many of the churches do such a bang-up! job of isolating the members, that when someone leaves, they are often pretty much alone. And the churches sometimes make dire predictions about how you will 'fall away' or be 'deceived' if you leave.

More control issues.

Doug

[little lamb]

so much for my first attempt to use the quote button.

Yeshua'smags: regarding your comment on male friends

I totally relate. always had guy friends, always related better to guys (could have something to do with my mom's behavior making me a little leery of women (no offense intended to you here)). avoided much contact with men after marriage, and our heavily agenda-oriented church didn't exactly encourage or enable the possibility of having a real friendship with women. so, isolation it's been.

anyway, i like you all. maybe it's because you seem so much more real--not the sickening two-faced deal.

[yeshua'smags]

Yep, I know what you mean...

People from our old church have been told something about how to handle us. Like thye had some hush hush "debriefing", so now they all have the same weird, Stepford reaction to us in public, or they verbally attack us. And we went to a "mainstream" United Methodist church!

[yeshua'smags]

Little Lamb-:D

My husband and I had the same male friends. He was part of the group of guys I used to hang out with. So he was never threatened by those friendships, and he knows I feel more comfortable with guys. We are more concerned with other people's reaction to me hanging out with a guy. I hate that cuz I could give a flip what other people think. But unfortunaely, people's talk can destroy relationships. :rolleyes:
So how do we get out of the isolation? How do you find friends when you're an adult?

[tke316]

When we had preschoolers, toddlers or babies we leveraged them properly. ;)

They were our ticket to play groups, parks, trips to the amusement park. The kids play together, and with any luck, the parents play together. :)

Some of our best times were when we could play cards with another couple while their kids entertained our kids. :)

As they get older there are dance classes, sports, music lessons, swimming lessons. :rolleyes:

When they get to high school and college age they become your adult friends sometimes. :D

[tke316]

Ooops! They want money, otherwise I would have started a group. Shucks. :(

Well, I paid my money :o and advertised a group I already had going. It is our book group :D , not an independent Christian thingers group :o .

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rochester_MN_MS_Book_Group/

[yeshua'smags]

What's an "Independent thinger"?:eek: I don't think you want one of those, they'll get you into trouble!:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Jerry]

What's an "Independent thinger"?:eek: I don't think you want one of those, they'll get you into trouble!:D :D :D :D :D :D :D
I am harmless ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, my "thinger" busted years ago :D

[tke316]

What's an "Independent thinger"?:eek: I don't think you want one of those, they'll get you into trouble!:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

The typo patrol strikes again. :mad:

"Let's be independent together." - Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer :confused:

"You are unique, just like everybody else." - bumper sticker :confused:

[yeshua'smags]

:D :D :D Hhahahahahahahaha:D :D :D