The U.S. Is Retreating from Religion

Scientific American ^ | October 20, 2017 | Allen Downey

[detective]

Since 1990, the fraction of Americans with no religious affiliation has nearly tripled, from about 8 percent to 22 percent. Over the next 20 years, this trend will accelerate: by 2020, there will be more of these "Nones" than Catholics, and by 2035, they will outnumber Protestants.

The following figure shows changes since 1972 and these predictions, based on data from the General Social Survey (GSS):

[free-in-nyc]

To my fellow Christians - pray for revival in the United States!

[mulligan]

And the greater the retreat becomes the quicker the nation will fall. Just look at where we are today.

[Gay State Conservative]

Christianity is,by far,the most important civilizing force of human history.It's not a coincidence that just about all of the advanced,stable,prosperous countries/regions of the world are largely Christian.

NOT a coincidence!

[loveliberty2]

The following is an excerpt from the "Centennial (of Declaration of Independence) Thanksgiving Sermon" (1886) by a Black Ohio State Legislator and A.M.E. Bishop Benjamin W. Arnett on "The Greatness of America" - Note that this Sermon is delivered only a few years after the end of the Civil War by this outstanding scholar/legislator/Bishop.

"Let us see what it is that makes us so great; wherein lies our strength. What has made us one of the greatest powers of the earth, politically and intellectually? Have we come to the conclusion that it is Righteousness that exalteth a nation? We have met to-day at the request of the President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, and also the Governor of our beloved State, Rutherford B. Hayes. For what? Why call us from our homes? Why come to the house of God? Why not go to the hall of mirth and to the places of amusement to-day? No that is not what they want us to do. We are commanded to go to our 'several places of worship, and there offer up thanks to Kind Providence which has brought our nation through the scenes of another year, and blessed the land with peace, plenty and prosperity.' Then as Americans we have reason to rejoice and congratulate ourselves on the greatness of our beloved country; at this the close of the first hundred years of experimental government of the people, by the people, and for the people. To be a citizen of this vast country is something, and to share in its privileges and duties is more than something." - Dr. Benjamin W. Arnett, 1876 "Centennial Thanksgiving Sermon" - Library of Congress - African-American Section

“The premises of authoritarian collectivism,” Lippmann wrote in The Good Society, “have become the working beliefs, the self-evident assumptions, the unquestioned axioms, not only of all the revolutionary regimes, but of nearly every effort which lays claim to being enlightened, humane, and progressive… Throughout the world, in the name of progress, men who call themselves communists, socialists, fascists, nationalists, progressives, and even liberals, are unanimous in holding that government with its instruments of coercion must, by commanding the people how they shall live, direct the course of civilization and fix the shape of things to come.” - Walter Lippman

"Withdraw from Christendom the Bible, the Church with its sacraments and ministry, and Christian morality and hopes, and aspirations for time and eternity; repeal all the laws that are founded in the Christian Scriptures; remove the Christian humanities in the form of hospitals and asylums, and reformatories and institutions of mercy utterly unknown to unchristian countries; destroy the literature, the culture, the institutions of learning, the art, the refinement, the place of woman in her home and in society, which owe their origin and power to Christianity; blot out all faith in Divine Providence, love, and righteousness; turn back every believer in Christ to his former state; remove all thought or hope of the forgiveness of sins by a just but gracious God; erase the name of Christ from every register it sanctifies—in a word annihilate all the legitimate and logical effects of Christianity in Christendom—just accomplish in fact what multitudes of gifted and learned minds are wishing and trying to accomplish by their science, philosophy, and criticism, and what multitudes of the common people desire and seek, and not only would all progress toward and unto perfection cease, but not one of the shining lights of infidelity would shine much longer. Yes, the bitterest enemies of this holy and blessed religion, owe their ability to be enemies to its sacred revelations - to the inspiration and sublimity of that faith which reflects its glories on their hostile natures. They live in the strength of that which they would destroy. They are raised to their seats of opportunity and power by the grace of Him they would crucify afresh; and is it to be thought that they are stronger than that which gives them strength? Can it be supposed that a religion which civilizes and subdues, and elevates and blesses will succumb to the enmities it may arouse and quicken in its onward march? Are we to tremble for the ark of God when God is its upholder, and protector, and preserver?” - Dr. Benjaming W. Arnett, St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Urbana, Ohio, Centennial Thanksgiving Sermon, November 1876. Arnett's "Sermon" is available in the "Library of Congress - Historical Collections" - "African-American Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection," 1820-1920; American Memory, Washington, DC.

