When asked by The Barna Group what words or phrases best describe Christianity, the top response among Americans ages 16-29 was “antihomosexual.” For a staggering 91 percent of non-Christians, this was the first word that came to their mind when asked about the Christian faith. The same was true for 80 percent of young churchgoers. (The next most common negative images? : “judgmental,” “hypocritical,” and “too involved in politics.”)
In the book that documents these findings, titled unChristian, David Kinnaman writes:
“The gay issue has become the ‘big one, the negative image most likely to be intertwined with Christianity’s reputation. It is also the dimensions that most clearly demonstrates the unchristian faith to young people today, surfacing in a spate of negative perceptions: judgmental, bigoted, sheltered, right-wingers, hypocritical, insincere, and uncaring. Outsiders say [Christian] hostility toward gays...has become virtually synonymous with the Christian faith.”
Later research, documented in Kinnaman’s You Lost Me, reveals that one of the top reasons 59 percent of young adults with a Christian background have left the church is because they perceive the church to be too exclusive, particularly regarding their LGBT friends. Eight million twenty-somethings have left the church, and this is one reason why.
Apparently this problem has now become so wide spread that it has inspired a cottage industry of books to address, and explain it.
I have been hearing about this exodus for years, and clearly it is only increasing. One has to wonder how much longer the more radical fringes of the Christian faith can hang onto their primitive fundamentalist point of view before they find themselves sitting in a church so empty that it looks more like a Mitt Romney campaign stop than a house of worship.
Speaking of fundamentalism, I wonder how thin the evangelical herd of sheep will be after this latest kerfuffle over same sex marriage?
Looks like it might be time for another revision of the Bible folks. Or at least for a more respectful interpretation of the one already available.
What word describes Christianity?
ReplyDeleteTribal
I have seen this same trend, but it is people leaving organized religion for those reasons. They disagree with the way churches interpret the Bible and life of Christ. Those people haven't left Christianity. So, while many have left Christianity, others have merely left the church. Can't say I blame them.
ReplyDeleteI think that the distinction you make is important. In probably most cases, the values of Christ are not portrayed in organized religions.
DeleteI read that article earlier. In the comments, someone raises a very good point - the study doesn't address people of color. If this is true, then until they do one that does, this needs to be characterized from the perspective of caucasians.
ReplyDeleteIt's something I've noticed for the last 30 years. You find these Christian extremists and they have six kids. Of the six, one sticks with the faith. One of them is lost into drugs and sex and rock and roll. The other four lose interest but fake it around Mom and Dad- no point upsetting them.
ReplyDeletePay attention to the Christianist families of your acquaintance. It happens a LOT. Humans aren't designed to hate, and we do it badly. People who really get into hate, as the rightwing extremist Christians do, become seriously dysfunctional. Kids don't want to replicate that, when they start creating their own families.
Ivyfree
I have never understood the reasoning behind some of the Christian teachings, and no Christian has ever been able to explain them to me. I don't buy the "you just have to accept and believe" theory. For example, why would a man who was a murdering rapist pedophile his entire adult life go to heaven, when a truly good person will not? Christians say if the bad person repents on his death bed and accepts God, he'll go to heaven. If the good person gets killed before he finds Jesus, he'll go to hell? I can't buy that. I sure as hell won't follow a religion that discriminates against Gays.
ReplyDeleteyour missing the point that no one is good, all have sinned . how could someone be called good if they have told a lie or taken something that wasnt theirs or taken gods name in vain. or dishonored their parents. these are just a few sins everyone has done in their life. the bible does not discriminates against homosexuals.it discriminates against sin, this is the reason why jesus died on a cross and rose again that those that believe would go to heaven
DeleteA lot of us old people are leaving the churches for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, my 94 year old grandfather passed. He and his wife supported their local church for 60 years. She constantly baked and cooked stuff for every church event. They gave a LOT of money to the church, the church even built a new section on their building using that money. The church people were always stopping by.
DeleteWhen he passed, we asked if we could have the viewing reception at the church. They said no, they had already booked the church that weekend. There was no, "lets see what we can work out." No church representatives came by to the house to visit my 89 year old grandmother, or to the funeral home (where we ended up having the ceremony), to give their sympathy and support.
