Why Christianity must be a cause

[jonlazal]

Christianity in America is failing, this is no secret. The conversion rate is negative, the birthrate is below replacement, and Christian numbers are shrinking and has been for several years despite record population. Not only that but Christian values are being discarded, Christian institutions are being dismantled, and Christian traditions are being vilified. I've always wondered, why is this the case?

I see two common explanation that I get from atheists and Christians alike:

1. Urbanization - As countries industrialize they tend to urbanize and standards of living rise, and as urbanization and rising standards of living go up, birthrates come down because people see them as a liability. With a below replacement level fertility rate for several decades, we now have an inverted population pyramid for Christians. There are a lot of older Christians who chose to have less kids because it's more economical, and with less kids, the population is shrinking, and therefore Christian influence is declining.
2. Science - As new scientific discoveries are made, they challenge the Christian narrative and therefore, the religion loses legitimacy. As a religion is loses it's legitimacy, all other aspects of the religion are criticized and attacked because there's no reason to uphold them. Thus, people will deem Christian laws as tyrannical, Christian gospel as false, and Christian values as irrelevant.

However, I find both of these explanations lazy because they just try to pass this off as something natural when it's not. The first thing that comes to mind is Israel. Like America, Israel is a highly urbanized first world country that constantly puts out award winning scientists and research... yet their birthrate is well above replacement level and it is INCREASING. Not only that but the Israeli Jews are devote and their influence is also increasing. Which I find strange especially considering how American Jews are facing a similar decline as American Christians.

Why is that? I spoke to an Israeli woman today about demographic shifts at a university conference, and I asked why was there such a stark contrast between the birthrates of Israeli Jews and American Jews despite them following the same religion, living in similar countries, and having similar standards of living. She told me that the difference comes from how Israeli Jews view themselves and their country as a cause, as opposed to American Jews who do not. This answer changed my perspective.

Israeli Jews see themselves as a part of a larger divine plan where they have to make themselves and their country successful. They think it's a part of their religious duty to put their religion above all else, to have big families, to reclaim Israeli land from the Arabs, to establish Jewish roots, to foster Jewish communities, to make Israel successful, to pass these values on to their kids. They'll do this no matter what, even if the world stood against them. In contrast, American Jews largely view themselves

It's not just Jews in Israel, muslims in Europe are the same. A lot of them aren't just migrating for economic benefits, they also see it as their religious duty to colonize and turn Europe islamic. That's why they have way more kids than Westerners despite living in the West. It is why they refuse to assimilate and integrate despite the West trying everything. It is why they are extremist, disrespectful, and arrogant despite the West showing them the utmost generosity and respect. They don't see Europeans as friends or allies, they see them as fools and enemies. They think Europe is rightfully theirs and they are willing to lie, cheat, kill, repopulate in greater numbers, organize, and terrorize to make that happen. They will cheer the losses of European as victories and grieve their victories as defeats.

Christianity does not bare the malice of these other religions. Christianity is truly noble and the word of Christ can humble any man. But I think this is precisely why we should treat Christianity as the ultimate cause. It is the only true path to salvation of mankind.

We don't need violence or tyranny, but we do need to take our Christian cause more seriously. The cause of Christ starts with us. We have to make sure we actually in accordance by the words of the holy Bible. We should lead lives for others to follow by doing simple things that advance Christianity. If you live in a city, join an old Church and establish yourself as a devote worshipper in the community, and then use your influence to reclaim the church back from the heretics. If you are blessed with some wealth, consider using that to bring new life into this world or set up a local charity. If you have kids make sure you're teaching them Christian values. If you are buying something, try to support Christian businesses. If you are voting, vote for truly faithful Christian candidates. If you live in a community where there's much Christian activity, set up a meet up group and try develop a social circle. If you see a confused atheist who's talking nonsense, be patient and explain to them the Christian truth. See someone struggling and is clearly lacking faith? Introduce them to Christ. Little steps go a long way, you just have to take the first step and start somewhere.

If you're not convinced then I will leave you with this:

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

 

[Hammster]

The only way Christianity is failing is if Christ is failing. He said He would build His church. He is doing that.

 

[Fervent]

It seems to me a lot of the decline of Christianity in the west comes from so many Christians declaring everyone who wasn't in lock-step with them wasn't a true Christian, and the rarity of simple acts of service. Too often people are focused on marketing games and sales tactics to "win" the unbelievers, rather than simply engaging with people as people and letting the Holy Spirit draw those who would come. If Christians behaved like Christ, rather than bullies, the Christian message would be a lot more powerful. But we're often far more worried about what people are doing wrong, than how they are hurting and need to be healed.

