ANSWERS: 39
  • I think a lot of it is ignorance. I have met many people who have never been because their parents, or their friends or someone else told them how boring it was. My challenge is: come and see for yourself. I was singing once in public and a guy said to me "If they sang songs like the ones in Sister Act, I'd come". I answered. "You just heard us sing. That's what we sing in church." He didn't have a leg to stand on. My challenge is: don't listen to what others say. Come and see for yourself. Church is much more interesting than playing the pokies, sitting at the pub watching the races, or cleaning the house, which people do willingly. Perhaps we ought to give out cards like this: THIS SUNDAY IS NO EXCUSE SUNDAY To make it possible for everyone to attend church on Sunday, we are proposing to have a special 'No Excuse Sunday.' 1. Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in." 2. They will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof will cave in if I ever came to church." 3. Blankets will be furnished for those who say it is too cold and fans for those who say it is too hot. 4. There will be hearing aids for those who say, "The pastor speaks too softly," and cotton for those who say, "He preaches too loudly." 5 Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present. 6. Some relatives will be in attendance for those who like to go visiting on Sunday. 7. There will be TV dinners for those who can't go to church and cook dinner too. 8. Golf clubs will be available for practice swings for those who like to golf on Sunday. hehehe. See ya there. BTW. I am singing this Sunday, if you want to know if I really do SINGWELL.
  • actually, most people, 6 billion worldwide are religious..sorry.
  • By church, I am guessing you mean christianity (based on the catagory). I would have to say that many people are believers, but not practicing christians because there are so many variations of the religion. And I am not just talking about catholics vs. lutherans vs. mormans vs. evangelicals vs. etc etc etc. But even within the different sects of christianity there are divisions. And it comes down to how a priest/pastor/reverend runs the individual church.
  • what? you mean church doesnt give everyone a raging boner? i must be unique.
  • Reason.
  • The scientific understanding of causality.
  • Most church services are rather boring. I have been to some, like at Glide Memorial in San Francisco that are wonderful exception to the rule - but they're rare. Why are people turned off bu The Church? In a nutshell, I think it's because you are expected to toss your rational mind out the window and believe in the mythology as fact.
  • Church is intimidating. Even as a Christian, walking into a new church (especially by yourself) is tough to do. Did I wear the right outfit? Am I saying the right thing? Did I smile enough? Are they going to notice I'm new or will they even notice me at all? What if I stand when they sit and sit when they stand? What if I accidentally take the Lord's name in vain? Will they notice that the term "joyful noise" was created to describe me? Our narcissistic selves get in the way of worshiping together the way G-d intended. Don't let Satan push that paranoia button in the back of your head.
  • Some Christians are the worst walking billboards for the church. Too many people associate churches with the Rev. Wrights and Rev. Fred Phelps and not the good work being done everyday by people not making the news.
  • The people would like to do whatever it is they want to do without being told how to do it or what not to do.
  • Why do you think the number turned off by church comprises a majority?
  • Religion tells people what to do. It meddles. People don't like to be meddled with. I don't go to church on the understanding that while the events in the Bible (and every other Holy Book) aren't true, the lessons you can derive from them are. It's all well and good to tell me I shouldn't kill or steal. But don't tell me it in terms of a man who walked on water and ascended to heaven. I also believe that a large amount of people who don't go to church do so because of prejudice; not toward the church, but the prejudice that the church holds against ethnic groups, especially, but not limited to, homosexuals. Prejudice can also be seen between the various religions: not one says, "Yeah, okay. You have a good story. You might be right too." Meddling and intolerance are off-putting, and things I don't want to be associated with.
  • I'm not sure "majority" is the right term. "Many" might be more accurate. Still. Could be a bunch of reasons - the main one being they don't feel it serves a purpose important enough to give up other sunday morning things. That could be because folk no longer believe in god so much, folk find church services irrelevent or unhelpful or whatever.
