>The shift in religious activity also is leaving behind a trail of ‘church graveyards,’ or empty buildings that are now difficult to sell or have been abandoned.”
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>…
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>and that an “unprecedented 15,000 churches are expected to shut their doors this year” compared to only a “few thousand expected to open.”
Here’s a thought: homeless shelters. Then these buildings could actually fulfill the purpose that they’ve always claimed to do, namely serving the people, as opposed to what they’re actually doing now, which is just lining their pockets.
rerutnevdA on
As someone who left the church in 2016, I get it. I was born into it and raised to love others. In 2015-2016 I saw a huge shift and walls going up. They were speaking out against others and it really started to feel more like hate. Definitely doesn’t belong in a church.
Now agnostic, I have enough theological knowledge to use scripture against “Christians”. As they say, it’s useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. There are still good Christians out there, but they’re a lot harder to find since they’re not as loud.
UserWithno-Name on
Awesome news imo.
Rooster_Ties on
Don’t want to overstate this, but some people found other things to do during the pandemic — and just never went back to church. (That’s certainly part of the equation too.)
SnazzleZazzle on
Growing up our family were never very good or religious Catholics, but I cut all ties in the late 90’s after the pedophile incidents came out. No way in hell was I going to support that. Fuck every last one of them.
jd-real on
I’m just gonna leave this here…ask AI if Jesus from the Bible were alive today, would he be a Democrat or Republican. Tell it to pick only one with no tie. Also quote applicable scripture.
He would hands down be a Democrat who loves unconditionally and leads with humility and selflessness and he is the one I worship. And, if you need a good book, read John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate. It’s an open letter to Christians, atheists, former Christians, and agnostics alike. Very funny and informative
BoobieChaser69 on
I’m a recovering evangelical. Over the course of about a year, my eyes slowly opened, and I started to realize how irrational Christianity is.
nachtmuzic on
In my humble opinion those of us genexers who were raised in a religious Church atmosphere “the right way” have it in our bones to do the right things and therefore we don’t need to be part of what’s become Christianity churches today. I refuse to go into a church anymore it’s nothing like what it used to be. But that’s okay because we know what’s right and wrong and we live it everyday. I don’t need no church monster to tell me so
pickwickjim on
What used to be at least theoretically based on love your neighbor, and what would Jesus do, and preaching the virtues of a sincere prayerful life, has morphed into the opposite. It’s now all about perverting scripture to excuse greed, demonize everyone different, wave the flag, and garner electoral victories for any boastful Hell-bound politician that claims to be “pro-life”. The short-attention-span crowd that wants this can just show up once in awhile to their local megachurch if there is no good football game on TV
JayNotAtAll on
Left the church in mid 2000s. As an outsider looking in, it has only gotten worse since. It is pretty much just a legalized hate group at this point. They have moved so far from the teachings of Jesus it is just sad
hardworkingemployee5 on
Left in the mid 2000s mid teenage years after watching all the adults cheat on their spouses with each other while shaming me for the unforgivable sin of listening to Green Day.
11 Comments
>The shift in religious activity also is leaving behind a trail of ‘church graveyards,’ or empty buildings that are now difficult to sell or have been abandoned.”
>
>…
>
>and that an “unprecedented 15,000 churches are expected to shut their doors this year” compared to only a “few thousand expected to open.”
Here’s a thought: homeless shelters. Then these buildings could actually fulfill the purpose that they’ve always claimed to do, namely serving the people, as opposed to what they’re actually doing now, which is just lining their pockets.
As someone who left the church in 2016, I get it. I was born into it and raised to love others. In 2015-2016 I saw a huge shift and walls going up. They were speaking out against others and it really started to feel more like hate. Definitely doesn’t belong in a church.
Now agnostic, I have enough theological knowledge to use scripture against “Christians”. As they say, it’s useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. There are still good Christians out there, but they’re a lot harder to find since they’re not as loud.
Awesome news imo.
Don’t want to overstate this, but some people found other things to do during the pandemic — and just never went back to church. (That’s certainly part of the equation too.)
Growing up our family were never very good or religious Catholics, but I cut all ties in the late 90’s after the pedophile incidents came out. No way in hell was I going to support that. Fuck every last one of them.
I’m just gonna leave this here…ask AI if Jesus from the Bible were alive today, would he be a Democrat or Republican. Tell it to pick only one with no tie. Also quote applicable scripture.
He would hands down be a Democrat who loves unconditionally and leads with humility and selflessness and he is the one I worship. And, if you need a good book, read John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate. It’s an open letter to Christians, atheists, former Christians, and agnostics alike. Very funny and informative
I’m a recovering evangelical. Over the course of about a year, my eyes slowly opened, and I started to realize how irrational Christianity is.
In my humble opinion those of us genexers who were raised in a religious Church atmosphere “the right way” have it in our bones to do the right things and therefore we don’t need to be part of what’s become Christianity churches today. I refuse to go into a church anymore it’s nothing like what it used to be. But that’s okay because we know what’s right and wrong and we live it everyday. I don’t need no church monster to tell me so
What used to be at least theoretically based on love your neighbor, and what would Jesus do, and preaching the virtues of a sincere prayerful life, has morphed into the opposite. It’s now all about perverting scripture to excuse greed, demonize everyone different, wave the flag, and garner electoral victories for any boastful Hell-bound politician that claims to be “pro-life”. The short-attention-span crowd that wants this can just show up once in awhile to their local megachurch if there is no good football game on TV
Left the church in mid 2000s. As an outsider looking in, it has only gotten worse since. It is pretty much just a legalized hate group at this point. They have moved so far from the teachings of Jesus it is just sad
Left in the mid 2000s mid teenage years after watching all the adults cheat on their spouses with each other while shaming me for the unforgivable sin of listening to Green Day.