Is Christianity in Decline in America?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/12/christianity-faces-sharp-decline-as-americans-are-becoming-even-less-affiliated-with-religion/

Originally posted by psmith81992
A little over 1% point a year and it's still 71%. I don't see that as continuously declining but yea we can start a new thread.

True, but you must think long term. If it goes at the same rate for 30 years, Christians would make up 40% of Americans.

I'd imagine if you limited the study to just non-Hispanic whites, the drop would be even more severe.

Also, look back to 1990. In my lifetime Christianity has dropped 15%. That's not negligible at all.

This is nothing but a positive development. Finally some good news today.

Originally posted by Surtur
This is nothing but a positive development. Finally some good news today.

You make zero sense.

http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/the-real-but-overstated-decline-of-american-christianity/?_r=0
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/faith-matters/2015/05/14/decline-in-us-christians-doesnt-mean-god-is-losing-ground
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/losing.faith.in.america.study.shows.decline.in.religion.rise.in.atheism/53790.htm

As pertains to the last link (which is the general study being discussed), I did not know they only interviewed 35,000 people. That is a SMALL sample size.

I've seen some similar things, and it's interesting data. From everything I've read, this is a general trend worldwide, with exceptions in many African countries and scattered others. But it's important to note that the total number of Christians is slightly increasing worldwide, due to population increase and the African boom, even while the percentage drops slightly worldwide.

One of the things I found most interesting was the data on unaffiliated people. "Unaffiliated" certainly doesn't mean non-religious. But the article has an interesting data point when it mentions that 31% of "nones" identify as agnostics or atheists (I'd imagine that split being heavily toward agnostic), which is up 7 points from 2007. That's the most interesting point to me, because in the past those numbers have held steadier even while "unaffiliated" increased slightly.

I see this as mostly a good thing, mainly because we're reaching a point where there's going to be more of a homogeneous distribution of beliefs in society. Which, over a few generations, will equal more tolerance. I honestly don't think quite as much will change as many of my fellow atheists might - good and evil in society are human good/evil, minus a couple negative issues where religion plays a definite catalyst. But there are other reasons it's a positive trend, as mentioned. Mostly, though, I see this as neutral. Interesting, but not earth-shaking.

Banal as comments usually are beneath blogs like that, one comment touched on an interesting point. Is the far religious right actually driving people away from religion more quickly, because people don't want to be associated with it? I was Catholic growing up, and I listened to reasonable, moderate Catholics say they were ashamed to be associated with the Church as they went through one child rape scandal after another. They knew enough to know that their beliefs were NOT those acts, but it still weighed on them. What affect does this have when you multiply that by all of the media channels we have in today's world, compounded by the vocal extremists operating under a Christian name? I'm not conflating the two personally, but for someone growing up and seeing it all around them, how could it not be an influence?

Christianity declines.

Selfishness increases dramatically.

Sounds about right.

Originally posted by psmith81992
You make zero sense.

http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/the-real-but-overstated-decline-of-american-christianity/?_r=0
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/faith-matters/2015/05/14/decline-in-us-christians-doesnt-mean-god-is-losing-ground
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/losing.faith.in.america.study.shows.decline.in.religion.rise.in.atheism/53790.htm

As pertains to the last link (which is the general study being discussed), I did not know they only interviewed 35,000 people. That is a SMALL sample size.

Properly controlled for demographics, neither is it insignificant. As with any study, it's not the end of the discussion but the beginning. Any single study is insufficient for so large a point. But trying to dismiss it on such grounds is equally cavalier. Pew is like THE entity that does these studies, so this isn't a hack-job study that can be quickly ignored.

As it happens, a quick Google search will turn up that this matches other studies on the subject, so it becomes even less easy to dismiss.

Your one link called it "real but overstated" and that might be a more reasonable compromise between your position and that of the OP's article.

