I'll admit I'm in love with the gothic architecture of roman Catholic cathedrals. Last time I was downtown Atlanta and had nothing to do for an hour or so, I was walking around and saw people going into the Sacred Heart Catholic church cathedral. I thought it would be fun to go take mass. I was hoping for more. The sermon that the priest had prepared was the one from that movie "The Last Temptation of Christ". I was really looking forward to the sermon, but then I got a call from Russo, and I had to go, because her Jeopardy tryout was over.
I was raised Baptist, and I would like to experience the whole catholic church thing again sometime, as it did seem pretty interesting and the theatrics of the whole ceremony seems appealing to me.
Also, in the Baptist church I grew up going to, wine was a big no-no. We would take "communion" only once a year, the week before Easter, and instead of wine we would have grape juice. Now, from what I understand, in the bible Jesus and his home-boys drank wine, like, all the time. He even changed water into wine once. Why else would he do that other than so he and his homeboys could get crunk? The Baptists I grew up with never seem to have an explanation for that. Not just getting drunk, but drinking alcohol in general was considered sinful. These are the same people who later on wore "What Would Jesus Do" tee-shirts and such.
Well, I ask, what would Jesus
brew?
Seeing as how now there is Christian "everything" from Christian super heroes and comic books to Christian punk rock and death metal, I guess Christian Goth could work as well.
If you want to start a Christian church based on Catholicism to appeal to the Goth "scene" as a whole, I have a few suggestions.
1. This whole concept of priests having to be abstinent has to go. We all know what sick moral depravities can come from sexual repression. If I had kids, I certainly wouldn't want them around a person in that kind of leadership role if he can't get some booty every once in a while.
Same goes for nuns. Sexual gratification between consenting adults in the church should be an acceptable practice for both straights and gays alike.
2. During communion, one can have as much wine and bread as they like. Lord knows how much we like to drink, I do anyway. Just as he multiplied the loaves and fishes, and turned the water into wine, if Jesus were around today, I think he would want to share as much of his blood and his body as there is available. I recommend stocking up at Bob's package store and Panera before Sunday mass.
3. Mass would be best held on Sunday evenings, as most of us are probably too hung over from drinking at Temple on Saturday night to get up early on Sunday morning to go to church.
4. I think nuns in tight PVC habits dancing in cages would be a good Idea, and appeal to the "Fetish Christian" crowd as well.
Hope some of these ideas help bring people to your church.
I know I would be in attendance every Sunday if they were in place.