Zone1 The Declining church

[Votto]

Losing their religion: why US churches are on the decline

As the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year – probably accelerated by Covid

www.theguardian.com

Around 1970, about 92% of American identified as Christian, but by 2027, it is projected to drop to 50% or under.

So, why is this?

It is noteworthy that there was a big drop in church attendance after Covid. After the government shut society down, many did not return to church just like many did not return to work.

 

[surada]

Losing their religion: why US churches are on the decline

As the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year – probably accelerated by Covid

www.theguardian.com

Around 1970, about 92% of American identified as Christian, but by 2027, it is projected to drop to 50% or under.

So, why is this?

It is noteworthy that there was a big drop in church attendance after Covid. After the government shut society down, many did not return to church just like many did not return to work.

Too much focus on end times, Armageddon and the rapture.

 

[DGS49]

The culture opposes the concept that one should look to a "higher power" for guidance. "We" have self-esteem in monstrous amounts, for which "we" - most of us anyway - have very little justification.

My church - not a representative sampling for sure - has recovered all its attendance after the Pandemic, but a third or so of "us" now routinely attends [Catholic] Mass virtually. Collections are back where they were, since most of us pay electronically anyway.

But we lost 40% over the last several years due to the pedo-scandal in the Church. I personally think this is B.S., but I'm a minority voice.

The future could be like Europe, where only white-hairs, women with small children, and tourists actually go to church. But there, churches are maintained with government funds.

 

[BULLDOG]

Cant do politics and religion at the same time. Make up your mind if you worship trump or God. Can't do both.

 

[luiza]

We need to find ways to speed up that decline to help the poor and afflicted who are used and abused every minute by those dreadful Cult Christians

 

[MarcATL]

Republicans being the defacto face of Christianity in America is largely what caused this.

"Evangelical" is equivalent to a curse word thanks to the job Republicans did of co-opting it and ruining it.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Losing their religion: why US churches are on the decline

As the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year – probably accelerated by Covid

www.theguardian.com

Around 1970, about 92% of American identified as Christian, but by 2027, it is projected to drop to 50% or under.

So, why is this?

It is noteworthy that there was a big drop in church attendance after Covid. After the government shut society down, many did not return to church just like many did not return to work.

.

This was probably one of the main objectives of the covid hoax.

.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

The culture opposes the concept that one should look to a "higher power" for guidance. "We" have self-esteem in monstrous amounts, for which "we" - most of us anyway - have very little justification.

My church - not a representative sampling for sure - has recovered all its attendance after the Pandemic, but a third or so of "us" now routinely attends [Catholic] Mass virtually. Collections are back where they were, since most of us pay electronically anyway.

But we lost 40% over the last several years due to the pedo-scandal in the Church. I personally think this is B.S., but I'm a minority voice.

The future could be like Europe, where only white-hairs, women with small children, and tourists actually go to church. But there, churches are maintained with government funds.

.

Great post!

Have you learned much about the fact that the pedo priests are mainly leftists, as has always been since the 60's? I'm guessing that, when the Catholic faith starts policing the seminaries, which are purposely feeding this, the problem is likely to stop.

One of my favorite charities is the Coalition For Canceled Priests, who support the priests who have been canceled for standing up and telling the truth about the pedos, as well as some other issues important to Catholics.

.

 

[Meriweather]

But we lost 40% over the last several years due to the pedo-scandal in the Church. I personally think this is B.S., but I'm a minority voice.

People looking for a good excuse not to attend worship God found one in that scandal. Too bad 40% of public school students aren't lost to the same scandals occurring in public school. Think of how much better education would be if there were 15 students per class instead of 37.

Personally, I think the loss of church attendance (all denominations) lies in people not being educated about the Bible in its original language. The atheists who post here often (not always) an example of just how great is the lack of understanding of the Bible. The best Bible teachers? Rabbis. True, they haven't the same understanding of Jesus and the New Testament that Christians have, but they could sure teach us a lot about the first 40 or so books.

 

[Votto]

Can't really argue too much with what has been posted.

The church certainly has a lot of failings.

As for politics, it mirrors religion in that it is an ideology on how to live your life that cannot be proven correct or incorrect.

Without a doubt, the religion of politics has snuffed out the religion pointing to God on both the Left and Right.

 

[1miseryindex]

The culture opposes the concept that one should look to a "higher power" for guidance. "We" have self-esteem in monstrous amounts, for which "we" - most of us anyway - have very little justification.

