Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What Does Declining Church Attendance Mean for Our Society?

When I read accounts of what the early settlers put up with in regards to the clergy it astounds me. Especially given what they set out to escape in England.

No wonder the best and brightest that are handed down as heros didn't "fit". Boone, Kenton, etc.

No different than government. Small it fulfills it's mission. The bigger it gets the more corrupt and evil it becomes.

You obviously don't know that the root of Christian is Christ. It's because of people like you that I don't have much use for organized religions. That's okay. I'm going out on a hike to worship God's creation.

Lots of people refuse to believe in God because they simply don't like the way He is running things. "I just can't believe in a god that would allow suffering!".... "I won't believe in a god that would send anyone to hell!"... "I refuse to believe in such an arbitrary god!".... "I won't worship a god that says we should do this, and we shouldn't do that!".... It seems they would prefer a god of their own making. A god that does what they tell him to... rather than the other way around.

You are dead wrong about that. All of us are held accountable by God for what light we have on his word. How can an infant or very young child know and make a choice as to whether to follow God or not. They can't. Same for some remote tribe too. There are few left that haven't heard but when it comes to the very young, yes they do get a pass and if they die before they reach an age of accountability they go to Heaven.

You are so right. You have to see the "big picture".........most people don't. They see and believe in what is convenient for them. That is why it is so important to read the Bible, go to church and participate in study and discussions of the word of God, and then maybe you just might begin to understand what God is about, and why He wants to believe in Him.

There was a time in my life when I turned my back on going to church, and tried telling myself that I didn't need to go, and could worship God in my own way. Of course, I can't speak for everyone, and am not going to pass judgement on them, but I finally figured out that by attending church I became much closer to God, and that I needed the fellowship and support of fellow Christians.

Yes, you can worship God any time or any place, it doesn't have to be on Sunday or inside a church. Yes, there are times when we get mad at certain people who are pretending to be Christians, and we decide that we don't want to be a part of something they're a part of, specifically a church. But, we shouldn't let those people dictate our relationship with God, or to determine whether or not we attend a church. Our relationship with Him is between the two of us, and no one else.

And along comes one of our hate filled racist right on que.

But never on Sundays I'd presume.

Sorry, didn't mean to offend one of the minority members on here.

Cite chapter and verse please

Ask the Almighty God of the Bible.
Then read what I wrote last night again.
I wasn't very clear since I was tired.
Please watch the link as well.
I have been raised Catholic, led into a Buddhist practice, Hinduism and dabbled in Taoism in my youth. They all are based upon a most grave sin called Idolatry or idol worship. The Bible states,

"But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils."

The Buddhist gods are real beings, however they are false gods. They receive worship that is only due to the true God. All of them are evil wicked spirit beings called angels, the fallen ones.
Jesus called those gods, devils and evil spirits because they are.
He never allowed them to continue harming those who were possessed by them. He would command them with same authority of God Almighty that Jesus is. They were harmful and deceptive to those who served them and associated with them. Jesus was constantly casting them out during his ministry.

Do you think Buddhist priests go to heaven?

I don't attend a church. Once I heard a church was having difficulty so I started sending money anonymously. A man came to my company looking for a job. He happened to be the son of the pastor of above church. I did not mention I was helping his church. He told his dad about me, the religious fantastic who doesn't go to church.

This ol' boy came to visit. He condemned me for not giving to God's work. I chuckled but said nothing. The building does not make one a Christian.

Romans 7:9
If you read that verse & the surrounding verses you'll find what people are using as the age of accountability. The actual term age of accountability is not found in the Bible to my knowledge.

Had this pastor have been true to God he'd have never treated you that way. To start a conversation with someone you know nothing about and assume they don't tithe in some form shows me they need to get right with God. He also cares little for the souls of any of us. Rarely do we hear a word in our church about giving. I mean maybe once every several years. Giving should always come from the heart, never by being told to do so. As you know.

If one understands that the nature of fallen man (ALL fallen men) is sinfulness, unrighteousness, and unworthiness, then questions like "what about the remote person who has never heard the Gospel?", and "what about the 'innocent' child?", and "what about the righteous Buddhist?" already have their answer.

For no one is righteous. No, not one. None seeketh after God.

I don't agree with you very often but on this we see eye to eye.

[/quote]
Cite chapter and verse please[/quote]

Romans 7

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

How can a child, retarded person or completely ignorant know anything about sin and whether or not they are committing sin? Babies are born with the original sin of Adam but what can they know or do about it? How are they to choose to ask God to forgive them of this? How can they even have willfully sinned and been aware of it? The only sin they have is what they inherited because they are human and until their minds can understand that they can't be to blame.

Ezekiel 28:15

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

An infant is born perfect in it's ways and at some point is accountable to God for the sins they may commit. So before that day comes that person is free from sin of their own making. God does not ask us to give an account for the sins of our parents or others. To expect an infant to know what it means to sin is the same as expecting them to know what breaking any law it.

Cite chapter and verse please[/quote]

Romans 7

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

How can a child, retarded person or completely ignorant know anything about sin and whether or not they are committing sin? Babies are born with the original sin of Adam but what can they know or do about it? How are they to choose to ask God to forgive them of this? How can they even have willfully sinned and been aware of it? The only sin they have is what they inherited because they are human and until their minds can understand that they can't be to blame.

Ezekiel 28:15

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

An infant is born perfect in it's ways and at some point is accountable to God for the sins they may commit. So before that day comes that person is free from sin of their own making. God does not ask us to give an account for the sins of our parents or others. To expect an infant to know what it means to sin is the same as expecting them to know what breaking any law it. [/quote]
👍

It’s easy for some to love their religion more than they do the people for whom the religion was given. And then some can even end up hurting people with the religion that was given for people, and then wonder why people don’t want to get involved with their religion. Some people give up on religion, or give up on church, because they ran into some church people who seemed to love their church, and love their religion, more than they loved them...!

Doesnt Bible tell you Adam was created
without sin?




Strong resemblance to the Nazi state
euthanasia program, coz they only wanted
fit and productive types for the Reich.

Adam was without sin, but sin was in the garden already. How else could he have sinned unless the enemy ( lucifer) was there to tempt?

I was raised in a very legalistic fundamentalist church where they had all sorts of rules that didn’t come from the Bible BUT I also had a group of deeply gracious, loving, and hospitable group around me who represented Christianity well. A particular individual who was legalistic, pompous, and off-putting was a pastor; another who was particularly gracious and kind was also a minister.

That is, for me people are people no matter where I go. For me and my household the observances and rites of collective worship... and that includes putting up with the @$$holes (I know you’ll all be dumbfounded, but at times that includes me) are part and parcel to being in the “called out community” (ecclesia in Greek translated church in NT) and all are used by God to form us into the image His Son.

I’ve got men around me who correct me and adults who take my kids aside and reinforce the teachings of the community so I’m not alone in parenting. Women come around my wife and help her when she has difficulties. The men with whom I have deer camp are mostly brothers from my congregation; some are from other congregations and a couple aren’t from any.

Church is the place that God has ordained that we as believers sharpen one another. That means putting up with crap. I put up with others’ and they mine.

Just like in the rest of life I get returns commensurate with the investment. As long as I keep in perspective that my $h!t stinks just as much as everyone else’s I’m ok.

Just my take.