America's Changing Religious Identity

Discussion in 'Faith and Religion' started by chelloveck, Sep 12, 2017.


  1. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Religious Identity is a changing demographic reality in several western nations, including Australia, the UK , and America. Christianity is waning in the USA as the preeminent religion, and even within Christianity, there are significant changes in denominational predominance.

    The recently published Nashville Statement Nashville Statement is evidence that conservative Christianity is declining towards irrelevance. Fewer and fewer younger Christians are signing on to that particular flavour of fundamentalism.
    Why Not Sign the Nashville Statement?
    The Nashville Statement Is the Religious Right’s Death Rattle

     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2017
  2. techsar

    techsar Monkey+++

    To take for granted an obscure "statement" as factual or proof of a trend is beyond ridiculous.

    Perhaps it is more an indicator of the irrelevance of polls.
     
  3. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Read the whole thing. Seems like us white Christians are guilty of plundering the Earth, destroying the minorities, and preventing the self anointed from running the country as they wish and thus must be replaced as soon as possible. As I have said before, my long term plan is to die and let all of the tree huggers, racially diverse, protect the environment, allow unlimited immigration and encourage the Moslem's to come in, groups to starve to death while wearing a burka under Sharia law, all the while enjoying the perfect world that they have created.
     
  4. 3M-TA3

    3M-TA3 Cold Wet Monkey

    Yes, yes, Christianity has been declining in the US my entire life. During that time we have also become a bunch of out of shape, uneducated bunch of entitled louts. Don't know if there is a connection or not, though when I have lived in conservative Christian areas people tended to be fitter, better educated, more humble, and the area was both cleaner and safer than here in Nutlandia. Sign me up for a trip in a time machine back to the days when we were sane.
     
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  5. Tevin

    Tevin Monkey+++

    I wonder if it's the same pollsters who swore Hillary was going to win in a "landslide".
     
  6. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Of course... The MSM, WHO ELSE.... they get it Wrong a lot... I mean the WeatherMan has better Odds of getting it right...
     
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  7. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Organized religion is taking a decline nationally, folks are getting wise to the corporate church. But from my armchair, non-denominational Christianity is surging here in the NW, an area that is the lowest "churched" in the nation. Our youth ministry is surging with young folks that want to know Jesus and participate in an active group....without the religious dogma and issues we routinely hear happening with organized religion.

    It is paramount for churches to have strong youth groups to grow new disciples!! To many churches over the last 20 or 30 years have focused on the adults and put the kids in the corner....that is the main reason for religious participation numbers falling, as those kids become adults, they don't get engaged religiously. I think that trend is changing.... and it is up to parents, mentors, fellow members and all involved....to participate in creating new active members to carry the word forward.
     
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  8. Meat

    Meat Monkey+++


    Pastor Gas. :D
     
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  9. Mindgrinder

    Mindgrinder Karma Pirate Ninja|RIP 12-25-2017

    Been more than a couple years since I've been in a brick and mortar church...
    Planning on visiting a few with my new lady friend in the upcoming months.
    :)
     
  10. snake6264

    snake6264 Combat flip flop douchebag

    THe church alla organized religion is alway asking you for something money time ect. and it should go the other way around a church should be asking what do you need how can we help not we need as percentage of your income
     
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  11. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    This ^^^^ people may not be going to church but they are practicing Christianity in their lives. Many churches have become political and to far removed from what church is supposed to be about. Fellowship, kindness, worship and charity can all be done from home. I really miss going to church.
     
  12. OldDude49

    OldDude49 Just n old guy

    Just posted a article on DISinformation... might be time to read up on it and how it is used...

    Oh... and... there are shills that are paid to spread disinformation... they wander about on forums... post... and get paid...

    perhaps the worst ones for such... do it without pay? (the true believers perhaps?)
     
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  13. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    [OO]..... gett'n serious if you are going down that road..... becouse of a gurl....... [seeno][hearno][sayno]
     
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  14. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Being a believer should have always been lived at home and in the world, and church was to be a place of worship to God and examination of ones lifestyle, and fellowship with fellow believers, and a place for those seeking God to make that introduction .
    Churches in this area are having 3 and 4 services every sunday morning because they are crowded .some 300-500 per service .
    So I don't see the pole being relevant .
    I visit other churches in the area not being connected to any particular one. I do this to pray for them and hear what they are being taught.
    Some teachers push the limits of their teaching ,some only fallow the program and some don't even do that.
    Some teachers have no experience in the depth of a Holy Spirit taught walk, and thus, cant teach it. if any thing can only make assumptions .
    Most never even venture that far ,afraid of controversies for those fearful of learning to be obedient to God.
    From the few I talk to ,most I think actually listen to the message, initially. The rare few that are actually hungry though tend to get more meat out of it.
    Depends who you came to listen to , the teacher, or the Holy Spirit speaking to you from with in.
     
  15. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    While I am not a Christian, I see the value of Christian Churches or any church that has a moral and ethical center. The value is in the social aspect of what is acceptable and what is not. Those 10 commandments pretty much cover everything and don't leave much leeway. The more people walk away from basic fundamental structures like those, the bigger S Hole this Nation becomes. We see more and more Individual application of all religions, rather than the religion being the basis for the Community or society as a whole. So with each passing year the social bar is lowered and society becomes just a little more trashy. Religion is one factor among many in the trend of social decay. Most folks I see now days seem to be leaning towards "The Entitlement of the one outweighs the needs of the many."
     
    Bandit99, Ura-Ki and Yard Dart like this.
  16. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    I think it is quite amazing that even our little group here on the forum seems to be disenchanted with organized religion...
    So, I would say that that article probably has some validity; however, personally, I think @Yard Dart got it right, There is a major shift from the 'corporate churches' (BTW, well said @Yard Dart ) but I do not see a shift away from Christianity or, put in my own terms, a shift away from God. I think people after a thousand years finally have gotten wise to organized religion.

    Also, I add this tidbit... My wife attends a Russian Orthodox church. What I found to be fascinating is the amount of people (native speaking Americans) that have converted to this church and its religion because they found their own to be too watered down, too self centered, too hypocritical, too money hungry and too corporate. About half the church are converts... Church is given in two languages, Russian and English with about 300-500 attendees.
     
  17. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    I agree with most here, people seem to be wised up on "commercial religon" and instead have taken church home to their families! We are Orthodox in my family, we find that the church dosnt ask for money, they ask you to help, they build comunity, not profit from comunity, and they support Comunity! YardDart pointed out a meet factoid, areas where religion isn't being practiced are pretty ugly, take a drive through Portland Or, or Denver, or Seattle, or Phoenix and they look like a third world country!!! Now take a drive through Salt Lake City and tell me religion dosnt build comunity! I see it almost every day, and like T5R points out, the basic fundamentals are what's really missing, not only in the church but in society! Where do we go from here? I think people generally believe in good nesa, and they try to follow those beliefs, but with out the church putting it's spin on things, its going to be interesting going forward! We see several hundred folks come through our church, and we have 4 bishops to handle services in both languages, and we have seen many convert over. One of the things I have noticed in speaking with the new members is the old churches they used to go to always had a group of elders start making demands and tell n folks what and how to live, and if you don't submit, you are cast out! With that kind of attitude, it's no wonder the churches are suffering a crises of conscious!
     
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  18. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    Small churches are closing and the mega church cults are getting bigger.
     
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  19. M118LR

    M118LR Caution: Does not play well with others.

    It's easy to find a Deity in a foxhole. But like Louis L" Armour wrote, what happens to all the Lonesome Gods?
     
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