There is an excellent article on CNN by Rachael Held Evans about Why Millenials are leaving the church. You can find it here: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/27/why-millennials-are-leaving-the-church/
Great article, Rachel – I’m afraid your common sense statements of the facts will fall on still deaf ears. The “church” doesn’t know how to change; it’s as simple as that. The clergy is still under control of a generation who actually believe the Bible is the literal word of God…complete with all the insane comments in the book. Of course they pick and choose what is really the “true” word of God from whatever passages suit the message or threat they feel they need to make to control the population. The simple truth is that the internet and social media has usurped the power of the “church” to control the people, and people who once occupied pews now find it easier to find likeminded believers (of all faiths and creeds) online and can be exposed to any theology they want by simply using Google. I left the Missouri Synod Lutheran church and found Unity. It suits me fine. I think people are discovering they don’t need anyone in between them and God. Churches can install all the Starbucks coffee kiosks they want, but it isn’t going to bring people back if they keep spewing everything except the love that Jesus preached and based his ministry on. We don’t need anyone to hear our confessions and we don’t have to swallow as “gospel” all the hatred and threats that are spewed from pulpits anymore. I am sure God is looking down on all of this with a smile and a sigh of relief. But I must admit, I keep waiting for the lightening bolts to strike the insane televangelist money-changers. If panicky clergy bemoaning empty offering baskets returning to the alters want to know the real reason the pews are empty, they need to watch some cable religious programming to see what the millenials are laughing at. The loudest voice is what is heard, and for a long time now, that loud voice has been the religious crackpots who have hijacked the simple message that God is love.
LOU KIEF 