New Harvard Research Says US Christianity Not Shrinking but Growing Stronger

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by Paul7, Mar 12, 2019.

  1. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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  2. Greenleft

    Greenleft Well-Known Member

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    My guess is that those Anabaptist groups: Amish, Hutterites and Mennonites help with the statistics as they are a growing demographic.
     
  3. edna kawabata

    edna kawabata Well-Known Member

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  4. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    Not how I read it, those falling away weren't really religious to begin with, kind of like someone who says they're a Christian because they're mom went to church. Americans are joining all organizations less these days.

    "We are not yet convinced, however, by the assertion that the religious change occurring in the United States fits the secularization thesis."
     
  5. edna kawabata

    edna kawabata Well-Known Member

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    "those falling away weren't really religious to begin with" is your subjective standard, another, better way to put it is more people are becoming less religious except for a certain category of the religious who have become more strident in their religiosity. The polarization is what doesn't fit the secularization thesis.
     
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  6. Cougarbear

    Cougarbear Banned

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    Not what the study said. It's the real Christian beliefs not watered down by the social norms of today.Chruches like the United Methodist Church are seeing numbers tank because they accept more and more sin into their Church. Same with many of the other Christian Churches. The article is very clear that Christians are growing, not declining. The part that says we are attending 4 times more now in percentage than Churches did in 1776 was a real eye opener.
     
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  7. Cougarbear

    Cougarbear Banned

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    Ya, no. Not what I read. It's clear we aren't becoming less religious and certainly not less Christian. There is a shift away from some of the larger churches that have latched on to the liberal Democrats view that nothing is a sin. The article says that people are shifting to Churches that still hold the Commandments sacred. No abortion and no homosexual behavior sin is still important to the believers.
     
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  8. edna kawabata

    edna kawabata Well-Known Member

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    "Democrats view that nothing is a sin" puts you as a right-wing ideologue and were you reading the same study? See figure 1
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2019
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  9. Arjay51

    Arjay51 Well-Known Member

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    As with all of these studies, I would like to know who commissioned it and what outcome they preferred.

    In other words, I don't trust any study like this.
     
  10. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    Maybe do you own study? Until then, these are interesting results.
     
  11. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    No, they were never religious to begin with, only in name. Kind of like a registered Democrat who never voted, or voted Republican.

    I prefer to call them committed Christians. That segment isn't shrinking by a long shot.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2019
  12. Cougarbear

    Cougarbear Banned

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    If the shoe fits, wear it. Democrats only sound the moral and ethics horn when they get caught and it will affect their power and next election. Democrats also all think Republican and Conservatives are deplorable clinging to their guns and religion. We do believe in our right to religion and free thought, We do believe we have a right to bear arms. But, we are not the deplorable ones that think killing an unborn child isn't wrong or a sin. It's a $250,000 and 2 years in jail for killing a bald eagle before it climbs out of its shell. But, it's righteous and a woman's right to kill her baby just before he/she climbs out of their shell into the world. Tell me why that is true? Justify the obvious contradiction on the sanctity of life?
     
  13. Daniel Light

    Daniel Light Well-Known Member

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    Funny how all these studies include Mormons - yet Christians don't consider Mormons as Christians ... except when it comes to overall numbers.
     
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  14. Daniel Light

    Daniel Light Well-Known Member

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    Black Democrats are among the most religious of any demographic. That's the shoe they wear.

    As to abortion, that is a mother's decision. We don't fine or jail an Eagle if they abandon their nest (and yes, it does happen) because that is the choice of the Eagle.

    And the day you are willing to sign a letter that you will kill yourself if any mother your force to carry to term dies in labor, then you can claim the moral high ground. Until that time, you are just a back-seat driver willing to gamble with no skin in the game.
     
  15. Arjay51

    Arjay51 Well-Known Member

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    Interesting propaganda, but not a statement of facts.
     
  16. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    You just reject evidence going against your worldview, huh?
     
  17. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    They are an insignificant number of global Christianity.
     
  18. Daniel Light

    Daniel Light Well-Known Member

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    It's interesting how Christians count Catholics as Christians - until they don't because they are Baptists.

    It's interesting how no one religious sect of Christianity (Catholics, Baptists, Protestants etc.) exceed 18% of the world's population ... and that 18% is the efficacy rate of placebos.
     
  19. Paul7

    Paul7 Well-Known Member

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    I thought diversity was good? The vast majority of denominations agree on the essentials of the faith, as expressed in the Creeds for example. As the reformers said, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity". If you're not a Christian, why do you care?
     
  20. edna kawabata

    edna kawabata Well-Known Member

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    If the shoe fits....another right-winger demonstrating confirmation bias in action.
     
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  21. edna kawabata

    edna kawabata Well-Known Member

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    I don't believe the study authors were using your particular definition and the "ardent" Christian numbers seem to be stable.
     
  22. Arjay51

    Arjay51 Well-Known Member

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    No, I reject claims of others claiming to know what "everyone" else knows and believes.

    I have not stated my "worldview", that is an assumption on your part and wrong.
     
  23. Arjay51

    Arjay51 Well-Known Member

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    Why do you apparently care so much what others think and believe? Especially those that disagree with you.
     
  24. Kode

    Kode Well-Known Member

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    The problem here seems to be the BS spin put on the report by The Federalist (who's surprised?). If the reader follows the "research" link to the article, the graphs clearly expose the spin. You will find "Voas and Chaves (2016) showed that average religiousness is declining in the United States, similar to the secularization occurring in other countries" for example. But the graphs show a clear decline in affiliation, attendance, interest, belief, and zealotry (thank goodness!).

    No wonder I ignore "The Federalist".
     
  25. JakeStarkey

    JakeStarkey Well-Known Member

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    Edna's opposition to the interpretations of "those falling away weren't really religious to begin with" in fact is merely her subjective opinion about it.
     

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