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

[Buzzer]

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.

 

[Jackthelad]

The growing Christian churches are what they call plant churches and are community based in their approach. I can see them taking over from the old churches which is a good thing as they are more about helping people and from what I can see do a lot of good. The older churches will die out, Christianity as whole will always be there, but will become a small minority faith. Islam I don't see shrinking at all; due to the racial and cultural segregation we have all over the UK so those communities are going to grow as will Islam due to Muslims having bigger families.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

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 celebrate the return of the sun...

http://www.humanreligions.info/christmas.html

 

[DavidRyder]

The yoof seem to hang on every word that's uttered by the Kardashians, Bieber, One Direction etc - all hope lost.

 

[Buzzer]

I celebrate the return of the sun...

http://www.humanreligions.info/christmas.html

We both know that's not true. I'm well aware that Christmas and Easter are pagan dates subsumed into the Christian calendar but I bet you don't refer to solstices when wishing people season's greetings.

 

[Nixonator]

The word of god has been replaced by tweets of largely inane celebrities.

Religion has been on a downward trend for some time in this country. I doubt Islam is following the same pattern though.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

We both know that's not true. I'm well aware that Christmas and Easter are pagan dates subsumed into the Christian calendar but I bet you don't refer to solstices when wishing people season's greetings.

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.

 

[Braggfan]

Dave Allen sums it up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS3BZs5fx3Q

 

[Buzzer]

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.

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?

 

[Wilko]

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 celebrate the fact I am on holiday, if we changed the calendar to holiday time around non-Christian festival then great!

 

[Kazenga <3]

yes they do.

Well obviously but to the same extent I mean.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

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?

You are, of course, entitled to hold any opinion.

I disagree.

 

[Buzzer]

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

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.

Honestly, I've no issue with that at all. I'd hate to see that all disappear but even if you're justifying it in your own mind as now something that's secular and meaningless, surely you can see that it's helping keep Christianity and its traditions an important part of our lives. And I've no problem with that either, it's when the same atheists then claim to want to rid the world of religion entirely that makes me curious as to why they don't remove it from their own lives but instead persist in the charade.

 

[jonnyrovers]

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.

That noise you can hear is the nail being hit on the head. Perfect.

 

[Buzzer]

You are, of course, entitled to hold any opinion.

I disagree.

Fair enough and no offence intended.

Personally, I'm agnostic but I do agree entirely with two very well-known atheists Douglas Murray and Richard Dawkins who describe themselves as 'culturally Anglican'. I like that description a lot.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Fair enough and no offence intended.

Personally, I'm agnostic but I do agree entirely with two very well-known atheists Douglas Murray and Richard Dawkins who describe themselves as 'culturally Anglican'. I like that description a lot.

Are you one of these militant agnostics I've been hearing about

 

[daveinprague]

Well, If the opportunity is there, I will work on every religious holiday for the overtime money. I certainly do not celebrate any of them. I would take the religions more seriously if they opened their doors for the homeless, but dont see that happening other than isolated incidents.
I see it all as just stuff written by 'man', there really is no 'gods' involved. Its now being interpreted by 'man' to suit their own way of life. Pretty bizarre to me really.
Plus of course, Christmas TV is utter shit.

 

[Buzzer]

Are you one of these militant agnostics I've been hearing about

I was in Nativity plays three times and three times I was a shepherd. Dunno why but this has always bothered me. I reckon this is where I got it from.

Anyway, did you hear about the dyslexic agnostic insomniac who lay in bed all night wondering whether there was a dog?

 

[Renegade1]

Truly amazing.They haven't actually included Italy !

 

[Renegade1]

I predict in 50 years all churches will have been converted to luxury residential units.

Personally I am not religious and don't get it all.If someone wants to believe in something so strongly that has no proof of existence that's fine but
it's those who look down on non-believers who wind me up.