tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8238382886103256219.post1011365101196784689..comments2023-11-10T09:15:40.084-08:00Comments on The Friends of Jake: Why is the church in decline? Ask the middle class.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10124314924693077453noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8238382886103256219.post-32066230529113223382014-11-20T08:13:49.728-08:002014-11-20T08:13:49.728-08:00I had lunch with Charles Murray about 25 years ago...I had lunch with Charles Murray about 25 years ago (shortly after his controversial book The Bell Curve). I was skeptical of his theories then, even more so now. In short, his world view is a 1950s, Leave it to Beaver suburban society. <br /><br />The whole article suffers from this same narrow vision. The author is talking about white mainline quasi-establishment protestantism, which is not so much about faith as it is about good social order. In Murray's view, having the working classes in these churches means that some of the middle class values and mores will rub off on them, to create a better society. <br /><br />But the lower classes have not abandoned the church. Pentecostal, black Baptist and other denominations that have historically drawn their membership from the poor and working classes are still going strong. In my own diocese, our two largest parishes are both immigrant parishes; other parishes are strong because they have embraced social, economic and racial diversity.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10177340733290027856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8238382886103256219.post-22285439042065548292014-11-20T02:48:57.320-08:002014-11-20T02:48:57.320-08:00Concur. Approach Mr Murray only with deep skeptici...Concur. Approach Mr Murray only with deep skepticism. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09436974919587739335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8238382886103256219.post-23054805559882431492014-11-17T23:46:21.069-08:002014-11-17T23:46:21.069-08:00I've seen this article, and pushback to it.
M...I've seen this article, and pushback to it.<br /><br />My gut reaction was to seeing Charles Murray cited, WITHOUT acknowledging he's an unrepentant racist. >:-/JCFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14516376500318551838noreply@blogger.com