[News] The future of faith: young people switched off?

[DavidinSouthampton]

Genuine question from (and this is obvious) someone who isn't religious in the slightest.

Can you be Christian and believe in dinosaurs?

I'm willing to be educated.

Yes, of course you can. It isn't compulsory to believe that it was all created in 7 days - or 6 with a day off. In fact as a qualified preacher in the Methodist Church, my training is that it was an allegory. Some do take it literally, but most (I think) would have no problem at all with evolution etc etc etc.

 

[sydney]

And what religion, made by God did they adopt? Or, did they adopt a man-made religion?

you can't edit my posts and expect a serious debate ...so i can seriously say to you now....go **** youself ....till you bleed ....you daft **** ...

 

[Notters]

Of course you can. Bit of a silly question.

'Christian' doesn't mean 'Fundamentalist Evangelical Fruitcake'. At least, it doesn't for most.

For most people I've encountered of a Christian faith, the Bible and scriptures are not something to be taken in any way as factual or as a set of rules. More just a set of stories, from which a set of morals and guidance can be inferred.

Are you sure about that? I had assumed that this was the case, but any full on Christian that I've asked has said that the New Testament is the word of God. It's just the old testament where the debate lies.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I spend time with my family, and take advantage of all religious festivals that provide time off work. If it was allowed I'd register with all available religions to max out my free days off.

As far as I'm concerned, Xmas is a pretty secular festival.

The only significant religious overtones about Christmas, are going to church and believing Jesus was born of December 25th. You don't have to do either.

The gift giving has no Christian heritage, not does the tree.

Also, seasons greetings has nothing to do with baby Jesus.

I think the three wise men might have something to say about gift giving not having anything to do with Christmas.

And I don't think anyone actually believes Jesus was born on December 25th.

And Seasons' Greetings for most people would have something to do with Christmas. Any attempt to tie it exclusively to anything else is clutching at straws.

 

[daveinprague]

you can't edit my posts and expect a serious debate ...so i can seriously say to you now....go **** youself ....till you bleed ....you daft **** ...

Edit what? All ive asked you is did they adopt a religion made by a God, or did they adopt a man-made religion. Your temper tantrum is astonishing.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

If youngsters can't be arsed with religion then fair play. If there's others who find great comfort and purpose through it then fair play to them too. It will always be around in some form or other.

Christianity isn't followed in the UK in the same way as it is in the USA so it's incredibly ignorant to tar every one of them as creationist fools. It's also, in my eyes, a tad hypocritical to mock Christians for inconsistency of beliefs if you're an atheist but celebrate Christmas. Not pointing the finger at anyone, just making a general point.

I'm an atheist and celebrate Christmas, mainly because people are friendlier, days of work,food and drink ect, please explain what a tree in the house and Christmas dinner have to do with a middle eastern bloke born who wasn't even born in December.to me Christmas has NOTHING to do with jesus or religion it's a commercial success. Also youde be hard pushed to find a Mathew,Mark, Luke or John in the middle east now let alone 2000 years ago,

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

0-0 or worse against Leicester and there will be a few losing faith on here.

I'd take a point

 

[sydney]

Edit what? All ive asked you is did they adopt a religion made by a God, or did they adopt a man-made religion. Your temper tantrum is astonishing.

you quoted me but edited what a said ...do one you ****

 

[daveinprague]

you quoted me but edited what a said ...do one you ****

No I didnt. Show me wtf you are talking about or just carry on with your childish tantrum.

 

[daveinprague]

Ah I see... you edited it to include Arabs. Sorry that I quoted you before YOU edited your own post you fecking dickhead.

Its also not relevant to the question, but carry on having a temper tantrum.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Are you sure about that? I had assumed that this was the case, but any full on Christian that I've asked has said that the New Testament is the word of God. It's just the old testament where the debate lies.

Would depend how you define 'full on Christian' I guess.

My wife is a regular churchgoer, as are all her family, and large numbers of our circle of friends (as we met most through the children's Catholic schooling) and I don't know of any amongst them who would consider any significant part of the Bible to be taken absolutely literally.

What say you [MENTION=22975]DavidinSouthampton[/MENTION] ?

