The Rapid Decline of Christianity in the USA

[Father Heathen]

Is it true that society is better educated and informed?

Yes.

 

[Kemosloby]

Bible says God inspires people to be Christians. Who can stop God when he meets his quota and doesn't need any more Christians. Eventually God gets enough and the world ends. So it might just be a sign of the times. If your facts are truthful. Anybody can put together a few charts and picture of a church in Detroit or some other abandoned industrial town in America.

 

[BilliardsBall]

I think organized religion as we've known it is passing from the scene. Historically even in Christianity, there was a time when church as we know it did not exist, then the Catholic church was the sole church followed by the Protestant era. Now we see the growth of general spiritual feelings apart from religion:

For instance, among U.S. Christians, there has been an increase of 7 percentage points between 2007 and 2014 in the share who say they feel a deep sense of wonder about the universe at least weekly (from 38% to 45%). And there has been a similar rise in the share of religious “nones” who say the same (from 39% to 47%) – not to mention a 17-point jump among self-described atheists.

And I think many are turned off by politicized religion. I'd bet that is a part of the decline but I don't know how much of a part that plays.

I would attribute the trend to 1) being several generations past the free morals of the 1960's 2) degeneracy in morals and ethics 3) the end of days, prophesied to come some time after Israel is restored as a Jewish state and the Temple for worship

 

[Fool]

Because what goes up must eventually fall in it's pride....

She sits as queen and says I'm no widow, I will never mourn.

Babylon is falling.

With a mighty voice he shouted: “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

 

[Skwim]

10 or even 15% differences does not constitute a major decline, a lot of non believers used to go to church anyway in the old days, now you see them just not going to church.

Boy, according to the "More Americans Identify As Non-Christians Or Unaffiliated" chart, in seven years Christianity declined 7.8%. That averages out to 1.1% a year, which by extrapolation indicates that in only 25 years Christianity could decline by 27.5% Now if you don't think this amounts to a major decline, and a rapid one, so be it, but to me it does.

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[Shadow Wolf]

Bible says God inspires people to be Christians. Who can stop God when he meets his quota and doesn't need any more Christians. Eventually God gets enough and the world ends

Isn't that pretty mean? God just picks who he wants, instead of people choosing him?
What ever happened to "whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life?"

 

[Skwim]

I would agree that people are better informed these days.... It doesn't take much research to realize that many religions don't teach the truth. My wife left her religion because she said they never opened the bible. Also the "rules" of the church were not followed by most of the members. The true Christian faith in contrast is growing....

What, exactly, is this "true Christian faith"?

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[Skwim]

Is it true that society is better educated and informed?

.​

 

[Kemosloby]

Isn't that pretty mean? God just picks who he wants, instead of people choosing him?
What ever happened to "whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life?"

Yeah but God picks who believes in him, perhaps as a reward for something, who knows why.

John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.

 

[newone]

Skwim....i saw it a while back somewhere, an article possibly....not sure

 

[1AOA1]

Boy, according to the "More Americans Identify As Non-Christians Or Unaffiliated"

The statistics themselves are written in such a manner that reflects the persuasion of the author. The title "The rise of Dengue fever in the USA" is slightly different and has different connotations than the title "The rise of Dengue fever in those Populations Living Near the Swamplands."

Traditional, organized religion is dying off because society is becoming better educated and informed.

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.

 

[Skwim]

I expect that if/when things get bad again, religiosity will increase. Decreases in religiosity are one of the clearest signs of an overall prosperous and content populace. We now have the luxury of endlessly debating over who should be able to go to the bathroom - that type of ennui doesn't engender the need for god or religion.

I think this is true. Religion seems to profit by hard times, and falter in good times. But if I remember correctly, it takes a major event such as a world war to significantly increase Christian religiosity.

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[Kilgore Trout]

I think this is true. Religion seems to profit by hard times, and falter in good times. But if I remember correctly, it takes a major event such as a world war to significantly increase Christian religiosity.
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I expect large, world-changing events would/could have such an impact. However, I also suspect that a gradual slide into poorer life conditions, in general, for a populace would also result in more religiosity. When people can't afford anything else, they will revert to buying hope from those selling it.

 

[Skwim]

Six years ago a Christian polling group looked into this very question. Since much of the declines in US Christianity are among the younger generations, that's what they focused on.

https://www.barna.com/research/six-reasons-young-christians-leave-church/

Reason #1 – Churches seem overprotective.
Reason #2 – Teens’ and twentysomethings’ experience of Christianity is shallow.
Reason #3 – Churches come across as antagonistic to science.
Reason #4 – Young Christians’ church experiences related to sexuality are often simplistic, judgmental.
Reason #5 – They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity.
Reason #6 – The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt.

Also, if you look at the data in the OP, it's the non-conservative areas of Christianity that are declining the most, while conservative evangelicals are roughly staying level.

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

Given the rather "extreme" positions evangelicals take on things like LGBTQ issues, science, and cultural diversity, I wonder if we'll reach a point where American Christianity is mostly composed of right-wing fundamentalists. And then I wonder....given the above survey.....if that will only accelerate the declines we're seeing today.

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.

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[Shadow Wolf]

Yeah but God picks who believes in him, perhaps as a reward for something, who knows why.

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

 

[Skwim]

I expect large, world-changing events would/could have such an impact. However, I also suspect that a gradual slide into poorer life conditions, in general, for a populace would also result in more religiosity. When people can't afford anything else, they will revert to buying hope from those selling it.

Good thought.

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[Skwim]

Bible says God inspires people to be Christians. Who can stop God when he meets his quota and doesn't need any more Christians. Eventually God gets enough and the world ends. So it might just be a sign of the times. If your facts are truthful. Anybody can put together a few charts and picture of a church in Detroit or some other abandoned industrial town in America.

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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[Twilight Hue]

Traditional, organized religion is dying off because society is becoming better educated and informed.

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 dont have the same support of which determines validity and substance.

 

[Skwim]

The statistics themselves are written in such a manner that reflects the persuasion of the author.

You know this to be a fact because . . . . . . . . . . .?

And as an FYI, the Pew Research Center is a highly respected polling and information gathering concern.

The title "The rise of Dengue fever in the USA" is slightly different and has different connotations than the title "The rise of Dengue fever in those Populations Living Near the Swamplands."

Can't you understand the chart as titled? If not, how would you title the chart to better represent the findings? To tell the truth, you seem to dislike the message and are choosing to blame the messenger.

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[URAVIP2ME]

Bible says God inspires people to be Christians. Who can stop God when he meets his quota and doesn't need any more Christians. Eventually God gets enough and the world ends. So it might just be a sign of the times. If your facts are truthful. Anybody can put together a few charts and picture of a church in Detroit or some other abandoned industrial town in America.

I can see where you could say a ' sign of the times ' because Revelation 16:12 foretells about dried-up waters.
( ancient Babylon's waters were dried up in order to conquer ancient Babylon )
Babylon the Great (world's religions) sits on many ' waters ' according to Revelation 17:1; Revelation 17:15.
Since those ' waters ' symbolize or stand for people then it is people who are 'drying up' spiritually.
So, it should be No surprise about dwindling numbers or members as we are in the last days of badness on Earth as described at 2 Timothy 3:1-5,13.

I guess too in a sense one could say that ' God gets enough ' because we are nearing the soon coming ' time or separation ' on Earth according to Matthew 25:31-33,37. The Earth does Not end, but wickedness on Earth ends because the wicked will be destroyed forever according to Psalms 92:7. The executional words from Jesus' mouth will rid the Earth of wickedness according to Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16 before Jesus, as Prince of Peace, ushers in global Peace on Earth among people of good will.