The Decline of Christianity in the West - your thoughts?

[A Gerbil]

I read an article about the decline of Christianity in the UK and few Google searches indicated that this trend is happening all over the western world. So, is it inevitable? Is it a sign of the End Times? What is the future of Christianity?

Personally I think the decline of Christianity is being contrived by Luciferian forces. The political/media/industrial elite, though often masquerading as Christians, are actively trying to destroy it.

 

[salt-n-light]

I read an article about the decline of Christianity in the UK and few Google searches indicated that this trend is happening all over the western world. So, is it inevitable? Is it a sign of the End Times? What is the future of Christianity?

Personally I think the decline of Christianity is being contrived by Luciferian forces. The political/media/industrial elite, though often masquerading as Christians, are actively trying to destroy it.

Decline of the physical church perhaps, but as long as Christ is on the throne Christianity will never go away, ever. As much people fall away, people are also coming to Christ.

 

[A Gerbil]

Decline of the physical church perhaps, but as long as Christ is on the throne Christianity will never go away, ever. As much people fall away, people are also coming to Christ.

In many European countries atheism and Islam are growing rapidly, whilst Christianity is shrinking just as rapidly. The article I cited above quotes the following figures:

'Of almost 4,000 people polled by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), 38 per cent described themselves as Christian - a fall from 50 per cent in 2008 and 66 per cent in 1983.

Those identifying as Muslim increased from 1 per cent in 1983 to 3 per cent in 2008, and 6 per cent in 2018.'

However you are correct in that Christianity is growing in other continents, though falling amongst white Americans:

'Globally, thanks to dramatic geographic and demographic changes, Christianity is recentering its footprint and becoming a non-Western religion. For 400 years, the faith has been molded by the largely European culture that came out of the Enlightenment. But today its vitality is coming from emerging expressions of Christianity in Africa as well as in Asia and Latin America.'

 

[Dave L]

I read an article about the decline of Christianity in the UK and few Google searches indicated that this trend is happening all over the western world. So, is it inevitable? Is it a sign of the End Times? What is the future of Christianity?

Personally I think the decline of Christianity is being contrived by Luciferian forces. The political/media/industrial elite, though often masquerading as Christians, are actively trying to destroy it.

I believe the Lord can return any day. And what we are seeing is the loosing of Satan after being bound by the gospel through the spread of Christendom.

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Revelation 20:7–9 (KJV 1900)

 

[abysmul]

Perhaps we can look at the current "platforms" of various Christian denominations today, and compare them to the platforms/stances/sermons/teachings say... 60 years ago... I wonder what we might see?

 

[Daniel C]

I hate living in the UK. Surely there can't be a more Godless nation in the west. It's depressing trying to live the Christian life in a extreme heathen nation.

 

[Emmylouwho]

I think it’s similar to the way belief in Greek gods went out of fashion.

 

[Tolworth John]

I hate living in the UK. Surely there can't be a more Godless nation in the west. It's depressing trying to live the Christian life in a extreme heathen nation.

Where would you prefer to life?
In China, Iran, Iraq, the Maldives nice if you're a tourist being a Christian there as a resident is illegal.

How do you think Paul felt as often the only Christian in a town untill he'd been preaching there for a while?

 

[Tolworth John]

So, is it inevitable? Is it a sign of the End Times? What is the future of Christianity?

Jesus said he would be with us untill the end of the age, he also said that the gates of hell would not overpower his church.

There have been many times when Christianity has been all but gone from the world.
Look at the middle ages etc or life in england in the 1700's Christianity was all but dead untill God moved among those seeking him.

Sure like in the 1700's there is only lip service to a vague christian morality which is blatently flouted by society, yes Christianity is mocked at every opertunity.

That does not mean that Christanity has ended, only that those who are afraid of hard knocks have left.

What are you trusting in?

In a visible church or in the supernatural power of Jesus.

 

[A Gerbil]

Perhaps we can look at the current "platforms" of various Christian denominations today, and compare them to the platforms/stances/sermons/teachings say... 60 years ago... I wonder what we might see?

Well the 'prosperity gospel' is certainly something many churches subscribe to nowadays. One I attended was constantly telling the congregation that God wants to bless our lives, but in order to reap a harvest we must sow.

