View Full Version : Is Christianity waning in your area?
Medicine*Woman
06-01-08, 03:31 PM
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M*W: I live in one of the largest cities in America, Houston, TX. Christian churches of all denominations are in decline. Unsightly billboards, TV ads, door knockers, and mass mail-outs indicate that church wars are going on in my area. So, what's it like in your area?
I've searched the Web, and the latest statistics I've found are from 2005. Does anyone have more recent statistics?
Carcano
06-01-08, 07:11 PM
The Anglican and Catholic churches are in steady decline and have been for decades.
The most vital churches are low on intellect and high on emotion...the kind that look good on TV.
Churches where folks 'catch the spirit'...and roll about on the floor.
CutsieMarie89
06-01-08, 07:30 PM
Yep. The churchs are all complaining about how their attendance has declined like 3 fold or something like that even more so among college students. Which is supposed to be their next generation of patrons, so I guess this is serious cause for concern for them.
Umm...I would say the city I am in has muslim religion going up and buddhist religion increasing...
Orleander
06-01-08, 07:49 PM
I thought christianity was waning due to all the food pantries and soup kitchens having such a hard time. But then whole gay marriage thing became an issue. Now they have found a cause to rally around.
Christianity can only last for one age (2160 years), so it is already old and dying. It will become as small as Judaism is today. Islam is younger, and it will soon be bigger than Christianity. Later, separate religions will disappear and they will merge into one world religion... and there will be a New World Order.
Crunchy Cat
06-01-08, 09:00 PM
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M*W: I live in one of the largest cities in America, Houston, TX. Christian churches of all denominations are in decline. Unsightly billboards, TV ads, door knockers, and mass mail-outs indicate that church wars are going on in my area. So, what's it like in your area?
I've searched the Web, and the latest statistics I've found are from 2005. Does anyone have more recent statistics?
I've made a similar observation. I would speculate part of it is tied into the economy while of course there is natural organic atheism taking root.
PsychoticEpisode
06-01-08, 10:20 PM
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M*W: Unsightly billboards, TV ads, door knockers, and mass mail-outs indicate that church wars are going on in my area. So, what's it like in your area?
I haven't seen a JW at my door in several years and it has me worried. Not sure if the JW's are being pushed out or there just isn't enough raw recruits available. Although I live in Canada I always used to see Mormon missionaries from Utah at least once a year but none at least in the last 5 years (Sister Bartholomew was hot). I see where one church brings a bus into the area to pick up kids on Sunday morning but it is never full when it leaves. Gives Mom and Dad some time together for sleeping in or...you know. Another advertises on the radio that their church is entertaining, not really sure what that's all about. I live around the corner from a Christian school that has reverted to importing Chinese Christians just so they can have enough kids for enrolment.
However, I've yet to see or hear from any atheist organization that might be in the area.
Fraggle Rocker
06-01-08, 11:28 PM
However, I've yet to see or hear from any atheist organization that might be in the area.Atheism is not a religion because by definition it does not involve belief in a supernatural universe and supernatural creatures. Lack of belief in something--including the supernatural--isn't much of a "common interest" upon which to build a sense of community. For people to form an organization because they "share" atheism would be like creating a fan club for people who don't like the L.A. Dodgers or a kennel club for people who don't have West Highland terriers.
The closest thing to a quasi-religious organization for atheists is the Unitarian Universalist Church.
Prince_James
06-02-08, 12:01 AM
I live in the former city, now borough, of churches. Religion does no tseem to be on the wane.
[QUOTE=Crunchy Cat;1881138 of course there is natural organic atheism taking root.[/QUOTE]
That will just never happen. What most Atheists dont seem to understand is that they are not 'True Atheist". Most likely the only way would be for othe r more intelligent life to make contct and exp[licitily confirm that there is , in fact, no supreme being - contact. Many would believe them but then they probably would not know for sure. The simple fact is that we are, for the most part, spiritual. But the point is that true Atheist's are uncommon. Dont get upset and take this the wrong way but, the simple fact is that lifelong Atheism is tough to come by. Does it even ever really happen? We will never know for sure.
OilIsMastery
06-02-08, 12:25 AM
Christianity already waned in the 20th Century. Now it's growing because science seems to indicate that the universe had a beginning and a cause.
http://www.hawking.org.uk/lectures/lindex.html
All the evidence seems to indicate, that the universe has not existed forever, but that it had a beginning, about 15 billion years ago. This is probably the most remarkable discovery of modern cosmology.
Also, history seems to have a sense of directionality which might indicate a higher purpose. See here: http://meaningoflife.tv/
I think the level of Christianity in my area (southern California) is staying pretty steady right now.
Christianity already waned in the 20th Century. Now it's growing because science seems to indicate that the universe had a beginning and a cause.
http://www.hawking.org.uk/lectures/lindex.html
Why would a Christian argue that the universe didn't have a beginning? Also, Christianity actually grew after WWI because of people's horror at the happenings of the war.
OilIsMastery
06-02-08, 12:31 AM
Why would a Christian argue that the universe didn't have a beginning?
You tell me.
Also, Christianity actually grew after WWI because of people's horror at the happenings of the war.
I'm not surprised. Militant atheism aka Communism also a factor in that.
Christianity already waned in the 20th Century. Now it's growing because science seems to indicate that the universe had a beginning and a cause.
http://www.hawking.org.uk/lectures/lindex.html Are you saying god has a cause?, Stephen Hawking does himself not believe in god.
as Stephen Hawking states that the very fact that god has no cause is a paradox.
