Perhaps religious beliefs are becoming more "personal" and people feel no need for the institutional dogma found at church, as it simply does not match up with reality.

"I think it’s an exciting time for the church. Society has handed us a reality we’d hoped we’d misread, but instead of lamenting our plight or struggling to get things back to the way they used to be, think of all the possibilities that await us."

because I felt that nobody in the congregation cared about my struggle with being unemployed for the past 3 1/2 years. We're in the Type A, busy, busy, busy DC metro area. I guess the thought of unemployment was too difficult for these folks, many of them with secure federal jobs, to contemplate. All I wanted was for people to ask how I was doing, call once in a while, etc.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is why people have left other churches around the country -- because of a lack of empathy for those who have lost their jobs. Some congregations do help out members in this situation, and that is wonderful.

Even those still with jobs are often feeling the financial stress of this crisis.

I hope you find a more empathic congregation....

and a job real soon.

So, how are you doing?

Still not employed, but hoping that a Democratic takeover of Congress in November, and an Obama victory, leads to reasonable job-creation bills.

The more people working, the more likely I can find freelance writing assignments.

Really struggling, but keeps working at it. She just got out of grad school and is kind of carving a niche in environmental/medical issues.

But it is really tough.

I wish you the best of luck, LiberalEsto. I also hope that the election will lead to brighter skies for many.

You can come around here for an arm around the shoulder anytime.

Look, I am a liberal and the only place I feel at home is either the UCC or the UU.

I feel uncomfortable at the UCC because I don't believe in a god who keeps score and who "threatens" punishment if I am deemed immoral by the person occupying the pulpit.

I left the UU because a church that professes to believe in basically everything really believes in nothing.

An example, I was on the board at the UU church and since I am an accountant, I was assigned to the finance committee. One of the first things I noticed was the church portfolio was heavily invested in GE. I brought up the little fact that GE is one of the largest weapons manufacturers in the world and that we shouldn't be invested in that company because of it's tie to war.

I was shot down almost like that...

I'm pretty sure that would not be the response at the UU congregation that Ms. eomer and I are members of. Having spent a lot of time with our current President and other congregational leaders, I'm pretty sure our church would have agreed with you and would not be invested in GE. But you raise an interesting question and I'll ask about our investment policy next time I have a chance.

On the larger issue, maybe we're just contrary. We joined at our UU about a year ago after being away from church for some years. I wouldn't say the UU believes in nothing but rather that the UU believes in the truths that are universal while staying away from all the specific claims that are without foundation (in my opinion) yet the other churches damn each other over.

Here are the UU principles:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
   
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
   
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
   
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
   
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
   
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
   
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

But those principles seem to me to have been cobbled together by committee.

I do have to admit working in the background I saw how the whole organization operated including the national office left a bad taste in my mouth.

That's all I will say.

I still support UUism, but I think our congregation was affected by the hiring of a new and very inexperienced minister. I've been in good congregations, and not-so-good ones. Even in good congregations, things tend to shift from year to year, minister to minister.

It sounds like the author, a Baptist pastor, is addressing other Baptists.

It may not hold globally.

I find schedules are less flexible, and bosses more demanding of time. I could see how more people being employed by large corporations, and how that corporate culture could be detrimental to one's spiritual life may contribute to such a decline. Of course I don't know if my observations have any statistical fact, but it's something I'm curious about.