I decided to go to church today. I won’t dare claim that I’m religious because I do go to church when I feel like I want to, and that is like a two or three times a month. Despite that, there is something about going to church which relaxes me, and makes me feel all jolly. Probably it’s the hymns, or the sermons. Maybe its the whole service…It’s mysterious, but I always feel more relaxed and somewhat more remorseful after mass.
Sadly, that was a little hard to achieve today.
Usually, I’d be on time for mass. I hate being late, so I always make it a point to come a little earlier. Christmas Eve masses would be an exception, because I have to be in St Joseph’s Cathedral about an hour or more due to limited seats. Anyway, as I was saying… I arrive 10 minutes earlier today, and choose to sit at my favorite spot. There was this couple seated behind me, and I could notice his girlfriend had a tattoo on her back shoulder. Oh yeah, it was visible because not all people understand the church’s request to avoid sleeveless shirts, and dress up decently to church. But that’s the least of my concern because it’s a norm since the church close to never uses the world ‘COMPULSORY’. They always say ‘You are kindly advised‘… how polite and civilized 🙂
So there I was, seated at my seat. I was a little uncomfortable as my jeans felt tight. It was my excess fat bulging, but as the past few weeks, the feeling goes away when the church service started. Mass started with the entrance hymn, and as usual, I sang wholeheartedly. I always loved church songs, so that does explain my actions. When the entrance song was over, and the priest started the opening prayer, a subtle conversation started from the back of my head. I would say it was the devil, but that would be so untrue. Yes, you’ve guessed it, the couple behind me were having their conversation.
Ok-lah… we are all guilty of having small talk in church. I do it, and I bet most of you also do it too. We talk while waiting for the service to start, maybe before receiving communion, and sometimes during the homily. But I bet most of us do not do it through the service. This couple, seated behind me was whispering through the mass. Yes, they were whispering, but with everyone keeping silent… their lively conversation was going great. While the rest stood up to sing, they were still chatting away. At some point, I felt like turning to them and say: “Guys, if you want to chit chat, can you please go to a coffee shop or something“, but I’m a patient man, and the church service did help calm me down and keep my peace.
I left them alone as they talked through the service, while picking up bits of ‘kamek, kitak, kenak nya?” from their conversation. It’s not that I intend to ear drops, but how can I close my ears, when I also wanted to pray?
My point is, if you come to church to talk or chit chat, better just stay away. The church is a place to pray, and it really annoys most people that you are trying to have a conversation in the middle of the mass. In fact, I bet you could talk better if you opted to go to a coffee shop or a park.
I don’t know what others may think, but I always believe that when you come to church to pray, you must be sincere. If you come for the sake of coming, and end up chit chatting… what’s the point?
Too much small talk is like disrespecting the church mass all-together.
On the other hand, I miss going to St. Joseph. I always love the experience there.
Agreed Tom. Yeah, St Joe has a one of a kind experience 🙂 Love praying there.
you are all talk, no action. you should have just turned around and politely tell them to keep quiet. even better, go to the warden and tell them to take action. it is your own lack of initiative to do anything about it that lead to your own frustration. this is why people still talk in church.
best policy is go… ‘ssshhhhhhhh…’
but there is not much to say for a person of your character. all talk and no action.
If it was me as well, i just kept quiet as well. I do believe that if one go to church, he/she should realize what they are there for. No point of doing “ssshhhh” here and there and create chaos. Furthermore, it could disrupt myself from concentrating praying.
unfortunately, causing chaos was not issue. who mentioned anything about causing a chaos? the whole point was that silence is kept. it is the most simple act to ask for peace and quiet.
again Mr. TimmyLicious, there is not much that anyone can say to you. you never do ever listen to anyone but yourself, am i not right? as you share the same attributes with Cyrildason, all talk no action. birds of the same feather flock together.
‘All talk No Action'(which is obviously hiding your real name), may I know why you choose not to reveal your real name? Isn’t it similar if you do take action, but decide to hide behind a fake name and not be accountable for it, regardless of if its good or not? I find it funny that you decide you do such a personal attack towards myself and TimmyLicious, but do not have the courage to show who you are. I think, part of willing to take actions, is also involving the willingness to stand up and admit it was you who did something.
