[Golfingnut]

It is happening, but it is not too late to turn it around. This site below is full of factual data that breaks down the statistics of the decline:

FACT: Statistics on Religion in America Report -- Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

More important the site below this paragraph is research based information as to WHY this trend is ongoing.

REASON WHY: Why Is Christianity on the Decline in America? – The Gospel Coalition Blog

Knowing and accepting that it is happening is knowledge. Knowing why is the first step to change our attitude in an effort to reverse the trend. Many actions theists are taking to increase Christianity is the cause of its decline.

Anyway, I am on a quest for knowledge and found these two sites interesting.

[eweissenbach]

Interesting stuff Lou. In addition to the other reasons mentioned in the second article, explaining the loss of church affiliated people, would be what I would describe as "the emporer is wearing no clothes" theory. In the last thirty years or so there have been alarming numbers of clergy who have been involved in very un- Christianlike activities. The seemingly rampant sexual abuse among Catholic priests; the scandals with well known televangelists; the many pastors involved in sexual lliasons with parishioners, often ending in murder or attempted murder; the embezzlement or misuse of church funds; and on and on........ I think many people look at these scandals and ask themselves, "if these are people who purport to have been chosen by God to represent him on earth, how can I trust any of them to tell me the truth about faith and how to live a Godly life"? I have been a Christian my whole life, but I put little faith in the human beings that run organized religion, and rather try to follow Christ's examples of how to live a righteous life.

[Golfingnut]

Yea, I am fighting to identify where I am with this. I am so disillusioned by what I see coming from our church leaders. I do see and I am getting a real warm and fuzzy from this Pope. The widening space between right and left is responsible for many issues surfacing that seem to have no common ground. We need to hear more love, understanding and acceptance from our church leaders and more common ground decisions from our political leaders.

[DDoug]

It's really to bad this is happening for centuries the bible or organized Christianity kept the world for the most a good place to be. But now with man wanting it to be his way it is falling apart. I am speaking of the world it's just going to hell. A lady at work said to me one day that satan is a live and doing fine. The reason I feel the decline is so rapid is the battle of good and evil is soon at hand . Again just my opinion.

[2BNTV]

Christians aren't perfect, just forgiving. Man's place in the Catholic church as GOD's representatives, has been tainted by the few, who have fallen out of grace, by their wrong doings. They ask forgiveness and for the most part, it is given by the masses. Men are human, therefore they are not perfect, and or will always do the right thing by themselves, or the public at large. IMHO

With men this is impossible, with GOD, all things are possible.

[DAWN MARIE]

We've been warned biblically speaking this was going to happen so we shouldn't be surprised. Jesus said "when I return will I even find faith on the earth?"

Paul wrote to Timothy..."For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables." 2 Tim 4:3-4

Charles Spurgeon the great preacher from the 1800's said the time would come that instead of the Shepherds shepherding the sheep the clowns will be entertaining the goats. Isn't that what we're seeing today?

There is a famine in this land when it comes to the Word of God. We are literally starving to death. Because of it we have no strength.

[donb9006]

Originally Posted by DDoug

It's really to bad this is happening for centuries the bible or organized Christianity kept the world for the most a good place to be. But now with man wanting it to be his way it is falling apart. I am speaking of the world it's just going to hell. A lady at work said to me one day that satan is a live and doing fine. The reason I feel the decline is so rapid is the battle of good and evil is soon at hand . Again just my opinion.

Are you kidding? Maybe for fellow Christians living in England...

Ask the Native Americans of the Caribbean Islands, of Central and South America, the natives of India, Africa, Australia, Hawaii, etc., about how "good a place" Christians made THEIR lands. I hope you're joking...or woefully lacking in history.

The world has always been going to hell, it's no different now.

Christianity along with most religions are losing influence as more and more questions are being answered through means other than religion. As societies and civilizations learn more, their faith in a deity diminishes.

How many Christians are RINOs, Religious In Name Only? Relativism is the name of the game...over 5000 Christian sects proves that. Picking and choosing what you believe and follow, in my opinion, doesn't cut it. You either go ALL-IN, and follow it ALL...the New and Old Testament, or you don't call yourself a Christian. Jesus was a Jew and followed ALL the Jewish laws...what makes the average Christian think he's exempt?

