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Christianity 'could die out within a century'
telegraph.co.uk — More than half of Britons think Christianity is likely to have disappeared from the country within a century, according to a survey.
SirPopper- 2327 diggs
- digg it
- rupertd, on 06/20/2008, -327/+814we can only hope...
- MookiBlaylock, on 06/20/2008, -64/+15dido
- Surferess, on 06/21/2008, -5/+52I think you mean ditto. That word you used is looking like something else entirely.
- monsieurginger, on 06/21/2008, -3/+21dodo?
- SirPopper, on 06/21/2008, -15/+3GaGa!
- kurttrail, on 06/21/2008, -8/+9dildo, FTW!
- rubixcubez, on 06/21/2008, -1/+17yeah shes a singer with a weird voice
- du4l1ty, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3He's obviously talking about his pokemons do you want to see mine?
- soot, on 06/21/2008, -3/+48Didn't care much for her last album.
- jsaya, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Dido - Sand In My Shoes (Above & Beyond UV Mix)
- rentmitchum, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3Has your tea gone cold? Are you wondrin why?
- jack104, on 06/22/2008, -0/+0HAHAHAHA. Thats exactly what I thought.
- Surferess, on 06/21/2008, -5/+52I think you mean ditto. That word you used is looking like something else entirely.
- JimmySpaza, on 06/21/2008, -209/+51Take your anti-Christian bigotry elsewhere. Hate speech has no place in Diggland.
- UtopiaInTheSky, on 06/21/2008, -29/+80Ironically, your post is also hate speech.
- BriBriGooch, on 06/21/2008, -79/+6So is yours, hypocrite.
- fuzzybeard, on 06/21/2008, -7/+38How does pointing out a blatant error constitute hate speech?
- NotedFuturist, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3His is not, and yours is a lie.
- BriBriGooch, on 06/21/2008, -26/+27Where the hell have you been? Notice your digg downs.
- fuzzybeard, on 06/21/2008, -2/+7Nice turn of phrase, there.
- DarkReign16, on 06/21/2008, -9/+11Just so everyone knows, BriBriGooch is actually a JimmySpaza supporter, so please, digg him down. His comment is in agreeance with JimmySpaza's, by saying, "haven't you noticed, everyone here hates you and they ARE biogts!". So yeah, he's an idiot.
- afx1, on 06/21/2008, -10/+71he's a biggot because he doesn't support christianity?
- JimmySpaza, on 06/21/2008, -58/+6No, not for NOT supporting Christianity. For hoping that it dies out. What does it matter to him if Christianity thrives or dies out? ...unless he's a bigot about it.
- chazza125, on 06/21/2008, -2/+15And you're the devil for pointing that out...
- DarkReign16, on 06/21/2008, -5/+36Wishing for the end of an organization is not bigoted, jimmyspaza.
- bratterscain, on 06/21/2008, -4/+35If hoping it dies out is being a bigot, then I'm a bigot. Religion just adds another layer of obscurity to what we would otherwise see as truth. And yeah, you're going to reply and query, perhaps, mock my belief system which is impossible. I don't believe. There is nothing wrong with not jumping to conclusions and not believing there's a huge man in the universe who made tinier versions of him to trod around on a marble in space and that's who we are. There's nothing wrong with not wanting to make up stuff for what we don't know yet.
Some people are so pressed to believe that I must believe in something, or something made us, or I *must* jump to conclusions about what I don't know. I only put my trust in science. Raw, hard, in-your-face, no-bones-about-it, scientific facts. I don't consider myself a bigot though because those that believe in the ***** most Christians believe in really deserve some criticism for their beliefs which birth motivations based on sometimes entirely illogical and contradicting tales. - TheMoniker, on 06/21/2008, -1/+14It might matter to him for any number of reasons that aren't hateful in the slightest: He may be concerned to see so many people wasting their lives with (what seems to him) a myth. He might alternately be concerned with the effect of so many accepting beliefs on (what seems to him as) insufficient evidence and then voting on those beliefs. Etc.
- DarkReign16, on 06/21/2008, -5/+29Do you even read any one's comments on here, jimmyspaza? Do you ever wonder why every comment you make gets dugg down into oblivion?
- BriBriGooch, on 06/21/2008, -37/+2Why? He doesn't conform to the group-thought here?
- chazza125, on 06/21/2008, -3/+9We don' like them sorta folk roun' here
- DarkReign16, on 06/21/2008, -2/+26Right, since being Christian (70% of the USA, largest religion in the world) is such an independent way of thinking. He's such a rebel!
/sarcasm
- vanbacon, on 06/21/2008, -14/+30I can't wait to piss on christianities tombstone.
Image a world with no religion.- Slackdragon, on 06/21/2008, -30/+10"Image a world with no religion."
No thanks! John Lennon tried that and all it got him was an ugly Japanese woman and four bullets in the back.
How about this; let's try to imagine a world where everyone minds their own business? - juliandunbar11, on 06/21/2008, -3/+6*cue campy photograph of world trade center intact*
- Arnos, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3Do you *really* think all hatred and bigotry will go away if religion were to go away? REALLY?
So people will stop hating black people when there's no religion?
Countries will stop invading others for resources because religion is gone? - LoveAndSeagulls, on 06/21/2008, -0/+9Oh please. You seriously think the end of Christianity would be the end of religion? Look at history. People will always make up ludicrous bullcrap so they can mix it into their cup of warm milk to help them sleep at night.
- sTiKyt, on 06/21/2008, -1/+4
How about this; let's try to imagine a world where everyone minds their own business?
well then there would be no religion. ;P
- Slackdragon, on 06/21/2008, -30/+10"Image a world with no religion."
- 1randomguyO8, on 06/21/2008, -6/+15Why don't you go back your little make belief fairytale land?
- gs68, on 06/21/2008, -14/+7Of course, hate speech is wrong.
Unless it's directed towards otakus or Christians, then it's OKAY.- fuzzybeard, on 06/21/2008, -1/+8Get off the cross honey, someone else needs the wood.
- gs68, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3Eh? I don't get you.
- gobbleplex, on 06/21/2008, -1/+17Says the person whose avatar is that of a man who was a heathen who believed in the pagan ways of ancient Greece.
- monoa, on 06/21/2008, -5/+3Say what you like about Jesus, dude, but don't mock '300'. That's his all-time favorite movie. Those Spartan guys are *ripped*.
Hi number 2 is Top Gun (especially the beach volleyball and locker room scenes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekXxi9IKZSA
Number 3 is any Police Academy where they go in the Blue Oyster:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdbt-sx5MDc
- monoa, on 06/21/2008, -5/+3Say what you like about Jesus, dude, but don't mock '300'. That's his all-time favorite movie. Those Spartan guys are *ripped*.
- lamiaconfitor, on 06/21/2008, -2/+12Jimmyspaza trolls again!
- Pixelante, on 06/21/2008, -10/+4You must be new on Diggland, where hate and feces throwing is the order of the day.
- DavidGX, on 06/21/2008, -2/+11Take your pro-cultist ***** elsewhere.
- VanishingLex, on 06/21/2008, -2/+10in science we call it criticism when somebody questions a theory... why shoudl we call it bigotry when we do it to a religion? Are they somehow better than things we have evidence and rigourous method to discover?
No, bigotry is when you treat a PERSON differently, not when you celebrate an idea being killed off. - mateoberry, on 06/21/2008, -4/+6The Christian religion will die, like those before it....
This is not "hate speech", just the course of history.- sargentcrackers, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1 Why is it that "we can only hope"?
- avengingturnip, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1History is predetermined? You are either a Calvinist or a Communist. One of the two for sure.
- mateoberry, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1People change. Cultures change. This is not predestination, but human nature. The countless numbers of anthropomorphic gods reflect the evolution of the human mind and human value systems. Given time, the name "Jesus" will hold the same significance to people as that of "Poseidon", or "Baal" today.
- avengingturnip, on 06/22/2008, -3/+1Yes they do. I predict that atheism (after having run its bloody, futile, and ultimately hopeless course) will die out in the future. It is inevitable. There, I can do it too.
- mateoberry, on 06/22/2008, -0/+3Atheism has no "course" and therefore is unable to "die out". It is not a religion, not a creed, not a value system. It is simply the justified rejection of ***** claims concerning the human fabricated existence of fairytale deity. Nothing more. You fail to address this pungent reality. You fail to face the total lack of evidence. Your extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence!
- avengingturnip, on 06/22/2008, -2/+1Has no "course"? But you just claimed it did. You claimed it is one hundred percent certain; in fact it could not be more certain in your singular mind; that atheism will replace Christianity one day. Here is a thought for you. Atheism is the pause between breathing out Christianity and breathing in something else.
And, sir, your reality may be pungent. In matter of fact it may be utterly putrid. Mine smells of roses and is only sometimes made to smell of excrement when personages such as your kindly self insert their acrid influences into it. Please offend your own olfactory senses and do not feel you have the duty to spread your smell around. - mateoberry, on 06/23/2008, -0/+2You are confused, or just making things up. I stated that *religion*... repeat *religion* has a course... and that the Christian religion will die, just like all religions before it. I never stated that "atheism" (as if this were some sort of religion) will "replace" the Christian religion. Where, did I ever state this? with "one hundred percent " certainty? Where? These are your words, not mine.
Again, atheism is simply the rejection of totally baseless claims that god(s) exist, due to total lack of evidence. It is a skeptical, rational reaction to extraordinary claims. That said, I have no doubt, given the social nature of mankind, that the Christian faith will evolve, and someday be replaced by yet another form of theism.
Once again, you fail on every level to back up your "rose" scented claims. Where is the damning evidence that the deity of your particular culture actually exists? You and I both know very well that you don't have any. That's the point. You accept these claims on faith, do you not? Or are you the special type who claims to sit on god's lap and chat, with milk and cookies? Why do you accuse me of ill will? Have you been socialized to attack skepticism at all cost? You are unable to answer the demand for evidence! Indeed, your choice to blindly accept the human construct of religion as fact is exactly that: a CHOICE.