While I encourage positive feedback, such personal attack is unwarranted.
On this topic, yes, probably it would do good if I did turn and say “Shhh”, or go and report the issue to the wardens… but please do bear in mind that not everyone shares your views. We are all different, and we handle things differently. There is NO NEED to do personal attacks, especially when you yourself do not dare to reveal yourself. It is my regard that as adults, we all need to understand whow to behave in church, without being told off by anyone, especially when you are already receiving the communion. I have my reasons not asking them to be silent, and it does have a lot to do with the feeling of uneasiness of having to tell off an adult human being about how to behave, particularly in a house of worship. I would also prefer to pull people aside before telling them off about what was wrong because I deem it is less humiliating, but if you feel humiliating them in public is the best way, then that’s your way. Good for you.
Lastly, i hope you can reveal your real identity as a sincere gesture of not only talking, but also daring to take action and responsibility, and while you are at it, I do hope that you can please stop with the personal attacks because this post is not meant to harm anyone (not even you-unless you ‘terasa-lah’), but rather to inform and let people know that they should come to church with a sincere heart, and not chat away. If everyone started talking, and all of us started asking them to keep quite, it wont be a chruch anymore. It would be a classroom.
All Talk No Action
i think you did not really read and understand what i wrote. Please re-read it again….
Thank you for the comment. At least i know i am flocking together with a successful and a good guy like Cyril. 🙂
Blogging = action.
Ability to start and grow a platform to connect hundreds of bloggers through Sarawak Bloggers = action.
Promoting love, passion and pride of Sarawak = action.
If we want to talk, and walk the walk, I think we should learn a thing or two from Cyril.
His many actions have inspired many of us, and we only hope there are more people who have the balls and heart to do what he did.
Oh, I almost forgot.
Talking anonymously = worthless action.
Dear Mr/Ms all talk, no action: It’s all good and well that you’re annoyed with people who don’t ‘ssshhh’ these people off, and as a fellow human being you’re free to air your views. But your last line was uncalled for, sir. This is a personal blog. People reflect on blogs, on things they do and didn’t do.
I have sometimes felt like shooting and gouging the eyes out of some of my impossible customers. I may blog about it to vent. But I won’t necessarily want to do it for real. I hope that reflects me as a person who do not have criminal tendencies and psychological problems, instead of a person with “all talk and no action”.
The fact that you decide to hide behind a netname already revealed to us your character, but no one has been snide about it. Get it?
successful? i think his ego is the only thing that is successful everything else is only an exaggeration of that ego.
you bloggers are funny. do remember, a blogger is any tom, dick or harry with an internet connection and a blog. always thinking way too highly of yourselves. sarawak bloggers is losing its essence anyway.
Hi everyone,
Lets just leave ‘All talk no Action” with his/her own views. He has his right to say what he wants.
There is no point bickering about who is right or wrong, and if our dear unknown friend called “all talk no action” chooses to continue giving personal attacks… I bet you all know what that reflects on him/her.
but one thing I’d like to point out, I like Robin’s words which say: “Talking anonymously – worthless action”. I have always and will always deem that those not daring enough/willing to stand up and take responsibility for what they have said or did as cowards. Yes, this applies in real life too.
You can call me an egois, I accept because that’s your personal view of me. I can’t judge myself, and I thank you for such a comment. I hope to improve myself in the future 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a feedback, but I hope, next time, do use your real name. I’d appreciate it.
not only talk, i hate it too when some choose to ‘sms’ during the mass. i usually turn my back and stare at that person if they talked and give them the ‘ssshhhh’ sign. it worked all the time.
i never attend sunday mass at St. Joe Cathedral Kuching before and would love to go one of this day. 🙂
Yeah, SMS-ing during mass isn’t good at all. Even worst, taking calls…
and hey, its great you are willing to do such action, but I do wish more people would adhere to the rules in the church.