"If god has always been here, then he has existed for an infinite amount of time. That means an infinite amount of time would have to have passed before God created the universe, and us.
as we exist, an infinite amount of time could not have passed yet, so an infinite god does not exist."
-A (clumsy) paraphrasing of an argument by Stephen Hawking
this argument also works for the nonexistence of time, because the nonexistence of time is a paradox.
This is a new documentary on British television that you may find interesting, it also gives Stephen Hawking's religious views.
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2871213858921140621&hl=en-GB
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=9167928900965777613&hl=en-GB
I'm not surprised. Militant atheism aka Communism also a factor in that.how so, the Russians went to war in 1914 under the rule of Tzar Nicholas II, when the October revolution happened in 1917, Most Russian soldiers returned home.
I would very much like it if you, would post up some links to how communist or atheists for that matter had anything to do with the first world war (WW1).
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSfww.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolshevik_Revolution_of_1917
OilIsMastery
06-02-08, 10:06 AM
Are you saying god has a cause?
No.
Stephen Hawking does himself not believe in god.
Steven Hawking's mother was a Marxist and a Communist. Of course he doesn't believe in God.
as Stephen Hawking states that the very fact that god has no cause is a paradox.
"If god has always been here, then he has existed for an infinite amount of time. That means an infinite amount of time would have to have passed before God created the universe, and us.
as we exist, an infinite amount of time could not have passed yet, so an infinite god does not exist."
-A (clumsy) paraphrasing of an argument by Stephen Hawking
God laughs at paradoxes.
how so, the Russians went to war in 1914 under the rule of Tzar Nicholas II, when the October revolution happened in 1917, Most Russian soldiers returned home.
I would very much like it if you, would post up some links to how communist or atheists for that matter had anything to do with the first world war (WW1).
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSfww.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolshev...lution_of_1917
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_commune
I've noticed in my experience that many people, and especially young people, are having a personal spiritual relationship with God through Christ, and not through some organized religious exercise or involvement because they realize that's not what it's about anyway.
Prince_James
06-02-08, 10:41 AM
Lori 7:
How does one go about having a relationship with God through Christ while rejecting the church which is essential to Christianity?
[QUOTE=OilIsMastery;1881563]No.
Steven Hawking's mother was a Marxist and a Communist. Of course he doesn't believe in God.
My parents believed in god; I don't, so what's your point. You must try harder !
God laughs at paradoxes.
Is god's laughter what we call thunder ? I always thought it was Thor with his big hammer. But, I am forgetting that Thor is a god. My mistake.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_commune
Lori 7:
How does one go about having a relationship with God through Christ while rejecting the church which is essential to Christianity?
organized religion is not essential to having a spiritual relationship with god. why would it be?
"The" church is actually the group of people who have this kind of relationship with God, not the people who go to church.
OilIsMastery
06-02-08, 12:06 PM
No.
Steven Hawking's mother was a Marxist and a Communist. Of course he doesn't believe in God.
My parents believed in god; I don't, so what's your point. You must try harder !
The difference is your theist parents didn't brainwash you like Marxists do to their children.
No.then what is the relevance of the Hawkings link you posted.Steven Hawking's mother was a Marxist and a Communist. Of course he doesn't believe in God.and you know this how?God laughs at paradoxes.thats probably because he is one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_communerelevance to WW1 and relevance to communism or atheism in the first world war, please.
Or is it you just open your mouth but you've no idea what will come out. It sounds like you aspire to become mentally handicapped.
Seriously. You would rather gaze in wonderment at the invisible barriers on the bus, than have the intellectual capacity to identify them as windows.
The difference is your theist parents didn't brainwash you like Marxists do to their children.
How do you know that a) I wasn't brainwashed...it might have worn off and b) that Marxists indoctrinate their children. What evidence have you to support such a view ?
Prince_James
06-02-08, 08:27 PM
OilisMastery:
God laughs at paradoxes.
First of all, God doesn't laugh. Only Crom.
Secondly, Crom will send you dooms, not fortunes.
Prince_James
06-02-08, 08:28 PM
Lori 7:
organized religion is not essential to having a spiritual relationship with god. why would it be?
It is telling that all spiritual movements have been organized throughout history. Even such basic things as beliefs, holy books, et cetera, require some form of heirarchy and clergy and such.
"The" church is actually the group of people who have this kind of relationship with God, not the people who go to church.
There's a mile wide difference between the average believer and a holy man. It's quite apparent when one meets one. It likely makes sense to allow said holy men to talk about things and rule on matters.
christians are whining in my area
xvortexbladex
06-07-08, 12:52 AM
Religion is not waning in my area at all, that's why I joined the Freedom From Religion Foundation in case they begin to infringe on my rights. There's a church not to far down from where I live. They are quite courteous when I join them to have discussions on their beliefs. There are also several mega-churches down here too. So where is this place? Down south in Georgia baby!
Repo Man
06-07-08, 12:56 AM
Unfortunately Christianity doesn't seem to be on the wane at all in this part of California. From ridiculous bumperstickers, to homes full of Jesus crap, to an excessive number of Christian radio stations, the evidence I see is not encouraging.
brainwashing and politically driven conformist bullshit is on the rise everywhere. it keeps people from having to think for themselves and the masses under control. after all, they have to have a way of getting to all the people who don't do drugs and watch television.
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