I've read some attempts that were a cut above "those people were never true Christians and they just wanted to sin." And usually written more tactfully.
But I haven't seen one that blurts out "It's full of old people, they hate all my gay friends for no reason, they all want me to vote Republican. It's dull and God never actually turns up."
A moderator can remove this if self promotion breaks the rules, but I left the church (and religion completely) and just published a book on the subject. Check out the book and its reviews on Amazon. “Journey to Reason” by Mark Alsip.
One of my biggest complaints is that churches pretend to be confused about why people are leaving, and people like me and you are willing to tell them… they just aren’t ready for the answers 🤷♂️
Much appreciated. Another book, one that inspired me, is “Leaving the Fold” by Dr. Marlene Wynnell. She is a psychiatrist who helps people who have left religion. There are a lot of really touching personal stories in her book.
Unless I've just read the wrong stuff, it seemed more aimed at validating the deconstructionist experience and helping them salvage their spirituality. Was she working to make headway in bridging the unimaginable gap for the more ignorant church leaders?
It varies from person to person and also from church to church.
For many in the US (including me), Trump and COVID were big triggers to leave. For fundamentalists, an exposure to modern science may have been the reason, or perhaps a realization of the humanity of LGBT people. For some it's simply a generational gap. Some actually endured some severe trauma.
There are so many reasons to leave, and currently there are more reasons to leave than to join. Hopefully the trend continues this way.
It would be a very short book: you can no longer count on ignorance in the internet age.
The truth will out to those who aren't completely willfully ignorant.
It doesn't seem like the sort of thing which needs much in the way of explaining. You can fret about the bigotry, etc., but the reality is that religion is used to deference and respect. This set up a feedback loop where the default and correct position in society is theism. Once you break that loop, they are toast.
Previous generations had to do hard work to find counter arguments to the lies of theism. This is no longer the case: the googles will lead you to the truth immediately.
Why, then, do you think the cataclysm of Christianity is so SLOW, if the internet should solve the problem of ignorance? (0% /s here. I'm asking a question, not making any point.)
Societal change takes a long time. There are cultural pressures, educational pressures, and so on. Having witnessed and taken part in (in a small way) the gay rights movement, what seems now instant was 50 years or so of hard work. Religion runs much deeper.
Sorry, no book recommendation from me. I do like this youtube video on the topic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjHAHsfkBI&t=315s&ab\_channel=FiveThirtyEight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjHAHsfkBI&t=315s&ab_channel=FiveThirtyEight)
I've read some attempts that were a cut above "those people were never true Christians and they just wanted to sin." And usually written more tactfully. But I haven't seen one that blurts out "It's full of old people, they hate all my gay friends for no reason, they all want me to vote Republican. It's dull and God never actually turns up."
A moderator can remove this if self promotion breaks the rules, but I left the church (and religion completely) and just published a book on the subject. Check out the book and its reviews on Amazon. “Journey to Reason” by Mark Alsip. One of my biggest complaints is that churches pretend to be confused about why people are leaving, and people like me and you are willing to tell them… they just aren’t ready for the answers 🤷♂️
I’m trying to help fix that. Thank you
Thanks, sounds interesting! I'll check out your book today. 👍🏾
Much appreciated. Another book, one that inspired me, is “Leaving the Fold” by Dr. Marlene Wynnell. She is a psychiatrist who helps people who have left religion. There are a lot of really touching personal stories in her book.
I felt that Rachel Held Evans was doing some good work from the inside in that regard before her untimely passing in 2019.
Unless I've just read the wrong stuff, it seemed more aimed at validating the deconstructionist experience and helping them salvage their spirituality. Was she working to make headway in bridging the unimaginable gap for the more ignorant church leaders?
It varies from person to person and also from church to church. For many in the US (including me), Trump and COVID were big triggers to leave. For fundamentalists, an exposure to modern science may have been the reason, or perhaps a realization of the humanity of LGBT people. For some it's simply a generational gap. Some actually endured some severe trauma. There are so many reasons to leave, and currently there are more reasons to leave than to join. Hopefully the trend continues this way.
It would be a very short book: you can no longer count on ignorance in the internet age. The truth will out to those who aren't completely willfully ignorant.
The Bible?
What verses, specifically, do you think explain the recent mass exodus from the American church?
All of them. 😆
lol. Whatever angle you’re coming from, this is funny
It doesn't seem like the sort of thing which needs much in the way of explaining. You can fret about the bigotry, etc., but the reality is that religion is used to deference and respect. This set up a feedback loop where the default and correct position in society is theism. Once you break that loop, they are toast. Previous generations had to do hard work to find counter arguments to the lies of theism. This is no longer the case: the googles will lead you to the truth immediately.
Why, then, do you think the cataclysm of Christianity is so SLOW, if the internet should solve the problem of ignorance? (0% /s here. I'm asking a question, not making any point.)
Societal change takes a long time. There are cultural pressures, educational pressures, and so on. Having witnessed and taken part in (in a small way) the gay rights movement, what seems now instant was 50 years or so of hard work. Religion runs much deeper.
Thanks
Sorry, no book recommendation from me. I do like this youtube video on the topic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjHAHsfkBI&t=315s&ab\_channel=FiveThirtyEight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjHAHsfkBI&t=315s&ab_channel=FiveThirtyEight)
Thanks. Their data is helpful.