The End of Christian America
A valuable article, for the most part, from Newsweek:http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1
As someone who has to wrestle with the depths of theology and spirituality hour by hour, the trends do not surprise me. Christianity has been so poorly practiced in America for almost a century now, it should to some significant degree, DIE, so that a healthy form can take root and display its value.
One thing the author failed to note was that this is not the first time in American history that Christianity showed such lethargy. You can even see it in the colonies, a great indifference to the church and to Scripture.
I have not read the article yet, (I'll try to read it later) but my take on the 10% decline is not a decline in "true" Christians at all, but a realization from the great many who have simply grown up in a so-called "Christian Home" and hence have called themselves Christian only because they have been to church a few times and maybe even regularly, yet they have never really understood the Gospel. This classification of individual has been around for hundreds of years, yet in today's post modern culture they are being challenged as to what they believe and why, but they can not answer such questions. They are now realizing, and many are just being honest with themselves, that they do not really believe, and therefore when answering a poll, they are not relying on an assumption because of their upbringing. I think it can actually be a good thing from a Christians' point of view. At least people are really beginning to think about what they believe and why, which logically when explored to the deepest ends possible, can and often will result in coming to trust Christ as their needed Savior.
Krys- I believe there may be another massive wave of revival in the USA in the next 50 years. Then again, Europe is even more overdue. The issue is, in the USA and Europe, the prevailing belief is, "Christianity has been tried- and failed." It may take a generation or two for people experimenting with alternatives to become open again to thinking Christianity might have answers.
Because I have no trust and faith in the Obama-Clinton team, I can not believe that any thing good for the US will ever come out of it.
He claims that the christians have lost or are losing on the abortion and school prayer issues.
1. I did not know that abortion was a religious issue. It is more of a human rights issue. One can be an agnostic and if they believe that life begins at conception then the only conclusion that can be drawn is that it is murder. I can see where God may play a part in this overall discussion but to pigeon hole this as only a Christian issue is wrong. I know plenty of Jewish people who are pro-life.
2. Regarding prayer in school. I know plenty of people who practice their faith who dont think there should be state sponsored mandatory prayer in school. I dont think anyone wants a "taliban" type of religious experience in our public schools.
Then if you read the small print, the drop goes from 86% to 76% over the past 2 decades. Still a very large majority believes they are christians. So no need to make a story out of something that really isnt there.
And regarding Obama's role in this, people have to understand that based on the economic situation, a standing president of any party can and does lose to anybody in the other party. In other words, I could have ran as a democrat and history would have been on my side for winning.
On the other hand, consider the explosion of the church under Roman pagan rule 2,000 years ago... and in China today.