[DAWN MARIE]

Originally Posted by donb9006

the world has always been going to hell, it's no different now.

How many christians are rinos, religious in name only? Relativism is the name of the game...over 5000 christian sects proves that. Picking and choosing what you believe and follow, in my opinion, doesn't cut it. You either go all-in, and follow it all...the new and old testament, or you don't call yourself a christian. Jesus was a jew and followed all the jewish laws...what makes the average christian think he's exempt?

amen!

[Easyrider]

[QUOTE=DAWN MARIE;809059]We've been warned biblically speaking this was going to happen so we shouldn't be surprised. Jesus said "when I return will I even find faith on the earth?"

Paul wrote to Timothy..."For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables." 2 Tim 4:3-4




It is one thing to proclaim not to be a believer but to try and disparage and mock those that do as some of these posts do goes beyond all understanding.

Many of those that lived and witnessed the miracles Jesus performed still did not believe so it only fulfilling the scriptures that there would be many now.

If one only has faith in the things they can see or prove scientifically they will never be a Christian for it comes from and through Faith.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Psalm 14:1
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Isaiah 5:13-15
King James Version (KJV)

14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:

[Carl in Tampa]

The title of the thread is The Decline of Christianity.

The Pew Survey provided as the basis for the discussion does not provide data to support the title of the thread.

First, define terms. Does the term "decline" refer to a change on the numbers of individuals who say they are Christians, or does it refer to a shift in the number of professed Christians who have left the basic tenets or dogmas of their particular denominational choice?

If it is the former, the Pew study gives no basis for demonstrating a decline since there are no numerical changes in membership in the denominations from decade to decade to compare, so the "decline" cannot be demonstrated.

Similarly, if it is the latter, the study still does not give a comparison from decade to decade to establish a demonstration of a decline.

There are a couple of significant quotes in the study. One shows that Christian leaders in the northern half of the globe (North America, Europe) feel that Christianity is in (an undefined) decline, while Christian leaders in the southern half of the globe (South America, sub-Saharan Africa) feel Christianity is expanding.

The study also states that over the past century, the number of Catholics around the globe has more than tripled, from an estimated 291 million in 1910 to nearly 1.1 billion as of 2010. And as the population of the earth has increased the increase in Catholics has increased so that in 1910 Catholics comprised close to 50% of the world Christian population and in 2010 they were still close to 50% of the world Christian population.

Unscientific accounts (not in the study) may "show" that the moral decline in the United States might be considered a "decline" in Christianity, but compared to the debauchery of Rome at the time of the birth of Christianity this would be a hard argument to support. We are not yet feeding Christians to hungry lions in our stadiums.

On April 8, 1966, the cover story of Time magazine was "Is God Dead?" based upon the assertion of German philosopher Nietzsche that "God is Dead." In response, cartoonist Walt Kelly, creator of the Pogo possum comic strip, published a single panel filling the full length of the strip, showing a slogan chiseled on a mountainside saying, "GOD IS NOT DEAD --- He is merely unemployed."

This summarizes claims regarding the "decline" of Christianity.

God is in control. The numbers of people professing to be Christians and their behavior and beliefs is in His hands. I'll leave it to Him.

Christianity is personal. "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

Interesting stuff Lou. In addition to the other reasons mentioned in the second article, explaining the loss of church affiliated people, would be what I would describe as "the emporer is wearing no clothes" theory. In the last thirty years or so there have been alarming numbers of clergy who have been involved in very un- Christianlike activities. The seemingly rampant sexual abuse among Catholic priests; the scandals with well known televangelists; the many pastors involved in sexual lliasons with parishioners, often ending in murder or attempted murder; the embezzlement or misuse of church funds; and on and on........ I think many people look at these scandals and ask themselves, "if these are people who purport to have been chosen by God to represent him on earth, how can I trust any of them to tell me the truth about faith and how to live a Godly life"? I have been a Christian my whole life, but I put little faith in the human beings that run organized religion, and rather try to follow Christ's examples of how to live a righteous life.

Well said, Ed. Your comment is well taken but I think it goes beyond Christianity to all religions. Look at some of these houses of worship throughout the country. Who are they trying to outdo or impress? There are no real estate taxes that they pay and many of them put the Taj Mahal to shame.

