Caliban

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What explains the trend of decreased religious belief and practice in the U.S.?


Given the findings of the following Barna poll, how do you explain the reason for this trend? I am interested in how a person’s religious tradition, non-belief, or presuppositions shape the way they engage with evidence pointing to the decline of religious faith and the increase of non-belief.


In... “2018, Christianity in the United States had witnessed a significant loss of followers, from 81 percent in 2003 to 72 percent in 2018. Meanwhile, the atheist / agnostic / none segment has seen the greatest increase of all groups analyzed, nearly doubling in size from 11 percent in 2003 to 21 percent in 2018” (Barna 2020).

Barna_FaithView_Charts3_v4.jpg



Citation :

Tracking the Growth and Decline Of Religious Segments: The Rise Of Atheism

Barna Group – Organization. Tracking the Growth and Decline of Religious Segments: The Rise of Atheism - Barna Group
 
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pantingdeer

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What explains the trend of decreased religious belief and practice in the U.S.?


Given the findings of the following Barna poll, how do you explain the reason for this trend? I am interested in how a person’s religious tradition, non-belief, or presuppositions shape the way they engage with evidence pointing to the decline of religious faith and the increase of non-belief.


In... “2018, Christianity in the United States had witnessed a significant loss of followers, from 81 percent in 2003 to 72 percent in 2018. Meanwhile, the atheist / agnostic / none segment has seen the greatest increase of all groups analyzed, nearly doubling in size from 11 percent in 2003 to 21 percent in 2018” (Barna 2020).

View attachment 276871


Citation :

Tracking the Growth and Decline Of Religious Segments: The Rise Of Atheism

Barna Group – Organization. https://www.barna.com/rise-of-atheism/
Because it is prophesied in the bible.
 
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crossnote

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No worry, one day all mankind will find out that what they trusted in (religion, politics, military, socialism, capitalism etc.) was all in vain as they stand naked before the living God with no cover for their sinfulness, which could have been obtained free of charge through the sacrifice of God's Son.
 
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DerSchweik

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What explains the trend of decreased religious belief and practice in the U.S.?
I think a large part of it is the trend of increase wealth and prosperity.
Ezekiel 16:49 (NAS) - Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. (c.f. Amos 6:1-8; 2 Tim 4:3f)
 
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Desk trauma

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bèlla

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Update your link. It isn't pointing to the article. :)

The dissolution of relationships and altered forms of connection are having a significant impact. The decline of community and togetherness juxtaposes the unity Christianity proposes. Society is becoming more individualistic and mini tribes are the norm. We're self-selecting ourselves away from others.

Loving your neighbor is easy if its compromised of those you know. Because the other doesn't exist. You've excluded him and created your own galaxy of sorts. Filled with the people and places you enjoy. 'I' supplanted 'we' and here we are.

~Bella
 
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Caliban

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No worry, one day all mankind will find out that what they trusted in (religion, politics, military, socialism, capitalism etc.) was all in vain as they stand naked before the living God with no cover for their sinfulness, which could have been obtained free of charge through the sacrifice of God's Son.
I don't this this response adequately addresses the question I posed.
 
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Caliban

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Because of poor behavior by adherents of religions, and because of the cult that many formeely religious (Christian) people have joined.
What behavior and what cults? Can you elaborate? I don't see how that statement addresses the data.
 
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Caliban

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Update your link. It isn't pointing to the article. :)

The dissolution of relationships and altered forms of connection are having a significant impact. The decline of community and togetherness juxtaposes the unity Christianity proposes. Society is becoming more individualistic and mini tribes are the norm. We're self-selecting ourselves away from others.

Loving your neighbor is easy if its compromised of those you know. Because the other doesn't exist. You've excluded him and created your own galaxy of sorts. Filled with the people and places you enjoy. 'I' supplanted 'we' and here we are.

~Bella
Thanks for the heads up with the link.

I think you make a good point about growing individualism. I can see that the social bonds that people used to rely on, the ones religious communities provided, may now be replaced with the individualized corners of "social" media and even forums like this.
 
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archer75

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What behavior and what cults? Can you elaborate? I don't see how that statement addresses the data.
Poor behavior like prideful chatter, using religion as an excuse for actual hatred, pharisaicial nonsense.

There's a not-officially-religious cult thst has grown massively among Christians in the last few years. It has replaced faith for many.
 
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Caliban

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I think a large part of it is the trend of increase wealth and prosperity.
Ezekiel 16:49 (NAS) - Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. (c.f. Amos 6:1-8; 2 Tim 4:3f)
How does wealth connect to non-belief?
 
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Caliban

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Because it is prophesied in the bible.
I don't see how that explains why people are leaving religious institutions and citing non-belief as a reason. How does something written in the Bible explain what is occurring in the 21st Century?
 
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Caliban

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Poor behavior like prideful chatter, using religion as an excuse for actual hatred, pharisaicial nonsense.

There's a not-officially-religious cult thst has grown massively among Christians in the last few years. It has replaced faith for many.
Are you saying that people no longer believe in religious claims because they, or someone in the church, behaved poorly?
 
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OldWiseGuy

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I don't know what that means.

Seeds that fall on poor ground don't take root, or are choked by weeds, or dry up in the sun. Many come into the church but don't put down roots. Many follow false teachers, who don't have the authority to convey the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, without which it is impossible to put down roots. Many simply aren't called by God but believe they are. They too usually fall away.

Some have unrealistic expectations of the church and are put off by the imperfections they see.

But I think it's mostly the cares and allure of the world that leads them away.
 
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bèlla

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Thanks for the heads up with the link.

I think you make a good point about growing individualism. I can see that the social bonds that people used to rely on, the ones religious communities provided, may now be replaced with the individualized corners of "social" media and even forums like this.

Forums can be helpful. I'm self-employed. I don't have the same degree of contact with others you'd have going to work or the diverse interactions. I'm engaging with a small pocket of people like myself. That's limiting and it divorces you from a lot. CF provides a window into the rest. Every day things I'd never encounter in my world. That improves relatability, empathy, etc.

~Bella
 
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