millennials are leaving the church

This is an excellent article about the state of religion in America today, The bottom line is that mainstream Christianity has serious flaws that are making it more and more undesirable. It is sometimes a strange combination of trite cheeziness with hate and militancy. What isn't mentioned in this article is how many of these people will leave religion altogether.

religion.blogs.cnn.com...

Nothing to worry about...it was foretold ages ago....the great "falling away".

For the most part, in my humble opinion...all major religions were written and created as a control mechanism over the ever growing populations. If people are beginning to see that, that might be a very good thing. However, as a spiritually aware person myself, I think the idea of abandoning the moral codes might not be such a good idea.

Just my opinion though.

They all will die off one day, especially those that refuse to change with the times.
The more people get educated the more they will question things and then they will search within for answers not another mans view on the big questions.
Just to point out I think it is fine to follow a religion as long as you don't make others follow it, don't let it rule society and just keep it to yourself.

Is the U.S the only "civilized" country in the world where the president for some reason mentions a god during his/her speeches?

As long as the majority keeps voting for such people, I guess there's a long way to go.

Meanwhile in Rio...
One Million Catholics gather for World Youth Day.
[photo taken 2 days ago]





How myopic of one American demographic
to think that they represent a generation.




New Pope 2013: With 155,000 Downloads, Pope App is No 1 on iTunes Chart


Mike

reply to post by Nevertheless

Is the U.S the only "civilized" country in the world where the president for some reason mentions a god during his/her speeches?

Please don't confuse religion with a belief in God. The OP was discussing people turning away from the mainstream religions. In my experience, God has very little to do with religion and a belief in God can take many different forms depending on the individual.

Originally posted by Metallicus
Please don't confuse religion with a belief in God.

Yes I do, because God has very much to do with religion. Regardless of the religion. Regardless of what you call your belief.

The OP was discussing people turning away from the mainstream religions.

And I was talking about the president saying "God" and the people who obviously put him to office.

In my experience, God has very little to do with religion

Your personal experience has very little to do with it.

and a belief in God can take many different forms depending on the individual.

Yes, of course. That's how religions work. As they are beliefs and not facts, everyone will eventually have their own opinions.

reply to post by mikegrouchy


Where does the author of the blog claim to be writing about anyone other than American Christians and more specifically American evangelical Christians? The author is an American from Tennessee writing a religion blog hosted by CNN, an American news network.

In fact your posted link would tend to support what she wrote, given she states

Many of us, myself included, are finding ourselves increasingly drawn to high church traditions – Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, the Episcopal Church, etc. – precisely because the ancient forms of liturgy seem so unpretentious, so unconcerned with being “cool,” and we find that refreshingly authentic.

According to James---

6 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

From what I have observed of mainstream american churches, their 'religion' is indeed vain. It is no wonder that more and more people are getting disillusioned with the churches. I can't blame them, as most of the preachers have gone the way of Baalim, and prophesy for profit, and not Truth.

Christianity in America is not the greatest. A lot of mainstream churches feels like it has less to do with faith and trying to understand to what it means to be a Christian; to it being a commercial enterprise that tries to capitalize on the emotions on any Christian.

Not get me wrong that I'm saying every Christian body or denomination in the U.S. But there are better alternatives out there and if the church is only interested in money than I think it's a sham than have faith.

Originally posted by erwalker
reply to post by mikegrouchy

 

Where does the author of the blog claim to be writing about anyone other than American Christians and more specifically American evangelical Christians? The author is an American from Tennessee writing a religion blog hosted by CNN, an American news network.

In fact your posted link would tend to support what she wrote, given she states

Many of us, myself included, are finding ourselves increasingly drawn to high church traditions – Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, the Episcopal Church, etc. – precisely because the ancient forms of liturgy seem so unpretentious, so unconcerned with being “cool,” and we find that refreshingly authentic.

Well which is it.
Are you leaving the church,
or being drawn too it.


Mike

The state of Christianity in America is disgusting.

Most of peoples complaints about Christians come directly from the UN-Christ like behavior that so called Christians exhibit.

Any Christian that finds themselve in "mega" churches, or any number of false doctrines they expound need to take a serious look on their faith.

Americans are among the riches people in the world, just by being here you are wealthier than 75% of the worlds population, I seem to recall a rich man through the eye of the needle speech somewhere.

People are supposed to know a follower of Christ by the love they show for their fellow man, sad to say they seem few and far between.

reply to post by Damian65


eh i dont think because you leave the church your morals immediately go down the drain, I left the church when i was 16 and broke all ties when i was 18 but when i left i took with me the golden rule and do know that the 10 commandments are pretty much a guideline for not being a d*ckhole, So just cause someone doesn't go to church doesn't mean there villainous heathens having orgy's, while stabbing somebody and then taking there wallet. Also what other things i have studied over the years since i left it is apparent there is something connecting us all(what it is, it the only true mystery). I hope people dont think the presence of organized religion is the only way to be a good person.

Where do the teaching of morals come from today? Certainly not the government. It seems to me the gov. is doing everything it can to do away with morals teaching. Because if you have morals it is at the very least difficult to accept what the gov. does.

I don't like any organized religion. But I have no problem with the 10 commandments. In fact I completely agree with them!

