Twid's spiritual exploration thingie.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Clarification-

You can go to Temple anytime you want to without paying dues, but in order to celebrate the High Holy Days at Temple, you must either pay dues or buy tickets. Tickets are guaranteed and cheaper if you pay dues.

Hell of a racket.  We don't even charge for memberships, here.  Which makes me think we're sort of missing the point.

Because that arrangement sounds more like Southern Baptist-style hucksterism.  "God's here if you can afford it".

Well, you know, we have this god, and this god says we need to have this building, and this building needs to be maintained.

I guess before I'm willing to pay dues I have to ask myself how important is the community aspect to me.

And as a side note, I feel that Discordia has a different sense of Holy. Whenever money comes into it, I think of Jesus literally flipping tables. Jesus was a Discordian, rather than a Subgenius. Religion ought to be free, but if the religion requires a meeting spot and a community, I see the rationale.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Clarification-

You can go to Temple anytime you want to without paying dues, but in order to celebrate the High Holy Days at Temple, you must either pay dues or buy tickets. Tickets are guaranteed and cheaper if you pay dues.

Hell of a racket.  We don't even charge for memberships, here.  Which makes me think we're sort of missing the point.

Because that arrangement sounds more like Southern Baptist-style hucksterism.  "God's here if you can afford it".

Well, you know, we have this god, and this god says we need to have this building, and this building needs to be maintained.

I guess before I'm willing to pay dues I have to ask myself how important is the community aspect to me.

And as a side note, I feel that Discordia has a different sense of Holy. Whenever money comes into it, I think of Jesus literally flipping tables. Jesus was a Discordian, rather than a Subgenius. Religion ought to be free, but if the religion requires a meeting spot and a community, I see the rationale.

Sure, if you have the scratch to buy a ticket.  If you're of the meek, though, you can just spend Passover in your cardboard box. 

And, yeah, the Jesus flipping tables and swinging a scourge thing did come to mind.  If there's one thing about the New Testament that appeals to me, it's that scene, right there.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Clarification-

You can go to Temple anytime you want to without paying dues, but in order to celebrate the High Holy Days at Temple, you must either pay dues or buy tickets. Tickets are guaranteed and cheaper if you pay dues.

Hell of a racket.  We don't even charge for memberships, here.  Which makes me think we're sort of missing the point.

Because that arrangement sounds more like Southern Baptist-style hucksterism.  "God's here if you can afford it".

Well, you know, we have this god, and this god says we need to have this building, and this building needs to be maintained.

I guess before I'm willing to pay dues I have to ask myself how important is the community aspect to me.

And as a side note, I feel that Discordia has a different sense of Holy. Whenever money comes into it, I think of Jesus literally flipping tables. Jesus was a Discordian, rather than a Subgenius. Religion ought to be free, but if the religion requires a meeting spot and a community, I see the rationale.

Sure, if you have the scratch to buy a ticket.  If you're of the meek, though, you can just spend Passover in your cardboard box. 

And, yeah, the Jesus flipping tables and swinging a scourge thing did come to mind.  If there's one thing about the New Testament that appeals to me, it's that scene, right there.

So, do you recommend that I flip the table and be a Jew alone, or try and partake in the community? Or partake in the community insofar that it costs me nothing?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So, do you recommend that I flip the table and be a Jew alone, or try and partake in the community? Or partake in the community insofar that it costs me nothing?

Partake in the community if you can, if you really want to check it out.

But be suspicious of any organization that charges tickets for God.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

So, do you recommend that I flip the table and be a Jew alone, or try and partake in the community? Or partake in the community insofar that it costs me nothing?

Partake in the community if you can, if you really want to check it out.

But be suspicious of any organization that charges tickets for God.

Fair point. I do really want to check it out.

Truth be told, part of the reason I found Catholicism alienating was because my parish was the type where it was "Mass has ended, not GTFO and give each other the finger trying to go home."

Honestly I thought that was normal until I took World Religions and attended a Unitarian Universalist meeting, and it was expected that you stuck around and socialized. Then I saw my coworker get ordained as an Orthodox Christian priest, and well, coffee and pastries and talking and oh isn't that interesting, I used to be a Catholic too (the recently ordained was also a third former Catholic). And my Lutheran friends where it's like, hey, I'm in seminary, and come and visit and let's tear it up like back in Boston, and let's go visit my preacher dad for service on Sunday, and oh, it's about false gods and he knows you're Pagan. False god=$$$. Hell, different parish, same town, here's some coffee and pastries after Mass.

I guess what I'm saying is that the community aspect is very compelling. The money aspect may be bollocks, but at the end of the day, someone has to pay for the coffee and donuts. And I definitely missed that in my home parish. The sense of community.

[Don Coyote]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

why did point 2 make so much sense?

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

why did point 2 make so much sense?

Because you're a mathematician.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

why did point 2 make so much sense?

Because you're a mathematician.

Actually I thought part 2 such an awesome quote I couldn't even address it.

[Don Coyote]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

why did point 2 make so much sense?

Because you're a mathematician.

Nope.  I've told math to fuck off and bug some other soul.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

why did point 2 make so much sense?

Because you're a mathematician.

Nope.  I've told math to fuck off and bug some other soul.

You've still much to learn about poetry then.

Twid,
Musician, inadvertent mathematician

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I still fail to see the attraction.

We have all the Holiness™ you need, right here.  We got it leaking outta every orifice.

It's a pull, Reverend. I can't explain it otherwise. It's something that is calling me to different places on the map.

And, like many other attractions, E tickets are gonna cost ya plenty.

What would you recommend?

I don't recommend ANY religious institution, because in the end, they're all the same thing:  Finding a way to get someone ELSE'S opinion on God (or the Cosmic Muffin, or whatever the hell it is you're looking for).

As I've said before, I'm a believer, but I have two idiosyncrasies that make all the other believers crowd to the other side of the bus.

1.  All churches are crap, EVEN *insert name of church in question*, and

2.  SCIENCE DOES NOT REMOVE THE TERROR OF THE GODS.  You CAN'T prove God's existence, and it's BLASPHEMOUS TO EVEN TRY IT, at least according to the new testament.  You merely accept empirical evidence as the way the universe works, and then believe in God anyway, even if the evidence amounts to the idea that he isn't at all necessary.  Part of being all powerful is not being necessary, and existing anyway.

why did point 2 make so much sense?

Because Holy Man™.  Also, I live in a fucking desert.  All the weird shit comes out of deserts, if you think about it.

That's because THIS PLACE IS NOT HABITABLE AND IT MAKES US ALL CRAZY.  We sit in the big empty and thing big empty thoughts until shit makes a strange and contagious sort of sense.

Then we come rolling out of the desert, fueled by these ideas, and fucking everyone's shit.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Music and poetry are the act of humans making math seem pretty.

Ask Classicist about dactylic hexameter. Or perhaps an English major about iambic pentameter. It's all math and no rhyme.