- Volaitle86, on 06/21/2008, -7/+2I'm cool because I hate Christianity. Look at Me! Look at ME!
- rationalist, on 06/21/2008, -1/+4No, you're lame because you substitute shouting and emotional appeals for substance and reason in your comments.
- ArandiaT, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Come on, that remark has got to be sarcastic....
right? - breadfred, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1Aw JimmySpaza you against hate speech? I remember digging quite a lot of your comments down because they were bigoted hate speech.
- UtopiaInTheSky, on 06/21/2008, -29/+80Ironically, your post is also hate speech.
- ijwhelan, on 06/21/2008, -122/+30Seriously man, I am a Catholic, and I should be able to have beliefs without dickwad atheist ***** like you shooting us down for having hope in a Greater Being. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean you should hate on us, especially on a website that gets a large amount of traffic.
- martian, on 06/21/2008, -6/+53lol
- chazza125, on 06/21/2008, -3/+34Don't hold back there
- bales, on 06/21/2008, -9/+38So would you call John Lennon an "dickwad atheist *****" for saying he imagines a world without religion?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0- moonbastic, on 06/21/2008, -39/+1Hopelessly naive, yes. To imagine a world without religion is to imagine a world without atheists.
- Soniti, on 06/21/2008, -22/+3That's a logical fallacy right there. Way to use this man's own words against him. Dugg down.
- chazza125, on 06/21/2008, -2/+20But according to him he was "more popular than Jesus"
And he probably was/is - ijwhelan, on 06/21/2008, -15/+1Yes!
/Joe Biden - bales, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Moonbastic, you need to realize what an athiest is first. If nobody believed in god, then everyone would be athiest.
- beloitpiper, on 06/22/2008, -0/+2Damnit, Chaza. I hate it when people take it that out of context. He wasn't like "Hell yeah, we're bigger than Jesus!" He said it like, "I can't believe we're bigger than Jesus. WTF."
- Pixelante, on 06/22/2008, -1/+1Yes, I would call him that and more because he was a miserable failure as a human being. He had a son and never cared for him while he babbled about "peace and love" and some other highly marketable stuff. He was a puppet in the hands of the industry and Yoko Ono.
- BriBriGooch, on 06/21/2008, -40/+5Wrong place if you thought you'd get some intelligent debate. Instead you are Dugg down. Nice!!! Don't go against the have-mind since they can't argue with you on an intelligent level. Instead they Digg you down since they can't understand what you say.
- bratterscain, on 06/21/2008, -1/+15Wrong reply? I didn't see much intelligence in his comment. Believe it or not, people are what we think and do. And if what we think has a bearing on our actions, we have a right to criticize. Don't like it, stay away from society because it's all about judging others' actions and thoughts. I believe it's something you learn in Elementary school.
- TheMoniker, on 06/21/2008, -1/+17The "have-mind" as opposed to what? The "not-having minds?"
To be fair, it would be more pleasant for there to be intelligent discussion without either side having to put up with being called "dickwad ... *****." --At least, in my opinion. - biotch, on 06/21/2008, -1/+11hahah exactly where in his comment is he opening the holy gates of intelligent debate? Was it the dickwad part?... or perhaps when he called him an atheist *****?
- Whackly, on 06/21/2008, -6/+37what would jesus do? apparently... f-bombs
- ijwhelan, on 06/21/2008, -7/+2Nice one lol.K
- DarkReign16, on 06/21/2008, -2/+27I don't think any one is hating on you, just your beliefs. If we attacked your political party, that doesn't mean we hate you and are out to get you. YOU are not your beliefs, and your beliefs are not you. So please, don't take it personally, and actually defend your beliefs for once, instead of complaining about how we've hurt your feelings.
- SteelCurtain08, on 06/21/2008, -1/+24Seriously. I am so sick of this inerrant sense of entitlement by the religious. As if their beliefs are above scrutiny of any kind. The second an atheist or skeptic of any kind questions or shows anything short of approval of their beliefs, they act like they've been attacked.
Screw that mentality. If you can readily and openly tell me I am going to burn in hell (which is like telling a 30 year old Santa is not coming), then I can say that you believe in a fairy tale.
Get over yourselves. - cheekiej, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3Bravo, you said that just right. Someone up there ^^^ in the thread said in science it's good when your theory is criticized as you learn from it, and can improve. Darwin didn't take the christians hate in his time, he improved and now we accept (well the educated do) evolution as the origins of man. But oh no, not religion. We are personally attacking them because we don't have the same beliefs. I'm actually looking forward to burning in hell, maybe santa and the easter bunny will be there.
- dumbducky, on 06/21/2008, -1/+0Are a person's beliefs not what makes him up? What is Christianity, but a bunch of people with common beliefs? When you say you hate Christianity, you hate the people who believe it in because they carry out it's message.
Not that it matters what I think, because this comment will be dugg way down by the end of they day. - SteelCurtain08, on 06/22/2008, -0/+2Bad logic.
My entire family and many of my friends are very religious. I do not agree with their beliefs, but I still love them.
Keep on stretching to make atheists the bad guy. I guess no matter what we de or how we do it, you will feel like we've attacked you personally.
- SteelCurtain08, on 06/21/2008, -1/+24Seriously. I am so sick of this inerrant sense of entitlement by the religious. As if their beliefs are above scrutiny of any kind. The second an atheist or skeptic of any kind questions or shows anything short of approval of their beliefs, they act like they've been attacked.
- Sliperyfish, on 06/21/2008, -2/+3"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manner"
- MaiSacNjoMouf, on 06/21/2008, -2/+19You can believe in whatever dumbass ***** you want. We can't and won't stop you.
Even if there are better answers for all of the questions the bible answers...
BUT, we can say whatever we want about you believing in said dumbass *****.
That's just the way it is... Freedom for EVERYONE not just for YOU.- ijwhelan, on 06/21/2008, -10/+0Do you see me verbally attacking you for your lack of belief? I am just pointing out that he is essentially firing the first shot and attacking those who have done no harm to him, just because they want to have hope and faith in something. I'm sorry if I got my point across wrong, I am just disappointed that just because he does not agree with something he condemns it and basically calls it wrong. I don't care, bury me down because of my beliefs and my reaction to an attack on my beliefs.
- SteelCurtain08, on 06/21/2008, -0/+15That's the problem. NO ONE IS ATTACKING YOU.
Believe what you want. I will too.
You think what I believe is dumb. I think what you believe is dumb.
If it affects you that I vocalize my beliefs, think about it the next time your pastor tells you to go out and spread god's word to the non-believers.
- 1randomguyO8, on 06/21/2008, -1/+17Cry me a river.
- TheMoniker, on 06/21/2008, -0/+21Every person is welcome to their beliefs. That doesn't however exclude any particular belief system from criticism or reproach.
- fuzzybeard, on 06/21/2008, -0/+8I'd like to hear how you're going to explain this in Confession. "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. This is going to be difficult to explain..."
- bjornski, on 06/21/2008, -0/+8Then keep it in your church, and don't expect everyone in the public to walk on eggshells to not offend you about it.
- rupertd, on 06/21/2008, -0/+5lol, let that anger out man, its dangerous to keep it bottled up. isn't profanity some kind of sin anyway?
i see only benefits from the people not believing insane things. more rational thinking = a better life for all. - staffell, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3DId they teach you to swear like that in the bible?
- izikdela, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1So cuss a lot and say that you are apart of a religion where it is a sin to cuss. Think before you post comments. BTW, I am Christian and love the Lord; but, it really irritates me to see people like you, claiming to be religious and posting comments like this, almost as much as all these anti-Christianity comments irritate me.
- Ledjar, on 06/21/2008, -24/+6exactly what i was gonna say
"OMFG i wish" - Whackly, on 06/21/2008, -34/+17I wouldn't hope too much. Think of what it could be replaced with?
- notoneofus, on 06/21/2008, -8/+69Rational thought?
- thetechkid, on 06/21/2008, -2/+19OH GAWD NO! THE HORROR!
- bracketdash, on 06/21/2008, -1/+29Science!
"What in Science's name is going on?"
"Science damn it!" - Rikkochet, on 06/21/2008, -1/+14A system of belief based on observation and logic? Nay, not a system of belief. A system of *understanding* in a world that no longer understands what a "system of belief" is the same way we don't understand fear of dragons.
- JigoroKano, on 06/21/2008, -4/+7In all seriousness it will probably be replaced with more political ideologies, conspiracy theories, ...
I don't think humans are getting smarter, religious fairy tales are just getting harder to swallow.- bracketdash, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1I don't think it's so much humans getting smarter, I think it's more the fact that communications like the Internet have made it so much easier for masses of people to come together and figure stuff out on their own instead of grouping together in places like churches to be fed whatever knowledge pastors and priests bestow upon them.
- avengingturnip, on 06/21/2008, -16/+1Examples from history - The Jacobin Terror, The Gulag Archipelago, The Cultural Revolution, The Killing Fields.
Ignorance must truly be bliss for you atheist types.- SaucyJack, on 06/21/2008, -1/+13Examples from history - Crusades in The Holy Land, The Albigensian Crusade, The Inquisition, the Auto de fe, multiple pogroms against Jewish communities in Europe, expulsion of Muslims and Jews during The Reconquista, persecution of "heretics" (Arians, Waldensians, Spiritual Franciscans, Manicheans, Bogomils etc), persecution of "witches" ...on and on it goes.
...and that's just Christianity. - avengingturnip, on 06/21/2008, -7/+1Sure. Let's consider.
