Religious Identity Slipping

[Tony888]

Saw this article in USA Today and thought it a good segue to the broader issue
Here is the article: Survey: Religious identity slips among U.S. Catholics

My belief is protestant and LDS face similar challenges (just not included in this particular survey).

What’s the answer to reverse this trend away from God ?
Personally, I feel continuous catechism is an essential ingredient, but that only works when they come to church and bible study.

 

[Scoobyshme]

Saw this article in USA Today and thought it a good segue to the broader issue
Here is the article: Survey: Religious identity slips among U.S. Catholics

My belief is protestant and LDS face similar challenges (just not included in this particular survey).

What’s the answer to reverse this trend away from God ?
Personally, I feel continuous catechism is an essential ingredient, but that only works when they come to church and bible study.

We are in a war, and have been for quite some time. The problem is that most of us haven’t noticed.

The two sides are really going to boil down between those who believe in God, and those who do not. We will probably be persecuted, much like the Jews in Nazi Germany, before it’s all said and done. The noose has been tightening ever slowly, but ever surely in this country around the necks of those of us who believe. Our religious freedom is fading away.

Sometimes, God allows our enemies to make us suffer, in order to bring about a greater good, even if we can’t see what that is, this side of heaven.

What we need to do is pray, sacrifice, fast, etc., in preparation for the battle.

 

[ASimon]

I doubt there is any such answer to reversing the trend. The advance of knowledge has been pushing back against religion for centuries now, and the pace at which we’re gaining new knowledge seems to be increasing.

That said, religion will be with us for a long time to come, as long as people are afraid of death.

 

[eo_chibears]

I doubt there is any such answer to reversing the trend. The advance of knowledge has been pushing back against religion for centuries now, and the pace at which we’re gaining new knowledge seems to be increasing.

That said, religion will be with us for a long time to come, as long as people are afraid of death.

You think the only thing that keeps religion around is a fear of death? A strong faith offers many rewards.

 

[ASimon]

You think the only thing that keeps religion around is a fear of death? A strong faith offers many rewards.

One of them being the comfort that you don’t ever really have to die if they believe in God and live your life a certain way.

I’m willing to grant you all of your faith’s rewards, but I’m saying that if your faith offered you nothing but the certainty that all wrongs would eventually be righted and all tears dried, that would keep people believing in it.

 

[Umvard]

I doubt there is any such answer to reversing the trend. The advance of knowledge has been pushing back against religion for centuries now, and the pace at which we’re gaining new knowledge seems to be increasing.

That said, religion will be with us for a long time to come, as long as people are afraid of death.

Actually, there already is an answer to such a trend: everyone who isn’t religious is dying out. Seriously. Demographics show that as religion fades in society birth rates plummet. This has happened everywhere. European countries are already far below the birth rate necessary to maintain their population and so is Japan and others. The middle east has also fallen well below replacement because of this.

One reason for this is as follows: A person cares only about their “rational” self-interest (these ideas are the current political and economical ideas, not at all my own, of course). In past times children were considered to be an economic benefit, primarily: they would work the farm for you (or other business) and provide for you in your old age. In modern times, they are an economic burden ($220,000 to raise a child to age 17 according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (I think it was Agriculture, at least, maybe a different department)) without even considering college. Furthermore, with the rise of conception and abortion on demand, and the sexual “revolution” (read “perversion”) people put off child-rearing and rarely have more than one or two children. Except religious people, that is, they still raise more children for altruistic reasons, viewing them as a gift from God.

Civilizations have died like this before, societies like Athens and even Rome itself have fallen from “lack of men” by this internal rot. The United States, however, has many traditional veins of religion still alive and well and our growth rate is still at 2.3 because of this.

More to the point, however, people haven’t fallen away from Catholicism because of “science.” They may think they have, but what they really come to believe is the materialist philosophy scientists often believe, not to mention relativism.

 

[truthsave]

One of them being the comfort that you don’t ever really have to die if they believe in God and live your life a certain way.

I’m willing to grant you all of your faith’s rewards, but I’m saying that if your faith offered you nothing but the certainty that all wrongs would eventually be righted and all tears dried, that would keep people believing in it.

I agree with you but I see this way: God permited men to fear death to search Him and keep on fighting with each one own personal kindom.
We think we are very intelligent and some of them are but we rarely are humble.
Once I have read something I liked saying: Angels are much more humble creatures then men since they are much more intelligent.
I realized fear is the first welcome step to faith. It doesn’t sound that good, but fear is one of our basic push in acting. If we wouldn’t have any fear we would die very fast.
It could be a long topic, but I am sure the first grace God gives to a person is fearing Him. This already put men in a lower position and make his own built throne less “great” and important. It is a good first step.

 

[Robert_in_SD]

Saw this article in USA Today and thought it a good segue to the broader issue
Here is the article: Survey: Religious identity slips among U.S. Catholics

My belief is protestant and LDS face similar challenges (just not included in this particular survey).

What’s the answer to reverse this trend away from God ?
Personally, I feel continuous catechism is an essential ingredient, but that only works when they come to church and bible study.

