Posted on 05/10/2018 10:49:53 AM PDT by Simon Green
The nation’s religious makeup has shifted dramatically in the past 15 years, with a sharp drop in the number of Americans who say they’re members of a Protestant denomination – still the nation’s most prevalent religious group – and a rise in the number who profess no religion.
On average last year, 36 percent of Americans in ABC News/Washington Post polls identified themselves as members of a Protestant faith, extending a gradual trend down from 50 percent in 2003. That includes an 8-point drop in the number of evangelical white Protestants, an important political group.
Reflecting the change among Protestants, the share of Christians overall has declined from 83 percent of the adult population in 2003 to 72 percent on average last year. In the same time, the number of Americans who say they have no religion has nearly doubled, to 21 percent.
Catholic self-identification (22 percent) has held steady during this time. The share of adults who identify with another form of Christianity – including Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons and Greek or Russian Orthodox, for example – has risen modestly, from 11 to 14 percent.
This analysis, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, is based on a very large dataset – 174,485 random-sample telephone interviews in ABC News and ABC News/Washington Post polls conducted from 2003 to 2017. We focus mainly on 2003 and 2017 data, including 7,185 and 5,017 interviews, respectively.
Among all Protestants, 56 percent currently say they’re evangelical or born-again; that has held essentially steady since 2003, with virtually equal declines in the number who say they’re either evangelical or non-evangelical Protestants, down 7 and 6 points, respectively.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
...and civilization will suffer.
Yet the Body of Christ still lives. In fact, it thrives when it is oppressed and when the wheat separates from the chaff. Pray for America but don’t forget that the Church is universal and inhabits the farthest reaches of this planet.
Depends how you ask the question. “Sir, are you a member of a protestant denomination?” Answer from Bubba: Hell no. We are Baptist!
grew up in a very religious family church 3 times a week, enjoyed in my youth not so much after left for college... back home this weekend, rock and roll baby - it went from no instruments allowed to a full blown rock set up, full drum kit, 3 electric guitars, bass, two acoustic guitars guys totally tattooed out, front and backup singers, lights, smoke, it was unbelievable.
"I don't believe in organized religion. I'm a Catholic."
[[Yet the Body of Christ still lives. In fact, it thrives]]
Exactly- the secular media would have the world think that Christianity is dying out- that is simply not the case- it is increasing in many countries- even in countries where it’s a death penalty to become saved almost- 100’s of 1000’s of people are dying as martyrs for their faith still,
More wishful thinking from hedonistists!
It isn’t just that.
Christians have been too willing to compromise with the world, from premarital sex and divorce / remarriage to passing off the care for their neighbors onto professionals employed by government, even compromise on abortion. Lots of other stuff too.
In Revelation the Lord kept saying to strengthen what remained, to stand firm, but many have not.
Romans 1:18-32 doesn’t really come into play with people who never knew about the Lord and by the time one sees the evidence of a Romans 1:18-32 process underway many will have already departed from the knowledge of God without so much as a whimper of self-realization.
This is happening in Catholic congregations too, the tolerance/acceptance of homosexuality, so the mere outward appearance of religious behavior doesn’t mean much.
The Lord’s words to the seven churches should impress people to stop compromising with the world, to repent where they have compromised, and to humble themselves ... the alternative is also given in those letters to the churches.
Where did they go?
Heck, you didn’t even mention major denominations being open acceptors of sodomy these days. There are good reasons to NOT be in a “ recognized” Protestant church.
Actually, I did.
It takes being pretty far gone to neglect the extra clear injunctions against homosexuality, not to mention that just on the natural level it’s so obviously perverse. That’s why I believe Romans 1:18-32 actually made embracing or accepting homosexuality the tipping point indicator to having a depraved mind.
Old joke:
An Aggie was once asked his church preference.
“Red brick.” he replied.
I was not polled. How many MILLIONS of Christians in the heartland never, never, NEVER answer one of these polls? I know I sure don’t.
Oops! Sorry I missed that! I suppose you’re right that the church I grew up with, has been lost probably throughout my life.
This says Protestants are declining as a percentage of the denominator.
Much of this is because our immigration system gives preference to non-Protestants, and we have a huge amount of immigration.
I always wonder from which area of the country these polls are taken. I’m too cynical to believe most of them.
Wonder in which category they put nondenominational Christians? That group has been growing for years.
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