How Many Churchgoers Do You Think Actually Believe?

[ScrambledEggs]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

 

[Gozaburo]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

I'd guess the majority of people (not just churchgoers) believe in some kind of divine essence or concept of God, even if it's totally disconnected from any theology or philosophy.

I'd guess most people are pretty selective in the dogmas they believe for their particular religion, though. I remember seeing a statistic that only like 20% of Catholics actually believe in transubstantiation, which is kind of hilarious.

 

[Safiel]

As an older teenager, I continued to attend church for social reasons. By then I had evolved to a more deistic, point of view rather than Christian, though I would not become a non-theist until my mid 20's.

Once I left my home town, I could drop the social bit.

 

[Felis Leo]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

I would say a solid majority of them. I am going to engage in idle speculation when I say that the people who have lost their faith or interest in religion have left their churches in droves since it is no longer socially anathema to do so, leaving the true believers behind in church along with some cynical non-believers who prey on true believers' piety.

 

[Loulit01]

Three.

 

[ScrambledEggs]

Three.

the trinity?

 

[Loulit01]

the trinity?

Holy triple play, Batman.

 

[Sweden]

I would say a solid majority of them. I am going to engage in idle speculation when I say that the people who have lost their faith or interest in religion have left their churches in droves since it is no longer socially anathema to do so, leaving the true believers behind in church along with some cynical non-believers who prey on true believers' piety.

I was about to say something similar. Your post days it better than I would have done.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

They DO believe because for them NOT believing means burning in Hell.
Someone aught to educate them that Hell doesn't exist, except the one that already exists on Earth.

 

[VySky]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

There are many who go to church just to “be seen”. Or in some cases because it’s good for their business.

 

[Daisy]

Satan and his demons believe...so there's that...

 

[VySky]

Satan and his demons believe...so there's that...

And they are in some churches sitting right next to the believers.

 

[Daisy]

And they are in some churches sitting right next to the believers.

True, I look forward to the day when Jesus does the weeding...

 

[Slartibartfast]

I can really only speak for my impressions at my church and I think a majority of them believe. There are a number of teens who are just there because their parents make them go and there are (I want to say two, to my knowledge) adults who have told my wife and I that they just like the atmosphere and social aspects of it.

 

[Loulit01]

And they are in some churches sitting right next to the believers.

Or preaching from the pulpit.

Mark you this, Bassanio,
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!
—William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

 

[ataraxia]

There are many who go to church just to “be seen”. Or in some cases because it’s good for their business.

There are other useful purposes for going to church: a sense of community. In fact, that seems to be the main reason studies show believers tend to be happier than non-believers.

So now atheist are trying to see if they can create atheist churches, so they can re-create that sensitive community, without having all the strange supernatural baggage. Basically the idea is not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. And instead of the preacher, they bring in psychologists, poets, philosophers, artists, historians, and others to educate and inspire.

Inside the "secular churches" that fill a need for some nonreligious Americans

Atheist churches or secular congregations like Sunday Assembly typically borrow some of the language and structure of religious organizations.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[tosca1]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

Whatever their reason - give them plus point for being in church!
If they really don't want to be there - you think they'd waste their time and sit for an hour?
For all we know - that could be the first step to the long - and sometimes short - journey towards finding GOD.


There are many agnostics who go to church wanting to hear and discern.
There are the confused and the lost.

There are new believers (infants), and mature ones (who have read, pondered and studied deeply).
There are believers who are struggling with their faith.
There are those who are back-sliding.
There are the broken who desperately want to feel relieved, to find God.

There are those perhaps who go to church, just because they want to be with other people. It's more a social place for them.
But even them - no matter what reason - should all be welcomed.
After all.............a relationship has to start somewhere.


To be a Christian is to be in a constant "work in progress"..................after all, just like in maintaining any kind of relationship, so is the relationship we want to have with GOD.

 

[Mulefoot]

Most people possess some kind of ethereal "belief" that a god exists. That number is probably a little higher for churchgoers.

But even churchgoers themselves intuitively know none of that has any bearing on anything.

 

[ScrambledEggs]

Whatever their reason - give them plus point for being in church!
If they really don't want to be there - you think they'd waste their time and sit for an hour?
For all we know - that could be the first step to the long - and sometimes short - journey towards finding GOD.


There are many agnostics who go to church wanting to hear and discern.
There are the confused and the lost.

There are new believers (infants), and mature ones (who have read, pondered and studied deeply).
There are believers who are struggling with their faith.
There are those who are back-sliding.
There are the broken who desperately want to feel relieved, to find God.

There are those perhaps who go to church, just because they want to be with other people. It's more a social place for them.
But even them - no matter what reason - should all be welcomed.
After all.............a relationship has to start somewhere.