Which I largely blame on a distorted image of the gospel that has come out of humanistic philosophy.

 

[jacks]

Could it be just as simple as, it has become more socially acceptable to say you aren't a Christian? Not that there are fewer Christians, just that those who aren't freely admit it.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I don't think it is so much "These are Christian rules and society needs to live by them." as it is let's follow His example.

Who does that?

 

[Brihaha]

Maybe organized Christianity simply suffers from a lack of principle based leadership. To me, the decline parallels the decline in leadership of the republican party in America. Principles and tenets do not seem to be priorities anymore. Tribalism has infected churches too.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

The "cause" for Christianity is love... and that includes enemies.

Who is on board with that?

 

[Grip Docility]

Christianity in America is failing, this is no secret. The conversion rate is negative, the birthrate is below replacement, and Christian numbers are shrinking and has been for several years despite record population. Not only that but Christian values are being discarded, Christian institutions are being dismantled, and Christian traditions are being vilified. I've always wondered, why is this the case?

I see two common explanation that I get from atheists and Christians alike:

1. Urbanization - As countries industrialize they tend to urbanize and standards of living rise, and as urbanization and rising standards of living go up, birthrates come down because people see them as a liability. With a below replacement level fertility rate for several decades, we now have an inverted population pyramid for Christians. There are a lot of older Christians who chose to have less kids because it's more economical, and with less kids, the population is shrinking, and therefore Christian influence is declining.
2. Science - As new scientific discoveries are made, they challenge the Christian narrative and therefore, the religion loses legitimacy. As a religion is loses it's legitimacy, all other aspects of the religion are criticized and attacked because there's no reason to uphold them. Thus, people will deem Christian laws as tyrannical, Christian gospel as false, and Christian values as irrelevant.

However, I find both of these explanations lazy because they just try to pass this off as something natural when it's not. The first thing that comes to mind is Israel. Like America, Israel is a highly urbanized first world country that constantly puts out award winning scientists and research... yet their birthrate is well above replacement level and it is INCREASING. Not only that but the Israeli Jews are devote and their influence is also increasing. Which I find strange especially considering how American Jews are facing a similar decline as American Christians.

Why is that? I spoke to an Israeli woman today about demographic shifts at a university conference, and I asked why was there such a stark contrast between the birthrates of Israeli Jews and American Jews despite them following the same religion, living in similar countries, and having similar standards of living. She told me that the difference comes from how Israeli Jews view themselves and their country as a cause, as opposed to American Jews who do not. This answer changed my perspective.

Israeli Jews see themselves as a part of a larger divine plan where they have to make themselves and their country successful. They think it's a part of their religious duty to put their religion above all else, to have big families, to reclaim Israeli land from the Arabs, to establish Jewish roots, to foster Jewish communities, to make Israel successful, to pass these values on to their kids. They'll do this no matter what, even if the world stood against them. In contrast, American Jews largely view themselves

It's not just Jews in Israel, muslims in Europe are the same. A lot of them aren't just migrating for economic benefits, they also see it as their religious duty to colonize and turn Europe islamic. That's why they have way more kids than Westerners despite living in the West. It is why they refuse to assimilate and integrate despite the West trying everything. It is why they are extremist, disrespectful, and arrogant despite the West showing them the utmost generosity and respect. They don't see Europeans as friends or allies, they see them as fools and enemies. They think Europe is rightfully theirs and they are willing to lie, cheat, kill, repopulate in greater numbers, organize, and terrorize to make that happen. They will cheer the losses of European as victories and grieve their victories as defeats.

Christianity does not bare the malice of these other religions. Christianity is truly noble and the word of Christ can humble any man. But I think this is precisely why we should treat Christianity as the ultimate cause. It is the only true path to salvation of mankind.

We don't need violence or tyranny, but we do need to take our Christian cause more seriously. The cause of Christ starts with us. We have to make sure we actually in accordance by the words of the holy Bible. We should lead lives for others to follow by doing simple things that advance Christianity. If you live in a city, join an old Church and establish yourself as a devote worshipper in the community, and then use your influence to reclaim the church back from the heretics. If you are blessed with some wealth, consider using that to bring new life into this world or set up a local charity. If you have kids make sure you're teaching them Christian values. If you are buying something, try to support Christian businesses. If you are voting, vote for truly faithful Christian candidates. If you live in a community where there's much Christian activity, set up a meet up group and try develop a social circle. If you see a confused atheist who's talking nonsense, be patient and explain to them the Christian truth. See someone struggling and is clearly lacking faith? Introduce them to Christ. Little steps go a long way, you just have to take the first step and start somewhere.

