Christians on Decline, Non-believers Skyrocketing in US

[shortylickens]

Sorry, but you appear to be living in a fantasy world you have created in your mind. Mexicans immigrants are very religious and as the population of Hispanics skyrocket over the next few decades it's likely all the atheists will be very disappointed.....religion and god aren't going any where any time soon.

Yur gonna be surprised when they grow up Americanized and start getting into American trouble.

 

[blastingcap]

So, you're saying we should embrace Catholicism just to spite Muslims?

What? No. Organized religion, particularly the ones who try to suppress reason in favor of "faith" (which in practice means "listen to the dictator or else") is a plague on humanity.

However I view Islam as the greater threat, and it's the fastest growing religion in the US as well as the world. As Christianity and other religions wane, Islam will fill part of the vacuum, and I hope that atheists/agnostics recognize the threat of Islam as much as they like to criticize Christianity.

By the way I think most Muslims are good people. But I think they are good DESPITE Islam, not because of it. Christians turning atheist/agnostic is fine, but Muslims turning atheist/agnostic would be even more cause for celebration. Unfortunately the number of Muslims continues to freaking grow instead of shrink. Imho, Islam is a personality cult that isn't really even a religion. Imho, it stinks, even though its practitioners are generally good people.

 

[soulcougher73]

So, I went and saw Ken Hamm at a local church here in Tampa, FL a few months back, because even as a devout Christian, I, too, am a bit critical of the young Earth theory. As someone who actually reads the Bible and the old Testament, there's nothing in the Bible that states that the Earth is 10,000ish years old. There just isn't. But if I figured I was going to be hyper critical about the matter, I best go and actually listen to what the man says so that I can form my own ideas. I mean, that's smart, right? And here's what I learned, so hear me out:

The reality is, the Young Earth vs Old Earth debate is merely the symptom of what's truly going on. Ken Hamm's main point in his Creationist crusade, which I can respect, is that if I can't take the first 11 chapters of the Bible seriously, then I can't take the rest of the Bible seriously either. Now, as someone who actually reads the Bible, there is a tremendous amount of fruit in what both the New and the Old Testament teaches. The Bible teaches giving, love, forgiveness, money management principles, servitude, and hope. It teaches how I should treat my wife, and how my wife should treat me. And aside from it's salvation message, it does teach one thing that all of you who read this should understand; it teaches value in people. As an example, I may not like some person, but I'm still taught to love them regardless. And these are all things that, regardless of our beliefs, we can all get behind. Yes, there are Christians out there who swing a very militant bat, but that's just people being people.

Ken Hamm's primary point is that these things don't change. As humans, our values can change over time. They can also be susceptible to being changed by what someone says. World War 2 for example? God's values, however, do not. God's value and love for you does not change. To God, you are still a masterpiece of His creation, and you are to be loved, treated with respect, and nurtured regardless of what we think.

And you know what, that resonated with me. I can get behind that even despite if I think interpreting the Bible in such a literal fashion (regarding our creation) feels awkward. Because no longer am I thinking about how I'm created. I'm already created. I'm already here! We're already here! Regardless of whether the universe is 15 billion years old or 10,000 years old, it doesn't change the fact that we're all still here and living our lives. And despite our beliefs, we're still held accountable to how we treat, view, and respect those who live with us on this planet.

So what should we really be thinking about here? What's the warning that Ken Hamm was trying to tell me? It's not about us, it's about our children. I've stated this on these forums before, but this is why I say it: In the United States of America, it is God and His biblical teaching that form the moral foundation of how we should live, love, and treat others. And if we remove that, we ultimately remove the value of people and the others that live around us. Yes, this is a stark warning to everyone. Who's going to teach others that your child is worth something? Would you rather someone who's viewpoint can change appropriate value to your child, or would you rather God, who's value in your child does not change do so?

