Churches are empty in part because “for some young people, Christianity is associated less with love than with hate,” writes columnist Nicholas Kristof. Their unwillingness to address political issues such as climate change and racism, their stubborn refusal to work with the social justice movement, and their eager acceptance of Trump and his policies have all contributed to the growing unpopularity of Christianity – specifically Evangelical Christianity – among the younger generations, Kristof claims.
I’m distrustful of those sects also. But how can conservatives communicate about why they distrust these sects without rubbing people the wrong way?
Political hypocrisy is certainly a problem, but it’s not the reason young adults are fleeing the church. Kristof and many others on the Left would like to think so because then, finally, the narrative that Christianity is incompatible with conservatism would be true.
Christianity, just like any other religion, is full of hypocrites and blowhards. Some of them are politically liberal; others are politically conservative. Political affiliation in the church isn’t that important. What does matter is genuine faith, theological soundness, and personal ministry. A church that lacks these things will act as a repellent to believers in search of a faith that matters, regardless of whether the pastor is a Republican or Democrat.
For Kristof’s sake, perhaps we should add one little caveat to Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 7:16: “You will know them by their fruits” — not by their voter registration.
What people see via the media does affect their views. If the media portrays the bad apples over and over, people get the idea that religion is about the bad apples.
Even my conservative father saw hypocrisy in the church when he was young and it seemed to have stayed with him for the rest of his life. Therefore, to his dying day, he preferred drinking a six-pack to religion – LOL.
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Oh, the Church of the so called Christ does need a serious reality check!
Well, a big problem, though, is relating to misfits without necessarily always approving their behavior. Extremely liberal churches accept gays etc.. completely.
True, churches don’t brainwash kids with Cultural Left crap, but rather with rightwing crap. So it’s incompatible with what the kids learn in school these days. Moreover, Christianity doesn’t help get you laid by anyone. In fact, it’s the total opposite. Back in the day, you could find good marriage prospects in your local churches. Thanks to feminism and condoms, you need marriage to get some anymore. Now the hot chicks with potential are all in college.
Getting laid is a trap. Well, the Earth is a battleground between Satan and God – and sex is a powerful tool. Well, maybe you’ve heard a story about the Dutch women who flirted with German soldiers and then killed them. It’s basically a James Bond technique.
So in the war against Christians, obviously, sex is a trap – and in the case of those who don’t care – well, they’re being robbed of something better, stuck in darkness. I mean, the playboy like Burt Reynolds or something would be in massive tears and regret, considering what he could have had.
On the bright side, since God offers what is better – maybe it’s God approved harems in the afterlife or something. I don’t know. The idea is that “sex has to be in God’s approval.”.
I should have said this more respectfully. I’m sorry. Now that I’m back in the Catholic Church, I feel guilty.