In the last 20 years, more and more people are identifying as spiritual but not religious. This is happening frequently as people leave Christian denominations that no longer resonate with their personal beliefs. It is in large part due to the church’s unfair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, but there are other reasons as well.
Some of the reasons people leave the church can include, according to Your Move by Andy Stanley (a pastor):
1. We tell people the Bible is the basis of Christianity.
2. They believe suffering disproves the existence of God.
3. They had a bad church experience.
4. We’re bad at making people feel welcome.
5. We made ekklesia (the church) a building.
In addition to these reasons, I would add that Christianity in America has become increasingly politicized, and that there have been numerous accounts of sexual assault within the church. As people see this truth for themselves, they become disgusted with what Christianity has become. However, they still want to seek a connection with the divine, so they turn to a personal version of spirituality.
My new ebook, Compassion is the Ultimate Goal of Spirituality, explores these issues and more. I also talk about how recent scientific research supports spiritual beliefs that are centuries old, spiritual practices you can use to improve your life, and how spirituality leads us to practicing compassion in our daily lives.
Since many people have left the church due to the way that others are treated by the church, I hope that the message of love and compassion that can be found within spirituality resonates with each of you. Creating a more spiritual and loving world community can help to solve many of the world issues we are facing today by bringing people together.
We need community instead of division. Together we can create that.
You can download the new ebook on Amazon, or order in paperback.
Have a bright and blessed day today, my lovelies. May the light of compassion shine always in your hearts.
All my best,
Nicole Dake