My big problem with Christianity

[Ned]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

You are right, that God does not need the Holy Spirit, but He has chosen to work this way.

Why do you say this?

[Ben Kenobi]

"The significance of focusing on the development of children is underscored by findings showing that the moral foundations of children are typically solidified by the age of nine, that lifelong spiritual choices regarding one’s faith and one’s relationship with Jesus Christ are generally made before they reach age 13, and that a person’s religious beliefs are usually worked out prior to becoming a teenager – and that those beliefs rarely change to any meaningful degree after age 13."

No percentages?

You have to remember that the Catholic church, and other Protestant churches baptise infants, so by the age of nine, why would we expect them at this point to differ from their parents.

Many people do leave the church of their parents. It's not unheard of, particularly in Evangelical churches.

[Ben Kenobi]

“In situations where children became mature Christians we usually found a symbiotic partnership between their parents and their church,”

Thanks for the post gamenaught.

http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=153&Reference=F

I know that this has not been my experience, but what would have happened had I received the support?

[The Templar]

Re: Re: Re: Re: My big problem with Christianity

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I was merely trying to answer the questions about Christian theology posed at the beginning of this thread.

And the answers are appreciated.

[gamenaught]

No percentages?

I didn't see any but they may have them. The site is a goldmine of data. The owner is pro-evangelical but it appears he tells it like it is, good or bad.

Many people do leave the church of their parents. It's not unheard of, particularly in Evangelical churches.

You are correct. There is a quote in there somewhere. If I can find it..,

[gamenaught]

Some percentages:

The study, conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, found that roughly seven out of ten Americans adults (71%) had a period of time during their childhood when they regularly attended a Christian church. Apparently, old habits die hard: a majority of those who attended church as a youngster still attend regularly today (61%), while a large majority of those who were not church-goers as children are still absent from churches today (78%).

Wow:

“In essence,” the researcher noted, “what you believe by the time you are 13 is what you will die believing.