It's the Church's own fault so many people are losing faith in Christianity

[CateM]

My parents are Catholic. Shortly after I was born, they stopped going to church because it was difficult for them. I believed in God then, and when I'd see my grandparents, they'd take me to church with them (they're baptists).

I've always hated going to church, but when I was 11, my parents decided to go back to church. I went through RCIA and was baptized when I was 12. If I knew that today I would leave Christianity for atheism, I'd have backed out of my baptism.

Freshman year, in religious ed and youth group, the teacher went on a spiel about how women are inferior to men because Eve ate the forbidden fruit, denounced premarital sex, saying that not waiting till marriage made you a bad person, no matter what your personality is. And they said how "evil" contraception, abortion, and same sex marriage is. They also said if you commit suicide, you'd go straight to hell.

During covid, I had a lot on my plate, and my faith was hanging by a thread then. I became depressed, and listened to the priest one more time, and eventually, I stopped believing in God. My parents were not happy about this, but they still love me unconditionally. I heard the priest complain about how the church is declining, but he doesn't realize that they are cutting their own throats.

My time with the Catholic Church was very short. I had my first communion when I was 12, and my last one when I was 15. I was told the church would build me up, but it only tore me down. I'm so glad I'm no longer Catholic because many of the Catholics I know of should be ashamed of themselves for their misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and hypocrisy.

[SnowedIn]

@catem this is really well written and really well said. I believe that there are some fundamental tenets of religion that may be worth looking at but that's not my point here. My point is twofold: first, go you and what works for you. That's awesome. The other point is that your opening statement about it being the Church's fault is 100% spot on. Well said. I couldn't agree more.

[SnowedIn]

Thank you for mho!

[Wade12345]

The Bible talks about a Great Falling Away, which is people doing their own thing instead of seeking what God wants them to do. This is where the false doctrine of Subjective Truth comes into play. they have itching ears and obey doctrines of devils, beit it regarding same sex marriage or some other issues they think they know better than God's true moral standards.

[strateguy632]

to sno, the term church is too vague, the issues raised were catholic like only man priest bishop and pope as she said mysaginy. some protestant allow lady pastors. so not relate to faith just catholic.

[AndrésC64]

Not to mention the worldwide pedophilia problem. The church keeps trying to hide it They keep protecting the priests over children. Literally, any other organization in the world would have been shut down long ago If it had even 1% of the pedophile problems the church does.

[Keyboardkat]

The Catholic Church has had this pedophilia problem because they require priests to be celibate. The sex drive is one of the most powerful of the things that drive mankind. God created it and implanted it within us, but like most things, we have to learn to channel it properly and use it properly. To require humans to deny their own sexuality is contrary to nature, and if a person tries to go against his nature, he will not succeed. The same is true of women. The other Christian denominations do not require celibacy, and they do not have this problem. The Byzantine (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, all of those) Church, which started when the Catholic Church split in to (called the Great Schism), has priests and a heirarchy, but they do not have a pedophilia problem because their clergy is married. The same with the Protestant denominations. This is perhaps why the Catholic Church has attracted to its priesthood men who are sexually problematic - unsure of themselves and what they are, how to relate to women, etc. These are the guys who become priests and, when they are assigned to teach and supervise young boys, can get themselves in a lot of trouble.

[Keyboardkat]

Edit - There have been movements to try to get the Catholic Church to change this rule and allow priests to marry, but the answer has always been no. And remember you're pushing against the weight of centuries - centuries - of petrified, solidified tradition and fear of change. Besides, if the Church decides it needs a priest to move to another country to take up a pulpit somewhere, it's much easier and cheaper if he doesn't have a family to drag along with him.

[TroyDT2]

@Keyboardkat They RCC's problem is so huge because they covered it up and instead of having the priests arrested, they transferred them. Pedophiles look for jobs where they can have authority over children in isolation. If it were a celibacy issue, then the problem wouldn't be springing up in Protestant and Mormon churches, nor in a good chunk of the school districts in California.

[strateguy632]

to andr. tthat is only catholic getting caught not "church" in general. and not prove faith is wrong just that people sin.

