LCMS Positions, the not obvious ones

[Zoness]

Ok so I have decided to go church seeking again. In a trend going against my nature and quite out on a limb for me, I am looking at the LCMS. I read some of their obscure positions on the official website about things like Harry Potter and RPGs like D&D, they kept the wording pretty ambiguous so I couldn't really figure it out. It sounds like they are pretty neutral in that respect, cool.

Ok, but let's not kid ourselves...we all know churches sort of develop "unwritten positions" and I am here to figure those out.

As LCMS members what are your views on:

-Role Playing Games
-Media such as "Harry Potter"
-Meditation in an eastern style (there really is no western meditation style)
-Other Christian denominations
-Metal, Breakcore, Hardcore Rave Techno and other "intense" genres of music


Also on a bit of an unrelated note: Why do you hold to your views about closed communion?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Tangible]

-Role Playing Games: Moderation is the key.

-Media such as "Harry Potter": I've heard there is actually quite a bit of Christian symbolism, intended or not.

-Meditation in an eastern style (there really is no western meditation style): This one is iffy for me. Too close to non-Christian worship for my taste. Yoga for exercise without any spiritual element is fine.

-Other Christian denominations: They're mostly cool, except where they're wrong. Some errors are dangerous to their faith.

-Metal, Breakcore, Hardcore Rave Techno and other "intense" genres of music: Not in Church, and not where I have to hear it. Otherwise, rock on.

Why do you hold to your views about closed communion? Communion is an expression of unity. Communicants should be in agreement in doctrine. Also, if someone doesn't believe in the Real Presence, they are communing in an unworthy fashion, which has spiritual consequences.

 

[TheCosmicGospel]

Ok so I have decided to go church seeking again. In a trend going against my nature and quite out on a limb for me, I am looking at the LCMS. I read some of their obscure positions on the official website about things like Harry Potter and RPGs like D&D, they kept the wording pretty ambiguous so I couldn't really figure it out. It sounds like they are pretty neutral in that respect, cool.

Ok, but let's not kid ourselves...we all know churches sort of develop "unwritten positions" and I am here to figure those out.

As LCMS members what are your views on:

-Role Playing Games
-Media such as "Harry Potter"
-Meditation in an eastern style (there really is no western meditation style)
-Other Christian denominations
-Metal, Breakcore, Hardcore Rave Techno and other "intense" genres of music


Also on a bit of an unrelated note: Why do you hold to your views about closed communion?

Thank you for your time.

How did you come up with this idea? LCMS tries hard not to appeal to 18 year olds. People your age are usually not that involved and run around until they have families and have a kid and think, we should get the kid baptized. That's what brings them back after floating and wandering for a number of years.

It is a church for families and older people like me.

I hope you know some Lutherans your age. That would surely help. But then you might be the exception to the rule and like the quiet, organ playing in some austere meditative kind of way.

If you are a Harry Potter, D & D kind of guy, God just might be using you to "bowl" a view frames at the local LCMS.

Go for it.

Peace,

Cos

 

[LutheranHawkeye]

Ok so I have decided to go church seeking again. In a trend going against my nature and quite out on a limb for me, I am looking at the LCMS. I read some of their obscure positions on the official website about things like Harry Potter and RPGs like D&D, they kept the wording pretty ambiguous so I couldn't really figure it out. It sounds like they are pretty neutral in that respect, cool.

Ok, but let's not kid ourselves...we all know churches sort of develop "unwritten positions" and I am here to figure those out.

As LCMS members what are your views on:

-Role Playing Games
-Media such as "Harry Potter"
-Meditation in an eastern style (there really is no western meditation style)
-Other Christian denominations
-Metal, Breakcore, Hardcore Rave Techno and other "intense" genres of music


Also on a bit of an unrelated note: Why do you hold to your views about closed communion?

Thank you for your time.

