Summary
Churches across the U.S. are grappling with dwindling attendance and financial instability, forcing many to close or sell properties.
The Diocese of Buffalo has shut down 100 parishes since the 2000s and plans to close 70 more. Nationwide, church membership has dropped from 80% in the 1940s to 45% today.
Some churches repurpose their land to survive, like Atlanta’s First United Methodist Church, which is building affordable housing.
Others, like Calcium Church in New York, make cutbacks to stay open. Leaders warn of the long-term risks of declining community and support for churches.
Seems every commenter is a militant atheist. I think this is sad! Christianity gave me a lot in a time in my life I needed it. Christian denominations really need to consider why it isn’t appealing to the next generations and if they really want to continue to mix with anti-science, alt-right, bigoted groups. Many denominations have voted quite progressively in recent years but that’s not enough to make giving up Sunday morning worth it to busy struggling young Americans.
It also seems the way districts are run is nonsensical. My family’s church was run by a phenomenal second career pastor, used to be an engineer, who was quite logical in his approach to Christianity. As someone slowly becoming Buddhist he was very open to my ideas and I enjoyed talking with him. Then they switched in some ignorant selfish pastor who literally destroyed the church causing 50% of the people to leave along with all of their financial support. It took the district almost a year to “send them in vacation”. What the heck!
They need to get a grip or they will die.
Personally, I’m anti Christianity because I grew up in Boston and there was a massive conspiracy to protect pedophiles… also because it’s strongly related to the pro-life movement… also because a Christian school rejected my stepson with extreme special needs because my partner “wasn’t the right kind of Christian”… also because Christians are slow to denounce other Christians (anyone who doesn’t consider Westboro Baptist a hate group can get fucked)… also because a lot of Christians feel the need to make everyone else Christian too… also because Churches don’t deserve tax breaks… also because a huge number Christians repeatedly voted for Trump because he was “The most Godly candidate”… also because they’re trying to take over America… also because a good chunk of them applaud the genocide in Gaza… also because a lot of the large churches deny climate change…
Fuck man, I could keep going.
I know an alcoholic who got clean through Christianity - I’m happy he cleaned up his life. In the grand balance of things though Christianity is so fucking deep into being a net harm. But, you’re correct about one thing - it’s hardly a monolith. I was raised in a UCC congregation and those folks are pretty alright. Our church had an official statement condemning bigotry and embracing gay and other LGBT+ folks in the early nineties. You’d be hard to find a fault in the above list that applied to that congregation…
But in this case the bathwater is so toxic that it’s worth throwing out the baby with it.
Well written. Thanks for the long thought out comment.
As someone who also recognizes how Christianity hurt my world view and becoming Buddhist wildly opened me to the world, I really appreciate this ex Christian’s YouTube channel
https://m.youtube.com/@BeliefItOrNot
Sorry on mobile
WTF is a militant atheist? I don’t think anyone here has murdered or even beat the shit out of someone in the name of atheism.
I think that they are referring to the somewhat adversarial attitude of the comments in this thread. I think that a religious person, especially a self identifying Christian, would feel a bit uncomfortable reading these comments.
Merriam-Webster on “militant” (2nd definition): aggressively active (as in a cause) : combative; militant conservationists; a militant attitude
Are you replying in bad faith or do you not know what militant means? I did not mean a military if atheists lol ;)
As someone who leans towards perennialism I can see the value in religious traditions but militant atheists are a reaction to the hypocrisy of organised religion. it’s great you where able to get something of value from the church but many more don’t and indeed lose something into the bargain through no fault of their own.
Good points.
I personally dislike militant atheism. There is a line between anti-Christianity or religious it’s versus praising their downfall. It’s more terminally online atheist communities such as Reddit that are like this though.
That said, I think you’re wrong that more are being hurt though. Christianity is actually on the rise in the US (I think?) and China (fastest growing Christian nation actually).
It’s okay to just say ‘followers of science’.
Selection bias.
Christianity or science. It can’t be both. There’s either magic or there’s not magic. If there’s magic, science is meaningless.
Magic is just the stuff that science hasn’t proven yet. Emphasis on the “yet”.
That’s not magic. Magic is supernatural, meaning it does not obey physical laws.
If things do not always obey physical laws, such as much of what happens in the Bible in terms of magic, then how can you ever trust the scientific method?
How is there a valid scientific method in a universe where 40 days of rain covers an entire planet with water or a staff can be thrown onto the ground and turned into a snake?