  • I am a Christian and am basically turned off my church. I can't say the reasons for everyone who chooses not to attend, but my personal reasons are that it is a place where growing in your faith is not allowed to happen. I could go on but won't, in an effort to save you from my tendency to ramble. I love the fact that church means fellowshipping with fellow believers, but I don't enjoy being preached to. I can fellowship with other believers and talk with them about everyone's beliefs. We have just as many relevant things to say as any pastor does. I think I sound bitter. I don't mean to. I don't go to church, but I do go to a church-like function every Sunday night, and I enjoy it very much, because of the other people who also attend.
  • Being the daughter of an ex-preacher and experiencing hatred from some of my fellow-brothers and sisters in CHRIST...because I went to church with make-up and rings on my fingers....(not nose)..my answer to this question is that I think that some chose to not attend because of the judgemental attitude of those who are so perfect that they have to point out what they think is wrong with you. If they are so perfect what the heck are they doing there??? When my mom left the church because of my father's infidelity ...it was because the women of the church turned into vicious hyenas and attacked her verbally and tormented her. That is what turned me off to church for 30plus years. I've learned since then that all of us have issues and we need to be aware that a church is a place for sick people who need help from one another and guidance. This lesson has helped me to see that a true lover of the LORD is one who accepts you as you are and let's GOD change you from glory to glory and doesn't try to change you with their judgemental comments and cold hateful treatment.
  • Traditions of man. Man trying to change man, when only God can change man.
  • Because the world is a fucked up place.
  • There is a trend stating that the more educated you are, the less likely it is that you will remain religious and attend church. I would say that we live in a fairly educated society. As a result, this society is one that likes to look for tangible evidence rather than relying heavily on faith (which may explain why there are people looking for Noah's arc). But one thing that I have noticed is that when people are faced with the thought that they could die, they start to look toward relgion. There's a saying that there are no atheists in the foxhole. As an aside, people unfairly look to Darwin (his beliefs on evolution and natural selection) as the culprit for why people don't believe in religion (and why people don't attend church) because he's an easy target. Unfortunately, they don't often know (nor is it often taught) that Darwin was a devout Catholic (as he belonged to the Church of England) and only became agnostic when the Church shunned him and his ideas. In fact, he was studying to be a clergyman prior to all of this and tried to incorporate religion into his views.
  • Ultimately, it boils down to hypocracy.
  • Because of several reasons. One are the money hungry churches out there that steal your cash in the name of God. Then there are the 'God Fearing' kind who look down upon people yet do not practice what their church and religion preaches. ~Just to name two.
  • I don't. When I became a Christian I was surprised how many people with similar beliefs I came across.
  • I think people are turned off because christians worship a nameless God. So many think God's name is God. How can that be? God is just a three letter word. Unspecific and generic. Yet christians far and wide claim His Name is God. I think it is deception. pure and simple. As a result young people refuse to have anything to do with a religion that is so phoney. Plus millions of people claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus and God. Yet they dont know God's name. to be personal with someone means you know their name. instead the world worships a nameless God. it is so stupid. how can anyone be so stupid?
  • Churches are no more than the bastions of indoctrination. The belief in religion has always and will always be something which needs to be fear induced into people. The christian faith per se and the catholic in particular, is one of the most hypocritical institutions in existence on the planet............take, take, take and sin, sin, sin (sinning based on what they preach)..........do what you like to your fellow man.......rob, rape, pervert, do anything your heart so desires.........so long as you go to church and confess, that's cool, god will fogive your sins. Wake up people, religion is nothing more than a power hungry scam, used as a means to control the ignorant masses.
