Dare I say this? If you'd like an outsider's perspective, here you go. I hope I don't offend anyone. I grew up a protestant and was very pious. I memorized dozens of Biblical passages and even went to church during the summer, when you didn't have to, and also sang in the choir. But I've left the church.

As I see it, there are two aspects to church -- the spiritual and the social. When I visit my mom, especially at Christmas time, I often go to church with her. Otherwise, as you know, I'm not Christian. The few times I've been to church in recent years, it felt like I was in a movie theater. There seemed to be very little respect. It was super casual. When I was a kid, we didn't talk out loud in church, and we dressed up. Now I see people in blue jeans and t-shirts and chewing gum. To me it doesn't feel conducive to worship. I've also been to black churches where there's lots of calling out and talking. It's very emotional, but I wouldn't say that it feels any more respectful of God or in the manner of worship. It all seems like a big social gathering. I hear stories all the time about occasions in church where a neighbor will see another neighbor who doesn't like them, and they're all supposed to hold hands, but these people even find ways not to do that.

My mom's church is full of gossip, and some of it was even about the ministers.

In fact, what I think is that if you're at all sensitive to the Spirit, you wouldn't like to be in a church.