Another of your articles makes an interesting point about people tending to be "wired for belief." He frames it in religious terms, while I'd frame it in biological terms, but he's got a point. There's ample reason to believe we have an evolutionary predilection for belief. The takeaway is that while individual belief systems may fade - even the world's most massive - but the population as a whole will likely continue to have some sort of belief, whether specific or agnostic. The "none" category may continue to increase indefinitely, but that's not to say people are abandoning religious or spiritual beliefs as a whole.

Originally posted by Flyattractor
[b]Selfishness increases dramatically. [/B]

Citation needed.

Digi, can you wire me 100 dollars?

Originally posted by Omega Vision

True, but you must think long term. If it goes at the same rate for 30 years, Christians would make up 40% of Americans.

That strikes me as... pretty unlikely. We've got a lot of Christian traditions and get a lot of Christian immigrants.

While some decline isn't unlikely, we're quite far from Christians not being the solid majority.

Originally posted by Q99
That strikes me as... pretty unlikely. We've got a lot of Christian traditions and get a lot of Christian immigrants.

While some decline isn't unlikely, we're quite far from Christians not being the solid majority.

The left can only hope.

Originally posted by Flyattractor
[b]The left can only hope. [/B]

This isn't politics; it's sociological data.

srug

Beyond that, this is nonsensical following the previous post. The left is hoping that Hispanics will leave religion? Does the left not already command the VAST majority of the Hispanic vote?

This is a long-term thing. We have no idea what politics will look like in 10 years, let alone the 40-50 we'll need to see some of these trends play out fully.

Originally posted by Digi
This isn't politics; it's sociological data.

srug

Beyond that, this is nonsensical following the previous post. The left is hoping that Hispanics will leave religion? Does the left not already command the VAST majority of the Hispanic vote?

This is a long-term thing. We have no idea what politics will look like in 10 years, let alone the 40-50 we'll need to see some of these trends play out fully.

What were politics like in 1975? Now compare them to today. Prediction that far out is impossible with these things.

That said, if you're right, it makes Fly's comment all the more irrelevant.

Latinos, except Cubans, were liberal in 1975, weren't they?

I actually have no idea. My knowledge of political minutia evaporates before Clinton. Even if they were, though, my point was about the number and scope of changes in general from 1975. Maybe that particular demographic wasn't affected by the changes this time, but there's no reason to think that will continue.

All other things being equal, yes, it's more likely, but hardly a certainty. I'd also agree more strongly with you if it were a slightly smaller number. 10, maybe even as much as 20-25.

I have no doubt Christianity is on the decline. That's one of primary reasons why our nation has fallen so far and not only from a morality standpoint either. Also, it's a clear sign that we are living in last days because the decline (along with persecution of Christians) was propheseid in the Bible. So believers rejoice at this news because they know it means we are getting close to the time when Christ will return. 🙂

Originally posted by Flyattractor
[b]Christianity declines.

Selfishness increases dramatically.

Sounds about right. [/B]

👆

Exactly.

Originally posted by Star428
I have no doubt Christianity is on the decline. That's one of primary reasons why our nation has fallen so far and not only from a morality standpoint either. Also, it's a clear sign that we are living in last days because the decline (along with persecution of Christians) was propheseid in the Bible. So believers rejoice at this news because they know it means we are getting close to the time when Christ will return. 🙂

Reminds me of that old Patton Oswald bit about everybody standing around in the afterlife and this one guy bragging about how he died during the APOCOLYPSE BABY!!!!

Originally posted by Star428
I have no doubt Christianity is on the decline. That's one of primary reasons why our nation has fallen so far and not only from a morality standpoint either. Also, it's a clear sign that we are living in last days because the decline (along with persecution of Christians) was propheseid in the Bible. So believers rejoice at this news because they know it means we are getting close to the time when Christ will return. 🙂

So instead of promoting what you see as a just and true religion to bring people into the fold, you're delighting in the idea that billions are about to die, future generations will never exist, and most of those billions - many of them goodly and innocent people - are to be condemned to Hell for believing the wrong stuff.

Am I getting that right? I'm not attempting a debate here. Believe whatever you want. I'm just genuinely curious about the specificity of your position on this.

i wonder if trump is the antichrist

he has plenty of antichrist potential imo