Stephen168
New member
I have to agree with your numbers.
I attended my class reunion last weekend and was talking with classmate who was the Bishop of his ward a few years ago. He told me that half his members were inactive.
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I attended my class reunion last weekend and was talking with classmate who was the Bishop of his ward a few years ago. He told me that half his members were inactive.
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QuestLove
Guest
I’d be interested in seeing which religion or Christian faith tradition leads the rest in categories such as:
a) people falling asleep during worship
b) people sitting near the back even when there are ample seats up front and in the middle.
c) people looking glum and not saying a word to anyone before, during, or after their worship experience and just high-tailing it out of there as quickly as they possibly can so they can beat the Baptists to the best restaurants.
Note: This was not meant to be serious commentary. The names were changed to protect the innocent
I’d be interested in seeing that study too.
I have a feeling we would see even numbers right across the board.
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adrift
Guest
I wondered the same thing and then I realized there could be many reasons they would go to a church. To be with family, funeral, wedding etc. but not because they believe.
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adrift
Guest
This crossed my mind too.We also have people who go to Mass daily. How do they figure that into the equation. Most other religions don’t even have that.
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EasterJoy
Guest
a) atheists don’t always start out atheists, and sometimes when their family goes to church they keep going to church as a family activity or to hear some message they think is valuable.
b) the act of assembling as a community for singing and edification is so valuable that there actually is a Church of Atheism.
According to the First Church of Atheism: “A church is defined as an association of people who share a particular belief system. So yes, a church of atheism can really exist.”
Their belief system is roughly as follows:
*The First Church of Atheism is formed around the belief that the mysteries of life can be explained through science and reason. We aim to provide a place for atheists to become ordained, for free, as well as a hub for atheists to find ministers to perform their ceremonies. This is our doctrine:
“Nothing exists besides natural phenomena. Thought is merely a function of those natural phenomena. Death is complete, and irreversible. We have faith solely in humankind, nature, and the facts of science.”
We believe that everyone should have the right to preach what they believe, to start a congregation, and to perform ceremonies. This is usually reserved for members of traditional religious sects. We have started a church of our own, based on our beliefs, and will provide our service of ordainment free to anyone who shares our beliefs.*
–http://firstchurchofatheism.com/faq/
Yes, in the First Church of Atheism, they don’t call it ordination. They call it ordainment. Well, the *First *Church of Atheism does. (They may have their first schism over that one, who knows.)
As it turns out, people who do have an experience of going to church but do not have a belief in God sometimes want to get together for the experience–with the crowd and the positive thoughts and the music and maybe some flowers and who knows, maybe a group to have around and ritual space when they marry–with the presumption of faith thrown out. It is what they do.
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adrift
Guest
It took some digging but I found this did not come from PEW but Gallup.
Interestingly they separate Catholics into Hispanics and non-Hispanics. Each group is 44% yet they say Catholics are a total of 45%. I imagine that means that of the group Catholics who attend Church either each week or mostly each week 44% are Hispanic 44% are white non Hispanic which leaves 12% other?
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Marie5890
Guest
So 0f 173,490 people polled, only 2% are self-identified as Mormon and of those 2,602 are attending weekly
Got it.
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EasterJoy
Guest
There is usually an option for the person polled to decline to state his or her ethnic group.
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Brandon_Cal
Guest
Thank you!
So it’s self-identification as “Mormon”, and 75% of these individuals attend services weekly or almost weekly Given my personal experience with the numbers that I mentioned earlier I suspect a number of these polled Mormons are playing a little fast and loose with their definition of “almost weekly”.
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iepuras
Guest
Yup. Plus there are also lots of people who when asked by a pollster would not self-identify as a Mormon even though the LDS church has them on the list.Thank you!
So it’s self-identification as “Mormon”, and 75% of these individuals attend services weekly or almost weekly Given my personal experience with the numbers that I mentioned earlier I suspect a number of these polled Mormons are playing a little fast and loose with their definition of “almost weekly”.
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Honorius
Guest
I find it interesting that they lump all Mormons into one category. The LDS may be the main denomination, but there are others.
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superwimp
Guest
Hello,
Code:
As a Catholic, the Catholic priest in my area doesn't know I exist. If for some odd reason I wanted to attend church I could and then leave and he still wouldn't know I exist unless I did something to cause him to notice me.
If I was LDS the Bishop would know where I live. I would have two people visiting me every month encouraging me to attend church. If I moved they would send my membership records to my new Bishop. If I moved and didn't tell them where they would contact my relatives to find out my new address. I also think 75% is a little high but I'm not surprised they have a higher percentage than Catholics.
