Is Christianity Dying?

scared? wow you're buggin..maybe projecting..i know my fate. And furthermore i never said anything abrasive at all....just opinion, same as you're faith smashing of christians...i just happen to know quite a few(just about all of them) New Age practitioners who are sexually ambiguous thats all. relax guy....im quite sure you are very comfortable knowing your a straight male cheers.

Let's please stick to the topic at hand, without the personal topics coming into play. The question is "Is Christianity Dying?" The question is not of a nature to make personal references towards fellow members.

If that was directed at me....what are you talking about?

i didnt attack any one member i was simply outlining the New Age/Islamic Craze worldwide, which i believe could account for some of the reasons for the decline of Christianity, right?


FOS

Well if you take into consideration that America wasn't founded on christianity, then it's alive and well and our fore fathers would be horrified to see the way America has changed.

Originally posted by luxor311

Originally posted by D4rk Kn1ght
Well, I met God, and Lord Jesus Christ when I died on an operating table, and was fought for and brought back.

I told a Priest, and she laughed in my face, saying God was a concept, a thought, nothing more.

I see, but if you were Muslim would of seen Mohammed? or if you were a Jew, Moses? God can be a number of different things to many people, be glad your were brought back thats a blessing in itself.

(FYI The Priest you talked to was not a Priest they can only be men, indoctrinated in the Catholic faith..most likely it was a Minister who may gotten her degree on the internet.

[edit on 1-12-2007 by luxor311]

If you were a Muslim going to paradise, God wouldnt be Muhammad. Muhammad was the prophet that brang the word of God to the people. The concept of God between these religions is basically the same, the only difference is there being a prophet or messiah who had brought the final message, and therefore, the correct method of worhship. Muslims actually believe Christ existed, though they view him as another prophet, not the son of God.

[edit on 5-12-2007 by SIRxxxTMG]

reply to post by luxor311


One of the reasons is that Christianity, the dominant western religion, suffers from low birth rates endemic in many western countries (whereas Islam predominates in nations which ban contraception, divorce, abortion etc)

Also your US example isnt really overly relevant in terms of percentages- ie if there were 100 million christians a 100% increase would mean 200 million christians, whereas if there were 2 million muslims a 100% increase would mean 4 million muslims.


Also, in mainly Christian countries there isn't the same oppression of minority faiths as is found in Islamic countries

[edit on 6-12-2007 by blueorder]

the reasons for the decline of Christianity is because the last 100 years, comunication are more and more available between peoples, citys and countrys.

When someone was a witness of a scandal or the power behind christanity churches, churches had the power to turoff all the bad heritics.

But since 100 years with more and more easy traveling possibilitys or communication being faster between population all the dark side of the power of the churches are under lights. so popullation anger and distrust rise again church authoritys

and even more since the Internet. The power of Catholics and christian church knows that they have less and less influence on population so thats why they have a big PLAN for change. And that plan is the New World Order Agenda so power over world population will be back for the aristocracy ( the elites ) who wants back the old world order......back by installing a New world order power over world population

i found this document that is very interesting

see New World Order ** Blueprint** the french document......!
www.abovetopsecret.com...

could it be the explanation...........i dont know want do you thing.......!

I cannot find the evidence of the "decline in Christianity" (numbers) at all.

This Wikipedia article on relgious groups shows the same statistics I've seen elsewhere.

As others have posted, the relative "rates of growth" for Christianity and Islam are functions of the relative sizes of those religions.

Most of the relgious change since 1950 in SE Asia and Oceania, from what I have read, has been toward Christianity at the expense of Islam and various tribal religious--primarily due to the Islamist dietary restrictions, i.e., no pork in cultures where pork is the primary meat.

As far as christianity's decline, that has been mainly in the developed world, which can be viewed as being "post-religious." It's not like other relgions have replaced Christianity, but rather that immigrants have moved to Europe from the developing world and imported their religious faiths with them. I believe signs point to lessened religious practice among 2nd generation immigrant families in the developed west.

As a non-catholic who monitors catholic activity worldwide, my subjective impression is that catholocism has experienced a renaissance in many parts of the post-communist world and SE Asia as well as south America. I've posted elsewhere on ATS that I believe that this is due in part to the previous Pope's policy of adopting more conservatice theological positions--which may have alienated the developed western nations but has caused an upsurge of interest in societies that feel "under attack" in various ways.

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I have to admit that I should of renamed the thread..Is interest in Christianity dying. Islam(globally) is growing faster than Christianity, but because of subjective birth rates the margin may be closer than the majority of statistics out there.

But my main point is that here in the US interest in Christianity is on the decline. It was not the force that it once was let say 15-40 years ago. I think that the younger generation are looking for alternatives to Christianity. Islam is defiantly on the upswing here and CNN International did quite an interesting story on a few weeks back and interviewed young people and their views on both religions. I was very surprised to see how many were open to finding more about Islam.

I think thats its important to note that its the younger generation that will perhaps embrace a different religion or faith than the norm now. A large majority of our parents and grand parents and their grand parents were spoon fed Christianity. But the younger generation may begin to question what the truth is, and may look to other avenues. Hopefully they will find that truth weather it be Islam,Christianity, atheism Buddhism..ect. Its just important that we don't shove the beliefs down each others throats.

