Are you religious? Most people are, I think.

Did you know there is a growing movement of churches that are unbelieving, or secular? We have a Unitarian church close to where we live, and they might fit this description, but their movement is old, and they have been around for more than a century. I think the best practice is to let the Unitarians and Universalists speak for themselves.

Now, another movement is emerging.

There is a new movement of church-like groups that meet on Sundays, with singing and lectures that resemble sermons. Services are meant to be inspiring celebrations.

If you want to know more, some information is available:

So, what should we do with this information? I am writing as a Christian, and these new religion-free churches make me stop and think.

One of my questions is, how much of a church service about God, could be godless? How much of God do we actually have in our churches? How much is just a feel-good celebration?

A friend of mine had another question. This person likes to eat meat, and is not a vegetarian in any way. We talked recently, about vegetarian food that is apparently better than meat, and the word “meat” is usually in the description. You have probably seen the advertising.

It is a commercial product line of vegetarian food that imitates meat. One comment was, “Why put the word ‘meat’ in the name? Why refer to the enemy?” he asked. Just tell people how good your product is.

This is just an example of human behavior. I don’t want to start a food argument here; I have tried those fake burgers, and I liked them, but I knew that I was eating something new.

My friend’s questions are something like “Why be an imitation? Why not just start something new?”

I will leave that question to the advertising experts, but those are questions that we should take to church.

The no-God churches are a popular and growing movement. With modern music and lively group activities, or celebrations, they imitate what people like in modern churches that are commonly known as “evangelical.” Also, they don’t imitate the parts of the religious churches that they don’t like.

So, what should we think and do about this?

On the positive side:

• Does that toy have a battery? I have grandchildren, and I know the danger of buying them toys without batteries. If it has no source of power, they will let me know. We can apply that to a church; what is the battery that supplies the power? Jesus told his followers: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses … ” (Acts 1: 8) A social activity that only imitates cannot apply that rule.
• Imitation is flattery. We know the old saying that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” and we know that is true. If someone knows you and wants to be just like you; congratulations. You are someone’s hero. That is a good thing if we are imitating the best source: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us.” (Ephesians 5: 1) Maybe people out there see something good that they can’t deny.

On the negative side:

• Why are we so easy to imitate? Imitation-only-better is a form of criticism. A friend of mine took on a job, and succeeded because she believed that she could do better than the person who was already in that position. When that job had become vacant, she applied, and she did better work than the old manager. Imagine a movement to replace believers, and do better. We are told: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind … “ (Romans 12:2). Real believers should be impossible to imitate by outsiders.
• What is the point of all this? Why do we bother? What is the reason to have any church, original or new-model? Why not sleep in on Sunday and watch a football game? Are we following an old habit, or is there a reason for all this activity? I was raised in a religious family, and I struggled with cultural imitations of believing. I appreciate words that tell me why: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! ” (Philippians 4: 4) Eventually, I found the focal point.

You might not want to imitate this one, but real believers don’t always fit the mold of traditional practices. We need sincere belief more than we need our traditional culture:

VIEW: Pala, Pala, Yesu (Be like Jesus)