Case in point, let's look at some examples in our Earth's history when God, and ultimately, human value was removed from the equation. In North Korea, religion is outlawed entirely. Look at their human rights track record. Did they not just execute someone with AA cannons? And not just that, how many people are sent to Soviet-style gulags to die? I see no value there, only a regime desperate to hold a grip on its power. And China? Religion is essentially outlawed as well. And as a people, look at what they suffer from that isn't spoken about very often: Greed, selfishness, disrespect for the environment. Even the Chinese will tell you that their culture's love of money has to improve, because their human rights record and the way they treat employees is not good. And India? Huge population, and while religion is not outlawed there, the Untouchable caste system which existed for well over a millennium is what happens when God is taken out of the picture. Want me to keep going? The Soviet Union? Nazi Germany? The list goes on. Has the United States been perfectly Christian? Nope! We're human just like everyone else, but it is because of Christian values that we've done things like abolished slavery, abolished segregation, asked for forgiveness for the way that we treated the Native Americans on this continent (which was not Biblical to begin with), and others.

So what's the important message here? It's about our kids. If you don't believe in God, then that's fine. That's your choice, and I respect that. But understand that without God, you have no viable alternative to teaching the next generation the importance of loving one another. Sure, you can try, but those values can change just like history books can be changed, and we've seen many cases in history where exactly that happened. The Bible cannot be changed, and because God's word cannot be changed, His viewpoint of your value cannot be changed, and I'm held accountable to that.

So be careful in your war against Christianity. You might just find yourself poking holes in your own ship.

The ignorance is strong in this one.

 

[John Connor]

Since the Declaration Of Independence says we are endowed by our Creator where do you geniuses think your rights come from?

Here is what Glen Beck thinks. Watch the video before you spout your mouth off.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...cans-are-identifying-themselves-as-christian/

 

[John Connor]

It's not Islam that is a growing religion. It's "global warming/climate change."

 

[JulesMaximus]

Since the Declaration Of Independence says we are endowed by our Creator where do you geniuses think your rights come from?

Here is what Glen Beck thinks. Watch the video before you spout your mouth off.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...cans-are-identifying-themselves-as-christian/

Glenn Beck is a moron. We get it, the 12 step program worked for him and now he has made a career of out of proselytizing to anyone stupid enough to listen to him. The bigger problem is that vest he's wearing in that article (that and the fact that I clicked on a link to a website run by Glenn Beck).

BTW-Our rights come from older texts and historical writings of man. Where do you think the bible came from?

 

[John Connor]

Yeah, that was the stupidest thing I have read all day...

 

[brycejones]

Since the Declaration Of Independence says we are endowed by our Creator where do you geniuses think your rights come from?

Here is what Glen Beck thinks. Watch the video before you spout your mouth off.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...cans-are-identifying-themselves-as-christian/

It's not Islam that is a growing religion. It's "global warming/climate change."

Dude, isn't it a bit early to be drinking? If you don't get help at Charter please get help someplace.

 

[Darwin333]

Then the nation is going to be very unhappy dickhead.

I guess it's true that ignorance is bliss.

 

[brycejones]

Yeah, that was the stupidest thing I have read all day...

You must have read your posts in this thread.

 

[JSt0rm]

I guess it's true that ignorance is bliss.

The reason for that is the god spot in the brain produces euphoria in the subject. Its a chemical reaction in the brain. You can achieve the same thing via music and art. Either consumption or production of either. Its not as cheap of a high as you need to actually work for it.

Forgot to add a runners high hits on the same stuff.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Then the nation is going to be very unhappy dickhead.

I see your study, and raise you another.

We will all just scratch our religious itch by being brand whores. We see the religion of brands on this very forum often.

 

[John Connor]

The leftist: Shut up I know more than you!

 

[CitizenKain]

The leftist: Shut up I know more than you!

Truth hurts.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Christianity is man made, you really need to keep blinders on to not see that. We like to pat ourselves on the back about how advanced we are, but as long as we're believing in invisible sky friends always watching and judging us we're really still in a dark age of sorts. For the record I completely support your right to believe (or not believe) in anything you want, but rational thinking adults should come to see this themselves.