[jennifer_bloom]

Real faith is built outside the church because the church is only a few hours a week while religion is every day. Also real religion is the hospital bed, the romance, the cafeteria. While the church is donuts and tea and beautiful people with spare time.

[CateM]

What's that supposed to mean?

[jennifer_bloom]

I’m saying the church is not big enough to support your spiritual needs and if you want true faith, you have to do your own leg work on the topic.

[CateM]

You're right about the church not being big enough to support my spiritual needs. It wasn't. Instead of building me up as a person, it tore me down. I don't want to be Catholic anymore, those days are over. The church in my eyes is a wolf in sheep's clothes

[jennifer_bloom]

There are challenges and false information and incorrect attitudes at any large group but it’s possible to find good too, like the hungry children they feed, the orphanages they build, the marriages they encouraged. I’m saying just because the church failed you, does not mean God failed you.

[CateM]

The church isn't the only reason I'm an atheist now, but its what killed my faith. I've been learning science, and in my AP biology class, we learned where organisms are actually said to come from, and upon learning that apples are native to Central Asia, and not the Middle East, that refutes anything the bible said to me

[jennifer_bloom]

I did not know that but the bible does not say the tree was an apple tree and not everyone thinks the tree was literal. Some say it’s a symbol for sexual exploration or spiritual accessibility to other worlds

[TroyDT2]

I think she means, "Church can teach and encourage, but real faith is lived out in daily life."

[strateguy632]

to jen content "every day" good points.

[HighValue]

One of the reasons for people leaving religion is because they are weak willed and immoral.

They don't have enough self discipline to control their own behavior. They want to do whatever they want and don't want to believe there are any consequences for their behavior.

"Phobia" is a term that most modern ignorant people use when they can't handle that someone might not like or approve of certain actions. Abortion IS killing a live person, especially late term abortion.

Being chaste/not having casual sex is NOT misogyny. Only immoral people that participate in casual sex think there is something wrong with waiting until you are in an exclusive long term relationship before having sex. And the bible doesn't say anything against contraceptives. Only dishonest priests (usually Catholics) claim that it does.

Also, Catholics are NOT Christians. They are very different. Only people that don't actually know much about those religions think they are the same/very similar.

Plus going to church or not has nothing to do with actually following the true religious teachings. Plenty of the priests mislead people for their own purposes and claim things are in the bible that actually are not. Catholics are known for doing many things AGAINST what the Christian bible teaches.

[CateM]

Catholics are christians. They're the OG christians

[strateguy632]

to hi, content immoral", yes that is the main cause. but anyone who followed christs even cathoilic who pray to mary are christians.

[USLegionary]

It's probably more to do with soceity. Easier not to go to mass, easier not to be charitable, easier to eat fast food rather prepare a meal, easier to watch TV all night and sleep all day rather than spend an hour a day getting exercise. I mean how many people think it's OK to lie, cheat, steal, committ adultry. How many will kick a person whe they are down just because rather than help that person. How many will destroy another's life without though. How many when given power of attorney over a sick or disabled relative will put that relative in a retirement home so they can take their worldly possessions for these or rewrite a will so they get an elderly relatives possessions. How many would cheat with a married person and destroy a family just because they are horny even of a friend or sibling with out conscience. How many would rob an elderly person of all their possessions just because they can do it in a legal way.

On and on. Morality doesn't matter anymore, as long as you can legally do it then its socially acceptable in 2022.

[strateguy632]

to u, that is also a cause the lazy easy way.

[SoIcyGang]

People are leaving religion because the secular world is realizing that morality never really existed until recently. The Bible never progressed humanity it only made us evil.

The things that are truly good in this world come from rational minds. The enlightenment was the beginning of the end for all religions.

It's amazing to me how horrible humans have been to eachother for so long under religion. And then the enlightenment happens, reason takes charge, and human life improves by about a billion percent. Human morality improves drastically.

All this religion for what? It never did nothing but cause humans to be worse.

[Agagagagaga]

What’s interesting is that you think you actually know what you’re talking about. That somehow morality didn’t spring forth from human consciousness until goddamn Jean-Jacques Rousseau really is a ridiculous statement.