I hate living in the UK. Surely there can't be a more Godless nation in the west. It's depressing trying to live the Christian life in a extreme heathen nation.

It's only going to get worse. Already I know people who have left school and never been to church or prayed, as many schools have completely jettisoned Christianity.

I think it’s similar to the way belief in Greek gods went out of fashion.

And look what happened to them - Greece is an Orthodox Christian country today, though not sure for how much longer.

Where would you prefer to life?
In China, Iran, Iraq, the Maldives nice if you're a tourist being a Christian there as a resident is illegal.

How do you think Paul felt as often the only Christian in a town untill he'd been preaching there for a while?

Christianity is not illegal in China, though certain churches are. I know Jews, Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists live in Iraq, though they have had a tough time of it. In Iran it's not illegal so long as you are born a Christian, but to convert from Islam is punishable by death.

It is a depressing state of affairs, though. Every census the number of Christians is declining, and there's no sign of that trend abating.

 

[Albion]

I read an article about the decline of Christianity in the UK and few Google searches indicated that this trend is happening all over the western world. So, is it inevitable?

Probably.

Is it a sign of the End Times?

Maybe.

What is the future of Christianity?

Time and time again in the past, people in Western Civilization were convinced by the trends in society that the end was going to be THEN! But it didn't happen. The fact is that the church has had its highs and lows throughout history and each low has prompted some reform movement that launched the church into a new era of prominence, although not in exactly the same way as before.

So we could be close to the end, but don't count on it. Do count on the church not just wimping away until it is no more. Something will happen to prevent that, but when and how is not clear at this time.

 

[Daniel C]

Where would you prefer to life?
In China, Iran, Iraq, the Maldives nice if you're a tourist being a Christian there as a resident is illegal.

How do you think Paul felt as often the only Christian in a town untill he'd been preaching there for a while?

This is the second time in 24 hours I've been compared to The Apostle Paul. What a compliment!

Me like.

 

[Daniel C]

Well the 'prosperity gospel' is certainly something many churches subscribe to nowadays. One I attended was constantly telling the congregation that God wants to bless our lives, but in order to reap a harvest we must sow.



It's only going to get worse. Already I know people who have left school and never been to church or prayed, as many schools have completely jettisoned Christianity.



And look what happened to them - Greece is an Orthodox Christian country today, though not sure for how much longer.



Christianity is not illegal in China, though certain churches are. I know Jews, Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists live in Iraq, though they have had a tough time of it. In Iran it's not illegal so long as you are born a Christian, but to convert from Islam is punishable by death.

It is a depressing state of affairs, though. Every census the number of Christians is declining, and there's no sign of that trend abating.

Well the faith isn't banned but all the sin mentioned in the Bible is pushed in the UK so from that perspective can't get much worse.

 

[A Gerbil]

Probably.


Maybe.


Time and time again in the past, people in Western Civilization were convinced by the trends in society that the end was going to be THEN! But it didn't happen. The fact is that the church has had its highs and lows throughout history and each low has prompted some reform movement that launched the church into a new era of prominence, although not in exactly the same way as before.

So we could be close to the end, but don't count on it. Do count on the church not just wimping away until it is no more. Something will happen to prevent that, but when and how is not clear at this time.

Christianity hasn't faced such a threat in hundreds and hundreds of years. Further, it has happened so rapidly - just a few decades ago the vast majority of people would have said they're Christian.

Well the faith isn't banned but all the sin mentioned in the Bible is pushed in the UK so from that perspective can't get much worse.

Yes. I genuinely believe it's Luciferian. That might sound mad, but honestly after I have considered everything at length that's the conclusion I have come to.

 

[Albion]

Christianity hasn't faced such a threat in hundreds and hundreds of years.

So it may seem to us now, but it seemed exactly that same way to the people of several other centuries past...and for good reason.

Further, it has happened so rapidly - just a few decades ago the vast majority of people would have said they're Christian.

Keep in mind that what we are talking about mainly concerns what we call "the West." In other parts of the world, Christianity is gaining ground fast.

 

[A Gerbil]

So it may seem to us now, but it seemed exactly that same way to the people of several other centuries past...and for good reason.

Besides Islam, which I think got as far as Vienna and Spain in Europe, what threats did the church face? Any conflict was internecine, surely?

 

[Albion]

Besides Islam, which I think got as far as Vienna and Spain in Europe, what threats did the church face? Any conflict was internecine, surely?

Here's one example. In the late Middle Ages, mainly the 15th century, all of civilization seemed to be dying out. The Black Death (Plague) had killed up to half the population in Western Europe and there was no known remedy. People blamed the Jews in some cases and killed them. All social institutions were in chaos. The old standards were not holding--Feudalism was dying, an orderly and powerful Christian Church (Papal, of course) was corrupted and no longer trusted by many people, rebellions and wars were epidemic, the economy had shifted from local self-sufficiency to commerce and new classes were rising as others were falling, science was beginning to challenge religious knowledge, the Renaissance was competing against not only old forms of expression but traditional values, too, and on top of this there were some of the worst natural disasters ever experienced by Western man. Is it any wonder that people thought that the end of the age was upon them?

 

[A Gerbil]

Here's one example. In the late Middle Ages, mainly the 15th century, all of civilization seemed to be dying out. The Black Death (Plague) had killed up to half the population in Western Europe and there was no known remedy. People blamed the Jews in some cases and killed them. All social institutions were in chaos. The old standards were not holding--Feudalism was dying, an orderly and powerful Christian Church (Papal, of course) was corrupted and no longer trusted by many people, rebellions and wars were epidemic, the economy had shifted from local self-sufficiency to commerce and new classes were rising as others were falling, science was beginning to challenge religious knowledge, the Renaissance was competing against not only old forms of expression but traditional values, too, and on top of this there were some of the worst natural disasters ever experienced by Western man. Is it any wonder that people thought that the end of the age was upon them?

I agree that was a dark time, but I don't think any of that actually posed an existential threat to Christianity.

What's happening today is churches are being closed down, often converted into mosques, bars or restaurants and people are spending their Sundays shopping, eating out, drinking or watching football. People have no respect for the church any more. When I was getting baptised one of my friends told me that religion was superstitious nonsense and that I might as well believe in the tooth fairy.

Prince Charles has said he will be the 'defender of faiths', and that's the future head of the Church of England! Islam is growing rapidly. One of my local churches has become a Kurdish Community Centre - essentially a mosque - and it will only be a couple of decades until Islam is the biggest religion in the UK going by current trends.

 

[Albion]

I agree that was a dark time, but I don't think any of that actually posed an existential threat to Christianity.

Then maybe I didn't paint a picture that was sufficiently dark enough. My apologies.

And I can appreciate your thinking, but the fact is that we do not know, nor did the people who feared the worst in past centuries. My point is that there have been many moments when it looked like the end was near, and for good reason, either for Christianity or the world or both...but it turned out not to be so. The signs people see today may look forbidding, but there actually is no reason to believe that this time's unique.

 

[A Gerbil]

Then maybe I didn't paint a picture that was sufficiently dark enough. My apologies.

And I can appreciate your thinking, but the fact is that we do not know, nor did the people who feared the worst in past centuries. My point is that there have been many moments when it looked like the end was near, and for good reason, either for Christianity or the world or both...but it turned out not to be so. The signs people see today may look forbidding, but there actually is no reason to believe that this time's unique.

I agree that many generations have thought they were living near the End Times. I think there's a good case to be made for soldiers fighting in the First World War to believe it.

However, the Bible seems to describe a nuclear winter - with the sun and moon obscured - and nuclear weapons have only existed for seventy-five years. Also the Jews are prophesied to return to Israel, again this is something that has only occurred in the relatively recently, and East Jerusalem was only captured in the 1960s. Marriage has lost its importance, attitudes to sexuality have changed, abortion's been legalised, inappropriate content is just a google search away, recreational drugs are glamourised by the music and film industries - all things that have occurred since the 1960s. Now we are even seeing the growth of an actual satanic church!

Hail Satan? review – sympathy for the devil, socks for the homeless

Christianity's waning in the West, its traditional heartland whilst atheism and Islam are growing rapidly. I'd say we're living in very unusual times.