Church attendance in the United States has been declining for decades, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. There are a number of factors contributing to this decline.
A user asked, what’s the reason you stopped going to church? Here are the top reasons:
1. Witnesses The Prosperity Gospel
“The prosperity gospel.
When I was a kid, the church had a sense of community. Then the biggest employer in town (mine) shut down. For the most part, all the churches grabbed onto the prosperity gospel. Talking about giving more to god and church and you will be rich. I witnessed several families give everything to their churches and become destitute. It was a weird time.”
2. Preaching Politics
“The priest announced to the congregation who they should vote for president because their choice is the “most faithful.”
I changed churches around when Obama ran the first time- I would change churches every time the sermon talked about politics. Took me six months to find a church that did not want to preach politics at me.”
3. Ruined My Relationship With Parents
“I grew up, and my parents couldn’t force me to go anymore. My mom and I were talking about religion while driving somewhere, and she was talking about how it was a shame that I stopped going around 16 years old.
We had a big blow-up at the time. I told her I stopped believing when I was 12 but didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to be yelled at. She got really upset and said, “Had I known that, I would have made you go more.”
I was like, you know how much of my person I am; you think for a second forcing me to do something I loath is going to make me suddenly enjoy it? It would have ruined my relationship with my parents 100%.”
4. Against Medical Treatments
“They didn’t want me to give my little boy a blood transfusion to save his life. Yes, I was a Jehovah’s Witness for 36 years.
When my little boy was 3, he was diagnosed with kidney disease. His levels were so low that his whole body had swelled up. He had to have a blood transfusion immediately.
Otherwise, he would die. I defied the blood doctrine taught by the governing body, and the transfusion was given. My son is almost 13 now and healthy. My family still shuns me, but I don’t care. My boy’s life is so much more important to me than those family and friends who discarded me from their lives.”
5. Propaganda
“I just couldn’t stand wasting countless hours a week listening to the nonstop propaganda droning on and on before having to go out and sell other people on joining the borg with information that was unsupported by any science.”
6. Unfriendly Atmosphere
“Partly the pandemic and partly the unfriendly atmosphere. I also have a degree in Biblical Studies, pastored for a few years. Couldn’t get past the fact that everyone I talked to had a Sunday School-level understanding of the Bible and then decided to call it good; then, when I would bring something up, I’d get called out for being “some liberal”.
People didn’t want to know anything I had learned. They just wanted a reason to hate others.”
7. The Music
“The music. Before every service, loud as a concert at 8 am, they’d play 20 minutes of Christian rock. I couldn’t do it. Loved the sermon, but I couldn’t do with the music.”
8. Guilt
“After my daughter died, everyone in the church who said they would be there for me went on a deer hunt the day of her funeral. Oh, and their God didn’t heal her as they said. Oh wait, I didn’t have enough faith. It WAS my fault.”
9. Shielding Pedos
“The Catholic Church started shielding pedos, ignoring their teachings, and just watched the world go haywire without trying to encourage civility because it was easy and non-confrontational. Catholic Church, to me, is just a scam now.”
10. Hypocrisy
“Because there’s so much hypocrisy in the church today. Instead, i read the bible and have a personal connection to my creator.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.