RPG'S
Are super cool, and I play them a lot.
Harry Potter
Is a great book serires. I've heard of some LCMS members jokingly be against the series but I've never met anyone against them. I think fundamentalists and happy-clappys are really against the series.
Meditation
I pray the rosary omitting "holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death". To me the rosary is a form of meditation, both a way to order my prayers and meditate on certain aspects of the divine.
Other Christian Denominations
I realize that we have historic and doctrinal differences within Christianity. I tend to view most Christian denominations as containing some error, but the whole being okay. I respect liturgical and sacramental churches more than aliturgical churches, ie. happy clappys. They replace the sacraments and liturgy with the pursuit of an emotional high.
Music
Music is a gift from God. I like most all types of music, yet I think only liturgical music is appropriate for the Divine Service.

 

[Zoness]

How did you come up with this idea? LCMS tries hard not to appeal to 18 year olds. People your age are usually not that involved and run around until they have families and have a kid and think, we should get the kid baptized. That's what brings them back after floating and wandering for a number of years.

It is a church for families and older people like me.

I hope you know some Lutherans your age. That would surely help. But then you might be the exception to the rule and like the quiet, organ playing in some austere meditative kind of way.

If you are a Harry Potter, D & D kind of guy, God just might be using you to "bowl" a view frames at the local LCMS.

Go for it.

Peace,

Cos

I guess I am unique in that I give a ... about seeking I suppose. Honestly, no I don't know any other Lutherans similar to me, only non-church goers. I do like quiet contemplative churches, I have had enough to hear with evangelical churches, don't get me started. I will camp for more responses though I get the feeling this may not be for me.

 

[TheCosmicGospel]

I guess I am unique in that I give a ... about seeking I suppose. Honestly, no I don't know any other Lutherans similar to me, only non-church goers. I do like quiet contemplative churches, I have had enough to hear with evangelical churches, don't get me started. I will camp for more responses though I get the feeling this may not be for me.

You have given more information about yourself and it sounds positive to me. Call a few LCMS pastors and tell them what you are looking for and see if they can find you a home. I was only trying to be honest and not give you some hyped answer.

Peace and Happy Hunting,

Cos

 

[LutheranHawkeye]

I guess I am unique in that I give a ... about seeking I suppose. Honestly, no I don't know any other Lutherans similar to me, only non-church goers. I do like quiet contemplative churches, I have had enough to hear with evangelical churches, don't get me started. I will camp for more responses though I get the feeling this may not be for me.

The Lutheran tradition is a very fun and unique place to be within. Scriptural, liturgical, and sacramental churches embody the worship and teachings of Christ. Visit an LCMS church near by and tell us what you think!

 

[DaRev]

How did you come up with this idea? LCMS tries hard not to appeal to 18 year olds. People your age are usually not that involved and run around until they have families and have a kid and think, we should get the kid baptized. That's what brings them back after floating and wandering for a number of years.

It is a church for families and older people like me.

 

[wildboar]

I haven't heard anything against rpgs and I know some people that play them at our church.

My pastor and I have both read the Harry Potter books and enjoyed them. The Christian themes become pretty explicit in the last book. I started reading Harry Potter after hearing some very positive things about it on the Lutheran program Issues Etc. You should check it out if you haven't already. Harry Potter has far less problems theologically than Facing the Giants. One of the elders at my church is opposed to the Harry Potter books but I don't think he's read them.

I prayed a Lutheran version of the rosary with a pre-Trent Hail Mary at the end but most Lutherans don't do this. My pastor uses the rosary to pray the catechism. My pastor and I both pray the Jesus Prayer and I have adopted some of the Orthodox methods of praying it. I am not in favor adopting Buddhist styles of meditation though. How you meditate is not entirely neutral.

I think most Lutherans would view other Trinitarian churches as being Christian but think that doctrinal differences are important.

I don't think most in the LCMS would tell you that you can't listen to certain music styles but wouldn't want incorporate all music into the service.

