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The Cowboy Church


MaybeACoordinator

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1 hour ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

So what's the deal with that, anyway?

Is it just evangelicalism Texanized?

 

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Each one tends to be individualistic. Most tend to be more based in Baptist doctrine, you are saved by Grace, not because of what you do, but despite what you do. The ones around here tend to have a roping after church a couple of Sundays a month. Some drink, some don't, but it seems none of them actually frown on it, just have self-control. They don't drink at Church though, but don't frown on you having a few beers now and then. They are attractive to a particular crowd that share a common interest, but they welcome anyone.

CHIEF

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6 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

Each one tends to be individualistic. Most tend to be more based in Baptist doctrine, you are saved by Grace, not because of what you do, but despite what you do. The ones around here tend to have a roping after church a couple of Sundays a month. Some drink, some don't, but it seems none of them actually frown on it, just have self-control. They don't drink at Church though, but don't frown on you having a few beers now and then. They are attractive to a particular crowd that share a common interest, but they welcome anyone.

CHIEF

Dude.....you and I both know that certain people of certain.....characteristics... showing up at such a location would be greeted by a "band stops playing like Otis Day at the Dexter Lake Club" moment.

As a general rule, these are not the most open and enlightened congregations.

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My in-laws (well, now just the MIL) are heavily involved in their cc in Harper. Wild Ride Ministries. It's got a rodeo pen & everything. The founder blew in about 10 years ago & built some kinda following that pretty much knee-capped the the long standing Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian & Baptist churches in the area. They've gone from a double wide trailer to a barndominium in the middle of nowhere. Selling the old stuff in a new way.

Stepped foot in there for the first & last time for the FIL's memorial service a few weeks ago. They were live streaming from a place where most of the congregation think the internet caused covid. Not that any of them wore masks because, you know. What a world.

Edited by GhostOfTomJoad
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9 minutes ago, Bernard said:

Hood County Demographics per Wikipedia...
As of the census[8] of 2000, 41,100 people were residing in the county.
94.77% White,
0.33% African American,
0.82% Native American,
0.31% Asian,
2.44% from other races, and
1.32% from two or more races.
About 7.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latinos of any race.

Yep. Looks like a real melting pot you got there in Hood County. It's hard for 41,200 residents to be racist when there's only 135 black folks in the whole county. 🙂

Bernard

Lol, no latin americans?

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4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Dude.....you and I both know that certain people of certain.....characteristics... showing up at such a location would be greeted by a "band stops playing like Otis Day at the Dexter Lake Club" moment.

As a general rule, these are not the most open and enlightened congregations.

Bullshit

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3 hours ago, Bernard said:

Hood County Demographics per Wikipedia...
As of the census[8] of 2000, 41,100 people were residing in the county.
94.77% White,
0.33% African American,
0.82% Native American,
0.31% Asian,
2.44% from other races, and
1.32% from two or more races.
About 7.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latinos of any race.

Yep. Looks like a real melting pot you got there in Hood County. It's hard for 41,200 residents to be racist when there's only 135 black folks in the whole county. 🙂

Bernard

Wood County.

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My family and I started going to one about 6 months ago. Lots of good old country folk and the kids love it. It's far more laid back and less pretentious than any other church I have ever been to. It's virtually all white but it's in the country and very small. I have no doubt that if a black person or family showed up they would be welcomed with smiles and handshakes.

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11 minutes ago, immortal13 said:

My family and I started going to one about 6 months ago. Lots of good old country folk and the kids love it. It's far more laid back and less pretentious than any other church I have ever been to. It's virtually all white but it's in the country and very small. I have no doubt that if a black person or family showed up they would be welcomed with smiles and handshakes.

Nuh uh.   The congregation would shriek and evacuate to they jacked up trucks and start shooting errthing in sight and plant a Trump flag on top of a cross and worship it.   For reallz!!

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It's not any kind of organized movement. It's more like some folks got tired of the uptight (generally Baptist) churches in town and decided to start doing church their own way and having fellowship afterwards, which happens to mean doing rodeo type things. It started catching on because folks don't really care for the uppity types at churches in town.

Edited by NotActuallyALonghorn
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Bernard,
 The county population is well over 60k at this time, and most of the new additions to demographics are minorities. I'll agree that we have a very small Black population in Hood County. You are right that it is very hard for people to be racist with that few black people. How is that a bad thing? Anytime you can curb racism by any means, is that not a good thing? Why would you assume that a larger Black population would make people more racist? 
I have a friend that comes over here about every week. His Dad left him an old boat that has sentimental value. I met him through my son. He is an absolute cool dude, but he won't bring his wife. The reason, he says, she is poisoning good people by accusing them of being racists and bigots. Fuck, most people don't know enough minorities around here to be bigoted or racist. You are what you are until proven different. My immediate community's demographic is probably 50% military, these fuckers are from all over the Globe. A lot of Hood County is like that, closest rural county to Lockheed Martin. I have so many good friends, that are just that, don't care about the color, the income, religion, sexual preference, gender, part of the country any of that.
I just don't know why people that would welcome you as a Christian brother or Sister are so judged and reviled. Some of you have so much hate and venom in your heart that you can not accept that people not like you would celebrate your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Bernard, I know where you stand, your heart has been filled with bitterness for Christians since I've known of you. I pray that you find comfort and know that many in here love you and hope you find salvation, peace, and mercy, and I fully expect all of the "fingers" that come with that.
CHIEF

Fundamentalist/evangelical folks are as a demographic about the most hypocritical and judgmental people you can find. IMO, of course.

They used the Bible to support slavery, used the Bible to support segregation, used the Bible to support homophobia, and use the Bible to support misogyny. They hate them some Muslims and love them some Trump.

80% of evangelicals said it was very important for the POTUS to be a moral man when the black guy was POTUS. When Trump was elected only 20% of that same group said POTUS having morals was important. That enormous hypocrisy defines many of them quite well. All Church, no Christian.

As always, there are wonderful loving people in that group who totally refute what I said. Broad brush is broad, but accurate. The ladies of the church brought dishes to shut-ins back when segregation was approved by most. They were nice to each other, supported the bereaved, taught Sunday school and comforted the sick. And they were stone racists.

Sometimes you need to look beyond the nice sermon and pot luck dinner for the youth group to gauge character.

Those folks love them some Trump and vote for the worst of the GOP on the state level. But to each his own.
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18 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Dude.....you and I both know that certain people of certain.....characteristics... showing up at such a location would be greeted by a "band stops playing like Otis Day at the Dexter Lake Club" moment.

As a general rule, these are not the most open and enlightened congregations.

I see you ripped out the page with "Thou shall not slander" from your loose leaf bible.  Are there any pages left?

 

9 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

Fundamentalist/evangelical folks are as a demographic about the most hypocritical and judgmental people you can find. IMO, of course.
  

Woke Roomers easily surpass that, as evidenced by this thread.

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3 minutes ago, clapclapclap said:

I see you ripped out the page with "Thou shall not slander" from your loose leaf bible.  Are there any pages left?

 

Woke Roomers easily surpass that, as evidenced by this thread.

Yes.....I don't see where on earth we'd get the idea that fundagelicals have a heavy racist contingent.  Or that they are hypocritical (those polling numbers on "morality is important for a president" are real).  Truth is a defense to an allegation of slander, so I'm good.

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i see stickers on trucks a lot throughout Dallas.  even Dallas proper and not the burbs, so CC branches must have several that commute out to services.

never heard anything about the services or theology one way or another and have never knowingly met someone who is a member.  Maybe it's not like Crossfit in that practitioners are mandated to tell everyone within shouting distance that they belong.  

Is there a centralized entity that defines their theology, helps set up new chapters and sells officially licensed stickers?  Or is it more ad hoc non-denominational and each one may have a different flavor for how the service goes depending on the pastor?

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3 minutes ago, gyroprotagonist said:

Is there a centralized entity that defines their theology, helps set up new chapters and sells officially licensed stickers?  Or is it more ad hoc non-denominational and each one may have a different flavor for how the service goes depending on the pastor?

It's not true across the board, but the southern baptist convention has sponsored and "planted" many cowboy churches across the country. On paper they're ad-hoc nondenominational, but in practice just think aggy baptist

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15 hours ago, CHIEF said:

You are right that it is very hard for people to be racist with that few black people. How is that a bad thing? Anytime you can curb racism by any means, is that not a good thing? 

So the best way to curb racism is limit the number of black people? Got it. 

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8 minutes ago, Captainant said:

It's not true across the board, but the southern baptist convention has sponsored and "planted" many cowboy churches across the country. On paper they're ad-hoc nondenominational, but in practice just think aggy baptist

as with most things in religion and politics, follow the money.  They don't wanna pay property taxes?  Fine, but they're gonna have to open the books to show where the money goes.  If it kicks up to another church, just find out who.  

We have lots of friends at church but nobody who I look after a 75-minute mass and thought, "Hey guys, where's the after-party?"  Let my wife do her Catholic chants, I look for meaning in the reading and the homily and have some quiet time to reflect and pray, and then let's go get some lunch.  You guys wanna hang out, drink beer, and talk horses...let's meet up on Friday. 

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13 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:


It appears that you have labeled a large group of people who you don’t actually know as being racist. I guess your basis for this claim is that they identify as cowboys, or country folk, or merely that they are different from you and therefore must be less woke and more evil.

If you have some factual basis for your accusations then let’s hear it. Otherwise you are just making up stereotypes to help fill the world with fake enemies for yourself to look down upon.

