Declining Atheism v Disproportionate influence

[mindlight]

Globally the world is becoming more and more religious with Christianity and Islam together representing a majority of the world's population and with growth rates that exceed global population growth.

In the Western world, the narrative is of a church in decline and of the inevitable advance of atheism. However, the facts are very clear:

1) The largest religion in the world is Christianity which has been growing nonstop for two millennia.
2) Global birth rates of Christians average 2.7 per woman so above the replacement rate(This is true in every continent except Europe). The fastest growth is with Evangelicals and Pentecostals worldwide. So the Christian population is becoming more conservative overall.
3) Global birth rates of Non-religious average 1.6 and their share of the world population is in decline.
4) Conversion is mainly statistically irrelevant compared to natural growth but most atheists convert from Christian backgrounds in countries where it is less dangerous to declare oneself godless.

Why has the church so easily fallen for this clear atheist delusion when we are obviously on the winning side?
How did atheists come to control the political narrative despite the realities on the ground?

The Changing Global Religious Landscape

More babies were born to Christian mothers than to members of any other religion in recent years. Less than 20 years from now, however, the number of babies born to Muslims is expected to modestly exceed births to Christians.

www.pewresearch.org

 

[Larniavc]

Globally the world is becoming more and more religious with Christianity and Islam together representing a majority of the world's population and with growth rates that exceed global population growth.

In the Western world, the narrative is of a church in decline and of the inevitable advance of atheism. However, the facts are very clear:

1) The largest religion in the world is Christianity which has been growing nonstop for two millennia.
2) Global birth rates of Christians average 2.7 per woman so above the replacement rate(This is true in every continent except Europe). The fastest growth is with Evangelicals and Pentecostals worldwide. So the Christian population is becoming more conservative overall.
3) Global birth rates of Non-religious average 1.6 and their share of the world population is in decline.
4) Conversion is mainly statistically irrelevant compared to natural growth but most atheists convert from Christian backgrounds in countries where it is less dangerous to declare oneself godless.

Why has the church so easily fallen for this clear atheist delusion when we are obviously on the winning side?
How did atheists come to control the political narrative despite the realities on the ground?

The Changing Global Religious Landscape

More babies were born to Christian mothers than to members of any other religion in recent years. Less than 20 years from now, however, the number of babies born to Muslims is expected to modestly exceed births to Christians.

www.pewresearch.org

What you seem to be ignoring is people born to Christian families (like myself) who grow up to be atheists.

The correlation between Western nations and atheism is due to access to information and education; these being less available is non-Western nations.

 

[mindlight]

What you seem to be ignoring is people born to Christian families (like myself) who grow up to be atheists.

The correlation between Western nations and atheism is due to access to information and education; these being less available is non-Western nations.

Not really. People mainly become atheists in Western society because the cost and social stigma of doing so is far less than in an oppressive society like the Muslim world. It is the broad road to destruction easily followed. Atheists are not always as well educated as vast segments of the Christian, Jewish, and indeed religious population as a whole, so information or education are not a reason to lose your faith. Those who lose their faith in the West are trusting the wrong people rather than arguing based on anything factual. If you were right and education were the key then I would not be a Christian, despite having a PhD.

One of the fastest-growing churches in the world is in China, even despite this oppression. It is easy to stand for nothing in a society that does not care what you think but harder to be a believer in one that does. For the strength to stand against all odds you need faith which is why the churches in Iran, China, the old USSR, and parts of the Muslim world defy all atheist understanding.

 

[Larniavc]

People mainly become atheists in Western society because the cost and social stigma of doing so is far less than in an oppressive society like the Muslim world.

Eye roll.

 

[eleos1954]

Globally the world is becoming more and more religious with Christianity and Islam together representing a majority of the world's population and with growth rates that exceed global population growth.

