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Are you freaking kidding me? Almost every single person I have know who "converted" over the age of 14 later "deconverted". Spoken as a former member of many youth groups (and one who never converted in the first place) and mother of same.
People who convert as adults or post-college rarely de-convert. People who convert as teenagers generally become atheist/agnostic during college like 75% of all Christian college freshman do by the time they graduate.
Christianity is the world's largest religion, and the dominant religion in the Americas, Europe, Central and Southern Africa, Oceania, parts of the Middle East, and parts of East Asia.
1/3 people on Earth are Christians. More than 1.5/3 people on Earth believe Jesus is the Messiah (Christians & Muslims).
The U.S. has the world's largest Christian population with over 247 million and is expected to grow additional hundred million more by next few decades. Christianity has slightly declined in parts of Europe, but is rapidly growing worldwide. North, Central and South America is home to one third of Christians worldwide.
In Africa alone, Christianity grew from only 9 million in 1910 to about 516 million in 2011.
Christianity maybe growing on the global stage but it doesn't seem like it here in America. I identify myself as a atheist and although most people I talk to still identify themselves as Christians it seems as if they have lost faith and only continue saying their Christian's for the sake of saying it. Although I'm an atheist, I still like to encounter people who actually believe in their religion-truly. I've only met a handful of true Christian people while most are just posers who don't live by a word of the bible, and those are the ones I despise. If you won't truly follow you're religion rather its Christianity, Judaism, or whatever then become a atheist.
Agreed. The Gospel has power and God is pouring out his Spirit on the nations that are hungry to hear it. America and Europe have hardened their hearts in their prosperity and excesses. Americans and Europeans have forgotten the God that gave them this abundance and now hate God with everything in their beings, flipping God the bird, right in His holy face, daring God to do anything about it. Its only a matter of time before God unleashes judgment on western civilization, which I believe has already begun and its come in the form of God letting our societies destroy themselves from within like the Romans did. I am sure I will be mocked, made fun of, called stupid and a neanderthal on this forum for having said this, but I stand by it.
Jesus came here to save the sinners: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
The point is that when the alcoholic, junkie, or a gang-banger turns to God, their lives take a dramatic turn for the better. It is a miracle, and if you ever see it, you'll be amazed. Yes, many rich and "educated" feel they do not need God, and they can take care of themselves, but if you actually attended church, you'd be surprised to discover the wide range of people you will find there. A lot of educated people sit there and a lot of them are very well off, and even those who are not educated and work hard, low paying and even dangerous jobs praise God, and thank Him for what they have.
My boyfriend has an app on his phone that adds an image of a ghost to pictures he takes. He pulled a prank on his best friend by showing him the picture and letting him believe that it was real. He had every intention of telling him it was fake, but even by the next day, there was a total change in his behavior. He stopped drinking, let me help schedule an appointment with a social worker for him (he has moderate cerebral palsy - a physical, not mental disability), started playing out with music he had written, etc etc. All claiming that it's what the ghost wanted.
At this point, no one has the heart to tell him it was a hoax. And he treats the ghost like a religious experience. He can feel her, and can vividly explain how she is present. She told him her name, and she is a huge motivating factor of his life. The prank happened 6 months ago and has totally taken on a life of it's own.
That's what Christianity - especially talks of people changing their lives thanks to Christianity - means to me. The brain does funny things when it really, really, really wants to believe.
Yes, food for thought indeed. Many people identify themselves as Christian because they were born and raised in a Christian country, but they will admit it is only a part of their culture, and not a personal relationship with God. I don't think atheism is on the rise in US, but rather people choose to no longer identify themselves as Christian, because in their hearts they were never Christian in the first place. They were always atheist.
I don't really buy that. I wasn't exactly brought up in a religious household, but yet I've always believed in God. Now as I've gotten older, I've certainly become more of a spiritual person.
I prefer to look at the world without being distracted by magic or faith. I have to know what actually is before I can figure out a way to survive. Religion does not help me with this task.
Christianity maybe growing on the global stage but it doesn't seem like it here in America. I identify myself as a atheist and although most people I talk to still identify themselves as Christians it seems as if they have lost faith and only continue saying their Christian's for the sake of saying it. Although I'm an atheist, I still like to encounter people who actually believe in their religion-truly. I've only met a handful of true Christian people while most are just posers who don't live by a word of the bible, and those are the ones I despise. If you won't truly follow you're religion rather its Christianity, Judaism, or whatever then become a atheist.
And the thing about atheists, they're not hiding it like they did in the past. They are starting to speak out.
This is a great blog for atheists run by a biologist who's a good writer.
My boyfriend has an app on his phone that adds an image of a ghost to pictures he takes. He pulled a prank on his best friend by showing him the picture and letting him believe that it was real. He had every intention of telling him it was fake, but even by the next day, there was a total change in his behavior. He stopped drinking, let me help schedule an appointment with a social worker for him (he has moderate cerebral palsy - a physical, not mental disability), started playing out with music he had written, etc etc. All claiming that it's what the ghost wanted.
At this point, no one has the heart to tell him it was a hoax. And he treats the ghost like a religious experience. He can feel her, and can vividly explain how she is present. She told him her name, and she is a huge motivating factor of his life. The prank happened 6 months ago and has totally taken on a life of it's own.
That's what Christianity - especially talks of people changing their lives thanks to Christianity - means to me. The brain does funny things when it really, really, really wants to believe.
Well, to me your story tells me you don't know anything about Christianity, or faith.
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