Courtesy of the film's website:
A pervasive part of the American fabric is fraying and decaying before our eyes. THE CHURCH IS WITHERING.
Though the vast majority (77%) of Americans identify themselves as Christians, they have largely stopped attending church. LESS THAN 20% OF THE POPULATION now makes it to church in a typical week. Some 4000 churches are closing every year. It’s a major and unprecedented social upheaval.
The film follows a church that has seen its attendance plunge from 900 to 40. In addition to external cultural factors that affect all churches, this church is disintegrating from the inside from a variety of human storms. A pastor who doesn’t know who or what God is. Fights over petty things. A faction of angry ex-members that devises a plan to take over the church.
Throughout the story, cameras also visit other dying churches—as well as innovative new forms of church that are thriving. These range from a ministry in a Pennsylvania pub to an outreach in Los Angeles that brings joy to skid-row moms.
By the end of the film, viewers will EXPERIENCE HOPE and a refreshing glimpse into how faith may be pursued in the future.
As you may have noticed this is not an anti-religion documentary but really one exploring the reasons behind the decrease in church attendance and suggesting that perhaps there needs to be a new paradigm created to meet the needs of today's believer.
You may be surprised to learn that I have nothing against that idea.
I actually have nothing against people embracing ancient superstitions so long as they do not bleed into the political spectrum, undermine science, or negatively impact our education system.
After all people believe in all kinds of things, like Tarot card reading, horoscopes, feng shui, and all kinds of silly things. The only time that I find that offensive is if they try to push their superstitious nonsense onto others.
That is essentially why I am not at all sad to see that church attendance is dramatically down these days.
While I am perfectly fine with individuals believing in nonsense, I am not at all comfortable with large groups who believe that nonsense and then feel it is their duty to convince others to believe it as well.
The fact that so many churches have turned into Republican Party fundraising sites, makes me happy to hear they are dying out.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, if the preacher dared to say something the slightest bit partisan political, catcalls would drown him out, from the congregation.
It appears that self governing situation has withered away, and now we have preachers praying for the death of the American President, to an obvious crowd of racists and sheep too timid to say anything against such blasphemy.
I'm surprised that more churches haven't been struck by lightning.
That's why I left my last church.
DeleteThe pastor was a new hire on probation. But as soon as his year was up and he got his permanent contract, the next sermon was hellfire and brimstone condemnation about LGBT and unwed mothers.
I should have stood up and left down the center aisle the minute he started, but I was too polite.
Instead I headed down a side aisle after church to avoid having to shake his hand.
The next day I called the church office and told them to remove my name from the membership directory and never contact me again.
I was in my 40s and one of the younger members. Most were the blue rinse set. I'm sure they loved that sermon. Which is why I needed to leave that church.
I don't attend church any more.
My Mother and I take our dogs to get blessed on St. Francis day every few years. That's pretty much it.
The thing is...they are freaking out! Attacking Mosques, Shikh's even YOGA studios in Texas one googly-eye white woman (most likely palin fan) shot up the place first before she tried to torch it.
DeleteYou heard them (Cruz & Co) saying US is a "Christian" nation...Bullshit! (As Triggybear would say) If anything it is the land of the "Great Spirit" from the Native Americans!
Churches should be taxed b/c they are turning into little R fundraising pacs. Why do you think Teddy and Palin want to "Abolish" the IRS? Soon the IRS will be taxing churches.
I don't care if the potus is gay, Muslim, Jewish, Hindi or WHATEVER as long as he is a honest good person and leaves his religious beliefs private and cares about the People.
The Republican's want "The Burning times" again and are also trying to start another Christo-Muslim Jihad, which is REALLY what all this middle east bs is not to mention OIL.
Its all religious politics and BS. Needs to be cleaned up.
#Hillary2016
Some of Mitt and Ann's cousins had a throwdown at the Wal Mart. With the police.
ReplyDeletewww.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/mormon-musician-family-members-charged-in-fatal-arizona-wal-mart-brawl/
All it takes is a bit of intelligence to evaluate organized religions stance on just two topics: women and homosexuality to realize how out of step these churches are with reality.
ReplyDeleteWhen Christians as a whole are associated with grifters such as James David Manning who preaches about "Sodomites sending him a bucket of poop" how can they expect anyone with even marginal critical thinking skills to follow?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcVYhNz06e0
I was never a true believer, but would get a bit of uplift from attending church services. That changed after 9/11 when the Christians claimed the terrorist attacks were Gods divine will against the gay population in the USA.
A wedding, funeral, or occasional concert is the only reason for me step foot in a place of worship today. Even then I feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.
OT: Even dumber Sarah Palin.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/03/24/in-a-new-bumper-sticker-sarah-palin-just-proved-that-she-can-indeed-be-even-dumber/
No, the idiots who buy it are the dumber ones!
