The number of church attendance has been dropping. People of faith in the past were lead by some of the most intellectual people of this time. We now depend so much on the emotional side of spirituality. I believe we are called to love our Lord, our God, with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength. I feel that people do not worship God with all their mind.\nPeople that call themselves Christians nowadays do not have a solid foundation. There is less emphasis on apologetics and I really believe this is why there are less and less Christians because not many Christians can defend their faith. I really respect people that know what they believe and why they believe it. So why is the church so anti-intellectual nowadays?
210116
This is because we are living in the Post-Modern Era.  This means that we are living in a era where the reader brings the interepretation to the text.  And since we have all had different life experiences we have a different interpretation of the Bible.  This being the case the way that the Bible reads in Greek and Hebrew is not important, the way that the Early Church fathers is not important.  It is completly dependant on the readers interpretation of the text.\n\nThis being the case there is a lack of the intellectual study of the Bible anymore.  Another characteristic of the Post-Modern mindset is almost rebelling against the intellectual history of the church.  Let me give you an example from Nitche.\n\nThe existentialists like Nietzsche brought a new nihilism and atheism which influenced culture. Post-colonialism after WW2 contributed to the idea that one cannot have an objectively superior lifestyle or belief. This idea was taken further by the anti-foundationalist philosophers: Heidegger, then Ludwig Wittgenstein, then Derrida, who re-examined the fundamentals of knowledge. They argue that rationality was neither as sure nor as clear as modernists or rationalists assert. Even logic could be biased -- "logocentrism" - the privileging of a system of logic. Psychologists have since gone further in asserting a cognitive bias, which points at a human bias of truth.\n\nThus since humans are the measure of all things rather than God we are the final authorities on Gods word, and our interpretation supercedes the TRUE BIBLICAL MEANING OF THE TEXT.
322827
I seen  this problem myself. They, in their own misguided way believe that they can actually change those of us that they pertain to be "lost". They are told by their religious leaders that it is their duty to go out and find all those who are not practicing the christian faith and 'save' them by forcing their religious beliefs upon them.  Now one must keep in mind that the only reason those poor sheep are actually practicing christians themselves is that they must be led, they don't have the self esteem that they need to actually make a decision for themselves therefore they join a religious cult where their God tells them how to behave, how to live, and even in some cases what to eat and what not to eat. Sad but true. They are so brainwashed in some cases that they will even go door to door by orders of their leaders and try to convert others. They  live in fear of their God, and are proud to call themselve GOD FEARING CHRISTIANS!  It all comes down to the sad fact that they simply don't have the self esteem to know who they are or what they want and its easier for them to be led then to do the hard work of thinking for themselves. I personally prefer a Deity that I don't have to fear and who loves me for who I am despite all my faults and human frailities. I fear few things in this life, my deity should not be one of them. So don't be angry with our poor Christian brothers and sisters who invade our chats and groups, instead pity them. For they know not what they do.
122991
Every now and again some version of Christianity accuses someone of being the Anti-Christ.  Usually it is someone who stands in their way or causes them grief.  Everyone likes to blame the horrors of the world on someone.  Based on their track record I doubt they'll ever get it right and the real anti-christ has probably had a long fruitfull life and is now retired somehwere where they serve cocktails on the beach.
437789
I think church leaders get a little egotistical. Thinking that they are 'higher up' and therefore know exactly what God wants. But end up losing track, and veering others off track too. We are mindless sheep at times. With the a blind shepard, disaster strikes.
254274
I can't tell you exactly why that is. I am a Christian, and when I say Christian I mean I am a born again believer in Christ, and I see it in my church a lot. I don't think i do it tho. Most of us are taught to deffend our religion. I guess some of us just take it too far. Others just don't know how to handle it. If you want to ask some questions I would like to answer them. I don't get deffensive real easily like a lot of others do. I have a lot of friends that have different beliefs than me so I'm used to being around different religions and lifestyles. But like I said if you have questions and want answers I can't promise u that I would know all of them but I could answer as many as possible from a biblical standpoint.
354055
Hi Alice, I`m Catholic and glad to be so,I go to Mass every Sunday, but sadly see numbers dropping, as indeed do all Christian denonminations,it`s a sign of the times.\n keep your courage and God bless us all.
471673
I know how you feel.  Since when does church=good person.  Hello?!?!?!  Just because one attends church doesn't make them a "saint".  I mean look at the high church officals who are turning out to be child molesters!  Are they still "good" people b/c they are in a church.  C'mon.  Give me a break!
18790
I would point out that it is the most difficult point for a Christian.  The umbrella of youth is gone.  Life seems chaotic.  Time for study and prayer is dangerously thin.  You are exposed to ideas that counter or deny your beliefs.
