Why People are REALLY Leaving the Church--It's Not What You Think

[Wampa]

I don’t know why but I hate statements such as “It’s not what you think.” when the speaker or writer hasn’t even asked people what they think.

I agree. I find it to be an annoying click-bait tactic, along the lines of adding “that they [gov’t/insurers/pharmaceutical companies/etc] don’t want you to know about” to your headline.

BTW, I do realize the OP is not responsible for the title

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

The point is, God really does not leave children alone. His Spirit calls to them often times at a young age. I knew in my heart of hearts, without any religious formation at all from the time I was 8 years old that there was Someone watching over me. Although I did not know who this “Jesus” was if I happened to hear His name from an unlikely source, nonetheless He planted the little seed of faith in my heart and led me to baptism in the Church a few years later. When I entered a Catholic church for the very first time by myself and saw the tabernacle, I was utterly convinced there was something extraordinary in that “box” up there. It was the Lord who did this and none other, and He did it despite the circumstances in my life that could easily have led me far away from any religious influence.

This sounds exactly like my story, except I remember having an awareness of God when I was about 6, and I was baptised at the age of 16. It just shows that nothing is impossible to God and that He calls everyone to follow Him. Why some people reject that little voice is something I can’t understand and explain, but I firmly believe that he does call every single one of us.

Like others commenting here, I also know many fallen away Catholics who grew up in homes where parents were married and the faith was practiced. There are theories that suggest that the reason for the rejection of religion lies in the relationship with the parents. Who knows.

 

[Deus_tecum]

I agree. I find it to be an annoying click-bait tactic, along the lines of adding “that they [gov’t/insurers/pharmaceutical companies/etc] don’t want you to know about” to your headline.

BTW, I do realize the OP is not responsible for the title

Or worse yet, something like “10 Reasons Why People Are Leaving the Church”
and you get to the page to find the reasons are not listed on one page but instead require clicking 10 pages of pictographs with a 300 element ad load on each one.

 

[Cider]

The poll wasn’t about Catholics leaving the Church, it was about the falling numbers of people who ID as Christian.

 

[fred_conty]

I think that the catholic of today, for the most part, cannot be distinquished from any other person in our society.

The problem is seeing the catholic in a person, because they are basically no different than any body else. They vote for SSM, for politicians that support abortion, accept artificial contraception, and most of all, they have the idea that they are the final judges of right or wrong. They don’t accept the priests,bishops, pope, as their directors, but rather ignore them when they don’t agree. And how many of the average catholic really has a daily prayer schedule. How can this be and then think we have catholic faithful.

If there is one thing to correct first it would be spiritual…set up a daily routine of prayer. Then the rest would follow. Because from that point, the Holy Spirit would move them in the right direction.

Or to repeat Mary’s thoughts at Fatima … pray pray pray. She didn’t say vote or study.

It has been said over and over how our catholic population is lacking in knowledge of our faith. But why?

Teachers and priests can teach and preach, yet we know that unless the person has an open heart and big ears this won’t work. Then what is lacking? Prayer. Prayer is bringing the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts so that what is taught and preached is understood and the person is moved to practise what they hear. We will spin our wheels unless we ask God to help us … first …not last. We need people to pray.

 

[recentrevert]

I think it is mainly down to the Faith not being taught fully and adequately and not being lived out. Also, far too much mixing with the world and too much non-judgementalism instead of condemning evil clearly but showing love to the evil-doer.