Within a generation of the French Revolution, an anti-clericalist revolution ostensibly based upon reason (liberty, fraternity, equality) you had the Jacobin Terror which quickly produced more victims than the Auto de fe did over several centuries. The genocide against the Vendee launched by Republican forces, far exceeded the slaughter of the Albigensian Crusade. And by comparison, Napoleon marched all across Europe and Asia before his blood-lust was sated making the Crusaders who fought to secure a narrow strip of land on the coast of the Levant look like the mere pikers they truly were.
In short, your beloved 'Reason' managed to unleash an orgy of violence and murder that in the matter of a few short decades eclipsed 1800 years of previous Christian history. The sad thing was it went downhill from there. - avengingturnip, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Digg me down! Digg me down! Bad thought! Bad thought!
Good thought will be rewarded. Bad thought will be punished.
- SaucyJack, on 06/21/2008, -1/+13Examples from history - Crusades in The Holy Land, The Albigensian Crusade, The Inquisition, the Auto de fe, multiple pogroms against Jewish communities in Europe, expulsion of Muslims and Jews during The Reconquista, persecution of "heretics" (Arians, Waldensians, Spiritual Franciscans, Manicheans, Bogomils etc), persecution of "witches" ...on and on it goes.
- 2clone, on 06/21/2008, -57/+14I hope Islam dies. Christians don't explode in the name of allah.
- AzureRise, on 06/21/2008, -9/+31They just have crusades and discriminate against other people with different beliefs or different lifestyles. But honestly, every religion has good guys and assholes.
- RAGEdemon, on 06/21/2008, -6/+18Troll?... You can't be that stupid...
A tiny percentage of muslims perhaps, mostly dumb brainwashed lowlifes with no prospects.
Back in the day, vast majority of Christians used to burn old ladies alive accusing them of being witches. In the dark ages, people were hanged for "epic crimes" such as apostasy.
The crusades killed hundreds of thousands. Christians spreading religion by the sword.
Remember that these actions were condoned by the majority of Christians at the time.
Muslims blow themselves up because we just killed 600,000 CIVILLIANS, their own blood in an unprovoked war. We just invaded and occupied 2 entire nations.- Jackson0909, on 06/21/2008, -10/+2Don't be stupid. You're the troll. Now go back under your bridge.
- funkywood, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1You don't need the terrorist misinterpretation of islam to make it mostly ***** too.
It's worse than christianity today. Stop going lightly on muslims just because they aren't as bad as terrorists. They still believe in a load of bollocks that is incompatible with analytical freedom and rational thought.
- DavidGX, on 06/21/2008, -1/+12Don't even try and act like christianity is any better than any other ***** cult.
- RobotCitizen, on 06/22/2008, -0/+2No, they carpet bomb in the name of their true faith, which is capitalism.
- dizzythegreat, on 06/21/2008, -21/+1No such thing. Sorry.
- Soniti, on 06/21/2008, -45/+6Personally, I think it's pretty ***** up that the submitter decided to put the picture of a guy with a gun when the article talks about Christianity dying out.
SirPopper, Hitler could have taken a tip or two from you, you ***** *****.- 4DFX, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Interestingly though, Hitler was a Christian. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler
Cry about it.- glinsvad, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1And Einstein was a Jew... what are you trying to say?
- rationalist, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Your Christian love just pours out of your comment.
- 4DFX, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Interestingly though, Hitler was a Christian. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler
- nickbyfleet, on 06/21/2008, -32/+10Is that what you really think of Christianity? My experience is obviously completely different from yours- I hope my faith never "dies".
- MatthewTheRaven, on 06/21/2008, -37/+12Unfortunately while you may celebrate the loss of Christianity in Britain and Europe, the void it's creating is being filled by a specific group of Muslims who are pushing for Sharia Law to become the law of the land.
Those of you who think you're living under the 'oppression' of Judeo-Christian based law have no idea what is coming under Sharia.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1535478/Sha ...- bjornski, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1Like Blackwater, who wants to be tried under Sharia Law on American soil?
- RAGEdemon, on 06/21/2008, -1/+20Don't talk out of your arse mate. More scaremongering for the masses. Diggers aren't that stupid. Take your BNP drivel elsewhere.
There will always be people pushing for one kind of law or another. Muslims comprise of 2.7% of the British population, and the vast majority of them and liberal/moderate. Actually that goes for most Muslims around the world. The tiny percentage that are fundamentalist unfortunate grab the headlines.
Oh and btw, I am/was a Muslim. I know what I am talking about. Contrary to popular belief, Muslims are not plotting the downfall of society behind closed doors in mosques.
It used to be the Nazis, then the Commies, and now the Muslims.- Stoutlimb, on 06/21/2008, -2/+3The Nazis and the Commies DID try to cause the violent downfall of our society. So you say it's the Muslims turn?
- RAGEdemon, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3Wow, I like people who deliberately take a point the wrong way so as to appear to make a witty retort. Unfortunately, this time its ruined by context: Scaremongering, exaggeration of a virtually non existent threat, so as to scare the public into submission.
If the masses are scared, they will give you all the power to do with as you will to eradicate that threat. First rule of tyranny 101.
Say, invade other countries without provocation, start spying on citizens, detain people without probable cause, violate basic human rights, flush the country;s wealth down the toilet, all for "public safety". How interesting it is that every single action has the primary effect of 1) oppressing any would-be opposition, 2) making you/your supporters wealthier, 3) giving you more power. - MatthewTheRaven, on 06/21/2008, -3/+1Sharia law IS already taking hold in parts of Britain, that's not fear mongering or speaking out of my ass, that's the truth. The problem isn't the majority of Muslims. The problem is the small minority who tend to go to extremes to enforce their beliefs. The problem is that the majority tends to not speak out against the minority (the problem exists in Christianity too, this isn't a slam on Muslims).
Of course, using your logic, that small minority tries to scare the majority into following like sheep. And it seems to be working.
- MaxD, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Bah, it's not as if those who leave Christianity/Judaism spontaneously disappear... most of them become atheist, or agnostic, no? A group that would be at the very least large enough to put up some resistance if any other religious group started trying to impose a way of life that they found undesirable. I mean, I'm not a Christian, but you can bet that I'd fight tooth and nail, just as hard as any Christian if people tried to impose Sharia law. Not that I consider this to be a remotely plausible situation, like you - who are obviously fearmongering suggest.
- funkywood, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1If we want christianity gone then we want islam gone too. Let's just say it.
- RAGEdemon, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1Agreed. Religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, have no place in modern society. They are a relic from the dark ages of humanity.
- feliks2, on 06/21/2008, -19/+11And pray.
- feliks2, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1***** joke
- stuffradio, on 06/21/2008, -17/+7I'm sorry, but this won't happen.
- khyberkitsune, on 06/21/2008, -11/+18Wouldn't the appropriate first response go something more along the lines of "God willing..."?
- fr3ddie, on 06/21/2008, -24/+13christians are ***** assholes... they shouldve wrote this in as a commandment....
Thou shalt not be an *****.- Yeshuah, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3Dude!!! ***** RIGHT!! HAHA! All christians are ***** assholes! Hey since we agree on this we should go out and call all the blondes stupid, wake up all of the lazy mexicans, take the fried chicken away from the black people, and frisk every muslim for a bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ***** A man, I LOVE making generalizations about people don't you?............ Dude?
- DrZocktahedron, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Wow, generalizations are almost NEVER right.
Im a christian and I respect other peoples' views on faith whether its against mine or not.
- DrZocktahedron, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Wow, generalizations are almost NEVER right.
- Yeshuah, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3Dude!!! ***** RIGHT!! HAHA! All christians are ***** assholes! Hey since we agree on this we should go out and call all the blondes stupid, wake up all of the lazy mexicans, take the fried chicken away from the black people, and frisk every muslim for a bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ***** A man, I LOVE making generalizations about people don't you?............ Dude?
- Arnos, on 06/21/2008, -12/+2Anyone want to post what crime is like in Britain?
I know it's fun to repress others (goes both ways)- but be careful what you wish for.- nopointinnames, on 06/21/2008, -3/+13People aren't repressing christians and other religious people, just tired of them spouting off their random religious nonsense and them being on their moral high horse. A really good friend is a christian and he is so ignorant he honestly believes I am not able to have any morals what so ever only because I do not believe in a figment of the sky. Sorry, but your God never prevented a single crime, only the people around criminals can prevent crime whether it be reactive or preventative.
- Phyltre, on 06/21/2008, -3/+1This statement is also false. Only the criminals themselves can prevent the crimes. That's what a real Christian would tell you.
- rationalist, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2Crime is very low in the largely secular UK. Crime is very high in the largely theistic US. You seem to be undermining your own point.
- nopointinnames, on 06/21/2008, -3/+13People aren't repressing christians and other religious people, just tired of them spouting off their random religious nonsense and them being on their moral high horse. A really good friend is a christian and he is so ignorant he honestly believes I am not able to have any morals what so ever only because I do not believe in a figment of the sky. Sorry, but your God never prevented a single crime, only the people around criminals can prevent crime whether it be reactive or preventative.
- DavidGX, on 06/21/2008, -11/+30Let's hope all the other religions follow shortly afterward, if not before.
- kprooney, on 06/21/2008, -10/+3why are you anti-religion? I feel that we should respect people's beliefs and faith, there actions are what to be judged
- DavidGX, on 06/22/2008, -0/+3If religious people would keep their ***** to themselves and out of our government and public schools then they can believe whatever they want. But they refuse to do so, so war it is.
- kprooney, on 06/21/2008, -10/+3why are you anti-religion? I feel that we should respect people's beliefs and faith, there actions are what to be judged
- digitronix, on 06/21/2008, -10/+15"Research published earlier this year suggested that church attendance is declining so fast that the number of regular churchgoers will be fewer than those attending mosques within a generation."
