Christianity in Rapid Decline

[Channman 2]

popsjumper

NOT directed at any one person...

Quote

it's about how the individual feels they are included in a healthy society - oddly, religion COULD be a way to do that, if it weren't for the nutbags, most people do fine - those of faith, and those not so much..

It's appalling that you light-thinking people bash all the good people out here simply because they have a religious belief. Your opinions on the reality of the benefits of religious belief is small-minded to say the least.

Believe or not as is your choice. You are making asses out of yourselves by bashing the good people out here AND the driving force of their goodness AND the good works they do.

No, don't back track now....you say believers are idiots, in so many words, yet it's just those "idiots" who would be sorely missed should they decide to stop doing those good works.

Ask yourself...What is really driving me to bash others for their religious beliefs?

How many of you do it because you don't have a religious belief so, in order to make yourselves feel better and more sophisticated than others, you feel the need to bring others down to a status lower than yours?


Nutters are nutters. Yep, some nutters do things trying to hide behind the screen of "religion". It's pretty small-minded to assume that it's the religion and not the individual.

Watch out now, with that kind of support you might find yourself in the same camp and shower with those damn christians with a bus backup to it

How many non-religious groups i.e. organizations that put boots on the ground, millions of dollars of their organizations charitable giving to fund,assist, rebuild, care for, among other things in Hattie after the earth quake? I'm just asking the question is there a significant atheist group, humanist group, Satanist group that is funneling their assists, time and energy in a major financial manner? Maybe WeareAtheism which donated 25K to Boston Marathon Tragedy, OK awesome, but that amount was not even a drop compaired to what the church poured into the area. What organization does at least as much as say Samaritan's Purse, Salvation Army, Ten Thousand Homes to only name three?

[Channman 2]

NORTH EAST STATES, damn I even gave a direction, but didn't feel It necessary to name them, I did however name two on the WEST COAST. Hope that helps ya.

[Rstanley0312 1]

Channman

***Sorry I forgot, the USA is the only place that matters. Christianity is a decline here too.

This is true, the christain church is very much in decline in the North East states, Oregan, Washington State to name a few. But its also very much on the increase in the south. Lakewood church in Houston has roughly 20,000 plus in attendance every Sunday morning, Sagemont Church in Houston has 2 services with about 10,000 plus in attendance in total and 2 awaken services that are for the youth with about 1,800 in total every sunday morning.

Then there is City Mark church that started less than a year ago with only 140 attending and now has roughly 660 every sunday.

Marseille France, has a Underground church located there which started over a year ago with just 3 people. It now has over 40 meeting every sunday. 3 of them were Muslims and 3 others are Pro Soccer players. I use the term underground because they meet in a home.

I know this is bad news to ya. But we hope to be around for many years to come. My concern is we might be the next group sent to re-education camps for a shower. After all there are those that think a world without religion, replaced with humanism would be much better.

OH, just want to give a shout out to the NSA that is recording all our statements, HAVE A NICE DAY

I think Christianity is on the upswing.... Catholicism is on the decline along with other very structured protestant churches i.e. Lutheran/Methodist churches.

Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

[Channman 2]

RMK

Quote

the christain church is very much in decline in the North East states, Oregan, Washington State to name a few.

Do they even teach geography in US schools anymore?

The US does have a high number of religious zealots, but certainly has a higher number of non-religious than thought. Unlike Europe, in the US you can easily be ostracised by friends, family and even damage your career if you are openly athiest or agnostic - better to just say "yeah I'm Protestant" and not incur the hassle

Zealots: interesting use of a word...well I guess that wasn't directed at me, as I'm no Jew. But I do love my Jewish friends very much.

[Channman 2]

RMK mentioned unlike in the UK, to come out as an Atheist in the US can potential cause you great grief with family members, and or be a death nail to a career.

This is quite true, maybe not so much for your career, but family can find it just as shocking as saying you shagged a Goat. Not realy sure how often shagging a goat occurs in the UK or the US.

A former atheist attending our church, born and raised as an atheist much like I was born and raised in a christian home, she is very much in that place as RMK mentioned in his reply. At work, around new friends she is excepted, but with her family members she is keeping her new life in secret so that her relationship with her mother who is not just Mom but Best Friend is not damaged.

[wmw999 2,587]

And where I work, I just listen to all the comments that make it clear that "all good people are conservative Christians who vote Republican and think liberals are morons" without saying anything.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[rehmwa 2]

wmw999

And where I work, I just listen to all the comments that make it clear that "all good people are conservative Christians who vote Republican and think liberals are morons" without saying anything.

I can flip that pretty easy for my area. And it's likely even more dramatic here (yes, I know you are in Texas too - or is it Florida now?)

