Religious belief is declining faster than attendance

[C1ay]

Findings of a new study by Dr David Voas of The University of Manchester, funded by the ESRC, suggest that religious belief is declining faster than attendance at services in the UK, and that parents' beliefs, practices and affiliations have the biggest impact on children.

 

The catchphrase 'believing without belonging' - found in much European research over the past decade - is wrong, at least in its usual interpretation, says the team led by Dr Voas.

 

Far from religious belief being relatively strong and robust, fewer people now have real faith than passively 'belong' to a religion. While ethnic minorities are increasingly important to religious life in Britain, the trend for them is similar, albeit from a much higher starting point.

 

However, one factor which might yet slow the decline, says the report, is that religious parents have more children than others. The report argues that institutional religion now has a 'half-life' of one generation. In other words:

 

two non-religious parents successfully pass on their lack of faith

two religious parents have roughly a 50-50 chance of passing on their beliefs

one religious parent does only half as well as two together

 

 

However, whatever the parents' beliefs, roughly one child in 12 will opt for a denomination not mentioned by either parent, especially women. And women in their 20s are more likely than men to attend church, particularly when only one of their parents did the same.

 

Dr Voas commented: "How children are brought up has an enormous impact on whether they will identify with a religion. Once people become adults, their religious affiliation is less likely to be affected by influences around them."

 

However, his team also found that even where evidence appears to demonstrate that religious allegiance has been passed down from one generation to another, this conceals a lot of differences among individuals.

 

He said: "Many people start or stop regular church attendance. Although the absolute numbers are roughly balanced, the risk of churchgoers stopping is much greater than the possibility of non-worshippers joining the Sunday congregation."

 

Secularization has also changed the environment in which children are raised, says the report, reducing the likelihood of their socialising with religious people.

 

Looking at the effect of views on homosexuality, the study found that while the proportion of people saying it is not at all wrong has grown substantially, this overall trend masks a persistence and even sharpening of divisions.

 

Dr Voas commented: "There is a large and growing generation gap and gender gap and, most importantly for the churches, a large and growing gap between liberal and conservative Christians.

 

"Attitudes towards homosexuality of a young female Christian and an elderly male Christian are likely to be at opposite extremes - even if they belong to the same denomination."

 

Among those with non-traditional beliefs, people most likely to call themselves spiritual are those who once went to church, often as children. Older people mostly describe themselves as religious, though not necessarily orthodox, whilst the middle-aged see themselves as spiritual rather than religious. Younger people most often hold their beliefs as part of a view of life which they do not even recognise as spiritual.

 

Source: University of Manchester

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[Southtown]

Look Ma, we're on TV ..... o_O

[Guest loarevalo]

It is truly sad that religious faith is declining faster than attendance - since it means people are going to church, and they don't even want to!

 

That's an embarrassment to both believers and unbelievers.

 

If it shows anything is this: Churches and families are giving inadequate spiritual instruction. If they did, either would people go to church because they believe, or they would not go because they don't believe - churches seem to be failing to prove their faith to the next generation, yet are stubborn enough to hold on as long as they can. This is completely unethical!

 

I go to church, but when my faith was seriously tested, I still went because there remained in me the "desire to believe" - and going to church always gave me strength, was cleared up my mind, and allowed me to acquire the correct perspective on religion. But If I ever lose completely my belief that the Church to which I go is the true Chuch, there would be no point in disimulating something I'm not - but rather will seek that everyone sees the truth for what it is.

 

Unbeliever or not, one must be comitted to truth, seek after it, and impart it unto everyone - it is always our struggle to see better, and more, and act accordingly. The church-goers that go just "because" aren't completely commited to truth and virtue (or are converted) - they are no better than the heathen worshiping false gods, money, pleasure, things, themselves.

[Pyrotex]

It is truly sad that religious faith is declining faster than attendance - since it means people are going to church, and they don't even want to!...That's an embarrassment to both believers and unbelievers.

...The church-goers that go just "because" aren't completely commited to truth and virtue (or are converted) - they are no better than the heathen worshiping false gods, money, pleasure, things, themselves.

 

I have been keeping an eye on this subject for several years. What I have noticed is a trend toward bigger churches that supply more and more social services for its members, including Entertainment. The worship services have video and DJ. Day care available 7x12. Car rentals by the day -- go to room 215. This would suggest that people are going to church in America more out of a desire for a nurturing, supportive, social community, rather than for spiritual teaching.