  • BECAUSE I think it is the best EXCUSE they can come up with to not do GOD"S WILL...keeping the Sabbath Holy...we are all more into OUR WILL, what is comfortable for us...there is not one denomination in the whole world that has PERFECT members and never will be... we are to do what HE commanded and not worry about others relationships with God..HE's got that... this is a PERSONAL response only....and I am most certainly not innocent....just had to face facts about myself, soul searching as some say..it is humbling... in Jesus, Barbara
  • time consumption
  • This inability to attract people by the message preached prompts the thought that there must be something wrong with the religious fodder dished out from the pulpit to Christendom’s pew-sitters. If they are being served sound spiritual food, why should there be any lack of attraction, an apathetic flock? Could it be that there is a spiritual famine in the land called Christendom? But from the name Christendom assumes, one may imagine that it has an abundance of spiritual food. Yet when the clergy open their religious larders, the only abundance that presents itself is that of book reviews, tricks of magic, jazz bands, bingo games, lotteries, masquerade parties, coffee-and-doughnut socials, gas-filled balloons, and the buffoonery of circus clowns. So one may rightly ask, Has the spiritual famine foretold by God’s prophet blighted Christendom?—“Behold, the days come, that I will send a famine in the land, Amos 8:11
  • Probably because of the fear of a commitment, to time and to God. Or maybe a disagreement with something preached in the church.
  • The majority of the population is turned off by church for several reasons. 1) The true meaning of 'Church' has been replaced by denominations and buildings, often voicing criticism toward other denominations or buildings. Therefore, what is considered 'church' today is not the true 'Church'. 2)Many people in the churches today are hypocritical of their own failings and hypercritical of others failings. 3) Denominations, or falling away from true Christianity, have created multiple belief systems. This causes confusion as to what is the 'true church' and what is the 'true word of God'. Christian Doctrine or laws have been twisted and stretched to allow for unChristian behavior by nominal Christians. These issues have led a large portion of the population to shun the church. Clearly, the true Church (the body of true believers) needs to unite and follow the 'true' Christian life.
  • Money, money, money. I have been to church twice, with friends, because I myself am not Christian. I was a bit surprised at the audacity of the church in asking for money. I didn't WANT to give money, but once the collection bowl was passed around, I had to put something in or look bad. I didn't see why the church needed money, since it wasn't enough to pay the light bill, water bill, etc. How come money has to be inextricably confused with the Christian faith? BTW, the Vatican has a LOT of $$
  • 1) God said to keep Sabbath Holy. 2) HIS children are supposed to keep company with fellow Believers 3) HIS are not to "take any man's word" for teachings, but to check all teachings out for themselves.this means even pastors, priests, all...else how does and individual know....that BOOK is written for anyone with common sense to know right from wrong and is very PROFOUND in KNOWLEDGE when you TRULY want it....every person is to PROVE ALL THINGS for himself... 4) there are sinners in every meeting of Gods place, period, but we are not to worry about the sinning of others just ourselves.... 5) Abraham first tithed to Melchizedek, God's chosen priest, whose purpose was to "set the priesthood in order", show and tell how the the Priesthood was to be done... 6) the was a set amount,10%, was owed to God and when you say "owed to God" means to help Priests and Israel keep the WORD "ALIVE"....these were Laws of the Jewish ...which we no longer have..... 7) those tithings were to be used to sustain the Priesthood . But that 10% given to keep alive and further works for the Lord , was not ALL for priests to eat, etc. they had to use this to help the POOR, UNFORTUNATE, FATHERLESS, and WIDOWS... 8) and yes we are to TITHE...it is NO LONGER a LAW and a certain amount is not set, that is the ONLY thing that has changed........ We should all know by now,a) can't worry about how tithes are used when we give, God will, ARE WE GIVING with the right ATTITUDE??????....to keep HIS thriving and alive and for Christian Charity.... my husband helped his brother once, with a loan, what drove me crazy was that he wanted to know and tell him how to use every penny and was irate when HE FELT he didn't use it right....he sees now that when you give or help it is to be "with no strings attached" the right attitude...OR you know what? GOD DOES NOT WANT YOUR CHARITY !!!!and believe HE knows our attitudes ! Those who are "turned off" by a gathering of GOD's children have the WRONG ATTITUDE as to WORSHIPPING , singing PRAISES, learning KNOWLEDGE and doing good (giving) as HIS COMMANDMENT said "Keep the Sabbath HOLY....the world is full of and always will be , A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE who are WISE in their own eyes.. this is my own reasonings but I have learned over the years of study....but I am always open to rebukes, if you can help me PROVE IT...... Jesus is my Savior
  • They saw the church for the scam that it is.
