Americans Becoming Less Christian, More Secular New Study Reveals.. Why Do You Think?

[Science Friction]

Between 2007 and 2014 , the number of folks who claimed to be Christians declined from 78% to just under 71% while the number of people who said they were atheist , agnostic, or affiliated with no particular religion increased from 16% to 23%. I'm sure you heard about this study(Pew Research Center), which was released around May 12th.

 

Why do you think we are becoming less Christian as a nation? This is something I predicted over a decade ago. I see those percentages dropping to less than 50% within the next couple of decades. In fact, I believe that those who are firm believers in the faith are considerably less than 70% now. My dad, for example, will describe himself as a Christian but he has serious doubts about much of the irrationality of Christianity. He hasn't attended church in decades(much less than me, in fact). So much of that 71% is lukewarm at best. Are people just becoming wise to the fact that it simply doesn't make sense?... That faith without facts is just fiction? Are the numbers driven by younger folks who are running away in large numbers from the antiquated thinking of their elders? There have been a slight gains made by Islam in America over the same time period, but only a very minor increase. So primarily people are just becoming less religious period.

 

 

I believe that agnostics and atheists will outnumber Christians in America during most of our lifetimes. I see that as a positive. I'm sure most of you will disagree.

I don't want to debate that in this topic but just have you folks who are under the spell of Christianity to reflect upon why America is becoming less Christian. It has to be more than just the influence of college professors like myself upon your young lads and lasses. I mean we do what we can but I don't think we are responsible for the Pew research numbers.

 

Care to share your thoughts as to why Christianity is losing its grip on America and why non-Christians are likely to outnumber Christians in America by 2040? Why is America on a fast trek to becoming a non-Christian nation?

Edited May 18, 2015 by Science Friction

[mcpapa]

It has to be more than just the influence of college professors like myself upon your young lads and lasses.

 

 

​That's it. Those pointy-headed liberal college professors are to blame.

[Pioneer.Pride]

Plain and Simple. Those of us that publicly profess a faith in Christ do a poor job of emulating him. We are often morally indistinguishable from secular society. In fact, in some areas, we are worse. The consumption of pornography and practice of pedophilia is actually higher among "christian" men that the general population.

 

Although we should never deny out father in public, publicly identifying oneself as Christian, does not make one Christian. Cultural christians allow culture to influence their faith, instead of their faith influencing the culture.

[mcpapa]

Plain and Simple. Those of us that publicly profess a faith in Christ do a poor job of emulating him. We are often morally indistinguishable from secular society. In fact, in some areas, we are worse. The consumption of pornography and practice of pedophilia is actually higher among "christian" men that the general population.

 

Although we should never deny out father in public, publicly identifying oneself as Christian, does not make one Christian. Cultural christians allow culture to influence their faith, instead of their faith influencing the culture.

 

I was going to say something similar, but you did a better job.

 

"Walk the walk".

[PP1]

I question studies like this. No one ever asked me what I was. But I do think the church has done a poor job reaching out to the public.

[UKMustangFan]

When you have so many options, it's only natural that things "disperse" IMO. Most religions have a lot of similarities, but also a lot of differences. What it comes down to is what each individual is looking for in their faith.

[Twotoplace]

Read a stat the other day that for every person converting to Catholicism, six people are leaving the church.

[Science Friction]

Plain and Simple. Those of us that publicly profess a faith in Christ do a poor job of emulating him. We are often morally indistinguishable from secular society. In fact, in some areas, we are worse. The consumption of pornography and practice of pedophilia is actually higher among "christian" men that the general population.

 

Although we should never deny out father in public, publicly identifying oneself as Christian, does not make one Christian. Cultural christians allow culture to influence their faith, instead of their faith influencing the culture.

 

 

 

Very valid points.

[Science Friction]

It has to be more than just the influence of college professors like myself upon your young lads and lasses.

 

 

​That's it. Those pointy-headed liberal college professors are to blame.

 

LOL. My head's not that pointy!

[InItToWinIt]

I think its because the liberal agenda's primary goal is anti-Christianity. The evil influences of today are rooted in changes in the language, IMO.

