Will British cease to be a Christian nation..

[Deltic 10]

I think you are filling the gaps with your own thoughts. I never said others where none believers, just that me as one, I have visited numerous churches and none have been as you described.

 

You seem to have a major grudge against Christianity and maybe this is why you are ignorant to the reality that churches in the UK are not empty and have a larger number of followers than you think. I have never been in a church that had any less than 50% capacity on a sunday service.

 

You would almost think that the under used churches were being closed down to concentrate the surviving congregations into fewer venues.

[neeeeeeeeeek 10]

2030 we will be post ww3, which will cause an upsurge in christian faith, how big an upsurge depends on how hard the fight.

 

You have been watching too many Terminator films!

[HeadingNorth 11]

2030: The year Britain will cease to be a Christian nation with the march of secularism

 

If trends continue, the number of non-believers is set to overtake the number of Christians by 2030.

 

I would argue that it already has, because I do not count "people who write 'Church of England' on papers" as being Christians.

[Alien52 10]

I would argue that it already has, because I do not count "people who write 'Church of England' on papers" as being Christians.

 

What do count them as,Jedi Knights?

[WeX 10]

You would almost think that the under used churches were being closed down to concentrate the surviving congregations into fewer venues.

 

Inner city churches, I would agree to a point. Kinda like the TV series Rev. Rural churches seem to be able to keep their numbers high enough to stay open it would seem.

[WeX 10]

I would argue that it already has, because I do not count "people who write 'Church of England' on papers" as being Christians.

 

I would say you are then ignoring peoples claims to suit your own agenda. I can put down I am a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster on official papers and you have no right to disregard what I claim. That's is our right and no one can simply disregard it on their own say so.

 

I do not believe in a god but I wouldn't like to be known as an atheist as that is still connected to theism in many ways which are overlooked or misunderstood by many that claim to be atheist. I suppose the best description of me in these terms is a secular humanist, but I do not need a name to describe how I see the world, that is my personal opinion and if you or others do not agree with me, you do not have the right to ignore my claims or disregard my right to be so labelled as I wish.

 

Many who have similar opinions to you are of the opinion that ones membership of the club "Christianity" is somehow maintained by peoples attendance at church on an arbitrary attendance regularity. The frequency of these visits is never discussed or mentioned as no one can say how often you have to go to church to become a Christian. Jesus of the Bible stated that the church is not building, but a state of mind, and so you or others cannot judge people on these grounds. You do not need to attend a church to be a Christian according to Jesus, whose teachings are the foundation of the modern day Christian Church.

 

Your disregard for those who put "Church of England" on papers is not dissimilar to a parent/teenager relationship. You ignore what you hope people will themselves eventually abandon, but you do so at your own risk.

[ronthenekred 10]

I would say you are then ignoring peoples claims to suit your own agenda. I can put down I am a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster on official papers and you have no right to disregard what I claim. That's is our right and no one can simply disregard it on their own say so.

 

Nonsense..I can disregard anything I wish in the same way you can claim the existence of the spaghetti monster. What you are claiming is arrogance

 

I do not believe in a god but I wouldn't like to be known as an atheist as that is still connected to theism in many ways which are overlooked or misunderstood by many that claim to be atheist. I suppose the best description of me in these terms is a secular humanist, but I do not need a name to describe how I see the world, that is my personal opinion and if you or others do not agree with me, you do not have the right to ignore my claims or disregard my right to be so labelled as I wish.

 

Yet you claim you can be described a "secular humanist".

 

Many who have similar opinions to you are of the opinion that ones membership of the club "Christianity" is somehow maintained by peoples attendance at church on an arbitrary attendance regularity. The frequency of these visits is never discussed or mentioned as no one can say how often you have to go to church to become a Christian. Jesus of the Bible stated that the church is not building, but a state of mind, and so you or others cannot judge people on these grounds. You do not need to attend a church to be a Christian according to Jesus, whose teachings are the foundation of the modern day Christian Church.

 

If it's such a state of mind could you supply figures of your insight into these minds? Of course it's a state of mind, but the attendance of church is a pretty fair barometer outside of reading the minds of the religious.

 

Your disregard for those who put "Church of England" on papers is not dissimilar to a parent/teenager relationship. You ignore what you hope people will themselves eventually abandon, but you do so at your own risk.

 

[WeX 10]

Nonsense..I can disregard anything I wish in the same way you can claim the existence of the spaghetti monster. What you are claiming is arrogance

 

Quite the opposite, to disregard something you fail to understand is in fact "arrogance". If you disagree I suggest you look up the definition of the word.

 

Yet you claim you can be described a "secular humanist".

 

I didn't claim to be anything, I said the "best description", but then went on to shrug off any form of description.

 

If it's such a state of mind could you supply figures of your insight into these minds? Of course it's a state of mind, but the attendance of church is a pretty fair barometer outside of reading the minds of the religious.

 

No its not for the reasons I have stated but your mistake is not uncommon.

[Deltic 10]

You would almost think that the under used churches were being closed down to concentrate the surviving congregations into fewer venues.

 

Inner city churches, I would agree to a point. Kinda like the TV series Rev. Rural churches seem to be able to keep their numbers high enough to stay open it would seem.

 

The rural buildings seem to be largely maintained by subsidy from central funds, but many parishes now cannot afford their own priest and have to share with neighbouring parishes because the declining congregation is now too small to support a dedicated one.

[flamingjimmy 10]

I do not believe in a god but I wouldn't like to be known as an atheist as that is still connected to theism in many ways which are overlooked or misunderstood by many that claim to be atheist. I suppose the best description of me in these terms is a secular humanist, but I do not need a name to describe how I see the world, that is my personal opinion and if you or others do not agree with me, you do not have the right to ignore my claims or disregard my right to be so labelled as I wish.

 

Yes we do, we have the right to call you whatever we want.

 

You do not have the right to only be given labels that you like.

 

If you don't believe in god, that makes you an atheist in my book, you may not like that, but don't tell me I don't have the right to use that descriptor, because I absolutely do.

[RootsBooster 24]

I do not believe in a god but I wouldn't like to be known as an atheist

Well that's just tough luck then! I guess some people without hair don't like to be known as bald.

...as that is still connected to theism in many ways which are overlooked or misunderstood by many that claim to be atheist.

 

Sorry? come again? Can you expand on this? Do you also believe that vegans are connected to meat?

[WeX 10]

The rural buildings seem to be largely maintained by subsidy from central funds, but many parishes now cannot afford their own priest and have to share with neighbouring parishes because the declining congregation is now too small to support a dedicated one.

 

this is not my experience, you use the term "many", but do not quantify it and again you seem caught in the trap of popularised reports on the problems within the church.

 

I suggest you go to some of these churches and then remark on the situation within their walls. It is very different to what you may expect.