OK, so I just walked in the house from church but something is bothering me so I'm about to get it off my chest real quick before the game starts.
Now I have been going to my church for almost a year now... and I have never seen so many white and asian tourists come to a church before, and are just straight flabbergasted about what goes on. We always have tourists... but today I couldn't even get a seat downstairs because there were so many... Then I get up to the balcony and nearly the whole balcony is flooded with them. Now granted the African American Day parade is today so maybe that is why we have so many people uptown but still. (Oh and I have the best view of the parade from my apt. so maybe I will take pics and post them later... I can literally watch the whole thing from my living room window)
Now back to the people...
They are taking pictures and videotaping when the choir sings and during the sermon, smiling and giggling and pointing every time a person starts to shout. It really got on my nerves today. Especially when I was trying to alert the usher so I could get a fan and she was too busy policing the pews telling them to put their cameras away and that there was no videotaping.
Why they think that its okay is beyond me. I would never walk into a white or asian church and start taking pictures of everything that was going on.
Ugh... okay... time for football...
Now I have been going to my church for almost a year now... and I have never seen so many white and asian tourists come to a church before, and are just straight flabbergasted about what goes on. We always have tourists... but today I couldn't even get a seat downstairs because there were so many... Then I get up to the balcony and nearly the whole balcony is flooded with them. Now granted the African American Day parade is today so maybe that is why we have so many people uptown but still. (Oh and I have the best view of the parade from my apt. so maybe I will take pics and post them later... I can literally watch the whole thing from my living room window)
Now back to the people...
They are taking pictures and videotaping when the choir sings and during the sermon, smiling and giggling and pointing every time a person starts to shout. It really got on my nerves today. Especially when I was trying to alert the usher so I could get a fan and she was too busy policing the pews telling them to put their cameras away and that there was no videotaping.
Why they think that its okay is beyond me. I would never walk into a white or asian church and start taking pictures of everything that was going on.
Ugh... okay... time for football...
28 comments
How rude.
I guess they feel like its a side show or something, when it's NOT!!!
I wonder how they would feel if we went into their worship service and started acting like we were in the freaking zoo?!?!?
That's madddd annoying.
Oh well, I guess I'm about to go watch my boys lose to the giants. Meh. What a perfectly horrible way to end my weekend.
Ohhhhhhhhh weeee...u know what...Hmmph, I have a comment but I'll refrain from now...that ish really irritates me. Let's go 'Boys!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, it can be irritating and at times take away from your experience...but keep in mind that the "black church experience" is something that really is foreign to most non-blacks and it can be an amazing experience for them. We may not get it, but at least they're choosing to have an open-mind and try something new before knocking it...and at the end of the day they'll spread the word: Black churches are the business! :)
Yeah I never understood it either. I wonder how they would feel if a person of another race walked in their church and started doing that.
Yeah thats not cool, who ever was running the tour should have been schooling them on conduct.
That feels like they are going to the zoo.
I hope the bums at least put something in the offering plate for all that.
I'm not liking that at all. That has a "Let's watch the Negroes in their natural habitat" feel to it. Can't go on Safari? Go to a black church! Where's Jane Goodall?!
So disrespectful! If I were you I would try to have a meeting at church with the members about that. I mean I know church is come one, come all...but if you are going to disrespectful and act like you are at an exhibit then you need to bounce...they should have ushers at the front door ready to confiscate cameras and video recorders that is pure nonsense!
Ya'll talkin crazy. Dont let these type of ppl ruin your spiritual connection/experience. Next time, Eb, pull out your camara phone, ease over to them and snap a few pictures of them. Bet they wouldn't try it again.
You gotta let them know even thought you feel waht they doing is wrong, they not the only ones capable of making a mockery of someone. Or next time you go to a Sushi bar (or whatever gathering white ppl participate in) go around snappin pics. then if they asked you what you're doing, whip out the pics you took in church and say...
"Ain't that you snappin pics of my "homies"? Just thought I'd come over and see what you guys were up to!"
Wow, this is all very new to me as far as "strange church experiences go".
My church is pretty mixed so I've never experienced this at church, I do remember when I once bought my Catholic friend to church one time, and after she said it was too loud. LOL!.
I do honestly think its VERY disrespectful to take photographs and point the way these people were. Why they in church anyways? Foolishness!
oh my gosh that is SO rude! i would have been so upset it's not even funny.
@south loop - I feel ya but just because its foreign to them doesnt mean they have to make a spectacle of it
@clnmike - nope... most of them leave before offering is taken... they never stay for the whole service
@tina-b - you crazy girl...lol
Thats some bullshit foreal!
I mean it depends what kiond of church it is... I mean if it's a "catching the holy spirit and c walking down the aisle speaking in toungues church" then yeah I guess it can be a little overwhelming but still it's no excuse for flat out rudeness and disrespect.
lol... that's so wrong for them to take pics and video like they was at the zoo. They must have wanted to know if it was just like they see on TV.
And curiousity killed the cat
So. Not. Cool.
I think it is so disresepctful to berate anyone's spiritual practices, even if they are different from your own. A person's relationship with their Higher Power is sacred and should not be used as entertainment. I understand that it may be overwhelming for a person whose never witnessed it before, but still. You're in a house of worship. Show some reverence.
damn... who knew churches were a tourist attraction! Where is it again? Maybe I need to go and take pictures, too!
but quietly, I've seen worse... one church I attended in BK, chick was doing her freakin nails in the pew. I was like WTF? In Church? Really?
I think I saw the Virgin Mary crying in the corner that day lol
That is very disrespectful and they wouldn't want it done to them.
I go to church in the south, and if someone began snapping pics without permission, they'd get the evil eye from a few of the older ladies in the church, and they wouldn't like it. I go to a small church that tourists couldn't even find, so I can't relate. :-)
Maybe you guys should meet about it because it is distracting when someone is laughing at your worship. That's unacceptable.
That was kinda out of order, someone needs to put them in their place, if you’re gonna come to church, come and worship and leave the cameras at home, church aint no tourist attraction.
Nonsense
Okay girl...I think I would have lost my religion up in there.
I feel where you are coming from, but at the same time I understand being on the flip side. I grew up in church so I know that treating a service like a day at Six Flags is wrong, but when I was in Germany they have this big famous Gothic cathedral which is absolutely breathtaking! It was a Catholic service going on, but people had out their cameras, etc. because that was pretty much a once in a lifetime sight for most and hearing Mass in another language and being a foreigner in a place can have that shock value where you just want to catch it as to preserve the memory.
I go to church Uptown, too. And I feel this everytime I see some tourists, usually white come in. I wouldn't have a problem if they were actually interested in coming for a message, no they're coming for a show and to see how black folks act. I think it's the picture taking and gawking that gets me, almost like its an anthropological study. "Here we see the black folks worship habits...." Please. Stop. It.
I can't even believe what I just read.
why u aint invite a sistah to watch from a window withcha?
"@clnmike - nope... most of them leave before offering is taken... they never stay for the whole service"
Say What?!
Hell no the Rev needs to put there butts out.
i ain't neva heard of such a thing. i wonder wut that was all about?!
Thats fly. love it
That nonsense would have gotten those folks escorted up and out of Newman UMC. That is just pure disrespect.
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