The real bottom line is no matter how much someone professes to be a good Christian or anything else, religion has caused more problems in this world than anything else. Yes -- more than anything! Just look what's going on and has been going on throughout history. Sad, but true.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

...religion has caused more problems in this world than anything else. Yes -- more than anything! Just look what's going on and has been going on throughout history. Sad, but true.

Such a vague generalization. You could make a similar statement that religion has caused more good in this world than anything else.

My own opinion is that likely neither is true. But both are so unquantifiable, who knows.

[onslowe]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

The title of the thread is The Decline of Christianity.

The Pew Survey provided as the basis for the discussion does not provide data to support the title of the thread.

First, define terms. Does the term "decline" refer to a change on the numbers of individuals who say they are Christians, or does it refer to a shift in the number of professed Christians who have left the basic tenets or dogmas of their particular denominational choice?

If it is the former, the Pew study gives no basis for demonstrating a decline since there are no numerical changes in membership in the denominations from decade to decade to compare, so the "decline" cannot be demonstrated.

Similarly, if it is the latter, the study still does not give a comparison from decade to decade to establish a demonstration of a decline.

There are a couple of significant quotes in the study. One shows that Christian leaders in the northern half of the globe (North America, Europe) feel that Christianity is in (an undefined) decline, while Christian leaders in the southern half of the globe (South America, sub-Saharan Africa) feel Christianity is expanding.

The study also states that over the past century, the number of Catholics around the globe has more than tripled, from an estimated 291 million in 1910 to nearly 1.1 billion as of 2010. And as the population of the earth has increased the increase in Catholics has increased so that in 1910 Catholics comprised close to 50% of the world Christian population and in 2010 they were still close to 50% of the world Christian population.

Unscientific accounts (not in the study) may "show" that the moral decline in the United States might be considered a "decline" in Christianity, but compared to the debauchery of Rome at the time of the birth of Christianity this would be a hard argument to support. We are not yet feeding Christians to hungry lions in our stadiums.

On April 8, 1966, the cover story of Time magazine was "Is God Dead?" based upon the assertion of German philosopher Nietzsche that "God is Dead." In response, cartoonist Walt Kelly, creator of the Pogo possum comic strip, published a single panel filling the full length of the strip, showing a slogan chiseled on a mountainside saying, "GOD IS NOT DEAD --- He is merely unemployed."

This summarizes claims regarding the "decline" of Christianity.

God is in control. The numbers of people professing to be Christians and their behavior and beliefs is in His hands. I'll leave it to Him.

Christianity is personal. "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

.

Incisive and well done, Carl. Thank you for your post.

[waynet]

I think it is more a distrust of any organized religion than a disbelief in God. I agree with Bonanza that organized religions have caused far more problems than solutions.

[DAWN MARIE]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

There are a couple of significant quotes in the study. One shows that Christian leaders in the northern half of the globe (North America, Europe) feel that Christianity is in (an undefined) decline, while Christian leaders in the southern half of the globe (South America, sub-Saharan Africa) feel Christianity is expanding.

Unscientific accounts (not in the study) may "show" that the moral decline in the United States might be considered a "decline" in Christianity, but compared to the debauchery of Rome at the time of the birth of Christianity this would be a hard argument to support. We are not yet feeding Christians to hungry lions in our stadiums.



.

I recently went to a Bible Conf in CA. The Conf was called "Strange Fire" (www.strangefire.org) and one of the speakers was a Pastor from Africa. He said when you hear about the "Christianization" of Africa DO NOT BELIEVE IT. It's some sort of pseudo Christianity, based on feelings and emotions and NOT on established historical doctrine taken straight from Scripture. This again, goes back to what we've been warned about. It's history repeating itself over again. The longer we wait for the return (think of Moses on Mt Sinai as well) the worse we are becoming.

As far as comparing ourselves to Rome and the debauchery of Roman culture I don't think we have to go very far to see we are practically there. Just read the news. Also, we are killing unborn babies in the womb and the sanctity of life in general isn't what it used to be. Think how far we've fallen since the Puritan days here in our own country. We are continuing the slide downward. Why? Because we have lost faith and the desire to wait for our leader to come back.