The fall of Religion in the UK

[Silver Guard]

Phew, its been a long time, only a few days off a month since I last posted here. Well here goes. First for the statistics buffs:

12507 people were polled, finding that only 35% in Great Britain believe in any kind of God or supreme being, compared to 27% in France, 62% in Italy, 48% in Spain, 41% in Germany and 73% in the USA.18

* 10% of the UK adult population go to church at least weekly.
* 15% attend church at least monthly.
* 26% attend church at least yearly.
* 59% never or practically never go to church.

Self-disclosure polls of church attendance are generally twice as high as reality. Actual measures of church attendance have shown that Church attendance in 1999 was 7.5%, down from 10% in 1989 and 12% in 1979 (declining by about an absolute 2% per decade)[uk.news.yahoo.com 2000]. This trend predicts that in 2007, the rate will be close to 6% who attend, not the 10% who think they do according to Tearfund. This estimate was backed up by the English Church Census 2004.

# 6.3% of the population go to church on an average Sunday, compared to 7.5% in 199814.
# 29% of churchgoers are 65 or over, compared with 16% of the population14.
# Sunday churchgoing is declining at 2.3% per year, slightly slower than the 1990s rate of 2.7% per year13.
# Nearly all Church 'growth' is due to immigrants. A massive influx of Polish workers have filled some churches13.
# "The Roman Catholics have recorded the largest drop [...], it has halved over the past sixteen years"16.
# The drop in the 20-29 age group was 29%

Close friends (46%), a walk in the country (41%), music or poetry all are more inspirational than Jesus (24%) or Nelson Mandela (20%), and all those plus Princess Diana (13%) are more inspirational than "a sacred text" with a mere 6%.

I think these statistics may be a surprising to most Atheists, let alone Theists, and this is without the last statistic. 6% take inspiration from the bible... a little low don't you think? Especially considered 35% are believers in God.

Doesn't that make Atheism/Agnosticism the majority now? Looks like it. Theists, time to get used to your new rank as a minority. Let those 6% remain with their delusions with their far more numerous American brothers in faith (which says a lot for the American continent). As besides, they are now below the minority ethnic population in Britain (8%), who cares about them?

[Gary88]

doesn't suprise me at all, we have a very blase (sp) attitude to religion. our official religion is based entirely on the ability to get divorced and at a push British christians enjoy jesus about as much as they enjoy tea. almost all christians i know are old and believe because when they were born believing in god went along with a stiff upper lip and standing to attention for the queen's speach. the rest are teenage hippy christians who go to church to play ping pong and drink coke, the ride round in a bus with 'the modern jesus army' written down the side that is entirely daubed in (what i assume they dont know is) the gay rights flag, driven by their cool youth leader 'skip' who apparantly did some cool stuff in his gap year.

[Chaigidel]

the american continent houses the worlds most powerful economy, the worlds most powerful military, and the worlds greatest infrastructure

doesnt seem like religion is doing them too bad


theists will continue to dictate how this world operates through our fanatics ; you will never escape the power of blind devotion, and its undeniable effect on every part of your life.

and there will always be a majority of the human population more than willing to accept anything that is given to them, all that matters is who has the guns and the most bodies to put behind those guns.

[Tankbuster]

Eclipse, you just made my day
I like being the majority!

theists will continue to dictate how this world operates through our fanatics ; you will never escape the power of blind devotion, and its undeniable effect on every part of your life.

Pure guess.
Religion is declining, even in the US. How many people were religious in America (and Europa) in the year 1900? I'll tell you. 99%

and there will always be a majority of the human population more than willing to accept anything that is given to them, all that matters is who has the guns and the most bodies to put behind those guns.

JIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD

[Legionem Insanis]

theists will continue to dictate how this world operates through our fanatics ; you will never escape the power of blind devotion, and its undeniable effect on every part of your life.

Lets hope they dont, Chia, lets hope they dont...



"Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith, I consider a capacity for it terrifying and absolutely vile." -Kurt Vonnegut

They are waiting for the Intelligent One to create something.

Pretty stupid for intelligent design. Whats with this useless appendix people seem to get life threatening infections from? And allergies: an overzealous immune system on a rampage. I mean, wtf! I could go on and on.

[imb39]

Lets hope they dont, Chia, lets hope they dont...



"Say what you will about the sweet miracle of unquestioning faith, I consider a capacity for it terrifying and absolutely vile." -Kurt Vonnegut

very convenient to focus on the fanatics of one faith (though I would argue that there is a substantive political motivation behind much of the problems here (ie reclaiming land).

There are plenty of fanatics from most religions. Some balance would be appreciated, I suppose. there are some pretty fanatical atheists too, for that matter. Stalin and his ilk spring to mind.

[Denny Crane!]

very convenient to focus on the fanatics of one faith (though I would argue that there is a substantive political motivation behind much of the problems here (ie reclaiming land).

There are plenty of fanatics from most religions. Some balance would be appreciated, I suppose. there are some pretty fanatical atheists too, for that matter. Stalin and his ilk spring to mind.

That is stretching it a bit far. Stalin persecuted anything that could be used to organise resistance to himself and that involved anything that took loyalty away from the state, power or involved meetings of more than a couple of people.

The most notable cases of Russian persecution of Theists was the Russian orthodox church but the conflict was wrought not only through the need to consolidate power and influence but one notable patriarch anathematising the communist party and the refusal to hand over church valuables and resources.

