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).

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…

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…”

I know that’s not directly related to this post, but I just wanted to declare my own experience and relationship with God.

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- embersky@gmail.com

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.