 

[Horses Arse]

They've been doing that for ages. It's not on.. there's even a law against it but religion seems to escape the law

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[LlcoolJ]

I think [MENTION=420]sydney[/MENTION] has been at the sauce again. [emoji23]

 

[daveinprague]

I think [MENTION=420]sydney[/MENTION] has been at the sauce again. [emoji23]

Definitely on something. I didnt edit a thing, and even if I did, not sure how it would have affected the question on whether they adopted a religion made by a god or a man-made religion.

 

[Buzzer]

I'm an atheist and celebrate Christmas, mainly because people are friendlier, days of work,food and drink ect, please explain what a tree in the house and Christmas dinner have to do with a middle eastern bloke born who wasn't even born in December.to me Christmas has NOTHING to do with jesus or religion it's a commercial success. Also youde be hard pushed to find a Mathew,Mark, Luke or John in the middle east now let alone 2000 years ago,

Why do I need to explain anything about what is celebrated or why? I'm not trying to justify it, I'm just trying to say but not very well, that we're all keeping alive the importance of Christianity in our culture by continuing to call it Christmas. It's ridiculous to say that it's got nothing to do with it when it's right there in the name. The fact that you choose to ignore the religious aspect is perfectly fine but as long as you call it Christmas you're keeping the association alive.

There are a lot of people, even on this thread, that appear to be vehemently anti-religion and wish for its extinction. If I felt that strongly about something I'm not sure I'd be happy even paying it lip service. This isn't a pop at you at all but I wonder why, if there's that strength of feeling about it, that there aren't lots of atheists making a much bigger and pro-active attempt to remove it or offer an alternative holiday. If you got rid of Christmas then you've pretty much there.

 

[beorhthelm]

Of course it isn't. But you said that you celebrate the Sun but we know that's not true. At Christmas you wish people a Merry Christmas. We all do it, atheists, agnostics, Christians, Jews, Hindus etc etc... you're joining in with a Christian festival that you don't believe in because it's nice and it's what we've always done.

not really. as you acknowledged yourself, Christianity hijacked a couple of widely recognised festivals of feasting. The sentiments around this festival is about that, the food and drink, the family, the tree, decorations etc. for most only the name is any link to the birth of some chap in Judea. if you wanted to be proper Christian festival it would be at the correct time of year (September?) and involve going out to a shed and waiting 10 days for someone to come around with some bath oils and potpourri. (so there is some similarity)

 

[Buzzer]

not really. as you acknowledged yourself, Christianity hijacked a couple of widely recognised festivals of feasting. The sentiments around this festival is about that, the food and drink, the family, the tree, decorations etc. for most only the name is any link to the birth of some chap in Judea. if you wanted to be proper Christian festival it would be at the correct time of year (September?) and involve going out to a shed and waiting 10 days for someone to come around with some bath oils and potpourri. (so there is some similarity)

I acknowledged that they hijacked it and gave their names to it and we're perpetuating that by carrying on using those words. As long as we call it Christmas, we're associating it with Christianity. I'm genuinely baffled as to why people are saying it isn't.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Sorry but I think you are being hypocritical just a little bit. There's absolutely nothing stopping you from not celebrating Christmas at all. Even by regarding it as secular, you are still promoting and joining in a religious cultural event.

This idea that you even need a register to record your disapproval is bizarre. If it matters that much to you to want to remove Christianity and other religions from your life then surely proactively boycotting it and encouraging others to do the same would be a better course of action, wouldn't it?

Yeah but then we won't get the days off derrr

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[hans kraay fan club]

I acknowledged that they hijacked it and gave their names to it and we're perpetuating that by carrying on using those words. As long as we call it Christmas, we're associating it with Christianity. I'm genuinely baffled as to why people are saying it isn't.

You are right, but you're overemphasizing the importance of that association.

Some people ARE celebrating the festival of Christmas. Some simply the 'Christmas holiday'. They'll call it that because that's what it is called, not because it has any significance to them. The quote you used earlier about being 'Culturally Anglican'. Well, that. The christmas holiday is part of our 'Anglican culture'. Believing anything is no prerequisite to joining in the party.

 

[Withdean11]

The world would be a better place without any religion.