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The US is actually an outlier in number of people who say they are religious, or spiritual, compared to other countries with high GDP. Way out. Check Pew Research. The reason is greater disparity in wealth and opportunity, more poor people in short. You may want to rethink your assumption about what drives religious affiliation. The wealthier white protestant families are having more children as well.
I'm not having to rethink any of this. I'm reading the reasons provided in these articles that explain the numbers. Pretty much all reputable research, surveys and studies repeat the same findings, for the same reasons. You should try better understanding the data rather than trying to dispute it...
In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace
As for the US being an outlier, true we're a unique case, but each country has it's similar unique identity to one extent or another that also affects these numbers. The basic underlying force that explains the trends is not hard to recognize and understand in any of these cases. No big mystery if objectively considered.
Ok so the easing of restrictions on religious activity during economic reforms in China is mainly what has made Christianity explode in China, not the fact that Christianity is true. If Christianity is true, why is Islam the fastest growing religion worldwide and not Christianity?
Ok so the easing of restrictions on religious activity during economic reforms in China is mainly what has made Christianity explode in China, not the fact that Christianity is true. If Christianity is true, why is Islam the fastest growing religion worldwide and not Christianity?
Ok so the easing of restrictions on religious activity during economic reforms in China is mainly what has made Christianity explode in China, not the fact that Christianity is true. If Christianity is true, why is Islam the fastest growing religion worldwide and not Christianity?
I was initially noting a "truth" about "Religion in general"...see post 398.
...and pretending that's the only fact that matters. The overall prediction is that religion will outstrip atheism in numbers, but mainly because of the increase of Muslims.
...and pretending that's the only fact that matters. The overall prediction is that religion will outstrip atheism in numbers, but mainly because of the increase of Muslims.
No, believing that we are part of something more complex is, by far, more reliable than stating we are not part of a larger more complex system. That's why your brand (I call sect) will not out pace belief. We just make way to much sense to people just trying to do the best they can with what they have.
Then, when we unpack what we are saying the words "everything is natural" becomes equivalent to the words "everything is god". We can debate the baggage part, but I am more into the factual part. What are the traits of god and nature.
No religion says "spacetime, via the mechanisms seen in QED, are responsible for the system of life we are in. Yet. But when they do, it will be a truth. Unfornatitly, we might even use it to oppress each other. We humans are good at that.
...and pretending that's the only fact that matters. The overall prediction is that religion will outstrip atheism in numbers, but mainly because of the increase of Muslims.
The OP asked for a truth about Religion, and to defend why it's true...so, I provided a truth about Religion.
It's growing in this world...compared to Atheism.
You are like a guy that is invested in a Mutual Fund...that calls your financial adviser complaining that you "lost money".
He tells you that you are wrong...that, in fact, he made you money.
You then point to a few bonds and stocks that are part of the fund that have decreased in value...and say, "See?! You have lost me money!".
Your adviser explains that those bonds and stocks only make up a small percentage of the fund...and shows you that the major percentage of the bonds and stocks the fund is invested in have gains, resulting in a net gain of the overall fund.
You STILL insist that he, "lost you a lot of money"...and again point to the bonds and stocks that were down in value.
He then shows you one bond alone that makes up over 20% of the value of the fund and shows you that the gains in just that bond alone made up for all the losses of the stuff you pointed out many times over. He reiterates that overall you have not lost money, but, in fact, gained money.
All you do is keep pointing to the couple of stocks (that are a small percentage of the total) that have lost some value.
Then you go around and tell everybody that you lost money on your investment.
Religion is growing in this World...that is "a truth about religion".
The angst of some over that truth, not withstanding.
The OP asked for a truth about Religion, and to defend why it's true...so, I provided a truth about Religion.
It's growing in this world...compared to Atheism.
You are like a guy that is invested in a Mutual Fund...that calls your financial adviser complaining that you "lost money".
He tells you that you are wrong...that, in fact, he made you money.
You then point to a few bonds and stocks that are part of the fund that have decreased in value...and say, "See?! You have lost me money!".
Your adviser explains that those bonds and stocks only make up a small percentage of the fund...and shows you that the major percentage of the bonds and stocks the fund is invested in have gains, resulting in a net gain of the overall fund.
You STILL insist that he, "lost you a lot of money"...and again point to the bonds and stocks that were down in value.
He then shows you one bond alone that makes up over 20% of the value of the fund and shows you that the gains in just that bond alone made up for all the losses of the stuff you pointed out many times over. He reiterates that overall you have not lost money, but, in fact, gained money.
All you do is keep pointing to the couple of stocks (that are a small percentage of the total) that have lost some value.
Then you go around and tell everybody that you lost money on your investment.
Religion is growing in this World...that is "a truth about religion".
The angst of some over that truth, not withstanding.
For me its more of...." Hey, your investment guy is Bernie Madoff and he is scamming you."
They number of believers vs non believers is of no consequence to me. The use of religion that I object to is dying out and mostly due to other believers and not atheists anyway.
The OP asked for a truth about Religion, and to defend why it's true...so, I provided a truth about Religion.
It's growing in this world...compared to Atheism.
...
Religion is growing in this World...that is "a truth about religion".
The angst of some over that truth, not withstanding.
The OP asked about an objective truth FROM your religion.
And religion grows in countries where the standard of living and education are low, but usually decreases in countries with good standard of living and education. The US appears to be the exception (unless there are more atheists who are just keeping quiet about it).
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