I still go into church buildings, churches, parish halls, parsonages.
Sometimes in the course of my business. Lions Club meets in a parish hall. As do my sons' Boy Scouts.
These are visits when there are no church services. Obviously. Except maybe funerals.
My comments are about how it affects me. Here goes:
Very sterile, cold. The pictures of white Jesus and biblical writings are simply odd and out of any context. It's not even art.
I hope that any human encounters will stick to the business at hand...and they do. (Might be the satanic vibe I give off).
Taxpayer funded building projects are a big part of the religious program in America....yet these empty shells feel no different, maybe even less alive than most secular places I visit....(think convenience store?).
It's always a dark feeling when I am in those places.
Is it the "Aversion to Truth Program" that surrounds me? I walk in the door....it's "challenging" to be myself
I work in a church as an organist and music director. There are many atheists and agnostics who do the same thing, because it pays very well, and it's difficult to find music gigs which are regular and have good pay. You are right; the places, despite having nice stained glass and wooden ceilings, are sterile wastelands, and often populated with borderline personalities and narcissists. They don't fit in anywhere else.
@Gator Yep...that's an old chestnut! One day about 40 years ago, I came into work, and actually DID find a vase with tulips in it on my organ console! I found out who did it -a mousy little unattractive man in the choir- but never found out if he just intended them to be innocent flowers or not. I shuddered at the prospect...