Originally posted by CB328
This is an excellent article about the state of religion in America today, The bottom line is that mainstream Christianity has serious flaws that are making it more and more undesirable. It is sometimes a strange combination of trite cheeziness with hate and militancy. What isn't mentioned in this article is how many of these people will leave religion altogether.

religion.blogs.cnn.com...

malware...a virus... Christianity is like a virus. looks good, so you click it thinking, great.

then you start having these severe character glitches, your actions are not only 180 degrees opposite of what you preach, you actually behave in the manner spouted as wrong, all the while never noticing it. And still vehemently attack others who are "sinning" regardless of whether their "sin" is less sever than yourself's own unaware actions.


I mean it figuratively manipulates people to "become sheep", and the preacher is "the shepherd"..

this is just one aspect to show advanced IQ's how hogwash it really is. just that, nevermind the HOLES in the book, the massive contradictions .. nope. all you need to know about not only life here on earth, BUT ETERNITY,!! in in that one book.. even though its not ALL there.. it still is...somehow!

arrogance of humanity has never been eclipsed than by those who claim to "know what GOD (whatever/whomever that is) wants" and KNOWS YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY..
Because GOD told them

you really can't make this stuff up!!.... erm..der. wait..nevermind
"

Originally posted by Damian65
Nothing to worry about...it was foretold ages ago....the great "falling away".

For the most part, in my humble opinion...all major religions were written and created as a control mechanism over the ever growing populations. If people are beginning to see that, that might be a very good thing. However, as a spiritually aware person myself, I think the idea of abandoning the moral codes might not be such a good idea.

Just my opinion though.

DATA and HISTORICAL documented admitted facts:


prove that a fallacy..

religion and morality are not wholly the same.


requiemiento anyone?

crusades?

reply to post by Magister


I think morality is already in us, we need it in evolutionary terms otherwise we wouldn't have made it without them.
I think even those who have no religion nor any concept of it understand that it is best for us (social creatures) to be good or we would end up alone.

reply to post by DocHolidaze


I agree. I think we have it in us to be very good creatures...but we are so easily led astray.

I grew up in an organized christian religion and when I was in my early teens, I had a lot of questions. I was told my questions were blasphemy...it wasn't long after that when I came to the conclusion that the Higher Power did not require bricks and stone to hear your prayers and communicate with you.

Since then I have read and tried to comprehend all the world's major religions...not because I was abandoning the fundamentals of Christianity...but because I was curious. I have since come to the conclusion that there are basic truths in ALL of them...

But that is my opinion.

Originally posted by HanzHenry

Originally posted by Damian65
Nothing to worry about...it was foretold ages ago....the great "falling away".

For the most part, in my humble opinion...all major religions were written and created as a control mechanism over the ever growing populations. If people are beginning to see that, that might be a very good thing. However, as a spiritually aware person myself, I think the idea of abandoning the moral codes might not be such a good idea.

Just my opinion though.

DATA and HISTORICAL documented admitted facts:


prove that a fallacy..

religion and morality are not wholly the same.


requiemiento anyone?

crusades?

Very true....religion and morality are not the same.

My point was...the moral values as most religions portray them are good things. They are solid foundations for civilization. There is nothing wrong with them. What I was trying to say is that it is perfectly OK to cast off the yoke of doctrine and dogma but perhaps it is not OK to cast aside the moral values locked within these religions.

I believe in a Higher Power. I have felt it's presence in my life. I know it is there. Is it what the texts tell us? Maybe...maybe not exactly.

My belief is this.

All civilization needed a "guideline" to follow so that everyone was on the same page....nothing wrong with that either...but when it is used to instill fear or hate or intolerance...then I personally think it has strayed from what our Higher Power would have...we are supposed to look out for one another...

Look at all of them...a goal of Buddhism, for instance, is compassion and the the extinction of suffering...that is called one of the 4 noble truths....go figure. Not such a terrible goal now is it? isn't that the basic idea that Christ wanted us to follow? Love your neighbor as yourself?

USA Christians, in my opinion, have fallen so far away from the teachings of Christ that it is astounding....reminds me of something Ghandi once said..."I like your Christ, but I do not care for your Christians"...

This is just my opinion. I am not trying to preach to or convert anyone.

Originally posted by CB328
This is an excellent article about the state of religion in America today, The bottom line is that mainstream Christianity has serious flaws that are making it more and more undesirable.

Actually, the article is about dissatisfaction with mainline Protestant religion. The millennials are "second generation non-churched" -- while their parents, those now in their 40s and 50s, didn't necessarily go to church, they still identified with their parents religion, but the millennials have really no connection to any religion and aren't attracted to the "rock star" nature of mega churches and the not very spiritually stimulating mainline Protestant faiths.

I converted from Methodism to Roman Catholicism in 2012 for that very reason -- I felt that my old church was more of a social club than a source of spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment, which the RCC does provide, at least for me.

I live in an upper class neighbourhood that is full of well to do millennials (along with a handful of Gen Xers and baby boomers, like me) and I would guess that, based on what I see in the area on Sunday mornings, maybe 10% of them are church goers, and that's on the optimistic side. As someone pointed out, it is, indeed, at time of "falling away" -- though whether that's indicative of anything Biblical remains to be seen.