 

[Tangible]

One thing to think about with music is that although music itself is neutral, neither good nor bad (chacun à son goût), when the lyrics are blatantly immoral or actively blasphemous, and you expose yourself to a whole lot of it, it could start to be a negative influence and be damaging to your faith.

Now, I'm not talking about avoiding this kind of music out of pietism or legalism, but simply out of spiritual wisdom and discernment and a desire to honor God and the avoidance of sin.

 

[Zoness]

You have given more information about yourself and it sounds positive to me. Call a few LCMS pastors and tell them what you are looking for and see if they can find you a home. I was only trying to be honest and not give you some hyped answer.

Peace and Happy Hunting,

Cos

Yeah I appreciate the honesty, better than people being like OH WE TOTALLY WANT YOU HERE and then discovering for myself the opposite. If I had known in the beginning, I wouldn't have gone to other places. But I digress, I will give it a shot sometime.

I haven't heard anything against rpgs and I know some people that play them at our church.

My pastor and I have both read the Harry Potter books and enjoyed them. The Christian themes become pretty explicit in the last book. I started reading Harry Potter after hearing some very positive things about it on the Lutheran program Issues Etc. You should check it out if you haven't already. Harry Potter has far less problems theologically than Facing the Giants. One of the elders at my church is opposed to the Harry Potter books but I don't think he's read them.

I prayed a Lutheran version of the rosary with a pre-Trent Hail Mary at the end but most Lutherans don't do this. My pastor uses the rosary to pray the catechism. My pastor and I both pray the Jesus Prayer and I have adopted some of the Orthodox methods of praying it. I am not in favor adopting Buddhist styles of meditation though. How you meditate is not entirely neutral.

I think most Lutherans would view other Trinitarian churches as being Christian but think that doctrinal differences are important.

I don't think most in the LCMS would tell you that you can't listen to certain music styles but wouldn't want incorporate all music into the service.

Interesting views. I wasn't really talking about using the music in the services, just in general.

One thing to think about with music is that although music itself is neutral, neither good nor bad (chacun à son goût), when the lyrics are blatantly immoral or actively blasphemous, and you expose yourself to a whole lot of it, it could start to be a negative influence and be damaging to your faith.

Now, I'm not talking about avoiding this kind of music out of pietism or legalism, but simply out of spiritual wisdom and discernment and a desire to honor God and the avoidance of sin.

Yeah I understand, but most of my music is non-lyrical anyways. As far as my faith, well far worse has happened to it over the years than some music. Heh.

 

[wildboar]

How did you come up with this idea? LCMS tries hard not to appeal to 18 year olds. People your age are usually not that involved and run around until they have families and have a kid and think, we should get the kid baptized. That's what brings them back after floating and wandering for a number of years.

I think it depends alot on the individual 18 year old as well as what is meant by Lutheran worship. I think there are many 18 year olds who find "traditional" worship boring in which songs popular in their grandparent's generation are sung and the liturgy is sort of mumbled through. On the other hand, they think the "contemporary" worship of the baby boomers is kind of silly. On the other hand there is a growing attraction to strong liturgical worship with all the smells and bells. High liturgical worship may not appeal to all 18 year olds but it does have the advantage of transcending culture.

In regards to close to communion, communion has both a horizontal and a vertical aspect. We are communing with those around us and expressing agreement with them. There is also concern that the person who does not discern the body of Christ is eating and drinking judgment to himself. Chrysostom said that was the reason Judas' bowels gushed out after he died.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

If you were in WI I'd direct you to the CORE, which is a WELS program in Appleton that enough of the law-lovers in our synod are against that it seems to me a good program for the youth.

did I just say that out loud?

 

[chrisnu]

I guess I am unique in that I give a ... about seeking I suppose. Honestly, no I don't know any other Lutherans similar to me, only non-church goers. I do like quiet contemplative churches, I have had enough to hear with evangelical churches, don't get me started. I will camp for more responses though I get the feeling this may not be for me.

