Are we a Christian country?

You're unlikely to find out unless Wikipedia visit them in their homes to ask them.

Have you ever been asked by any official investigating organisation whether you ever attend church? I know I haven't.

 

What I'm hinting at, is that total accuracy can never be fully established on the question of whether people have a religious belief, because so many people for understandable reasons, prefer to keep their personal beliefs private.

 

One thing for certain is that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, but Evangelistic Christianity is on the rise in many places, though no one can predict whether future events will change that situation over time.

No janie, I have never been asked either but going by Longcols statistics in post number 96 I would be classed among the 50 to 60% as a Christian who doesn't attend church,but it is very surprising that such a lot don't attend church.

Obviously you couldn't take a poll from churchgoers,it would have to be a general poll and as you say, could never be totally accurate, but it is good to have some numbers on it.

No, Britain is not a Christian country [1] (and never has been, even in the days when most people attended church services). I should think Jesus would be very disappointed by the way people (even ones who claim, like Cameron to believe in Christianity), do the exact opposite of what he would have us do.[2]

 

Just for starters...

 

Love thy neighbour as thyself? [3]

 

The parable of the Good Samaritan

 

Render unto Caesar...

 

Rich men, camels & eyes of needles, etc.

[1] But the Church of England is the Established Church, by law, as you're aware.

[2] Jesus would not have you do anything Christian, on account of him being a Jew.

[3] Quotation from Jewish source and therefore irrelevant to this topic! "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18 )

I'd say the fact that we have an official state religion and 26 guys who get to make laws for us just because of their position within the church hierarchy is what does it.

Which is my point basically, if that's what makes us a Christian country then we're screwed. Regardless of what the people actually believe or don't believe, while ever we have these blokes keeping themselves in a position of such power, perpetuating the whole shambles, we're forced to be labelled as a Christian country.

---------- Post added 24-04-2014 at 20:24 ----------

[1] But the Church of England is the Established Church, by law, as you're aware.

[2] Jesus would not have you do anything Christian, on account of him being a Jew.

[3] Quotation from Jewish source and therefore irrelevant to this topic! "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18 )

Did you just claim that the Old Testament isn't part of Christianity?

In what way exactly was Jesus a Jew?

Raised in the Jewish faith yes, but a Jew himself?

How would that work? Judaism is a monotheistic religion believing in the existence of one God.

Therefore, to be a Jew you are required to believe in, and worship one true God.

For the sake of debate let's accept that Jesus was the Messiah ( and not a naughty boy ) the prophesied savior of the Jews, the chosen people.

That would make him a part of the holy trinity, God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Ghost.

In other words he was in fact, God.

Therefore, unless he was the most incredible narcissistic being that ever existed - in his case for all eternity - he could not have actually been a Jew.

Worshiping a Deity, and worshiping yourself, are not the same.

Having taken the decision to appear on Earth as an ordinary human he had to choose some race to belong to.

As the Jews were the 'chosen people' it presumably didn't take long to choose!

However, as he was presumably aware that he was in fact God all the time that he resided on Earth, at no time can he have actually have thought of himself as a Jew.

Raised a Catholic, 'Lapsed' for nearly 50 years, it is all coming back to me as to why I had problems going along with all of this.

Which is my point basically, if that's what makes us a Christian country then we're screwed. Regardless of what the people actually believe or don't believe, while ever we have these blokes keeping themselves in a position of such power, perpetuating the whole shambles, we're forced to be labelled as a Christian country.

 

---------- Post added 24-04-2014 at 20:24 ----------

 

 

Did you just claim that the Old Testament isn't part of Christianity?

And that's what I think protects us from being taken over by a less benign religion. Church attendance isn't going to do it.

Technically the old Testament isn't Christian, it's Jewish. Christianity is based on the New Testament.

I would disagree about the two centuries thing. It is much more recently that the devout following of christianity byu the nation wen into decline.

 

Your other comments re:chritians are really more applicable to an age long since passed, we have evolved since then.