If you're not convinced then I will leave you with this:

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

He is the Head... but He has entrusted us to be His very BODY. You have written a call to action. This is righteous! The Apostles had to endure struggle unto action that lead them to death to Plant the very first churches.

I don't speak on matters often, that bare the mark of politics. I will say this, raising my hand as guilty, first and foremost. What started as devotion unto death has become complacency and "THE WORLD" is Wicked... with fingers pointed. In America, many Christians are so hyper focused in political scenarios for hopes of better "Quality of Life" that we forget that we were supposed to ACTIVLY SEEK first His Kingdom. Now, by no means is Christ established as our Earthly Ruler, here and now. However, He is trusting us to BE HIS BODY.

Love? Is the LOVE growing cold? It is. We the 99 have forgotten about the 1. Many don't understand that a Body that isn't Loving as He commanded unto being associated with seeking out the 1, at the cost of condescension by brethren... isn't doing as He did.

Well written! Thank you for these necessary words!

 

[The Barbarian]

Science - As new scientific discoveries are made, they challenge the Christian narrative and therefore, the religion loses legitimacy. As a religion is loses it's legitimacy, all other aspects of the religion are criticized and attacked because there's no reason to uphold them. Thus, people will deem Christian laws as tyrannical, Christian gospel as false, and Christian values as irrelevant.

Almost all scientists admit that nothing in science undermines Christianity. Some of it does undermine some new doctrines invented by some religious groups. And that's a huge problem. As St. Augustine noted, a long time ago:

Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and this knowledge he holds to as being certain from reason and experience.

Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but that people outside the household of faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men.

If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods and on facts which they themselves have learnt from experience and the light of reason? Reckless and incompetent expounders of Holy Scripture bring untold trouble and sorrow on their wiser brethren when they are caught in one of their mischievous false opinions and are taken to task by those who are not bound by the authority of our sacred books. For then, to defend their utterly foolish and obviously untrue statements, they will try to call upon Holy Scripture for proof and even recite from memory many passages which they think support their position, although they understand neither what they say nor the things about which they make assertion.
St. Augustine of Hippo, De Genesi ad Litteram

This is the real damage that YE creationism does to faith.

 

[Fervent]

Almost all scientists admit that nothing in science undermines Christianity. Some of it does undermine some new doctrines invented by some religious groups. And that's a huge problem. As St. Augustine noted, a long time ago:

While this is true, it does not mean that science has not been a contributing factor to unbelief because the popular imagination sees the two at odds with each other. It's one factor in a complex matrix of philosophical commitments that leads to an embrace of denying any possibility of a personal God that interacts with His creation in a meaningful way. It's often blamed far more than the preponderance of doctrine such as "sola scriptura" leading to divorcing the Biblical witness from the history that brought it about because it's an obvious bogeyman, but its role in the situation cannot be denied entirely.

 

[dzheremi]

I think a large reason that Christianity has declined in America is because America is a highly individualistic society, and the more traditional forms of Christianity are all much more collectively-minded. As some Eastern Orthodox have put it, "we are saved together, but condemned alone." I can't think of anything less appealing to a nation full of freedom-lovers than that.

 

[The Barbarian]

I think a large reason that Christianity has declined in America is because America is a highly individualistic society, and the more traditional forms of Christianity are all much more collectively-minded. As some Eastern Orthodox have put it, "we are saved together, but condemned alone." I can't think of anything less appealing to a nation full of freedom-lovers than that.

Interesting observation. I wonder if that's not why America has been so receptive to Calvinism and the notion of the elect, who are singled out by God for salvation.

 

[HARK!]

MOD HAT ON

Please read and abide by each forum's Statement of Purpose; Statement of Purpose threads are sticky threads located at the top of the forum's page. Not all forums have a Statement of Purpose thread.​

​

 

[HARK!]

MOD HAT ON

MOD HAT OFF​

 

[1Tonne]

This thread is pretty much exactly the same as the current other thread in the Mission, Evangelism & Witnessing section. Read the whole thing and you will see why Christianity is in decline. Interesting read.

Why is Christianity declining?

Why is Christianity declining both in membership and in clergy? Even the more conservative branches of Christianity such as Orthodoxy and the more conservative branches of Catholicism and Protestantism is declining although not as rapidly as the more liberal and heretical branches. Although...

www.christianforums.com

Reasons why Christianity is in decline:
1. Proclamation Evangelism has been replaced with friendship evangelism as the main form of evangelism.
2. There is little of the equipping of the saints to be able to go out and speak the Gospel to the lost.
3. We no longer use the Law in Gospel proclamation.

