"Secularism is a religion...Atheism is a religion"

[strummer77]

On a rather seperate point, do people think the decline in religion will continue, or is it just a dip?

[kaosmark2]

as time moves on, and more people get educated, and understanding and accepting of other cultures, it sems fairly inevitable that it will carry on its decline

[kaosmark2]

Most current established religions will decline I think. Islam is obviously on the up at the moment but over time I can't see it.

I think the pure amount of scientific evidence and cultural shifts that makes these religions look outdated and irrelevant should mean the decline will continue. Of course, it's hard to predict because there's so many factors.

[kaosmark2]

Yup... Is it really that shocking ?

Yes

I honestly can't speak for all of them. Many accept I have faith while not wanting to commit to everything they might personally believe. We pray together... We do charity stuff together... None of them seem to take issue...

Well I believe Christ was our saviour... "Son of god" is an easy one... We are all the sons of god

[eFestivals]

There is certainly a decline in church attendance... I don't believe this necessary shows a huge decline in "faith" though...

while the two aren't necessarily related, there is a continuing decline in faith - even the polls carried out by faith groups say that's the result of their research.

But alongside of that, those who do have faith are tending to become more extreme about their faith. There's far fewer 'mild Christians' and many more of the ranting & preaching kinds.

Look at the census... People point to the church decline yet people still declare themselves as Christian and how its a total mismatch. Is it ? Or are people still faithful while choosing not to attend church and structured religons ? Because that's me and I doubt I am alone...

The census shows an ever declining religious belief.

And if it wasn't for those who have chosen to live in this country over the past couple of decades that decline would be far faster.

[kaosmark2]

Maybe, if you say so... I am sure someone will think something else...

[Ed209]

Yup... Is it really that shocking ?

Yes

I honestly can't speak for all of them. Many accept I have faith while not wanting to commit to everything they might personally believe. We pray together... We do charity stuff together... None of them seem to take issue...

Well I believe Christ was our saviour... "Son of god" is an easy one... We are all the sons of god

Edited February 16, 2012 by Ed209

[eFestivals]

I am sure someone will think something else...

Yep. That's the BIG BIG problem with religious beliefs, that unless you've swallowed the book whole, everyone has a different idea of what it's saying.

Which gets to mean that there's no such thing as Christianity unless you're a fundamentalist.

[eFestivals]

You tell me what you think is the "Christian faith"

there can be no argument about this.

Jesus was the son of God, sent to earth by God to save humanity from itself.

Anything outside of that makes someone not a Christian.

[kaosmark2]

You tell me what you think is the "Christian faith" and I will tell you if I am talking YOUR language...

If any given person tells another given person they are "Christian" then all sorts of preconceived ideas about that person fills their head... I prefer people to take me as the individual I am and not pigeon hole me based on there own warped understanding of who I am and what I think...

Read this thread, read the comments about "christian"... are you shocked I don't want to be piegoned holed....

[kaosmark2]

I said earlier on... You tell me what a Christian is and I will tell you if I am a Christian... Get a hundred Christians in a room and I bet you wouldn't get the same answer once...

[eFestivals]

Get a hundred Christians in a room and I bet you wouldn't get the same answer once...

which just goes to show that it is all invention and not any truth, cos people make it up as they go along, or pick and mix the bits they like and don't like.

[kaosmark2]

There are a lot of hateful idiots out there...

I was heavily attacked on here because people couldn't get around I was a Christian and didn't support homophobic... I was called a pick n mix Christian ...

I would rather be viewed just as "having faith"... Because that is the best way to describe me...

[eFestivals]

I was heavily attacked on here because people couldn't get around I was a Christian and didn't support homophobic... I was called a pick n mix Christian ...

Last time I can remember the god/Christianity discussion being had here you were categorically stating the you were NOT a Christian.

So when you flip flop around like you do, it just gets to show you don't have the faith you claim.

And that's before getting on to what your God has told you do and not do, and whose word gets to show that you are going to hell for denying your God.

[kaosmark2]

*shrugs*

Ask them...

[5co77ie]

what have the Romans ever done for us?

Barry Fish [in a fit of rage in his room.] I'm not a Christian, eFestivals, and I never will be. I'm a kike, a yid, a heebie, a hook-nose, I'm kosher, eFestivals. I'm a red sea pedestrian, and proud of it.

Edited February 16, 2012 by 5co77ie

[eFestivals]

Where have I flipped back to being a Christian ?

I've no idea. But you've said you are, then you've said you're not (not ion this thread but one a while back, around a year), and now you're saying you are again.

I've only got what you say to work from.

So you are saying I don't have "faith" ?... Whatever you say... *shrugs* / *look face bothered*

By the very definition of faith, you don't have faith.

That aside, the only thing you have to connect you to the idea of any god is a book. A book where you chose to believe some parts yet dismiss the others.

Which makes the belief in the idea of a god somewhat questionable, in logical deduction at least.

[kaosmark2]

I didn't like the pigeon holing... and when I thought about "what is a Christian" I couldn't give an answer...

I think its too simplistic to just say one god + JC did x... The thoughts on JC alone is so varied...

I think saying "I am COE", "I am Catholic" mean a lot more than saying "I am Christian"... but even then, it doesn't say a lot...

[Ed209]

Nope, that's it. A Christian believes in God the father, the son and the holy spirit. That jesus was sent to save the world by dying on the cross. He then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Anything beyond that comes down to personal views. Barry's a Christian. He just doesn't like the word.

[Kowalski]

Been delayd... Wife in a meeting gggggrrrrr

[kaosmark2]

If you want to call me a Christian then fine, I don't call myself one though and I won't be held accountable for your pigeon holing... It's easy to do that than accept someone who belives in god has their own opinion....

[eFestivals]

Been delayd... Wife in a meeting gggggrrrrr

But I also don't discount what the Muslims or what any other faith say either...

There maybe more than one god.. JC may not have been the only saviour in our history etc... Maybe JC appeared in multiple forms to different people... Maybe we all worship the same god.. Etc etc

We shouldn't be blinkered about this stuff..

while that might be open minded of you, it's contrary to what each of those religions says. "I am the one God".

It's another case of you choosing to not believe parts of the book that suggested the whole idea of the fantasy figure that gets called a god to you in the first place.

It's easy to do that than accept someone who belives in god has their own opinion....

again, open minded of you.

It's just a shame that your Christian brothers aren't so opened minded else this thread would never have come to exist for us to be having this discussion.

Meanwhile (trying to pull it back to it's starting subject) I wonder what that ex-Archbish is thinking about his ex-boss, the leder of his church, having (basically) called him a bigot.

[Ed209]

Been delayd... Wife in a meeting gggggrrrrr

But I also don't discount what the Muslims or what any other faith say either...

There maybe more than one god.. JC may not have been the only saviour in our history etc... Maybe JC appeared in multiple forms to different people... Maybe we all worship the same god.. Etc etc

We shouldn't be blinkered about this stuff..

I don't belive god has a plan for each of us either...

If you want to call me a Christian then fine, I don't call myself one though and I won't be held accountable for your pigeon holing... It's easy to do that than accept someone who belives in god has their own opinion....

[eFestivals]

whenever you go to church you have to say the Creed which is the declaration of faith .....

I absolutely love the absurdity of people having to make the same declaration of faith over and over again, just in case tyhey'vew forgotten what they have faith in.

A sharp mind might come to realise it's a basic way of brainwashing. Who'd have thought that god thinks it's dangerous for his creations to think for themselves?

[Kyelo]

On a rather seperate point, do people think the decline in religion will continue, or is it just a dip?