Majority of American Catholics Have Left the Church, Pew Survey Reveals

Christian Post ^ | 09/17/2015 | Vincent Funaro

[SeekAndFind]

Over 50 percent of Americans raised in the Catholic Church say they've left the faith at some point in their lives, according to a Pew Research survey on religion and public life.

The data further revealed that among the 52 percent who left the Church, about six out of 10 have returned at some point.

Two-thirds of the group that left the Church now consider themselves ex-Catholics and no-longer identify with the faith.

Around 13 percent, however, still identify as Catholic, but no longer practice the religion.

For those who are still practicing, around 73 percent said they've been in the Church their entire life, and seven out of 10 said they could never imagine leaving it.

Aside from membership, Pew Research also uncovered surprising beliefs held by Catholics pertaining to families.

The survey found that a "strong majority" of Catholics said children being raised in unconventional families with unmarried parents living together, same-sex couples or single parents, is acceptable. Around 90 percent, though, preferred that children be raised with a married mother and father. Forty-three percent said it's acceptable for a gay couple to raise a child.

"Nine-in-10 U.S. Catholics say a household headed by a married mother and father is an ideal situation for bringing up children. But the survey shows that large majorities think other kinds of families — those headed by parents who are single, divorced, unmarried or gay — are OK for raising children, too," noted Pew in the analysis released just days before Pope Francis' first U.S. visit in which he'll encounter a national Catholic population largely supportive of family units not advanced or encouraged by Church teaching.

The survey also found that: "A sizable majority (85 percent) think it's acceptable for a man and a woman to live together as a couple outside of marriage, including more than half (55 percent) who say cohabitation is as good as any other living arrangement for adults. And [seven]-in-10 Catholics say married couples who opt not to have children have chosen a lifestyle that is as good as any other."

And while many Catholics hold progressive beliefs when it comes to issues involving families, the Church seems to be maintaining its traditional views, despite the change in tone from Pope Francis when it comes to divorce and homosexuality.

The Pope did, however, make changes to the Church's annulment process, loosening restrictions on Catholics who wish to remarry. The Vatican is also expected to host a meeting in October with Catholic leaders worldwide where they will analyze recommendations on family issues, including divorce and marriage.

[terycarl]

Some of us keep pointing this out to catholics because we want perishing catholics to be born from above and stop committing blasphemy toward The Lord Christ.

Thanks for your concern....ALL Christians believed it for about 1,600 years until you enlightened revolutionaries sprang up to set us all straight.....whew, just in tine!!!!

[terycarl]

Stop.....no proof of this.

just history, but what does it know....and please ping me when you infer that I lied in a post.

[terycarl]

. I will say that attitudes like those above combined with what I viewed as being weak leadership in the local archdiocese were major contributing factors in my and my wife's decision to leave the Catholic Church. (The issue that pushed us over the edge and out the door was the sexual abuse scandals,

During the Clinton administration, did you renounce your citizenship because the country had weak leadership and the president was a sexual predator????........ I didn't think so.

[ealgeone]

When have I said you lied in a post?

[ealgeone]

True. No Savior would be needed as no one would ever die.

[terycarl]

So was I brother. Two decades to be exact. You wouldn't believe what we do here.

Wow, 2 whole decades....20 years.....from age 1 to 20....certainly enough time to judge a 2,000 year old religion founded by Christ,,,,,now that you have been filled with the navigator's idea of the truth, you are so much better off that those 2 billion or so misguided souls that you just haven't reached yet.....

[WVKayaker]

you are so much better off that those 2 billion or so misguided souls that you just haven't reached yet.....

Yep! Soooooo much better. Not bound by manmade cultic religion, but instead freed from the bondage of sin, and filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what the Roman Catholic cultists need!

Salvation isn't found in membership sitting in a pew eating crackers. It is a free gift of God to anyone willing to trust in Him!

2000 years of lies does not bring anyone closer to the Truth!. It only makes those feel good about their membership, or too scared to trust in God's simple plan of salvation.

Romans 8: 18 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

[terycarl]

When have I said you lied in a post?

117

[terycarl]

Salvation isn't found in membership sitting in a pew eating crackers. It is a free gift of God to anyone willing to trust in Him!

