Oh, I see. Try meeting more non-Mormon boomers and more non-traditional Mormon boomers before setting that stereotype in stone. I'm guessing well over 95% of living Boomers were never Mormon, so your sample size is a little skewed.
We're talking about religious boomers here, Marcus. Here are some statistics on their characteristics:
There are liberal boomers. But in the context of this thread - religious boomers at church - they have some very well defined characteristics. This is pretty obvious to anyone attending church in the American south.
Well, I have done my level best to hint to you that stereotyping people you individually meet in your everyday life may prove inaccurate, but you are determined!
There are liberal boomers. But in the context of this thread - religious boomers at church - they have some very well defined characteristics. This is pretty obvious to anyone attending church in the American south.
Well, I have done my level best to hint to you that stereotyping people you individually meet in your everyday life may prove inaccurate, but you are determined!
Respectfully, I think you're confusing me making a generalization about groups of people with me stereotyping individual people. We stereotype groups of people all the time - for example a room full of millennials is likely to have many who have moved back in with their parents at some point in their lives. More than a group of boomers, on average.
Yes but in practice the most inclusive congregations seem to be struggling. I’ve looked at Community of Christ, and now this Methodist church. There is a shocking lack of young families. Especially after I was in the Mormon church so long, where young families were half or more of the congregation.
They still are. I can’t speak for other churches, but the LDS Church seems to be doing very well with young families that are attending church regularly. That bodes well.
Regards,
MG
I don’t know how these churches with the average age of 70 are going to survive. There’s literally no one left to replace them in 20 years.
I think that’s bad for Mormons too, by the way. They can’t exist in a vacuum, they’re a very tiny piece of Christianity after all. And I don’t think the evangelical churches that are still popular are very kind to Mormonism.
Well, I have done my level best to hint to you that stereotyping people you individually meet in your everyday life may prove inaccurate, but you are determined!
Respectfully, I think you're confusing me making a generalization about groups of people with me stereotyping individual people. We stereotype groups of people all the time - for example a room full of millennials is likely to have many who have moved back in with their parents at some point in their lives. More than a group of boomers, on average.
I was referring to this, which seemed to me a very individualized response:
Did you write this, drumdude? Is this how you see the situation?
Yes. And yes. I’m not a Methodist but I’m going off of the research I’ve done today since my visit. I’d love to hear from any Methodists that might be here. My wife and I are looking for congregations and will be visiting more in the area to hopefully find one that clicks.
I'm an atheist, not a Methodist, but I do attend Mass with my Catholic family members, at a parish that has a great community spirit. I hope you find a group that works for you.
Respectfully, I think you're confusing me making a generalization about groups of people with me stereotyping individual people. We stereotype groups of people all the time - for example a room full of millennials is likely to have many who have moved back in with their parents at some point in their lives. More than a group of boomers, on average.
I was referring to this, which seemed to me a very individualized response:
Yes. And yes. I’m not a Methodist but I’m going off of the research I’ve done today since my visit. I’d love to hear from any Methodists that might be here. My wife and I are looking for congregations and will be visiting more in the area to hopefully find one that clicks.
I'm an atheist, not a Methodist, but I do attend Mass with my Catholic family members, at a parish that has a great community spirit. I hope you find a group that works for you.
Thank you! My family’s Catholic Church is wonderful but is too far away to attend regularly. I too lean atheist but don’t mind attending for community reasons. I think there’s still a lot of value in regular social gatherings like that.
I was referring to this, which seemed to me a very individualized response:
I'm an atheist, not a Methodist, but I do attend Mass with my Catholic family members, at a parish that has a great community spirit. I hope you find a group that works for you.
Thank you! My family’s Catholic Church is wonderful but is too far away to attend regularly. I too lean atheist but don’t mind attending for community reasons. I think there’s still a lot of value in regular social gatherings like that.
Us too. Our parish is associated with our boy's Catholic school, and we just stayed even after their graduations. They don't even mind an atheist in the choir!!!
Thank you! My family’s Catholic Church is wonderful but is too far away to attend regularly. I too lean atheist but don’t mind attending for community reasons. I think there’s still a lot of value in regular social gatherings like that.
Us too. They don't even mind an atheist in the choir!!!
My family gives me the very lightest of talks about returning to Catholicism. I just have to keep my atheism and skepticism to myself to smooth things over. I’ve always hated that disconnect but I can’t force myself to believe something I don’t.
About thirty years ago, I remember this as a heated debate at the South Valley Unitarian Church. It seemed like it was going to lead to families with children leaving. Many people felt it was more about upholding liberal values than the long-term survival of the congregation.
At that time, Mormons had not even formulated their musket strategy.
I don’t know how these churches with the average age of 70 are going to survive. There’s literally no one left to replace them in 20 years.
Is there anything wrong with them not surviving?
I certainly think so. Unlike the Mormon church, or Scientology, or Jevohas Witnesses, I think mainstream Christian churches are a huge positive force in the world. And many of them don’t require you to tithe or pass loyalty interviews.
I want to live in a community where liberal Christian churches flourish. And I’m ok with some moderately conservative ones as well. There are a lot of ways to be a non-toxic Christian, and that looks very different than your average TBM.
