<p>Any Cornellians have an opinion on which non-denominational church is the best? I know it varies from person to person, but I'm all for candid opinions.</p>
<p>and there seem to be a couple, just wondering if anyone can provide extra insight. I know that when I'm on campus, I'll probably try each out at least once.</p>
<p>Probably:
Bethel Grove BC (though it says evangelical)
Vineyard
Campus Crusade
Cornell Christian Fellowship
Grace Christian Fellowship</p>
<p>Anyone have any experience with any of these, or any others to recommend?</p>
<p>Yep, I come from Texas so I'm so used to that whole "mega church" atmosphere, my home church seats about 3000+ each service, but I'm willing to adjust. I'll probably have to... Ithaca, enough said?</p>
<p>My friend is from Texas and she does the campus crusade and we go to Bethel Grove. I'm Episcopalian and so Bethel Grove doesn't mesh with my "style" of worship...but I don't have a car so I'll go wherever I get a ride :-)</p>
<p>How about trying the "Think for yourself" church? The congregation promotes abandoning archaic superstition and removing yourself from childhood propaganda. Many people have never heard of this church before coming to college and willfully embrace it after looking into it.</p>
<p>Right...
I've been thinking for myself SINCE I became a Christian.
Long story short, my dad was a Jehovah's Witness and my mom just didn't care. I broke away and found religion on my own. </p>
<p>Don't assume people are brainwashed, and mindless. It's a bit rude to think just because people are religious, they don't think for themselves.</p>
<p>Christianity isn't my "childhood propaganda", it's what I chose.
CRAZY!</p>
<p>back to the original question, Cornell has many campus fellowships and also churches around the area that you can attend. out of the fellowships, I can think of Campus Crusade, Navigators, Cornell Christian Fellowship, Grace Christian Fellowship, Chinese Bible Study, Korean Church at Cornell, Alpha Chi, Protestant Cooperative Ministry. They range anywhere from 10 to 100 members each. The churches I can think of include Bethel Grove (which is probably closest to the style you are familiar with), Tabernacle Baptist Church, and Vineyard. There is also a ministry called Campus on a Hill that seeks to bring all the fellowships together, and a place called Chesterton House which is called "the center for Christian Studies".</p>
<p>So explore a few fellowships the first month you are here, and see which you one feel most comfortable with. There isn't really a best one or anything, and there aren't any bad ones in that list.</p>
<p>soccer guy, why would you make that generalization about all atheists?? I am a devout atheist and I have never tried to make someone else think like me. In fact my parents are pretty religious and I even follow some of their traditions out of respect even though I don't believe in them....
Also, why would you say that dontno is "lost" just because he/she follows his/her beliefs differently?
I wasn't expecting people to be so narrow-minded at Cornell( only referring to soccerguy)</p>
<p>There are just as many narrow minded thinkers as there are liberal thinkers...I assure you...sometimes makes for a good heated exchange every now and then.</p>
<p>I'm not narrow minded at all. He got on here and rudely insulted our religion and beliefs, and I did the same back to him...and YET...you only call ME out as being narrow-minded. </p>
<p>Is it not also narrow-minded for him to say that our beliefs are "archaic superstitions" or "childhood propoganda"...? Yes, it is...but you refuse to acknowledge that. In fact, in your view, it's only being narrow-minded if a Christian insults an athiest...but the other way around is liberal and open?</p>
<p>By refusing to accept us and OUR beliefs...saying we should change them and "think for ourselves" he is proving that HE is not accepting of other religions. I have no problem with athiests or anyone else...I simply responded to the veiled insults he threw at us to begin with.</p>
<p>So how about you try to look past your athiest views, Raj, and realize that a narrow-mind can occur just as easily from a liberal toward a Christian as it can the other way around.</p>
<p>out of all the ivy leagues, cornell probably has the largest and most extensive christian fellowship networks out there. I go to grace christian fellowship and it is by far the most enriching and best aspect of my cornell life. the people you meet and connect, and the amount you grow spiritually is just amazing. PM me if you'd like to join GCF and I can hook you up</p>
<p>Yes soccerguy, I admit that I did probably insult your precious religion with the words I used. However, that's what I believe ALL religion is. You probably agree with me if the subject is Islam rather than Christianity. I never attacked you personally. I merely described religion as "archaic" b/c it's over 2000 years old, "childhood propaganda" b/c almost everyone follows the EXACT same religion as their parents which they're taught before they're able to understand high level ideas and I implored you to "think for yourself" b/c many religious people blindly follow religious teachings as in the evangelical movement, creationists, and even moderates who sometimes aren't even cognizant of the reasoning behind their own traditions.</p>
<p>But unlike your diatribe, I never made any implications about your ability to lead a fulfilling and happy life. Conversely you made the following statements about me on the sole basis that I'm an atheist (a position I came to after much time spent contemplating various viewpoints and preceded by a religious upbringing):</p>
<p>"you're lost" : self explanatory
"don't bring others down with you" : So clearly I'm "down" below you and your religious and enlightened cohorts.
"they want everyone to suffer with them." : this was my favorite.</p>
<p>You really seem to be open-minded and Christ-like. Get off your high horse. Oh and thanks for voting for Bush (well your ilk did b/c you probably weren't old enough).</p>
<p>the fact that you suggested an atheist denomination to OP, when the person was asking for "Christian" presence and churches, is pretty rude. </p>
<p>"I merely described religion as "archaic" b/c it's over 2000 years old, "childhood propaganda" b/c almost everyone follows the EXACT same religion as their parents which they're taught before they're able to understand high level ideas and I implored you to "think for yourself" b/c many religious people blindly follow religious teachings as in the evangelical movement, creationists, and even moderates who sometimes aren't even cognizant of the reasoning behind their own traditions."</p>
<p>I am sure this only describes some people who aren't really religious. The real religious people, like the really devoted catholics, christians, etc, believe in what they believe because they are convinced. For you to presumably assume that OP or others around here believed in religion based on our childhood upbringings, not our convictions or devotions, is pretty laughable and offensive at the same time.</p>