35571
The biggest difficulty and challenge that I have had has come not from within, but from the outside world.  I believe that we should all respect one another's beliefs and that our journey with God is a personal one, so naturally, I am continually disappointed with the attitudes and behaviors that I see displayed in the name of God every day.  I am also constantly barraged with, "Christians do this and Christians do that and WHY, WHY, WHY?!" and I don't have an answer except to say that they are not true Christians as Christ intended.  \n\nBut, I'm tired of standing up for why I believe what I believe when it's no one's business but mine and God's.  People think it's wrong to stereotype a person by race or nationality, but perfectly okay to do so by spiritual beliefs and I think that should come to a stop.
292082
Because many of my fellow christians forgot that one of the fine gifts that god gave us was free will. Some people feel the need to control the actions of others to reinforce, measure or justify their spiritual relationships.  Being a "good christian" does not mean making people feel badly or like they are a lesser being. \n\nThey dont realize that people will come to love and worship god on their own accord, making them feel guilty or condesend to them will only push them further away. Besides, astrology was around long before Christianity became an organized religion.\n\nI agree that if someone wanted a Christian sermon, they would have asked for a Christian outlook.
247358
Josh, I can understand your reaction and plea. It's sort of like having a bunch of mosquitos buggin' you and you can't get away from them, and you don't have any "RAID". Religious arguments are useless. Many Christians are trying to do God's work for him, rather than just focusing on their own walk with God, and letting God do his own work. They get pushy in their zeal to get everybody "saved". Some of them mean well, but some are really not mentally or spiritually well, and they'll give RELIGIOUS answers to everthing, including NON RELIGIOUS questions. I know that you can delete your own answer to a question, but sometimes I think it would be a good idea if people asking a question could delete answers that offended them. That way the pushy ones (and other people who give offensive answers)would get their answers deleted quite often, and they would soon learn that what they were doing wasn't appreciated and wasn't doing any good. And it would filter the answers for other readers who want to read relevant answers and cast a vote etc. You might want to suggest that to Yahoo. By the way, I am a Christian too.
451378
I don't think your mind is made up and I don't see this an attack on Christianity. You are perfectly entitled to ask this question and I see it as a serious one - well done, and thumbs up from me. Why are Christians soooooo insecure about their faith that they can't have it questionned? I'm agnostic and the reason for that is that I don't dismiss the idea of God entirely, I just think that too much dependency is on the Bible. But the Bible was written by a Man! and Man has a habit if distorting the Truth, sometimes unintentionally. Think of it this way: The Bible was written ina  different Age and different Language - neither of which we can fully comprehend. Supposing that the translations of the Bible got some words wrong and totally changed the Meaning of it? Think of the consequences - or look around you. Don't forget that doctrines are created by Man and not God ... and doctrines are Power. The Church has had that for a very long time ... but perhaps not for much longer.\n\nThanks for asking the question.
265938
Nope, not just you.  People are getting crazy!  It terrifies me to see these scary, force-feeding, frenzied christians (generally at their most scary when evangelising), but you've just got to remember that that was never what God wanted and seek a personal relationship with him and your saviour Jesus Christ - the people that do it wrong don't have to be the be all and end all - be your own Christian!
238813
If I am not mistaken, I don't think this was a generalization made that all non-beilievers are mean spirited and cruel.  (At least I hope not)  I think that each religion gets misunderstood at one time by those not of that religion, and some people just don't know how to address what they don't understand. There are those that do.  They respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.  I am a Christian, I believe, but i do not force my beliefs on anyone. i may share something about God, but I cannot judge anyone if they do not believe--and I don't think we should judge and ridicule each other.
70145
I'm a practicing Christian, and a conservative one at that, but I'll agree with you: there's a LOT of anti-atheist prejudice in the United States. \n\nHere's the problem: many Christians, especially evangelicals, have a strong fear that atheists are out to completely secularize this country. You said you are from France, and I realize that secularism is the norm there, but please understand that the U.S. is different. The great majority of the population is believing (if not always practicing), and most of us actually want the concept of God involved in our lives and politics.\n\nI realize that many atheists have no agenda; they simply want to express their opinion that "there is no such person/thing as God." You seem to be one such atheist. Try to make this clear when the issue comes up, and I guarantee your standpoint will get a much warmer reception. As for those who seemed shocked and angry that you "dare" be an atheist, remember that there are two motives for this reaction. One is that they think ALL atheists are out to erase the world's religions. The rest of us are simply concerned about your eternal well-being. Do your best to explain things to the former, and accept the concern of the latter as a sort of compliment. \n\nI hope this answers your question, and God be with you, brutha (whether you believe in Him or not). :)
132168
If you study religeon, most of them believe in a time of "tribulation" where all souls who follow said religeon will be "saved" and wisked off to a brand newe beautiful world full of all things nice and cozy. THIS world is irrelevant. They focus on abeyance to thjeir writs. Nothing else matters to them, really. In their view its a distraction from grace. :)
113219
Yeah, i'm tired of ultra religious christians being closed minded and pushing there ideas on me. They do help, but no more than your average man. Christians think they are above everyone, a lot don't realize we are here to help each other.