Nope, nada nothing. My grandmother was so hurt and disbelieving about how the church people behaved to her. I wish she could ask for that wing of the church back. I don't think she has returned to the church since that day. And that is so sad for her, she thought she had friends there. But I guess not.
I'm curious what kind of church this was that was so disrespectful to your family. Was it a mainline protestant church or a huge mega-evangelical "monster"?
DeleteThis is a small town mid-western Presbyterian church. I know, you'd expect that from one of the mega-evangelicals, but not from the home-town church you supported for all your life, right??
DeleteI hope she let them know why she left. If not, she should.
DeleteHedgewytch, I can relate. My parents were devout Roman Catholics, and had a similar experience. And this is a medium Church ten minutes up the road from their home. Dad passed, but my Mom still goes, just not as often as before.
DeleteI agree with Olivia at 4:58. For the first 57 years of my life, I seldom missed a Sunday. When my husband and I dated, he attended Mass with me and then we went to his church (UCC). Every single Sunday. When we married, because of comments made to my husband by the priest during our required premarital classes, I left the catholic church and became a VERY active member of his church. Then 8 years ago we encountered a "toxic minister" who opened our eyes. We have not been back to any church..and never will. We regret that we gave them so much of our time and money, since we were very serious about tithing. What a scam. Two our three children have also left organized religion, while the third and his wife are holier than thou enough for the rest of us.
DeleteDo we miss it? Not at all. By leaving, our eyes were opened to how fake most church going people are in every aspect of their lives. I get so tired of people saying "I will pray for you" when they find out you are facing something. They don't. Even the prayer chains are really just a way for them to spread gossip about other members.
So, more power to all those young people who are smart enough to see through the bullshit 30-40 years earlier than we did!
Perhaps we're in the midst of a Great Schism, like the one started nearly 500 years ago by Martin Luther.
ReplyDeleteI won't strain to find parallels.
But it should be said that the 'mainline denominations," while weak and ineffectual, are being taken over by the rabble, who have no real goal or leaders, just the mantra of "Christan"
Perhaps, as Thomas Jefferson did, these Dominionists should re-write the Bible to show which parts are scripture, and which parts they want to ignorel
We were talking about this after church one day. A bunch of us are nearing 60, and we raised our kids together in a a small Brethren congregation. Of the four couples, and 11 kids between us, only two of those kids even attend church, and those two live nearby, so the kids and grandkids come to be with the grandparents. The parents are not active in the church, nor do they serve on the Church Board or come to meetings or Bible study. The other nine kids have moved away, and are not attending any church, although some of them believe in Jesus. My own grandkids attend a Christian preschool, but will attend public elementary (they are in Texas, and I'm not sure which option provides them with more facts, since Texas is now rewriting textbooks to suit their own view of history.) Anyway, this isn happening in all denominations, I think.
ReplyDeleteI discovered the word, Unchurched recently.
ReplyDeleteI have faith, and it ain't in Jesus (though he was a fine man) but a higher power for sure. But I don't like it shackled, interpreted through the Christian Industrial Complex and weaponized by the likes of Bachmann, Santorum, Huckabee, Palin and so forth that try to legislate their values at the cost of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Liberty-minded and Freedom-Loving my ass, they don't want what's best for the country or their fellow man, they just want power over you.
amen, Amen, AMEN!
DeleteLove the phrase ..."Christian Industrial Complex and weaponized by the likes of Bachmann,..."
DeleteYoung people are particularly attuned to hypocrisy, and I think that's what they see in the evangelical church. And when they stop and think about the all the money taken in by the mega-churches and their pastors, instead of helping to feed, clothe and shelter the poor, then they want no part of it.
ReplyDeleteThey are committing the unpardonable sin: THINKING. They're supposed to BELIEVE!, not indulge in the obscene "T" word.
DeleteThat is why the christianity inspired GOP wants to underfund and eliminate public schools. The public schools teach students to think; many home-schooled children are taught to be followers.
Deletesee santorum was right ~wink~ the schools are indoctrinating kids and turning them against the church...
ReplyDeleteI too left church 40 years ago because of the hypocrisy and cherry picking of the "good book"
These young folks are savvy in regards to what's right and wrong when it comes to equality. Good on them.
