That reminds me of Educating Rita "A tree landing on a man is not a tragedy.
"It is if you're the poor sod under the tree, isn't it?" (I went to a chandeliers hitting cleavage place, is why)

In addition to that, many believe that people are alive because God wants us to worship him, but he doesn't need us to do so. However, we are taught that it is our duty to Him to go to church and worship Him. How does it benefit God any if I do or do not go to church? Why should I go to church if I don't get anything out of it and He doesn't need it?

I wasn't taught that it was my duty to go to church in worship Him, in quite that way. I was taught and still believe (or believe, again) that I need church (because I need fellowship with other believers for support and growth, much like fandom and Buffistas, if you want a less serious example). Likewise, it is not that God needs my worship, but that I need to worship God (see Augustine, and the God-shaped hole in the soul).

If you don't believe, what reason would you have to go to church. If you do believe, but are not getting anything out of church, there can be many different reasons for that (says the woman who was absent from church from ages 18 to 36, despite the fact that she believed), and that's what you might want to start looking at. Similarly, if you aren't sure what you believe, you might want to investigate what you do and do not believe (which is not always the same as like and dislike) about your current path, and start from there.

Jen, Maria, JZ, thanks, and the post is up here: [link]

JZ, there's a special footnote dedication just to you. *g*

Fwiw, the post is way expanded from what I was going to put here originally, very long, and (all flavors of) Christian church-goer specific. It may not interest any of you, even the principal participants in the conversation which inspired it.

Jen doesn't need God because she's high on life!

Heh. I'd never thought of it that way but you're completely correct.

Off to a coffeeshop for some artificial wakefulness and the hope that I'll be able to get some reading done. I'm so far behind....

Well, mixed, of course.

I'm relieved. I had a horrifying vision of your sitting in the corner with a box and a spoon.

Susan, what kind of films does Dylan like?

Well, aside from the obvious gimmes that we love equally (anything by Pixar, LotR, etc.), he's, for lack of a better word, a bit more lit-ficcy in his tastes than I am. Movies toward his end of the spectrum that we both enjoyed were Lost in Translation and that one whose name I'm forgetting with the guy back in NJ for the funeral and Natalie Portman.

Life is cool but I hear the hangover sucks.

What looks good in movies these days?

Susan, The Aviator was hella interesting. I liked it, and it really should be seen on the big screen.

But before I go; Cindy, that was beautiful. Thank you for writing it and sharing it.

I'd suggest films you want to see on the big screen for their visual sumptousness. Aviator or Motorcycle Diaries.

The second is a beautiful, amazingly acted and thoughtful film, with cute boys!

You know, the more I think about it the more I like the idea of just having a nice dinner and then going for a drive, maybe take a stroll on the beach at Carkeek Park or Golden Gardens if it's not too cold. Because we have the babysitter from 6:00-10:00, which means getting out of the house at 6:15 or 6:30. Most movies start at 7:00 or 7:30, which leaves little time to eat and talk. And I want the food and the talking way more than any current movie.