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This is absolutely correct. I have told my friends and family many times that the "church" is the people, not some building standing on the corner. I myself grew up in church, but as I grew older I began to question certain things, and the most common answer I received from pastors and fellow members was "you just have to have faith". That answer, coupled with the hypocrisy mentioned in the post above, truly began to drive me away from mass meetings of believers. That, and the apparent greed of many churches I have attended. The last time I actually went to service, the church passed the plate THREE separate times before the sermon ever began. The first was for the tithe. The second was for the "parking lot" fund. And the third was for missionary support or something like that. It just seemed ridiculous to me. I can exercise my beliefs and talk to God if I wish without going to the local "church" building. It's much more comfortable than going and being judged by other supposed "Christians" for how you are dressed, your car, etc.
Churches don't have to have buildings, but the Bible clearly calls for gathering with other Christians, and it's just easy to do that in a church building:
Hebrews 10:25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClaraC
Well, let's see.
Here's a graph showing church affiliation is more democrat than republican, except for Mormons.
So I guess you can blame republicans for not affiliating with a church.
The dropoff in church membership over the past decade or so is primarily among Democrats. Republican church membership has stayed more constant.
The apostates and the socialite posers. Again, that is like an obese person losing weight. This sort of trimming down is almost certainly going to strengthen the church (which is not a building or an organization) and make it healthier if this trend continues going forward.
I’m probably guilty of some “home turf” bias. I grew up in white evangelical Christianity, so I saw plenty of poor people who voted Republican because of the abortion issue alone. Anecdotal, for sure, but still true. It would be interesting to see actual statistics relating to income, religion, and party affiliation.
I think it would be interesting to see the other factors involved. I grew up in an AME, later Baptist home. Growing up in Black churches, I never heard the preacher talk about how to vote. Never heard the preacher talk about abortion. I heard a bit about homosexual behavior being frowned upon, but never in the political sense. It was always about actual behavior and not political stuff. Now, I've been to churches where most of the congregation was White. Oddly, I never saw that many poor White people in church, at least not at the churches I've been around.
I also think about this. Denominations play a factor. Among Catholics, it's a toss up. Plenty of Republicans, but not many as one might find in Evangelical churches. Presbyterians, on the other hand, I have found more liberals among them. Same goes for Anglicans and Episcopalians. I think race and denomination might play a big factor.
The apostates and the socialite posers. Again, that is like an obese person losing weight. This sort of trimming down is almost certainly going to strengthen the church (which is not a building or an organization) and make it healthier if this trend continues going forward.
In some cases it isn't. In some cases, it's people who are disappointed by hypocrites within the church. The trimming may not get rid of the hypocrites.
God makes it pretty clear, “Thou shalt not judge.”
Who proclaimed the following?
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment"
And where is it written:
"I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat ... put away from among yourselves that wicked person."
This looks like a prescription to judge others. Maybe you're missing some context in the edict, 'judge not'?
Organized religion has always been a racket and it always will be.
The left isn’t responsible for the decline in church attendance. The RCC, the southern Baptist convention, the mega churches, and the conglomerate of non-denominational “Christian” churches have done more damage to church attendance/affiliation than any political ideology.
The evangelicals’ endorsement and worship of Donald Trump has done more damage than they’ll ever admit. The conspiracy theories like Q-anon have replaced the book of revelations.
Read the gospels and then watch Trump rallies. There is a total disconnect there. The decline in church attendance is totally self-inflicted.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ditchlights
Might have something to do with COVID and most churches switching to webcasts of sermons?
Just one of the many ways the left has used the COVID "pandemic" to thrust their agenda on the public.
Last time I checked, blacks and Hispanics were highly religious groups in regards to their respective faiths, two groups the left depends on heavily for votes. Sadly, many in both of these groups will still vote democrat despite what the left is trying to do against their basic values.
Happily, they'll vote for Democrats instead of buying into the fear-mongering BS of some mysterious agenda and the Big Lie promoted by the rapidly devolving into lunacy GOP.
organized religion has always been a racket and it always will be.
The left isn’t responsible for the decline in church attendance. The rcc, the southern baptist convention, the mega churches, and the conglomerate of non-denominational “christian” churches have done more damage to church attendance/affiliation than any political ideology.
The evangelicals’ endorsement and worship of donald trump has done more damage than they’ll ever admit. the conspiracy theories like q-anon have replaced the book of revelations.
read the gospels and then watch trump rallies. There is a total disconnect there. The decline in church attendance is totally self-inflicted.
Beware: Non believers are judged immediately upon death, and find themselves in a state of separation from God and condemnation/punishment from which there will be no escape, either temporally or at the close of the age in eternity....
Yeah, right.
It has nothing to do with Liberals, but it does have a lot to do with internet and the free exchange of ideas.
It also has a lot to do with us Atheists stripping x-tians of their power.
You can no longer issue a Writ de Heretico Comburendo and burn people to death for not subscribing to the stupidity.
Atheists 1: x-tians: 0
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