 

I suggest it would be a mistake to "demonize" these people as no better than the heathen. People have always gone to houses of religion for their own reasons, or for their own needs. I have observed that a few of those who appeared to go for the spiritual instruction and the faith-building sought to become leaders in the church, possibly a reflection of their need for control. You just never know.

[Tarantism]

I have been keeping an eye on this subject for several years.

 

pyro, i too have been following the decline of religious zelousness ever since the loss of my own faith a few years ago. it is interesting, slowly, all around me, i have been hearing people question their individual beliefs in God or otherwise. what really catches my eye, however, is the fact that each person that mentions a lack of faith is totally seperate from anyone else that i know doing the same thing. this would suggest that it is not so much a trend as an actual movement, un co-ordinated. i can only see the amount of people doing this going up.

 

there are two reasons why i think that this could be happening. one is that people were much more ignorent and therefore more easily persuaded when religion really came into play. as with the stories of Jesus Christ and Muhommed, as well as any number of other prophets, it always seemed to me that they were taking advantage of others in a hope to gain power in their respective societies. if this theory is true, imagine J.C.'s suprise when he was murdered.:confused:

 

another option could be that the birth of religion co-isides with mankinds discovery of psychadellic drugs. having seen these things, these "prophets" probably thought they saw what was a message from god, when it was infact just the effects of the drugs hitting them. they most likely wouldnt have been able to explain what had ahppened to them and therefore told people what they had seen and thought themselves prophets.

 

it could also be a combination of these things.

 

the only relavence that all of that had to this topic is this: perhaps people arent as ignorent as i thought. perhaps, people are finilly starting to see how rediculous all of the religious fairy-tales are and then, upon not having THEIR wishes go un-"granted" by god, they began to question wheather or not their god cared about them at all, or even wheather or not "he" even exists.

 

sorry, loarevalo, but i have trouble seeing this a a nessesarily bad thing. it appears to me like "history" is taking its course and that it doesnt really matter. religious faithful need not fret anywhoo, becuase religion seems to be able to stick around even if members are being lost. as long as one christian remains, christanity will remain. things dont look quite so bleak if you focus on a more personal level, and not a community level.

 

enjoy,

(((tartanism)))

[Pyrotex]

pyro, i too have been following the decline of religious zelousness ever since the loss of my own faith a few years ago. it is interesting, slowly, all around me, i have been hearing people question their individual beliefs in God or otherwise. what really catches my eye, however, is the fact that each person that mentions a lack of faith is totally seperate from anyone else that i know doing the same thing. this would suggest that it is not so much a trend as an actual movement

(((tartanism)))

 

Good points.

Dogmatic mystical religion needs at least one thing for it to flourish. It needs to be surrounded by a community of like-believers; this suppresses doubt and reinforces beliefs which might seem irrational if you associated with a lot of non-believers.

 

People have not had that insular all-enclosing faith community around them for several generations. Radio, TV, movies, the writings of H.L.Mencken in the New York newspapers in the 1930's -- all these media have increasingly bombarded people with other viewpoints other rationales. Faith erosion.

 

The sudden rise in polico-fundementalism we see today (Pat Robertson, et al) is a backlash. A last ditch attempt to enforce insularity and closed community. "Circle the wagons!" "Ban Evolution from the schools!"

 

We shall see how well they succeed.

[Tarantism]

The sudden rise in polico-fundementalism we see today (Pat Robertson, et al) is a backlash. A last ditch attempt to enforce insularity and closed community. "Circle the wagons!" "Ban Evolution from the schools!"

 

We shall see how well they succeed.

 

ah yes, they are desperate. i think that you are certainly right in the "circle the wagons ' analogy. worried with communities crumbling, how far do you think that they will go?

 

i heard on the news this morning that the christian right is removing their support for Volvo and one other car maker becuase of their advertising in certain publications aimed towards homosexuals.

 

also, i read that a religious-right group is calling for Pres. Bush to outlaw gay merrage because, according to them, the only reason taht he got re-elected was becuase of their prayers. they want him to now hold up his end of the bargain and outlaw gay merrage.

 

hm, people do act strange sometimes...:confused:

[Pyrotex]

ah yes, they are desperate....i read that a religious-right group is calling for Pres. Bush to outlaw gay merrage because, according to them, the only reason taht he got re-elected was becuase of their prayers. they want him to now hold up his end of the bargain and outlaw gay merrage....:confused:

 

How far will they go? Yes indeed. How far does their great and powerful God want them to go? How far did He want the ancient Hebrews to go in Canaan? Do you remember the city of Jerico? :)

 

How far they will go will not be determined by political or ethical rationales. It will be determined by emotions burning hot and unquenchable. It will be determined by "righteous indignation" -- which is a euphemism for mob violence.

