Twid's spiritual exploration thingie.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

The congregation bit is part of the larger experience I'm after. It's not the goal.

Well, that was kind of my original point.  It will be the same thing as the Catholic congregation, only with a different dead language.

Well, I suppose I should ask myself then if I can experience Judaism without attending Temple.

Why?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

We're a congregation of primates.

Yes, this is precisely true...BUT the choir hates the altar boys, the nave is full of assholes with joy buzzers, and the priest is actively bullshitting the congregation at large, who are themselves screeching "FREEBIRD" at the organist.

Same old monkeys, newer joke.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

The congregation bit is part of the larger experience I'm after. It's not the goal.

Well, that was kind of my original point.  It will be the same thing as the Catholic congregation, only with a different dead language.

Well, I suppose I should ask myself then if I can experience Judaism without attending Temple.

Why?

Good question.  I was stating a personal opinion (stated as such twice), and this somehow translated out as criticism or instructions or something.  Which wasn't the goal.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

As I understand it, no official is necessary for the Jewish congregation, and a priest is required for a Catholic one.  Also note that a Jewish congregation has a numerical requirement, and does not require a temple.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

We're a congregation of primates.

Yes, this is precisely true...BUT the choir hates the altar boys, the nave is full of assholes with joy buzzers, and the priest is actively bullshitting the congregation at large, who are themselves screeching "FREEBIRD" at the organist.

Same old monkeys, newer joke.

Ah, but we always make exceptions for ourselves!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

Well, it's a community-based religion, so...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

As I understand it, no official is necessary for the Jewish congregation, and a priest is required for a Catholic one.  Also note that a Jewish congregation has a numerical requirement, and does not require a temple.

Yeah, I think FBF makes it to Temple once a year at best. And she skipped this year because of the baby. But the congregation part is REALLY important. You can't properly do some of the holidays without a party.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

We're a congregation of primates.

Yes, this is precisely true...BUT the choir hates the altar boys, the nave is full of assholes with joy buzzers, and the priest is actively bullshitting the congregation at large, who are themselves screeching "FREEBIRD" at the organist.

Same old monkeys, newer joke.

Ah, but we always make exceptions for ourselves!

In this case I am justified in my own mind, and the only thing THAT required was that THIS congregation only RARELY makes me reach for the chainsaw.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

As I understand it, no official is necessary for the Jewish congregation, and a priest is required for a Catholic one.  Also note that a Jewish congregation has a numerical requirement, and does not require a temple.

Yeah, I think FBF makes it to Temple once a year at best. And she skipped this year because of the baby. But the congregation part is REALLY important. You can't properly do some of the holidays without a party.

A Minyan requires 10 people.  There's an old saying (and I love old Jewish sayings) that goes "9 sages do not make a minyan, but 10 idiots do."

Also note that a minyan does not require 10 MEN, just 10 people of either gender, of age (defined as having being bar mitzvah'd or the female equivalent (the name of which escapes me).

Original Christianity only required 3 people gathered together specifically to discuss or perform worship.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

We're a congregation of primates.

Yes, this is precisely true...BUT the choir hates the altar boys, the nave is full of assholes with joy buzzers, and the priest is actively bullshitting the congregation at large, who are themselves screeching "FREEBIRD" at the organist.

Same old monkeys, newer joke.

Ah, but we always make exceptions for ourselves!

In this case I am justified in my own mind, and the only thing THAT required was that THIS congregation only RARELY makes me reach for the chainsaw.

Fair enough.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

As I understand it, no official is necessary for the Jewish congregation, and a priest is required for a Catholic one.  Also note that a Jewish congregation has a numerical requirement, and does not require a temple.

Yeah, I think FBF makes it to Temple once a year at best. And she skipped this year because of the baby. But the congregation part is REALLY important. You can't properly do some of the holidays without a party.

A Minyan requires 10 people.  There's an old saying (and I love old Jewish sayings) that goes "9 sages do not make a minyan, but 10 idiots do."

Also note that a minyan does not require 10 MEN, just 10 people of either gender, of age (defined as having being bar mitzvah'd or the female equivalent (the name of which escapes me).

Original Christianity only required 3 people gathered together specifically to discuss or perform worship.

Bat Mitzvah.

One of the things that's nice about most Jewish holidays is that they're FUN. They mostly involve wine and friends and feasting and games and singing silly songs and not taking yourself too seriously.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The uniform thing occurred to me, but being a part of a congregation would help me understand the worldview better.

It will help you understand the worldview of "being part of a congregation" better.

I'm already familiar with that one.

So, yeah, just asking here:  What makes you think one congregation of primates will be a different experience than another congregation of primates?

We're a congregation of primates.

Yes, this is precisely true...BUT the choir hates the altar boys, the nave is full of assholes with joy buzzers, and the priest is actively bullshitting the congregation at large, who are themselves screeching "FREEBIRD" at the organist.

Same old monkeys, newer joke.

Ah, but we always make exceptions for ourselves!

In this case I am justified in my own mind, and the only thing THAT required was that THIS congregation only RARELY makes me reach for the chainsaw.

Fair enough.

So I also make an exception for the Nazarenes (at least the local ones), on account of they are the nicest people on Earth, ever.  They hate NOBODY.  Needless to say, everyone else hates them like they're Hitler's personal fartcatchers.  They don't even preach at anyone, they just lead by example.

And they're not allowed to discuss charitable work or donations at all, nor are they allowed to claim them on taxes.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

As I understand it, no official is necessary for the Jewish congregation, and a priest is required for a Catholic one.  Also note that a Jewish congregation has a numerical requirement, and does not require a temple.

Yeah, I think FBF makes it to Temple once a year at best. And she skipped this year because of the baby. But the congregation part is REALLY important. You can't properly do some of the holidays without a party.

A Minyan requires 10 people.  There's an old saying (and I love old Jewish sayings) that goes "9 sages do not make a minyan, but 10 idiots do."

Also note that a minyan does not require 10 MEN, just 10 people of either gender, of age (defined as having being bar mitzvah'd or the female equivalent (the name of which escapes me).

Original Christianity only required 3 people gathered together specifically to discuss or perform worship.

Bat Mitzvah.

One of the things that's nice about most Jewish holidays is that they're FUN. They mostly involve wine and friends and feasting and games and singing silly songs and not taking yourself too seriously.

That has been my experience, but I actually only know maybe a half-dozen Jewish people, and they're not really practicing.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What i meant by that is how necessary is the idea of communal worship in general. What makes a jewish congregation dissimilar to a catholic one?

As I understand it, no official is necessary for the Jewish congregation, and a priest is required for a Catholic one.  Also note that a Jewish congregation has a numerical requirement, and does not require a temple.

Yeah, I think FBF makes it to Temple once a year at best. And she skipped this year because of the baby. But the congregation part is REALLY important. You can't properly do some of the holidays without a party.

A Minyan requires 10 people.  There's an old saying (and I love old Jewish sayings) that goes "9 sages do not make a minyan, but 10 idiots do."

Also note that a minyan does not require 10 MEN, just 10 people of either gender, of age (defined as having being bar mitzvah'd or the female equivalent (the name of which escapes me).

Original Christianity only required 3 people gathered together specifically to discuss or perform worship.

Bat Mitzvah.

One of the things that's nice about most Jewish holidays is that they're FUN. They mostly involve wine and friends and feasting and games and singing silly songs and not taking yourself too seriously.

That has been my experience, but I actually only know maybe a half-dozen Jewish people, and they're not really practicing.

One of the nice things about so many of my friends being Jewish is that I get to do the holidays with them, and they are awesome.