christianity dying of old age?

[Windwalker]

But we continue to pray... for an awakening

Perhaps it is working, and this explains why people are leaving the churches?

 

[Windwalker]

Here is one intractable problem as I see it: the churches today won't accept that they have to give up the sermon style church -- which is a church that pleases and fulfills women only, not men. Everything is formulaic, because that is what the women approve of. They need support (like what a good husband provides) in order to feel free. Men need something else. Very often church is all about controlling God and making sure everyone hears, says and thinks the right things. It is woman-centered religion. God is not a human. A God centered religion is dangerous and chaotic. Women don't like it. I can't blame them for that, but I can say that their churches are inflexible and are not healthy for men. Men need to come out of that place and start something for men alone.

"Everything is formulaic, because that is what the women approve of. They need support (like what a good husband provides) in order to feel free"???.

Nothing sexist about that post. Lord, have mercy.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Religions and their traditions have not been progressing the same way the general population has. If they grew up, like the audience that could serve them, there would be more members. A few that have, like the Unitarian Universalists, don't offer support for those who want to attend church but doesn't have a means of transportation.

The liberal denominations of Christianity have focused on the personal side of religion, whereas the conservative denominations are filled of older people who are about to die. And more and more liberal Christians are turning towards irreligion because they find their religion doesn't satisfy their needs to belong, myself included.

It's a sad fact but in the upcoming generations religion may just be seen as a relic of the past.

 

[Brickjectivity]

"Everything is formulaic, because that is what the women approve of. They need support (like what a good husband provides) in order to feel free"???.

Nothing sexist about that post. Lord, have mercy.

Windwalker, I appreciate your input. Why are churches predominately attended by women? I have explained what I think, but the fact remains that its mostly women who attend. Can you explain this without reference to sex differences?

 

[Kenny]

Perhaps it is working, and this explains why people are leaving the churches?

LOL... Maybe it is the watered down Gospel? Ours is growing as are many others.

 

[Sand Dancer]

It's not dying world wide, but yes in Europe and perhaps north America. Growing in leaps at bounds in other places.

Developing nations with poor, desperate people are easy targets for proselytizers.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Religions and their traditions have not been progressing the same way the general population has. If they grew up, like the audience that could serve them, there would be more members. A few that have, like the Unitarian Universalists, don't offer support for those who want to attend church but doesn't have a means of transportation.

The liberal denominations of Christianity have focused on the personal side of religion, whereas the conservative denominations are filled of older people who are about to die. And more and more liberal Christians are turning towards irreligion because they find their religion doesn't satisfy their needs to belong, myself included.

It's a sad fact but in the upcoming generations religion may just be seen as a relic of the past.

There are a lot of relevant progressive churches focusing on spirituality instead of dogma. They are great bases to mobilize those focused on helping the poor, sick and marginalized. I just started attending one recently, and, although it's a little far from my house, it's really addicting. I am going to some closer ones, but they are not quite as focused on outreach as this particular one, although Catholics in general love outreach. Missions to them mean helping more than proselytizing. Actions speak louder than words.

 

[Wildswanderer]

Developing nations with poor, desperate people are easy targets for proselytizers.

People who are not smug and self assured certainly do seek truth more. Rich people often feel they don't need him .. until things go wrong.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I fear that in Western Europe at least Christianity is dying of old age

Here is a local example of what I think is a more general trend:

On a Sunday at my church there are normally between 20 and 25 people in the congregation

Only three of us are under 40 and I'll turn 40 next year

Everyone else are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s

I am worried for the long-term future of my church as it seems that we will be losing members to old age at a much greater rate to how we are attracting new members

Is this typical in Christianity in general?

My impression is that it is

At least in Western Europe - I understand that in the USA and Africa this is not the case?

I think that the only thing that can save it will be some kind of revival movement:

I believe that it is up to the Christinas of Western Europe to initiate a revival

And that they should do so with a sense of urgency - while there is something left to revive!

Discuss.

The Catholic parish I attend Mass at is fairly booming on Sundays, with plenty of young people. I agree we need a revival, though.

