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Post by Easton on Oct 28, 2021 21:43:58 GMT -5
^ For John, and countless other Christian soldiers who were plopped down in the middle of a war, I'm sure he and they began to question how God could allow such atrocities. The war surely must have sown the seeds of doubt in their minds.
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Post by carol on Oct 29, 2021 20:13:14 GMT -5
^ For John, and countless other Christian soldiers who were plopped down in the middle of a war, I'm sure he and they began to question how God could allow such atrocities. The war surely must have sown the seeds of doubt in their minds. This was addressed in the episode The Lost Sheep where Ashley told Erin he no longer believed in God
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Post by Easton on Oct 29, 2021 21:42:35 GMT -5
^ Exactly. And John lost his brother as well. He was able to deal with it better, as did Ep Bridges. At least Ashley didn't go off the deep end like Erin's painter... or Kenny.
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Post by Kyle on Oct 30, 2021 9:05:12 GMT -5
John wasn’t an atheist and wasn’t questioning the existence of God, at least not that we saw. He just didn’t like organized religion, at least not the Baptist church’s version.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2021 11:03:37 GMT -5
John wasn’t an atheist and wasn’t questioning the existence of God, at least not that we saw. He just didn’t like organized religion, at least not the Baptist church’s version. Yep, when he was chasing JB during the Easter Story he was not having any problems explaining to JB why bad things happened. He was good with it. Something about being part of the bargain.
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Post by Easton on Oct 30, 2021 11:05:24 GMT -5
He did pray in his own way. I forget the episode and circumstances, but he went to the church one night, stood outside it, and looked up at the steeple. He didn't say anything, but it was clear that he was praying.
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Post by pinkbaker07 on Oct 30, 2021 19:33:03 GMT -5
He did pray in his own way. I forget the episode and circumstances, but he went to the church one night, stood outside it, and looked up at the steeple. He didn't say anything, but it was clear that he was praying. It may have been when Elizabeth had her injury.
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Post by Easton on Oct 30, 2021 20:25:20 GMT -5
^ I think you're right. I expected John to speak as he prayed, but his silence spoke more than words could have. It was a magnificently written, directed, and acted scene.
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Post by carol on Oct 31, 2021 3:11:01 GMT -5
In The Sinner when John went to the prayer meeting after Rev. Fordwick got drunk on the Recipe he told the congregation that while he wasn't a church going man he prayed and read the Bible and then told the people who were condemning Rev. Fordwick "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
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Post by nealkolins on Feb 27, 2023 6:17:03 GMT -5
But the real question is: when did this change for John? Did something happen that made him stop going to church altogether? Maybe he had a bad experience with a fire and brimstone preacher like in "Baptism," and it turned him off from the whole church scene. I'm not saying John should have tried online dating (lol), but it's a cool concept for those who are looking for love and share similar beliefs. Check it out at firstchurchlove.com if you're interested. Or maybe he just didn't like being yelled at, like in "The Sinner." I guess we'll never know for sure, but it's definitely something to think about.
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Post by jaydub87 on Feb 27, 2023 9:06:46 GMT -5
Are we sure that John ever really went to church? Him and Liv often joke about how she wound up with the "biggest heathen in the county." In "The Baptism," they talked about how John had never been baptized. I'm pretty sure Jim Bob also referenced it in the episode where he wanted to become a minister. I'm not sure that John was ever a churchgoer. If he was, it seems likely that it was when he was a child and he had no choice in the matter.
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Post by e knight on Feb 27, 2023 9:31:17 GMT -5
I think that it’s unfair to assume that a traumatic situation or event must be responsible for a change in a person’s attitude towards religion. It’s possible to reject the notion of the supernatural when one acquires maturity and reflection. I’d guess that religion might be acquired gradually in the same manner. It’s a personal thing, and no explanation should be required.
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Post by Easton on Feb 27, 2023 11:17:16 GMT -5
Speaking from personal experience, I don't think that John gave up on God. I believe (as I do) that he simply believed that not being baptised made him any less a Christian.
I'm thinking of the episode in which John goes to the church one night and stands in front of it, looking at it. He doesn't say a word, but thanks to Ralph Waite's acting skills, we know that his brain is silently speaking volumes. Baptised or not, his silent prayer was just as pertinent.
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Post by carol on Feb 28, 2023 0:23:38 GMT -5
Speaking from personal experience, I don't think that John gave up on God. I believe (as I do) that he simply believed that not being baptised made him any less a Christian. I'm thinking of the episode in which John goes to the church one night and stands in front of it, looking at it. He doesn't say a word, but thanks to Ralph Waite's acting skills, we know that his brain is silently speaking volumes. Baptised or not, his silent prayer was just as pertinent.
I think that was The Ordeal. It was on today. He did eventually go inside.
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Post by Easton on Feb 28, 2023 8:56:36 GMT -5
^ I've never seen that bit. It's been edited out for commercials. I've only ever seen him standing in silence staring at the church steeple, then it cuts for commercial.
Does he do anything in the church or just go in?
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