And that's something to be happy about? - kelmaster1, on 06/21/2008, -15/+27The day when all the Southern Baptists die out will be a happy day for america
- TheTaoOfBill, on 06/21/2008, -34/+94You guys don't seem to understand religion, especially Christianity. You atheists are aware there are multiple types of Christians right? And with 80% of America being Christian I do not understand how you could think it's that bad.
We aren't all extremist idiots who go to gay funerals and with pickets that says God hates fags. We aren't all child molesters. Hell we aren't even all idiots who don't believe in science.
You have taken the worst of Christianity and labeled us all as such. That's exactly what biggotry is.
You all act like all wars would disappear if it weren't for religion. You think Osama Bin Ladin attacked us because his religion told him too! *****! He attacked us because he had an anti American agenda and he used religion as a tool to control the masses. If religion didn't exist he would have used something else.
War goes back to the very beginnings of man kind. Even before there was evidence of religious rituals. To say religion is the cause of all our problems is no less naive than some Christians who say evolution does not exist.
Either way you are ignoring a hell of a lot of evidence just to hold on to your silly beliefs that go against science and human nature.
Instead of hating on all Christians why don't you join the smart ones. Not as fellow Christians but as fellow intelligent people fighting ignorance.
Because it's not religion that is destroying humanity. It's ignorance and self righteousness.- Arnos, on 06/21/2008, -10/+34Wow. Well said- you'll get dugg down due to mob mentality, but well said.
- FiveAlive, on 06/21/2008, -3/+11Agreed. Well stated.
- arcterex, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2Yup, well put.
- publiclurker, on 06/21/2008, -29/+11Religion is ignorance. Some of it is just more dangerous than the rest
- digitronix, on 06/21/2008, -3/+3The most murderous dictators of the 21st century were atheists. Stalin was a far worse dictator than even Hitler was. Doesn't that make atheism dangerous?
- kprooney, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2no its not you twit, stop sounding like a backwater fool
- Kinnkster, on 06/21/2008, -22/+9Yeah? Maybe when you stop telling your children what they have to belief and brainwashing them form an early age I'll consider having some respect for you.
Until then you can ***** the hell off.- villavicencio, on 06/21/2008, -1/+5Why would he want your respect, who the hell are you?
- Kinnkster, on 06/21/2008, -5/+1...When did I suggest that he wanted my respect?
"you can ***** the hell off" means you can ***** the hell off, not "I won't respect you." - Migito, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3"I'll consider having some respect for you"
you suggested it right about there, moron. - Kinnkster, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1Uh, no, I was stating my opinion, I never suggested he WANTED my respect.
And not to mention he was talking to the atheists on Digg trying to get them to respect some christians, *****. - kprooney, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2that one problem doesnt make all of religion wrong. There's huge debate over baptism. Some believe that finding religion when you're old and mature enough increases your faith and self-awareness.
and saying "Until then you can ***** the hell off." makes you sound like a sheltered American nerd who comments on digg to vent his frustration. OH WAIT NEVERMIND - JimmySpaza, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1I think that the Kinnkster has a lot of hate in his heart.
Maybe he got picked on in High School and now that he works at McDonald's and lives in his parents' basement with his own PC, he'll show us what a tough guy he is. - Kinnkster, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Hurr your hilarious, great theory on why someone would be pissed off at a religion. Certainly wouldn't have anything to do with my personal experiences of religious people...
And why would you assume I've gone to high school already? - jack104, on 06/22/2008, -0/+0How is you telling your kids that all people who believe in god, allah, buddah....whatever not brainwashing them?? Your not any better you hypocritical prick, you go ***** the hell off.
- Rhettsta, on 06/21/2008, -11/+2cool so theres Christians that believe in Darwinism? cause if they don't there not intelligent
- avengingturnip, on 06/21/2008, -1/+4- So there are Christians who believe in evolution? That is cool because if they don't, I don't believe they are intelligent. -
Did you flunk English, Rhettsta? I certainly hope so. - Rhettsta, on 06/21/2008, -2/+2English is my second language so yes i never took english in school
- digitronix, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1Even Michael Behe believes in Darwinism.
- avengingturnip, on 06/21/2008, -1/+4- So there are Christians who believe in evolution? That is cool because if they don't, I don't believe they are intelligent. -
- jonlarge, on 06/21/2008, -3/+5The more extreme and "fundamental" a denomination is, the more likely that younger members will begin to leave the church once they become adults. They sometimes leave for more moderate churches, but they often give up on religion all together because of the bad taste the entire experience left them with (Catholic churches aside...).
I believe that Christianity will not die out, but will become much more moderate as older, intolerant members in fundamental churches die out and are replaced with younger members in more moderate churches.- mateoberry, on 06/23/2008, -1/+1What you have stated here has already been happening for almost 2000 years. Christianity will evolve to the point where its theology becomes unrecognizable to the original. Christianity and even Islam are nothing more than evolved Jewish sects. At the same time, new theistic belief systems have and will continue to brought into this mix. Christianity today, as we know it, will indeed die out some day.
- Culyt, on 06/21/2008, -10/+6The fact that Religion can be used as a method control people seems a good reason to get people away from it.
Granted you might not be an extreme religious zealous, but the fact that you belong to the same religion give them power even if you oppose such things. Politicians see the fact that %80 of people are Christian and give more attention to placating them, especially the noisy extreme ones. No one want to be seen as a tool of Satan. Then you get religious leaders such as the pope (the cool pope with the mobile not the nazi one that looks like the emperor from star wars) telling scientists that they are not allowed to look at the moment of the big bang or before it because its gods domain. Like an omnipotent infinity powerful being would have left a way for that to be checked if he didn't want to, or some huge sign hidden in the mathematical equations saying something like 'prototype test universe, to be erased next Monday, i really screwed up on this one'.
I believe that %80 of people are crazy or idiots, not for being religious but for a whole range of reasons, just because a majority of people believe in something doesn't give it legitimacy. Remember people voted in Bush... twice.
When you believe in a great sky wizard that created people for kicks, then preforms a whole bunch of miracles over a few thousand years such as blowing up cities with his infinite mercy and sending down angles in flashes of light, then just disappears without a trace for the past several hundred years leaving behind various teachings and guidelines many of which are open to interpretation.
Religious involves believing in such stuff that is based completely on information passed down by people over thousands of years, granted there is lot of legitimate ways to live your life there and insight, and I'm sure there are great communities of people who help each other out and are kind etc... but that doesn't mean that god is somehow more real.
I believe that religion is a by product of evolution, there are great advantages to a large group acting as one (and I remember a Digg story about a software simulation showing it). I also think that until now it was probably necessary (It might have even been beneficial, although I think in the end people will just do what they believe them self and use religion to justify it and I can't say if the people helping the poor has been greater than the hoards of people killed or persecuted or manipulated). But I think the human race is close to out growing it now.
I don't hate religious people (well the non-zeolotts) but I do feel that it is ignorance to believe in such stuff, particularly in a very specific set of it (ie I have more respect for some who just believe the universe was created by an intelligent entity with an overall wish for good rather than things like his name, a whole bunch of specific rules and regulations and the fact that he enjoys long walks on the beach and all the other gods that people believe in are wrong and how out of hundreds of billions of stars in hundreds of billions of galaxies he some how cares about this one).
☢- rentmitchum, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Deism, what you describe as an entity who created the universe but seems to retain altruistic "thoughts" but doesn't do anything in our lives, is just as retarded as theism. I have to ask you, what's the point in having such a lazy god? In a universe that works with principles similar to natural selection, there's no reason you need a god like that. Explaining how 'it' got here would be far more complicated to explain than it's worth, and unrealistic as well. A god that has that power would need to be far more complicated than us, and we're basically the most advanced pieces of machinery that is known by us to have been created. Saying there's a God such as the one you suggest just creates the problem of "who created the God?".. It's much easier to assume you don't need a God like the one described, as you don't, because if he only exists in the capacity to snap it's fingers and catalize the big bang, then he doesn't care if you believe or not, it makes no difference. It is far better for our species to try to focus on questions we CAN answer.
- dougs55, on 06/21/2008, -2/+2ignorance and self righteousness = fundamentalism.
- fas2, on 06/21/2008, -5/+5"War goes back to the very beginnings of man kind. Even before there was evidence of religious rituals."
Care to back that up? I think religion does too go back to the beginnings of mankind.
And besides, Osama would have had a very hard time mobilizing the masses without religion. It's definitely the easiest way. - GassyTurd, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Religion gives cover to extremists. You think there wouldn't be Muslim extremists without Islam? Think a little.
- rentmitchum, on 06/21/2008, -2/+8All religious people choose ignorance over knowledge. That is counter productive.
I made an analogy the other day, maybe you can argue it.. My mom is a creationist, obviously I'm not. She's always worried I'm going to go to hell because I don't believe what she believes, and I always assure her in a world with an altruistic god, I will go to 'heaven' if it exists based on the merits of my life.
Anyway, here's basically how the conversation went, and it's only a SINGLE one of the many many arguments I've proposed as a reason for disbelieving the bible's account of things. Leave out the horrible atrocities committed by God 'himself' in the Old Testament..
Basically it was like this. If god is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, as the Bible says, that creates a fundamental contradiction in one of the first stories told in the Bible. First we take Adam and Eve. The snake, the apple, you all know how it goes.
Now, if god knows all and sees all and can do all, he would know, in creating the world, the creatures, adam and eve, and even Satan, that as soon as he put all those pieces into place, he would have known before he did it, being omniscient, that Adam and Eve would eat that fruit.
With that said, there's a glaring contradiction in the entire system of Christianity. God's 'Hell' is based on the concept of God being angry with humanity for 'original sin', the situation painted out previously. If he truly knows all and created all, he knew it would happen. How can you be angry about something that you set up yourself? You can't! It's a fallacy!
