West seems tired of faith

[CHRISTINE77]

**Pope warns: West seems ‘tired’ of faith
April 21, 2011 **
"As he celebrated the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, April 21, Pope Benedict XVI asked whether Western society has lost interest in the Christian faith that shaped its culture.

The people of the Western world—of what was once known as Christendom—now seem to be “to a large extent a people of unbelief and distance from God,” the Pope said. “Is t perhaps the case that the West, the heartlands of Christianity, are tired of their faith?”

Despite the weakness of the West today, the Pope said, Christians can take courage from “shining examples of faith.” He mentioned in particular Pope John Paul II, whose beatification will take place on May 1. But the late Pope is not alone, he said, calling attention to all the saints. “Even today there are people who through their faith and love give hope to the world,” he said. "

I think this is true, sadly, especially in Europe. However, I think the United States still has a majority of people who are Christians, and still practice their faith. What do you think?

 

[LDNCatholic]

I think this is true, sadly, especially in Europe. However, I think the United States still has a majority of people who are Christians, and still practice their faith. What do you think?

I think the U.S is in just as much trouble as the rest of the world.

 

[ndeparis88]

Me as well. I think there has just been this scourge of unfaithfulness that has ravaged our country. I mean we were founded on core tenets of Judeo-Christan beliefs. But the U.S has become big and bloated, greed, selfishness, and lust inhabit to much of the land. It saddens me greatly because the time were at the top of the game was when we were a very faith filled nation. We look to false idols now. I mean look at all the movements that happened sure there were some that were justified, like the civil rights movement, but I think we got sidetracked by material things, a sad side effect of our liberties. I love my country, almost as much as I love God, and when I see the fall of this great place it makes me want to cry. Faith is direct link to why we became such a great place. Yeah we still have Christians, but they don’t act very Christian like. The phrase " going to Hell in a hand basket" is looking more and more valid.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Still, there are a lot of practicing Christians in our country. It seems like in Western Europe, particularily France and England, there are more athiests.

 

[jwakja]

Wasn’t this the case throughtout the Old Testament. God made a covenant, man broke it, reconciled with God, broke it again, etc. History repeats itself over and over.

 

[LDNCatholic]

Still, there are a lot of practicing Christians in our country. It seems like in Western Europe, particularily France and England, there are more athiests.

Higher percentage perhaps. But I think in terms of numbers you guys have us beat.

 

[JourneyForTruth]

I think the people went from condoms issue to hierarchy cover up of priest abuse and have become disillusioned with the church.

I worry from population discussions at college about the limits of the earth and the church’s position to over populate the fragile resources of mother earth.

 

[ndeparis88]

I think the people went from condoms issue to hierarchy cover up of priest abuse and have become disillusioned with the church.

I worry from population discussions at college about the limits of the earth and the church’s position to over populate the fragile resources of mother earth.

I think that played a big part especially in the North East where big portions of Catholics are. People just don’t take the time to look they just see what they want to see.

As for the population we may have to sacrifice a few resources to make room for the population but I think if there was a rising of people using NFP, the space can be good enough to as to not kill the resources.

 

[Dale_M]

Here is a link to the article cited in the first post:
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=10080

I think the Pope is correct. The past few decades have seen a fascination with non-Western religions, neo-paganism and new age or do-it-yourself spirituality. Many people in the West see Christianity as old hat: out of fashion, not particularly useful, and perhaps gauche. Hence, the eagerness to look elsewhere for spiritual sustenance.

 

[Norrin]

Secularism is the greatest challenge to Christianity in the West. Remove all that is religious from the public square! That is today’s mantra. The popular notion of “don’t vote for anyone who claims Christian” is the order of the day. Keep on removing anything remotely Christian, and we’ll see, unfortunately, the horrible consequences that will ensue. Many of today’s “elite” are humanist in nature, which means that they believe humans can solve ALL of their problems without the assistance of the Good Lord. This is arrogance, pride, and foolishness all rolled into one. These humanists, which are of course secular by definition, now have infiltrated government, corporations, and our institutions of higher learning. It is an outright assault on Christianity, and they are using the political tool of “separation of church and state” as their primary weapon. And you know what, it’s working. No longer is homosexuality or homosexual marriage seen as sinful, nor lust, or divorce, or single-parent pregnancies, or some forms of criminal behavior. The world has turned itself in and out, and confusion is now settling in. Confusion leads to an increase in superstition, which evenually opens the doors to the powers of darkness. This may sound crazy, but it is the truth!!!

 

[Warrenton]

Well, you need to get a bit more aggressive at college in your debates.

An increasing population is good to anyone familiar with actual work. If we have a field to weed, plow and sow, it is funamental that you and I will get it done quicker than me alone.