Education in general is a threat because if they learn about the bigger world and the diverstiy of people and beliefs, it is harder to hate.
Delete+1
DeleteI left it in my heart and mind also in the 1960s. More so when I was a young and older teen in the 1970s. I left with my feet when I was 16 and could drive to other places.
Though my dad said, if I were going to drive elsewhere than church, tell him where I was (usually I'd go to a city park and sit quietly for an hour plus), so he wouldn't worry about me. My dad died when I turned 20. I don't think he would have later had a problem with any of his children being gay.
The only good thing that I can say about my Mom being Christian, despite her being Christian she loved her four gay kids after we all came out to her.
My Mom's a not a hating person. Thank gawd and Jesus for it.
She also said she couldn't believe that any parent would cast out, toss away, disown, etc. any children for coming out and being honest and themselves.
I love my parents. I got lucky. Though I was glad, before I came out, when my Mom stopped asking me if I wanted to go to church. Umm, thanks yet no thanks. It does nothing for me. Other than I'll see some bullying classmates from high school and I'd rather not spend more time around religious hypocrites such as these former classmates.
I don't know how my Mom tolerated being around so many hypocrites*.
*Other people, not her.
Moi,
DeleteYour parents likely showed you more real love and respect when you were growing up than your peers received from their own families.
Many times, what comes out as intolerance and bigotry towards the "others" who are different from the dominant race/class/sexual orientation/etc. has a basis of insecurity and fear of rejection or "not fitting in". I know from personal experience, because, during my high school years, I was one of the persons who often walked the fence, not standing up for those in the minority opinion who were right versus those in the majority who really didn't need my support.
Once I went away to college out of state and broke away from those little cliques of "the popular kids/jocks" and began to think for myself, it soon hit me that I needed a major attitude adjustment and to change my behavior and my way of thinking.
It was humbling to realize that I was much weaker than folks like you who opted out of "the game" at a younger age because you were more mature and better self-aware than the ones who grated on your nerves. At that point, I realized that I couldn't change everything from the past because I couldn't undo the unfair things I had done and said. But I could change my own behavior and live a better life going forward.
I also decided to get out of my comfort zone and be proactive in acknowledging to those I had wronged that I realized over time that I had been an asshole. I've managed to clear the tension in a couple of relationships, but was actually surprised that in a few others, I had already been forgiven long ago and that they let me know that they thought I had been a "pretty good guy that would probably come around" once I matured and finally broke free from the cliques and the groupthink values that conflicted with my own inner scruples. I realized the reason they kind of let me off easily was because I had to carry around the guilt, not them. Over time, I forgave myself, but I think the experience of--- belonging to and supporting a group that sometimes bullied or discriminated for the wrong reasons--- gave me the moxy to not let situations pass where I can speak up for or support an "underdog".
On the plus side, I learned a lifelong lesson and it has made me a better father and mentor to other younger business people, because they learn a lot by watching and mimicking behavior. That's one of the lessons that has inspired me to be more outspoken and a leader of those who want to do the right things but are intimidated by the bullies and psychopaths that try to intimidate others.
Just thinking about your situation and some of the things you mentioned, I think some or even many of those same folks that were hypocrites grew up and gained a respect for you that was lacking at the time because they thought they were strong and you were weak, when the reality was just the opposite.
Anyway, best to you and thanks for sharing because it reinforces my life lesson and what I learned the hard way.
The media ignores everyone who doesn't fit into their stereotypes. I was shocked a few years back when a group of young evangelicals arranged for their singles group to eat at a restaurant I do PR for. Shocked because this group I'd never heard of proved to be from one of the largest congregations in the Twin Cities (well over 10,000 members) and, according to their website, they were apolitical and almost all transplants from rural areas who wanted to join an evangelical church in the big city, but not one that was political.
ReplyDeleteEven the young evangelicals who don't leave the church are sick and tired of the twisted lies of the community college educated ministers who preach prosperity capitalism from the pulpit every Sunday.
Add judgmental, holier than thou, and trying to force conformity to the reasons I left. (Guess that's what everyone else here is saying too.) Years ago I went to one small church in Juneau that was wonderful family to me. It was the best, and after the pastor retired, it never was the same. I never found another like it, and believe me, I looked. Then I discovered I was doing just fine without my butt going to sleep in boring, repetitive Sunday sermons. Never looked back.