In the Western world, the narrative is of a church in decline and of the inevitable advance of atheism. However, the facts are very clear:

1) The largest religion in the world is Christianity which has been growing nonstop for two millennia.
2) Global birth rates of Christians average 2.7 per woman so above the replacement rate(This is true in every continent except Europe). The fastest growth is with Evangelicals and Pentecostals worldwide. So the Christian population is becoming more conservative overall.
3) Global birth rates of Non-religious average 1.6 and their share of the world population is in decline.
4) Conversion is mainly statistically irrelevant compared to natural growth but most atheists convert from Christian backgrounds in countries where it is less dangerous to declare oneself godless.

Why has the church so easily fallen for this clear atheist delusion when we are obviously on the winning side?
How did atheists come to control the political narrative despite the realities on the ground?

The Changing Global Religious Landscape

More babies were born to Christian mothers than to members of any other religion in recent years. Less than 20 years from now, however, the number of babies born to Muslims is expected to modestly exceed births to Christians.

www.pewresearch.org

Christianity is to be a choice ... not dictated by the state. Even if solid Christians were to be elected throughout government ... they are not to force Christianity (or any religion) on the public ... when that happens persecution is eminent ... remember the dark ages.

The Lord said let the wheat and tares grow together until the harvest. God knows best.

As far as the churches go ... they are all in an apostate condition in one way or another.

As the Lord separates the sheep from the goats it is going to become more tumultuous (chaotic) in the world as we are informed through His Word.

 

[mindlight]

Christianity is to be a choice ... not dictated by the state. Even if solid Christians were to be elected throughout government ... they are not to force Christianity (or any religion) on the public ... when that happens persecution is eminent ... remember the dark ages.

The Lord said let the wheat and tares grow together until the harvest. God knows best.

As far as the churches go ... they are all in an apostate condition in one way or another.

As the Lord separates the sheep from the goats it is going to become more tumultuous (chaotic) in the world as we are informed through His Word.

Freedom of worship is the ideal and the church tends to thrive in those conditions. Muslim, Hindu and Chinese countries do not tend to grant such freedoms. But the demographics of religious affiliation speak of more and more countries dominated by a majority of Christians and in such circumstances, a Christian direction to the laws and governance is hardly to be mourned. Even anti-Christian oppressive ones have to contend with a growing Christian minority.

What remains to be seen is whether freedom of religion will survive the crisis of faith in Europe where Christianity is struggling.

 

[mindlight]

Eye roll.

Maybe my comment needs a little clarification. The mad delusion of atheism has many roots but in the end, its free expression is easier in countries where such foolishness is tolerated or ignored in the name of freedom. The mental health epidemic in Western countries is a symptom of this crisis of faith and meaning and the impact of secularism on families and communities. By ripping away the meta structures of European civilization we have exposed future generations to the madness of moral relativism and godlessness. Fortunately, atheism cannot be an enduring force as its implicit selfishness prefers cats to children. So the non-religious will be displaced by the religious as time passes.

Why Religious People Are Less Likely to Own Cats

People who attend church frequently are less likely to be cat owners than other people. Could this be related to differences in personality between dog people and cat people?

www.psychologytoday.com

 

[Larniavc]

its free expression is easier in countries where such foolishness is tolerated or ignored in the name of freedom.

Of course. When religions are repressive it is harder to come out of the closet (to coin a phrase).

It’s interesting how absent the chains of religion people can be who they want to be and not who they are forced to be.

I grew up in an era when people were socially sanctioned for all sorts by Christians. I remember when ‘living in sin’ was a thing.

 

[Larniavc]

By ripping away the meta structures of European civilization we have exposed future generations to the madness of moral relativism and godlessness.

One could reframe this as once the religious structures of society have faded away people are free to find their own way through life?

 

[mindlight]

Of course. When religions are repressive it is harder to come out of the closet (to coin a phrase).

It’s interesting how absent the chains of religion people can be who they want to be and not who they are forced to be.

