What My Generation Thinks About Church, God, and Christians

I recently sent out the following questions to some of my friends to get their thoughts on church, God, and Christians. Thanks to those who participated. I was hoping more would participate. I've had 9 respond so far. I'll share a few answers anonymously. They did agree to let me share what they said... (I'll comment on some of these in my next post but feel free to comment here)

1. Do you go to church? Regularly? How involved are you?
6 of the 9 go to church, 6 are "regulars" and 3 are involved

2. What (if anything) turns you off to church?
"Hypocrisy. I spent many years in a church where I was miserable because all I witnessed was a 'Do as I say, not as I do' attitude. This is one of the main reasons I have stopped attending church."
"Not many things turn me off about church in general. I do get turned off and a little annoyed when the service becomes more of a production and less of a worship service.
"Negativity, especially priests that use negative 'scare' tactics. People shouldn't do things out of fear, they should do it out of love, thankfulness, and a yearning for a future in heaven."

3. What (if anything) turns you off to Christianity?"
"How many different schools of thought we have, the diverse divisions that are so prevalent."
"I don't have any use for ministers that stand at the pulpit and wag their finger at me. People like that have as many skeletons as anyone else and I admire people in that position that can admit their mistakes rather than projecting them on to others."
"Some of the things Christians do and the way they act turns me off and I can see where it would turn non-believers off. There is such a tendency to be so judgmental of those who do not have a Christian faith and that is frustrating to me."
"I am disappointed and frustrated with the way some 'Christians' use the bible and their religion as a way to be intolerant and judgmental of certain groups of people (gays/lesbians, Jews, Muslims, etc….)."

4. What (if anything) turns you off to God?
"I'm not turned off by God at all, and if I ever feel like I am, then I try to look in the mirror and see who I'm really turned off by, most likely me. God is awesome"
"NOTHING! God is perfect, and anything that anyone finds as unpleasing of God is really faults in them."
"Nothing really turns me off. I think the relationship with god is where the purest communication happens. We humans muddy the waters. "

5. If you already attend a church, what draws you there?
"The draw for me is the feelings I get from being there. It really seems to give me a joy and a peace that I don't have when I get away from being at church regularly. Growing up in a home where I went everyone week, I also just have that in me that going to church is what you do on Sunday, but that is not the reason I go. Sunday morning is the time when people come to together to worship together in the church setting."
"Our church is a very 'thinking' congregation. Questioning and discussing the bible, society, beliefs and each other so we’re continually learning and growing. We are not only tolerant but we love and yearn for diversity. We are justice driven; constantly striving to do what we can to better the injustices that exist in the world (gay rights, world hunger, environmental issues, etc…). This church holds values that I want my son to grow up with which is what drew me to it the very first service we attended."
"Admittedly, a sense of obligation gets me to church each week (as it gets me to the gym regularly!); however, I enjoy the message, music, and sense of peace church provides."

6. If you do not attend church, what would draw you to one?
"Finding a church is like finding a good mechanic: it takes time and you have to get burned a couple of times before you get comfortable. I guess, in a way, god is like a good mechanic. Ironic."
"At this point in my life I am so jaded by organized churches, that I don't know if I would ever return to church on a regular basis. (And this feeling saddens me)"