 

[OverVolt]

Yup, I already knew about the trend and already decided I'm staying religious.

It has more to do with people who identify with the internet as "their people". So, they typically are not living in the real world and live more so in the digital world. They have no friends or connections IRL is what I'm getting at. Religion is just one more link to the real world. Atheists could be twice as prevalent and I still wouldn't have to interact with many of them because they would be too busy sharing cat pictures and infographics and poorly researched news articles about science (you know the journal of huffington post, the premier source of misunderstood and reposted out of context science articles) and shit.

You guys at this point have built up an entire system of common beliefs and don't even realize it yet. Many of them are incorrect, like thinking technology will eventually solve most of our bigger problems (someday!) instead of people needing to adjust their expectations about the future.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Yup, I already knew about the trend and already decided I'm staying religious.

It has more to do with people who identify with the internet as "their people". So, they typically are not living in the real world and live more so in the digital world. They have no friends or connections IRL is what I'm getting at. Religion is just one more link to the real world. Atheists could be twice as prevalent and I still wouldn't have to interact with many of them because they would be too busy sharing cat pictures and infographics and poorly researched news articles about science on reddit (you know the journal of huffington post) and shit.

You guys at this point have built up an entire system of common beliefs and don't even realize it yet. Many of them are incorrect, like thinking technology will eventually solve most of our bigger problems (someday!) instead of people needing to adjust their expectations about the future.

So you are going to believe in a a god to spite the atheists? Shouldn't believing in a god and living by his word have more to do with actually believing in an all-powerful god? You made a lot of generalizations there.

 

[OverVolt]

Christianity is man made, you really need to keep blinders on to not see that. We like to pat ourselves on the back about how advanced we are, but as long as we're believing in invisible sky friends always watching and judging us we're really still in a dark age of sorts. For the record I completely support your right to believe (or not believe) in anything you want, but rational thinking adults should come to see this themselves.

Yea except most people who are my age and still religious knew that when we were 12 or so. How exactly are we in a dark age because of religion?

 

[desy]

"In God we trust" first appeared on U.S. coins in 1864[4] and has appeared on paper currency since 1957. A law passed in a Joint Resolution by the 84th Congress (P.L. 84-140) and approved by President Dwight Eisenhower on July 30, 1956 declared IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States.

 

[IronWing]

"In God we trust" first appeared on U.S. coins in 1864[4] and has appeared on paper currency since 1957. A law passed in a Joint Resolution by the 84th Congress (P.L. 84-140) and approved by President Dwight Eisenhower on July 30, 1956 declared IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States.

Yeah, so?

 

[SlowSpyder]

Yea except most people who are my age and still religious knew that when we were 12 or so. How exactly are we in a dark age because of religion?

Because look around the world, do you ever see evil happening over religion? I do... over an invisible friend. And today I'd say when you look all the good vs the bad religion creates, the net product is a drag on humanity.

 

[JSt0rm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism

^^ that replaces religion for a lot of people. There is no afterlife. Make the best of what you got. Death is the price we pay for life, After you are dead you will care as much about is as you did 1 billion years ago

 

[Retro Rob]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...decline-as-number-of-nones-grows-survey-finds

Good to see reason taking hold across the nation. If we continue to see people abandon their beliefs at this rate we'll be a majority non-believer nation in 20 years.

Religion isn't going anywhere becasue God isn't going anywhere. They're primarly losing their traditional religion, not their theism. Traditional religion will simply be replaced.

They lumped atheism, agnosticsm, and "nothing in particular" under the same percentage.

Just thought I'd mention that.

 

[Retro Rob]

Really? You actually believe this change is science based? That seems pretty far fetched given declining science scores in the US. It's far more likely that this change is apathy based. Who the hell wants to get up on a Sunday morning and go to church?

:thumbsup:

 

[IronWing]

They lumped atheism, agnosticsm, and "nothing in particular" under the same percentage.

Just thought I'd mention that.

Yeah, the lumping on the graph is odd. Also, can one be black but not historically black?