A
- Status
T
TevereNauta
Guest
I could always smell a rat, as Mark Twain says there are “lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
To wit this report is utter tosh and nonsense. The ‘pollster’ who ‘authored’ this study (i.e. a yellow journalistic ‘hit-piece’ against some of the most devout members of Christ’s flock) is, in fact, an ultra-secular type who has no doubt the agenda to destroy Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular, according to their website: “The Barna Group provides research, resources and training to facilitate transformation in organizations, communities and individuals.” Hardly an impartial analysis, hmm? Indeed, the logo of the Barna Group is: Examine. Illuminate. Transform (Empahsis mine). One may read more–if they have the stomach to–at www.barna.org.
Just another example of hell’s barbarians dashing themselves against the ramparts of our Church. As the museum security guard said, ‘Move along folks, nothing new to see here, move along.’
To wit this report is utter tosh and nonsense. The ‘pollster’ who ‘authored’ this study (i.e. a yellow journalistic ‘hit-piece’ against some of the most devout members of Christ’s flock) is, in fact, an ultra-secular type who has no doubt the agenda to destroy Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular, according to their website: “The Barna Group provides research, resources and training to facilitate transformation in organizations, communities and individuals.” Hardly an impartial analysis, hmm? Indeed, the logo of the Barna Group is: Examine. Illuminate. Transform (Empahsis mine). One may read more–if they have the stomach to–at www.barna.org.
Just another example of hell’s barbarians dashing themselves against the ramparts of our Church. As the museum security guard said, ‘Move along folks, nothing new to see here, move along.’
T
TevereNauta
Guest
BTW–Just to back up my claims, above, here are some recent ‘studies’ from the Barna Cabal. Tell me they are not straight from the pit of hell:
-Christianity Is No Longer Americans’ Default Faith - Jan 11, 2009
-Despite Benefits, Few Americans Have Experienced Short-Term Mission Trips - Oct 6, 2008
-Americans Embrace Various Alternatives to a Conventional Church Experience as Being Fully Biblical - Feb 17, 2008
-House Church Involvement Is Growing - Jun 18, 2006
-Half of Americans Say Faith Has “Greatly Transformed” Their Life - Jun 5, 2006
-Da Vinci Code Confirms Rather Than Changes People’s Religious Views - May 14, 2006
-Christianity Is No Longer Americans’ Default Faith - Jan 11, 2009
-Despite Benefits, Few Americans Have Experienced Short-Term Mission Trips - Oct 6, 2008
-Americans Embrace Various Alternatives to a Conventional Church Experience as Being Fully Biblical - Feb 17, 2008
-House Church Involvement Is Growing - Jun 18, 2006
-Half of Americans Say Faith Has “Greatly Transformed” Their Life - Jun 5, 2006
-Da Vinci Code Confirms Rather Than Changes People’s Religious Views - May 14, 2006
M
ManOnFire
Guest
True love is on it’s way out of the pop culture media. The glee that is provided from entertainment is in. Glee allows people to be single, entertain oneself, and have less marriage, less romanticism between man and woman, and less kids, in order to “save the planet” from overpopulation.
T
TempleofTheSoul
Guest
I´m Hispanic and I don´t believe the statistics one bit. In my area the majority are Puerto Ricans and they along with the Filipino´s are the ones filling up the pews in the Catholic Churches in my area.
God bless
God bless
R
Roy5
Guest
I’ve been amazed at the number and size of Latino Protestant congregations in our area. Many of them appear to be Baptist or Pentecostal. I suspect that most Latinos in the USA still are Catholics, but many seem to have defected.
P
ProVobis
Guest
In the Chicago area, the Spanish Masses are slowly replacing the English Masses. (The Poles aren’t doing too bad either.) And there are growing shortages of hispanic priests as well; otherwise the replacements would be faster.
H
Holly3278
Guest
This is sad if it is true. I hope and pray that it is not true.
D
Dale_M
Guest
:ehh:
The Barna Group is a well-known and respected Evangelical-oriented business which has been serving the needs of churches and denominations for over 25 years. It is hardly trying to destroy Christianity.
That second and third generation Hispanic-Americans become less religious than their parents has been repeatedly established in polling by other firms, including the Pew Forum. And the departure of those generations from the Catholic Church to other Christian denominations has also been documented multiple times.