 

Just a few political phrases we hear today are "Abortion is a choice, it is terminating a pregnancy, etc. In other social issues, we are told that marriage is "when two people love each other want to live together." (These topics can be debated in another forum). IMO.

 

And because the Church opposes abortion and "gay marriage" does not apply (for the two above examples), people leave the Church.

 

What, in my opinion, is the root of every problem in this country, is the breakdown of the family. I'd bet that if you were to take the top 100 "most successful" (another subjective term) people/families in this country, the majority of them would have been raised by a mother and a father. It is healthy for a child growing up to attend Church with both of their parents as often as they can, and that is becoming more and more rare every day.

 

I have some deeper theories that I will post later if this post is still going.

[Science Friction]

I think its because the liberal agenda's primary goal is anti-Christianity. The evil influences of today are rooted in changes in the language, IMO.

 

Just a few political phrases we hear today are "Abortion is a choice, it is terminating a pregnancy, etc. In other social issues, we are told that marriage is "when two people love each other want to live together." (These topics can be debated in another forum). IMO.

 

And because the Church opposes abortion and "gay marriage" does not apply (for the two above examples), people leave the Church.

 

What, in my opinion, is the root of every problem in this country, is the breakdown of the family. I'd bet that if you were to take the top 100 "most successful" (another subjective term) people/families in this country, the majority of them would have been raised by a mother and a father. It is healthy for a child growing up to attend Church with both of their parents as often as they can, and that is becoming more and more rare every day.

 

I have some deeper theories that I will post later if this post is still going.

 

I don't think that is necessarily true. A young man in our town attended church regularly with his parents throughout his young life. A few months ago he murdered both of them along with his younger sister. The young man, as well as his parents, were very active in their church. In fact, I think he had been to church just a day or two before slaughtering the family. GOD is great!

[theguru]

Between 2007 and 2014 , the number of folks who claimed to be Christians declined from 78% to just under 71% while the number of people who said they were atheist , agnostic, or affiliated with no particular religion increased from 16% to 23%. I'm sure you heard about this study(Pew Research Center), which was released around May 12th.

 

Why do you think we are becoming less Christian as a nation? This is something I predicted over a decade ago. I see those percentages dropping to less than 50% within the next couple of decades. In fact, I believe that those who are firm believers in the faith are considerably less than 70% now. My dad, for example, will describe himself as a Christian but he has serious doubts about much of the irrationality of Christianity. He hasn't attended church in decades(much less than me, in fact). So much of that 71% is lukewarm at best. Are people just becoming wise to the fact that it simply doesn't make sense?... That faith without facts is just fiction? Are the numbers driven by younger folks who are running away in large numbers from the antiquated thinking of their elders? There have been a slight gains made by Islam in America over the same time period, but only a very minor increase. So primarily people are just becoming less religious period.

 

 

I believe that agnostics and atheists will outnumber Christians in America during most of our lifetimes. I see that as a positive. I'm sure most of you will disagree.

I don't want to debate that in this topic but just have you folks who are under the spell of Christianity to reflect upon why America is becoming less Christian. It has to be more than just the influence of college professors like myself upon your young lads and lasses. I mean we do what we can but I don't think we are responsible for the Pew research numbers.

 

Care to share your thoughts as to why Christianity is losing its grip on America and why non-Christians are likely to outnumber Christians in America by 2040? Why is America on a fast trek to becoming a non-Christian nation?

 

I think the answer is extremely simple, the Internet.

[TheDeuce]

It is healthy for a child growing up to attend Church with both of their parents as often as they can

 

Says who?

[Science Friction]

Says who?

 

 

That's what I'd like to know. I guess "InItToWinIt" and James Dobsen is who.

[Science Friction]

I think the answer is extremely simple, the Internet.

 

Some, I think, are going to interpret that you mean the internet and all of its vices(accessibility of porn, etc...) are leading Americans down a path to moral bankrupcy and away from God. I believe you mean that with the internet people now have access to vast amounts of knowledge and information that they may not have had before and this new knowledge is helping to shape a new belief system about God and the Universe, one that may differ sharply from the evangelical Christian perspective. I may be wrong, however. At least, that's how I interpreted what you said.

Edited May 20, 2015 by Science Friction