My church - not a representative sampling for sure - has recovered all its attendance after the Pandemic, but a third or so of "us" now routinely attends [Catholic] Mass virtually. Collections are back where they were, since most of us pay electronically anyway.

But we lost 40% over the last several years due to the pedo-scandal in the Church. I personally think this is B.S., but I'm a minority voice.

The future could be like Europe, where only white-hairs, women with small children, and tourists actually go to church. But there, churches are maintained with government funds.

Mass attendance plummeted due to Vatican II.

The Church became hyper-protestantized. And men considering the priesthood basically said to themselves

Why should I bother going through all that seminary and being celibate all my life if we are just another protestant denomination more or less?

I mean, I'm sure there were other reasons. A lot of the reverence that used to be at the Holy Mass was stripped out of it. I think some priests are going back to the way things once were... not as much as I'd like but.. well, I think at first after V2 a lot of statues were removed, for example. Now I see them in every Catholic Church

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Mass attendance plummeted due to Vatican II.

The Church became hyper-protestantized. And men considering the priesthood basically said to themselves

Why should I bother going through all that seminary and being celibate all my life if we are just another protestant denomination more or less?

I mean, I'm sure there were other reasons. A lot of the reverence that used to be at the Holy Mass was stripped out of it. I think some priests are going back to the way things once were... not as much as I'd like but.. well, I think at first after V2 a lot of statues were removed, for example. Now I see them in every Catholic Church

.

BINGO!

That's exactly what I got out of going to my first NO Masses. Far more Protestant than I expected!

The priest at my church told a great story about how revolted he was when he went into a local church in a different parish, to find a 1957 Chevy parked in the church and the ushers on roller skates! When he asked what was up, the usher said, "We're celebrating Happy Days!"

Sigh.

.

 

[1miseryindex]

Cant do politics and religion at the same time. Make up your mind if you worship trump or God. Can't do both.

BS

totally

 

[1miseryindex]

.

BINGO!

That's exactly what I got out of going to my first NO Masses. Far more Protestant than I expected!

The priest at my church told a great story about how revolted he was when he went into a local church in a different parish, to find a 1957 Chevy parked in the church and the ushers on roller skates! When he asked what was up, the usher said, "We're celebrating Happy Days!"

Sigh.

.

That's bizarre! I thought I had come across some radical not-so-Catholic Catholic Churches! That takes the flippin cake!

BTW, I don't recall there ever being any Catholics on Happy Days? That's not to say I've watched all episodes but still....

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

That's bizarre! I thought I had come across some radical not-so-Catholic Catholic Churches! That takes the flippin cake!

BTW, I don't recall there ever being any Catholics on Happy Days? That's not to say I've watched all episodes but still....

.

It was a poor play on words.

Yeah, I don't remember any particular religion on Happy Days.

It was good to hear this story from him.. Reassured me that he's not a complete modernist priest.

.

 

[1miseryindex]

.

It was a poor play on words.

Yeah, I don't remember any particular religion on Happy Days.

It was good to hear this story from him.. Reassured me that he's not a complete modernist priest.

.

I don't think many priests EVER accepted the changes of V2, certainly not all of them. but what can they do when the bishop is over them and the pope over the bishops?

 

[Blaster]

Losing their religion: why US churches are on the decline

As the US adjusts to an increasingly non-religious population, thousands of churches are closing each year – probably accelerated by Covid

www.theguardian.com

Around 1970, about 92% of American identified as Christian, but by 2027, it is projected to drop to 50%.

The constant barrage of secular humanism taught at public schools is a big reason.

 

[BULLDOG]

The constant barrage of secular humanism taught at public schools is a big reason.

Yes. The teaching of reality would certainly reduce adherance to religion.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

I don't think many priests EVER accepted the changes of V2, certainly not all of them. but what can they do when the bishop is over them and the pope over the bishops?

.

Right on the money. And all the priests and bishops who have been canceled because they dare to have their own opinions and values.

.

 

[TheParser]

(1) I have read that the more economically developed a nation is, the less "religious" it is.

(2) So reportedly few people in Scandinavia attend church, for example.

(3) In a desperately poor country, it is said, the masses have to believe in God in order to have the strength to persevere.

a. It is very comforting to believe that God, angels, and saints are helping us.

(4) Of course, I do not know whether God or an afterlife exists.