According to a recent (2019) Pew poll. Pew is one of the most respected polls in America so there's no reason to doubt their finds. Other findings:
* 65% of American adults identified as Christians,
DOWN 12% from 2009
* atheist, agnostic or “nones" now stands at 26%,
UP from 17% in 2009.
In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace
Extrapolating outward at 12% per decade that means that in 2070
only 5% of Americans will identify as Protestant.
Truthfully, I was shocked by these statistics. And I have mentioned them to a number of Christians on this board. They seem to be glib on the matter, not really caring from all appearances that their faith is dying on the vine. One member went so far as to question the reliability of any poll that showed Christianity in a negative light. They asked question like, "What specific questions were asked, how did the pollsters ask the question, were they broad or specific in their questions, what kinds of question did they ask, how broad was the sampling, and on and on....a veritable feast of red herring to distract from the very simple finding that Christianity is on the way out in America, following Europe's even more stark downward trend.
So I have to ask a few direct questions:
Why is God allowing his faith to bleed to death? Why doesn't God intervene in some miraculous way to stop the hemorrhaging of Christians away from Jesus?
One mighty visible miracle from God could stop people from leaving Christianity. All God has to do is speak up audibly like he did on Mt. Sinai. If he did it then he can do it again.
Why Doesn't God Intervene?????
At one time, the Catholic Church was the only show in all Christianity. What this meant was not only did the Church contain good Christians, but it also contained closet atheists and heathens, since you had to belong or be persecuted. This was no different than one nation conquering another and the defeated army being force to assimilate, but resenting it
This led to atheist and heathen influences in high places since they were part of the whole. These types had more options of evil in politics; relative morality, allowing the smart con artist to take advantage of the hand that was dealt. This is why things like the Spanish Inquisition appear; non Christians forced to serve, learn to play the game, rise to power, hoping to change it from within. If you are force to be there, this is is what can happen.
The Age of Enlightenment and the Protestant movement allowed the Catholic Church to shed many of its undesirables. The atheist and the Protestants leaders went their own way. The atheists and heathens member of the Church, then followed to find easier opportunities. For example, The King of England separated from the Catholic Church, so he could add divorce, which is not Christian. He was never with the program. Rather he used his power, in the power structure, for his own personal gain. It was good that he left. The Catholic Church became more pure by shedding the trouble makers. After the middle age exodus, the Catholic Church was no where the power house it was. This was closer to the real Christianity.
If you read only the words of Jesus, Christianity is very specific and does not include all socially acceptable behavior you find in heathen and atheist cultures. If you get rid of these people, by giving them an alternative, what is left is cleaner. This is God's plan. It is not about numbers, but higher purity.
The current exodus, over the past few decades is similar in that it is purifying the remaining members even more, allowing the dead wood and moral rot, an excuse to leave and find organization that are more conducive to its hedonism. If these options did not exist, they would remain and contaminate from the inside' child molesters. This is the next layer in the closet; on deck.
All the orientations that were placed in the closet, by the Church, now have an outlet via Liberalism. Liberalism is a blessing in disguise in that is appeals to the anti-Christian. This further cleans the Church so Christianity can become pure again.
Liberalism is changing tactic and is trying to undermine the even increasing purity of the Church, by forcing its members to pander to the heathens, via unconstitutional laws. The purity bothers them, since it makes them look like the heathen that they are, by the ever increasing contrast.
