Will Christianity Die?

[Trailblazer]

Let's be realistic. Christianity is still the biggest religion in the world. It's not going anywhere.

No, but by 2050 the number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.

The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050

 

[Kenny]

I feel "to each his own" as long as they don't try and subvert others in their quest for Truth.

The unfortunate reality is that it is seemingly far more theists who try and dominate and often demonize agnostics/atheists than the other way around. We often see this in terms of theists trying to mandate laws that their religion/denomination preach, or the if they believe that others are going to hell in a handbasket if they don't believe as they do, so they try and force their beliefs on them. In the west, Christians are generally the worst with this, but in the Middle East it's more Muslims that all too often do this.

So, as the cliché correctly goes, imo, it's "Peace on Earth or the Earth in pieces".

That is true... but is it a matter of statistics? If 1 out of 10 are agnostic/atheist - then the odds is that there would be 9 time more likely to have laws that don't fit their lifestyle. But, IMV, it would seem that atheist/agnostic have achieved more than the other side.

 

[sun rise]

If a person reads the Bible literally word for word then there are very few to no Christians out there anyways.

It's not literalism to me nor the Bible as a whole. The Bible itself warns against the letter. (2 Corinthians 3:4–6). To me a Christian is someone who is trying to internalize the Sermon on the Mount and act according to its spirit. Of course, even the most sincere don't succeed fully, but it's the attempt and desire that to me is key.

And I know such people. They don't make the headlines, but if you get to know them and see how they act to the "least", who they are becomes evident.

 

[Dave Watchman]

I don't quite understand. At all times, even during the millennium, people have the opportunity to follow God.

Not all sects of Christianity agree. Some, like the SDA's, read the state of the earth during the thousand years of Revelation 20 as desolate. We will be in the Father's House with many rooms during that time executing the Pauline phase of the judgment process.

When Jesus appears at the second coming, we will be like Him. So there's no second chance at the white throne judgment when the thousand years are finished. Only with how many stripes the lost will suffer, and the second death. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them.

Like the old bartender said at closing time,
"you might not have to go Home, but you can't stay here.

Dreadful sorry Clementine.

 

[Kenny]

Not all sects of Christianity agree. Some, like the SDA's, read the state of the earth during the thousand years of Revelation 20 as desolate. We will be in the Father's House with many rooms during that time executing the Pauline phase of the judgment process.

When Jesus appears at the second coming, we will be like Him. So there's no second chance at the white throne judgment when the thousand years are finished. Only with how many stripes the lost will suffer, and the second death. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them.

Like the old bartender said at closing time,
"you might not have to go Home, but you can't stay here.

Dreadful sorry Clementine.

Of course nothing is 100%.

I just don't agree. Satan will be loose after the millennium so choice is still on the table IMO

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Updated does not imply better, only newer. I am not going to say it is 'better' since Baha'u'llah warned us not to consider any revelation from God better than any other, since they were all ordained by God and are a reflection of God's Will and Purpose.

God certainly works in mysterious days. I like to think that the idea of God is always ongoing, regardless if a "Manifestation", as you call it, is alive or not. I believe all people are Manifestations of God in some way, all composed of the same atoms that were here from the start of the Big Bang. And before that all parts of larger multiverse. (And so on until we realize that part of God is The Omniverse - the other two forces being entropy and extropy, existing forever, always expanding the horizons of nature.)

However, it makes sense to me that religion needs to be renewed after it has fulfilled its purpose. Someday in the future the Baha'i Faith will be renewed, after it has fulfilled its purpose, and God will send another Messenger to establish another religion.

After global peace and unity are established, the final piece of human's divine will, before we get to work on the Kardashev Scale several hundred years from now. If I were alive at that point I could have pointed that out and become your next Messenger! I was born too early. Maybe Nikolai Kardashev is really the next messenger from God...

I use Windows 10, but I hung onto Windows 7 as long as I could. However, once I started using Windows 10, I learned to like it and I now like it better than Windows 7. The same thing happened when I had to go from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Most people like the updates to computer operating systems but they do not like the updates to religions.
Why do you think that is?

