Millenials: 'No Religion' Has Surpassed 'Christianity' (1 Viewer)

[Blick]

Anyone that says religion does no good isn't being honest.

But man, does the good outweigh the bad?

I attended church my entire life, and the one I grew up in was a pretty moderate Baptist church (Not southern  snake-kissing, arm-flailing Baptist, pretty low-key).  Person for person, the congregation there were some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.  The pastor I grew up with, since retired, has raised an amazing family, and he is a friend of the family. I grew up with his kids.  

His sermons, what I remember, really stand out to me now, because they were all about the individual.  His sermons were all about the person looking inward, and improving ones self, and being a better Christian, and applying the Bible to OUR lives.

My dad, the same man that brought me to that church, attends one now where the pastor talks about Obama, and our national defense budget.  And that is not the minority.  That is the MAJORITY.  The guys on TV, filling arenas?  They are talking about the horrible things in the world, and how it's getting worse, and they are not teaching tolerance, not AT ALL.  

Maybe its a difference with the Catholic church based on their more structured masses, but I don't think priest take those kinds of liberties with their sermons.  Sermons are almost always an extension/explanation of the scripture readings.  I don't think I've ever heard a sermon discussing politics at all.  Maybe it just doesn't happen at the churches I attend.

 

[dgreen]

My dad, the same man that brought me to that church, attends one now where the pastor talks about Obama, and our national defense budget.  And that is not the minority.  That is the MAJORITY.

Are you saying you think the majority of churches/pastors preach about things like Obama and defense budgets? If so, I find that very hard to believe.

 

[rockaction]

Maybe its a difference with the Catholic church based on their more structured masses, but I don't think priest take those kinds of liberties with their sermons.  Sermons are almost always an extension/explanation of the scripture readings.  I don't think I've ever heard a sermon discussing politics at all.  Maybe it just doesn't happen at the churches I attend.

I never got this either in a Catholic Church. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I always thought that the sermon came forth from the last reading in the missal/hymnal book. Could be a poor recollection, and politics could certainly enter into it, but I don't remember it that way.  

 

[massraider]

Are you saying you think the majority of churches/pastors preach about things like Obama and defense budgets? If so, I find that very hard to believe.

No, and I didn't do a good job of making my point.  That was an extreme example about my father, who has really gone to an extreme.

I think that church has become less about internal reflection (how can I be a better Christian?) and more about looking out the window, pointing out the bad, and being incredibly self-righteous.

And there isn't one way this manifests itself.  It can be fire and brimstone, quiet racism, or Westboro Baptist.

 

[jonessed]

The "religious" also generally shun or look down on the "non religious" or "other religious"  Shunning is the religious equivalent of racism but far worse because families will shun or constantly belittle non religious family members.  

They won't leave me alone!  They won't talk to me! 

When will it stop!

 

[jonessed]

I never got this either in a Catholic Church. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I always thought that the sermon came forth from the last reading in the missal/hymnal book. Could be a poor recollection, and politics could certainly enter into it, but I don't remember it that way.  

It's not common.  The congregation would have to be in lockstep and that really only occurs in heavily polarized areas; e.g. heavy black communities, rural communities, etc.