I especially like how you somehow conflate the evils of Christians (your own bias) with ALL religion, saying it “never did nothing but cause humans to be worse.”

Really? Even back when people were dancing around a fire and shaking a stick with feathers at the sky for rain? Even back then?

I’m guessing Christians were also around back then, fucking things up. 🙄

It’s a good thing Hobbes and Locke came along to sort us all out!

Bigots like you really piss me you, because you act like you’re so goddamned “holier then thou” and look down your rat nose at the Christians... but oddly you never say anything about the evils that the Jewish or Muslim religion perpetrates. Because that’d be racist and it goes against your “liberal sensibilities.”

Hypocrite. 🤦‍♂️

[strateguy632]

to sol, "recently" if you would read pauls letters called epistles you would see that he and chriistianiuty led a wild world toward moral values... almost 2000 years ago two millenia

[slatyb]

People aren't leaving churches because the churches aren't Jesus-ing the right way. Mostly they are leaving for the same reason I did -- I grew up and found Christianity literally unbelievable.

I have a theory that there have always been doubters, but they kept quiet due to very strong social pressure. If everyone else in their community went along, the doubters thought "I'm the only one." and kept quiet about their disbelief. Now everyone is on the internet and can see that there are millions of people who have left religion and are happier for it.

[strateguy632]

a billion atheists in china did not "leave" religion the government scared them into calling themself agnostic. but you count them "millions" also in all u. k only 800,000 agnostic from millions of brits.

[Andres77]

“The church” is responsible for driving more people away from God. I grew up in a baptist church and school and they beat me and demoralized me in God’s name for years. I was resentful towards my mom and “didn’t want to give her the satisfactio” so I never told her how bad the beatings were. The minute she realized what was going on she pulled me out and we left that church. We worked through our relationship and our beliefs. We both realized how “the church” uses the Bible to manipulate and control others. So many in “the church” are not Christians.

if one can develop a relationship with God outside of “the church” it tends to go better for them. Not listening to man’s interpretation of God’s word is key. If anyone ever said anything that was not in accordance with God’s word I avoided them. Religion is man made.

[Andres77]

Faith should be in God, not a religion.

[strateguy632]

to and, content beating that was the "old testament" in proverbs that theyy misquoted as an excuse for personal cruelty but that is not the grace in the new testament. it only depends which church.

[BlueScorpio]

A lack of faith is happening due to our society moving furthering away from God and morality. Because of humanities natural urge to sin or accept sin, we continue to be in a rebellion against God cause we want to enjoy the pleasures of this temporary world instead living a Godly life that pleases God.

[BlueScorpio]

Also you have to beware aware of wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus warned that many people would try to come in His name, there a lot of people with evil minds and hearts that will try to hide behind the face of God to mask their evil deeds. That's why the catholic church tends to have a very bad reputation when it comes to harming certain people and children.

[BlueScorpio]

In the last days, Jesus said a lot people would walk away from the faith and a lot people in the church are forgetting to show the love of God/christ cause their hearts are turning cold. They let people and their hateful actions turn them cold etc. But still put on a front of being a Godly person. This can cause confusion and turn away lost people from the church and God.

[strateguy632]

to blu, exactly that is the cause.

[strateguy632]

to cate, labelling people is bad including calling people "homophobic" etc. same as any label. if homophobe means "scared that people will think i am gay" then that is not the cause for whatever they say it is following a book. so your reasons are baseless.

[bamesjond0069]

Your view is the reason people lose their faith. Strong principled faith AND actionable faith is what brings people to God. Weak, limp wristed, wishy washy feel good, unactionable teachings push people away. You can see this is churches that accept liberalism go out of business and lose followers where very strict churches generally gain follower.

[strateguy632]

to bam, to support you, we see the number of protestant is growing year after year without "catholic inquisition" nor islam jihad style forcing people to join.

[najekim]

IMHO, people are losing "faith" by realizing that religion is just a way for a few (the clergy) to control the followers through fear and intimidation with archaic "teachings" that have no place in todays world.

Christianity has had its day and will go the same way the great Egyptian, Roman, & Greek religions did, into some history book on a library shelf.