I grew up in an era when people were socially sanctioned for all sorts by Christians. I remember when ‘living in sin’ was a thing.

Our authenticity is corrupted by our sins and we are all living in sin. The real discussion is how redemption and healing work and atheism offers little to nothing regarding mental health and spirituality. It is a dying worldview because its adherents are not reproducing but they do not reproduce for deeper reasons that have to do with hope and meaning. Many atheists for example do not have the strength to transcend the pains and sufferings of this life having no hope in anything but what their misread senses inform them is real. The world is overwhelmingly religious not because it is forced to be but because people are spiritual and religion is a built-in feature of our design. Eliminating that or sabotaging it with secularism does not change the fact that our basic authentic selves were also meant to include a spiritual and even supernatural element to them.

 

[Larniavc]

The real discussion is how redemption and healing work and atheism offers little to nothing regarding mental health

That's where therapists like me come in.

 

[o_mlly]

Many atheists for example do not have the strength to transcend the pains and sufferings of this life having no hope in anything but what their misread senses inform them is real.

In as much as Western civilization materially prospers, atheism advances because in prosperity there is less pain and suffering; there is less need to transcend.

The OT is rife with stories of Israel who in good times turns away from God. God sends his prophets with the message to repent and reform. The good times turn bad and in desolation Israel repents of abandoning God. God sends prophets whose message is to have faith and hope. The cycle continues.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Christianity is to be a choice ... not dictated by the state.

It's a choice by your parents, dictated by your parents. No wonder people leave.

 

[Love365]

Children are the next generation of Christians.

To get children back in church,
you need young women to bring their children to church.

To get young women back in church,
you need women priests.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Globally the world is becoming more and more religious with Christianity and Islam together representing a majority of the world's population and with growth rates that exceed global population growth.

In the Western world, the narrative is of a church in decline and of the inevitable advance of atheism. However, the facts are very clear:

1) The largest religion in the world is Christianity which has been growing nonstop for two millennia.
2) Global birth rates of Christians average 2.7 per woman so above the replacement rate(This is true in every continent except Europe). The fastest growth is with Evangelicals and Pentecostals worldwide. So the Christian population is becoming more conservative overall.
3) Global birth rates of Non-religious average 1.6 and their share of the world population is in decline.
4) Conversion is mainly statistically irrelevant compared to natural growth but most atheists convert from Christian backgrounds in countries where it is less dangerous to declare oneself godless.

Why has the church so easily fallen for this clear atheist delusion when we are obviously on the winning side?
How did atheists come to control the political narrative despite the realities on the ground?

The Changing Global Religious Landscape

More babies were born to Christian mothers than to members of any other religion in recent years. Less than 20 years from now, however, the number of babies born to Muslims is expected to modestly exceed births to Christians.

www.pewresearch.org

If only the causation of disbelief was this simple, and thereby this easy, to identify. Unfortunately, this one single article you've posted from Pewresearch is not only too little info, it's the wrong type of info to bring to bear for the support of your OP.

 

[mindlight]

That's where therapists like me come in.

Aside from doping troublemakers up or packing them into asylums, it is hard to see the benefits of secular psychotherapy. Since its principles and practices have been enshrined into healthcare regimes the mental health epidemic has increased not decreased. Describing someone's condition with fine-sounding scientific labels is one thing curing them is another. It is a good thing to want to heal people and to organize and train for that purpose but if the premise of modern psychotherapy is merely secular it is hard to see how that possibly works as a tool of healing.

