Posted on 09/17/2015 12:42:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Over 50 percent of Americans raised in the Catholic Church say they've left the faith at some point in their lives, according to a Pew Research survey on religion and public life.
The data further revealed that among the 52 percent who left the Church, about six out of 10 have returned at some point.
Two-thirds of the group that left the Church now consider themselves ex-Catholics and no-longer identify with the faith.
Around 13 percent, however, still identify as Catholic, but no longer practice the religion.
For those who are still practicing, around 73 percent said they've been in the Church their entire life, and seven out of 10 said they could never imagine leaving it.
Aside from membership, Pew Research also uncovered surprising beliefs held by Catholics pertaining to families.
The survey found that a "strong majority" of Catholics said children being raised in unconventional families with unmarried parents living together, same-sex couples or single parents, is acceptable. Around 90 percent, though, preferred that children be raised with a married mother and father. Forty-three percent said it's acceptable for a gay couple to raise a child.
"Nine-in-10 U.S. Catholics say a household headed by a married mother and father is an ideal situation for bringing up children. But the survey shows that large majorities think other kinds of families — those headed by parents who are single, divorced, unmarried or gay — are OK for raising children, too," noted Pew in the analysis released just days before Pope Francis' first U.S. visit in which he'll encounter a national Catholic population largely supportive of family units not advanced or encouraged by Church teaching.
The survey also found that: "A sizable majority (85 percent) think it's acceptable for a man and a woman to live together as a couple outside of marriage, including more than half (55 percent) who say cohabitation is as good as any other living arrangement for adults. And [seven]-in-10 Catholics say married couples who opt not to have children have chosen a lifestyle that is as good as any other."
And while many Catholics hold progressive beliefs when it comes to issues involving families, the Church seems to be maintaining its traditional views, despite the change in tone from Pope Francis when it comes to divorce and homosexuality.
The Pope did, however, make changes to the Church's annulment process, loosening restrictions on Catholics who wish to remarry. The Vatican is also expected to host a meeting in October with Catholic leaders worldwide where they will analyze recommendations on family issues, including divorce and marriage.
No apologies necessary. I read your other posts to the thread and figured it was just a misunderstanding. Have a great weekend!
If you want to continue to be blinded by reality and truth, far be it from me to try to change your mind.
Rome and it’s institutions have had Catholics in chains and at it’s mercy since at least the 4th century.
You can think whatever you want about my “views”, but if you’re not at all moved by this Pope’s motives and stances, then there’s not much more to say.
I used to be a Catholic for decades, I know a whole lot more about it than you think.
It is not what ex-Catholics know that is the problem, it what they think they know that is just plain wrong that is the problem.
And what’s that?
That you have to be a “member” to go to Heaven?
That you’re not even encouraged to read the Holy Word of God, but have some priest or deacon do it for you?
That the excuses for priest pedophilia just keep coming no matter the number of accusers?
Are you a Francis supporter too?
If you think for one second that everyone who receives the Sacraments in the Catholic Church is worthy, you are kidding yourself...anyone can walk up the aisle and do so....
By the way, if you don't believe in the actual presence of Christ in the Eucharist, what do you care who receives it???
Can’t you tell good from evil? Sin from righteousness?
If you can’t tell that those men are the worst of your popes, then your discernment is not simply bad, it is non-existent.
You bury yourself deeper with every post you make.
So whatever you believe is correct?? O.K., I guess....Baptism, for one thousand six hundred years made a person a Catholic...along came the revolutionaries and decided to change the rules....you can be baaptized a Lutheran, or a Methodist, or a whatever.....no you can't, the rules don't change because you don't like them....you are Baptized a Catholic....you either practice Catholicism or you don't.
For example, if a Baptized Christian of ANY denomination decides to rejoin the Catholic church, there is no need for him/her to be rebaptized....they are already Catholic.
You know nothing about it if you left it.
That’s all you’ve got?
Tell me why I know nothing about it?
Terycarl—you support Francis also?
Do you support child rape?
Do you support a “church” that says only “members” can enter the Kingdom?
Can you show me where in the Bible it mentions Purgatory?
Can you show me where in the Bible it mentions Marian worship or praying to “Mary”?
Saint worship or “praying to “saints”?
I expect crickets.....But, either way, I’ll patiently wait for your replies.
Not at all, we merely point out that Popes are people...are there bad ones, I guess so, but 14 in over 2,000 years hardly makes the church a den on iniquity...The church survived these bad apples, they made no attempt to change the INFALLIBLE teachings of the church...they fell to political and sexual temptations....good grief, Clinton fell to both.
What an inane post...no church, Catholic or otherwise supports crime or rape of anyone....sheesh...,p> all the other things that you mentioned come right after the two verses that explain sola scriptura and sole fide...
you just didn't read far enough......sigh.
LOL!
And you failing to answer anything shows me how shallow and blinded you are.
Keep following that harlot church tery! Francis has a OWG/NWO in store for you soon, and you’ll accept it hook, line, and sinker since you just do what you are told as a “Catholic”.
True to form, Terycarl!
Blah, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, abd then more blah!
That’s hilarious! But I learned a LONG time ago to be sure to use the < /sarc> tag when I am posting SARCASM. I helps people who can’t tell the difference and it’s just plain polite to do so.
This Catholic has not. In fact, this Catholic has grown closer to the faith and to the Church in the past few years than in my entire life.
Polls are BS.
Verga's corollary to Godwin's law: When a prot brings up priestly sex abuse they automatically lose the argument. See my tagline.
One more time: Gor a catholic to believe a catholic eats the body, blood, soul AND DIVINITY of Jesus Christ in catholic mass is blasphemous. Some of us keep pointing this out to catholics because we want perishing catholics to be born from above and stop committing blasphemy toward The Lord Christ.
Some on this board were advancing the position that the victims of abuse by the priests were at fault. And it was a catholic.
And they were/ are wrong.
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