DeleteHave you ever seen a picture of $arah or any of her litter attending church? Neither has anyone else. For all the buybull punching she does you'd think every Sunday she'd be front and centre, wailing, flailing and speaking in tongues. Uuh... well I guess she DOES speak in tongues. Kinda.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2015/03/25/note-afa-scotus-marriage-predates-bible.html
ReplyDeleteAs a believer, I can't tolerate church anymore. It's not self-righteous indignation, it's disaapointment, dissilusion; that the 'ecclesia' has become an institution, like a business. All these centuries, power was the lure of bishops, priests, pastors to counterfeit the true meaning of who Christ really was.
ReplyDeleteThis film is spot on. And, there's no reason any of these people can't continue on in their walk, without the structure. Many believers in intolerant countries meet in groups in their homes, or just live out their lives independently, choosing to live for Christ. There is no scripture blueprint on what a 'church' should operate like.
The 'church' belongs to Christ. It's the unknown anonymous body of believers around the world who have no clout or control that make up the body parts, who are all one, and Christ is the head.
The early 'church' was called a 'church' because it was the group who were commanded to spread the gospel. The church is not an institution. The old way hasn't worked, the pastors and priests have failed, and the gospel has never changed since 2000 years ago. It's conrolling men who changed it and turned it into a cult.
I think this is great news. It gives believers freedom to work out their own salvation and do good, being charitable to their neighbors instead of tithing to greedy pastors.
You say you're a believer yet you disdain the very organization that constructed and promotes your belief system. Cognitive dissonance much?
DeleteDid you comprehend anything 7:46 AM said?
DeleteYes. My comment stands. It was "the church" that cobbled together the disparate writings that became the Bible, including the fictional accounts of Jesus Christ, which presumably is the source of 7:46's "belief." 7:46 is trying to have it both ways. Good luck with that.
DeleteHate to burst your bubble, Gryph, but this migration started after WW2. After seeing the slaughter in Europe and the Pacific, they questioned where God was on the battlefield. There were no atheists in the trenches but their prayers were not always answered. They came home and they found their comfort at the VFW's all over the country. They found the bottle and comrades in arms easier to face together and away from those who didn't understand what they had been thru. The women and widows and kids still found a place they could go and pray the healing would begin. The GI bill helped many to move on. Then they were called up again and a new generation had matured for the "Korean Konflict" and then Viet Nam and a few "squirmishes" and the biggee - 9-11! Drugs, protests were not welcomed in our churches. Hymns couldn't compete with heavy metal music. The theologians couldn't compete with drugs, free love and loud music. The churches couldn't keep the kids in church with hell and damnation.
ReplyDeleteThe women had joined the workforce and wanted to sleep in on Sundays and then get the housework done before they went back to work. The GI bill not only schooled them but offered them low interest loans to buy the new cookie-cutter house in the burbs and the banks offered credit cards to fill those houses and have a second car. They didn't need God to answer their prayers, the Military Industrial Complex had lots of work with big salaries and benefits so we could win every war that came along. "I Like Ike" replaced "Give 'em Hell Harry". We had the BOMB! They got the bomb. We thought we were the shining city on the hill and no would would touch us. God had answered our prayers but Communism was spreading so people started to get nervous. The "Negro's" got their freedom and needed jobs. Unions were demanding better wages. Our schools were crowded with the the baby boomers. The churches had no gimmick to draw the masses back. So they built bigger churches and changed their music, their rhetoric to draw back all these wealthy people to calm their nerves and keep their kids away from drugs and sin. You could deduct your tithing and the ministers got rich! The little churches with the old "church ladies" didn't get those donations. How you going to keep them own on the farm, after they've seen Paree"?
God and Politics had merged. The atheists and real Christians have been left in the dust by the Jerry Falwell's and Faith and Family ground swell. The real Christians aren't your enemies, it's the fake ones who want to control your lives and jobs and money as they have taken over the government.
And this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.christianity-revealed.com/cr/files/whensamesexmarriagewasachristianrite.html
I do not, and never will attend church again. Like a previous poster said, we only attend for weddings or funerals and even then , it is very hard to sit still and not laugh at the fake piety.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my absolute biggest problem with all organized religions us that they are tax free. Many own huge buildings with expensive decorations. They should pay taxes like I do for my little house.
There's also been a serious downtick in Radio Shack Attendence. Why isn't anyone doing a docmentary on why this trend is happening? The Church is moree concerned with profits than prophets. They just need to change their business plan. Maybe sell Starbucks, groceries, clothes etc. and make the pastors and priests really work for their moola.
ReplyDelete"While I am perfectly fine with individuals believing in nonsense, I am not at all comfortable with large groups who believe that nonsense and then feel it is their duty to convince others to believe it as well"........Gryph....it is their mission in life.......simple as that.......any expectation to the contrary is ........blasphemy....
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