Happening widely

Wondering if you have thought about it

IF you have done it, or are thinking about it, I want to hear your story

I will tell you some of my story but not all of it – some of it is deeply personal and just not comfortable yet in sharing – some comfortable, some not

Live talk radio – large audience – you will understand

But I will share a lot of it

New study (Pew Forum) – half of Americans have left faith tradition of their childhoods

Mots switching allegiances

Methodist to Baptist

Lutheran to non-denom

In fact, large chunk of folks leaving denoms to go non-denom

12% say no religious affiliation – most “nothing in particular”

Atheists and agnostics – 4%

That is up slightly – so Pew folks say we are less religious

I disagree – just expressing it differently

A lot of Catholics left RC – become Protestant – or just simply “Christian”

10% of America is ex-Catholic

That one is really interesting to me

Because I became Catholic – on my birthday – January 6 – received into Church

Returned my status as ordained pastor to the UMC

Went where I believe God has led me

Funny to a lot of folks

Dad – Methodist parsonage – kitchen table – granddad, great granddad

Brother – Methodist pastor

Deeply Methodist family – you get the picture

Each had two kids – so 4 in my generation

Two cousins – one left UMC 20 years ago, Pentecostal, Vineyard – fuller experience

Other – left a few years ago – Wesleyan Church – more a decision around kids

Now that I have become Catholic, leaves my brother – fixing to turn 50

Would probably say he is the least religious of the 4 of us

There he remains

Lot of folks making this change – comes with a lot of responses

Share with you responses I've gotten

But I wanna hear your stories

Changing traditions can be like playing with TNT, rattlesnakes

Jewish boy marries Muslim girl – and one converts

Catholic girl shunned by family for marrying Protestant boy

One spouse makes a change – threatened with divorce from other spouse and kids

Threaten or jeopardize family or friends because make a change

Change is difficult – but Americans amazing for their willingness to change

Nearly ½ have changed since childhood – why did you do it?

Was it hard? What was the reaction?

Are you thinking about it? Feel trapped?

If not, what makes you comfortable and satisfied where you are?