The Rapid Decline of Christianity in the USA

[Skwim]

Christianity is practised in an extreme way by some in the US, possibly because the general populace seems more gullible about such matters than those of us here in the UK. How come those scam merchants the TV evangelists do so well, lining their pockets with money given them by their acolytes? Scum like that wouldn't do nearly so well in the UK!

I believe it's because of the puritan ethic that formed the conservative, fundamentalistic denominations in America, such as Baptists, which preached unquestioning acceptance and adherence to everything that came from the pulpit. This unthinking mind set fostered a gullibility that fortunately never took root on the other side of the Atlantic. Be grateful.

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[URAVIP2ME]

I agree. Advances in technology and our increased knowledge further discredits Christianity as being something substantial and real beyond the realms of personal belief.
People as a result are seeing rose colored glasses for what they are, and many preferring that it is much better to face reality as it presents itself on its own terms. Not fantastical allusions of grandeur that don't have the same support of which determines validity and substance.

I'll say that technology and increased knowledge discredits. It discredits 'so-called Christianity' ( Christendom )
but I will Not say it discredits the 'Christianity of the first century' as taught in Holy Scripture.
False clergy often teach customs and traditions outside of Scripture as being Scripture, and that does Not make Scripture as wrong, but it makes the false clergy teachings as wrong.

 

[Jose Fly]

I think these six reasons are quite valid, and easily see any of them being the reason for turning one's back on Christianity.

Interestingly, the responses show it's not so much Christianity itself that's driving the kids away, but the behaviors of Christian leaders.

Although probably a ways down the road, I can certainly see this happening; the fundies becoming the majority version, but among a far smaller population of Christians..

At some point, Christianity in the US may be reduced to "just the crazies". That'd be something to see.

 

[Kemosloby]

So, then he just creates a bunch of people he knows is bound for damnation?

No, I think we do that and he chooses which to save from that.

 

[Kemosloby]

Hey, if for some reason you don't believe that stats I posted are true then show us that the Christian religion IS NOT declining in America. Present your statistics. I welcome them. Whatcha got?

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The church in my neighborhood looks like the richest place in town, the catholic one anyway. They just build an addition, it's was all structural steel framed, Big money. Not that run down church you showed.

 

[Skwim]

The church in my neighborhood looks like the richest place in town, the catholic one anyway. They just build an addition, it's was all structural steel framed, Big money. Not that run down church you showed.

You're kidding, right? This is suppose to be evidence that the Christian religion IS NOT declining in America? The construction of a single church in your town?

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[Kemosloby]

You're kidding, right? This is suppose to be evidence that the Christian religion IS NOT declining in America? The construction of a single church in your town?

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What is the reason for your photo of a single church dilapidated and in disrepair?

 

[Nakosis]

I'm not posting this to throw it in the faces of Christians, but to establish the fact and ask:

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS HAPPENING?
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Bad Press

 

[Skwim]

What is the reason for your photo of a single church dilapidated and in disrepair?

To portray the title: "The Rapid Decline of Christianity in the USA," which is why my introduction doesn't precede it but follows it.

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[Skwim]

Bad Press

Gotta say, a lot of the press hasn't been kind, but rightfully so, as post 13 points up.

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[ronandcarol]

The Rapid Decline of Christianity in the USA.
I believe that there is a terrific spiritual battle going on for the souls of man. Satan is throwing everything he and his cohorts have at anyone who will give him an ear. He is convincing whoever he can that everything is OK to do. He has no boundaries, you can stretch the moral law as thin as you want, it's OK. He will twist the words of the Bible just enough to make them half right, not all the way wrong. It's all OK, you will not surely die!
When the Christian community stands up for what the Bible says, they are condemned. Is it right that other Religions and the courts tell Christians that they don't have Religious Freedom? Are Christians supposed to compromise their beliefs in the Bible because someone else's rights were offended?
So to answer your question about the rapid decline, I feel that many people are giving into the easy religions that are being preached today, the religions that don't condemn for anything you do, all is OK. The only thing I would like to say about compromising your beliefs is that I am confidant that when Jesus returns for His followers, He will not compromise on one letter of the law.
ronandcarol

 

[Skwim]

The Rapid Decline of Christianity in the USA.
I believe that there is a terrific spiritual battle going on for the souls of man. Satan is throwing everything he and his cohorts have at anyone who will give him an ear. He is convincing whoever he can that everything is OK to do. He has no boundaries, you can stretch the moral law as thin as you want, it's OK. He will twist the words of the Bible just enough to make them half right, not all the way wrong. It's all OK, you will not surely die!

Makes one wonder why god doesn't grab him by the scruff of the neck, bend him over his knee and give him a good spanking.

