Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

America’s Changing Religious Landscape (Christians Declining)
Pew Research Center ^ | May 12, 2015 | Staff

Posted on 05/12/2015 5:13:10 AM PDT by C19fan

The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing, according to an extensive new survey by the Pew Research Center. Moreover, these changes are taking place across the religious landscape, affecting all regions of the country and many demographic groups. While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages. The same trends are seen among whites, blacks and Latinos; among both college graduates and adults with only a high school education; and among women as well as men.

(Excerpt) Read more at pewforum.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: christendom; christianity; faithandphilosophy; homosexualagenda; pewpoll; popefrancis; religion; romancatholicism; secularization; trends; uschristianity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last
In 7 years unaffiliated has grown by 50% to now over 1 in 5.
1 posted on 05/12/2015 5:13:10 AM PDT by C19fan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Certainly knowledge of the bible is on the decline.


2 posted on 05/12/2015 5:14:12 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (Of those born of women there is not risen one greater than John The Baptist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DungeonMaster

..including among way too many denominational pastors.....


3 posted on 05/12/2015 5:16:03 AM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

My nephews and nieces and their friends think they’re too smart for God.

I felt that way once. Then after head injury I did hundreds of hours of reading about the brain and realized there MUST be a God. It is ABSURD how complex the brain is. Almost beyond reason.

But not believing in God doesn’t preclude you from voting republican

Even in my dark years when I did not believe I was till die hard republican.

Actually if you really believe this is IT and there is no afterlife, you should want repubs to protect you rom enemies foreign and domestic.


4 posted on 05/12/2015 5:22:26 AM PDT by dp0622
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

The great falling away may continue, but there will be a remnant who love the Lord their God with all their heart. Sad that so many feel compelled to chase hard after the wind.


5 posted on 05/12/2015 5:34:43 AM PDT by Obadiah (This is Bravo-6, we have Zips in the wire! I repeat, Zips in the wire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
Christianity isn't for wimps. Living your life for the Lord requires courage - moral, physical, spiritual - and if you can't do that, you really aren't a follower of Christ.

I feel sorry for people who think that God isn't there. It means that they haven't used all the gifts they've been given to understand what's out there. Do they really think that all of this is an accident? That all of the beautifully interleaved complexities out there designed themselves?

Without God, there is no point for existence and without Christ, no way to be with God when all of this is over. We need to pray very hard for those sad souls who haven't found him yet.

6 posted on 05/12/2015 5:35:04 AM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
Didn't see the survey, but I'd bet money that:

1) Most of the decline is due to the death of older adherents to mainline Christianity, which attracts few converts because it avoids distinction or conflict. I'm talking about bland Catholic parishes and dioceses as well as bland Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc. congregations. For instance, how many young converts do the Congregationalists make?

2) Many of the same young people now showing up among the "unaffiliated" who wandered away from mainline blah-ness will show up in later as "Christian" as they get jobs and think about getting married.

3) The harder-core elements in Catholicism and Protestantism are growing, not shrinking. Their foot-print will continue to grow. In current American culture, they have enormous social and political vitality, and punch way above their weight as it is.

4) Seventy percent is a big majority. It's not a "working majority," but it's a huge one.

7 posted on 05/12/2015 5:35:49 AM PDT by SamuraiScot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah

>> The great falling away may continue

The great falling away was prophesied in the Word of GOD.


8 posted on 05/12/2015 5:45:08 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (There is no "allah" but satan, and mohammed was his demon-possessed tool.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

America without Christ will be worst nation ever.


9 posted on 05/12/2015 5:50:46 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
IMO .... wrong !

NON Christians are being imported over the natural growth of Christianity

There's no way a nation that is essentially ONE faith, can LOSE that faith ... it must be conquered.

The Philippines is an excellent example of a Catholic nation being attacked by everything not Catholic .... and the tactic is not that MY religion is better than Catholic, but that the Catholic religion is bad

THAT'S what's happening in the Philippines right now (Iglesio ni Cristo ... the Church of Christ) and it's been the tactic since the Garden ...


YEA, HATH GOD SAID .... ?

10 posted on 05/12/2015 5:51:12 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true .... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dp0622
"Actually if you really believe this is IT and there is no afterlife, you should want repubs to protect you rom enemies foreign and domestic."

Good line ... I agree

11 posted on 05/12/2015 5:52:15 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true .... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

bump for later


12 posted on 05/12/2015 6:01:58 AM PDT by winodog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
In 7 years unaffiliated has grown by 50% to now over 1 in 5.

Obama has made it cool to be agnostic.


13 posted on 05/12/2015 6:17:37 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

I think it is a combination of liberal moonbat college’s and supposedly christian churches not interpreting the bible as it is written....homosexuality and all other perversions and transgressions are now O K to a certain degree ...kids are submerged in this 60’s-70’s era crap daily...tune-in,turn-on,drop out...free love man....and humanists that are granering political power and influence over the republic....how anyone can go through life without accepting they are a sinner and to just accept it and remove the burden is beyond me..but, that’s why liberals are so angry and destructive they are selfish and unappreciative. Very simple to me.


14 posted on 05/12/2015 6:18:09 AM PDT by mythenjoseph (Separation of powers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Chainmail

Sat in my yard last night on a beautiful evening, looking at the trees, my dog, birds, a rabbit.

These people who think they’re so darned smart could not create any one of those.


15 posted on 05/12/2015 6:19:03 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SamuraiScot

I think you’re right on all of that. What’s happening is that it has become more socially acceptable to walk away from religion, there’s no longer a social stigma associated with being areligious, athiest, etc.

So people who never really had much faith to begin with are walking away. Going to church is no longer required to keep up appearances.


16 posted on 05/12/2015 6:25:36 AM PDT by tanknetter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Buckeye McFrog

Our world, our universe is like a painting. A demonstration of the artistry of our maker.

I feel sad for those who can’t stop and appreciate the talent.


17 posted on 05/12/2015 7:10:11 AM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Nervous Tick

Yes, I realize that, however, a great awakening is not out of the question.


18 posted on 05/12/2015 8:04:11 AM PDT by Obadiah (This is Bravo-6, we have Zips in the wire! I repeat, Zips in the wire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

The real question is how many tepid and passive individuals who called themselves Christians have finally thrown in the towel and given up on the pretense?

It’s the argument of quantity vs. quality. People who are Christians In Name Only do not help churches, but just drag them down in a relativistic mire.

Not a single church that has been doctrinally taken over by liberals has found a deeper expression of faith by doing so, except when the faithful have had enough and schism to found a new, real church.

In turn, the liberal churches become hollow shells, devoid of life, no longer forgiving sin but instead just justifying it. As such, they begin the long decline into irrelevance.


19 posted on 05/12/2015 8:23:01 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah

>> however, a great awakening is not out of the question.

I’m with you, and praying for such a mass revival.


20 posted on 05/12/2015 8:23:46 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (There is no "allah" but satan, and mohammed was his demon-possessed tool.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson