Pew Religious Study

[Eleventh Doctor]

The new Pew Religious Landscape of America is out: http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/amer ... landscape/

The major findings, Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population; Unaffiliated and Other Faiths Continue to Grow. Thoughts?

[Miss Friendship]

I have a question: Why?

[Eleventh Doctor]

Good question, I think it has to do with a failure to make the faith real to young people growing up.

[Miss Friendship]

I agree.

My father has always said its a lack of passion for Christ in the church. If the young people see empty religion with no passion, they will go find something that does have passion.

[The Old Judge]

And to go along with what Miss Friendship said, that is why mainline Protestantism has taken such a hit. Evangelical Protestantism has declined has well, but only a fraction of what mainline has. One major factor that must be taken into account is this: thousands, if not tens of thousands, of faithful Christians have passed on since 2007. There have been many dear ones just from my own circle of family and friends. Numbers will continue to decline in the Christian category for the next two decades, most likely, because a vast amount of Baby Boomers were Christians. There was less of a Christian impact on Generation X and the Millennials.

Do not take me as being negative. God is still working in mighty ways across the country, and I could deliver you many praise reports each week on what He is doing in our midst. That's why Evangelical Protestantism has not declined as much. Those churches are growing by leaps and bounds, because they are excited and active about their faith, and sharing it with people. That is predominantly in the South. The Northeast is also experiencing growth in the Evangelical Protestant sector, while its famous centuries-old mainline division is collapsing. In the Midwest, we are seeing the very traditional Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Methodism die, as well as Presbyterianism. The young folks are turning to either the prosperity gospel or unaffiliation. However, even there God is turning the situation around. Churches are being planted and revived that are evangelical in nature, and they are seeing results.

My observations conclude almost exactly as Miss Friendship's short sentence. Overall, Christianity in America has become formalistic and a mere hollow, empty symbol. People want genuine change. Where Christ is, there is change, and thus growth. The numbers will continue to bottom out until only the churches that are active in Christ are left (for the most part), and then there will be an increase again.

[Eleventh Doctor]

That's why Evangelical Protestantism has not declined as much. Those churches are growing by leaps and bounds, because they are excited and active about their faith, and sharing it with people.

If they're growing by leaps and bounds why have they declined at all? Deaths in the older generation don't explain away all the decline. In fact the study says the main issue is young Millennials leaving Christianity all together, also non-denominational prosperity gospel churches would be categorized under Evangelical Protestantism.

So does something need to change to keep young Millennials in the church?

[The Old Judge]

The zeal in Evangelical Protestant churches (Remember, this is my completely irrelevant opinion.) needs to be revived specifically in the Midwest, Northeast (excluding New England), and the West.

[Eleventh Doctor]

Okay, so what needs to be done to revive that zeal?

Also I thought this was an interesting article on the subject of zeal and the gospel in the South: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/ ... baltimore/

[Blitz]

Word of Life is attempting to reach 75 million this year. Also China and other countries are having an increase in Christians. China nearly is matching America with Christians currently. Also US needs to have missionaries to itself.

[Miss Friendship]

It sure does. My dad is a missionary to America

I think every Christian should be a missionary to everyone around him whether it be on foreign lands or not.

[Blitz]

Is he full time working in America and not with one church solely?

[Miss Friendship]

He belongs to one church, but he travels a lot. We also have a ministry where we make gospel signs, and he answers calls for a gospel billboard company and talks to people from all over US about the gospel. When I say missionary, I didn't mean an organization sent him out, but that he has cut back from other things so he has more time for ministry.

[Pound Foolish]

Can we really assume the depleting numbers is due to lack of passion? Do we have stats on passion too? Just saying, all people really have to go on with lack of passion is one's personal impression.

This is natural, healthy fluctuation. Numbers always go up and down. Christianity was once very much the usual religion in America, and most people had some religion or other. Back then, religion was simply part of life. Which is good in its way. But today, people question religion endlessly, we have to. If atheism was a religion, it would be one of the fastest growing religions in the world and America especially. Which is great, people are thinking. And so long as people are thinking, the truth keeps coming back.

[Miss Friendship]

Atheism is a religion.

[Eleventh Doctor]

Atheism is the lack of religion by definition it is also complex and not easily quantified. But really, what point is there in insisting to atheist that they are a religion too?

[Miss Friendship]

Do you consider Buddhism a religion?

[Eleventh Doctor]

Yes, they would also consider themselves a religion.

My point is that atheism is a very diverse group of people who have a variety of reasons for thinking like they do, labeling them all the same or putting labels on them they don't accept is pointless.

[Miss Friendship]

They are atheists as well.

So what do you have to say athiest churches?

Cheistianity is a positive religion. Atheism is a negative religion. Instead of belief in a God, they believe there is no God. They have very strong beliefs just like any other religion.

[Eleventh Doctor]

If you want to say all that, fine. It's not helpful though to talk down to people who believe differently than you and say that you know better than them what they believe. Because no, Buddhist are not atheist. Atheist churches are mocking Christian churches. And most atheist wouldn't consider their views to be beliefs in the same way you're using the word, telling others that they're wrong in how they define themselves is pretty rude.

I mean I know how you feel when people insist on calling you Protestant when you don't like that term, are you doing unto others what you don't like?

[Miss Friendship]

How is saying atheism is a religion talking down to them? It's actually saying we have something in common.

When have I said I disliked being called Protestant? I actually haven't been that often...so its offensive to atheists for them to be told they have a religion? All religions want to be different...atheism I guess is no different.

All things wicked and sinful come from the Devil. All false religions come from the Devil. So atheism and Buddhism come from the same source...Satan just adds a different twist so each person will find exactly what they want. Do you disagree with this?