Map shows decline in religion...and declines in Catholics too

One question I always ask in relation to statistics like these are whether the numbers are simply more accurate than before. In years gone by people went to church on Sunday because it was socially expected even if they had no faith. Now those social expectations no longer apply the people who once would just write "Christian" in the appropriate place on a survey are now more likely to write "None" even though nothing much has changed.

In England it was pretty well accepted that your "religion" was "Church of England" even if you hadn't actually set foot inside a church for years. Now people are more likely to identify as someone of no faith, or atheist, on the basis it reflects what they believe rather than what they are expected to believe.

It's possible that people who are Christian but can't identify with the "religious right" are distancing themselves by claiming no religion, which simply distorts the statistics rather than demonstrating a need for missions.

Is this a surprise to you? I'm actually surprised that the church and Christianity still rates as high as it does

Well much of the youth today are heavily influenced by media which is not exactly Christian friendly. The last time I hung out with a younger youth they would usually babble about religion and how they perceive God, very new age... "You see Jesus was a sage of the zeitgeist and is now among the 'ascended masters' such as Buddha and Shiva"... "He was a yogi who practised mind over matter and lived through and didn't even suffer the crucifixion.. he was a revolutionary"...
:/
As far as adults I figure many have allowed media to take care of their children, many are also atheist and feminist who encourage 'rebellion' as long as it makes them happy..
The Bible tells us of a defining age of apostasy set in the end times, my grampa used to tell my dad when he was younger that it's coming soon.. Now I'm telling my dad that it's here he agrees and is worried about his grandchildren who have to grow up during this time.
All the signs are there and the world has become Babylon to me, what does it seem like to you guys?

Lämmchen said:

The link I gave had multiple maps/statistics. So maybe that helps?

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I looked at them and to be honest still stand by my thought that at least some of the "change" is simple how people report their beliefs rather than a change in those beliefs.

I remember going to church on a Sunday because it was just what was expected. I could recite just about the entire Book of Common Prayer from memory while the words in it meant nothing to me. A friend of mine had a blazing row with his parents over getting confirmed within the Church of England - they expected it and he didn't want to because he didn't believe any of it. One might ask why parents were so keen for a child who didn't believe any of it to go ahead and make promises they had no intention of keeping, but that was the norm in the day. Had you asked that friend of mine about his beliefs in the 1980s the chances are, had his parents been anywhere near, he'd have said "Christian". In an identical situation now he would just say "none".

I heard a statistic on the radio today that certainly would need verification, but the announcer stated that 1 in 5 people are in a polyamorous relationship in the United States. That seems high, but if so, it is a significant indicator of the US being a godless, sinful nation.

Makes me wonder what is happening in those states and region that would cause for an event like this to happen? It seems like the article is looking back a few years, so either another religion that isn't being reported is growing, or something else is playing a factor in those loosing their faith. Maybe there does need to be more missions, or ways for faith to start growing back in those areas that others haven't tried yet at all?

The dark side of the "turn against God" is while some New Age and atheist parents are raising kids - some of those kids later go culturally left, but some become disturbed racists etc.. Now, without Christianity to give some "humanity" to the right - it simply becomes this science based, neo-pagan thing similar to the Nazis.

Of course, I'm not saying the cultural left is always good, though - but the racist right is way more disturbing.

Jason76 said:

The dark side of the "turn against God" is while some New Age and atheist parents are raising kids - some of those kids later go culturally left, but some become disturbed racists etc.. Now, without Christianity to give some "humanity" to the right - it simply becomes this science based, neo-pagan thing similar to the Nazis.

Of course, I'm not saying the cultural left is always good, though - but the racist right is way more disturbing.

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Truth be told both fringes can be pretty disturbing, whether it be the fringes of the right that get into white supremacy or the fringes of the left that get into black supremacy or free-for-all abortions or whatever else.

I'm not sure how you manage to turn the right into something frightening without a bit of humanity without doing the same to the left. Just look at the divorce rate and the abortion rate and see where the left takes us without a bit of humanity. Personally I find the thought of millions of lives ended without so much as a chance pretty disturbing.

tango said:

Truth be told both fringes can be pretty disturbing, whether it be the fringes of the right that get into white supremacy or the fringes of the left that get into black supremacy or free-for-all abortions or whatever else.

I'm not sure how you manage to turn the right into something frightening without a bit of humanity without doing the same to the left. Just look at the divorce rate and the abortion rate and see where the left takes us without a bit of humanity. Personally I find the thought of millions of lives ended without so much as a chance pretty disturbing.

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Both equally are disturbing. Well, actually the racist right is for abortion - unless it's for what they view as superior.

Jason76 said:

Both equally are disturbing. Well, actually the racist right is for abortion - unless it's for what they view as superior.

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It's really hard to discuss anything seriously when so many of your posts do little more than paint with the widest brush you can possibly find.