I read this morning that Baptisms in the Southern Baptist Church are at it's lowest point in over 40 years and membership has been steadily declining. I'm not sure if that speaks to the growing apathy of young people as a whole or more to their growing curiosity and intelligence.

For many years the Southern Baptists have been famous for their hard line unacceptance of everyone who is not Southern Baptist. As our children go off to college, work, etc. and meet other people from other religious backgrounds, they may realize that shutting out people simply because they pray to Our Father in a different building or a under a different name, is not acceptable. Everyone accepts God on their own terms. There are a lot of good people doing good works, who are not Baptist.

This country was founded on the principles of Freedom. We hear a lot these days about Freedom of Religion in other countries, but we do not practice it right here on our own ground. How can we tell any other nation to give their people freedoms we don't give our own?

Maybe, the Churches who are experiencing falling membership are doing so because they will not except the fact that some of their congregation may be tired of funding lobbyists in Washington, to push through laws that actually take away the freedoms of others.
Just a thought. Maybe we should all join together regardless of our Church Affiliation and actually help people, together, as human-beings!

Disclaimer: These are my views and may not express the views of The Oracle Institute or its members.