I wasn't literally meaning the last two centuries. Devout Christianity has, over the span of at least three centuries, steadily been in decline in the UK - more so since WW2. As it has declined - and while it's been forced to change because of it consistently losing the battle against more enlightened & rational thought - equality, human-rights, and the quality of life has improved. And the horrendous & often barbaric laws that Christians had once established and fought to protect in this country have gone out the window.

When this country was devoutly Christian is was far more controlling, hostile and barbaric.

---------- Post added 24-04-2014 at 22:12 ----------

Can any Humanist on here please tell me why they are so keen to see Britain become secularist?

Anna B, do you understand the concepts of fairness & equality. Or do you think that one bunch of people, because they identify with a particular religion, should have more rights and privileges than everyone else. If you think that all people should be treated equally under the law, and that no one group should have privileges while others are denied those same privileges[in law], then you are pretty much a secularist yourself.

Why ask a humanist? You do know a lot of theists, including Christians, are secularists too, don't you?

I wouldn't mind non believers so much if they'd work Sundays, Christmas Day and Easter without moaning or wanting extra pay. After all, surely they're just another day?

I already do all that...

As an atheist, I don't have a problem with working them, just so long as I can have the equivalent time off elsewhere. Why should the religious have more free time off from work than atheists because they are religious? What's special about them?

And that's what I think protects us from being taken over by a less benign religion. Church attendance isn't going to do it.

Technically the old Testament isn't Christian, it's Jewish. Christianity is based on the New Testament.

I know what Christianity is based on, the Old Testament is still part of Christianity though and, in many denominations, is regularly read from as part of sermons.

No janie, I have never been asked either but going by Longcols statistics in post number 96 I would be classed among the 50 to 60% as a Christian who doesn't attend church,but it is very surprising that such a lot don't attend church.

Obviously you couldn't take a poll from churchgoers,it would have to be a general poll and as you say, could never be totally accurate, but it is good to have some numbers on it.

As shown on the video in this link.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/singing.priest.youtube.video.father.kelly.hallelujah.rendition.couples.wedding/36701.htm

---------- Post added 25-04-2014 at 14:07 ----------

This is an interesting article.

Lessons for Christians, Politicians and Secular Humanists.http://www.christiantoday.com/article/tony.benn.lessons.for.christians.politicians.and.secular.humanists/36231.htm

In what way exactly was Jesus a Jew?

 

Raised in the Jewish faith yes, but a Jew himself?

 

How would that work? Judaism is a monotheistic religion believing in the existence of one God.

 

Therefore, to be a Jew you are required to believe in, and worship one true God.

 

For the sake of debate let's accept that Jesus was the Messiah ( and not a naughty boy ) the prophesied savior of the Jews, the chosen people.

 

That would make him a part of the holy trinity, God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Ghost.

 

In other words he was in fact, God.

 

Therefore, unless he was the most incredible narcissistic being that ever existed - in his case for all eternity - he could not have actually been a Jew.

 

Worshiping a Deity, and worshiping yourself, are not the same.

 

Having taken the decision to appear on Earth as an ordinary human he had to choose some race to belong to.

 

As the Jews were the 'chosen people' it presumably didn't take long to choose!

 

However, as he was presumably aware that he was in fact God all the time that he resided on Earth, at no time can he have actually have thought of himself as a Jew.

 

Raised a Catholic, 'Lapsed' for nearly 50 years, it is all coming back to me as to why I had problems going along with all of this.

God is claimed to be omnipotent so can do anything, if it wanted to experience life as a human it could easily transform its self into a fetus in the womb of Mary, and it could set the parameters for regaining its prior knowledge of everything, it would probably set its self to reset as God after death. So Jesus could indeed have been a Jew and worshiped God without actually knowing he was God.

Is England a Christian country? its a bit like asking if Chelsea is an English team.

I think Clegg's comments probably ring true with how most people think today.

Mr Clegg said: "Having the state and the church basically bound up with each other, as we do in this country, I think in the long run it would actually be better... if the church and state were over time to stand on their own two separate feet."

 

"But that's not going to happen overnight for sure."

 

He added: "I'm not a practising man of faith, but I don't find it an issue to say we have an important Christian identity in terms of our heritage and so on."

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-04-24/clegg-calls-for-eventual-separation-of-church-and-state/