They are getting filled with sexual abuse, greedy pastors, secularization, hypocricy, and the like. This is mainly focused in America. It seems the only true churches are those that are persecuted and have to live underground like in China and Nepal. As a Christian that tries to seek the truth, I don't even go to a damn church.
2007-05-28 16:22:02 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't attend a church either. I use to attend one locally, but like you said, sexual abuse, it was in the congregation I attended. Long story. I understand what you are saying. I really think that church leaders should not just let anyone into the church until they are interviewed by church leaders. It is much safer especially when you have all these stories about sex offenders seeking out children. Church leaders and parents are supposed to protect the children in all cases.
I also think that even leaders should be interviewed as well. Because they are the ones who will have that responsibility to look after church members.
I don't attend a church because not all churches teach the truth of what the bible truly says. Many take scripture out of context. I could go on, but not today.
2007-05-28 16:32:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Are churches in America corrupt? It all depends on which church you are going to. Not all churches have ministers that are sexually abusing children, or have greedy pastors or live a life of hyprocrisy. Some churches do but for the most part, there are good people out there that love God with a passion and are living a life full of love and purity. There is no such thing as a perfect person, but there are individuals who want to do what is right. Don't condemn these individuals because you see corruption all around you, we are living in the last days - corruption is bound to happen before the tribulation can even take place.
2007-05-28 16:30:54 · answer #2 · answered by wonderwoman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing has changed. It's just more visible now. "Back in he day" (I love that), when sexual abuse was reported, it was either swept under the rug, or families were threatened with excommunication, or the child was made out to have psychological problems. The media is greedy for stories such as these and will do almost anything to expose any hint of dirt. The Catholic church has a record of greed, look at the hoarde of valuable art and other artifacts and treasures they have locked away in the Vatican vaults...vow of poverty, riiiiight. Oh, it belongs to the "people" of the church, okay, sure it does, but none of them ever get to see them, nor do thier "causes" benefit from them.
2007-05-28 16:33:54 · answer #3 · answered by Always Curious 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as Christians are made of flesh, you will see this sort of thing happening. Paul warned the Ephesians of this very fact.
"I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock." (Acts 20:29)
We are called to be discerning, but not disobedient. You might consider that you are being disobedient by absenting yourself from a local Body of believers.
As it is written: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)
When you are away from a local church, you deny that church the gifts that you have been equipped by the Holy Spirit with, and you are denied the gifts that others bring.
Jesus has established the church as His representative on the earth. There are no effective "Lone Ranger" Christians.
If we separate from the Body, we are alone in the faith. The devil and his minions are like wolves, hyenas, coyotes and other animals that hunt in packs. In the wild, these animals rarely attack a herd or flock. They wait for one or two to get separated from the rest. They go for the stragglers, who are usually the weakest, either from the journey or illness. Then the predators attack. It's never fair. Five or six to one. And the attacked animal almost always loses.
Likewise, the Christian who separates from the church, is alone. Without a constant diet of solid biblical preaching, and encouragement from other (and stronger) believers, this Christian becomes weak and malnourished in the Word. Their defenses are down. Then the devil and the demons attack. Since the Christian is alone, weak and malnourished, he/she has nothing to defend themselves with, and they succumb to temptation or become disillusion with the faith, and fall away. Their testimony gets damaged, their faith is in shreds, and they wonder, "Why bother?" and quit. Then the devil is satisfied.
It is like this: If the devil can't have your soul, he will have your walk and testimony, if you let him. And skipping church is a sure fire way to go down that road.
2007-05-28 16:31:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
We don't have that problem here to any big degree. Corruption can enter any church in small and big ways. When it's in the pulpit, it usually is exposed pretty quickly here. In the pew, that too becomes evident. God said we would have the goats among the sheep until He separates them. It's best for each of us to be close enough to God to know the difference. It the true church (believers in Christ) outnumbers the other, they usually leave on their own.
2007-05-28 16:29:37 · answer #5 · answered by Joyful Noise 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
True none have had to die for their faith in America. I believe the churches of today have forgotten what the true meaning of Christianity is and they are about country club churches.
2007-05-28 16:27:40 · answer #6 · answered by truely human 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Those who are not true Christian church are corrupt., yes they are false christian epople, having false pastor or preacher and their religion is false religion. You can easily determined those false religion, if you are reading the bible.
jtm
2007-05-28 16:30:53 · answer #7 · answered by Jesus M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
MORE corrupt? That's been going on for thousands of years. What makes you think it's any different?
I love how you threw 'secularlization' in there as if it were a bad thing, even though you're condemning the churches.
2007-05-28 16:24:54 · answer #8 · answered by eri 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'm from Australia and it is the same here.
The bible talks about apostasy in the last days and the bible also says in Revelation and Corinthians........."Come out from amongst them".
My husband and I have done just that.
We don't usually come across people who think like us.
The narrow way is the way to go.
2007-05-28 20:25:32 · answer #9 · answered by repent 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Nah, it's nothing new. As long as churches have people, they'll have problems.
2007-05-28 16:25:43 · answer #10 · answered by keri gee 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