I guess some people just don’t take things seriously. Like the act of going to church is some form of redemption, regardless of what you do in there or what u wear. It’s rude. It’s like going to a house and not respecting the host one bit. Except worst, this host is God.
I can’t agree more. lets hope and pray more people will realize the need to show some respect, not only to God, but also fellow friends/human beings.
well said! but yeah I wish someone can ‘sshhh’ them; Normally I’ll look at them straight into the eyes and hope that they’ll get the message.
Hahaha.. Oh yeah… but i bet it would be better if they knew it personally.Never liked ‘telling off’ an adult who i think should know manners. Too bad I can’t stare at them because I was seated in front. I did however turn and look at them a few times, but I guess that doesn’t count. LOL.
I do believe u should have at least tell them politely, say shhh and smile, if it’s interfere with your concentration. at least that’s less humiliating. i think that’s what i would do. there are those who also were silent and yet sleeping esp during sermon, so disrespectful…
Sleeping during sermons.. ahh.. I know 🙁 Well, at least they do not interrupt others (unless they snore). As for the suggestion, yes.. at some point I do feel I should have asked them to keep quiet 🙂
St. Jo! Is it better ventilated now? I remember always choosing to go to evening mass because going in the morning would be sweltering!
I have the same pet peeve as you when it comes to talking in church. Ugh. I just politely tell them to tone it down. If they have been whispering they could not tone it down beyond that so they either keep quiet or change seats. Heh.
I don’t see any significant change except for the new covered area near the back of the alter for those standing outside.
I go for the evening mass because I cant wake up in the morning! hahaha.. Well, on your actions for those talking, good! Good!! 🙂
Dear Cyril,
I wish not to interfere with the comments made by all talk, no action. However, I feel deeply sorry for the unnecessary fuss.
Now back to your blog entry: I am happy to hear that you go to church regularly. Unlike some Christians who visit church on three occasions only: Marriage, Death and Christmas.
The scenario today is that, we have many registered Christians but only a few go to church. The impact is not only spiritual but also a financial loss to a church. When less Christians go to church, less money will go to church through offerings, love gifts and tithing.
I have heard testimonies from churches that are suffering financially because many of the members are absent during Sunday Service. I believe, attending a church regularly does not only help us to grow spiritually but members play an important role to assist the church to continuously exist and operating without financial difficulties.
To the feeling of peace in the church? I am happy that you feel that way and it is no surprise we feel that way since, God is in the church when we all come to pray for Him.
To bad that people talk in the church. I think that is very disrespectful of them. In Jerusalem, the people listened to the bible reading read by prophet Zechariah attentively. But today, the same respect to the word has not been given by many people.
We may not be able to tell other people to be silent in the church, but the most important thing is that, we do not follow this disrespectful attitude.
May God bless you abundantly Cyril.
Good point bro. I never thought about it on a financial perspective, but it’s really enlightening. You know, I once heard a priest say “Why is it that some of us can donate those red, green and purple-ish notes to the red, yellow and green counters, where as the church only gets RM1 every Sunday?” He struck a very valid point for me. After that, I try my best to do away with only giving RM1 for the church.
It’s not that I am an avid gambler, but it’s true. The church does need money, and they are humble enough to ask us to donate how much we can afford without making it compulsory. If we cant help them with their projects/programmes, the least is we can help them financially. For me, if i can buy expensive things for myself, I should be also able to help the church, in any way I feel fit.
With that said, have a blessed day bro 🙂
i like this post…very insightful indeed.
btw, was that you that i saw this afternoon, wearing blue T-shirt?? u were having lunch at this XXX coffeeshop at Matang? it was you, wasn’t it? hmmm….
if you are referring to Tasty Corner.. most probably.. but there’s a lot of people in blue 😉
Well bro, leave him/her alone. I had that before. People get jealous! Hahahahaha…
I gotta agree with Robin, blogging is taking action tho. Making it a point to the others in a different way. I do not condone with his/her act of attacking personally in a blog. That’s not ethical at all.
But, oh well, why bother? Life goes on!
Oh yeah bro. life goes on.. =) Some ppl like personal attacks because they are not smart enough to do a proper attack =P