Comments on: The Decline of Religion in America…Or Maybe Not http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/decline-religion-americaor/ Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.-Ronald Reagan Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:31:36 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Demandevidence http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/decline-religion-americaor/comment-page-1/#comment-60422 Demandevidence Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:52:24 +0000 http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/?p=6435#comment-60422 I really appreciate this article and the trend that it is portraying, if it is indeed accurate. People are leaving the large organized churches in favor of non-denominational churches. That's great news! It means that people are discovering that the denominations of christianity are not significantly different. Eventually, they will discover that other religions are not significantly different. After that, they will discover that people who are not religiously affiliated are not significantly different than people who are religiously affiliated. As the melting pot gets larger and the dominoes continue to fall, eventually a trend that started somewhere with sacrificing virgins to volcanoes to appease a powerful menace will have finally faded without so much as a shrug. I really appreciate this article and the trend that it is portraying, if it is indeed accurate. People are leaving the large organized churches in favor of non-denominational churches. That’s great news! It means that people are discovering that the denominations of christianity are not significantly different. Eventually, they will discover that other religions are not significantly different. After that, they will discover that people who are not religiously affiliated are not significantly different than people who are religiously affiliated.

As the melting pot gets larger and the dominoes continue to fall, eventually a trend that started somewhere with sacrificing virgins to volcanoes to appease a powerful menace will have finally faded without so much as a shrug.

]]> By: Mr. Mister http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/decline-religion-americaor/comment-page-1/#comment-60051 Mr. Mister Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:10:35 +0000 http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/?p=6435#comment-60051 If I'm understanding your point it is that fewer people identify themselves as religious because all those fake, phony liberals who go to church have finally just accepted their own religious phoniness and no longer identify themselves as belonging to a particular religion in response to polling questions. Why is it that self identified uber-conservatives feel the need to attack the religious beliefs/motivations, etc., of those they disagree with politically, while at the same time preaching about the centrality of religion in American life and the need to accommodate and encourage religious belief and expression? The point again and again of said uber-conservatives seems to be that only that the politically conservative of the evangelical persuasion are truly religious, and that the religion of those to the left of center (and the center as well) is less valid (and even not sincerely held). I don't think anyone has the right to draw those kinds of conclusions about the beliefs of others. I'd also point out that the melding of religion and politics historically has been toxic, and we need to look no further than our European homeland to prove the point, whether we look at Northern Ireland (Protestants v. Catholics), the Balkans (Orthodox Christian ethnic Serbian Bosnians v. Bosnian Muslims, Catholic Croats v. Orthodox Christian Serbians), or travel back in time to the religious wars of 16th and 17th century Europe. Religion is a matter of conscience! If I’m understanding your point it is that fewer people identify themselves as religious because all those fake, phony liberals who go to church have finally just accepted their own religious phoniness and no longer identify themselves as belonging to a particular religion in response to polling questions.

Why is it that self identified uber-conservatives feel the need to attack the religious beliefs/motivations, etc., of those they disagree with politically, while at the same time preaching about the centrality of religion in American life and the need to accommodate and encourage religious belief and expression?

The point again and again of said uber-conservatives seems to be that only that the politically conservative of the evangelical persuasion are truly religious, and that the religion of those to the left of center (and the center as well) is less valid (and even not sincerely held). I don’t think anyone has the right to draw those kinds of conclusions about the beliefs of others.

I’d also point out that the melding of religion and politics historically has been toxic, and we need to look no further than our European homeland to prove the point, whether we look at Northern Ireland (Protestants v. Catholics), the Balkans (Orthodox Christian ethnic Serbian Bosnians v. Bosnian Muslims, Catholic Croats v. Orthodox Christian Serbians), or travel back in time to the religious wars of 16th and 17th century Europe.

Religion is a matter of conscience!

]]> By: The Rambling Taoist http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/decline-religion-americaor/comment-page-1/#comment-59980 The Rambling Taoist Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:47:42 +0000 http://www.adamsweb.us/blog/?p=6435#comment-59980 I agree that the various stats aren't definitive. Still, I am extremely heartened that more and more Americans are making the conscious decision not to believe in invisible beings. We're making progress...finally! I agree that the various stats aren’t definitive. Still, I am extremely heartened that more and more Americans are making the conscious decision not to believe in invisible beings. We’re making progress…finally!

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