ReplyDeletePHOTOS: Most And Least Religious Cities In America
ReplyDeleteA study measuring religious bodies in the United States called the, “2010 U.S. Religious Census: Religious Congregations & Membership Study (RCMS)” was recently released by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB). The most comprehensive study of its kind, it provides detailed county by county information on congregations, members, adherents and attendance for 236 different faiths groups. (The survey differentiates between specific denominations within the same tradition.)
Of metropolitan areas with population greater than a million, the researchers found Salt Lake City to be the most religious city with close to 74 percent identifying as a religious adherent. The researchers found the greater area of Portland, OR-WA to be the least religious city with about 32 percent identifying as a religious adherent.
The researchers define adherents to be those with an affiliation to a congregation including children, members and attendees who are not members, and believe that the adherent measure is the most complete and comparable across religious groups. As the chart below shows, more than 54 percent of adherents were from metropolitan areas with population of a million and above.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/most-and-least-religious-cities_n_1522644.html
Wow, so the Bible actually *was* right when it said we would recognize good and evil by their deeds. Good job Christianity, apparently the kids have seen the light and are appropriately rewarding your efforts!
ReplyDeleteI suppose you could call it a spiritual... evolution?
I'm curious whether this is a matter of religious belief or just the age of the group we're talking about. I'm Jewish and I keep reading about how Jewish "young people" are not participating in faith activities. I wonder if it's a universal problem.
ReplyDeleteI would tend to feel it was less a universal problem if it was just the ultra-Orthodox Jews who were leaving the faith. (The group most akin to the Christianists - large families, living-in-their-religion, etc).
The religious right is in this for the long haul, regardless of what their kids are doing. If you want to get a shocking insight into their plan, read Jeff Sharlet's "The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power." Very very frightening. The current attacks on unions and schools are just part of their long-range agenda which they believe they will win because God is their leader. Remember Santorum's statement that he hoped there would always be poor people? Right out of the playbook--the poor are supposed to know their place and let the rich rule, invalidating democracy. The C Street group? Support for African dictators and their anti-gay policies? Even the National Prayer Breakfast is run by The Family. Every progressive in America should read this--we cannot let our guard down for one minute.
ReplyDeleteWell said! And I agree, everyone who does not religion ruling their lives at almost every level, best read "The Family" if only to scare yourself into action.
DeleteWhen I start to see some of those mega churches parking lots look bare on Sunday's. When I start to see realty signs standing on church property. Then I will believe that modern business of Christianity is in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI know that by now I should be used to it, but I'm NOT. Every time (which is almost daily) I hear of some horrendous action by the Christian church, I cringe.
ReplyDeleteThere is no place for such selfishness, hatefulness, and money grubbing going on under God's roof. The ugliness of power mongering is rampant, as well.
It is high time for some of the leaders of the church to allow the Holy Spirit to enter their hearts, and incite a REVIVAL across the land.
To once again have the Christian faith stand for love and charity, compassion and forgiveness, as was commanded.
Every time a Baptist preacher gives someone even the slightest hint that his church has become a Republican fundraising site, is to invite the wrath of the Lord.
Any Methodist minister influencing his flock to pray for the demise of an elected official, is spitting in the very face of God.
When an Episcopalian clergyman encourages hatred for others, he is in jeopardy of his soul being condemned.
To say and do nothing about this widespread corruption of the church, is to be personally guilty of defiling it.
The annihilation of the most reprehensible part of Babylon the Great will serve as a prelude to the total destruction of that wicked world of false religion. Jehovah will put it into the hearts of political leaders to devastate this spiritual harlot.(Rev.17:15-18)
DeleteAnon 8.51 >When an Episcopalian clergyman encourages hatred for others, he is in jeopardy of his soul being condemned.
DeleteWow, what Episcopalian church do you go to? Mine only asks for us to do good works, live our lives with Christ, and love others as he loved us/
Anonymous 10:58 AM said:
DeleteThe annihilation of the most reprehensible part of Babylon the Great will serve as a prelude to the total destruction of that wicked world of false religion. Jehovah will put it into the hearts of political leaders to devastate this spiritual harlot.(Rev.17:15-18)
What the hell? Does this make any sense at all to any reasoning human being? Step away from that book of fairy tales and get a real life.
