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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]IMO, there are a few reasons:

1. people are more educated and don't believe in some of the archaic teachings
2. people are turned off by the religiousity  and/or politicizing of God's teachings
3. people may want to connect with a group but not with a group that they have not much in common with  -- see #1 and #2
4. people have better things to do on Sundays

-long time church goer who stopped going due to all the above[/quote]

Sounds like you don't believe in organized religion, but still believe in god.  I wonder if there's a way to express god-belief with a like minded group, or if it's even needed.[/quote]
the problem is any time people try to create a group or organization centered around god-belief,  the group inevitably becomes like any other church with all the similar issues as before.

I'm the PP. I've been a member of  a few churches in my lifetime, and almost every single one was created from a splinter group from another church due to disagreements of some sort.  Churches are run by humans who are sinful, greedy, prideful, etc... so it's no wonder that churches have issues.  In most of the churches I've attended, I was quite involved.  It's true what they say... "20% of the people in the church do 80% of the work", and these are all volunteers.

I believe in God, but not necessarily the God that some man tells me is like.   IMO, the Bible is not infallible. It was put together and translated by men, some who had their own bias and motives. I went to Sunday school and believed everything I was told about the Bible.. that the Bible is "God breathed", never changing, infallible.  As I've gotten older and wiser, I see the holes in those beliefs.

What you refer to is "fellowship", which I think is important, but "fellowship" could just mean hanging out with friends or going to group outings.  IMO, it doesn't have to be in a church.[/quote]

Sounds like you'd be happier expressing your religious beliefs by yourself, or else lowering your expectations of a religious community. If you don't expect people to agree  a lot or be equally involved in the community, then you won't be disappointed when they don't live up to expectations.   They are human, after all.   There wouldn't be so many religions if people all thought or believed the same way.[/quote]
most of the time, the churches split due to ego, pride, and selfishness not because of ideology or doctrine.

I've seen it play out.[/quote]

Right, that's what was meant by not being disappointed "when they don't live up to expectations." [/quote]

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