Christianity and mental health

AbstractThis chapter summarizes the impact of the Christian faith on mental health and illness. It provides an overview of the history of the Christian chu

academic.oup.com

Religiosity and Mental Health: A Contribution to Understanding the Heterogeneity of Research Findings

Most studies report positive associations between religiosity and spirituality and aspects of mental health, while a small proportion report mixed or fully negative associations. The aim of this study was to assess the associations of religiosity measured ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Are religious people happier, healthier? Our new global study explores this question

In many countries, actively religious people are more likely than their less-religious peers to describe themselves as very happy.

www.pewresearch.org

Also research that suggests that atheists are generally more emotionally suppressed

New psychological research links atheism to emotional suppression

Atheism is associated with the habitual restriction of emotional displays, according to new research published in the journal Psychology of Religion and

www.psypost.org

 

[mindlight]

If only the causation of disbelief was this simple, and thereby this easy, to identify. Unfortunately, this one single article you've posted from Pewresearch is not only too little info, it's the wrong type of info to bring to bear for the support your OP.

As previously clarified causation is multifaceted, and I accept that. But the fact is that it is easier to become and remain an atheist in certain kinds of societies rather than others - the West is an example of where it is easy and Europe especially.

Not sure why you think that the central premise of the OP, that atheism is in decline, is not supported by the Pew Research link. Maybe you could clarify that.

 

[mindlight]

In as much as Western civilization materially prospers, atheism advances because in prosperity there is less pain and suffering; there is less need to transcend.

The OT is rife with stories of Israel who in good times turns away from God. God sends his prophets with the message to repent and reform. The good times turn bad and in desolation Israel repents of abandoning God. God sends prophets whose message is to have faith and hope. The cycle continues.

Well one thing that we know for sure, is that prosperity never lasts forever and especially in a civilization that turns its back on God. For my kid's sake, I would want the revival to come in the good times but I suspect it may not happen like that.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Aside from doping troublemakers up or packing them into asylums, it is hard to see the benefits of secular psychotherapy. Since its principles and practices have been enshrined into healthcare regimes the mental health epidemic has increased not decreased. Describing someone's condition with fine-sounding scientific labels is one thing curing them is another. It is a good thing to want to heal people and to organize and train for that purpose but if the premise of modern psychotherapy is merely secular it is hard to see how that possibly works as a tool of healing.

What should we do with the mentally ill otherwise? Exorcisms?

 

[mindlight]

What should we do with the mentally ill otherwise? Exorcisms?

Mental illness has many roots and many of these are a consequence of the effects of atheistic society. The atomization of society into individuals without a sense of community or belonging is one of these. When Christianity works, as with the early church, then we do not live in a world without friends. This may also be a major reason why atheists do not breed and Muslims overbreed. Liberal atheists have no communal reason to bring children into this world and it often contradicts the basic selfishness of their position. Muslims are compelled by the community to breed and their women are maltreated as baby machines in practice.

Also, the loss of God has implications for those who are made in His image, their dignity and transcendence of petty troubles. People's hope and trust through struggles are all lost in such a world. Restoring love, life and light occurs on a communal level as much as on the individual one. The stress of atheistic assumptions/structures on individuals leaves them alone to fight against impossible odds so it is a small wonder that so many break under the strain.

Christians can also perform exorcisms where warranted. The secular profession of psychotherapy can do little in these cases anyway so why not? A properly exercised exorcism never hurt anyone. But even the most prolific exorcists like Father Gabriel Amorth recognized the value of Christian counseling in 98% of the cases. Also even he would recognize that most exorcisms are not to do with full-on demonic occupation but rather just with demonic influence. A Christian service, communal prayers, worship and bible readings are milder ways to address demonic influence as is penance for sins.

Interestingly, the fastest-growing Christian branch is that of the Pentecostals/charismatics who asserted the value of exorcism and spiritual gifts in general against the modernizing efforts of Vatican II and the secularization of many mainstream churches.

Pentecostalism: Massive Global Growth Under the Radar

(In November 2014, The Atlas of Pentecostalism project was exhibited at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam's DocLab show, an exhibition focused on trans-media storytelling. During this...

pulitzercenter.org

Who Was the Real Pope's Exorcist?

A new film dramatizes the story of Father Gabriele Amorth, the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome

www.smithsonianmag.com