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**acceraStoof** · 11-13-2007, 07:10 PM

The BBC News website yesterday reported on a survey which suggests that 20 million people (42%) in the UK pray regularly, and 9 million (nearly 17%) pray every day. This seems encouraging at first, but it is not matched by church attendance which continues to fall. Which of two possible conclusions may be right? People have faith but are put off church because the Churches are not meeting their needs. Or, as one Christian leader said, the results of the survey merely show that the 'me generation' wants everything , even Christianity, to be on its terms, and faith is fine so long as no commitment is involved such as going to church. The Secular Society gleefully points out that the survey results show that the majority of people do not pray.

I don't trust surveys that much, but we should remember that people pray for many reasons. A lot of them pray when they want something, health, money, etc. Prayer should be hidden and not made a spectacle of - if I had been asked I would have replied "no comment". Perhaps a lot of the people who were asked didn't want to reply.

"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

But you, when you pray go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is on the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:5-6"

Effie

11-13-2007, 07:10 PM	#3
acceraStoof Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 516 Senior Member	The BBC News website yesterday reported on a survey which suggests that 20 million people (42%) in the UK pray regularly, and 9 million (nearly 17%) pray every day. This seems encouraging at first, but it is not matched by church attendance which continues to fall. Which of two possible conclusions may be right? People have faith but are put off church because the Churches are not meeting their needs. Or, as one Christian leader said, the results of the survey merely show that the 'me generation' wants everything , even Christianity, to be on its terms, and faith is fine so long as no commitment is involved such as going to church. The Secular Society gleefully points out that the survey results show that the majority of people do not pray. I don't trust surveys that much, but we should remember that people pray for many reasons. A lot of them pray when they want something, health, money, etc. Prayer should be hidden and not made a spectacle of - if I had been asked I would have replied "no comment". Perhaps a lot of the people who were asked didn't want to reply. "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is on the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:5-6" Effie
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