Butch's Blog

Ten Reasons Why People Leave the Church, and Why They Are Coming Back: (The responses are mine. They are not the suggested responses.)

#1. "I Don't Believe in Organized Religion".

I was surprised to see this lead off the list. The daughter of a clergy friend actually said this to me. I met her folks at seminary where they often fed me. Over the years we had been friends, celebrated to births of children, talked often about life. Her dad loved history and was an expert on the American West in general and the Battle of Little Bighorn (Greasy Grass Creek) in particular. He loved to read and often his sermons were reviews of whatever books he had been reading.

I often thought he was born to be a ranger for a national park. He could have talked with folks who came to a place to see and hear about the things he loved. Because of competing interests, he too frequently ran his Sunday morning church bulletins very early on Sunday mornings. Church stuff surprised him- stuff like it's Sunday morning and a sermon is expected!

He was a great friend, a caring but disorganized pastor. It was his daughter that said to me, "I don't believe in organized religion." I told her she had gone to her dad's church her whole life and, therefore, had never experienced organized religion.

#2 "I Have My Own Way of Connecting with God".

Part 1: I prefer watching church services on TV. It's easier, that's for sure. And when the TV is turned off, no one is there. So, you have take the TV to the hospital with you to hear a comforting word or turn it on to hear a kind word. Need a hug? Frustrated/angry/hurt/tired/depressed? Channel 5, please. Or 9.
Someone wanting to get married? Call the TV preacher. Funeral? He will be right over, I'm sure.

Part 2: I meet with God in nature. Maybe, but I tend to not believe it. I have been told, "I worship God on the golf course." Maybe God's name is used on a golf course but not in a worshipful way.

Stay tuned for #3: "I Got Tired of the Church Always Asking Me for Money."

Butch