Do you still go to church? Why or why not?

Are you a regular church goer or a "creaster?" That's the person who only goes on Christmas and Easter. As much as churches look forward to these two holidays, national trends show dropping attendance in churches across the country. According to the Pew Research Center, only 36 percent of those polled nationally say they attend regular church services down from 39 percent in 2007. A gallop poll from 2015 shows only about one third of New Jersey residents go to a church, synagogue or mosque each week.

So why would that be? Especially when the Catholics will tell you that missing mass is a mortal sin that can send you straight to hell. There is no definitive reason given. Speaking from my own personal experience as a Catholic school graduate who made his first communion, confirmation, and of course was baptized,  I see the church as a middle man that I don't need to have a relationship with God whom I do believe in. In my opinion, if someone really loves you like the bible says God does, then why should you have to go through a church to get to him? But if going to that church makes you feel closer to God then by all means go and more power to you.

Many boomers went to school at a time when nuns and priests could hit which is one of the things that drove me away. Corporal punishment is now illegal in New Jersey and it hasn't happened in years. You would think that the Pope Francis visit in 2015 would have caused a spike in attendance but not so.

But getting back to the "creasters" I'm really not getting how it's ok to just go to church on Christmas and Easter. I know of no law that says it will fulfill your mass obligation. But I guess from the church perspective two days a year are better than none. How do you feel about going to church? How would you feel if they closed and you couldn't?

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