 

Let us hope we still have an effective police and court system if and when that happens. History has a nasty way of repeating itself. Take a look at the Thirty Years' War, 1620-1650, northern Europe.

[Tarantism]

How far will they go? Yes indeed. How far does their great and powerful God want them to go? How far did He want the ancient Hebrews to go in Canaan? Do you remember the city of Jerico? :confused:

 

running out of new thigs to say, i do remember the wall(s?).

 

How far they will go will not be determined by political or ethical rationales. It will be determined by emotions burning hot and unquenchable. It will be determined by "righteous indignation" -- which is a euphemism for mob violence.

 

Let us hope we still have an effective police and court system if and when that happens. History has a nasty way of repeating itself. Take a look at the Thirty Years' War, 1620-1650, northern Europe.

[Pyrotex]

running out of new thigs to say, i do remember the wall(s?).

 

Yup, the walls of Jericho, and everyone was slaughtered. Except the virgins. Never waste a virgin!

 

I see you duplicated messages. When this happened to me, it was when I tried to edit a posted message of mine. I hit another "EDIT" button instead of the "SAVE" button. Wound up with two un-edited messages.

[Tarantism]

How far will they go? Yes indeed. How far does their great and powerful God want them to go? How far did He want the ancient Hebrews to go in Canaan? Do you remember the city of Jerico? :)

 

running out of new thigs to say, i do remember the wall(s?). i aslo remember the crusades, where the christians and muslems had a holy war over the same god. never made sense to me, but maybe it they were both wrong and he wished for them to draw for the city of jerusalem. hm.

 

How far they will go will not be determined by political or ethical rationales. It will be determined by emotions burning hot and unquenchable. It will be determined by "righteous indignation" -- which is a euphemism for mob violence.

 

haha!:confused: that would be much funnier if it wasnt so scary.:)

 

Let us hope we still have an effective police and court system if and when that happens. History has a nasty way of repeating itself. Take a look at the Thirty Years' War, 1620-1650, northern Europe

 

what really frightens me is how much control the religious right has in our government. i think that i was ignorent to it until jsut recently, but i have noticed that it has become more obvious to the world as of late how much power they have. i hope that we have fair judges as well, becasue it may come down to them wheather or not i have to go to Canada:hihi: .

[Tarantism]

haha, yes. as you can see, the entire message was not finished until just now. oops...:confused:

[Pyrotex]

... becasue it may come down to them wheather or not i have to go to Canada :confused:

 

Take me with you! :)

[Tarantism]

Take me with you! :confused:

ahahaha but of course!

[Pyrotex]

...what really frightens me is how much control the religious right has in our government. i think that i was ignorent to it until jsut recently, but i have noticed that it has become more obvious to the world as of late how much power they have. i hope that we have fair judges as well, becasue it may come down to them wheather or not i have to go to Canada:hihi: .

 

The history of modern right-wing conservatism is fascinating. I am NOT an expert--I read only 2 articles. But it started after Barry Goldwater was soundly beaten by Lyndon B. Johnson. A plan was outlined that would take thirty years to mature. It would start at the grassroots level. It would rely heavily on fundemental churches. They would take over local prisincts first, county offices, schools, state reps, then governors. Finally the presidency. And this is exactly what happened.

 

The next goal is to take over the courts. Fundies and Rightwingers hate judges. Judges have a tendency to be, well, fair and just and even-handed. They tend to want to do what's best for the most people. And that is just down-right LIBERAL!! So, local judges and state courts are under attack all over. Even the Supreme Court.

 

Toronto or Quebec??????????????? :Alien:

[Tarantism]

haha nicely put. an exellant explanation!

 

however, it seems to me that they are losing! wahooo! however, with the adding of John Roberts, im not so sure anymore. damn!

 

i dont know where the best spots in canada are, but i was thinking whichever area would be ideal to build an intricate system of ewok-like tree houses. haha.

 

regards,

(((tartanism)))

[Racoon]

Religous belief is declining because nobody has any concrete answers or proofs. Thats why its a called a belief.

Nobody really knows anything about God; not the preachers, not the Pope, not the guy next to you. Its a mystery, and will continue to be a mystery.:Alien:

The real reason the church is concerned is because: with less people believing their interpretation of religion, the less $money$ gets into their pockets and the less control they have over people.