For those of you who never or rarely attend church, what is your main reason?

Question

And if a friend invited you to come with them would you go?

Answer 1

Because most churches have no conviction and just preach nicey sermons with no rules or conditions. If a friend asked me I may go and see how they are there? But if the church is another 'be nice to people and do whatever you want to' church, I wouldn't go back.

Answer 2

I'm an atheist and not only would it be hypocritical, it would be a waste of finite resources, including my time.

If a very good friend asked me to go with them, I would do so as a courtesy, but I would not do so on a regular basis. Or, more than once or twice.

I was raised in a Christian home and have attended church many, many times, so I don't have any curiosity about what some God speaker has to say about what he thinks the bible really means.

Answer 3

Hypocrisy. Love of money rules over love of the poor. I experienced this as a preacher's child and left the Church for many years. I went back to the Church and now it's even become official nationally - Church growth (read bodies who have money) is their top goal and they have dropped the children and poverty agenda.

Also, I set up a Katrina fund-raiser with free musicians and everything. My Church has people to open and close up from 8am to 9 pm and yet the preacher's wife couldn't write a small letter of support because she was going on an African Mission trip and to an international conference. I couldn't help wishing that she would be kidnapped in Zimbabwe. Too bad she wasn't. While they didn't have time for this they were doing a fund-raiser to build a new church building in Russia!

I did go back to Church based on invitation. It didn't last long because the preacher with a salary of $100,000 was hawking for a $25,000 short-fall from the pulpit. I changed to a Church where I had listened to the preacher who had never hawked for money in 5 years. Within 2 years he was hawking for money for their new education building which they don't use or need. They need a larger sanctuary as everyone can't fit. They wouldn't even use the new building to make comfortable rooms for Katrina victims. Rather they crowded them all into the old gym which was so bad that some complained and left!

While this is one specific denomination in which I was raised I know most Churches now are more focused on money and growth more than my own. Most new preachers are business majors according to a recent study. Also, I called many denominations for the Katrina fund-raiser concert and no one cared enough to write a letter of support. Everyone's hyped up to go to war now for Sudan when most of New Orleans is still homeless.

Primitive Baptists aren't focused on money from what I understand but they do not believe in women's ordination so I probably wouldn't be happy there.

At least no one can take God from me again or Jesus as wackos in the Church did for 10 years. Having been outside of the Church for 20 years after my recent experiences I think I'm good to stay out another 40 years this time. So, no I wouldn't go. I have other concerns like the "Alpha program" and its encouraging "speaking in tongues" and "signs and wonders" which are essentially pagan but the principal concern is love of money by most Churches rather than love of God and fellow humans.

Oh, and the fact that most preachers nowdays will not provide pastoral counseling, guidance and are not welcoming other than superficially so you'll give money. Rather they want to dump you off on psychologists who are expensive and not qualified to answer spiritual questions and concerns.

Answer 4

I was single for most of my life as a Christian and got the distinct feeling that I was not welcome at most churches primarily because they are more suited for families and do not know how to deal with single adult males. I do not fault them so much as just regret that there wasn't many constructive ideas for getting singles to become a part. Also alot of churches especially in smaller communities are attended by the same people that have been there for generations and go more out of tradition than anything else, and hence are not very warm to strangers visiting. I used to write music and perform with my guitar and once they found out I could do that they expected it from me but outside of that I always felt like an outsider. I got married at 50 years of age to a woman that I led to the Lord and we drive a truck long haul and do not have the opportunity to attend consistently. Most churches put up barriers to prevent truckers from attending their church and its usually those with the fish emblem on their bumpers that turn out to be the most rude drivers I ever seen. I always joke with my wife that I can tell by someones driving whether they are born again or not because they drive like they are ready to die. We do most of our fellowshipping together on the road and listen to XM radio family channel on the radio. And on better days we run across other truckers to share our faith with. When Jesus returns I do indeed wonder if He will find faith on the earth. God Bless You for asking.

Answer 5

I've been to a few churches that mainly seemed to preach hypocrisy - "love and good for all of you...but those people outside these walls can go f*ck themselves". Makes me hesitant to commit to any one denomination, since the feeling seems to be fairly broad spectrum.

As for a friend's invitation...depends on how it was done, and whether I felt it might be beneficial, or a waste (fundamentalist church would be a waste).

Answer 6

i used to go to church as a child every sunday, i was a lutheran or so i was told, a confirmed member of a church i knew nothing aobut and cared nothing about, the sermons were always borign and the people were always snotty and rude to me b/c we didnt have much money.I grew up got some cash and now i laugh at the followers of a fairy tale story who do not know anything about truth. the only people who go to church are the ones who think they are better than everyone

Answer 7

Well I have been to Church in the past, of coures, I have a friend who is a Roman Catholic deacon. But my primary reason for never going to Church is that I am Jewish. I hope that this excuse works.

Answer 8

I never go because I don't believe in organized religion. I don't need to sit in a building, and listen to some old man tell me how I should live my life according to some book. I think God prefers it if we just admire nature and worship him in our own ways. I would probably go with a friend, if they insisted, but would get nothing out of it.

Answer 9

answer me this why are there so many religions and if you are right in you're beliefs then AL the others must be wrong. why do you belief because you were raised that way and if you were raised in another religion than today you would have believed in something else. Religion is the weirdest thing similar to the fable of the emperor's clothes think about it.

Answer 10

I have been to church before, but don't believe in the Christian "God".

I have read the bible, don't believe in everything it says neither.