Summary
Churches across the U.S. are grappling with dwindling attendance and financial instability, forcing many to close or sell properties.
The Diocese of Buffalo has shut down 100 parishes since the 2000s and plans to close 70 more. Nationwide, church membership has dropped from 80% in the 1940s to 45% today.
Some churches repurpose their land to survive, like Atlanta’s First United Methodist Church, which is building affordable housing.
Others, like Calcium Church in New York, make cutbacks to stay open. Leaders warn of the long-term risks of declining community and support for churches.
And they say there’s no such thing as good news.
Heaven isn’t real
We have the means to make our own right here, right now but some of us are too greedy to make it happen.
More importantly, in heaven there is no beer, that’s why we drink it here.
Neither god
churches are closing
Good
Leaders warn of the risks
The risks of what? The risk of not returning to the dark ages where we damn near all believed the imaginary writings of goat herders and killed for that?
Thanks, no thanks, I love that risk.
“Nobody wants to church anymore!”
Ohhh. Now this tracks.
What are you talking about? What tracks?
Rocko isn’t real
A modern life requires modern solutions.
Boardroom meme:
Boss: Church attendance is down. What can we do to turn this around?
Person 1: discreetly move pedophile pastors around to hide their proclivities?
Person 2: assure the congregation that we still hate gay people
Person 3: follow the teachings of Christ and show love and charity to our neighbors regardless of who they are
Person 3 is thrown out the stained glass window.
Should have been burned down, but nothing will ever right the wrongs religion inflicted against the human species.
I worked for an agency helping close a midwestern diocese. They branded it a positive thing but I was in the meetings with priests hearing the low down and how closings will go. It’s sad. Half the priests are old and just trying to get through. The other half want to help but are being told the cost of their renovations is more important. Let it crumble.
Some churches repurpose their land to survive, like Atlanta’s First United Methodist Church, which is building affordable housing.
That’s something more churches should do. They always preach about “helping the poor” but mist don’t give a fuck.
Should be noted that the Roman Catholic Church required individual parishes to give their churches and the property on which they stand to the church. If a parish refused, they faced excommunication. It’s all about raping kids and a money grab all the way up.
Jesus christ I thought r/atheism was bad. Anything religion related gets you ppl foaming at the mouth
Good riddance. God is dead and we have killed him.
He was more trouble than he was worth.
I have a better idea. Seize the land and assets of the churches. They haven’t contributed their fair share of taxes, so the land belongs to us.
Next seize the homes and bank accounts of the pastors and clergy and the holy rapists (or whatever they call themselves). Indict them in international courts for crimes against humanity. Offer them plea deals for them to work in their seized homes that are now converted to public housing.
And yet, somehow, they still make all the policy in this country.
but if they don’t get 10% of everyone’s income how can they afford to reallocate and protect the offenders??