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[wmw999 2,587]

I'm sure you can. Still in Texas, the buckle on the Bible belt . Funny how people can think they would never ever ever be different, yet different groups are so similar based on social structure? It's what makes sociology so fascinating to me
Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Bolas 5]

popsjumper

No, don't back track now....you say believers are idiots, in so many words, yet it's just those "idiots" who would be sorely missed should they decide to stop doing those good works.

“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.” - Steven Weinberg

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[Channman 2]

wmw999

And where I work, I just listen to all the comments that make it clear that "all good people are conservative Christians who vote Republican and think liberals are morons" without saying anything.

Wendy P.

Wendy, give me a name girl, just give me a name...I stand up for you. Those bastards, they sound like a bunch of Pharisee's.

[wmw999 2,587]

It's not a NASA contractor any more; I'm a contractor on a couple of different things, mainly just to keep busy. That said, I don't think that anyone would ever think that they could be that way, but from the outside it's certainly the perception

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[RMK 3]

Channman

Zealots: interesting use of a word...

Last minute word change on my iPhone; didn’t immediately think of it as a Jewish origin term - meant as a synonym for fanatical.

In my youth, my mother took us to Church every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night Bible study included. Finally, in my teens was gradually able to get out of going – I never plan to step foot in a church again.

I realise to some, their religious faith is very much a part of who they are and this makes it difficult to have an open conversion with them (I’m OK with calling the NRA crowd “gun crazies”, but believe it’s poor form to use similar phrasing in religious debates/discussions).

I don’t believe a reasonable person needs the “Ten Commandments” to know it’s wrong to kill or steal. On net, over the past millennium, it could be argued religion (globally/all) has caused mankind more harm than good.

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[popsjumper 2]

rehmwa

So you realize that you and I are agreeing here right?

Yes.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

RMK

***the christain church is very much in decline in the North East states, Oregan, Washington State to name a few.

Do they even teach geography in US schools anymore?

Apparently, not.
Wait...have we had a magnetic reversal lately? Would that reverse East and West?

no

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

wmw999

And where I work, I just listen to all the comments that make it clear that "all good people are conservative Christians who vote Republican and think liberals are morons" without saying anything.

Wendy P.

But I bet you, like me, would be hard-pressed to keep a straight face.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

I couldn't do it.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[kelpdiver 2]

billvon

=================
The Pew Forum

May 06, 2012
The fastest growing religion in America is Islam

Do you know what the fastest growing religion in America is? It isn't Christianity. According to the latest U.S. Religion Census that was just released on May 1, 2012, the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The data for the census was compiled by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, and the results were released by the Association of Religion Data Archives. From the year 2000 to the year 2010, the census found that the number of Muslims living inside the United States increased by about 1 million to 2.6 million - a stunning increase of 66.7 percent. That is an astounding rate of growth. Meanwhile, most Christian denominations had rates of growth that were far below the overall rate of population growth in the United States, and some Christian denominations actually lost members. Sadly, when Barack Obama once said that "we are no longer a Christian nation" he wasn't too far off the mark. Christianity is rapidly losing influence and other religions such as Islam are rapidly gaining members and building new places of worship. As other major religions such as Islam continue to grow in the United States, it is inevitable that this will reshape America in many different ways in the years ahead.
=====================

Funny how it doesn't mention the size of those Christian denominations, just saying that they increased by less than the growth of population (which likely means more than the entire growth of Islams in actual number. That astounding 66.7% growth he writes of still doesn't get the religion to 1%.

Worldwide, there's no doubt that Christianity is declining. You can no longer kill people for refusing to be part of it. Sadly, that's not true for those living in Islamic dominated nations. But in time....

[skinnay 0]

Channman

***NOT directed at any one person...

Quote

it's about how the individual feels they are included in a healthy society - oddly, religion COULD be a way to do that, if it weren't for the nutbags, most people do fine - those of faith, and those not so much..

It's appalling that you light-thinking people bash all the good people out here simply because they have a religious belief. Your opinions on the reality of the benefits of religious belief is small-minded to say the least.

Believe or not as is your choice. You are making asses out of yourselves by bashing the good people out here AND the driving force of their goodness AND the good works they do.

No, don't back track now....you say believers are idiots, in so many words, yet it's just those "idiots" who would be sorely missed should they decide to stop doing those good works.

Ask yourself...What is really driving me to bash others for their religious beliefs?

How many of you do it because you don't have a religious belief so, in order to make yourselves feel better and more sophisticated than others, you feel the need to bring others down to a status lower than yours?


Nutters are nutters. Yep, some nutters do things trying to hide behind the screen of "religion". It's pretty small-minded to assume that it's the religion and not the individual.

