Altar Calls

[libalchris]

What do you think about altar calls?

Some altar calls may be quite different than those I experienced so I'll be referring to the altar call as described below.

Typically the altar call I experienced is not something like "Some of you are not saved, come up to the front if you want to give your heart, etc." Instead it is something that applies to any Christian in the room like "If you want to dedicate your life to the Lord today..." Or "If you'd like to say 'I want to give my life to the Lord again..." As a result any "true christian" should come up and those who didn't were looked down upon by those who did. So the preacher would finish some emotion-evoking sermon, then soft music would play in the background, a touching and emotional altar call would be given, and 4/5 of the school or more would come up.

I think such altar calls were despicable and that even Christians should think so. The first problem I have is that the entire thing is a heat-of-the-moment, extremely emotional decision. It's having someone make a decision at their most emotionally vulnerable.
Aside from that, it also forces a lot of peer pressure on everybody. The speaker would always say not to come up just because your friends are, but people will do it anyways. After all, nobody wants to be stuck with the 'delinquents'.

Overall I see it as a very damaging psychological experience, and puts a lot of harmful pressure on people. I'm curious as to what everyone else thinks.

[mediamogul]

Christianity relies heavily on in-group type behavior and thinking. This is one of many excercises to constantly affirm who is "with us" and who is "not with us" or at worst "against us". It helps keep people in the fold.

[libalchris]

My old church in particular was real big on group thinking. There would be entire sermons on how you needed more than just Jesus, you needed the church too. And talks, of not whole sermons, on how you have to always give your 10% tithe no matter your circumstance, and how God would always take care of you. Even if you don't agree with the church leaders, still pay your tithes, because it's your duty to God, and he has control over where the money goes.

Made me sick to listen to.

[Minimalist]

For catholics an altar "call" is "boys, bend over the altar and drop your pants."

[mediamogul]

My old church in particular was real big on group thinking. There would be entire sermons on how you needed more than just Jesus, you needed the church too. And talks, of not whole sermons, on how you have to always give your 10% tithe no matter your circumstance, and how God would always take care of you. Even if you don't agree with the church leaders, still pay your tithes, because it's your duty to God, and he has control over where the money goes.

Made me sick to listen to.

No business would ever tell people not to buy their product. For a long time the church made it clear that you could not be saved without their direct intervention. Pockets emptied first, of course. Great strategy to keep them coming back and dependant on the services of the church. Power and wealth.

[FallentoReason]

At my youth group it's pretty chilled. No pressure at all from anyone to go up. Everyone is quite independent in thinking when it comes to the altar call. Out of a group of ~150 only up to 10 might go up?

I agree though, everytime I went up was when I was full of adrenalin from an emotional sermon.

[libalchris]

My old church in particular was real big on group thinking. There would be entire sermons on how you needed more than just Jesus, you needed the church too. And talks, of not whole sermons, on how you have to always give your 10% tithe no matter your circumstance, and how God would always take care of you. Even if you don't agree with the church leaders, still pay your tithes, because it's your duty to God, and he has control over where the money goes.

Made me sick to listen to.

No business would ever tell people not to buy their product. For a long time the church made it clear that you could not be saved without their direct intervention. Pockets emptied first, of course. Great strategy to keep them coming back and dependant on the services of the church. Power and wealth.

yes once my old church even handed out pamphlets to everyone talking about the church's free will program(like will when you die). In the announcements, they said something along the lines of "so you can keep giving to the Lord after your death"

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At my youth group it's pretty chilled. No pressure at all from anyone to go up. Everyone is quite independent in thinking when it comes to the altar call. Out of a group of ~150 only up to 10 might go up?

I agree though, everytime I went up was when I was full of adrenalin from an emotional sermon.

It does depend on how fundamental and extreme the religion is. Mine was quite fundamental.

[Erinome]

I never experienced anything like that in church, but I know that sort of thing happens. It's really a gross manipulation. Makes me fucking sick!

[BoyWonder]

The sermon is simply the lead-in to a hypnotic trance. And the communal prayer is the kicker. It works if you open yourself up to it.

[Mudflappus]

In all of the services I have attended, the genuinely pious would step forward as a reaffirmation of their declaration of faith. Most of the others stepped up while making sure everyone saw them do it so they could justify acting self righteous later. From my perspective, it's simply dogmatic reinforcement in a group setting.