to think we no longer live in a Christian country

[orlantina]

More than 53% of people have no faith - according to a recent survey.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41150792

That figure changes to 71% amongst 18-25 yr olds.

It surveyed 3000 adults - so it would be interesting to look behind the stats but it seems that more than half the country have no religion.

Christianity is still probably the most common religion out there.

Should this have implications for areas of national life?

*now show how any two different things have evolved one to another... protozoa to fish / fish to amphibian / amphibian to ape / ape to human...

similarities don't mean a link...*

Akkak but if you can see that little evolutionary steps happen naturally and lots of little steps make a big step then that's QED isn't it?

Also I see your point about parrots and dogs but actually in lots of ways, most ways even they are the same. The difference between 2 things will always be obvious if you zoom in far enough. We could easily have built a system where my precious giraffes and horses were the same if we wanted to. They're not that different.

Strangelookings - atheists portraying their belief that God is a sky fairy who isn't real blah blah blah are expressing a belief in something, whether or not the something is nothing doesn't make it any less of a 'belief'

'The theory of evolution has been proven' - that's not entirely true, the 'theory' is just that, a theory. Scientists have been wrong about many things in the past, science is not foolproof. Let's say evolution was proven as a fact one day, it doesn't necessarily contradict Christianity.

We all just need to be tolerant of one another. It really grinds me when I see threads such as this as some most 'unbelievers' always seem to be disrespectful. Now, I'm not saying people aren't entitled to their views however there is a way and means of bringing those views forward whilst remaining respectful

User14 completely agree although I perhaps would of worded it in a more respectful manner.

Jaques No it was you that was het up about my perfectly reasonable comment.
That isn't the sole preserve of being a Christian
Never said it was, but that's what the thread is about.
Imo religion has no place in schools
Fine that's just your opinion.

There is an easy way to understand this...

Imagine that you are travelling around the world visiting every capital city... (very slowly!) In each city you see the same person walking across the capital..

Fact - you know that person has walked across each capital / has walked in each capital
Assumption - that the person has walked around the world

Fact - we know that things evolve (small steps)
Assumption - Evolution... we have no proof of Evolution (joining up of the small steps)

Unless we are to believe that Evolution is a phased approach, each phase taking millenia greater than our recording of scientific observation, why have we seen / scientifically observed no actual Evolution... Why is it that no one has actually scientifically shown one species Evolving into another? simply because it has not happened...

The comment above about fish -> amphibian, by definition, a fish is not amphibious, so you must have amphibian (fish-like) to amphibian (not so fish like) - that might show some evolving, it doesn't show proof of one species into another...

so, no, your lots of little steps making one big step is not QED - it is huge assumption - if it is QED, let's explore the scientific evidence - none exists, there is hypothesis and assumption, but no evidence.

If anyone can actually demonstrate one species changing over time into another totally, fundamentally different species, then it would be very impressive

I identify as a pagan and try to live by their fundamental tenet "do as you will but harm nane".
You absolutely do not have to be a Christian to have strong ethics and a moral code. I was drawn to paganism as it is founded on a belief that everything in this world is interconnected and of equal importance, rather than the belief of most other religions that man is the superior being with dominion over all, an attitude which has led to many bad things happening in this world.
People can do what they like in private but I'm very glad that our younger generation are waking up to the fact that religion is simply a tool that's been used for a long time to control the masses, and there's no place for that in a modern society.

none exists, there is hypothesis and assumption, but no evidence.

Lots exist, it all depends on whether you have an open mind or not. You could start by studying sequence alignment in bioinformatics.

If i was a non believer, if anything could make me waver it would be DNA. Far too awesome to be easily dismissed.

No evidence though that whatever created the universe was also the god of the bible.

If akkakk doesnt know about it or understand it then it doesnt exist.

But then that discounts pretty much everything

I have young adult children and so this is a frequent conversation ( this age questions). My views are more pragmatic. We are Christians if we celebrate Christmas and Easter. Those are Christian holidays. My dc say that religion was invented to control uneducated masses. I dont disagree; it has been used as such. The Invisible Diety in the Sky is REAL?? Idk. But its nice to hope. However, if someone posted a "ghost story" thread request, i think there would be posts.

There is no doubt that religion had been using and abusive. However, GOOD things can also be gained from it. Many "church ladies" raise funds that help those in need.

We lived in a place that used religion as a stick and the people used it as a measurement similar to school gate dominating. So i taught my dc at home about the 10 cpmmandments and 7 deadly sins. I was picky and choosey about my version of religion BUT I wanted them to understand that there is a place in society for religion.

Think about this: nature fills in a vacuum. What shall we replace religion with if it washes out completely? Governments? Boy bands?

People are being blown up and run over in the name of religion every day. Obviously, religion is flourishing in some cultures and those of us who are some sort of Christian are not beloved.

As a mid-century, non-judgemental, loving person with a chronic illness and "not as long as i want" life expectancy, my fervant hope is that instead doing away with religion, we mold it into something that comforts and aids our society.

We used to use religion because of fears of afterlife, i DO believe that we are in purgatory: a miserable place btwn heaven and hell. If there is a place worse than this, i would do what it takes to stay out of it!
But i would like religion to help us in our current life. Life is too big, frightening and complicated for me not to pray to Someone at times. I do not expect an answer but it helps me center myself and find the peace to solve my earthly problems. Before anyone tells me yoga does the same, i agree, but don't all major civilisations have religions?

We are a growing, evolving society, we can grow and evolve our religious/spiritual side as well. I do not like politicians, clergy are often difficult to defend, but i think that my life is enhanced by peace, love, hope, charity, patience and kindness. We need to learn these virtues some place. If not in religion, where?

I have a very open mind, but how does You could start by studying sequence alignment in bioinformatics help at all?

it is like saying that a frog is green & a parrot is green, therefore a frog = a parrot!

my bicycle and my car contain many similarities:

• wheels
• rubber
• gears
• metal structure
• etc.

but in a month of Sundays you could never adapt my bike to being a car because it lacks critical components such as an engine.

so, unless you believe that every element of every species and human is contained in primeval ooze then how could it possible transform into new species?

similarities in DNA / genetics can mean many things, it does not mean they are the same - it might show us something about the intelligence of the Creator but we can't make assumptions that similarity = the same...

what I think fascinates me most is the ability for some to be so definite that mankind / the world was created so specifically as the result of random mutations:

• the complexity and harmony of natural systems questions the concept of randomness
• the majesty and detail of mountains to the depth of the oceans as a random creation?
• and then there are things like the human brain - where we have no real understanding of how it fully works, yet we believe that it Evolved randomly from slime!

There is only one logic which accurately explains the world around us - an intelligent Creator behind it...

• We don't know the full detail of HOW
• We might debate the WHY (though the Bible is quite clear)
• We might argue the WHEN
• But we can say the WHAT & the WHO

But as I posted above, the reason why humans are so keen to dismiss the concept of a Creator God - despite walking through the evidence every day - despite being the living evidence themselves, is simple - accepting a Creator God brings with it challenging questions / consequences / changes to how we live - it makes people uncomfortable - so it is easier to find a logic that fits what the human race desires, then to face up to the reality...

If akkakk doesnt know about it or understand it then it doesnt exist.

I think you are confusing me with Google or Wikipedia

Reported for trolling

I'm amazed at all these people's children who are having religion "shoved down their throats". There must be some incredibly militant or extremist schools around!

I doesn't even need to be an entire school; just one extremist teacher can be enough, as I learned from having a Catholic RE teacher who saw i as her role (in a non denominational school) to convert as many children as possible - doubtless winning brownie points from the local priest for her efforts

On the more general issue, I take the point that disestablishing the CofE could encourage others to become more assertive, but this is surely why it's important for any religion to be legally viewed as a purely private practice, without special protection on the basis of belief. Such beliefs are absolutely an individual's right, but if they lead them to break the law then that law should be rigorously brought to bear without fear or favour

Irish nuns killing babies, paedophiles priests.
I was very closed to be raped by a trusted family friend who was a respected spiritual guide.
I am now divorced and my parents were not supportive as it is not moral. We also suffered years of emotional abuse from my dad because it is wrong to divorce. My mum is so proud of her strong couple. As a result I find it hard to be trusting of men.
All of this because of what? Religion!

There is only one logic which accurately explains the world around us - an intelligent Creator behind it.

If you want to invoke logic, then the concept that some supreme being created the universe is probably the most illogical explanation you could come up with and leads to the inevitable question, who or what created the supreme being?

There is only one logic which accurately explains the world around us - an intelligent Creator behind it.

Bollocks. There is no logic to that at all, it fails on the most fundamental level. What created your creator? LOGIC FAIL, DOES NOT COMPUTE.

There is only one logic which accurately explains the world around us - an intelligent Creator behind it

That isn't logic though - its a belief system which is valid but it isn't the automatic logical assumption

Probably a really good thing. Religion does not have the monopoly on goodness, kindness, empathy and a whole plethora of human qualities.

Just read that Satanism is on the rise. This isn't surprising as it is part of Christianity. People become disillusioned with one deity in the Pantheon what has Jesus ever done for me? and switch to the other side, Hades Satan. But its all still the same belief system.

I won't even bother trying to debate the science deniers on evolution. I mean has anyone ever seen a Neanderthal? Logic will not budge someone who has been brainwashed one iota. Remember they are willing to kill their own son die for their beliefs. Evidence and logic can never come close to challenging that.

The UK is probably just about culturally christian. But it is not a christian country, as so few people actually believe in a god. I dont know any school that does a daily act of worship or prays. Its one of those laws that will slip quietly away as the older generations who are afraid of vote against change pass away.

Selection by religion is however a big disgrace and actually has nothing to do with religion. Its just selection and we either bring back new grammar schools or ban selection in faith schools.

Christmas and Easter are not christian holidays and no one 'celebrates' them any more. They are school and bank holidays where we all get drunk, eat to much chocolate, party, spoil our children with plastic tat and have fun.

The Queen can be head of the church and head of state, they are to separate roles. And when we reform the House of Lords and get rid of the Priests we will continue to be a secular country in all but name. We will base our laws on superior secular humanism the way we have for the past 80 years and very little will change.

In 2000 200 years we will all look back on Christianity the way we look back on
Greek, Roman, Arthurian, Egyptian and Norse mythology's.

As several others have pointed out, it's not logical at all to assume an intelligent creator. You're looking at the world from a very anthropocentric viewpoint. Why would an intelligent creator make mountains, oceans and tectonic plates? Why have glacial erosion rather than just making the valleys all at once? And why are mountains good anyway? Why not just one nice flat interconnected land mass so it was easy for all humans to get around? Why have floods and hurricanes?

I'm delighted it's on the way out. Should have happened years ago - I find it embarrassing that some humans still believe in nonsense.

I've only read the first page and I've given up. I think that some of the posts on there are disgusting, insulting and down right rude. I'm not particularly sure what my religious stance is......however referring to any religion as invisible friends in the sky is belittling and rude. no one is asking you to.hop on their religious bandwagon.....a little bit of respect for one another wouldn't go amiss

Christmas and Easter are not christian holidays and no one 'celebrates' them any more

I certainly wouldn't say "no one"

Agree with you on much of the rest, though

God: "I'm gonna play the best fucking game of hide and seek ever, never give you one iota to evidence my existence, but if you don't fucking worship me you'll burn in hell forever". He sounds a right mardy twat, I'm all for religion doing one