Pat Robertson believes that gays will soon die out because they cannot reproduce. Not sure what is more troubling, his understanding of sexuality or of history.

Courtesy of New Now Next:  

The 700 Club televangelist took a call recently from woman complaining that her church forbids dating or marriage—that even showing interest in the opposite sex is a “sin.” 

Robertson told the woman to “run” from her church before everyone dies out. 

“You know, those who are homosexual will die out because they don’t reproduce. You have to have heterosexual sex to reproduce,” he opined. “Same thing with that church— it’s doomed, it’s going to die out because it’s the most nonsensical thing I’ve heard in a long time.”

While I agree with Robertson that this woman needs to leave her church immediately (Actually leaving ALL churches might not be a bad plan), his contention that homosexuality will die out because they cannot produce offspring together is truly ignorant.

As just about everybody EXCEPT Pat Robertson already knows straight parents produce gay children and have been doing so since the beginning of time.

In fact if Robertson were to open a book that does not begin with the words "In the beginning.." he might realize that teh gays have existed well before the establishment of Christianity, Judaism, or even monotheism.

In fact they are the one constant that ties ALL societies, ethnicities, and past civilizations together.

Suggesting that gay folks will soon die out is like suggesting that Pat Robertson will soon start saying things that are not incredibly stupid.

Not gonna happen.

Oklahoma church is using beer to attract congregants. Yeah this might work.

Courtesy of WKRC: 

Having a cold one while attending church -- it's something many people may dream about, but it has become a reality in one church. 

Last weekend, East Side Christian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, invited the public for "Beer and Hymns", and its a decision thats turning heads. 

First Christian Church member Michael Riggs said the event was designed to be an outreach event. 

The church is one of four and a local seminary which hosted Portland author Christian Piatt. "It's a chance to reach a wide demographic of people to ask the questions of what's happening in our Christian world, what's happening in our churches, and what's happening in our community," Riggs said. 

They discussed the future of the Christian church in the 21st century and beyond and hoped others would be enticed to come spend part of their weekend, especially if a couple of beers are involved. 

You know this kind of thinking might just be what saves Christianity in the long run.

I for one am more much more open to discussing imaginary sky people when I'm hammered.

I can see the church signs now, "Come for the suds, stay for the salvation."

Brilliant.  

The number of secular people in America may be much larger than previously believed.

Courtesy of Religion News:

If you’re dismayed that one in five Americans (20 percent) are “nones” — people who claim no particular religious identity — brace yourself. 

How does 38 percent sound? 

That’s what religion researcher David Kinnaman calculates when he adds “the unchurched, the never-churched and the skeptics” to the nones. 

He calls his new category “churchless,” the same title Kinnaman has given his new book. By his count, roughly four in 10 people living in the continental United States are actually “post-Christian” and “essentially secular in belief and practice.” 

If asked, the “churchless” would likely check the “Christian” box on a survey, even though they may not have darkened the door of a church in years. 

Kinnaman, president of the California-based Barna Group, slides them into this new category based on 15 measures of identity, belief and practice in more than 23,000 interviews in 20 surveys. 

The research looked at church worship attendance and participation, views about the Bible, God and Jesus, and more to see whether folks were actually tied to Christian life in a meaningful way or tied more by habit or personal history. 

Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, once called nominals — people attached by name only — “survey Christians.” They don’t want to cut ties with their parents or go all the way to atheism, Stetzer said, “so they just say ‘Christian’ since it is the default category from their heritage.”

I think these findings probably reflect what most of us see in our own lives. 

I have met numerous self described Christians who have not attended church services for years, or who only show up for holiday celebrations like Christmas or Easter.

Many of those people also have a perfunctory understanding of the Bible, and embrace few, if any, of the doctrines of Christianity.

I personally believe that a number of these people are actually agnostic of atheist but lack the courage to come out of the closet if you will and risk attracting the wrath or disappointed of family and friends.

That is why it is so important in my opinion to remove the stigma attached to atheism so that people will feel more comfortable in allowing people to accept them for who they truly are.

Heathen scum who hate Jesus. (Sorry couldn't resist.)

I swear this is the creepiest message from a pastor begging Millenials to come back to church that you will read all day.

Courtesy of Patheos:  

Dear Millennials, 

I know it’s kind of creepy. We want to know where you live, and what classes you take in school (and how much you pay for it). We want to know where you drink coffee; who you date and for how long; what you read, where you spend your money, and what you GIVE your money to; what kind of relationship you have with your parents, how far you wander from home, and how often you go back there. We want to see the depths of your soul, and then we want to take you out for a local craft beer. (You like that, right??) 

And for the love of all that is holy, we want to know why you left us?? Why did you leave the church? Why? Were we not sexy enough for you? Not smart enough? Too needy? Is it something we said? We can be better! Just give us another chance. 

We know. We’re like the bad ex who just can’t quit you. We are the Facebook trolls who want to like everything you like and then tear you apart when we disagree with your politics or your spending habits. We know it. We see it in ourselves. And we are sorry. 

The thing is, we are scared. We are afraid, now that you’ve dumped us, that no one will ever love us again. The generations before you—X and Y—staged pretty massive exoduses (exodi?) on their own. But you…well, we’ve never seen the likes of your kind of leaving. It is epic. It is destructive. It is breaking our hearts.

The author, one  Rev. Erin Wathen who is the Senior Pastor of Saint Andrew Christian Church, then goes on to admit that if the church loses the Millenials that they will have no shot at the children of the Millenials, which kind of makes this incredibly creepy plea even MORE creepy.

She then identifies that the problem is not with the young people, but with the church itself and promises to change.

However I must say, keeping with the whole "ex-lover" theme, that I had a girlfriend make me the same assurances. Not only did she not change, but she got even more clingy and scarier to be around.

I think this is rather amazing, and wonderful news. The idea that churches in this country might really be about to take a major hit when it comes to attendance numbers and monetary support, can only mean good things for the nation going forward.