I've had it to here with evangelical churches as well (mostly the seeker-friendly, emotionalistic stuff), so I'm fully behind you, if joining the Lutheran church will aid in your growth in the faith. Kudos for stepping out and asking questions. It took me a much longer time to get to that place.

 

[Zoness]

Not saying I am joining the church, I am keeping my options open and I am interested. I am approaching this one cautiously because I am more liberal than what the lines appear to define.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Hi,

Don't write us off just yet...

Confessional Lutherans are unique compared to all other denominations.

Our worship and doctrine are not about what we do; but are all about what God does for us.

Our Divine Service (Liturgy, Mass, whatever you choose to call it) is all for us! When you look at what we do, and what we believe in the light of Scripture alone; you will see the most wonderful gifts from God being given to us poor, unworthy sinners. These gifts of word and Sacrament are not given to us because we deserve them. God gives them to us through the power of the Holy Spirit because we need them.

Closed Communion seems to be an issue for you. This is not done to exclude other Christians, but more so to preserve these Scriptural Doctrines within our formal Church bodies (our Synods).

Attend service, not just once or twice, but give it say... 6 months. Talk to the Pastor, and ask questions... lots of questions. Pastors do not bite, they are really nice guys! Give the Holy Spirit some time to work!

God bless you in your search!

Mark.

I guess I am unique in that I give a ... about seeking I suppose. Honestly, no I don't know any other Lutherans similar to me, only non-church goers. I do like quiet contemplative churches, I have had enough to hear with evangelical churches, don't get me started. I will camp for more responses though I get the feeling this may not be for me.

 

[Zoness]

Hi,

Don't write us off just yet...

Confessional Lutherans are unique compared to all other denominations.

Our worship and doctrine are not about what we do; but are all about what God does for us.

Our Divine Service (Liturgy, Mass, whatever you choose to call it) is all for us! When you look at what we do, and what we believe in the light of Scripture alone; you will see the most wonderful gifts from God being given to us poor, unworthy sinners. These gifts of word and Sacrament are not given to us because we deserve them. God gives them to us through the power of the Holy Spirit because we need them.

Closed Communion seems to be an issue for you. This is not done to exclude other Christians, but more so to preserve these Scriptural Doctrines within our formal Church bodies (our Synods).

Attend service, not just once or twice, but give it say... 6 months. Talk to the Pastor, and ask questions... lots of questions. Pastors do not bite, they are really nice guys! Give the Holy Spirit some time to work!

God bless you in your search!

Mark.

6 Months wouldn't be realistic since I probably will only be living here for that much longer anyways, what with moving away to school and all. My parents don't give me as much church traveling freedom as I would like. I live in their house and have to play by their rules *avoids urge to rant about their anti-intellectual oligarchal beliefs*

 

[Ortho_Cat]

How about dancing and drinking? (not necessarily together) Drinking beer seems to be a common past-time for most Lutherans I've known

 

[DaRev]

6 Months wouldn't be realistic since I probably will only be living here for that much longer anyways, what with moving away to school and all. My parents don't give me as much church traveling freedom as I would like. I live in their house and have to play by their rules *avoids urge to rant about their anti-intellectual oligarchal beliefs*

I was blessed with the parents I had. My mother was a staunch Roman Catholic, but I remember one day asking if I could go visit another church some Sunday. She offered to give me a ride there and pick me up afterward. I never took her up on that, but it was nice to have that option available to me.

How about dancing and drinking? (not necessarily together) Drinking beer seems to be a common past-time for most Lutherans I've known

Well, they don't call it 'Lutheran BEvERage' for nothing.

 

[Zoness]

Age restrictions or not, drinking is fun

Good for your parental situation, DaRev, I lack such a convenience. It's like my parents waited until it was too late to re-brainwash me. Back when I had questions they didn't care but now that I am an active seeker it disturbs them very much and they will go to many lengths to stop me from experimenting.