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Horton
Guest
As a Catholic who moved to a new parish I took responsibility for getting my records transferred and making sure the priest knew who I was. After attending Mass for 3-4 weeks I met the president of the CCW (Catholic Council of Women) and was invited to their annual picnic the following week. I met the priest there introduced myself and told him I interested in getting involved with our parish.
I’m so happy I don’t need anyone to come to my house every month encouraging me to attend Mass. But I guess that is the beauty of the Catholic Church, we go willingly to to spend time with Jesus.
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dronald
Guest
Figured this is relevant:
Mass exodus continues from German Catholic Church
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=25567
Mass exodus continues from German Catholic Church
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=25567
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Tomdstone
Guest
Sad.
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Tommy999
Guest
You sound like the kind of member that any parish would like to have and are someone who takes the initiative, which is refreshing and commendable.
Doesn’t the Roman Catholic Church have a ‘Sunday obligation’ rule that designates it a grave sin to miss Mass when you are able to attend but choose not to? I would argue that many parishioners go willingly but others probably attend because they want to avoid committing the grave sin of missing their Sunday obligation.
In many non-Catholic Christian fellowships, it is not a sin to miss church on any given Sunday, but you are expected to attend as much as you are able. if you are a member who hasn’t been seen at church for a while, there are usually people on staff (or volunteers) who give you a phone call or pay you a visit to make sure you are ok and don’t have any physical, material, or spiritual needs where the church can help along with being encouraged to attend.
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Memaw
Guest
Mainly because of the tax situation, but they most likely continue to go to Mass as practice their faith. God Bless, Memaw
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Memaw
Guest
Yes the Catholic Church does have a “Sunday Obligation” but it is still left up to our “Free will” to be there. They don’t send anyone out looking for us. . The Catholic Mass is profoundly different from protestant Sunday services. The Mass is all about Jesus Christ! Not just a sermon, fellowship and songs. Evidently they don’t know or care what they are missing if they are not there. I had a protestant man tell me one time that he attended Mass with his wife for 10 years and NEVER ONCE heard the name of Jesus mentioned. I asked if he had ear plugs on. I just wonder how many people he told that to. Like Archbishop Sheen said, people only hate what THEY THINK the Catholic Church teaches. God Bless, MemawYou sound like the kind of member that any parish would like to have and are someone who takes the initiative, which is refreshing and commendable.
Doesn’t the Roman Catholic Church have a ‘Sunday obligation’ rule that designates it a grave sin to miss Mass when you are able to attend but choose not to? I would argue that many parishioners go willingly but others probably attend because they want to avoid committing the grave sin of missing their Sunday obligation.
In many non-Catholic Christian fellowships, it is not a sin to miss church on any given Sunday, but you are expected to attend as much as you are able. if you are a member who hasn’t been seen at church for a while, there are usually people on staff (or volunteers) who give you a phone call or pay you a visit to make sure you are ok and don’t have any physical, material, or spiritual needs where the church can help along with being encouraged to attend.
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Horton
Guest
We do have an obligation to attend Mass unless there is a valid reason we can’t. There may very well be some who attend just to fulfill that obligation but for most of us it’s not about an obligation, it’s about what we receive and what we give when we attend Mass, more like an Sunday opportunity. I know for me I find my life somehow lacking if I’ve missed the opportunity to receive Jesus and spend time in communion with my brothers & sisters in Christ.You sound like the kind of member that any parish would like to have and are someone who takes the initiative, which is refreshing and commendable.
Doesn’t the Roman Catholic Church have a ‘Sunday obligation’ rule that designates it a grave sin to miss Mass when you are able to attend but choose not to? I would argue that many parishioners go willingly but others probably attend because they want to avoid committing the grave sin of missing their Sunday obligation.
In many non-Catholic Christian fellowships, it is not a sin to miss church on any given Sunday, but you are expected to attend as much as you are able. if you are a member who hasn’t been seen at church for a while, there are usually people on staff (or volunteers) who give you a phone call or pay you a visit to make sure you are ok and don’t have any physical, material, or spiritual needs where the church can help along with being encouraged to attend.
So I guess for me it’s more about getting to go to Mass rather than having to go to Mass.
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Pulvis
Guest
Well in my southern baptist days, it was Sunday school followed by Morning service. Back at 6:30 pm Sunday evening. Then Wednesday evening usually with a covered dish supper, then bible study and prayers service. And although out of the total membership only about 30 % went to all services, Sunday morning was packed. That was in the days of just one morning service. Now most Baptist churches in my areabhave 2 to 3 morning services, just like most parishes.
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