News-Record.com

" According to the survey, 44 percent of Americans over 18 say they have changed religious affiliation."

this does not surprise me. i know some who label themselves as christians that just drift endlessly from one church to another, looking for that warm cozy feeling that satisfies their particular beliefs. for me there is only one religious affiliation and that is being affiliated with Jesus Christ. i am firstly and lastly a Christian - i am not a baptist, pentecostal, methodist, catholic etc. i am Christian and endeavor to follow His (Christ's) teachings, which btw i find by personal study of scriptures and prayer.
i find it rather funny when people fill out job applications and under the question "religion" many cite the church they attend. i could care less about the 'name' of the church i attend and do care very much about the content of the character of the pastor and congregates.

Buz -- you know of employers these days that ask about applicants' religion? That's illegal nearly all the time, you know.

nAmtaC,
it's been quite a few years (approx.30 yrs) since i filled out an application and i seem to remember that it was a common question on applications then. actually i did not realize it was illegal to ask that question these days, thanks for pointing that out.

The amorphous, watered-down Christianity pictured in some of these statistics is priduced by a host of socilogical factors, as well as weaknesses within the Chruch itself.

Some of the sociological factors are: broken, dysfuntional families, educational failure, a secular entertainment industry that disses religion and promotes sexual promistcuity, drug use, high mobility of families, et al.

Within the Church there is an emphasis on "feel good" practices and programs(as Buz mentioned) , an ignorance of sound doctrine (or any doctrine), TV Glitzianity, and a lot of dull, week-to-week reglionism. All this produces high drop-out rates among young people looking for spiritual vitality, and restlessnes among church members seeking deep satisfaction in worship and fellowship (church-hopping).

And, not surprisingly, one can expect more and more disillusionment with traditional forms, and experimentation with different relgions altogether - even atheism; because the overwhelming need for meaning and wholeness cannot be denied, but will find an avenue expression - in belief or disbelief. The universe and life must be made sense of.

Personally, I believe that we're on the cusp of a major restoration of Apostolic Christianity; not a quick fix of a few years, but a gradual renewal and awakening, that will lead to a vibrant, modern Church which embraces the full authority of Scripture, the vital importance of the means of grace (Word, Sacrament, Worship, Prayer, Fellowship) but with a parallel commitment to new, creative and effectives ways of living and expressing the Faith - that will totally impact the nation and the world, leading to the manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth under the Messianic King and Prince of Peace, now seated on the throne of David at the right hand of God the Father Almighty until all His enemies are made "His footstool." Acts 2: 32-36.