Why are a lot of people turning away from the Church?

1. 61

   Apostle Jackposted 14 years ago

   Why are a lot of people turning away from the Church?

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2. 68

   Amy Bechererposted 14 years ago

   I can only answer this question for myself.  Raised and educated in Catholic schools, I had difficulties with the hypocrisy early on.  The cruelty of the nuns as teachers toward their charges, intolerance of anything that challenged their authority or control, insistence upon weekly time in the confessional (when I dared to  question this scary concept as a 2nd grader, I was admonished by the 72 year old nun that taught us with "The saints went everyday.  Do you think you are better than the saints?"). She maintained control in the over-crowded 2nd grade class by telling us that God can do anything.  She knew, because a misbehaving child in one of her previous classes had apparently been turned into a butterfly by God and flew out the window right in front of her eyes.  Fear was used to control.
   
   As an adult, I, like the rest of the world, watched the long, hidden crimes against children unfold, with the church protecting the perps rather than the children.  They have not yet taken full responsibility and accountability for these crimes against the innocent.
   
   These issues have driven me from the back of the church and out the door.  I firmly believe in my Creator, pray at home, but will never again support organized religion.

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3. 81

   japtakerposted 14 years ago

   Perhaps because so much of the church exhibits a defunct dependence on the edicts of man rather than the unction of God; and a glaring disparity between words and actions; and a tendency to create an "us-vs.-them" mentality; and a holier-than-thou attitude towards "outsiders" rather than the humility that comes with realizing one's own helplessness as concerns living a good life in one's own power; and a closed-mindedness and intellectual suicide that approximates the once refusal to accept a heliocentric model of the solar-system; and a continual appeal to the basest forms of hope and fear as a motivator for belief; and the grinning, leering preachers of personal prosperity in a world that is full of lack and starvation; and the soul-less, sociopathic charlatans who are allowed to swindle money from the "faithful" on "christian" national television networks; and the vast multitude of evil lunatics who claim to speak for God; and the never-ending quibbling and clucking and divisiveness and offense over the most inane points of "theology"...
   
   There are just a few of the reasons I can think of. I, for my part, do go to church, because I simply can not afford to have no source of Christian fellowship. But I consider it no wonder at all that a lot of people are turning away.

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   SirDentposted 14 years ago

   Many do it simply because they have no love for God.  Others do it because they can't forgive those who hurt them.  Still others do it because they don't get their way in the Church.   There are many reasons why they leave the Church.
   
   The question one should ask is, "Why should we stay in the Church?"

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5. 81

   Judah's Daughterposted 14 years ago

   There are two reasons, I think ~ one 'righteous' and one 'unrighteous'.  The righteous reason is when the 'church' takes on the doctrines of men and starts imposing all kinds of works to be 'saved' or 'keep salvation'.  Some of them twist the Word of God's true meaning and impose 'indoctrination' of the teachings of men instead.  The unrighteous reason is when people fall away from the faith because they love to sin and thus claim, "I'm not religious" (meaning they have chosen to no longer follow Christ).
   
   Jesus confirmed the 'righteous' reason for leaving a 'so-called church' in Matthew 23:13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to."
   
   Truly the Head of the 'Church' is Jesus (Col 1:18).  He is the High Priest (Heb 4:14).  All believers that follow Him, within or without the organized churches, are part of His Church.  He said in Mat 18:20, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."
   
   May each one of us simply stay in the faith, loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Mat 22:37-40).

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6. 60

   Jarnposted 14 years ago

   Probably because life is screwing them over no matter how hard they pray. Yeah, the promise of Heaven is great and all, but you've gotta die for that one, so some minor consolation or ammenities in life to at least make it tolerable would be nice.

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7. 59

   Mark Upshawposted 14 years ago

   Just as each preacher teaches:  the Truth Wins Out.  And the truth is that there is no all loving God, but a bunch of demigods warring among themselves using the lives of their believers as pawns and weapons.
   
   Truth wins out and people awaken from the dream of a savior god, saving them from their natural instincts.  Ridiculous.

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8. 67

   CARIBQUEENposted 14 years ago

   Because they are looking to others and not to Christ. Some of us get carried away with the superficial things around us. We have to keep our eyes focussed on God.

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9. 53

   cobrienposted 14 years ago

   Because churches have been overcome with a bunch of pious people that make the true worshipers uncomfortable.

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10. 60

    lostdogrwdposted 14 years ago

    Satan running the churches now and it all about money. there no doing what the bible say. the bible is use to get as much money out of the people going to the churches that they can and they lie to the people telling them to be good and give to the church to be save and don't even know what they being save from and its God wrath on the day of judgment

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11. 71

    sarascaposted 14 years ago

    Because going to church DOES NOT make you a Christian, and because most churches have no clue what the word of God is anymore.

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12. 60

    akuiglaposted 14 years ago

    Because the priests are not speaking the will of God.

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13. 71

    Darrell Robertsposted 14 years ago

    Leadership is lacking.  There must be leaders who have the qualities to attract the people and keep them loyal and true to the faith, and it must start with tier own exapmle.

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14. 60

    Kyle Riversposted 14 years ago

    Mass aposticy, and the fact that with scientific "evidence", people find that God isn't necessary in order for us to survive.

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15. 60

    Shane Reedposted 13 years ago

    Your answer is in Matthew 24.  For a deeper answer, read the book of Daniel.

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