To be a Christian is to be in a constant "work in progress"..................after all, just like in maintaining any kind of relationship, so is the relationship we want to have with GOD.

How big of a pressure do you think though exists in churches to keep the "struggle" to yourself? Where people don't feel safe socially

 

[Metanoia]

Whatever their reason - give them plus point for being in church!
If they really don't want to be there - you think they'd waste their time and sit for an hour?
For all we know - that could be the first step to the long - and sometimes short - journey towards finding GOD.


There are new believers (infants), and mature ones (who have read, pondered and studied deeply).
There are believers who are struggling with their faith.
There are those who are back-sliding.
There are the broken who desperately want to feel relieved, to find God.

There are those perhaps who go to church, just because they want to be with other people. It's more a social place for them.
But even them - no matter what reason - should all be welcomed.
After all.............a relationship has to start somewhere.


To be a Christian is to be in a constant "work in progress"..................after all, just like in maintaining any kind of relationship, so is the relationship we want to have with GOD.

Old traditions are hard to break…my best guess and observation that the desire to find a relationship with God is a secondary reason at best to go to a certain church. I would suggest that the primary reason is to either find a relationship with others or to maintain any relationships that you already have. It is an unconscious desire to become part of a tribe. One is likely to go to the church that your parents took you to. For a long, long time churches tended to be self segregating. First…black churches and white churches. Then in my town the Catholic Church for Italians, French and Latin. The Lutheran and Evangelical churches for Germans. The Episcopal church for the more well to do……and so on. For new people in town with none of these distinctions perhaps a church that was within walking distance…….most churches at that time not having parking lots.

The church dinners were an attraction and no one was sitting there talking about Jesus. They were establishing friendships. During church itself someone or some would go to sleep. Once you were exposed to certain doctrines then your future attraction to churches became ego affirmation…..maintain your membership as part of the tribe.

 

[Peacenik]

I would say a solid majority of them. I am going to engage in idle speculation when I say that the people who have lost their faith or interest in religion have left their churches in droves since it is no longer socially anathema to do so, leaving the true believers behind in church along with some cynical non-believers who prey on true believers' piety.

Considering the rural situation, the social rules are different. Small town social interactions are dependent on church-going. It doesn't matter if one really believes or not. Attendance and going through the motions are what count. I would guess the majority of them have their internal doubts if there is really an afterlife or not, but they absolutely cannot openly discuss it or they suffer very real consequences. People are raised to go to church. If they don't they are shunned.

Church is necessary because of all the doubt about the whole religion. Regular attendance is needed to constantly tamp down internal doubt. If the existence of the creator-overseer being was not doubted, church would not be necessary.

City and urban dwellers have it different. As soon as there are so many people that everyone doesn't know everyone, then it is possible to forgo church attendance without suffering the same consequences as small-town dwellers. It gets awfully lonely in a small town when nobody will talk to the shunned.

 

[Daisy]

to find a relationship with God is a secondary reason at best to go to a certain church.

That should be the 1st reason, along with finding the truth...

For a long, long time churches tended to be self segregating. First…black churches and white churches.

True, JW's were way ahead of their time...

 

[Gordy327]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

I would bet familial and/or social pressure plays into one attending a church, regardless if they believe or not. While anecdotal, I've heard some say they attended church because they were forced or pressured by their parents or significant others, but didn't really believe or follow a religion.

 

[Lutherf]

vs. being pressured to go socially & internally not really believing?

This is addressed to both atheists and non-atheists. Genuinely curious what people think. I have hunches but no direct evidence of any of this, as I didn't grow up in a very church going family other than funeral attendances.

I suspect that most believe to some extent. I also have no doubt but that in certain churches there is more a "business and social networking" aspect to participation than there is actual commitment to faith. None of that is a bad thing. The church exists to teach and encourage others in the faith. For those that are serious about their faith the church serves to renew and restore that faith. For those that are questioning their faith the church, a healthy church, helps them deal with those questions in meaningful ways.

Sadly, not all churches are healthy and more sadly, when someone dealing with significant spiritual issues ends up in an unhealthy church their issues often get worse.

 

[Metanoia]

Too much of a good thing can be dangerous…so be careful…..I am thinking of the never ending debate about the Trinity…..the more committed one becomes to his viewpoint the more proud he becomes of his knowledge…..his pride and his ego can grow exponentially….pride is a disaster in the Bible…..the example in the Bible is Phillipians 2:5-9…NIV….(short version)….”Jesus…did not consider equality with God something to be used to his advantage…rather he humbled himself..”…..elsewhere….”God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”

Grace trumps everything….allowing yourself to become proud over what you think you know can become totally counterproductive….there are humble people in our midst who have never walked in a church that are more spiritual than many who take up space in pews…..of course IMO…..