Updates to religion takes hundreds, if not thousands of years to happen, and often people mistake the signs. The Jews, except the Messianics, don't believe Jesus is Christ. In fact, in a poll taken by the Jews, more Jews actually believe you can be an atheist than can believe in Jesus as Christ. Imagine if you were using Windows 10 (Judaism) for 2,000 years and someone told you that you had to use Windows 11 (Christianity) after that. The change in religion is slow because most people are very skeptical of those changes. Many Jews still believe a Christ-like figure will come eventually but have put so much barriers into how that can happen that it's virtually impossible to happen again.

The Muslims that eventually converted into Baha'is saw signs that other people in the religion didn't see. These signs can be apparent to many people yet many people are blind to such changes going on. I do realize however that there isn't really that much difference between peaceful Islam and Baha'i, they do share many similarities in fact. Baha'u'llah was Muslim for a good portion of his ilfe, and correct me if I'm wrong, I believe the descendants he has that are still alive now have gone back to Islam too.

Sometimes what one person sees as evidence for something is not what other people see. Take JWs and LDS members. They are very firm in their beliefs, the JWs believing that only 144,000 people will go to Heaven, the LDS believing in three different tiers of Heaven for all to enjoy.

Sometimes when I really think about it, it just all sounds made up to me. And Baha'u'llah believed that each and every Baha'i had their own personal investigation of truth to attend to. The only thing that binds all of them is the divinity of the Manifestations. I agree! The Manifestations are divine! But so is everybody, and everything else too. I do not claim that certain people hold more truths than others, and see to it that the personal investigation of truth he was referring to partakes to all questions of divinity, not just everyday life. Baha'u'llah was unique for the fact that it had a lot of time to write thousands of passages that he claimed was part of God's will. But Baha'u'llah's divinity rests on the idea of the Bab, which rests on the idea of 12th Imam Muslim teachings. That's a sect of a sect. And Islam was around for over a thousand years before the incarnation of the messenger came back.

Would you be willing to change from Windows 10 (Islam) to Windows 11 (the Baha'i Faith), if you and your family were using it for over a thousand years, and would be labeled as an apostate and killed in some countries if you admitted to it? Most (alive) people wouldn't, unfortunately.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Christianity remains one of the most helpful faiths in the US... maybe even in the world.

What is Christianity at this point though? It seems like it's been dissembled an re-assembled and reconfigured to fit a thousand different patterns.

When my mother gave me the bible to read, it told me to downplay pride and knowledge. And I was the subject of bullying and abuse in my younger days, which it told me to go along with. It told me to downplay the direction the world was going. She would say things like, 'a couple years ago, mother mary appeared to some people at a landfill, and said the end would come soon.' What kind of an impact do you think that had on my young mind? I think I should have been reading philosophy, instead of going to church as a kid

My parents, in the religious thinking they seemed to want to teach me, were staunch and prudish anti-materialists.

My dad, for one, was a bad alcoholic, which combined with a judgemental attitude, and great but misused intelligence, caused him to see christian spirituality as a sort of 'hierarchy of hypocrites,' were he seemed to believe that the best believer was only the one who could reach a staunch and pure anti-materialism. As such, he was in judgement mode, most of his life

My mother, growing up where there was hardly much education really, stressed the most self-effacing faith she could, which I think allowed her to stick with my dad for so long. If anything bothered you, her attitude is that you should suck it up instantly.

So you might see how this would nurture social nihilism, in me. But now I prefer to look at a wide diversity of philosophy and spirituality, and analyze it all, and see what is right for myself. They never really taught that

 

[osgart]

It's not literalism to me nor the Bible as a whole. The Bible itself warns against the letter. (2 Corinthians 3:4–6). To me a Christian is someone who is trying to internalize the Sermon on the Mount and act according to its spirit. Of course, even the most sincere don't succeed fully, but it's the attempt and desire that to me is key.

And I know such people. They don't make the headlines, but if you get to know them and see how they act to the "least", who they are becomes evident.

If the Sermon on the Mount was the only teaching the Bible had, I would say there is valuable wisdom in it. Christianity is not exclusively the Sermon on the Mount though.