I have never been to a cowboy church, don’t drive a truck, don’t own a cowboy hat. I don’t care about them but it irks me to watch people fling shit at other people all the time with no remorse. How are we supposed to come together as a country when people think like this? Maybe try looking for the good in other people for once instead of assuming every group unlike yourself is inherently evil.

WAIT, Brisket using hyperbole, blanket statements, and generalizations? 

1483538046-shocked-joey.gif?crop=1xw:0.7

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6 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

It appears that you have labeled a large group of people who you don’t actually know as being racist. I guess your basis for this claim is that they identify as cowboys, or country folk, or merely that they are different from you and therefore must be less woke and more evil.

Nope.  I spend a lotta time in "cowboy church" country.  I've seen more than a handful of rebel flag stickers on the back of trucks in the parking lot of some on a Sunday morning.  My extrapolation is not based solely on where they reside.

But....dude....it's not exactly a shocking revelation that the prevalence of rebel flag waving racists is a tad higher in rural Texas than it is elsewhere.  Take a drive sometime.  I see more rebel flags flying on a 2.5 hour drive out of Austin than I see in a month of driving IN Austin.  And it's not exactly a secret that more fundamentalist churches have a higher percentage of racists and similar thinkers in them than more progressive denominations.  Again, I'm not going out on a limb here.  There's been extensive polling on such issues.

No, not everyone who goes to a Cowboy Church is a racist.  Just like not everyone who goes to an urban church big on social justice is NOT racist.  I'm positive there are plenty of good and kind people who go to Cowboy Church - hell, based on this thread, I know a few of them, and know them to be genuinely good and kind people who aren't racist.  My point is solely about the generalities and percentages.  And you know as well as I do that the concept that I'm more likely to find a racist in the parking lot of a Cowboy Church than of an urban PCUSA church doesn't exactly shock the conscience.

Come on, man.....it's out in the open among fundamentalist leadership:

Quote

Two days after Vice President Harris was sworn in as the nation’s first female vice president, Tom Buck let it out.

“I can’t imagine any truly God-fearing Israelite who would’ve wanted their daughters to view Jezebel as an inspirational role model because she was a woman in power,” tweeted Buck, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lindale, Tex. In the days leading up the inauguration, Buck had quoted scripture about “evildoers” alongside criticism of President Biden’s stance on abortion rights.

But it was his comments about Harris that drew the most attention.

Despite criticism, including from fellow pastors, Buck doubled down in a follow-up tweet the next day.

“For those torn up over my tweet, I stand by it 100%,” Buck wrote. “My problem is her godless character. She not only is the most radical pro-abortion VP ever, but also most radical LGBT advocate.”

Buck wasn’t the only Southern Baptist preacher to refer to Harris as a Jezebel, a biblical character who has become shorthand for an amoral, wantonly sexual woman. Weeks earlier, before the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Steve Swofford, head of the First Baptist Church of Rockwall near Dallas, made a similar statement. Delivering a videotaped sermon, Swofford called Biden “cognitively dysfunctional.”

“What if something happens to [Biden] and Jezebel has to take over?” Swofford asked in the sermon. “Jezebel Harris, isn’t that her name?”

While it may be easy to dismiss these Texas pastors as isolated examples, experts warn that these messages are far more prevalent in congregations across America — particularly in White evangelical churches — than many may realize. The “Jezebel” reference is also highly specific, a trope that speaks to deeply entrenched views about power and what is “normal” or “traditional” in American culture, especially when it comes to racial and gender hierarchies.

Both Swofford and Buck are members of the Southern Baptist Convention, a network comprising 50,000 cooperating churches and religious institutions, according to its website. According to the Pew Research Center, it is the biggest Protestant denomination in the United States, counting 14.8 million members in 2018. Swofford serves on the SBC’s executive committee.

Calling Harris a Jezebel accomplishes multiple things: It delegitimizes her power and dehumanizes her. Jessica Johnson, an assistant professor of religious studies at the College of William & Mary, said the term has historically been used as a justification for racial violence against Black women.

 

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25 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:


It appears that you have labeled a large group of people who you don’t actually know as being racist. I guess your basis for this claim is that they identify as cowboys, or country folk, or merely that they are different from you and therefore must be less woke and more evil.

If you have some factual basis for your accusations then let’s hear it. Otherwise you are just making up stereotypes to help fill the world with fake enemies for yourself to look down upon.

I have never been to a cowboy church, don’t drive a truck, don’t own a cowboy hat. I don’t care about them but it irks me to watch people fling shit at other people all the time with no remorse. How are we supposed to come together as a country when people think like this? Maybe try looking for the good in other people for once instead of assuming every group unlike yourself is inherently evil.

8 out of 10 evangelicals supported Trump and his policies.

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