In 1941 to foster support for the war Stalin revitalised the church for his own purposes and between 1945 and 59 the church expanded to the point where 22000 orthodox churchs were active.

The whole communists are fanatical atheists is a bit of misnomer. They weren't fanatical atheists just madmen out for power in whatever way they could and would use anything and destroy anything as they saw fit.

A fanatical atheist is Richard Dawkins and while he might be annoying he isn't going to be blowing up any theist churchs anytime soon.

[Legionem Insanis]

very convenient to focus on the fanatics of one faith (though I would argue that there is a substantive political motivation behind much of the problems here (ie reclaiming land).

There are plenty of fanatics from most religions. Some balance would be appreciated,

Oh absolutely there are but the most common and convenient examples today are from the Islamic world which is far less secular.

I suppose. there are some pretty fanatical atheists too, for that matter. Stalin and his ilk spring to mind.

Communism functioned just like any other religion with its violent fanaticism, dogma, and monopoly on thought.

[Gary88]

oh and why is it the only roman catholics i know are incredibly sluttly teenage girls who seem to only where the cross because they think its cool and (clearly) unique.

[Chaigidel]

the majority of the human population regards religion and any thoughts in the department of religion or metaphysics as essentially useless; and thus the majority has always been atheist--- thus you get people who accept religion simply because they dont care enough to look at it

atheists almost without fail are the only ones who truly seek religion seek to understand it -- but in turn now atheists will become the ones who simply dont care (because they will be raised non religious of course) and the religious will become truly religious in its minority; only the devoted remain.

just because someone proclaims themselves attached with lofty ideals does not make them less human -- hence slutty girls in catholic schools; genetics and nature drive them ; they are simply in a religious enviroment ( facade of a religious enviroment even)

[Silver Guard]

the majority of the human population regards religion and any thoughts in the department of religion or metaphysics as essentially useless; and thus the majority has always been atheist--- thus you get people who accept religion simply because they dont care enough to look at it

Actually the majority of the human population is religious. But America stands out as the only developed nation with a majority of practicing believers. It also has the world's stupidest head of state and a reputation for being money-grabbing, fascist and fat. Doesn't this seem to be showing America as the world's "poorest" developed state. Not in terms of money, of course not, it has a very high population compared to many places (the state of california and texas together is the same as Great Britain) but in terms of Reputation, Intellect, Health and morality.

atheists almost without fail are the only ones who truly seek religion seek to understand it -- but in turn now atheists will become the ones who simply dont care (because they will be raised non religious of course) and the religious will become truly religious in its minority; only the devoted remain.

As a minority, does that not tell you something?

[wilting]

Does it strike anybody else as odd how much the UK and US identify with each other despite the huge gulf on this rather fundamental (in many American eyes) matter. This is most certainly an area where the UK has more in common with Europe.

Maybe I should move to the UK. :hmmm:

Nah, Ireland will get there eventually, only a small minority of my peers are religious.

EDIT: BTW I can vouch for Catholic Schoolgirls being slutty, oh to be a teenager again. :wink:

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

Good topic and good post, Eclipse SG. It just goes on to show that atheism is the only logical move forward as societies develop further. Modern life does not have time for fairy tales. Having said that though, religion means different things to different peoples.

Chaigidel should know that the men that laid the foundation for the "greatest country" were atheistic and deist in their beliefs.

[Chaigidel]

yes the majority is religious and I am saying the majority accepts whats given to them ; they dont question in any way what is given to them because they realize it is a useless thing; thus the majority is religious only because of tradition--- as it will become with atheism; with more being raised non religious only those who wish to question who feel that subject will be drawn to it, as it is now just with different foundations

it tells me that people will always see things in a wide variety of ways and one of the few things I truly like about the human species.( as per your minority question)

universally deistic ; you atheists do love to claim all sorts of people that arent yours.

[Silver Guard]

yes the majority is religious and I am saying the majority accepts whats given to them ; they dont question in any way what is given to them because they realize it is a useless thing; thus the majority is religious only because of tradition--- as it will become with atheism; with more being raised non religious only those who wish to question who feel that subject will be drawn to it, as it is now just with different foundations

No, religion is kept due to tradition, and is falling due to questioning of that tradition. Atheism, by contrast, will never face such rational challenges, so the same will not occur in the opposite direction.

[Dayman]

Hopefully, in time the U.S. will see similar results.

[Chaigidel]

so your saying that religion will completely disappear? -- I highly doubt this outcome, but everything is within possibility-- I firmly believe that if atheism becomes dominant there will be a subsection of humans who will cling to religion simply to be contrary, as humans often do.

[Dayman]

so your saying that religion will completely disappear? -- I highly doubt this outcome, but everything is within possibility-- I firmly believe that if atheism becomes dominant there will be a subsection of humans who will cling to religion simply to be contrary, as humans often do.

No, I don't think that it will disappear, I just don't want it to effect the world as much as it does not anymore.

[Silver Guard]

so your saying that religion will completely disappear? -- I highly doubt this outcome, but everything is within possibility-- I firmly believe that if atheism becomes dominant there will be a subsection of humans who will cling to religion simply to be contrary, as humans often do.

Not disappear, but become the despised and irrelevant subsection of society it deserves to be. Together with Vampire-worshipers.

[Denny Crane!]

This does not surprise me. Our political campaigns and issues are mostly economic, the media is interested in current events and scandal and our TV is everything but religion.

I don't know anyone who really takes it seriously. All the people I know who do go to church are old and it is habitual not devotion.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Why the hell do we have religion in the house of lords! Get the hell out!