What the Bible Says Versus What Republicans Wish it Said
ReplyDelete--Fundamentalist Christians aren’t really demanding a return to the Old Testament but to what they think is the Old Testament, a sort of bastardized version of Jewish history to go along with their bastardized interpretation of more recent history. Their love of history as it should have been includes a fantasy Israel.
It is a vision born of ignorance, in most cases, willful ignorance. Nobody is forcing them to pretend they have read and understand the Bible. Most of what they think is in there is not and much of what they don’t think is in there, is. They don’t know this because they haven’t bothered to read the damn book and if they do, they will lie about it anyway because it has to say what they believe it says.
They don’t base their beliefs on the Bible but their beliefs are beliefs about the Bible, which is not at all the same thing. It is certainly for them a mark of shame that atheists, and Heathens like me, know their holy book better than they do themselves.
http://www.politicususa.com/bible.html
I left the Catholic church when they covered up the diddling of little boys.
ReplyDeleteSpell check for title please: Church not chruch. (Even for some it is a crutch.)
ReplyDeleteI still consider myself a Lutheran but I left the organized church around 1988 of the same reasons. I wasn't going to drive 30 min. to my old church and the church in the neighborhood where I bought my house hired a new pastor, who as soon as his probationary period was up started spouting hate against homosexuals and single mothers. I knew abortion was just around the corner.
It's not the first time I've taken issues with the official position of the LCA or ALC. (I think they've combined now.) I don't believe some of their "heresy" stuff either. Mormons may be a bit odd but I don't think my friends who are Mormon or Wiccan for that matter are going to hell. Jesus is a lot more compassionate than any church hierarchy.
I can't say I miss it. I felt like I was being bled dry. All they want is more money and more of my time. Sing in the choir. Teach bible school. Volunteer for this and that. And every year pledge more and more. (Meanwhile the pastor's wife comes to church in her fur stole and the kids are in private school.)
Who do we blame for organized religion? Paul? If so, I'm so there.
Tax the churches. Fund education.
ReplyDeletehttp://tpjmagazine.us/20120513ardell
I'm with you. Less church, more learning.
DeleteI agree with much that has been said here--christianity as it is practiced today has little to do with love, acceptance, tolerance, growth, creativity, or personal fulfillment. Like many of you, I left the christian church of my childhood not only because of serious social issues (sexual impropriety and abuse is rampant, and largely unaddressed because the power structure is so heavily weighted in favor of the abusers) but because after a great deal of research and study into the foundations of christianity I found myself seriously questioning the Christian position that a)Jesus was a unique son of God; b)that he died and was resurrected, and c) that he himself saw his mission as it came to be seen by the "established" Christian church in the centuries when Christianity was struggling for political dominance.
ReplyDeleteAm I saying those things are untrue? Nope--just that I've seen arguments and evidence equally persuasive in support of other interpretations. So--I question the very foundations of christianity's claim to a unique position as God's chosen vessel--and even more I question that stance when it crops up among various Christian denominations--EVERYBODY can't have "God's last message."
This isn't to say that christianity doeesn't count many good, kind, and caring people among its numbers--as do many other spiritual paths. But when I look at the teachings, values, and mores perpetrated by christianity in most of its forms what I see is entrenched racism, elitism, sexism, and the sort of muddled thinking that, if it weren't associated with the story of "God," we would immediately discredit. Christianity demands that we not only act against our own best interest and the best interests of humanity as a whole, but that we think against them as well. Sorry--I'll get off my soapbox now.
THIS is why the churches are against public education.They have "their own schools" or their brand of "homeschooling" (Not knocking homeschooling at all). It's their way of keeping control of the flock.
ReplyDeleteI can understand this trend, when people are left to think for themselves and actually interact with a multi cultural, multi ethnic, and socially diverse population, they realize that others are not much different than themselves. They learn by direct experience, and when they learn better, they're more accepting of the differences.
A little free thought is a good thing.
"Eight million twenty-somethings have left the church"
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for me to judge the size of the exodus, if I don't know when the exodus started.
Since last year? Since 1927?
Do you have specifics?
I know one of them left in 1990...
Delete