Reasons for not attending a church
In online survey conducted by Lutheran Church–Canada asked respondents who said the do not regularly attend church the reasons behind their answer.
- Not welcome. (This is a recurring answer.)
- Not interested.
- If God is everywhere I don’t have to go to a specific place at a specific time to be close to Him.
- Sometimes find organized religion somewhat hypocritical.
- My inability to have blind faith.
- Too much of the same; Can’t see much point.
- I had bad experiences in church; Can’t find one that likes me for me.
- Can’t find a church that makes me feel comfortable and part of the family.
- It is hard to find a church which is easy to be open about your homosexuality.
- Spouse not Christian.
- Work schedule and exchanging kids with ex-wife.
- Can’t find a child- and young-family-friendly church.
- My beliefs don’t correspond to those of any of the religions I know about, which all alienate me.
- I think that church is boring and unproductive. I would rather be at home and I don’t feel I need special time and a place to listen to and be with God.
- There is too much chaos and controversy in the church for me to want to become involved with it. I would rather have a peaceful, personal, non-hypocritical relationship with God…
- I have a hard time finding a place to worship where people are authentic rather than just ‘playing church.’
- I cannot attend a place of worship that excludes other people based on their religion, beliefs, or sexual orientation.
- There is no real place of worship for someone who doesn’t know what the truth of the matter is.
- Disappointed.
- Lost my faith.
- Waste of time…I wish I could believe in something… but science is the answer.
- Don’t like the thought of influence or brain wash or being told what my morals and values should be according to someone else.
- Time of services, mobility reasons, distances from church.