Many believers who do share the Gospel and use the Law are criticised by other believers. They are told that they are "playing silly power games", or they are having "inauthentic interactions". Thus, many believers are scared off from proclamation evangelism because of the persecution, not only from outside the church (which is normal) but also from inside the church.

 

[FireDragon76]

Christianity in America is failing, this is no secret. The conversion rate is negative, the birthrate is below replacement, and Christian numbers are shrinking and has been for several years despite record population. Not only that but Christian values are being discarded, Christian institutions are being dismantled, and Christian traditions are being vilified. I've always wondered, why is this the case?

I see two common explanation that I get from atheists and Christians alike:

1. Urbanization - As countries industrialize they tend to urbanize and standards of living rise, and as urbanization and rising standards of living go up, birthrates come down because people see them as a liability. With a below replacement level fertility rate for several decades, we now have an inverted population pyramid for Christians. There are a lot of older Christians who chose to have less kids because it's more economical, and with less kids, the population is shrinking, and therefore Christian influence is declining.
2. Science - As new scientific discoveries are made, they challenge the Christian narrative and therefore, the religion loses legitimacy. As a religion is loses it's legitimacy, all other aspects of the religion are criticized and attacked because there's no reason to uphold them. Thus, people will deem Christian laws as tyrannical, Christian gospel as false, and Christian values as irrelevant.

However, I find both of these explanations lazy because they just try to pass this off as something natural when it's not. The first thing that comes to mind is Israel. Like America, Israel is a highly urbanized first world country that constantly puts out award winning scientists and research... yet their birthrate is well above replacement level and it is INCREASING. Not only that but the Israeli Jews are devote and their influence is also increasing. Which I find strange especially considering how American Jews are facing a similar decline as American Christians.

Why is that? I spoke to an Israeli woman today about demographic shifts at a university conference, and I asked why was there such a stark contrast between the birthrates of Israeli Jews and American Jews despite them following the same religion, living in similar countries, and having similar standards of living. She told me that the difference comes from how Israeli Jews view themselves and their country as a cause, as opposed to American Jews who do not. This answer changed my perspective.

Israeli Jews see themselves as a part of a larger divine plan where they have to make themselves and their country successful. They think it's a part of their religious duty to put their religion above all else, to have big families, to reclaim Israeli land from the Arabs, to establish Jewish roots, to foster Jewish communities, to make Israel successful, to pass these values on to their kids. They'll do this no matter what, even if the world stood against them. In contrast, American Jews largely view themselves

It's not just Jews in Israel, muslims in Europe are the same. A lot of them aren't just migrating for economic benefits, they also see it as their religious duty to colonize and turn Europe islamic. That's why they have way more kids than Westerners despite living in the West. It is why they refuse to assimilate and integrate despite the West trying everything. It is why they are extremist, disrespectful, and arrogant despite the West showing them the utmost generosity and respect. They don't see Europeans as friends or allies, they see them as fools and enemies. They think Europe is rightfully theirs and they are willing to lie, cheat, kill, repopulate in greater numbers, organize, and terrorize to make that happen. They will cheer the losses of European as victories and grieve their victories as defeats.

Christianity does not bare the malice of these other religions. Christianity is truly noble and the word of Christ can humble any man. But I think this is precisely why we should treat Christianity as the ultimate cause. It is the only true path to salvation of mankind.

We don't need violence or tyranny, but we do need to take our Christian cause more seriously. The cause of Christ starts with us. We have to make sure we actually in accordance by the words of the holy Bible. We should lead lives for others to follow by doing simple things that advance Christianity. If you live in a city, join an old Church and establish yourself as a devote worshipper in the community, and then use your influence to reclaim the church back from the heretics. If you are blessed with some wealth, consider using that to bring new life into this world or set up a local charity. If you have kids make sure you're teaching them Christian values. If you are buying something, try to support Christian businesses. If you are voting, vote for truly faithful Christian candidates. If you live in a community where there's much Christian activity, set up a meet up group and try develop a social circle. If you see a confused atheist who's talking nonsense, be patient and explain to them the Christian truth. See someone struggling and is clearly lacking faith? Introduce them to Christ. Little steps go a long way, you just have to take the first step and start somewhere.

If you're not convinced then I will leave you with this:

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Israel isn't analogous. Judaism has very different cultural dynamics than Christianity. For one thing, most Jews in Israel don't believe in God and practice few, if any, religious practices.

 

[The Barbarian]

Many believers who do share the Gospel and use the Law are criticised by other believers. They are told that they are "playing silly power games", or they are having "inauthentic interactions". Thus, many believers are scared off from proclamation evangelism because of the persecution, not only from outside the church (which is normal) but also from inside the church.