VERY TRUE and that's just what protestants do...eat crackers....Catholics, on the other hand, eat the Eucharist that Christ instituted...."THIS IS MY BODY" remember now??? and Catholics are certainly willing to trust in Him by continuing to practice the religion that He founded and promised that He would protect until the end of time.....good enough for me!!!!

[WVKayaker]

Catholics, on the other hand, eat the Eucharist...

So it has been taught by the cult, but that does not bring it any closer to being true. We've been around that table before, and Scripture hasn't changed. Just because the Roman Catholic cult says something,if it is not Scriptural, then it is just another lie from the pits of hell.

That is howSatan can fool the elect. They think that some guy in fancy clothes can order Christ away from the Throne Room, and be broken into parts. It just ain't true, no matter how long the lie has been told.

Jesus paid the price in full on the Cross. Jesus told us to believe and we will have eternal life. What He did not tell us is to add some works requirements and teach us to bow down to idols and dead peoples bones!

That is why the roman Catholic cult cannot be true. It does not follow the plan of salvation. It contains enough truth to fool many. But when the Spirit of God opens the eyes, then the reality of God's plan becomes life eternal. No second chances from some mythical purgatory, nor special pleadings to dead people. Superstition isn't found in Christians. It is found in those following the cult of death, with Satan leading the way>>>

We only need God's Holy Spirit indwelling to lead us into ALL Truth. Those that follow after men will surely get swallowed into eternity.

[ealgeone]

Did you or did you not suggest the one abused by priests were at fault because they didn’t speak up? IIRC I told you to request the post be pulled.

[Mark17]

now that you have been filled with the navigator's idea of the truth, you are so much better off that those 2 billion or so misguided souls that you just haven't reached yet.....

TC, this is a historic moment. You finally said something I agree with. This might never happen again in all eternity. Thank you for finally admitting I am so much better off now. We haven't reached all 2 billion yet, but we are trying. Once again, you will have to excuse me. I have Berean type people coming over. 😱 They want to know the truth, We are more than happy to show them the way. 😂😇

Ain't life grand? 😆😄

[Elsie]

ALL Christians believed it for about 1,600 years until you enlightened revolutionaries sprang up to set us all straight.....

[Elsie]

just history, but what does it know....and please ping me when you infer that I lied in a post.

How about if you're shown to be ignorant of facts?

Would that suffice?

[Elsie]

This is a standard tactic; getting you WAY off the track of what was being discussed.

[Elsie]

Wow, 2 whole decades....20 years.....from age 1 to 20....certainly enough time to judge a 2,000 year old religion founded by Christ

Wow!

Seven churches (Catholic all) in Asia that John was told to write to before he died.

They were JUDGED and found wanting.

Way to teach and practice the TRUTH; Rome!

[Elsie]

 

When have I said you lied in a post?

117

 

 

 

 

HMMMmmm...

 

 

Yep; #117 sure proves your claim alright!!!

To: Roman_War_Criminal; terycarl

Do you support child rape?

Verga's corollary to Godwin's law: When a prot brings up priestly sex abuse they automatically lose the argument. See my tagline.

117 posted on ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2015‎ ‎7‎:‎05‎:‎56‎ ‎PM by verga (I might as well be playng chess with pigeons.)

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[MHGinTN]

Catholic ability to immerse their minds in magic thinking (very pagan in origins) is astonishing, if not amusing: " a 2,000 year old religion founded by Christ."

Jesus did not found the religion of catholiciism. He founded a spiritual church, a spiritual ekklesia. He did not violate God's law (see Leviticus, the for all time and all their generations forbidding of consuming the blood) by having His disciples and Himself drink His blood or eat His Flesh in the Upper Room the night before His sacrificing Himself for you and me.

Jesus did establish a remembrance of His coming sacrifice by using metaphor (if you read the Bible, you will see that He did this on special occasions) sharing the broken unleavened bread (much like a cracker, easily broken) for them to eat and drinking from the cup of wine with them IN REMEMBRANCE of His work for us.

But the religion of catholiciism asserts emphatically just the opposite, and teaches its adherents to believe they eat the body, blood, Soul and DIVINITY of Jesus Christ at every catholic mass. The ability of catholics to believe this blasphemy and claim it as their means to salvation is horrific in its consequences. ... That's you cue to repeat your mindless mantra of 1600 years of believers in this false Christianity as proof of efficacy. Sad, that.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

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