The way this plays out, in an analogy to make it clear and to point out how ridiculous it is, is like this:
I have a plate full of steaks. I place the plate of steaks on the ground in a room that I am fully aware is full of hungry dogs. I tell the dogs, "Do not eat the steaks" but fully well understand that dogs eat steaks by nature. I stand back and watch the plate on the ground. Moments after I place the plate down, the dogs run up and eat all the steaks.
How could I be angry? How could I get upset at a situation I not only created, but fully well knew the outcome of before it started?
Unless you answer that satisfactorily, I cannot take religion seriously. It has hindered the progress of humanity ever since it's introduction. It has slowed scientific understanding and even spiritual understanding, spiritual in the sense of TRULY KNOWING what we are and where we are in this world. Who knows what thousands of generations of people thinking for themselves and not being delusional could have done for the world?
I invite you to try to answer that fundamental problem in the way your beliefs work. In believing in a theistic world view, you have to concede that our existence is either simply a game "god" is playing with 'him'self because he is bored, or concede that your beliefs are deistic, that god might have started it all but sits outside the universe and has never interfered in our lives. At that point, this becomes a completely different argument, which would end up with me saying "why have such a lazy god?".. I will concede the bible is a good book of metaphor, aphorisms and poetry, but the effect it's had on humanity for good is not worth the negative ones.
So yea.. try me. Hopefully your answer isn't similar to my mom's, which was something akin to "You just have to believe, believe unquestioningly like when you were younger". She has said that to me before. It's sad really, asking a living entity who was obviously programmed to have such a curiosity to throw it all away for a false security in a 'better place' after this one.- MaxD, on 06/22/2008, -0/+2I assume that the answer would be something along the lines of god giving us free will. Now, you could argue that god being all knowing should know what we would do, but you could probably make some sort of fanciful argument along the lines of:
"god knows all that there is to know - if people truly possess free will, then he can't know what they will do, because they don't know what they will do - being all knowing doesn't mean knowing the future because the future hasn't happened and therefore there is nothing to know about it... In much the same way as you can't know anything about an object that doesn't exist and a place that doesn't exist you can't know anything/everything about a time that doesn't exist"
You follow? This allows us to make a choice with god not being able to know what the outcome of the choice is... this is what free will is by definition, isn't it? Now, this argument only holds if we assume that people are non-deterministic critters and that we TRULY possess free will. Personally, I don't believe that any of us have free will in any meaningful sense (but it's kinda fun to pretend that we do) and we're zombies responding to our environment... however, if I were to try any argue against you, that's what I'd say :D - rentmitchum, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1That's more than I expected. Interesting, but not quite satisfying enough to make a believer out of me.
- Daggity, on 06/29/2008, -0/+1MaxD:
Assuming everything can eventually be explained, and therefore there is no mystic or magical definition of free will, I disagree as well that what we have is truly, "Free will." Our mind works on (sometimes superfluous and certainly at times contradicting) levels when facing decisions. For example, behaviorism.
Taking this into account, everything can be drawn out and proven if provided with the correct variables and so on on the situation in question and the particular person at the particular time.
If there were a god, he would obviously know all of this and would know how it all turned out. The most advanced mathematics problem ever is what I'm thinking. If he is omnipotent, he should have no problems with this.
The only way I could see him not looking into the future is if he made himself willfully ignorant.
- MaxD, on 06/22/2008, -0/+2I assume that the answer would be something along the lines of god giving us free will. Now, you could argue that god being all knowing should know what we would do, but you could probably make some sort of fanciful argument along the lines of:
- Fallout911, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1You are all annoying though.
- funkywood, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1"it's not religion that is destroying humanity. It's ignorance and self righteousness."
Absolutely. Plenty of Americans can manage that fine without religion but it helps. - Kinnkster, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1rentmichum its all based on the concept of "free will."
- khyberkitsune, on 06/22/2008, -0/+4"You all act like all wars would disappear if it weren't for religion."
Considering more people were killed in the name of God than most any other name in history, and most wars originally were fought over religious beliefs, yes, I'd bet if it weren't for religion, most wars wouldn't have happened. Even the Buddhist monks were violent, once upon a time.
"You think Osama Bin Ladin attacked us"
He's been known DEAD FOR YEARS. The man was required to constantly be on dialysis. You think he's going to get that on the run? Do you have any idea how much equipment is needed to do proper dialysis of the blood? You think a cave is going to have the necessary things to keep that man's blood filtered? Hell a dialysis machine is as large as a human and mostly metal, how are they going to transport it without being noticed? On camel back? How are they going to get the filters for the machine? It'd be pretty easy to notice a bunch of dialysis screens suddenly going to a random location in the Middle East where there's a small population that couldn't possibly need that many dialysis screens.
"War goes back to the very beginnings of man kind. Even before there was evidence of religious rituals."
But before there was ANY evidence of religious rituals there was PLENTY of evidence showing superstition, which just happens to include believing in invisible beings.
"Because it's not religion that is destroying humanity. It's ignorance and self righteousness."
And you are showing a LOT of BOTH right now. Pull the plank from thine own eye, as your "Lord" would say. The meek and humble are among the greatest in your heaven, it looks like you do not wish to be among them.
FYI, I studied 13 distinctly separate religions, some far older than Christianity, with artifacts to back that up. Christianity STEALS from other religions, ironically enough, while one of your own commandments is to not steal. I've read the entire bible from front to back, from KJV to the Good News versions they distribute in prison. How can you possibly put up with the amount of hypocrisy and double-speak in that book and take it as fact?
Here's a question for you - God made Adam, and Eve. They bore Cain and Abel. Cain killed Abel, and was sent away. That leaves Adam, Eve, and Cain. That means genetically every last one of us is inbred, yet your god says that such things are a sin. Genetics has shown that inbreeding after 30 or so generations causes total destruction of that genetic line. Noah's Ark is IMPOSSIBLE. Adam and Eve being the first humans is IMPOSSIBLE. The fact your book lies even ONCE should tell you to stay away from it, the multiple contradictions in it should tell you to RUN LIKE HELL. Why would you defend it and the movement behind it?
- Arnos, on 06/21/2008, -10/+34Wow. Well said- you'll get dugg down due to mob mentality, but well said.
- jack104, on 06/21/2008, -15/+3Screw you, what have christians ever done to you? Just because we don't share you same piss poor outlook on life doesn't mean you should hate us for it.
- GassyTurd, on 06/21/2008, -3/+2I'll hate you all I want. I won't kill you, though. I'm not religious.
- jack104, on 06/22/2008, -3/+0I won't kill you or hate you....because that is what my religion REALLY teaches. You wouldn't know that though, because you spend more time spewing hate about Christians on the internet as opposed to finding real evidence and proof as to why you dislike us so much.
KNow your enemy bro.
This website is so terrible, full of atheist liberals whom are so afraid of their own shadow that they'd prefer to stay in their proverbial gopher holes, hating what they don't know, rather than accept those who disagree with them.
- jack104, on 06/22/2008, -3/+0I won't kill you or hate you....because that is what my religion REALLY teaches. You wouldn't know that though, because you spend more time spewing hate about Christians on the internet as opposed to finding real evidence and proof as to why you dislike us so much.
- GassyTurd, on 06/21/2008, -3/+2I'll hate you all I want. I won't kill you, though. I'm not religious.
- dougs55, on 06/21/2008, -1/+6There's a weakness in extrapolating current trends that far forward. The late science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein used to make this joke about it:
Based on current trends in New York City at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was possible to predict that by the end of the twentieth century the piles of ***** would be as tall as the Empire State Building. - xaogypsie, on 06/21/2008, -2/+4Except the center of Christianity is projected to be Africa in 50 years....
- staffell, on 06/21/2008, -3/+2I thought about coming in here to write the same thing, but I thought I'd be heavily dug down. Who would have known?!
- Migito, on 06/21/2008, -9/+1Every week or so, in between all the funny pictures and actually interesting information, something like this comes up and all the crazies come crawling out the ditch to spout their nonsense. These diggers strongly uphold freedom of religion by supporting that stupid spaghetti monster club (because that's all it is, a club) and yet also think that they are the ones who should decide when a religion isn't worthy enough to be on the planet. As a Christian, it scared me to see what the "Anonymous group" did to Scientology. They basically decided that just because the religion is false, cyber-terrorism became a viable option. So what's going to happen once all of you unbelievers decide that Christianity is a cult? Are you going to start harassing MY CHURCHES? ARE YOU GOING TO START SENDING THREATS USING THE MAIL, PHONES, AND INTERNET? I don't doubt it. Because you bunch of self-righteous, single-minded, godless liberals are so far to the left that your views are totally alienated from the rest of America. Christianity will NEVER die out. It changes lives, and once a person has become one, they experience things that cannot be explained by a mere scientist with a couple million dollars to fund his research. So keep hoping, rupertd. You'll lose in the end.
- roodammy44, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2I think saying a religion will never die is a bit naive.
Think of all the religions around 3000 years ago, how many of them are around now? Of the major ones, hinduism and judaism. Paganism, norse and many others have died in that time.
I respect the ancient norse religions that existed until just 1000 years ago just as much as christianity, it doesn't matter whether they're dead or not.
I know I certainly won't start a campaign against christianity, but you have to look at the bigger picture here. Religions grow and die and new ones sometimes come to take their place. Most importantly, over thousands of years religions change. What people worship as christianity in 1000 years will most likely be completely different from christianity now, apart from some very basic similarities - jack104, on 06/22/2008, -1/+0My sentiments exactly, couldn't have put it better myself. Dugg up.
- roodammy44, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2I think saying a religion will never die is a bit naive.
- themastersb, on 06/21/2008, -5/+3Anyone have that picture of the pie chart showing Christians still taking up 75% of the population and a little text bubble above saying "Help we're being suppressed!"
- sargentcrackers, on 06/21/2008, -7/+1Who are you to say what other people can believe?
