In the past few days, two very interesting stories have broken in the main stream press. Firstly, we have the article in the New York Times reporting in a study called “U.S Religious Landscape Survey” by The Pew Forum. This study seems to suggest a steady decline in religion, with one of the most notable statistics revealing that people are less likely to be affiliated to a religion as they become adults. This backs up my own view, that many children are religious, and stay religious, purely because it’s what they were taught by their parents. A sensible law would surely be to completely remove all religious teachings from schools (and make it illegal for parents to project their own beliefs onto their children) until such an age that children can make their own informed decision.
Another promising trend is the huge loss being experienced by Catholiscism. Hopefully this indicates that people are becomming less accepting of hard-line practices, such as those of the Catholic Church. You’ll note that the article seems to suggest that the massive increase in those descrining themselves as without affiliation may simpy be down to the fact they are not currently active in a Church, and not that they have lost their belief alltogether. I’d question this analysis based on the fact that there is a Nondenominational option available, which people who fall into that category would surely have picked.
While the non-affiliated now make up the fourth largest “religious group” in the U.S, the story appears to be different across the pond. A recent U.N study claims that Britian is no longer 70% Christian, something everyone has known for a long time. In fact, things appear to have swung in the complete opposite direction, with two thirds of Brits now not claiming to be religious at all. This is certainly in line with my experiences of Modern Britain, where the religious are often viewed with a certain curiosity. Tony Blair’s recent statements support this.
The really interesting part of the report comes with the suggestion that the Church of England should be disbanded.
The role and privileges of the established Church are challenged because they do not reflect “the religious demography of the country and the rising proportion of other Christian denominations.â€
It’s a very interesting idea. If the U.N report, taken from a recent census, can be proven as fact, there is absolutely no reason for the Church of England to enjoy any privileges whatsoever. They effectively become just another charity.
Very interesting read, I wonder if this is a symptom of Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Blogs, etc. making the verifications of facts and the distribution of apostate/atheist/scientific information much more widespread.
This sort of goes hand in hand with what I talked about in one of my recent blog posts, “Atheism Strikes Back… Or Does It?” in which I comment on the history, nature, effects and implications of Atheism.
One of my main points was that Atheism is only possible in a developed (therefore usually liberal) country in which free speech, freedom of religion and a large scientific and educated community are core values of the society. There are a few exceptions but for the most part Atheism is a MODERN development that only survives in developed, liberal societies.
Furthermore, the proponents of Atheism are no more naive than the early Christians and whatever their plans for “Atheitizing” the world will at best case lead to unanticipated consequences and at worst lead to bad consequences.
The early leads of Christianity sought to convert the world, destroy the heretic, create brotherly love, peace and a world wide Christian community. However, our major achievements, technology, free markets, democracy, human and civil rights are all things Christians have tried to stop at one point or another and certainly cannot be attributed to the Christian movement.
The early advocates of the Scientific Method had similar good intentions such as improving human knowledge that was notoriously prone to error. Side affects include nuclear weapons, the holocaust and global warming, only possible with science and advanced technology.
Fact is you just can’t predict the human experience. Theres just too many variables. What will the decrease of Christianity do for the US? At best case, something totally unanticipated and in the worst case something really bad.
Mr. Cake,
You are so absolutely right that “Atheism is only possible in a developed (therefore usually liberal) country in which free speech, freedom of religion and a large scientific and educated community are core values of the society. There are a few exceptions but for the most part Atheism is a MODERN development that only survives in developed, liberal societies.”
My question to you, then, is: so how does such a country get to have free speech, freedom of religion, a large scientific and educated community? Certainly not thanks to the atheists who only turn up once that has already been set up.
Actually, as I have argued here before, I would go a step further and say these good things only fully develop in Christian societies.
Nor do not think that they are “unanticipated consequences”. It was the monks of Europe that rebuilt civilisation after the destruction of the ancient world by the barbarian invasions and they knew well what they were doing and achieving. You are right that the New Atheists haven’t a clue, though, because they offer nothing, just destroy….
Thus, you are absolutely wrong that Christians have tried to stop “our major achievements”. They have largely been responsible for their implementation. By all means give some examples if you think I am mistaken…
I consider myself as a liberal Christian/Agnostic. Though I can understand that there is some truth to the news of demise of religion (In the Western world), it does not really reflect the whole truth. People are just choosing to be discreet about their religious and spiritual beliefs and they do not want to be associated with an institution.
But on the other hand, very fundamental and independent churches are growing in number. Probably, bad news is that it is liberal and humanist churches that are actually dying out.
But out of Western world in other parts of the world religious affiliations will continue to remain very solid, be it Catholicism in Central/Latin America and Philippines or Islam from Morocco, Arab world, South Asia and Indonesia.
Human beings will always long for God as long as there is suffering and death. Not to mention religion-profiteers and cultists will continue to be in business too. Just my personal views.
Rajiv Thind (From New Zealand)
Email- [email protected]
Good post.
I think everyone in the world could stop practicing their religions, and I would still love God. I can only speak for myself. But even though all the evidence and social trends may be in another direction and it would be so much easier to just go with the tide, I still could never deny that I have found God and even if I wanted to I could not “un-find” him.
I know that’s not directly related to this post, but I just wanted to declare my own experience and relationship with God.
Excuse me, atheists, but your triumph is rather premature here. The report merely shows that “Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate”. Since when does “change” mean “lose”? 44% of Americans have changed their religious affiliation. OK, fine. For all I know that could mean that all the Moslems are becoming Bahai’s and vice versa.
In fact the report specifically denies the implication that “Americans are becoming less religious” or the “assumptions that most of the unaffiliated are atheists or agnostics…”
Sorry, I hope it was clear that my previous post was a response to the NY Times article.
Briefly on the rest of it:
1. “Another promising trend is the huge loss being experienced by Catholiscism.” Not true, the article argues that about 1/3 of those born Catholic change their faith, but gives no indication of the recent upsurge of adult conversions. It also (correctly) points out that America has been fairly stable at 25% Catholic for some time now, mainly due to immigrants (also true).
2. Britain is a particularly sad case. The Anglican church seems determined to destroy itself and is doing a good job of it. This state of affairs can not last long: either it dies or rejuvenates (by once again reviving the Christian heritage it has steadily lost).