I could never claim to know honestly that Jesus was an actual historical figure. Jesus in the Bible also spoke of the days of Noah as a real event.

To my mind Christianity is the whole Bible taken from the views of the New Testament. It commands people to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as atonement for all sins, or perish. Christianity is all or nothing that way.

I have no problem with people who cherry pick good moral messages from it. However I don't think the Bible is full of such messages. Only a few profound teachings among many bad, or unclear teachings.

 

[Kenny]

What is Christianity at this point though? It seems like it's been dissembled an re-assembled and reconfigured to fit a thousand different patterns.

When my mother gave me the bible to read, it told me to downplay pride and knowledge. And I was the subject of bullying and abuse in my younger days, which it told me to go along with. It told me to downplay the direction the world was going. She would say things like, 'a couple years ago, mother mary appeared to some people at a landfill, and said the end would come soon.' What kind of an impact do you think that had on my young mind? I think I should have been reading philosophy, instead of going to church as a kid

That is a good question and, unfortunately, the words from God get mixed with religion and human thought creating what you experienced. Sorry you went through that.

Scripturally it says seek knowledge. Was there a different application to "downplay knowledge"?

Again, no where do I know of it says to go along with abuse and bullying. It is a shame that you experienced that also.

Mother Mary is basically not allowed to show up on earth (biblically speaking).

I'm sure it was a horrible experience as a kid.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

That is a good question and, unfortunately, the words from God get mixed with religion and human thought creating what you experienced. Sorry you went through that.

Scripturally it says seek knowledge. Was there a different application to "downplay knowledge"?

Again, no where do I know of it says to go along with abuse and bullying. It is a shame that you experienced that also.

Mother Mary is basically not allowed to show up on earth (biblically speaking).

I'm sure it was a horrible experience as a kid.

I don't know what you're getting out of reading these ancient texts, but I never found Christian texts to be anything but anti-materialist, though I guess I'm trying to rectify that somewhat, in my current studies of it. After all, it was combined with long lasting civilizations and empires

Clearly, much of the whole corpus, stresses downplaying the state of the corporeal body. The vanity of physical life is there, as talked about by king Solomon, and the resignation of Job and Jonah etc. The physical suffering of Jesus alone, maps it out. I had recently read about some the early first century martyrs: eaten by lions, drowned, beheaded. That's the mode of Christianity I'm talking about, where this earth and this body are said not to really matter at all, but what matters is basically just your faith

Turn the other cheek, become the 'glutton and drunkard,' and just wait for it to end. That was it, that was what my young mind was getting from the elders in my society, about what religion was, and right social behavior should be. Suffer. Have faith.

 

[Kenny]

I don't know what you're getting out of reading these ancient texts, but I never found Christian texts to be anything but anti-materialist, though I guess I'm trying to rectify that somewhat, in my current studies of it. After all, it was combined with long lasting civilizations and empires

Interesting.

It is true that some people interpreted it that way, but my studies don't bear that out. Obviously Garden of Eden doesn't project that and certainly Deut. 28:1-15 doesn't show that.

I think it is consistent throughout scripture.

Reminds me of a Psalm: AMPC Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. (35:27)

And

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

In your studies, do they teach that the object is to be anti-materialism?

The understanding I received is it is all right to have material things just as long as you don't let material things rule you.

Clearly, much of the whole corpus, stresses downplaying the state of the corporeal body. The vanity of physical life as talked about by king Solomon, the resignation of Job and Jonah etc. The physical suffering of Jesus. I had recently read about some the early first century martyrs: eaten by lions, drowned, beheaded. That's the mode of Christianity I'm talking about, where this earth and this body is said not to really matter at all, but what matters is basically just your faith

Well, in light of eternity, yes. I would hope that if someone said "renounce Jesus or die" - that my love for Jesus would be greater than my love for this world.

Solomon, IMV, was more about him putting material first and then realizing that material things don't satisfy the soul, only God.

Job was a 9 month ordeal (there are different viewpoints of Job). At the end he had more than when he began

Jesus was just fulfilling purpose to bring man back into God's original intention which is Gen 1:27

Turn the other cheek, become the 'glutton and drunkard,' and just wait for it to end. That it was it, that was what my young mind was getting from the elders in my society, about what religion was, and right social behavior should be. Suffer. Have faith.

