The Decline of Christianity in the West - your thoughts?

Ricky M

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Apr 19, 2017
1,905
1,319
66
Los Angeles
✟130,544.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
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.
We were told thousands of years ago it would get this way. Why do we act surprised?
 
Upvote 0

MournfulWatcher

In the beginning was the Word.
Feb 15, 2016
392
444
United States
✟110,673.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Single
Well that’s the EXACT reason I don’t trust the Religious Right as I’m female and they think our lives aren’t important. They want to treat us like we’re property
Guess I'm a religious conservative female who's subjugating herself then. :scratch:
 
Upvote 0

aiki

Regular Member
Feb 16, 2007
10,874
4,348
Winnipeg
✟236,528.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
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.

The number of factors converging to bring Christianity to its present decline in the West would be impossible to list in a single post. An entire book could, I think, be written in response to your question.

Yes the decline of the Church is inevitable. If biblical prophecy is true, it will be nearly snuffed out before Christ returns.

Are we in the End Times? Not yet. But we're close, it seems to me.

What is the future of Christianity? It will soon come again under severe persecution. As Islam ascends to power and prominence in Europe through population explosion, Christianity will be suppressed and Christians oppressed. And as this happens, Europe may enter again into a new Dark Age.

In North America, the Church will shortly begin to suffer persecution under the increasingly fascist political left. This may well bring on civil war which is I think the purpose of the present efforts of the Left to polarize the American people ideologically and politically . Such a war would make the States and Canada ripe for military invasion by the Chinese who have already established cultural "beachheads" along the western edge of the continent. It wouldn't surprise me to see North America subjugated to the Chinese, within the next twenty to thirty years, actually. Certainly, Canada could not stand against Chinese military aggression if the States became embroiled in civil war. I think Canada has only about 40,000 troops (including reservists). Compare that to the 2-3 million troops China has at the ready.

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.

At the back of the globalist elite and all their evil machinations is the devil. That doesn't seem to be much of a stretch to me. But, he is a defeated foe. God wins in the end. Not that there has ever been a battle, really. For all of Satan's efforts to steal, kill and destroy, in the end he will find he has been made to serve God's purposes, too.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: A Gerbil
Upvote 0

HopeInJesusOnly

Well-Known Member
Sep 18, 2019
646
426
Home
✟14,230.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
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.

It is terrifying. I notice the decline all around me, and it's especially true in our films, music videos/lyrics and TV shows (so I gave them all up).

I'd say we are living in the end times. Good is being called evil and evil is being called good. I have never felt so disconnected from the world.
 
Upvote 0

HopeInJesusOnly

Well-Known Member
Sep 18, 2019
646
426
Home
✟14,230.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
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.

It's happening in Toronto, too. So much so that I literally had convinced myself the rapture happened and I got left behind. I thought, "Where did all the Christians go?" And that was my conclusion.

I fell into a deep depression. It would be funny if it weren't true. This actually happened to me. :(
 
  • Prayers
Reactions: A Gerbil
Upvote 0

Jonaitis

Soli Deo Gloria
Jan 4, 2019
5,191
4,204
Wyoming
✟122,609.00
Country
United States
Faith
Protestant
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Libertarian
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.

They refer this period in history as the Post-Christian era, look it up.

I believe this may have something to do with Revelation 20:1-3, where Satan is said to be temporarily released for a time. In my eschatological view, the "binding" of Satan refers to him no longer deceiving the nations so that the gospel will spread throughout the world. If released for a time, he may deceive the nations to revert back to paganism, as in the former times. However, *spoiler alert* he will not succeed and we eventually win in the end.

When I say "may," I am not for sure if I believe this is one and the same thing. These things could be completely unrelated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: A Gerbil
Upvote 0

HatGuy

Some guy in a hat
Jun 9, 2014
1,008
786
Visit site
✟123,338.00
Country
South Africa
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
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.
Remember the good old days when nations like the U.K. were "Christian"? Like when millions of people of a different skin colour were treated as sub-human, and resources from other nations were stolen from them?

Perhaps the 'decline' of Christianity in the U.K. is really just a sign of what was always there already. Did the majority of people ever really practice the Christian faith? Or did the majority of people just go to church?

When I read C.S. Lewis and guys from just a few decades ago, the scene in the U.K. seems to be exactly as it is today.

When I look at the enlightenment, the scene in history seems to be the same as it is today.

When I look at the Reformation, the scene there seems to be the same as it is today - just before the Reformation happened. Luther moaned about how Rome was a cesspool - all holy and such in its speech, but monks were openly negotiating prices with prostitutes on the streets.

When I look at early American history, the Wild West was as depraved as you can get. Christianity was not popular and people disliked the church completely.

I honestly think that today's generation of Christians is facing the same many other generations in the past have faced - but the question is, will we do anything about it? Like, preach the gospel? Or will we continue to rely on institutions and politics and prayer in schools to make a difference? We have to rise up and believe and preach the gospel - which is the power of salvation. But for too long, Christians have sat cozy, relying on 'culture' and believing the government ought to do something about the declining practice of the faith.

Instead of us bemoaning things and cowering in fear, we should probably say: challenge accepted! And trust and believe Jesus and preach what makes change: the gospel.
 
Upvote 0

A Gerbil

Active Member
Oct 8, 2019
190
158
Lanarkshire, Scotland
✟16,856.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
The number of factors converging to bring Christianity to its present decline in the West would be impossible to list in a single post. An entire book could, I think, be written in response to your question.

Yes the decline of the Church is inevitable. If biblical prophecy is true, it will be nearly snuffed out before Christ returns.

Are we in the End Times? Not yet. But we're close, it seems to me.

What is the future of Christianity? It will soon come again under severe persecution. As Islam ascends to power and prominence in Europe through population explosion, Christianity will be suppressed and Christians oppressed. And as this happens, Europe may enter again into a new Dark Age.

In North America, the Church will shortly begin to suffer persecution under the increasingly fascist political left. This may well bring on civil war which is I think the purpose of the present efforts of the Left to polarize ideologically and politically the American people. Such a war would make the States and Canada ripe for military invasion by the Chinese who have already established cultural "beachheads" along the western edge of the continent. It wouldn't surprise me to see North America subjugated to the Chinese, within the next twenty to thirty years, actually. Certainly, Canada could not stand against Chinese military aggression if the States became embroiled in civil war. I think Canada has only about 40,000 troops (including reservists). Compare that to the 2-3 million troops China has at the ready.



At the back of the globalist elite and all their evil machinations is the devil. That doesn't seem to be much of a stretch to me. But, he is a defeated foe. God wins in the end. Not that there has ever been a battle, really. For all of Satan's efforts to steal, kill and destroy, in the end he will find he has been made to serve God's purposes, too.

Interesting, cogent reply. The US has changed drastically from when I was a child, in the 80s and 90s. It certainly seems to be polarised politically and it's only going to get worse. I think ultimately the constitution will be the spark that ignites the civil war there - I have read and heard people say that laws written by 'dead old white guys' shouldn't be sacrosanct.

What are they?

They're the upper elite, the 0.01%. The people who really control things in the West - the media, the financial systems. Their objective is the destruction of Christianity and Christian values.

They refer this period in history as the Post-Christian era, look it up.

I believe this may have something to do with Revelation 20:1-3, where Satan is said to be temporarily released for a time. In my eschatological view, the "binding" of Satan refers to him no longer deceiving the nations so that the gospel will spread throughout the world. If released for a time, he may deceive the nations to revert back to paganism, as in the former times. However, *spoiler alert* he will not succeed and we eventually win in the end.

When I say "may," I am not for sure if I believe this is one and the same thing. These things could be completely unrelated.

Yes, in England even the former Archbishop of Canterbury has said that we're living in a post-Christian society:

'Britain is no longer a country of believers but rather has entered a post-Christian era, a former archbishop of Canterbury has said.

Lord Williams of Oystermouth, who stood down as leader of the Church of England in December 2012, said the time of habitual worship was over and that a further decline of widespread faith was likely.

His comments, in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, came after the prime minister was criticised for saying the UK should be "more confident about our status as a Christian country" and more evangelical about faith.

David Cameron's comments prompted fury from secular and atheist groups and led to the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, an atheist, calling for the separation of church and stat in England.

A poll for the newspaper also found that while more than half the public regard Britain as a Christian country, the majority of practising Christians are afraid to express their beliefs.'

Additionally I have noticed that BCE and CE are now used when referencing dates, instead of BC and AD.
 
Upvote 0

Brightmoon

Apes and humans are all in family Hominidae.
Mar 2, 2018
6,297
5,539
NYC
✟151,950.00
Country
United States
Faith
Episcopalian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Guess I'm a religious conservative female who's subjugating herself then. :scratch:
Go right ahead and “ enjoy” being second class .
It is terrifying. I notice the decline all around me, and it's especially true in our films, music videos/lyrics and TV shows (so I gave them all up).

I'd say we are living in the end times. Good is being called evil and evil is being called good. I have never felt so disconnected from the world.
people have been saying that since the Egyptians built the pyramids . I agree about choosing art that you enjoy.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Brightmoon

Apes and humans are all in family Hominidae.
Mar 2, 2018
6,297
5,539
NYC
✟151,950.00
Country
United States
Faith
Episcopalian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
The AD and BC changes to CE and BCE happened during the 70s. where have you been? It’s because not everyone on the planet is a Christian and it smacked of previous destructive colonialism for majority non Christian places to use the terms . CE means common era and BCE means before the common era.
 
Upvote 0

aiki

Regular Member
Feb 16, 2007
10,874
4,348
Winnipeg
✟236,528.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
2 Peter 3:3-4
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

 
Upvote 0

A Gerbil

Active Member
Oct 8, 2019
190
158
Lanarkshire, Scotland
✟16,856.00
Country
United Kingdom
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
The AD and BC changes to CE and BCE happened during the 70s. where have you been? It’s because not everyone on the planet is a Christian and it smacked of previous destructive colonialism for majority non Christian places to use the terms . CE means common era and BCE means before the common era.

Not in the UK they didn't. It was always BC and AD, and I will continue to use them. Europe is historically Christian, and most people of other faiths have chosen to move here and did so realising that the continent had a Christian culture. I see no reason to bend to the will of anybody living in Europe who is offended by Christianity. I wouldn't move to Iran and demand that the Iranians stopped using the Persian calendar.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Athanasius377
Upvote 0

Bible Highlighter

Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.
Supporter
Jul 22, 2014
41,433
7,859
...
✟1,187,903.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
I don't wish to get into the homosexuality debate - my belief is hate the sin, love the sinner - but I do think that Christian morality has been deliberately subverted and at the same time we have been told that we are a multicultural country. There has been a war on Christianity! Look at the story below:

Art exhibition which encourages visitors to deface the Bible | Daily Mail Online

Exposing of one's sin by God's Word does not make people happy.
So they will hate the light (GOD) which is shown in His Word.
So they will attack His Word.

People will hate us because we take a stand for God's Word.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you."
(John 15:18).

It's like banks. Thieves break into them because they have value. Anything of value is attacked in some way. JESUS and His WORD (the Bible) have the highest value on this planet. So sinful man is naturally going to attack it. This is all a part of GOD's plan. He is ultimately in control. He desires more men to repent before the last grain of sand falls within the hour glass for this Earth. Jesus will return and usher in a new era of peace, love, and goodness. It will be beautiful. But things will get darker before that happens. But let your light shine even brighter when things get darker, friend. Fight the good fight of faith. Love your enemies, pray for those who despitefully use you, etc.
 
  • Optimistic
Reactions: A Gerbil
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Resha Caner

Expert Fool
Sep 16, 2010
9,171
1,398
✟148,100.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Live by the numbers. Die by the numbers. If you think Christianity is about numbers, then you'll conclude it's in decline. If you believe Christianity is about Christ, then nothing has changed.

But if you really want to have this discussion, you have to start with the work of sociologists such as Robert Wuthnow, who have been trying to point out something that the media seems to be ignoring (which was specifically studied by Stewart Hoover). Wuthnow specifically shows that the way religion is often measured is erroneous. The way you phrase the question is important. It's not religiosity (or spirituality) that's declining. Rather it's institutionalism that's declining. Millennials, etc. don't trust any institution: government, schools, socities, clubs, churches, etc. They're all declining in the West. So it's not Christianity per se that's in decline, but traditional Christian institutions.

With that said, such a decline is still a challenge for us.
 
Upvote 0

Albion

Facilitator
Dec 8, 2004
111,138
33,258
✟583,842.00
Country
United States
Faith
Anglican
Marital Status
Married
The AD and BC changes to CE and BCE happened during the 70s. where have you been? It’s because not everyone on the planet is a Christian and it smacked of previous destructive colonialism for majority non Christian places to use the terms . CE means common era and BCE means before the common era.

Maybe the difference between people when it comes to this issue of modernism vs. traditional standards is that the former group insists that everybody adhere to whatever the they, modernists, have just thought up. The traditionalists meanwhile merely favor the continued existence of traditional values.
 
Upvote 0

public hermit

social troglodyte
Supporter
Aug 20, 2019
10,966
12,052
East Coast
✟830,414.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
If you think Christianity is about numbers, then you'll conclude it's in decline. If you believe Christianity is about Christ, then nothing has changed.

Great point.

I would argue (as a theory) there is an inverse proportionality between quantity and quality when it comes to Christianity. The quality goes down as the quantity goes up. In the US, the 1950s was the high point in church attendance. When "everybody" goes to church it becomes a social norm. Does that mean they were better Christians? Probably not. Just as in any group of people you will have a moral/spiritual mix. Nonetheless, when it is a social norm to be a part of a church, there are certain social advantages in doing so, and disadvantages to not doing so. "I'm not going to buy insurance from Bob. He doesn't go to church." Or, "She is worthy of my attention because she is a believer." So, in a culture where it is to one's advantage to be a "Christian" you will have many church attendees who do so, not out of dedication to Jesus Christ, but just because that is what you do.

When the numbers decrease, the social advantage of going to church decreases with it. As the numbers decrease, the quality of Christian increases. When the numbers are low and it is a social disadvantage if one is a Christian, then the only Christians left are those who are dedicated followers of Jesus Christ.

Here is the possible advantage to our current situation. As the number of Christians decrease, the quality of Christian increases. Dedicated followers are going to attract more followers by virtue of the genuine nature of their faith. This is how the early church increased so rapidly. Those who claimed to be followers were the real deal, and the real deal is always attractive.
 
Upvote 0

Resha Caner

Expert Fool
Sep 16, 2010
9,171
1,398
✟148,100.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
The AD and BC changes to CE and BCE happened during the 70s. where have you been? It’s because not everyone on the planet is a Christian and it smacked of previous destructive colonialism for majority non Christian places to use the terms . CE means common era and BCE means before the common era.

Maybe the difference between people when it comes to this issue of modernism vs. traditional standards is that the former group insists that everybody adhere to whatever the they, modernists, have just thought up. The traditionalists meanwhile merely favor the continued existence of traditional values.

Funny thing is, many of my history profs gave the AD/CE debate an eyeroll. It was the outcome of the mid-20th century hand-wringing in the West that has since begun to fade. Many current historians now look at the historians of that era as equally extreme and reactionary. I don't know if CE will ever go away. It's probably here to stay. But it is an interesting indicator of one's political views.

Horror of horrors! Is Caner saying a historian's political views and the fads of the day might have an impact on historical research (maybe even other fields of research)? Perish the thought.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Resha Caner

Expert Fool
Sep 16, 2010
9,171
1,398
✟148,100.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Married
Great point.

I would argue (as a theory) there is an inverse proportionality between quantity and quality when it comes to Christianity. The quality goes down as the quantity goes up. In the US, the 1950s was the high point in church attendance. When "everybody" goes to church it becomes a social norm. Does that mean they were better Christians? Probably not. Just as in any group of people you will have a moral/spiritual mix. Nonetheless, when it is a social norm to be a part of a church, there are certain social advantages in doing so, and disadvantages to not doing so. "I'm not going to buy insurance from Bob. He doesn't go to church." Or, "She is worthy of my attention because she is a believer." So, in a culture where it is to one's advantage to be a "Christian" you will have many church attendees who do so, not out of dedication to Jesus Christ, but just because that is what you do.

When the numbers decrease, the social advantage of going to church decreases with it. As the numbers decrease, the quality of Christian increases. When the numbers are low and it is a social disadvantage if one is a Christian, then the only Christians left are those who are dedicated followers of Jesus Christ.

Here is the possible advantage to our current situation. As the number of Christians decrease, the quality of Christian increases. Dedicated followers are going to attract more followers by virtue of the genuine nature of their faith. This is how the early church increased so rapidly. Those who claimed to be followers were the real deal, and the real deal is always attractive.

Aside from measuring the quality of Christians, I basically agree with your post. I expect the millennial generation (someone who understands them in a way I probably don't) will likely produce a Paul who will lead a revival in some form we can't yet imagine. There are some indications the new Paul won't be American, but African.
 
  • Like
Reactions: public hermit
Upvote 0