[strateguy632]

to naj, content rome, how many centuries eqch rome and greek? christianity far more kuz better content. try it you might like it if you knew what was in the books.
about archaic, like do not hate do not get angry do not kill a fetus... sarcasm

[CarloGambino]

Dont make sex without mariage some girls or boys like a bitch, she say oh he is my boyfriend I want make sex with him.. she is make sex and broke up, after meet with a new boy, then she is say again again.. oh he is my boyfriend I can make sex with him.. Why? Are you bitch without money? I think be bitch its more beautiful, you can earn money and its job, but without sex unmeaningless!

[es20490446e]

I think that what Christ was trying to say is that you need no church.

Only showing your philosophy through your actions, through acting compassionate.

But everyone read the story the way that fitted their world view.

[strateguy632]

to es when did he ever say that?

[es20490446e]

@strateguy632 Examples:

[strateguy632]

those quotes do not match your claim "need no church" and even love never said "all you need is love" that was by beatles!! who said love alone sufficed?

[WhitneySnow]

I totally agree with you. I still believe in God but I have serious doubts about organized Christianity.

[strateguy632]

to whi, but issues of mysogony are only catholic not all christians and the pedofile issue does not indicate all catholic are guilty nor all christian. that is like saying "some women are in prison so i want have any girlfriend".

[RichardoStyle]

Maybe that's why there are too many Atheist Deist Agnostics in the world.

[slatyb]

Too many? There's aren't enough.

[RichardoStyle]

@slatyb
World Religion Population ;
%15,58 = Atheist Deist Agnostic
%25 = Islam
%32 = Christianity
%0,20 - 0,25 = Judaism

[slatyb]

Yes, but secularism is going to continue rising with rising literacy. The only thing that can hold it back is totalitarian theocratic rule. I expect the number of non-believers is underground because in much of the world heresy and apart are still capital offenses, even if not officially.

[strateguy632]

to ric actualy me experience with athiests that they stopped being an ism and changed to lazy mockers without real thought. it is easier to be a lazy agnostic.

[slatyb]

@strateguy632 And yet somehow secularism is the norm among professionals in many cities. Faith declines with education.

[strateguy632]

to ric, far less. jew is 0.003% 2/600 includingnon religious jew by ethnicity. agnostic 15%? is the official chinese number but many there are secretly christian just oppressed by communist atheism. look at what atheism caused stalin and china!! how can thousands in u. k. want to be associated with stalin?

[strateguy632]

@slatyb to sla , content literacy, as if zero christians are college proffesors and educated students.

[OddBeMe]

True. Being unadaptible and resistant to change will cause your flock to leave. That and the more widespread information is becoming.


Funny how when people read about other religions they believe their own a lot less…

[strateguy632]

to odd nice theory but... catholic pope changed adapted about evolution that did not prevent catholics leaving. the cause of leaving is people want an excuse to "free" and immoral. about reading other religions i enjoy reading hindu and that is not a threat to my faith,. you are just hopeful imagination on both points.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Speak for yourself but a majority of people in the church aren’t leaving the church. The core constituency only becomes stronger when people like yourself stay out of it

[strateguy632]

to whi, and sincere people join more than those exiting so the total grew too.

[888theGreat]

It is the feel good false churches that say kill people and you will go to Heaven. Everyone goes to Heaven. Mostly to make money , but not saving souls. People think it is all fraud now.

[strateguy632]

to 88 that is a severe false accusation. no church said to "kill people" at all nor for earning heaven. before criticizing christianity first read their book.

[AngryCarl]

Christianity has its flaws but you shouldn't judge Christianity by Catholicism. That's like judging politicians by Donald Trump.

[AngryCarl]

Okay it's a bad example. All politicians suck. Except Bernie.

[strateguy632]

my reply is :)

[nawtee_me]

God's arms will always be open to welcome you back when you are ready.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

It depends on what kind of church you speak of.

[strateguy632]

to din exactly, the word xhurch is vague, so they could paint it bad without any accuracy

[Dinosaursandanime65]

@strateguy632 you excited for TRANSFORMERS RISE OF THE BEATS COME OUT IN TWO DAYS AHAHAHSNXJWMAM