Let us leave aside considerations of the law of diminishing returns for now.

If we start with the idea that the chief business of every person is to feed, clothe and shelter himself, that points to the work most men and women should do. It happens to be difficult, but it is made easier through cooperation.

The more people cooperating, the easier the work becomes.

This is seen concretely in jobs that cannot easily be faked, like war. The big armies most often win, even if the smaller armies are soldier for soldier superior. Think of Russia vs. the Germans, China vs. the U.S. in Korea, to cite some relatively contemporary examples. For the contrasting truth, one need look no farther than the morning papers - U.S. vs. various Iraqi factions, U.S. vs. Afghanistan.

The reason that most people in our part of the world are not so engaged is solely a matter of greed. People do not want to share the land, and people prefer not to work hard, and some people prefer other people to do their work for them. The result, when spread out across the globe, is inequality, squalor, strife, and waste.

That is why the Church, prior to the late 1960s, raised the cry “How long, Lord?” in her daily prayers.

 

[PodunkMommy]

But there always has been and there always will be The Faithful Remnant. We may seem like we are few in number, but maybe we always were because many of us were always breaking convenants with God and then reconciling with Him.

There are few who truly remain Faithful.

Blessings.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I’ve never been to Europe so I can’t comment on us here in the States being more religious or devout than the folks in Europe…

 

[PaulinVA]

I totally thought this was a story about Christopher West!

Great relief it isn’t.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I thought it was about Adam West, the guy in the 1960’s who played Batman!

I totally thought this was a story about Christopher West!

Great relief it isn’t.

 

[PaulinVA]

I thought it was about Adam West, the guy in the 1960’s who played Batman!

Holy mistaken identity, Batman!

 

[JourneyForTruth]

An increasing population is good to anyone familiar with actual work. If we have a field to weed, plow and sow, it is funamental that you and I will get it done quicker than me alone.

I was referring to nitrogen in the soil is depleating, animals population can’t feed everyone and fish schools are less and less if not becoming extient. There’s only so much wood in places one can cut, only so much smog an atmostphere can take. When will the church recognize this over population problem? When I asked my bible teacher who is so old and wise in the faith he said “some how God will provide, God will provide”. People are starving.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

LOL! Now I’m picturing Frank Gorshin in the Riddler tights, a giant submarine that has penguin flippers, and Caesar Romero as the Joker plus Batman dating Lee Meriwether!

Holy mistaken identity, Batman!

 

[Abyssinia]

I think a lot of people in the West are indifferent to Christianity. In recent studies the youth have said they are interested in what the Church has to say on issues though.

Islam has fourteen converts a day in Britain, and apparantly most of these converts are not because of marriage. What is Islam giving people that Christianity is not?

Some countries in the West have high Church attendence, Greece, Cyprus, Poland.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

This never makes people happy to hear but I’ll say it anyway. The youth of today hates hypocricy. They seem preoccupied with it. My own sixth graders even…and the way the Church has conducted herself with the pedophile scandals in the last decade most especially are unconscionable. Both popes dragged their heals, covered up, moved these evil men around to different dioceses or worst of all, did nothing. The Church has a huge homosexuality and pedophile problem and while the Church teaches the youth to abstain from sex, that being gay is a sin, chastity chastity chastity, they are themselves defiling youth, having gay sex, doing all sorts of wild and horrible things. Then bishops have done a great deal to cover up and save face. The youth resents this and they see it as “do as I say, not as I do.” Not all young folks are rebellious upstarts, though many are. I think what they want is a good example while being told how to live. Morality is multi-dimensional. It needs more than a narrative, it needs a role model in the Church herself.

The Church has lost credibility. I myself lost a great deal of respect for my hero John Paul II and also this current pope because of how they conducted the whole pedophilia scandal affair. It was a disaster and is only now starting to look like they’re taking this stuff seriously.

I also think in the U.S. that the Church is a powerful foe against abortion (which I love!) but on the other hand not as loud a voice is out there fighting for human rights with Iraq and Afghanistan and not enough of a loud voice is thrown out there fighting for help for mothers who do choose to have their babies. Social safety nets are being cast aside by Republicans like Paul Ryan and we don’t hear the same outcry from the Church over that. The Republicans care deeply about the fetus, but once it’s out of its mother, not so much. That’s the perception of youth. I hear it all the time…consistency is what the Church needs…

I think a lot of people in the West are indifferent to Christianity. In recent studies the youth have said they are interested in what the Church has to say on issues though.

Islam has fourteen converts a day in Britain, and apparantly most of these converts are not because of marriage. What is Islam giving people that Christianity is not?

Some countries in the West have high Church attendence, Greece, Cyprus, Poland.