Losing faith in America: Study shows decline in religion, rise in atheism


SleepyCrat said:
I never understand people who say they are atheist but take offense to someone practicing their religion. I'm one, but my own wife is Christian, heck we had a Christian wedding. My son is being raised as one. I have nothing against any Christian. I understand totally why anyone else would choose to believe as they do. I think the community at my wife's church is a wonderful group of people. The Montessori my son attends was founded by a black Christian couple from her church and is very grounded in theology. I think that's a good thing. I just don't believe in God or any form of spirituality.
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Like I said, you're one of the few ones who does this. The ones I encountered are ones who attended and believed, then was hurt by someone in the church and decided to fall away from the faith.
 
Blacknbengal said:
You're one of the few. I've talked to a lot of atheist and most went to church, sung in the choir or ushered, believed, then decided to go in another direction.
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I did too. I come from a very traditional two parent deeply religious household. My father was and still is a Sunday School teacher at his church in Mississippi. I just never believed in any of it. I wasn't upset like a bunch of people are toward religion. I was witness to the good it does too. I did the things in church the same reason I did the thing at home, because my parents said so and I was a good and obedient child. I knew as soon as I was an adult I wouldn't step foot in a church again.

I think that if there is a God the most offensive thing I could do towards him would be to continue lying to everyone as if I believed in him. I have no anger towards religion, I just don't believe in God.
 



The bible also stated about the ones who has put their hands to the plow and then turn and walk away vs the ones who never touched the plow.
 
SleepyCrat said:
I did too. I come from a very traditional two parent deeply religious household. My father was and still is a Sunday School teacher at his church in Mississippi. I just never believed in any of it. I wasn't upset like a bunch of people are toward religion. I was witness to the good it does too. I did the things in church the same reason I did the thing at home, because my parents said so and I was a good and obedient child. I knew as soon as I was an adult I wouldn't step foot in a church again.

I think that if there is a God the most offensive thing I could do towards him would be to continue lying to everyone as if I believed in him. I have no anger towards religion, I just don't believe in God.
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In your case, I believe that you would be one of the ones who never really touched the plow.
 
SleepyCrat said:
As far as being black, I've seen a decline in religion, but I have seen an uptick in spirituality. Churches and religious institutions have morphed into something else(i know there are exceptions, but I'm talking generally) outside of there original purpose. I know many brothers and sisters who sidestep church, but are very much in real contact with what they know God to be and not what someone tells them. I don't think spirituality is in decline, but people obtaining it through someone else's dogma or institution is. I think that is a good thing. I myself am an atheist but I can understand anyone's approach to what they believe God is whether they do it through traditional religion or through themselves.
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It's amazing how people claim to know God or claim to be in contact with what they know God to be, but yet (for whatever reasons/excuses) won't attend worship services. They may know God or may think they're in contact with Him, but the question is: does God know them? Is He in contact with them?

For those committed Christians/Believers that have had a real encounter with God and are truly connected to Christ, you follow and adhere to the principles of God's Word and align yourself to His Word. And in the Word, it speaks about church attendance. I'm not naïve enough to believe that all churches are perfect or that they don't have problems. Problems live in every single church, synagogue, temple, cathedral because the body is comprised of humans with flaws. And those who do sidestep church more than likely do so because of either a bad experience with a member/ members at the church or simply because they live off their philosophy of not needing to attend in order to have contact or a relationship with God, which makes no sense to me, because if you're in contact with God, you'll keep to His word. Unfortunately, everyone in church is not united, on one accord with God, nor do they desire to edify His Kingdom, nor are they there for worship. But again, if you're committed to God, you attend because you love Him, want to hear His word and learn how to align your life to it and will be too entangled with trying to serve and please Him to notice anything else. If should the time ever come when problems do become a distraction, in keeping with God's Word, you'll pray for unification and peace, simply because you love God and have a love for His people.

As for the underlined part, again, those who are genuinely united in the Body of Christ don't rely on anyone to tell them about their God. Most people know God from their life experiences. Besides, if you truly desire God and value your relationship with Him, you'll chase after Him and diligently seek Him and learn of Him (which comes from largely from individual & collective Bible study and assemble in worship service.)
 
96lioness said:
It's amazing how people claim to know God or claim to be in contact with what they know God to be, but yet (for whatever reasons/excuses) won't attend worship services. They may know God or may think they're in contact with Him, but the question is: does God know them? Is He in contact with them?

For those committed Christians/Believers that have had a real encounter with God and are truly connected to Christ, you follow and adhere to the principles of God's Word and align yourself to His Word. And in the Word, it speaks about church attendance. I'm not naïve enough to believe that all churches are perfect or that they don't have problems. Problems live in every single church, synagogue, temple, cathedral because the body is comprised of humans with flaws. And those who do sidestep church more than likely do so because of either a bad experience with a member/ members at the church or simply because they live off their philosophy of not needing to attend in order to have contact or a relationship with God, which makes no sense to me, because if you're in contact with God, you'll keep to His word. Unfortunately, everyone in church is not united, on one accord with God, nor do they desire to edify His Kingdom, nor are they there for worship. But again, if you're committed to God, you attend because you love Him, want to hear His word and learn how to align your life to it and will be too entangled with trying to serve and please Him to notice anything else. If should the time ever come when problems do become a distraction, in keeping with God's Word, you'll pray for unification and peace, simply because you love God and have a love for His people.

As for the underlined part, again, those who are genuinely united in the Body of Christ don't rely on anyone to tell them about their God. Most people know God from their life experiences. Besides, if you truly desire God and value your relationship with Him, you'll chase after Him and diligently seek Him and learn of Him (which comes from largely from individual & collective Bible study and assemble in worship service.)
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I'm an atheist and I don't have a dog in this fight, but I think that your faith and steadfastness in it is a beautiful thing, but I also think that others who are spiritual and don''t practice your religion in the traditional manner have a beautiful connection to what they believe is God also. I'm humble enough to admit that I don't know who's right and wrong, but I am happy that all of you have found something to center your lives around.
 
Blacknbengal said:
No disrespect to anyone directly, but I'm finding that a lot atheism is much like a lot of homosexuality. It's becoming or became a "Fad". To believe that you rule your own universe and no One other than you is in control of your destiny. It makes a good story to say that you pulled yourself up by your own bootstraps with no One's help. But the reality is, He STILL loves everyone and is giving them ample enough time to accept Him. And the truth is, most don't come until they hit a detrimental point in their lives which usually leads up to some kind of terminal death. Sadly.
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Deism v Theism.
 
SleepyCrat said:
I'm an atheist and I don't have a dog in this fight, but I think that your faith and steadfastness in it is a beautiful thing, but I also think that others who are spiritual and don''t practice your religion in the traditional manner have a beautiful connection to what they believe is God also. I'm humble enough to admit that I don't know who's right and wrong, but I am happy that all of you have found something to center your lives around.
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I hope you know by now that my posts mean no disrespect. I'm just very passionate about this topic.:)

I did say "those committed Christians/Believers that have had a real encounter with God and are truly connected to Christ...." Church attendance may be the so-called "traditional manner" to learn of God, but yet again I stress, if you are serious about your relationship with God, you follow His Word, and again, it speaks of church attendance. I'm speaking only of those who are steadfast and zealous about their walk with God; such people are religious and will follow this practice. If you're not committed, then I do agree with you that this religion won't be practiced because the effort isn't genuine, nor is the desire to fully know and learn about God.

I realize that there are "spiritual" people. But as a Believer, I also know that there are 2 kinds of "spirits". You have the Holy Spirit and you have worldly spirit. Based on which people walk in, in my opinion, reveals where their spirituality derives from.
 
buckwheat said:
I still don't understand why people don't believe in God.
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I can write a book on this, but I’ll try and keep it short. It was a very long process. I’ve felt this way since I was about 14 years old. But I use to suppress it because of societal pressures and out of respect for my parents. Now since they are O.K. with it (and that took a long time, my mother’s father was a Baptist minister) I said the hell with anybody else. Also, as I mentioned earlier social media helped too, because I thought my story was unique. But I found out my story is not unique at all. Most atheists situation was identical to mine. Lastly, religious people never give me answers to indisputable facts, especially religious black folks. If you question Christianity, black folks do what they do best, quickly go into attack mode and never address the facts.
 
I'm a former Christian. .I changed my beliefs but I believe I'm still worshipping the same God that I was before. I'd never become an atheist, too much evidence of a higher power FOR ME. Ever since I denounced my belief in Satan, Lucifer etc. My life has gotten easier. Every"negative" thing that happens to me is a result of a choice I made or my perception of what's happening. Greatest thing to ever happen to me. My question for the Christians is, do all of the world religions worship the same God but follow different rules and rituals or are their multiple gods? If the latter is correct, how do we know which one is"right"? I'd like to believe I'll go to heaven even tho I'm no longer a Christian. I'd like to think both heaven and hell are a state of mind/being/consciousness. My belief is that the Supreme being is like an ocean and humans are waves. .we can't separate ourselves from which we came no matter how much we try.
 
The three Abramic religions worship the same God. Hinduism and Buddism have a pantheon of Gods.
 
This is a deep discussion.

Over the past 3 to 4 years I have come across a lot of young black atheist. Some of their issues had to do with church hurt, some were never raised in a Christian setting/family, some of the kids just could not wrap their minds around God.

I'm a believer and I just leave it there. I ain't got time for a lot of back and forth!

BTW,

Fox just hit the green light on "Lucifer"


the-wire-hands-up.gif
 
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Bleedbluefan said:
I'm a former Christian. .I changed my beliefs but I believe I'm still worshipping the same God that I was before. I'd never become an atheist, too much evidence of a higher power FOR ME. Ever since I denounced my belief in Satan, Lucifer etc. My life has gotten easier. Every"negative" thing that happens to me is a result of a choice I made or my perception of what's happening. Greatest thing to ever happen to me. My question for the Christians is, do all of the world religions worship the same God but follow different rules and rituals or are their multiple gods? If the latter is correct, how do we know which one is"right"? I'd like to believe I'll go to heaven even tho I'm no longer a Christian. I'd like to think both heaven and hell are a state of mind/being/consciousness. My belief is that the Supreme being is like an ocean and humans are waves. .we can't separate ourselves from which we came no matter how much we try.
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Understandable, but Jesus said that He IS the Door and no one can come to the Father but by/through Him. And if anyone else that try to use another way is a thief. I hope that helped you to understand which one is the right one.
 



Blacknbengal said:
Understandable, but Jesus said that He IS the Door and no one can come to the Father but by/through Him. And if anyone else that try to use another way is a thief. I hope that helped you to understand which one is the right one.
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So if I once believed and accepted Jesus but now I don't is my name in the book of Life? Does it have an asterisk?
 
Bleedbluefan said:
So if I once believed and accepted Jesus but now I don't is my name in the book of Life? Does it have an asterisk?
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Baby, I really don't know if your name is there or not. You have to pray and ask the One who the book belongs to. It doesn't belong to me, so I can't tell you. All I can say is what Jesus said.
 
Bleedbluefan said:
That's one of many loop holes that the Bible has. .
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It's not a loop hole. It's actually simpler than what a lot of people make it to be. Confess with mouth, believe in heart, and be saved. Man makes it more complicated when he/she interject their "worldly" wisdom into the equation. Kinda like the Tower of Babel.

Are you afraid to pray and ask?
 
Bleedbluefan said:
No, I'm not. I believed and now I don't. Now what? What about former Christians who convert?
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Now what? Well, that's for the Master to decide. He still loves you and willing/patient enough to wait on you. He's still knocking on that door. As for Christians who convert? Well, He's waiting on them too. He loves them too. He wishes for "no one" to perish, but EVERYONE has a right to choose. Just like that conservative republican who chosed not to enroll in Obamacare, but needed it when he got into trouble with his health. It's the same with Him. People feel good, health is good, money/mind is good and they riding high and feel they don't need Him. But once something happens (ex. Loss of job/can't find nothing and money is ALL gone, health has deteriorated to the point that essential life maybe loss, a threat like someone shoots you in the head, but yet you don't die and is in a coma, etc...) then He becomes the MAIN source for all your needs. He knows this already, but yet He STILL loves you and patiently wait on you to come to Him. Me? I probably would have turned my back on you and said, "You felt you didn't need me when you was up, so you don't need me now." But, that's why He's "I Am" and I'm bnb.
 
And to answer your next question. How do I know all this? Believe me when I say "I've tried Him". I've seen how He comes through when you call on His name. He's much more than some "imaginary" friend. I've seen the miracles with my own eyes. Things that science, worldy knowledge, or any other explainations couldnt explain. He's real!!
 
Bleedbluefan said:
I'm not an atheist bnb..I'm just not into organized religion. I was just asking a question. My"salvation" is not my worry. Lol
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Oh, ok. Well, I took it that you was questioning your salvation by asking was your name in the Book of Life or not.

Your name gets in the Book by believeing in Him and doing what He asks. Your name stays in the Book by your faith.
 
To EVERY man/woman is given a measure of faith. Just like your talents. It's up to you on how to use it. You can use it to build up/edify = strengthen it or you use it to tear down/ridicule = weaken or bury it. The choice is yours.
Please don't bury your talent/faith.
 
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