I'd probably disagree with the argument that interest in christianity in the US is dying. For a couple of reasons.

The Wikipedia article I linked has a link to the Pew research center, who's most recent poll shows 86 percent of americans self-identifying as Christian, which is, (if I remember right) up about 4 percent from the early 1990's.

If you look at the political climate, people definitely are more interested in religion as a base for making policy decisions than they were, say, 30 years ago. If you had said in public in 1977 that in 30 years, that large numbers of people would pray about their voting choices or be praying for their leaders, or they'd try to find a way to vote according to their religious "values," you'd have been laughed at.

Culturally, religious iconography/imagery and references pop up everywhere. Jewelry, art, music, and common references. Even music which is dismissive of Christian faith . . . is still talking about religion.

One big change I see that you mentioned, and I agree with you, is the interest of young people in America of all faiths in other religions and cultures. One of the most requested topics for study in churches seems to be other religions. Not that people are contemplating changing their faith (tho that may be the case with youth), as much as an interest in what other people do and why.

One change I see in youth today is this: since the 1960's, it has always been assumed that youth are more liberal/progressive than adults. I suspect that this is no longer the case. I'm not saying they are more conservative, either. Perhaps withdrawn or looking for a 3rd alternative.

I noticed that in the last election, in which the democrat party tried to "rock the vote," their efforts had zero impact: the same percentage of 18-25 year olds voted as in the previous two elections: 17 percent.

Likewise, the rates of volunteering for the military are UP, in the midst of an unpopular war.


Now, I'm not sure what any of this has to do with "interest in Christianity" per se. Just pointing out that this generation of teens seem to be breaking several trends. I wouldn't be surprised if "less interest in religion generally" might turn out to be one more trend where they break the rules.

I'm perfectly willing to concede the point if there's compelling evidence in the other direction; just pointing out what I see, in the midst of my own biases.

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I take back what I just posted. Self-identification as Christian is definitely down in the US, as a trend over the past decade, as well as the past 30 years.

The thing is, different polling orgs have different ways of measuring. If you use a gallup or barn or pew poll, you have to use the same poll over the years. Doing so points definitely to a decline, tho the exact percentage (4-10%) in the past decade is clouded by the margin of error and differing measures and definitions.

But it's definitely down.

Is it regrettable? To me personally, yes. A more materialistic society is one that necesarilly treats people as means rather than ends.

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Originally posted by dr_strangecraft

I take back what I just posted. Self-identification as Christian is definitely down in the US, as a trend over the past decade, as well as the past 30 years.


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Dr. Strangecraft, also even the people who call themselves Christian.. Come on. I would say that I am Christian but you have been here long enough and seen enough of my posts.. Am I Christian in the modern sense of the word? I think probably not...

what is the modern sense of the word?


Second, the question of the OP makes an inference as well: that if poll numbers go down, then the whole of Christianity is "dying."

I would argue that what is happening is that fewer people are self identifying out of desire to fit in or to please family.

On the other hand, it may be that some of those who consider themselves Christians are living up to their faith instead of merely putting on the hat when they want to lecture someone else.

If that is the definition, then I think there is a definite (positive) change in the lives of many people. Studying the bible for themselves, volunteering, observing holidays as Holy Days instead of exercises in gluttony, etc.

As far as your own faith goes, I'm in no position to judge. Jesus held up sinners who chose what was right in a crisis, not people who kept morally pure on the sidelines . . . .

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Originally posted by dr_strangecraft

what is the modern sense of the word?



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Mainstream Christianity...

i'm not sure what that is, either. I was just reading that 40 percent of Americans can name 3 or more of the 10 commandments.

I can name all ten.

I'm definitely not mainstream. (I also learned Hebrew and Greek, to better understand the Bible. Working on Aramaic and Arabic now.).

I just may be less mainstream than you!

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Christianity has always been dead. 99.99999% of so called "christians" are hypocrites to the n'th degree. I would never, EVER ask a "christian" for advice because they are THE ultimate "do as I say, not as I do" scumbags on the face of the earth.

reply to post by Conundrum04



Conundrum, I'm not going to say that...

I will say this. It is easy for someone to say, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a Christian." However, it is hard to live your life in a Christlike manner, which is what a TRUE Christian is assigned to do.

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


The major problem here is that you have people in power that say they are "christian", therefore you must heed to what they tell you to do. This has been going on for hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of years now.

A true christian does not seek power nor control. A true christian would not be arrogant or need to label themselves above a fellow human being.

"christians" have turned this world into hell by their own doing and this planet will be better off once christianity is wiped off the face of the earth.



[edit on 6-12-2007 by Conundrum04]

Originally posted by Conundrum04
Christianity has always been dead. 99.99999% of so called "christians" are hypocrites to the n'th degree.

Come, join us.


we always have room for one more!




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reply to post by Kacen


I will apologize for any general misunderstanding on that but to be honest and I don't know this for an absolute fact and it is to late to look it up, but my understanding of such situations that either male or female are free to marry whom they please as long as the spouse converts to Islam. The other option being to convert themselves effectively making it a non issue. It is also my understanding that in such cases the respective couple must seek an Imam's permission to wed as well. I will reapeat that this is my understanding of how it works and I will further look into it this weekend.