Watch out now, with that kind of support you might find yourself in the same camp and shower with those damn christians with a bus backup to it

How many non-religious groups i.e. organizations that put boots on the ground, millions of dollars of their organizations charitable giving to fund,assist, rebuild, care for, among other things in Hattie after the earth quake? I'm just asking the question is there a significant atheist group, humanist group, Satanist group that is funneling their assists, time and energy in a major financial manner? Maybe WeareAtheism which donated 25K to Boston Marathon Tragedy, OK awesome, but that amount was not even a drop compaired to what the church poured into the area. What organization does at least as much as say Samaritan's Purse, Salvation Army, Ten Thousand Homes to only name three?

You're asking who runs a bigger marketing campaign. So yes, I'm sure christians will win that one.

There are plenty of secular aid groups, you don't know it because they simply call themselves aid groups.

[maadmax 0]

skinnay

What will Jesus do all day when no one believes in him?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10062745/Christianity-declining-50pc-faster-than-thought-as-one-in-10-under-25s-is-a-Muslim.html

Not a big deal. The number that is really important is the number of those who have had their lives transformed by the Love of God. That number has always been small. I will be interested to see if Britain misses their Christians once Islam becomes the national religion. Now that mohammed has become the most popular name for males born in Britain we shouldn't have long to wait.


...

[oldwomanc6 60]

skinnay

What will Jesus do all day when no one believes in him?

I'm pretty sure that God doesn't need your validation. And if He does, He'll take it up with you.
It's not like He ceases to exist because people don't think He does.



[preparing for incoming fire]

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[mistercwood 287]

maadmax

Now that mohammed has become the most popular name for males born in Britain we shouldn't have long to wait.
...

It's been the most common first name in the world for a couple decades... what's your point?

You are playing chicken with a planet - you can't dodge and planets don't blink. Act accordingly.

[regulator 0]

skinnay

******NOT directed at any one person...

Quote

it's about how the individual feels they are included in a healthy society - oddly, religion COULD be a way to do that, if it weren't for the nutbags, most people do fine - those of faith, and those not so much..

It's appalling that you light-thinking people bash all the good people out here simply because they have a religious belief. Your opinions on the reality of the benefits of religious belief is small-minded to say the least.

Believe or not as is your choice. You are making asses out of yourselves by bashing the good people out here AND the driving force of their goodness AND the good works they do.

No, don't back track now....you say believers are idiots, in so many words, yet it's just those "idiots" who would be sorely missed should they decide to stop doing those good works.

Ask yourself...What is really driving me to bash others for their religious beliefs?

How many of you do it because you don't have a religious belief so, in order to make yourselves feel better and more sophisticated than others, you feel the need to bring others down to a status lower than yours?


Nutters are nutters. Yep, some nutters do things trying to hide behind the screen of "religion". It's pretty small-minded to assume that it's the religion and not the individual.

Watch out now, with that kind of support you might find yourself in the same camp and shower with those damn christians with a bus backup to it

How many non-religious groups i.e. organizations that put boots on the ground, millions of dollars of their organizations charitable giving to fund,assist, rebuild, care for, among other things in Hattie after the earth quake? I'm just asking the question is there a significant atheist group, humanist group, Satanist group that is funneling their assists, time and energy in a major financial manner? Maybe WeareAtheism which donated 25K to Boston Marathon Tragedy, OK awesome, but that amount was not even a drop compaired to what the church poured into the area. What organization does at least as much as say Samaritan's Purse, Salvation Army, Ten Thousand Homes to only name three?

You're asking who runs a bigger marketing campaign. So yes, I'm sure christians will win that one.

There are plenty of secular aid groups, you don't know it because they simply call themselves aid groups.
-------------------------------------------------------
How bad does it upset you that god doesn't care who you cherish?

[quade 4]

oldwomanc6

It's not like He ceases to exist because people don't think He does.

Clap your hands.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[-Joey- 0]

oldwomanc6

It's not like He ceases to exist because people don't think He does.

Nor does he exist because people think he does. He either does or he doesn't, and the only way to discern which is so is to apply logic and subject religious claims to scientific scrutiny. When someone who claims to be the all-knowing creator of the universe says that a mustard seed is the smallest seed in the world, for example, we can determine the veracity of that claim with some simple measurements under a microscope. If the claim turns out to be false, they either weren't all-knowing, or were deceptive. What does the fact that promoters of religion don't wish to validate their claims that say about their credibility?

Skydiving is serious business

[billvon 3,111]

>It's not like He ceases to exist because people don't think He does.

True. Of course, that's true of Allah, Vishnu, Elohim, Brahman and Yaweh as well.

[quade 4]

billvon

>It's not like He ceases to exist because people don't think He does.

True. Of course, that's true of Allah, Vishnu, Elohim, Brahman and Yaweh as well.

Tinker Bell, oh wait... Clap if you believe!

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver