Why is religious faith in decline?

[Caliban]

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.

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

But why the significant decline in religious faith? In fact, most young people have never believed. They were never in the church to begin with. It seems they don't find religious claims believable.

 

[Caliban]

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

I' am a teacher, many of my students are struggling without the social engagement of their friends and community members. It can be tough.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

But why the significant decline in religious faith? In fact, most young people have never believed. They were never in the church to begin with. It seems they don't find religious claims believable.

Young people especially find more attractive alternatives to faith. Billy Graham was very enthusiastic about young people coming into the faith but lamented, "If only I could get them to stay out of bed."

 

[Caliban]

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.

I probably agree with the "cares of the world" idea, but for different reasons maybe. I don't think the church (Christendom) provides people with the epistemological and moral demands of the modern world. I think it actually is the case that they care more about the world that religion.

 

[Caliban]

Young people especially find more attractive alternatives to faith. Billy Graham was very enthusiastic about young people coming into the faith but lamented, "If only I could get them to stay out of bed."

If sermons can't get people out of bed, can they really be that powerful?

 

[dqhall]

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

Some people claiming to be Christians lived in sin. Some people seeking God were afraid and turned back. If you do miracles, maybe they will believe.

 

[Caliban]

Some people claiming to be Christians lived in sin. Some people seeking God were afraid and turned back. If you do miracles, maybe they will believe.

I know plenty of people who used to believe in a god but no no longer; none of them were "living in sin." None of them were afraid of a god, they say they no longer found good reasons to believe. I personally don't believe in miracles. I suppose if someone could show me undisputed proof of the miraculous, I'd change my mind.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

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

There is always just a remnant. This is spoken of throughout scripture and reaffirmed by Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Deception.

Be blessed and stay healthy!

 

[hedrick]

I think the problem is pretty basic: evidence for God's existence and involvement with us is reasonably ambiguous. Religion and science don't conflict, exactly, but science has provided better explanations for many things that in the past were understood in supernatural terms.

I'm not about to become an atheist, but I can understand why people are.

I think there are serious problems with large parts of Christianity, but I don't think that's the biggest problem.

 

[Caliban]

There is always just a remnant. This is spoken of throughout scripture and reaffirmed by Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Deception.

Be blessed and stay healthy!

Why do you think people are leaving the faith?

 

[agapelove]

Millennials are finding it harder and harder to swallow orthodox Christianity.

 

[Caliban]

I think the problem is pretty basic: evidence for God's existence and involvement with us is reasonably ambiguous. Religion and science don't conflict, exactly, but science has provided better explanations for many things that in the past were understood in supernatural terms.

I'm not about to become an atheist, but I can understand why people are.

I think there are serious problems with large parts of Christianity, but I don't think that's the biggest problem.

Agreed! Religions explanations provided people answers to challenging questions for thousands of years. Now the scientific method provides reliably provides more reliable answers that don't involve personal revelation but repeatable experiments. The circle of phenomena that once had a religious or theistic answer is getting smaller. Rainbows for example, are now explained by our understanding of refraction and not the claim from Genesis. This has occurred so many times that is seems difficult to believe any religious claim now.

 

[Caliban]

Millennials are finding it harder and harder to swallow orthodox Christianity.

Why do you think that is?
iGen / Xennials are even less religious than Millennials. Interesting.

 

[dqhall]

I think the problem is pretty basic: evidence for God's existence and involvement with us is reasonably ambiguous. Religion and science don't conflict, exactly, but science has provided better explanations for many things that in the past were understood in supernatural terms.

I'm not about to become an atheist, but I can understand why people are.

I think there are serious problems with large parts of Christianity, but I don't think that's the biggest problem.

I do not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. I took some courses in geology at a university. Since Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, I may be scientific and find truth in the Bible in spite of also finding passages that are errant according to my standards.

I heard people who claimed to have personal relationships with Christ. I read testimonies of miracles. God provided for me also.

 

[pantingdeer]

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.

What is it?

 

[pantingdeer]

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?

Because God knows the future and told us in the last days lots of people would turn away.

 

[Caliban]

Because God knows the future and told us in the last days lots of people would turn away.

But is that really true? I would prefer to ask people WHY the left the church. I don't think you can point to a 1st Century text to determine why people in the 21st Century are making decisions.

 

[Caliban]

I do not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. I took some courses in geology at a university. Since Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, I may be scientific and find truth in the Bible in spite of also finding passages that are errant according to my standards.

I heard people who claimed to have personal relationships with Christ. I read testimonies of miracles. God provided for me also.

I am always interested to speak with people who don't hold to inerrancy because they are more likely (in my experience) to give thoughtful responses and have an open conversation.

I do wonder however, how can a person trust that the Bible conveys accurate truth claims if it can error?

 

[dzheremi]

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

Seems to me the answer is in the Legacy Evangelicals, since they're the ones who have taken the largest tumble.

This hardly seems like it even requires a poll. It's not news that you can't coast through life on someone else's faith forever. So if I had to guess I'd assume that in recent years, following the popularity of the 'new atheist' crowd (Dawkins, Harris, et al.), the social pressure to continue to identify as belonging to the faith in which you were raised has largely dissipated among most Christians, so you see the switch from this or that type of Evangelical (since they had predominated in the USA in recent decades, it makes sense that they'd have the most members to lose) to atheist/none.

Make it easy to leave and pointless to stay, and they will.

 

[hedrick]

I am always interested to speak with people who don't hold to inerrancy because they are more likely (in my experience) to give thoughtful responses and have an open conversation.

I do wonder however, how can a person trust that the Bible conveys accurate truth claims if it can error?

I don't actually think that's such a problem. People are used to dealing with ambiguous evidence all the time. I think current historical Jesus work is pretty good. Certainly not everyone agrees, but I think there are enough common themes that normal people can get a good feel for what Jesus actually did and taught.