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http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyat ... hes-fault/So why are Christians — real, churchgoing Christians — leaving the faith later in life?
No single reason dominated the break-up between church and young adults. Instead, a variety of reasons emerged. Overall, the research uncovered six significant themes why nearly three out of every five young Christians (59%) disconnect either permanently or for an extended period of time from church life after age 15.
In short…
1. The Church is too insular — They tell you everything outside the church is bad and wrong… even though young people know that’s not the case.
2. Church isn’t important, relevant, or interesting to the younger generation.
3. Christians are too anti-science.
4. Christians are sex-negative, wrongly pushing abstinence-only education and avoiding frank discussions about sex.
5. Christianity is too “exclusive” — you’re either one of them or you’re the enemy.
6. Christians are hostile to those who doubt any part of the faith.
According to a 2011 study by the Public Religion Research Institute, more than half — 52 percent — of white evangelicals under the age of 40 believe gay and lesbian relationships should be accepted by society, compared with 33 percent of white evangelicals over 40. Other polls show a similar gap on other social issues such as the environment and foreign policy, and it is beginning to show up at the ballot box.
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"Progressive politics talk a lot about caring for the poor. There are six verses about homosexuality (in the Bible), and over 3,000 verses about caring for the poor. There's nothing in the Bible about free-market capitalism," Jones said.
Jones — involved with an emergent church in Minneapolis, Solomon's Porch — said that these young Christians are often bothered by the assumption that being a Christian means being a Republican. They aren't anti-conservative, Jones said, but they just don't see the correlation.
"I cannot vote for any of the Republican candidates until they stop being so divisive and preying on peoples' fears. I might line up with them a bit more fiscally, but I cannot vote for the way they are dividing this country,"said Jim Smelser, a former staff member at a Chicago megachurch who now attends an emergent church in Denver called House for all Sinners and Saints.
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According to a 2011 study by the Public Religion Research Institute , more than half — 52 percent — of white evangelicals under the age of 40 believe gay and lesbian relationships should be accepted by society, compared with 33 percent of white evangelicals over 40. Other polls show a similar gap on other social issues such as the environment and foreign policy, and it is beginning to show up at the ballot box.
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