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Does the American Catholic Church Have a Numbers Problem?

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The sham and hypocrisy in the Catholic church is unbelievable. But that is their corner stone of existance...hypocrisy and sham - in any order you want to put it. They preach sedition and call it social justice.

Holly Golightly of AZ 11:04AM September 27, 2011

I can only say why I left. 12 years of feminine priests and sexually frustrated
nuns. Not good role models for the church.

Mikel of MA 10:21AM May 08, 2011

I am currently converting to Catholicism as we speak and I am really SHOCKED reading this story. I would think that there would be more people joining than leaving. I think that the people who leave the faith are people who ONLY disagree with the church's teaching because they are not living the life as a true Catholic Christian. They convert to another religion that will justify how they are living, instead of trying correct what they have done, they find way to make THEMSELVES feel better about it. It is really sad. It is as simple as reading, I think there are A LOT of people out there who are uneducated, there are so many good sources out there today.
On a end note- it is your life and you will have to face the creator one day, make sure you are ready to be judged.

Ashley of AL 8:28PM January 07, 2011

Добавлю в закладки, интеретсно читать

kikus of AL 4:04PM June 12, 2010

If Catholics are Bible-believing, why are Catholics actively discouraged from reading it? I had a Bible confiscated by the nun who was my 3rd-grade teacher. She told me if I had questions about religion I should ask the priest instead of reading the Bible. I think what she was trying to do was keep me from finding out that Jesus was not Catholic.
And it was a matter of protecting the numbers -- because when I got older, I found out that Jesus was Jewish, ended up converting to Judaism myself, along with my husband, and we are raising our children as Jewish. That's six fewer envelopes.

Dina of NY 4:52AM May 07, 2010

Firstly, I believe that these numbers in general reflect that society is growing a little more secular over time. Since religious activities tend to revolve around the church proper, growing secularism can lead to lesser church attendance, therefore a less invigorating church atmosphere. And when the atmosphere isn't jump-starting, people are more likely to change affiliations.
Secondly -- to Cliff of CO: While this article focuses on growing numbers of Catholics leaving the church & why they are leaving--therefore I will refrain from instigating a theological debate where it doesn't belong, and I will respect your belief as a fellow Christian--I am correcting basic mistakes you made on Catholic belief because I don't see any commentator who has.
1) "My problem with the Catholic faith is that they refuse to use the Bible as their standard."
This remark is annoying and offensive. The early church--which included Rome--established the canon Christians have today; hence, ALL Bibles, no matter what church, have four canonical Gospels. To be Christian IS to accept the Gospels as a standard.
Actually, the Catholic Church relies on Sacred Scripture AND Sacred Tradition. "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church." --Magisterium in Dei Verbum, n. 10. Eastern Orthodox hold this as valid too. You can Google Sacred Tradition if you are interested.
And you said: "They beleive that salvation from eternal conseqences of sin is a lifelong process...They believe that salvation is attained by cooperation with grace, good works and sacraments."
That we believe in continuous salvation is correct, but you suggest here we believe only in what is often called "vain" works without faith. This is not true. We believe faith and works are necessary for salvation. We believe we must meet God halfway with our hearts and our actions.
God be with you.

bezant of FL 12:13AM February 16, 2010

My problem with the Catholic faith is that they refuse to use the Bible as their standard.They beleive that salvation from eternal conseqences of sin is a lifelong process. but the bible clearly states that salvation is instantaneous. [Romans 5:9 ] they beleive that salvation is attained by cooperation with grace, good works and sacraments. The bible sayes that salvation is attained by grace through faith apart from works [Ephesians 2;8,9 ].
Good works are are the result, not the cause of salvation. {Ephesians 2:10 ]

Cliff of NC 11:52AM February 03, 2010

The world is changing. America is changing. For centuries christianity was by the most part a white western european belief system. The skin in america is getting darker with each new generation and young people today don't want to be indoctrinated into christianity at birth, believing in something that their parents want them to become. Young people today are the best educated ever, are individuals and not afraid to make personal changes in their beliefs, and lives that differ from their families.
Reports indicate that within a generation or 2, the new catholic church members majority will be from africa, asia and south america. Western culture christianity has just about run its course and the USA is the last holdou, but as the pew report indicates 4 US catholics leaving for each new member indicates america is following western europe.
Christianity has had a good run of 20 centuries in western cultures. It has succeeded this long mostly because of hand me down family traditions throughout the ages. "If mom and dad were catholic, then so became the children" Not so anymore.

richard of NY 10:46AM December 04, 2009

The above comments imply that people leaving the catholic church aren't good people. I am willing to bet that a HUGE number of people leaving the catholic church are appalled and disgusted by the catholic church's WORLD-WIDE protection of child molesters.
What could be more a more natural progression that first you stop going to church because you are troubled and then finally resolve to completely break with the church?

ex-catholic of CO 12:23PM November 26, 2009

OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES, HOW MANY WOULD YOU SAY REALLY CAN BE COSIDERED PRACTICING AMERICANS, I MEAN REALLY LOVE THIS COUNTRY, IT LAWS, ITS WAYS, ETC. SO IT IS WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. YOU HAVE CATHOLICS OF VARIOUS DEGREES OR TONES, OR WHATEVER. BUT THERE ARE SOME REAL CATHOLICS WHO GO TO SUNDAY ALMOST EVERY SUNDAY, WHO BELIEVE IN ALMOST EVERYTHING THE CHURCH EXPOUNDS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THEY BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD, THE SECOND PERSON OF OUR TRIUNE GOD, THAT HE WAS BORN AS A MAN, LIVED AND PREACHED THE NEW GOOD NEWS FOR THE SALVATION OF ALL MANKIND. THAT HE WAS SACRIFICED TO SECURE THE SALVATION OF MANKIND, THAT HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD AND NOW REIGNS IN HEAVEN WITH HIS FATHER TILL THE END OF TIMES AT WHICH TIME HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. ALL OTHER "CHRISTIAN" RELIGIONS ARE HERESYS TO ME. ANYONE WHO DOES NOT KEEP TO THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW, WETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WILL HAVE A PRICE TO PRAY OR ALOT TO ANSWER FOR. THE WORLD IS TOO INVOLVED IN ANYTHING BUT RELIGION, AND LIVES A MISERABLE LIFE. I JUST HOPE THAT SOME HORRIBLE EVENT DOESN'T COME TO THIS EARTH FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE THE FUTILE LIVES THEY LIVE WITHOUT RELIGION, SPECIALLY CATHOLICS WHO ABANDON THE WAY OF THE TRUTH.

HENRY WALLING of FL 2:17PM July 14, 2009