[News] The future of faith: young people switched off?
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Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
I don't think I am. I'm saying (repeatedly) that there doesn't have to be any association if you feel that strongly about it. Christians managed to change it from pagan to their god so I see no reason why atheists couldn't remove Christianity from this particular holiday/festival. If they're perfectly happy with the way things are then fine, more power to their elbow but then don't be surprised if religion uses that inaction as an argument for its continued importance.
That's just the point. The large number of non-believers DON'T feel strongly about it. They don't care what their holiday / festival of gluttony is called.
Coalburner
Active member
- May 22, 2017
- 315
Perhaps some piece of divine intervention would show sydney where the capital letters key is
Bob'n'weave
Well-known member
Returning to the OP's original question IMO young people today are not switched off to faith at all, they're just not sure where to place it. I meet plenty of young people, and oldies, who say they are 'spirtual' but do not relate to a religion. This does not mean they do not have faith in a higher purpose or universal/cosmic relationship that transcends our earthly existence. In many cases its because of the carnage that man carries out in the name of religion, (or rather how they interpret the religion.)
Religion for most young English people is not as accessible and accepted as a family thing so much now, so if you are a young person seeking to place your faith you have little or no guidance or system of belief to relate to. This could be part of the reason why Islam is so prolific, it is still practiced within the family.
"Just give me something I can ****ing believe in"
Religion for most young English people is not as accessible and accepted as a family thing so much now, so if you are a young person seeking to place your faith you have little or no guidance or system of belief to relate to. This could be part of the reason why Islam is so prolific, it is still practiced within the family.
"Just give me something I can ****ing believe in"
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
I'm going around in circles.
Just look at most of the replies in this thread. Loads want to see an end to religion completely. They feel very strongly about that but when it comes to actually doing something themselves it's indifference. They want an end to Christianity but they can't even find the energy to use an alternative word to describe Christmas.
And if you can't even do that then please don't moan about how much influence religion continues to wield.
jonnyrovers
mostly tinpot
It is the absolute height of human arrogance to believe there is a meaning to our pitiful lives. What makes us so special? It’s not all about us. We are not even the dominant species on this planet. Not by a long way.
‘What is the meaning of life?’ you say.
I say that just because we can ask the question, doesn’t mean the question has any value.
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‘What is the meaning of life?’ you say.
I say that just because we can ask the question, doesn’t mean the question has any value.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
I don't know any Christians that would agree with this. They would say that you must believe that Christ lived and died for you sins, etc. otherwise you will go to hell however good you are.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
There are quite a lot of uni students attending St Peters church in Brighton, and what was Church of Christ the King (now renamed Emmanuel).
Religion is a label that people use to cause carnage. In fact, Communism cause carnage trying to get rid of religion in Russia and China. There are 'state' churches who have to submit their sermons for scrutiny each week, but the real believers were very much underground when the thought police were searching for them.
Bob'n'weave
Well-known member
Doesn't mean they do either.
It does if they say they do though, as I have heard them say, which is why I wrote what I wrote.
jonnyrovers
mostly tinpot
I think the point you’re missing is that while there may be folk that want an end to it all, the vast majority just don’t care either way. We’re happy for religion to be there, we’re happy to have the holidays that come free with living in a faith society, we don’t give two monkeys how it happened. We get annoyed when pious people condescend us, as if you need to be godly to be good.
While you’re all getting your knickers in a twist about how to get more young people to believe in god and go to church on Easter Sunday, we’re enjoying a 4 day weekend eating chocolate & getting pi$$ed, all thanks to Christianity!
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Is it the Giant Space Ants?
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
It does if they say they do though, as I have heard them say, which is why I wrote what I wrote.
Sorry I see what you're saying now, it sounded like you were applying that Europe wide to young people rather than the few you spoke to.
Bob'n'weave
Well-known member
Maybe you have not asked the right ones them, or maybe you haven't even asked them. I think you are telling my how you feel, not what you know. I am talking about what I have heard christians say. Not many I have spoken to would agree with this hard line "believe in Christ or go to hell" routine. My Catholic priest certainly does not.
Let me give you a scenario. Amazonian tribal person who is has not even seen a wheel, let alone a bible, lives life as a good person, in accordance with Christian beliefs, dies, goes to the pearly gates and St Peter says, sorry pal you don't know who JC is so **** off. Not very christian really. If you CHOOSE to be a christian and buy into that, then fair enough. If you don't but still live your life as JC would have wanted you to then thats ok too. What I like about Christianity is it asks more questions of ourselves than it gives answers.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
You've jumped in a bit too quickly giving it the biggun there matey . I'm not trying to get more people into believing in God. I'm not even sure if a God even exists. I've absolutely no idea where you've got that from.
Do you want to try again and perhaps this time refer to something that i have said?
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
I think you're over estimating the zeal that most non-believers have for all this stuff. I certainly am no 'Dawkins' type who seeks out religious people to berate. I'm happy to get on with my life safe in the knowledge that there is highly highly highly unlikely to be a God, and even if there is, it's not one of the tyrants currently worshiped on planet earth. The ides of 'celebrating' any festival isn't something i'm upset about in any way.
I don't want to end religion, but I'd certainly not be unhappy if it went away, but I DO object to being treated like a lesser person for NOT believing or being pesters / cajoled / recruited by any particular religion.
I'm a passive athiest.
SweatyMexican
Well-known member
- Mar 31, 2013
- 4,155
It was natural that farmers 2000 years ago, who had less of a clue than people on here (hard to believe I know), try to find reason for their existence. It's only natural, we're a curious species, so they hung on to the first charismatic prophets that opened their mouths, because it gave them the answers they desperately craved.
After that, it's all past down from their gullible, impressionable children, to their gullible, impressionable children until til we get where we are.
Now we have technology, we can safely conclude it's all BS. However, the fact that so many people believe it now, makes it truthful in and of itself. It's madness.
The quicker we can get this backwater **** out of our society, the faster we can move on and have everyone aiming in the right direction for our species.
After that, it's all past down from their gullible, impressionable children, to their gullible, impressionable children until til we get where we are.
Now we have technology, we can safely conclude it's all BS. However, the fact that so many people believe it now, makes it truthful in and of itself. It's madness.
The quicker we can get this backwater **** out of our society, the faster we can move on and have everyone aiming in the right direction for our species.
SUA Seagull
Well-known member
jonnyrovers
mostly tinpot
Don’t be silly. Everyone knows the Giant Space Ants live on the moon.
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