John’s Aversion to Church

[flossieskid]

I am sure this topic has been discussed in depth, but I couldn’t find earlier references to it. Why was John so against going to church when his parents seemed like such willing church goers?

[Livie's Friend]

Good question.  Zeb was more like John in that he was his own thinker and said he went to church for the hymn singing

Livie and Grandma were more demonstrative in their faith.  

Bottom line is John was a believer in God and that's what mattered the most.  

[jaydub87]

I don't think John liked being told what to do and think, and that sort of preaching was common at the church. Olivia and Grandma liked the regiment of the whole thing, but Zeb didn't. That's why he enjoyed The Recipe and said that he went to church mostly for the singing anyway. I think John was bothered by the idea of somebody telling him how he had to experience God. 

[Easton]

Personally, I believe that John's attitude toward the church and religion (and baptism) is the way he has reconciled with and is dealing with the war and the loss of his brother who he idolised.

I don't think John was ever as deeply religious as his mother nor his wife, but he was religious in his own way. I also believe he was more religious than Olivia gave him credit for. Hence the times he questioned Olivia on "What's the Christian thing to do?"

[Mrs. Ginny]

Do I feel that John Walton Sr. believed in God, sure I do. He mentioned many times he knows there is a God, but he didn't understand God like Esther and Olivia. That doesn't mean he doesn't have faith. He just dealt with it in a different manner. I think the way both he and Olivia raised all of those children gave them a very good insight on both perspectives of how one can still have faith in God, but do it in a totally different way. It made the children way more well rounded and in my opinion not as rigid. 

[jason88cubss]

I believed he had his own personal relationship with God and he didn't feel he needed to be at church to have that

[goodnight]

Jan 17, 2024 11:16:10 GMT -5 Easton said:

Personally, I believe that John's attitude toward the church and religion (and baptism) is the way he has reconciled with and is dealing with the war and the loss of his brother who he idolised.

I don't think John was ever as deeply religious as his mother nor his wife, but he was religious in his own way. I also believe he was more religious than Olivia gave him credit for. Hence the times he questioned Olivia on "What's the Christian thing to do?"

I think that makes sense. It was John after all who talked to Ashley Jr. when he lost his faith in the war because of killing someone.

[Eileen Grace]

Everyone is in a different walk and journey with their Savior. John Walton Sr. was no different than anyone else. He was at a different stage of his walk with the Lord than where Esther, Zeb, and Olivia were in their walks. That didn't mean that John Walton Sr. didn't have faith. In my opinion it meant he explored it in different ways and also even though he didn't attend church he still explored his faith quite a bit.