- rentmitchum, on 06/21/2008, -5/+2It's weird to me that all sorts of articles pertaining to the subject matter in The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins seems to be hitting digg while I'm reading it.. Synchronicity of some kind..
It's also weird that I believe in a concept like synchronicity while reading The God Delusion.. Maybe not, the principles of non-locality sorta lend weight to a theory of everything that incorporates the entire universe being on a sort of interconnected sub-stratum, like string theory, therefore leading me to believe that on the quantum level, a butterfly flapping it's wings in Thailand could cause me to eat ice cream.
I'm going to go eat ice cream. - billizm, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1I would agree if I didn't think it would likely just be replaced by some other religion.
- pepesnap, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2no i don't think it will die
just for the fact that there is to many crazy ppl
but if it does there gunna have to start brain washing like scientology - webguy52, on 06/21/2008, -2/+0You meant "Hope not". It's okay, I got yer back.
- digginestdogg, on 06/22/2008, -0/+0Seems likely. Of all the primitive superstitions born out of the ignorance of early man, it is the only major one where most of its followers and its most ardent vocal practitioners defy it's own "son of god's" rules and 10 commandments. They covet and they kill yet still profess their Christianity. They pick and choose from two unaligned texts (New and Old Testaments) which often conflict and ignore the conflicts and gaps leading to an impossible mish-mash of idealism, hatred, and fantasy no mortal can live up to or even come close to living under. So they routinely ignore it and rationalize and commit acts obviously in opposition to their beliefs. But sooner or later the hypocrisy becomes so obvious that most of their children will reject the whole religion part and parcel. I know of no professed Christian who emulates the life of Christ (which they are supposed to do by the way). None. Christianity has been so compromised as to be a mere parody of faith led by cash-obsessed tele-preachers, race-baiting pandering demigods, polygamist loons, and charlatans. The rest of you Christians, brainwashed when you were little think women and homosexual priests (hated by your religion) will be the answer and just won't let go of you mental pacifier--but you children and your children's children will because they see through your hypocrisy. You say god made us all, but you set yourself up to limit what 'all' means. You don't need to give up and you are too afraid too--no matter. Your children and their children, better educated and more scientific, will just walk away and it's done. Christ was a myth created in 300 BC by a congress of church leaders who drafted and edited the New Testament in Constantinople. In a society of oral tradition, they somehow miraculously perfectly transcribed the apostles they chose (there were many more than 12 including Mary) 300 years later when no living soul could be interviewed. That act done today would be seen for the obvious sham is was. And time is running out on the ruse. It has run its course. Created by man it will be buried by man in the end. As will all these primitive superstitions. One by one--if man doesn't destroy the planet before it happens.
- Jeeum, on 06/22/2008, -0/+2"According to Religious Trends, an analysis of religious practice in Britain, the huge drop off in attendance means that the Church of England, Catholicism and other denominations will become financially unviable."
Yay!
"In contrast, the number of actively religious Muslims is predicted to increase from about one million today to 1.96 million in 2035."
Well, *****.
- MookiBlaylock, on 06/20/2008, -64/+15dido
- stephenhacking, on 06/20/2008, -112/+468Its not possible for it to happen in such a small time frame.
It lasted for 2000 years it will last longer.- Surferess, on 06/20/2008, -47/+13I disagree. I think it might even be sooner. Bloodline coming out wont help either.
- wazzledoozle2, on 06/21/2008, -64/+236There was more technological progress in the 20th century than in all of human history before, combined.
Religion is finally taking its rightful place in the history books, not everyday life.- SQLDigger, on 06/21/2008, -9/+40It's amazing with so many books and technological advances, that such ignorant ideas abound.
- 9bpm9, on 06/21/2008, -5/+5Lmao? Have a talk with Africa, the entire continent of Asia, and South America, where there are still very and extremely religious people.
- rkelly22, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3Thats definitely true, but taking into account, not just science/technology, but communications. The more technologically advanced countries with highest internet use/availability tend to be less accepting of religious ideas. The ideas of science/anit-religion will flow much more freely in places with those kinds of technologies.
- Culyt, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3This isn't about Africa its about the UK specifically. But as per the above post technology will allow people to learn about how the universe can exist without having been made by some sentient entity as a way to relieve boredom or the fact that evil magicians cannot steal your penis with magic or that medicine should be used to treat disease rather than voodoo. People will see that aspirin is more effective that praying.
☢ - Tebixan, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2There seems to be a direct inverse link between a person's standard of living, and their need for religion. Probably has something to do with a justification for their existence. Assuming people will generally make their lives (and the lives of their children) better, it's only a matter of time before nobody needs the crutch of religion.
There's also the problem of people being unwilling to let go of something that they've centered their lives around. Old people are incredibly stubborn, because it's too late for them to make any major life changing decisions. For a very religious 50 year old to accept that their religion was false, they would need to accept that most of their life was wasted. Most people can't do that.
Basically, if someone doesn't figure it out before they get into their mid to late 20s, they may never be able to let go, and we just have to wait for the next generation. - Insolent, on 06/21/2008, -0/+0You honestly think that technology is going to make willfully-ignorant, isolated, delusional, mentally deficient, superstitious imbeciles turn into rational thinking people _that_ quickly? Perhaps with the ability to rewire peoples' brains against their will (kinda sorta doubt it'll happen anytime soon and even if it did, that they would allow themselves to be fixed).
The main factor here is how long before the idiots (mostly older people) die off and become replaced with younger generations who grew up with a greater chance not to be conditioned and manipulated by the multitudes of religidiots. After all, there's still plenty of racism and it's not like they need to be forced to read the right books or take a few classes. They're just ***** crazy because it was biologically advantageous at one point and now it's out of style and dying off STILL.
- ElAssoWipo, on 06/21/2008, -5/+5There was more technological progress in Antiquity than the rest of all human history before.
You're forgetting the middle ages. That's where we're heading.
After that, there will be new Renaissance. Hopefully that one will be about religion. At each Renaissance we remove an element of superficial authority. Last one was royalty.
Although developped countries seem to be on the verge of being atheist, religion, and especially fundamentalist religion, is making a huge come back everywhere else in the world. And people from everywhere else in the world are flocking in great numbers to developped countries.
That's going to create war. It did the last 5 times over thousands of years, this period will be no different. It caused the fall of the Roman empire, the fall of the Mongols, the fall of the Russians, the fall of the Persians and it will cause ours.- Tebixan, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1So says the wise ElAssoWipo
true, but maybe if we're lucky (and our "leaders" allow them to) the developed nations will catch up to our progress, and they can become enlighted just in time to stave off a global theological war. - ElAssoWipo, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3It's not a question of luck or management, it's a pattern.
Humans are no more in control of their fate than a bee in a hive.
And your leaders are religious fundamentalists. Look at the Bush administration.
They're all christian zionists. Their advisors are christian zionists, listening to people like Podhoretz who thinks a war in the middle east will make jesus come back.
They're willing to make up evidence, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians to achieve their insane ideological goals. It's certainly not about money, we all knew how much this would cost. It's not about oil, which has been divided between the Iraqi government and up for bids to private and mostly foreign corporations and it certainly wasn't about liberating anyone, aside maybe from being alive.
They want creationism to be taught in schools, they want to overturn Roe vs Wade, they want to "protect the sanctity of marriage", in God we trust, wiretaps, spying, torturing, etc. etc. etc.
That's fundamentalism.
And allowing other cultures to catch up to your progress. You've been regressing since the 50's.
And what do you think globalism is about? You think the people who want creationism taught in America want to teach science to their future workforce?
Why are they buying all the land if it's to enrich the people they lease it to?
The worst part is, this happened 5 times already in human history, same exact principles, different circumstances. And it's happening again.
You see anyone fighting this in any way? Where's the opposition? - Tyrghast, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1OH GREAT PROPHET OF OUR TIMES! ELASSOWIPO TELL US WHAT WE MUST DO!
- Insolent, on 06/21/2008, -2/+0And when you get dugg down, we remove a superficial assessment of something too complicated for you to describe with inane guess-work that you obviously didn't think through.
- Tebixan, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1So says the wise ElAssoWipo
- 1timeuser, on 06/21/2008, -2/+5Exactly! And that is why we will change to Robo-Christianity where we worship GIANT ROBOT JESUS (must be spelled in all caps like LEGO). Think Optimus prime + Jesus + a giant light saber.
- Yarmin3, on 06/21/2008, -40/+77Christianity is so obsolete it's not even funny. There's no doubt it will become mythology like many belief systems before but it sadly still might be a while because it was said to be on its way out by some of our founding fathers in the late 18th century.
- masterm1nd, on 06/21/2008, -27/+13Lol, 3 billion people say otherwise.
- OJXs, on 06/21/2008, -8/+32Point being? The whole world once thought that the earth was flat, yet that didn't make that statement true did it?
- masterm1nd, on 06/21/2008, -24/+8Point being, Christianity is the largest group on the planet ever. It's been around for thousands of years. You are an idiot if you think it's going to disappear before you die. Nice poising of the well fallacy btw.
- SpyDerMann, on 06/21/2008, -12/+5The world being flat or not is SCIENCE. Christianity is RELIGION.
If you pay attention, you'll notice that unless the two contradict each other (*ahem* creationism *ahem*), there's no reason to assert one will disappear.
No matter how illogical a religion is - people will still believe in it (insert random scientology comment here). And not all christian religions are equal. - Tebixan, on 06/21/2008, -1/+5I think we all understand that it won't disappear within 100 years. In fact, I think the article is just referring to the UK, not the whole planet.
Even now though, how many of those 3 billion are devout? Sure there are a ton of people who call themselves x-tian, but most of them just inherited that label from their family, and don't seem to take it very seriously. It is surging in the 3rd world, but with the decline in the 1st world, I think the % of the world population that is x-tian is actually decreasing.
