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With the exception of some the Latin based countries like Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal, then other random countries like Poland and Greece, our European cousins are very non-religious. Obviously that wasn't always the case. Most of the US(and most European-Americans) is still very religious. Sure, its been on the decline overall, but its still a big thing.
When most of our European ancestors came, they were still very religious and they built churches, many in their native language. There are a lot of Lutheran Churches that were exclusively Norwegian, and now Norway is one of the least religious countries.
So when did religion go on the decline in Europe? Why?
Well the Puritans who were among the most religious and uptight group of people in history were among the first to settle in the US after being thrown out of England.
I think it's important to make the distinction between the different regions of Europe, because just like the US, religious attitudes vary according to geography and culture. Northern Europe and Scandinavia seems to be heavily irreligious, while in Eastern and Central Europe religion is very much on the rise. Religion seems to still be pretty influential in Southern Europe while Western Europe is a bit of a mixed bag. You have France and former communist state East Germany which are very secular, but then you have West Germany where religion is holding its own.
Europe is less religious than the United States in the sense that Europeans don't pray or attend church at the same rate as Americans for the most part. However even in the countries where church attendance or belief in God is low you'll still find for the most part that people identify with their church rather than say they have no religion. You see this a bit in France, which is around 64% Catholic but only half of those Catholics actually believe in God. I think I read somewhere that around 10% of French Catholic priests don't believe in God... I'll try and find the reference.
I think it's important to make the distinction between the different regions of Europe, because just like the US, religious attitudes vary according to geography and culture. Northern Europe and Scandinavia seems to be heavily irreligious, while in Eastern and Central Europe religion is very much on the rise. Religion seems to still be pretty influential in Southern Europe while Western Europe is a bit of a mixed bag. You have France and former communist state East Germany which are very secular, but then you have West Germany where religion is holding its own.
Europe is less religious than the United States in the sense that Europeans don't pray or attend church at the same rate as Americans for the most part. However even in the countries where church attendance or belief in God is low you'll still find for the most part that people identify with their church rather than say they have no religion. You see this a bit in France, which is around 64% Catholic but only half of those Catholics actually believe in God. I think I read somewhere that around 10% of French Catholic priests don't believe in God... I'll try and find the reference.
Interesting. That almost sounds contradictory with the Catholic priests who don't believe in God.
Are the non-believing catholic french only Catholics in the sense that they were baptized, but don't necessarily believe?
Interesting. That almost sounds contradictory with the Catholic priests who don't believe in God.
Are the non-believing catholic french only Catholics in the sense that they were baptized, but don't necessarily believe?
Yeah you would think those things are mutually exclusive. I can't seem to find the article I was referring to (which I read about a year ago), but from what I remember the priests who don't believe in God are mostly very elderly and have gradually lost faith in God over the course of many decades to the point now where they only continue their ministry to serve their communities and enable them to participate in church traditions (France has quite the severe priest shortage at the moment, particularly in rural areas where in some cases priests are responsible for 30 or more parishes).
The situation with the church in largely secular places like France is more complex than a lot of people realise. Religion tends to be intertwined with culture and also politics, which is why a lot of French non-believers still identify with the Catholic Church. The same situation applies in Belgium. Very few people attend mass in Belgium but Catholic culture is still an important part of the Belgian identity. In other words, Catholicism as a metaphysical belief represents a small minority of the population in both countries yet remains a strong social and political force.
Last edited by Celtic_08; 02-18-2014 at 02:07 AM..
With the exception of some the Latin based countries like Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal, then other random countries like Poland and Greece, our European cousins are very non-religious. Obviously that wasn't always the case. Most of the US(and most European-Americans) is still very religious. Sure, its been on the decline overall, but its still a big thing.
When most of our European ancestors came, they were still very religious and they built churches, many in their native language. There are a lot of Lutheran Churches that were exclusively Norwegian, and now Norway is one of the least religious countries.
So when did religion go on the decline in Europe? Why?
Think about it in these terms; Norwegians basically fulfilled their obligations according to the New Testament - they took care of their poor to the best of their knowledge under the monetary system where everybody lives. They are "socialists" you know, so they are free to go.
But the US where the gap between the rich and poor is big and growing, where plenty of people live hand to mouth, - that country still owes God almighty a lot. That's why the US can't live without the Salvation Army and many other churches that remind Americans what is what, and how their tomorrow might look like.
When you'll hear Italian blasphemies (in such an extent I doubt they exist in any other languages) I guess you'll change your opinion about the religiosity of Italy.
1) Many Europeans fled religious oppression to America to practice freely, and the immigrants handed down the religiosity to their children
2) Most Europeans felt the religious oppression at home, with all these disputes the didn't want to experience them abroad
3) The connection between the nobility and clergy didn't exist in the 13 colonies
4) Coming from homogenous countries into a heterogeneous country they turned towards religion to feel similarity and collectivity
5) In Europe the church held much government power, in the US the church held only social power and people turned to them, becoming powerful.
6) The church in Europe was the oppressive messenger of the state, in the US the priests were renegade preachers doing good for the community
7) When the welfare state developed in Europe, the government became the sole power for welfare, in the US the church is still the major power for welfare
8) After seeing all these wars of religion and the rise of the Enlightenment, Europeans started to consider the church as main source of war, not benediction
9) As the standards of living rose in Europe, the people didn't think the church as important. When governments started to separate the church from the government, people turned to other things
10) Due to all these reasons, tele-evangelists, firebrand preachers etc are completely unacceptable and considered weirdos and fanatics in Europe, and can't attract new masses of people
...
11) In Europe, people don't just care anymore. We have other things.
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