Why not just read what Jesus said, and follow that?

 

[CoreyD]

Christianity in America is failing, this is no secret. The conversion rate is negative, the birthrate is below replacement, and Christian numbers are shrinking and has been for several years despite record population. Not only that but Christian values are being discarded, Christian institutions are being dismantled, and Christian traditions are being vilified. I've always wondered, why is this the case?

I see two common explanation that I get from atheists and Christians alike:

1. Urbanization - As countries industrialize they tend to urbanize and standards of living rise, and as urbanization and rising standards of living go up, birthrates come down because people see them as a liability. With a below replacement level fertility rate for several decades, we now have an inverted population pyramid for Christians. There are a lot of older Christians who chose to have less kids because it's more economical, and with less kids, the population is shrinking, and therefore Christian influence is declining.
2. Science - As new scientific discoveries are made, they challenge the Christian narrative and therefore, the religion loses legitimacy. As a religion is loses it's legitimacy, all other aspects of the religion are criticized and attacked because there's no reason to uphold them. Thus, people will deem Christian laws as tyrannical, Christian gospel as false, and Christian values as irrelevant.

However, I find both of these explanations lazy because they just try to pass this off as something natural when it's not. The first thing that comes to mind is Israel. Like America, Israel is a highly urbanized first world country that constantly puts out award winning scientists and research... yet their birthrate is well above replacement level and it is INCREASING. Not only that but the Israeli Jews are devote and their influence is also increasing. Which I find strange especially considering how American Jews are facing a similar decline as American Christians.

Why is that? I spoke to an Israeli woman today about demographic shifts at a university conference, and I asked why was there such a stark contrast between the birthrates of Israeli Jews and American Jews despite them following the same religion, living in similar countries, and having similar standards of living. She told me that the difference comes from how Israeli Jews view themselves and their country as a cause, as opposed to American Jews who do not. This answer changed my perspective.

Israeli Jews see themselves as a part of a larger divine plan where they have to make themselves and their country successful. They think it's a part of their religious duty to put their religion above all else, to have big families, to reclaim Israeli land from the Arabs, to establish Jewish roots, to foster Jewish communities, to make Israel successful, to pass these values on to their kids. They'll do this no matter what, even if the world stood against them. In contrast, American Jews largely view themselves

It's not just Jews in Israel, muslims in Europe are the same. A lot of them aren't just migrating for economic benefits, they also see it as their religious duty to colonize and turn Europe islamic. That's why they have way more kids than Westerners despite living in the West. It is why they refuse to assimilate and integrate despite the West trying everything. It is why they are extremist, disrespectful, and arrogant despite the West showing them the utmost generosity and respect. They don't see Europeans as friends or allies, they see them as fools and enemies. They think Europe is rightfully theirs and they are willing to lie, cheat, kill, repopulate in greater numbers, organize, and terrorize to make that happen. They will cheer the losses of European as victories and grieve their victories as defeats.

Christianity does not bare the malice of these other religions. Christianity is truly noble and the word of Christ can humble any man. But I think this is precisely why we should treat Christianity as the ultimate cause. It is the only true path to salvation of mankind.

We don't need violence or tyranny, but we do need to take our Christian cause more seriously. The cause of Christ starts with us. We have to make sure we actually in accordance by the words of the holy Bible. We should lead lives for others to follow by doing simple things that advance Christianity. If you live in a city, join an old Church and establish yourself as a devote worshipper in the community, and then use your influence to reclaim the church back from the heretics. If you are blessed with some wealth, consider using that to bring new life into this world or set up a local charity. If you have kids make sure you're teaching them Christian values. If you are buying something, try to support Christian businesses. If you are voting, vote for truly faithful Christian candidates. If you live in a community where there's much Christian activity, set up a meet up group and try develop a social circle. If you see a confused atheist who's talking nonsense, be patient and explain to them the Christian truth. See someone struggling and is clearly lacking faith? Introduce them to Christ. Little steps go a long way, you just have to take the first step and start somewhere.

If you're not convinced then I will leave you with this:

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

What if there is a war, with only one side losing? Revelation 2:12, 21-23

 

[1Tonne]

Why not just read what Jesus said, and follow that?

That is. The rich young ruler came and asked "What must I do to get eternal life" and Jesus replied by asking, "Have you kept the commandments?"

 

[The Barbarian]

That is. The rich young ruler came and asked "What must I do to get eternal life" and Jesus replied by asking, "Have you kept the commandments?"

But that wasn't the end of it, was it?

Read the entire exchange.
MAT.19.16-26