T
Tigg
Guest
This is probably the first time I’ve ever agreed with you. Our kids, who live in the south, can testify to the truth of your post; they too are amazed at the change in the Protestant congregations. They also tell us that many immigrants, both legal and illegal, bring commanding elements of superstition to their faith so that they really cannot say or know with any certainty, just what their religion teaches.
E
Elizabeth502
Guest
Their new religion (Protestantism) or their old religion (presumably mostly Catholicism)?
C
Cath4life
Guest
In my Florida parish, the amount of hispanics that graduated from Christian Formation Classes (3 year classes) was over 200 compared to only about 5 English speaking students. I am hispanic and bilingual and chose to take the Spanish classes that were offered as they were much closer in distance than the English classes. Most of us were exposed to a beautiful faith that cannot be replaced nor abandoned. I am not sure about the accuracy of this study 
E
Elizabeth502
Guest
^ The question is not the 200 vs. the 5. The question is the 500 or 1000 (exiting Catholicism) vs. the 200 entering. (They’re not at your parish. 
) Also, yours is one Florida parish. Generally when the statistics are compiled, they’re compiled as national trends vs. local extremes.
In my own next-door neighborhood, there’s a high proportion of Hispanics (approx. 40%). But the Catholic Church is practically empty, and all the “Apostolic” Churches with various Protestant titles are flourishing and well-attended. This trend is similar to what is observed elsewhere, in different states and localities.
) Also, yours is one Florida parish. Generally when the statistics are compiled, they’re compiled as national trends vs. local extremes.In my own next-door neighborhood, there’s a high proportion of Hispanics (approx. 40%). But the Catholic Church is practically empty, and all the “Apostolic” Churches with various Protestant titles are flourishing and well-attended. This trend is similar to what is observed elsewhere, in different states and localities.
G
garysibio
Guest
So Hispanics are abandoning organized religion. Are they returning to the Catholic Church? (That was a joke, guys, just a joke.)
T
TevereNauta
Guest
No offense but this is coming from a self-titled former Catholic too? :ehh:
I dont buy it one bit: an Evangelical group publishing a ‘poll’ that is, in the final analysis, anti-Catholic. Just because those who stand to benefit from distress in the Church publish a sub-standard hit piece against Hispanic Catholicism doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. In fact, given the evidence to the contrary, its ‘findings’ are patently absurd and, at best, totally anecdotal.
R
Rich_Olszewski
Guest
Why is it anti-Catholic? It might just happen to be the truth. And, the truth can, unfortunately, hurt. The Barna Group is well respected for its fairness to Catholicism as well as to Evangelicalism.
No, you don’t, but you ought to read such things with an open mind. It’s a fact that most Catholic churches are not packed with congregants every Sunday.
Your evidence to the contrary being what that renders their findings to be patently absurd?
R
Rich_Olszewski
Guest
Truth hurts.
T
TevereNauta
Guest
This is from Zenit, emphasis mine. Admittedly, it is from last year.((catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=36311))
These are statistics that I trust, Rich. And I have read up on the Barna Group, it is neither traditonally Christian nor orthodox, see their sponsorship of ‘House Churches’. To be fair I see your point though, if some Catholic Latinos were to settle in the Ozarks where the only Church is run by strychnine drinking snake-handlers (an extreme example but I’m in the mood for levity) then, without any other avenue for worship, I don’t doubt they would either a) fall away from the Church or b) grab a rattlesnake.
In all seriousness, I also understand the contention that Latinos moving to a protestant country from a Catholic country, and particularly into a very strong proestant area (e.g. from El Salvador to the Southern USA) are, for a multitiude of reasons, likely to experience some members of their community ‘falling away’ from the Church, for reasons social, financial, and networking. But I maintain my earlier assertation that this is a minority of the larger group, and that, in terms of the majority, Hispanics as a whole are very much devout Catholics generations 1, 2 and 3.
A
Ahimsa
Guest
Such data are not indicative of what is happening among Hispanics in the United States, which is what the Barna data are all about.
E
Elizabeth502
Guest
Precisely. And it’s everywhere, including in traditionally strong Catholic regions (not the USA’s South), and including in not-very-religious regions. This trend away from Catholicism and toward Protestantism is continuing, not declining. The trend has been persistent for awhile and no new data contradicts it. Sometimes the younger generation becomes interested and then brings along their parents.
- Status