 

[Sand Dancer]

. Rich people often feel they don't need him .. until things go wrong.

This is very true. Money can't buy everything.

 

[F1fan]

I live in Europe, Netherlands

My village is small, 1200 people. But in the nearby big city, 10 km biking, there live 45000 people.

How far are you from Nijmegen?

 

[Windwalker]

People who are not smug and self assured certainly do seek truth more.

That doesn't mean they are less vulnerable to predators. It means they are easier prey, especially when they lack good education systems to make them more wary of flimflam men with ties and bibles in hand selling them promises of easy salvation.

 

[firedragon]

I fear that in Western Europe at least Christianity is dying of old age

Here is a local example of what I think is a more general trend:

On a Sunday at my church there are normally between 20 and 25 people in the congregation

Only three of us are under 40 and I'll turn 40 next year

Everyone else are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s

I am worried for the long-term future of my church as it seems that we will be losing members to old age at a much greater rate to how we are attracting new members

Is this typical in Christianity in general?

My impression is that it is

At least in Western Europe - I understand that in the USA and Africa this is not the case?

I think that the only thing that can save it will be some kind of revival movement:

I believe that it is up to the Christinas of Western Europe to initiate a revival

And that they should do so with a sense of urgency - while there is something left to revive!

Discuss.

Could it be that young people are just not going to your church much and when they grow older they will come to the church?

 

[Eddi]

Could it be that young people are just not going to your church much and when they grow older they will come to the church?

I hope so

 

[firedragon]

I hope so

We really don't know Eddi. Until we do know. You said you are almost forty, which means you are at church. And maybe the young ones will come to church one day. Well. I am not concluding anything because I don't know. BUT I do understand your dilemma.

Thanks for being honest. I really appreciate it.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Developing nations with poor, desperate people are easy targets for proselytizers.

Alternatively, people whose lives are precarious and who struggle to meet their basic material needs, feel a greater need for spiritual comfort, and for the support of a congregation of the faithful. Nobody suffers like the poor, and nobody prays like the desperate.

When Marx said religion is the opium of the masses, he failed to mention that opium is a very effective painkiller. Religion is considerably less harmful to most adherents than opium is to most addicts, however.

 

[stvdv]

How far are you from Nijmegen?

185 km

 

[Heyo]

Religion is considerably less harmful to most adherents than opium is to most addicts, however.

Yep, but opium addicts are considerably less harmful to their fellow humans than religionists can be to them.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Yep, but opium addicts are considerably less harmful to their fellow humans than religionists can be to them.

Addicts cause untold harm to those around them, most especially to those who care about them the most. That said, capacity to cause harm to our fellows is not confined to any one group.

If you are arguing that religion has often caused more harm than good, you could probably make a strong case for that being so. That still doesn’t, in my opinion, negate the good that religion can do, nor does it invalidate the positive effect faith in God can have on the lives of those who call on Him in their hour of greatest need. This is particularly true for addicts; something I know very well from my own experience.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I fear that in Western Europe at least Christianity is dying of old age

Here is a local example of what I think is a more general trend:

On a Sunday at my church there are normally between 20 and 25 people in the congregation

Only three of us are under 40 and I'll turn 40 next year

Everyone else are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s

I am worried for the long-term future of my church as it seems that we will be losing members to old age at a much greater rate to how we are attracting new members

Is this typical in Christianity in general?

My impression is that it is

At least in Western Europe - I understand that in the USA and Africa this is not the case?

Sounds about right.
Many churches in Belgium have already been sold and closed down religious services.
And if you go a working church on a sunday morning, you see couple of old folks and that's about it.

I think that the only thing that can save it will be some kind of revival movement:

I believe that it is up to the Christinas of Western Europe to initiate a revival

And that they should do so with a sense of urgency - while there is something left to revive!

How do you figure that that would look like?
I mean... you can't exactly drag people into church by their hair, against their will, can you?
And the main reason they don't go to church is about the same reason why you don't go to a mosque or a hindu temple... They / you just aren't a believer. So you got no business there.