I think it is fair to say that the practice of religion is a personal thing that each person approaches differently. Some people enjoy the community and contact of going to church, others prefer to have a more one-on-one relationship with their faith. I personally don't pray as I am not religious, so this is just a guess based on my observation of people.

I`m a Russian woman, living in Russia.During communism era we were not allowed to trust in God, that`s why some people in Russia now have no habbit to go to the church.But many of us have faith in our heards.

your heart is the temple of god.you don't need to go to church to pray.in your own silence,you can pray to god.being in church and trying to pray is a difficult thing to do with all the noise around.

People tend to turn to God when things are going badly and forget about Him when things are going well. And before anyone gets their panties in a twist: I am not questioning the faith of people who do not attend church - just making an observation from personal experience.

Relationship with God should come before relationship with His people.

Most people don't go to church because praying directly to God is an option available for everyone. We all share a commonality of spirit which is imprinted in each and every one of us. This commonality of spirit doesn't require a church to house it. We find God in our times of turmoil because there is always a God to turn to even if we lose everything and everyone including our own life. There is still this commonality of spirit which helps us make sense out of the most perplexing problems and the mysteries that shroud everyone's existence. I doubt that there is some sort of eternal punishment for anyone who doesn't go to church or practice their religion. We have to humble ourselves from time to time and a little bit of humility gives us some well-needed peace of mind.

Possibly they have interest in God, but not in religion. In the direct contact with God, only your own understanding or feeling counts. If you are following a religion or a church, other people or some sacred texts will decide for you.

Because to many God is a repairman... they call on him when something needs fixing. People want to feel like they have a relationship with God without learning what it is that God wants out of them. It's like taping your wife's mouth shut and just hanging out with her... you want the association and someone to talk to, but you really don't want to hear back from her. You learn about God and his requirements, his qualities, and develop a closer relationship by attending services and practicing the faith... but that also means that you might be told that what you are doing is wrong. Some people don't like that. So they stay at home where no one can tell them that they may be mistaken and then they go on believing that every thing is ok. A persons life is strictly between them and God, that is true, and are ultimately accountable to God not men, that too is true. But without practicing a religion whose teachings match God's word the bible... you are walking blind grasping at air. You may feel good about yourself deep inside, but is serving God really about making yourself feel good, or is it about making God happy, and feeling good for doing that? This is just my opinion, please don't attack me.

That describes me perfectly. I don't go to church because I think that Catholic mass means nothing, or at least very little. It is just a bunch of stupid traditions, imo. And I also don't agree with parts of The Creed I 'pray' privatly, normally when I am in bed at night. I prefer to have convosations with God. But I do go to church during Lent and Advent. So I wouldn't say that I'm an entirly non-practicing Catholic.