Trevin Wax’s assertion makes no logical sense. If someone wants to leave church entirely, they don’t need an excuse to do that. There is no condemnation or penalty which attaches to a person making that decision in today’s society. And if people were getting fed spiritually, why would they want to leave? They would be motivated to stay exactly where they are or at least with a similar congregation if there was too much abuse occurring in theirs.

I might believe that rampant abuse is a factor that sours a person towards a particular church or organized religion in general. But that is hardly the motivating factor in them making a decision to leave. It is more an additional factor added to the lack of spirituality in their congregation or faith tradition, which they have already discerned. Churches need to stop acting as if there are absolute standards, rigid rules, which we must follow or “else”, and begin to understand the authentic gospel message that God is attractive. He woos people into a relationship with him because he has so much to offer. He is not a punitive tyrant demanding strict adherence to an arbitrary code of conduct. He is not looking to make everyone miserable. If that were the underlying basis of Christianity, it would have disappeared centuries ago as a viable faith tradition.