Who is this God person anyway?

[wishfulthinking]

religion causes wars, upset and all kinds of nastiness and religion is very rarely connected with anything good.

People cause wars, not religion. Religion is one of many excuses given to reason or excuse behaviour. But that is a whole other argument.

When I said someone laid their hands on my legs, I didn't mean a priest or anything. I'm an athiest, and so are my parents. Sorry if I was misleading. It was a person my parents barely knew. There had to have been over 50 warts that disappeared overnight without leaving a scar left behind.

 

[snooper]

Re: Similar experiences with me -

... But a church community is a wonderful thing. The people who attend can be such a very supportive family when needed. More than anything else, I think that's why we are drawn towards attending a church. ...

Perhaps I have had some bad experiences, but a typical one was:

In a mainstream fairly high Anglican parish church in England, the sermon was on how Jesus helps people. It was (rudely) interrupted by a regular worshipper (who had been made redundant and could not find a job) asking "What has he ever done for me?" and walking out.

At coffee in the church hall afterwards all the discussion was on what could be done about this.

About rallying round and helping him? You jest.
All were agreed on one thing: the interrupter should never be allowed in the building again.
There were differences of opinion about how to prevent anyone else ever interrupting a sermon.

I used to attend because that church had a good organ, an excellent organist and therefore an excellent choir. I paid little attention to the three or four simultaneous appeals for cash by the door, and only put money in the collection plate as a payment for the musical entertainment I got.

I do wonder why the other people went there.

 

[Pure]

People go to churches, etc. for the same reason they go to bingo halls or auctions or hangings. They like to get together.

My brother, an atheist, went to the local catholic church since it had the most friendly crowd and most attractive women. He found one and married her.

Religion is one form of social 'glue'. That's the problem with the first analogies above. Better: something recurring, like a bridge club, a bird watching society.