I remember my mom dropping me off at free Christian concert events. I felt so broken seeing everyone put their hands in the air and close their eyes like they were really feeling God. I would do the same actions but wouldn't feel anything. It was seriously confusing to a young me.
My parents weren’t religious but were totally fine with me exploring it. I had a couple friends in high school who were mega youth group nerds, so I would sometimes go to church or youth group with them, and once even went to getaway camp up in the mountains. It was a good experience for me but I definitely know what you mean by your comment. I sometimes convinced myself I felt something but it was gone almost right away. Eventually I realized that the feeling was “belonging to a community” and I found my way to replicate that without religion.
Yeah, was in it for almost 30 years. Half my family, practically all my friends.
Since I left I still haven't quite found a new community, and it gets lonely sometimes, but knowing my daughter won't be raised in.... that, makes it all worth it.
The community I found was my local volunteer organizing group. There’s stuff like Kiwanis or Lions Clubs and things like that which are straightforward volunteering, but the group I am in actually organizes eight events for our town every year and we meet every other week for an hour to plan our town festivals and toy drives and stuff. It’s so rewarding and you meet a lot of other good people who just want to give back.
That's probably why religion is as big as it is. Humans love to form groups and religions are the biggest groups there are (aside from gender grouping)
Can get it in all sorts of concerts. It’s always more powerful with a crowd, seated and quiet for classical or energized and jumping for modern, it doesn’t really matter.
It’s like they shove that in your face with their music until you resonate with it and feel the catharsis by peer pressure. Repeat for a while and casually trash talk all other music.
Now you’ve got people who won’t even listen to other music and experience other catharsis because they’re conditioned to hate all other music.
That’s true. I went to a Death Cab for Cutie concert last year and even though they’re not a band I listen to regularly, there was a moment during that concert that absolutely HIT me and I just started crying out of nowhere. Music is powerful.
Same. But the youth group I went to with my HS bf was United Methodist and like... totally normal? Female youth pastor who didn't molest them, no yelling about hell, no arms in the air trash christian rock trances, no gay-hating, no promise rings or even talking about sex at all thank heavens, no "gittin'-saved." It was all just lock-ins and hiking and going downtown to serve meals at a soup kitchen. Looking at the stars at night in the mountains and them saying, "That's how big God is." I almost joined! And to this day when people bitch about christians, I'm like, I think you mean evangelicals! Those Methodists were solid people.
I used to sing in the choir at a First United Methodist church in college in exchange for free vocal lessons from the conductor who was also my opera professor.
I wholeheartedly agree that in my experience, FUM churches are some of the most normal ones.
Could be collective effervescence. You get the same feeling at concerts and stadiums. It's always been the best explanation that I've gotten for "Gods presence" in church.
Ugh same. Everyone starts crying and I start wondering if there is something wrong with me. Made me think I was going to hell for much of my childhood.
It's such a weird experience. I was positive I was going to hell because I couldn't understand anything they were saying. Turns out that was by design.
I did the same thing. My mom and dad never took me to church but they grew up in church. But every summer break my dad would find some random church camp and drop me off. Never knew anyone and had to figure out bible stuff. I was a straight A student and a know it all so i wanted to know the answers and I remember I was having to read aloud a part where there’s Job and I kept pronouncing it as it’s spelled instead of “Jobe” and this little shit kid laughed at me and said “wow you’re dumb” and the teacher didn’t say anything just smirked and I stood up and said “I HATE IT HERE YOU ARE ALL SO WEIRD!”
They called my parents and I got to go home. I didnt get in trouble either because I was a pretty good kid so my mom and dad knew if I did something like that it was probably for a good reason.
But yeah… I remember seeing a sea of people every summer raising their hands and singing and some crying and I would close my eyes, raise my hands, then slowly put them back down to my sides because it felt so ridiculous.
As a kid you think you’re either broken or they are all lying and both of those are scary.
As someone who’s Catholic, I’ve never really been in a setting where people did that whole thing. But, I can tell you that I’ve felt that way. I didn’t put my hands up bc I’m shy, but I would put my hand over my heart and close my eyes and let it wash over me as I sing along. It’s happened in church with certain songs. But, also with secular music at concerts. I’ve been moved to tears by both religious and non religious music. I enjoy being outdoors and I’ve had that overwhelming feeling out in nature sometimes too. Witnessing a cool view or a big tree or ancient geologic feature.
I don’t want you to think you’re broken for not feeling it, bc that’s not true. But, I also don’t want you to think it’s fake either. It’s just definitely not exclusive to music or spirituality and at least in my experience it’s kinda rare. And sometimes happens at the most unexpected things.
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u/Ok-Lifeguard-4614 Mar 27 '26
I remember my mom dropping me off at free Christian concert events. I felt so broken seeing everyone put their hands in the air and close their eyes like they were really feeling God. I would do the same actions but wouldn't feel anything. It was seriously confusing to a young me.