[tired&retired]

Just as there are no atheists in foxholes, the upcoming turmoil will cause people to look to God for their strength.

[Ezekiel]

The last place anyone expects to find Christ is in a church!

[Amendment10]

John 7:27-28 shows that Jesus made it clear that deniers know who he is.

[CMRosary]

Scientific American should have ended the article with “Mission accomplished!”

I had the same feeling; there’s a vague sense of triumphalism about the entire article.

[reasonisfaith]

I mean all of them.

[SES1066]

... the churches have become godless. True of mine.

Ditto for my birth church but it is only a part of the problem. The popular culture, from the media to music to cinema have all become very negative towards religion. A top cinema star of today, like Bing Cosby then, would never play a clean & kind Roman Catholic Priest.

Add to that the negatives from academia, even formerly religious-based schools. Southern Methodist U to U of Notre Dame are hardly even defending, let alone propagating any faith other than a host of antis. Next comes the near crescendo of legal problems (many self-inflicted) and judicial attacks and it almost seems a miracle that anybody stays religious!

[Bryanw92]

>>I mean all of them.

Everyone knows that an all-knowing, all-powerful God exists and yet they still resist him to the point of denying his very existence? That defies reason.

[MichaelCorleone]

You’re right, I know.

[backwoods-engineer]

God WILL visit his wrath on a people who have turned their backs on him. It is inevitable, and we can see the beginnings of it even now.

I do not expect America to make it to the tricentennial intact. Not that I'll be around to know about it.

[backwoods-engineer]

Right on, thanks for laying down the Scripture, brother.

[rightwingcrazy]

Religious people tend to procreate; atheists tend not to. Natural selection, a tenet of the secular gospel, works against them.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Faith and church have always been a significant part of my life. I can’t imagine my life without them. So when I read about this trend, I am reminded of this song by Keith Green:

How can they live without jesus
How can live without god’s love
How can they feel so at home down here
When there’s so much more up above

Throwin’ away things that matter
They hold on to things that don’t
The world has gone crazy
But soon maybe
A lot more are gonna know

For maybe they don’t understand it
Or maybe they just haven’t heard
Or maybe we’re not doin’ all we can
Living up to his holy word

‘cause phonies have come
And wrongs been done
Even killing in Jesus’ name
And if you’ve been burned
Here’s what I’ve learned
The lord’s not the one to blame

For he’s not just a religion
With steeples and bells
Or a salesman who will sell you
The things you just want to hear

For his love was such
That he suffered so much
To cause some of us
Just to follow, follow

So many laughing at Jesus
While the funniest thing that he’s done
Is love this whole stubborn rebellious world
While their hate for him just goes on

And love just like that
Will bring him back
For the few he can call his friends
The ones he’s found true
Who’ve made it through
Enduring until the end
The ones he’s found true
Who’ve made it through
Enduring until the end

[Salvation]

Check out the graphs at the source.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-u-s-is-retreating-from-religion/

And remember this is only science.

[Salvation]

Not true of my Catholic Church.

[Salvation]

Is Soros money involved in this?

[ThePatriotsFlag]

I think people are leaving the churches for the same reason they are leaving the NFL behind. The pulpit has become a social/political forum. The church was the last refuge for most of us, but we looked up one day to discover a queer in the pew next to us, wanting to share a living hug. (I left that church!) Nou you have a Pope more worried about global warming and same sex marriage than Christianity and family values. If I wanted to be lectured on this liberal crap, I’d just turn in the tv...I don’t need it from my church every Sunday morning. I turn off the tv, the NFL...and “church.” My faith has not slipped and I feel better about MY world.