All the major religions are increasing in absolute numbers right now, but the vast majority of those numbers come from people born into religious families. There are far fewer conversions than there are defections.
Also, I think your 3 billion number is wrong. Last I heard, there were about 1 billion Catholics, 1 billion Protestants, 1 billion Muslims, 1 billion Hindi, and the other 2 billion are a mix of Buddhists (China), Shinto (Japan), Atheists/Agnostics, and local religions
- applemachome, on 06/21/2008, -12/+10Do you even understand what christianity really is? Outdated? The basis for Christianity is timeless, love. Tell me when love dies, then I will believe christianity and religions die.
Start the bury fest for claiming something good about religion.- thecarpe, on 06/21/2008, -4/+5You're spot on. I'm a believer and we can bank on being misrepresented. The best thing we can do is live well, offer grace and love, and pray that God softens peoples' hearts to receiving love...
- starf, on 06/21/2008, -2/+3A straw house can be built on a cement foundation.
At the root of all (or at least most) religions are good things such as love and togetherness, but there is a lot that is tacked on (much as happens with bills in congress), some of it bad.
- zen4444, on 06/21/2008, -2/+4I disagree, it is the foundation that is flawed. Truth should be the basis of any sane and rational worldview. Religion demands that one swallow a bunch of ludicrous BS first, then move on to anything good it may have to offer. I find this unacceptable.
- apizsa, on 06/21/2008, -1/+2I agree with applemachome, thecarpe and starf.
zen4444, thruth is exactly what religions, and especially Christianity, are seeking. I really wish people would actually study spiritual/religious teachings with an open heart and mind instead of repeating the same uninformed prejudices over and over again. Sure, there are as much religious idiots as there are secular idiots - and just like people talk a lot of BS about e.g. physics doesn't mean that physics per se is BS.
Regarding "Christianity dying out within a century"... man, I've been hearing that about Apple for about 20 years... - djm19, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1Christianity and religion gave up truth long ago (in their foundations of spirituality were never based on truth to begin with)
- zen4444, on 06/22/2008, -0/+3Hey apizsa I am a pastor's kid, and I studied theology at college for a while so I do have some idea of what I'm talking about. Religion tells us a lot more about humanity than it does about god or the physical world. Greek mythology ceased to be taken seriously as a religion because it was so obviously human in origin, Christianity however is not so easily dismissed because it began as mystery cult. Greek mythology was the product of psychologically healthy minds, Christianity is the product of a single deranged mind, and is harder to dismiss precisely because it is more difficult to conceptualize how it began (only the insane call other insane people normal). So if religion tells us anything, it speaks to the desires and needs of those who created it, and those who sustain it. If truth were the central focus of Christianity, then it would not ask us to take so much on faith.
- apizsa, on 06/23/2008, -1/+0> I am a pastor's kid, and I studied theology at college
Well, there are many "Christian" "Churches" that are severely mislead, and it doesn't generally suprise me that young people turn away from the stuff that’s been taught there.
If you look at Catholic or Buddhist teachings, there’s a lot of truth to be found there.
> If truth were the central focus of Christianity, then it would not ask us to take so much on faith.
That is a seemingly logical conclusion; truth and faith are not contradicting concepts though. If I search for the truth, but haven't found it yet (which is very likely), I have to have faith _and_ keep searching. No Truth + No Faith = politics (which, btw, is a religion, too).
Best,A. - Alcevious, on 06/24/2008, -0/+0Outdated in the "God is dead" sort of way. It's no longer necessary where it might have been in a more uncivilized time.
- twertyto, on 06/21/2008, -5/+2"Christianity is so obsolete it's not even funny"
Only a person with a very limited historical and cultural perspective could make such a ludicrous statement. Get out more, travel aboard, diversify your acquaintances. Burst your bubble of comfort.- Soulbow2, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1Thank You!
I can walk around my town in Florida asking people where they go to church, and every single person will have an answer for me other than, "I don't go to church."
There is no way Christianity will die out within 100 years. It has actually been around for hundreds if not thousands of years before the birth of Christ, which is when time changed from BC to AD, in case you didn't know that either. Some of our holidays are based on Christianity, (Easter, Christmas,). One thing many people do on Easter is go to church. If Christianity were dying out, that wouldn't be happening.
Also, in the church that I go to, we are increasing in size, not decreasing.
Some of these comments on Digg are just kids saying the same ***** as everyone else because they want to fit in. - nycmac247, on 06/21/2008, -2/+3Soulbow2
LOL easter and christmas have about zero to do with Christianity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ-kvw1fYXs
although this only tells a small percentage of the story
- Soulbow2, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1Thank You!
- masterm1nd, on 06/21/2008, -27/+13Lol, 3 billion people say otherwise.
- j1ggy, on 06/21/2008, -5/+166Hopefully Scientology dies out first...
- BestJaxx, on 06/21/2008, -15/+47I don't care who goes first as long as my kids get to see them both die out.
- Danby123, on 06/21/2008, -29/+4Don't you see? Scientology is based on HARD SCIENCE. That means, with the scientific discoveries we're making, scientology will become the dominant religion. It makes sense.
- j1ggy, on 06/21/2008, -0/+25Are you being serious?
- bracketdash, on 06/21/2008, -0/+17I hope that was all sarcasm. Mostly for my sake.
- Jereso, on 06/21/2008, -1/+11It was created by a science FICTION novelist. A sucky one at that!
- Danby123, on 06/21/2008, -0/+4/sarcasm.
don't worry, guys.
- mrgodai, on 06/21/2008, -0/+3amen
- DuffyDirect, on 06/21/2008, -2/+1really stupid of you to use that word.
- JohnLawson, on 06/22/2008, -0/+0And Tom cruise with it!
- krnldmp, on 06/21/2008, -8/+25I'll have to side with Ray Kurzweil here, and remind you that even scientists and well respected futurists fail to take into account the Exponential increase in human technology and knowledge. Unless you understand what it's like to be on the knee of an exponential curve (which is not that huge of a concept to grasp), it could seem like some things are going to stay the same a very long time, just like it did in the past. Hold onto your hat. We're goin fer a ride.
- wazzledoozle2, on 06/21/2008, -3/+6Dugg for Ray Kurzweil.
- uallsuck, on 06/21/2008, -3/+1To be fair, I'd ask you to consider that 1.) There is no way to know the impact of technologies and knowledge, especially those that come about exponentially faster, and while the smart prediction calls for the fall of some/all religions it's impossible to actually know the odds with any accuracy. Furthermore, 2.) One must consider the myriad scenarios that could set our development back. Keep in mind that many bad situations (plague, disaster, war, spiritual crises) would foster religion. Lastly 3.) Sort of a special-case of 1, there's no guarantee that advances will be shared equally, and it's not hard to imagine an underclass that is still religious or otherwise "backward."
- x2arden, on 06/21/2008, -0/+4#3 Kinda like now ??
- localzuk, on 06/21/2008, -1/+3No 2 also fosters rapid technological improvement too. And eventually, 3 will be solved by technology...
- jsaya, on 06/21/2008, -33/+9It's interesting cause the Bible itself even talks about the end of the "Christianity" we see today.
If you look at this "History of Religon" map (on Digg a while ago) - http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/Religion.swf - you can see how fast and widespread Christianity grew. It's no surprise though - what better way for Satan the Devil to mislead people than to have them thinking they're actually serving God.
Note this:
Jesus foretold that his teachings would be subverted. He said: “The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man that sowed fine seed in his field. While men were sleeping, his enemy came and oversowed weeds in among the wheat, and left.” Surprisingly, when servants brought the evil deed to the man’s attention and asked for permission to collect the weeds, the man said: “No; that by no chance, while collecting the weeds, you uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the harvest season I will tell the reapers, First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up, then go to gathering the wheat into my storehouse.”—Matthew 13:24-30.
As Jesus himself explained, in his illustration the man who sowed wheat in the field represents Jesus, and the seeds he planted represent true Christians. The enemy who sowed weeds among the wheat represents “the Devil.” The weeds represent lawless, apostate men who falsely claim to be servants of God. (Matthew 13:36-42) The apostle Paul gave further details of what would happen. He said: “I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.”—Acts 20:29, 30.
Did what Jesus illustrated and what Paul foretold come true? It certainly did. Ambitious men took control of the congregation that Jesus had established and used it for their own ends. Jesus had told his followers: “You are no part of the world.” (John 15:19) Nevertheless, power-hungry men formed alliances with rulers and formed State churches that amassed immense power and wealth. These churches taught “twisted things.” For example, they taught people to worship the State and to sacrifice their lives for it in warfare. Thus, so-called Christians participated in Crusades and slaughtered people whom they considered to be unbelievers. They also went to war and killed their own “brothers” of the same religion. They certainly did not practice Christian neutrality and love of neighbor.—Matthew 22:37-39; John 15:19; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; 1 John 4:8, 11.
Clearly, the churches that for centuries have called themselves Christian represent merely a facade of Christianity. This explains why, as we observed in the preceding articles, there is a continuing trend of churches fragmenting into sects, churches meddling in politics, and churches disregarding God’s laws. Such bad fruitage is the product, not of true Christianity, but of counterfeit Christianity, which the Devil planted. Where is this false religion heading? As Jesus showed in his illustration, it will not simply die out for lack of support. It will be judged and destroyed.
Before the “weeds” of false Christianity are collected and destroyed, however, Jesus’ illustration indicates something else that must happen. For centuries the growth of false Christian “weeds” was so extensive that the “wheat” of true Christianity was practically obscured. But Jesus described the wheat being separated from the weeds during the “harvest,” which he said represents “a conclusion of a system of things.” He also said: “At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun.” (Matthew 13:39-43) The evidence shows that we have been living in the conclusion of the system of things since World War I, which took place over 90 years ago. (Matthew 24:3, 7-12) Has this part of Jesus’ prophetic illustration also come true?
True Christians have been separated out from the “weeds” of Christendom. Jehovah’s Witnesses are ‘shining as brightly as the sun,’ helping others to know the true God, Jehovah. The Witnesses do not debase his standards. Rather, people who become Witnesses usually must make extensive changes in their lifestyle to obey the Christian principles found in the Bible.
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not offer entertainment at their meetings, but they do offer free Bible education. They also share warm love and friendship, qualities that they learn from their study of the Scriptures. They believe that God will transform the earth into a paradise and have it inhabited by the meek of the earth, as he originally purposed. But first the world must be cleansed of the negative influence of false religion, known in the Bible as Babylon the Great. According to Bible prophecy, Jehovah will soon bring about that radical change.—Matthew 5:5; Revelation 18:9-10, 21.
Once obedient mankind have been relieved of the deceptive practices of false religion, true Christian worship will unite all of those living on earth. What a wonderful future for the true Christianity that Jesus planted! Edenic Paradise will be restored to a peaceful earth, with no divisive religions to sow discord again!- Lith25, on 06/21/2008, -5/+1oh *****, wrong reply. digg me down
- bracketdash, on 06/21/2008, -2/+7That's all good and nice, but is there an abridged version? I don't read through comments to get formal rebuttals. :(
- skeptic42, on 06/21/2008, -2/+9TL;DR
- jsaya, on 06/21/2008, -6/+3I'll try:
Using a simple illustration, Jesus showed that immediately after he planted the seeds of Christianity, an enemy, Satan, would interfere. (Matthew 13:24, 25) Thus, it was not a mere social phenomenon that caused Christianity to be transformed during the first few centuries after Jesus’ ministry. It was enemy action, Satan’s action. Where is this false religion heading? As Jesus showed in his illustration, it will not simply die out for lack of support. It will be judged and destroyed.
Jesus said: “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.” (Matthew 7:13, 14) Only one body of true Christians walks unitedly with God on the road of true worship. Therefore, it does matter which religion you choose. If you find that road and choose to walk on it, you will have found the best way of life, for it is the way of love.—Ephesians 4:1-4.
Sorry for the lengthy reply before, it's just this is critical information that I wish everyone was able to see since it concerns their very lives.
- djdole, on 06/21/2008, -12/+41The dinosaurs lasted millions of years. Just because there is a long history doesn't mean it will last. Otherwise there'd be a stegosaurus out there that would agree with you 100%.
The Greek religions lasted a long time and they died out.
Egyptian religions lasted for thousands of years too.
And don't forget how long people believed the world to be FLAT.- Cerebron, on 06/21/2008, -2/+16People believe that other people thought the world is flat for longer than the people that thought the world was flat really believed the world was flat, ever think about that?
- paloooz, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1I just threw up a little it my mouth.
- Frostek, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Capt. Amazing: I knew you couldn't change.
Casanova Frankenstein: I knew you'd know that.
Capt. Amazing: Oh, I know that. AND I knew you'd know I'd know you knew.
Casanova Frankenstein: But I didn't. I only knew that you'd know that I knew. Did you know THAT?
Capt. Amazing: (unconvincingly) Of course.
- DuffyDirect, on 06/21/2008, -3/+10Greek polytheism is not dead, it still survives in neo-pagan circles where the ancient mysteries are practiced by ethnic Greeks.
Not sure about the Romans, but I do know for a fact that great cultural and religious scholars like Joseph Campbell have written that the Roman Catholic Church IS a Roman church. That is to say, if a Roman in 200 AD walked into a Catholic Church, he would be in an environment that he would immediately identify as a Roman temple (just with gothic architecture instead of Greco). Roman religion certainly survives in interesting ways in our society, though. Western courthouses and government facilities ARE Roman temples. The statue up high on the Chicago Board of Trade building in the loop is Ceres, the Goddess of fertility. Justice and Minerva are on every flag and seal for the state of NY. Renaissance nobles would put portraits of Venus, cupid, etc. on their bedroom walls as a charm to improve their fertility (they would offset this blasphemy with massive donations to the church).
I can even think of surviving elements of the Egyptian church in our society... A lot of people probably already know this, but Christmas was also the birthday celebration of the Goddess Isis who had a strong cult following in Rome before Christianity came into play (her temples are in Pompeii), obelisks like the Washington Monument are symbols in the Egyptian mythos, the obelisk in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican was actually FROM ancient Egypt (it was stolen by the Romans and placed in the Circus Maximus, the Vatican then claimed it as the Vatican is built on the Vatican Hill which is where the Circus was...)
So, yeah, the moral here, basically, is you should do a little more reading before discounting things as "dead". - JaronDiggGuy, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2Some people still believe the world is flat...
- gplpark92, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2http://youtube.com/watch?v=v80C-_Zf41Q
- Cerebron, on 06/21/2008, -2/+16People believe that other people thought the world is flat for longer than the people that thought the world was flat really believed the world was flat, ever think about that?
- Asianwaste, on 06/21/2008, -2/+4If you are talking world wide.. its sibling religions would have to be obsoleted as well. It's going to be a LONG LONG time before Judaism and Islam disappears from the Middle East.
To me, for any real chance of all religious faith to disappear, I think we'd have to find and replicate the process it took for the origins of the universe. Even then, there'd still be naysayers.- specialK16, on 06/21/2008, -5/+3This is coming from someone who comes from a Christian family, although I do not practice myself, in fact, I've been avoiding any sort of religious that for the last 5 years. Although this indeed gives me certain bias towards it, it also gives me objectivity about it. Based on observation, on the church, my family, and people from other religions I've drawn my own conclusions.
That being said, yes, Christianity might disappear, but I think this is just part of evolution. We as human needs once needed to "explain" things through myths, nowadays we do it through science. I even consider science, reasoning and free will one of God's biggest gifts to humanity. Now whether he exists or not, I cannot tell, but to believe or not to believe is a very personal decision, and in some cases it doesn't necessarily goes against logic and reason, in my opinion. But this is of course depends on the person. Taking the bible for instance, many people will take it literally word by word. But the way I see the bible is just a history told through mysticism. The bible is a metaphor and good values can be taken from it.
That's the way I see it anyways. - Asianwaste, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Same boat as you.
- specialK16, on 06/21/2008, -5/+3This is coming from someone who comes from a Christian family, although I do not practice myself, in fact, I've been avoiding any sort of religious that for the last 5 years. Although this indeed gives me certain bias towards it, it also gives me objectivity about it. Based on observation, on the church, my family, and people from other religions I've drawn my own conclusions.
- monoa, on 06/21/2008, -9/+13No, it doesn't work like that. It's not a straight line on the graph.
There comes a point where the religious cults can no longer maintain their churches and cannot sponsor indoctrination of children - either through lack of funding or legal restrictions. As soon as they can no longer get their hands on children, belief in the Abrahamic god will become as common as belief in Zeus or Odin.
Go to almost any town or city in England and you'll find plenty of churches that are now pubs, wine bars and clubs. It's very pleasant. :) - x2arden, on 06/21/2008, -1/+6It's always only one generation away from dying. Same as everything else.
- Hetman, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Im sure the pagans thought that also. And then Constantine came around and ruined that. But I agree in a 100 years there will still be christians. But will there be anymore than there are pagans now?
- Frostek, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Even the pagans now aren't really pagans, just some sort of bizarre reconstructionists (is that a real word? No matter), since any real information about the traditions from ancient times is mainly lost.
- rationalist, on 06/21/2008, -0/+2That's what they said about LPs.
- shto, on 06/21/2008, -2/+2Before Christianity, there were a lot of other religions that have faded away. And some of the most survivable religions out of those lasted a couple of thousands of years. Therefore, it is not a big surprise that Christianity could just as well die out. And follow the next big thing will come along, whether it will be Scientology or just more faith toward agnosticism or atheism.
- essjay, on 06/21/2008, -2/+2I think you're missing one of the key points. So few people are attending Church it's going to become financially inviable very, very soon. Without funding, there won't be Churches, without Churches, there will be very little organisation, and without organisation there's no one to push for its continued teaching in schools. Without it being taught in mainstream education, or at least once it's being taught as a sidenote, like voodoo or paganism, the lies and deception will cease, and a new generation will be free from it.
I can't wait. - roodammy44, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1Lots of major religions died in a short timescale.
They were usually replaced by something else, though.
Hopefully scientology won't replace it. - MaruLono, on 06/21/2008, -0/+1In every catholic parish I've been to for the past year or two (at least in LA county) each pastor speaks of how there is a continuous shortage of new, young priests. I guess if there aren't as many priests, parishes will slowly close one by one..
- WallyAnti, on 06/21/2008, -1/+1I disagree. Technology has given us the ability to speak to one another without being close enough to kill each other. That's an important feature that allows us at least traveling time to give second thought to such a serous matter.
Now that we are allowed the luxury of talking we can see how absurd some of our beliefs are, and can be reminded often of it. This will hopefully overshadow confirmation bias that most people operate on with regards to those different from themselves. - Hovhannes, on 06/21/2008, -0/+124:50
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/main.htm - scimitar91, on 06/22/2008, -1/+1grandpa's lived for 89 years so he's bound to live longer.
wtf kind of logic is that? - lazerflesh, on 06/22/2008, -1/+1Religions with longer life spans have died faster. You are in the age of the electron and the switch. Modern man shuns his face on false hope and false science.
- lueckenbeisser, on 06/24/2008, -0/+0There are icons, much older than christianity
- petsheep, on 06/20/2008, -22/+132"In contrast, the number of actively religious Muslims is predicted to increase from about one million today to 1.96 million in 2035." (FTA)
- HuskyPuzzle, on 06/20/2008, -26/+3really interesting stat, petsheep. thanks. just got your fav's ;)
- wazzledoozle2, on 06/21/2008, -17/+14Not very impressive for 27 years of growth.