I don’t know what was more disturbing about that linked article: (1) the poorly written conclusory article that lacked depth and analysis; or (2) the ignorant and hate-filled comments set forth below it by some angry, biased and ill-informed individuals. It’s amazing the depth to which evil has penetrated our western culture; and so many are easily led astray.

Peace,
Robert

 

[Robert_in_SD]

I doubt there is any such answer to reversing the trend. The advance of knowledge has been pushing back against religion for centuries now, and the pace at which we’re gaining new knowledge seems to be increasing.

It’s not the advance of knowledge pushing back against religion that is the problem. From a Catholic perspective, there is no tension at all between God’s truth, and the truth that science and learning reveals. The tension is created by those who assume the divine is part of creation, and thereby fundamentally err in proclaiming the lack of a creator within the creation.

ASimon:

That said, religion will be with us for a long time to come, as long as people are afraid of death.

As will atheism.

 

[meltzerboy]

One of them being the comfort that you don’t ever really have to die if they believe in God and live your life a certain way.

I’m willing to grant you all of your faith’s rewards, but I’m saying that if your faith offered you nothing but the certainty that all wrongs would eventually be righted and all tears dried, that would keep people believing in it.

Not all those of the Jewish faith believe in an afterlife, and although it is one of the articles of faith formulated by Maimonides, it is neither a requirement nor a major preoccupation of Judaism. Love of G-d and moral and charitable behavior toward others (humans and animals) in the here and now is the focus.

 

[Lokabrenna]

Not all those of the Jewish faith believe in an afterlife, and although it is one of the articles of faith formulated by Maimonides, it is neither a requirement nor a major preoccupation of Judaism. Love of G-d and moral and charitable behavior toward others (humans and animals) in the here and now is the focus.

This is something that can be found in many modern Pagan faiths as well. The here and now is important, not What Comes Next. In some cultures, the afterlife wasn’t a particularly nice place, see: Sumerian religion, not all of us believe in an afterlife either.

 

[Marie5890]

I remember watching an interview with Cardinal Ratzinger (before he became pope) done with Raymond Arroyo.

What he did see for the future of the church, size wise, was indeed a smaller church, but stronger in faith and holiness, than a large numbers church with weaker members. (Something like that)

He saw more of the Church being “locally community” based rather than big and global (again, something along those lines. )

Im not sure if there is a video out there of the interview but I do believe it was done for EWTN’s “World Over”

(edited later)
Found it…It’s not the video but the written transcript.

ewtn.com/library/issues/ratzintv.htm

 

[CopticChristian]

Saw this article in USA Today and thought it a good segue to the broader issue
Here is the article: Survey: Religious identity slips among U.S. Catholics

My belief is protestant and LDS face similar challenges (just not included in this particular survey).

What’s the answer to reverse this trend away from God ?
Personally, I feel continuous catechism is an essential ingredient, but that only works when they come to church and bible study.

Poor Catechesis, ignorance, sin, and the constant engagement with false teaching.

 

[RebeccaJ]

History, especially 20th century, shows that the desire for God cannot be snuffed out. Whole societies have tried, and now, society seeks to impose a defacto atheism. God is not reliant on our belief.

 

[domandcarols]

Woahh… Where are these Catholics? I don’t think I’ve met many Catholics like what they’re describing… o.0

 

[vera_dicere]

I doubt there is any such answer to reversing the trend. The advance of knowledge has been pushing back against religion for centuries now, and the pace at which we’re gaining new knowledge seems to be increasing.

That said, religion will be with us for a long time to come, as long as people are afraid of death.

I’m as Catholic as they come, and really, even if I was wrong, even if I was an atheist, what’s not to like about an atheist afterlife? Nothing. Everything you do in life meaning about as much as a flea’s leavings. A quiet, emptiness, where one’s corpse rots away into the earth allowing the process of life to continue.

Heaven, Hell, those are kinda scarier than being maggot food. Frankly, I find the concept of being eaten by little bugs, slowly deminished until I’m some damp bones rather comforting. [but that’s jsut for my corpse, by soul will be elsewhere].

Anyway, I’m not bothered if religion declines, it’ll most likely be the cafeteria catholics and the church shopping protestants who decline, it’ll be those with strong, real faith who remain, and that will make the Church strong enough to make one heck of a comeback. The Romans couldn’t beat us with their lions and tortures, in the end… they joined us!

 

[domandcarols]

IAnyway, I’m not bothered if religion declines, it’ll most likely be the cafeteria catholics and the church shopping protestants who decline, it’ll be those with strong, real faith who remain, and that will make the Church strong enough to make one heck of a comeback. The Romans couldn’t beat us with their lions and tortures, in the end… they joined us!

 

[jimcook87]

Woahh… Where are these Catholics? I don’t think I’ve met many Catholics like what they’re describing… o.0

They are at home Sunday morning answering surveys where they identify themselves as Catholics that don’t believe in going to Mass or accept any other precepts or dogmas of the faith…