I have two sisters and two children (who are now college students) who no longer attend church. They have evangelical Christian backgrounds. My two sisters remain believers, but don’t like the strictness of thought in it. My children question whether or not God exists at all, and they also don’t like the thought limitations (after all, they are in college listening to professors).

Church people are doing things like getting tattoos, living together, drinking occasionally, and all while running charities, doing well professionally and having successful families. In my grandma’s day, you didn’t even play a game of cards or see a movie if you considered yourself a Christian.

There are also liberated Mormon groups starting.

Does anyone notice a trend of people disaffecting from organized religion as a whole, not just the Mormon church? If so, what are your experiences with this? I am wondering if this is a trend now.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2012 04:46PM by suckafoo.

I understand this trend is extremely strong Europe and that the US is lagging.

I think religion is going to have to morph significantly to remain relevant.

Religion as a means of mysticism and super naturalism will become less relevant as science and education expand and continue to explain more and more of the natural world.

The idea of an unknowable/cannot be understood god becomes less relevant as we come to learn and understand more and more.

Education and communication will make it harder and harder for religion to maintain it's dogmatic approach.

Religion will probably continue to exist for as long as humanity exists. Hopefully it will morph back into the art it was before the Judeo/Christian/Islam Abrahamic worldview turned it into a vehicle of god hates you if you aren't in our group.

I have always believed you can believe in religious beliefs and not belong to any established religion. Most people have a value of right or wrong. We can always live your life as best you can by your values. Just because you don't belong to a religious group,, don't mean you are wrong.

I grew up in Toronto, Canada, and now live in Austin, Texas.

From what I can see, the south, (or specifically Texas), seems to be a generation behind Europe/Canada/Northern US with regards to people leaving organized religion.

When I grew up in the eighties, it seemed that most children were forced to go to church. Now, I don't know hardly anyone that I grew up with who goes, or force their children to go.

Down here, I see teenagers/young adults starting to stop going, the way it happened where I grew up, only 20 years ago.

Yes its all lies and bullshit the information age allows no place for religion to hide

...well, except in church like it was designed, I hope. Keep all the nuts in one box.

From your lips (or fingertips, in this case) to God's ears!

<snort>

Yes. My church (nevermo) has even stated it in our national magazine(which is like the Ensign, but for my Protestant church). They tell the truth. Trending down are new members, active members, baptisms and tithing. The church I go to states every year at an annual meeting the incoming and outgoing member numbers as well as tithing and how tithing is spent down to the last penny. Isn't the Catholic church even doing a 'come back to tradition' kind of campaign now? I think they are feeling it, too.

I'm seeing tv commercials, bus stop ads and Dandy Dime ads, among other seemingly odd media, for non-denominational Christian churches. Small congregations, often meeting in schools, with casual atmospheres and attire, up-beat original music. Short services, usually on Saturday as well as Sunday, even internet teachings. Seems these folks have realized that they have to market their product (Christianity) differently in order to attract customers.

Don't know if this is a cause or effect - if this new approach is bleeding people away from traditional brick-and-mortar religions or response to people's disaffection with old school religion.

I've heard some of the newer Christians say that what they believe isn't religion, which makes me wonder about the increasing trend toward being "non-religious."

Makurosu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've heard some of the newer Christians say that
> what they believe isn't religion, which makes me
> wonder about the increasing trend toward being
> "non-religious."


Yeah, more and more I've heard the expression, "I'm a non-denominational Christian." They may or may not go to a church.

What do liberated Mormons do? I can't see Mormons being able to live together without facing church discipline, which is something that members of other churches don't necessarily face.

There are an estmated 1 billion agnostics/atheists in the world (source adherents.com). Most, if not all of us, have religious ancestry. I would call that a landslide trend.

and has left it behind.

Now she leans Unitarian, and even attends regularly, but I don't think she joined.

I NEVER would have thought she'd ever leave the Catholics. She wore a cross every day at BYU and freakin' came to campus with ashes on her forehead on Ash Wednesday. She was hardcore.

I think the stance so many christian churches have taken against science in general and evolution specifically is starting to drive people away in our increasingly educated and technological world. Science can provide you with evidence to back up their claims, religions just have ancient stories. I also agree with your observation that more and more people are not willing to just take someones word for something. They have the internet. They can research their questions. They can read opposing viewpoints. They can ask questions and have discussions with people in a setting where their identity can be hidden thus reducing the potential of social shunning from asking inapropriate questions. Authoritarian organizations are starting to loose their power.

I don't know if religion is completely done yet. Traditional western religions are on their deathbed, and I think Islam and Hinduism will not be far behind.

I personally believe that religion is getting ready to go through a social change. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe the next big thing is going to do all that much talking about the supernatural, instead I see society forming philosophical clicks, that fulfill many of the needs of community that religion provided, but are not tied down in spirituality. It may even be an outgrowth of the current political climate, with some of the activist groups becoming something more.

In my lifetime (I'm 48), I've witnessed a definite falling away in the '70s-'80s followed by a rise in the non-denominational, non-traditional "new wave" churches in the '90s continuing to today.

People still want a place to go worship with other people, it seems to be almost a instictive human trait.

Non-denominational in the south often just means old school southern baptist who had a falling out with the larger org.

That is right. There are many who have a falling out with their denomination, but don't give up attending someplace else.

There's a religious backlash against what is seen a loose wild living. Many are flocking to churches in an attempt to stifle the trend of recent years of children being born to single women, drugs, dishonest dealings, and probably minor activities like tattoos and immodest dress.

Last fall I went to an "Inter-Faith Panel Discussion of Religion". The christian representative said something like: "Christians today are coming to the realization that things are not as they were told. They are questioning what they believe and leaving organized religion."

I thought it was fascinating because that is my exact take with mormonism.

Interestingly, the Muslim representative was kind of arrogant and perhaps zealous--he said something about how that wasn't true in his religion, it is growing even in the most educated and wealthy countries. I cal BS on that and think (hope?) all of it is becoming less important to people.

helemon stated, "Authoritarian organizations are starting to loose their power." I agree. Authoritarian may work for a small localized group, but falls apart when you go worldwide. How many mormons have temple recommends once you get outside the Moridoor? How many join and then just go back to what they know? Must Catholics don't even listen to what their church says, let alone follow it.

Organized religion will die off, or shrink to almost nothingness within this century. "Spirituality" is a need that will always be there as there are no answers to some pretty big questions. Or so it would seem upon a cursory examination.

Hey All

Before I left the Mormon Church I was witness by another Christian, and I have questioned him about these so called Organised Churches.

1 thing i have noticed with these types of Churches they don't like people thinking. I tend to deep think.


I left Mormonism because I thought it was wrong church which gives gospel that conflicts with the bible. I had a hard time removing my name off their lists.

When I tried the Evangelical Church which stays with the bible I have noticed few things not right with it as well. However I still attend the Bible Home Group. I just don't agreee with Church membership stuff. I have tried a House Church in a town quite far away and I preferred it compared to Organised Churches. I just look at Religion differently and think they are not doing people good.

"None" includes atheists, agnostics, and people who believe in some sort of deity but don't practice any particular religion.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/25/opinion/la-oe-clayton-emergingchurch-20120325



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2012 02:12PM by Stray Mutt.

It's a lot more acceptable now than when I was growing up. Back then everyone I knew was at least a nominal member of a church. Now you hear more people saying that they are not religious.

I'd say the growth religious cult in southern Alberta is the "born again's".....don't know if the mishies actually convert anybody here but the Cult expands through good breeding practices...seem's like everyone needs to have at least 6 kids and the docs, dentists and lawyers make even more....

I agree with poster Cheryl--we are becoming a more divided society, and we are tending to only hang out with friends who believe the same as us. And while I liked the L.A. Times article that StrayMutt posted, I always keep returning to chapter 4 of a book written by Kevin Philips back in 2005 about the history of religions in the U.S. and their affects on theGOP. One of the things that Mr. Phillips asserts, with some good justification, is that throughout U.S. history, people have been moving from moderate churches to more radical churches, and as the more radical churches moderate their behaviors, their parishoners' children and grandchildren move on to new radical religious startups. Mr. Phillips noted that there are a lot of U.S. citizens, particularly in the professionally educated classes of society, who have moved away from religion altogether, but he is not sure (and I agree with him) that the educated professional classes are yet a majority of the U.S. population. And, given current national trends vis-a-vis the funding of public education, it may well be that these classes may see declines in their membership in the not-too-distant future.

It may be happening in some states but not the majority. I never attended church in college unless I was home for a holiday. That is normal for Christians. Once I had kids then I definitely felt the urge to attend again. Always believed although in my twenties did not see the inside of a church much. I Think the youngest generation will continue on as their parents in most cases. If they didn't go to church they won't now, unless they are vulnerable and meet up with a Mormon. And yes, many people still believe in a higher power but don't want to worship with others feeling more comfortable having quiet moments in the mountains, at the beach, etc. to reflect on the issues of the day. I certainly hope most in the youngest generation do not lean toward radical groups of so called religious people. It will ruin our country.