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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]https://www.npr.org/2023/05/17/1175452002/church-closings-religious-affiliation

Wow - "Just 16% of Americans say religion is the most important thing in their life, according to a new report released this week by the Public Religion Research Institute.".

"The sharp uptick in the number of younger Americans with no religious affiliation — a group known as the "nones" — is the major driver in a seismic shift in the religious landscape, says Ryan Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University and author of The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going."

What are your thoughts?[/quote]

Not surprising. I am a 51 year old lapsed Catholic. I would like to go back to church, but there's simply so much history and issues continuing in the present day that make it hard for me to do so. And much harder to explain to my children why it's imperative that we attend Mass every Sunday when in truth I am pro-choice, don't believe the arguments in favor of natural family planning, support women being priests, and don't think the Catholic church has done near enough to address its historical abuses.[b] To keep family peace and tradition both of my kids will be confirmed and then I feel pretty much done.[/b] I may explore another denomination.[/quote]

To keep family peace with whom?  Your parents?  Certainly not your kids!  They will be making commitments that they know their parent doesn't believe in and that they may not believe in either.  Considering that confirmation is about making an adult commitment to the church, it seems like it would make sense to ask your kids if they want to be confirmed, instead of insisting that they do something you don't believe in yourself, "to keep family peace."  It's like you're teaching them to be hypocritical. [/quote]

That was my post and I understand the criticism and can't really say that it's totally unfair. Our kids are aware of our viewpoint that we want them to have a foundational exposure to religion so that they will have a comparison if they ever want to return to the church or to explore another denomination. And that it's traditional in our family and extended family to be confirmed.

My reasons for not being faithful are complicated and have developed over my lifetime. I'm also not out of step with many other people who call themselves Catholic but who are still attending Mass, etc. I believe my spouse, who was also raised Catholic and was confirmed, is in a similar place with some similar reasons.[/quote]

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