When the Christian community stands up for what the Bible says, they are condemned. Is it right that other Religions and the courts tell Christians that they don't have Religious Freedom? Are Christians supposed to compromise their beliefs in the Bible because someone else's rights were offended?

Of course you have excellent examples backing these assertions. Of course. So how about sharing?

So to answer your question about the rapid decline, I feel that many people are giving into the easy religions that are being preached today, the religions that don't condemn for anything you do, all is OK.

But they're all counted, whether an easy religion or a hard religion. The net effect is still the fact that Christianity, whatever its form, is declining.

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[sun rise]

After reading some posts in this thread I started wondering how many know what they accept or reject from the traditional theological perspective. I was not surprised to find this first article. The article led me to wonder how many who answer both 'yea' and 'nay' know what they are or or not believing in and thus I'm finding the polls that this thread is based on a bit superficial so looked around. The first site I found:

Survey Finds Most American Christians Are Actually Heretics

Then this led me to more searching and I found Pew "knowledge" polls which led me to wonder how much of the decline is based on knowledge of what various schools of Christian theologians assert or what the Bible actually says (which of course is subject to cherry picking.)

Christians, who make up a majority of U.S. adults (71%), are divided over how to interpret the Bible. While about four-in-ten Christians (39%) say the Bible’s text is the word of God and should be taken literally, 36% say it should not be interpreted literally or express another or no opinion. A separate 18% of Christians view the Bible as a book written by men, not God.

4 In 2014, about four-in-ten Christians (42%) said reading the Bible or other religious materials is an essential part of what being Christian means to them personally. An additional 37% say reading the Bible is important but not essential to being a Christian, and 21% say reading the Bible is not an important part of their Christian identity.


5 Seven-in-ten Americans (71%) know the Bible teaches that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. A similar share know that Moses was the biblical figure who led the Exodus from Egypt, and 63% could identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible, according to our 2010 religious knowledge survey. But fewer than half of adults (45%) could name all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), and only four-in-ten (39%) identified Job as the biblical figure known for remaining obedient to God despite extraordinary suffering.

5 facts on how Americans view the Bible and other religious texts

And for an earlier survey

Who Knows What About Religion

 

[MJFlores]

I'm not posting this to throw it in the faces of Christians, but to establish the fact and ask:

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS HAPPENING?

What has, or hasn't, Christianity in America done to send it into such a tail spin?
The following assortment of visuals are posted without comment and meant to give you something to think about.

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This shows they are not from God and these churches were pointless.

Jude 1:12
These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead.

And that serves them well and it is to be expected like what the Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 15:13
He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

No, I think we do that and he chooses which to save from that.

What? You think we create people from damnation and choose who to give eternal paradise to?

 

[Skwim]

This shows they are not from God and these churches were pointless.

I haven't the faintest idea what "they" you're referring to, but the issue here isn't about churches, but the Christian religion. Please read the title of the thread. Thank you.

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[LuisDantas]

@sunrise123

Were heresies ever uncommon? Or undesirable?

It seems to me that no, they were not. Quite on the contrary, to the point that not too many religions even acknowledge the concept, and IMO all religions do in fact benefit from them - almost by definition.

Religiosity is not supposed to demand lack of personal interpretation.

 

[Skwim]

And for an earlier survey

Who Knows What About Religion

Took a look at it and found this not so surprising fact: Above all others, atheists/agnostics knew more about religion than did anyone else. 82% had 17 or more correct answers. 73%. of the Jews did. and only 45% of Christians did. Atheists/agnostics also answered more questions correctly than anyone else: 20.9, closely beating out Jews who answered 20.5 right, and both whipping the Christians' 15.7.

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Obviously Christianity has really dropped the ball somewhere along the way.

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[sun rise]

@sunrise123

Were heresies ever uncommon? Or undesirable?

It seems to me that no, they were not. Quite on the contrary, to the point that not too many religions even acknowledge the concept, and IMO all religions do in fact benefit from them - almost by definition.

Religiosity is not supposed to demand lack of personal interpretation.

Heresy as such, at least openly expressed was rarer in the past given the pain and suffering questioning led to. In the past, not only religious heresy but political (such as in the USSR) was a way to get killed. Fortunately that's slowly dying away as we mature as a culture.

 

[Father Heathen]

This is an example of how the difference between a beneficial and detrimental (side)effect is a matter of the observer's faith. If someone is bitten by a snake and starts to swell up and lose consciousness, we say that there was a detrimental effect of the snake bite. But if there is something called "education" whose long-term effects include distance from God, instead of an investigation and/or the search for better alternatives, somehow, the recommendation is an increase or maintenance in dosage.

If anything, it would be knowledge and understanding that brings one closer to god, not ignorance and absurdity. Also, you confuse god with religion, the latter being stuff ancient primitives pulled out of their *** and then attributed to god. It turned out they were wrong about a lot of things. Sorry.