Why the catholic church is losing people

After years thinking about the teachings of the church about morality, I realised that these are responsible for the decreasing number of catholics in Latin America and elsewhere.

Having lived in some Latin American countries myself, I got the impression that the church's view on contraception, abortion, and other social issues is only damaging the church.

People think the church lives in the past.

I think the church should change some (not all) of its practises regarding social issues.

People should focus on what Jesus' objective on earht really was, instead of worrying about going to hell for masturbating.

Originally posted by generalissimo
After years thinking about the teachings of the church about morality, I realised that these are responsible for the decreasing number of catholics in Latin America and elsewhere.

Having lived in some Latin American countries myself, I got the impression that the church's view on contraception, abortion, and other social issues is only damaging the ...[text shortened]... esus' objective on earht really was, instead of worrying about going to hell for masturbating.

Why the (insert any denomination) church is losing people.

Originally posted by divegeester
Why the (insert any denomination) church is losing people.

the catholic church.

Originally posted by divegeester
Why the (insert any denomination) church is losing people.

Charismatic and gimmicky evangelizing denominations are all the rage and growing relatively fast in places like the U.K. Australia and the U.S. where allegedly the meaninglessness of modern life is kicking in, and crusty old approaches like that of the Papists and the Anglicans don't make people's socks go up and down like they used to.

Originally posted by FMF
Charismatic and gimmicky evangelizing denominations are all the rage and growing relatively fast in places like the U.K. Australia and the U.S. where allegedly the meaninglessness of modern life is kicking in, and crusty old approaches like that of the Papists and the Anglicans don't make people's socks go up and down like they used to.

I agree with you. The heavy metal music-playing, the breaking of bricks, male-bonding rituals, Promise Keepers, etc. are all gimmicky. The Catholic Church is losong people, like they lost me 27 years ago, because of hypocrisy.

My observation in Zambia was that the youth were attracted by different types of churches than the older people. I think though that as the youth age they then change church. Most of the Churches that claimed to be growing rapidly would only do so for a few years and then it would be some other upstart.
To this day the largest Church in Zambia is still the Catholic Church.

the need for god seems to lessen with afluence of wealth and peace times, not just this generation.

Originally posted by generalissimo
After years thinking about the teachings of the church about morality, I realised that these are responsible for the decreasing number of catholics in Latin America and elsewhere.

Having lived in some Latin American countries myself, I got the impression that the church's view on contraception, abortion, and other social issues is only damaging the ...[text shortened]... esus' objective on earht really was, instead of worrying about going to hell for masturbating.

Luke
Chapter 18


18
An official asked him this question, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
20
You know the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.'"
21
And he replied, "All of these I have observed from my youth."
22
5 When Jesus heard this he said to him, "There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23
But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich.
24
Jesus looked at him (now sad) and said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
25
For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."
26
Those who heard this said, "Then who can be saved?"
27
And he said, "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God."
28
Then Peter said, "We have given up our possessions and followed you."
29
He said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30
who will not receive (back) an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come."
31

http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke18.htm

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What was Jesus' objective on earth in your view ?

Originally posted by generalissimo
After years thinking about the teachings of the church about morality, I realised that these are responsible for the decreasing number of catholics in Latin America and elsewhere.

Having lived in some Latin American countries myself, I got the impression that the church's view on contraception, abortion, and other social issues is only damaging the ...[text shortened]... esus' objective on earht really was, instead of worrying about going to hell for masturbating.

The Church is not a political party. You talk about the decreasing number of Catholics and call its stances on abortion, contraceptives and other social issues damaging to the Church. This is not the way the Church looks at this matter. The Church looks upon the practise of abortion and unnatural ways of contraception as damaging to people. You cannot expect the Church to change these views just to increase the numbers of Roman-Catholics. As I said the Church is not a political party, which aim is to please a certain segment of voters in their short sighted, self-serving needs.

What are the other social issues of which you claim the Church should change its stances ?

By the way, would you (re)join the RC Church if they changed their views on abortion, unnatural ways of contraception, masturbation, abortion, etc ?

Originally posted by ivanhoe
The Church is not a political party. You talk about the decreasing number of Catholics and call its stances on abortion, contraceptives and other social issues damaging to the Church. This is not the way the Church looks at this matter. The Church looks upon the practise of abortion and unnatural ways of contraception as damaging to people. You cannot expect ...[text shortened]... changed their views on abortion, unnatural ways of contraception, masturbation, abortion, etc ?

This is not the way the Church looks at this matter.

That is because the church is living in the past, they don't want people to use contraception.
How would priests know about sex, and issues related to it if they don't have sexual lives themselves?

You cannot expect the Church to change these views just to increase the numbers of Roman-Catholics.

I expect the church to change, because it needs to adapt to the modern society. Changes are necessary from time to time, just like the changes made in the 1960s.

By the way, would you (re)join the RC Church if they changed their views on abortion, unnatural ways of contraception, masturbation, abortion, etc ?

I haven't left the church, Im still a practising catholic, but I don't follow the church's point of view on contraception and abortion (I think the mother should be allowed to abort the foetus in case of rape for example).

Originally posted by FMF
Charismatic and gimmicky evangelizing denominations are all the rage and growing relatively fast in places like the U.K. Australia and the U.S. where allegedly the meaninglessness of modern life is kicking in, and crusty old approaches like that of the Papists and the Anglicans don't make people's socks go up and down like they used to.

Interesting. I was under the impression all church numbers were decreasing; hense my previous post.

Originally posted by generalissimo
[b]This is not the way the Church looks at this matter.

That is because the church is living in the past, they don't want people to use contraception.
How would priests know about sex, and issues related to it if they don't have sexual lives themselves?

You cannot expect the Church to change these views just to increase the numbers of Rom ...[text shortened]... on (I think the mother should be allowed to abort the foetus in case of rape for example).[/b]

How would priests know about sex, and issues related to it if they don't have sexual lives themselves?

Hopefully most priests will not know about the ins and outs of sex. But they do not need that knowledge in order to make a moral judgement about contraception or abortion. Sex does not exactly give anyone a unique qualification in ethics.

Originally posted by Conrau K
[b]...ins and outs of sex....

*snicker*

Originally posted by generalissimo
That is because the church is living in the past, they don't want people to use contraception.
How would priests know about sex, and issues related to it if they don't have sexual lives themselves?

You seem to have missed his point altogether (quite hard to do).
The Church should do and preach what it thinks is right based on their theology. A desire for gaining membership should never compromise the theology.
Other denominations are more democratic in that the beliefs of the members eventually become the beliefs of the denomination as a whole for example some denominations now allow women priests when they didn't in the past.

Originally posted by Conrau K
[b]How would priests know about sex, and issues related to it if they don't have sexual lives themselves?

sadly with some this is not true ...some get sent to jail on this issue