I think that was religious in nature and not God's message or purpose. Again, it is a shame you went through that.

 

[Dave Watchman]

Satan will be loose after the millennium so choice is still on the table IMO

Some think Satan was cast out of heaven on resurrection Sunday.

Then when he saw that he couldn't defeat the man child, the Dragon chased the "woman", God's People, through the Foxe Book days of medieval Europe.

At the end of our end time tribulation, God throws Satan the beast into the lake of fire.

The rest of the living are killed by the White Horse Rider, and the birds eat them.

"But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

"The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.​

Christianity, the everlasting Gospel, continues for the few who find it.

The thing about you and me and the rest of the Biblical Eschatologists are that we are strong enough in our salvific faith to confront these issues.

We do not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Christianity, the everlasting Gospel, is foolishness to those who are perishing.

 

[Kenny]

Some think Satan was cast out of heaven on resurrection Sunday.

Then when he saw that he couldn't defeat the man child, the Dragon chased the "woman", God's People, through the Foxe Book days of medieval Europe.

At the end of our end time tribulation, God throws Satan the beast into the lake of fire.

The rest of the living are killed by the White Horse Rider, and the birds eat them.

"But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

"The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.​

Christianity, the everlasting Gospel, continues for the few who find it.

The thing about you and me and the rest of the Biblical Eschatologists are that we are strong enough in our salvific faith to confront these issues.

We do not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Christianity, the everlasting Gospel, is foolishness to those who are perishing.

I think these positions are reserved for a fringe element

 

[amorphous_constellation]

It is true that some people interpreted it that way, but my studies don't bear that out. Obviously Garden of Eden doesn't project that and certainly Deut. 28:1-15 doesn't show that.

Yes, well the pessimistic version's interpretation of that, would have been that people either no longer deserve that, or that it is describing an after-life state, in heaven.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

And how does the book of John end? Where is Jesus leading his follower? He is leading them to suffer somehow

Well, in light of eternity, yes. I would hope that if someone said "renounce Jesus or die" - that my love for Jesus would be greater than my love for this world.

Yeah, and early christianity made a whole tradition of that. Martyrdom seems to be what spread the religion, early on. I think they even saved the bones of these people, to inspire others. But why? Didn't Jesus already sacrifice himself? And wouldn't it have been better, if the 'righteous' polycarp had kept living, and teaching. Couldn't they just lie about their fealty to empire, as paul might say that you can do with food for idols?

Job was a 9 month ordeal (there are different viewpoints of Job). At the end he had more than when he began

Job does seem like a significantly older, and different tradition to certain Christian models. In early Christianity, god did not care if you were an anchorite or a stylite, and thus you would never have any material gain of any kind.

 

[Dave Watchman]

I think these positions are reserved for a fringe element

I like it.

I want to be with the fringe element.

 

[stvdv]

No.

I was ready to kill myself after getting PTSD fighting in Afghanistan. Here’s what turned everything around

The impact of faith in Jesus will always keep it alive.

Will Christianity Die?

Yes,
Christianity how it is practised now will die.

One of Christianity her biggest flaws (going against Dharma) is, that they still hold onto the "sin"..."my way is the Highway for all, exhibited by evangelizing"

 

[Kenny]

Will Christianity Die?

Yes,
Christianity how it is practised now will die.

One of Christianity her biggest flaws (going against Dharma) is, that they still hold onto the "sin"..."my way is the Highway for all, exhibited by evangelizing"

Most are changing. Thanks for the encouragement to change.

 

[Wildswanderer]

No, but by 2050 the number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.

The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050

Unless a lot of those Muslims become Christians!

 

[Trailblazer]

Unless a lot of those Muslims become Christians!

Muslims do not generally 'become Christians' since they already believe in Jesus, and also in Muhammad, but sometimes Christians become Muslims since they already believe both Jesus and later they come to believe in Muhammad.

 

[Kenny]

Daar Hamlin <3 on Instagram: "From The Heart . -sincerely 3 !"

Thankful to see teams kneel, pray and love spread around.