  • They are turned off by "blood for sin" theology. It's a very dark idea that God would want a sacrifice to be appeased. It's a dark idea and the light is on the rise, so it is quite natural that people would move away from dark ideas. If churches had the Original Kingdom Gospel, people would grow and benefit from it. The sermon on the mount was about a transformation... and nearly everyone would go for a true transformation. My source: "Gospel Enigma" It's the 10th free eBook here: http:newfreebooks.com
  • Me? Personally? The hymns are boring and so are the sermons. So there you go: despite being a baptized Christian, the fear of God can't even encourage me to risk one hour of boredom per week for his sake. Pretty lame really. Then again, despite calling myself "Christian", there are a few things in my life that still need changing before I could classify myself as a "good Christian" - maybe God would like me to sort out those issues first. I could argue that the Church is no good at making itself relevant - "Got a problem, pray to God!" Well, if we really are believers then that should work (and I have met plenty of religious people that can give details of God sorting stuff out for them, though a heathen would happily write them off as 'co-incidences'), so why don't we? But on the other side of the coin, are we providing any help for the faithless sinner? "Woe to you Pharisees, for you put heavy burdens on the people but won't even lift a finger to help them carry that load." What are we Christians, and the Church, doing to help others "carry their load"? Plus, for some, life is getting soft and fluffy, which on a relative scale makes religion look like "discipline and hard work." When life gets really hard, suddenly religion will look "easier" and these people will return to the flock. (Like a great big pendulum, it swings back and forth). Also, who is the "greater Christian"?: the one in the field, in some impoverished arena of misery, improving life for those in that area for the greater glory of God, or the inner city pastor of a large congregation? I mean no disrespect, but no-one sees the guy out in the field doing all the "real" work, they just see the "marketing machine", for want of a better description. (Feel free to modify those last couple of sentences to a less offensive form but please, think about it and consider the lesson). Also, just admit to human nature. We want to beat the crap out of anyone who deserves it, we want all our toys - which is just an extra cautious reaction in an effort to avoid pain, we waited all our lives to become adults so no-one can tell us what to do (except bosses, customers, cops, politicians ... ) - it's an uphill battle. If you ignore these things then you never work out how to work around them. That's my little opinion, anyway. :)
  • Because people are selfish and care about their own wants and needs, which are the wants and needs of the flesh. They dont want to give up anything that makes them happy for god. So they rather stay away from the church because if your trully a believer and choose to live your life for god as god intended you have to give up a lot of things E.X. drinking ,smoking , drugs, premarital sex.
  • Wow, nubenow, that was entirely ignorant of you. Einstien said,"There must be a God." and you call it ignorant. A paltry attempt at self elevation my friend. I think a lot of power has left churches, because they are more concerned with fundraisers and attracting money and prestige than getting people back to God.
  • I will suggest that they may be turned off by dogma that is counter to their experience in life. Or perhaps the black and white views of fundamental belief. Beliefs of exclusivity and the basis for those judgements. For example the saved and the unsaved. I am happy to say that there are non affiliated churches that accept those of all walks, all faiths and even those that are secular in their beliefs. I assume that's not the kind of church which you are referring in your question.
  • I will suggest that they may be turned off by dogma that is counter to their experience in life. Or perhaps the black and white views of fundamental belief:Beliefs of exclusivity and the basis for those judgements. For example the saved and the unsaved. I am happy to say that there are non affiliated churches that accept those of all walks, all faiths and even those that are secular in their beliefs. I assume that's not the kind of church which you are referring in your question. I might be the word "church" and what it implies to them.
  • probably cause some people dont practice what they preach
  • Many churchgoers do not read the Bible. Instead, they are mislead, since the majority of churches preach a circus and are money hungry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WmFsnZtnlk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXxcfDi9EZM
    • Jenny_Rizzo
      Proverbs 16:19 "Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud." https://www.adventist.org/en/beliefs/

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