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?

BOOP, isn't it disestablishmentarianism? (Thanks blackadder!)

Also both here.

I can never really understand if you don't believe in anything what difference it actually makes
You don't see a problem with compulsory worship at state school? Or Bishops in The house of Lords. Or religious discrimination for state school selection. Believe what you like about your choice of god etc but these things do affect people who don't believe "anything"!!!!!! Understand that at least!

For the first time I wholeheartedly agree with what Hearts says!

A second chamber should be full of people representing the whole population, not niche interest groups.

This is cultural Marxism playing out;
It was the aim of the Frankfurt School to get rid of religion, Christianity in particular in order to impose an agenda. It explains a lot of what is going on, any one interested look into cultural Marxism.

I find it odd that those that believe there is a magical man in the sky who impregnated a poor peasant girl feel it necessary to force their ludicrous beliefs on those who can't quite suspend their disbelief that far.

This is simplistic. There was much dissent surrounding the notion that Jesus was a virgin birth even 2,000 years ago. You could even argue that the alleged virgin birth didn't factor into the spread of Christianity around the various empires.

More to the point, Jesus (and some of his apostles) had a messianic quality that made people believe that he had divine inspiration, AKA the Holy Spirit. This, IMO, is what Christianity is all about.

Drbeverly, an absolute classic comment from someone who can't be arsed to actually read what other people have said/ too stupid to read

This is cultural Marxism playing out
What is? Very few people on this thread are keen to eliminate religion. Many are keen on it not playing a role in public life, for there to be no religious privilege and no religious discrimination. This is secularism. As we all surely know, and the example of the US demonstrates, secularism is entirely compatible with capitalism.

Treat others as you would want to be treated

i.e.- "Love your neighbour as yourself"

catholicism.org/ad-rem-no-289.html

Cultural Marxism vs the church.

Even if people don't want to eliminate religion, there has undeniable increase in people turning away from faith and a sustained attack on the church and christians.

an old bloke with a beard sits on a fucking cloud

You are talking rubbish, juneau. This might be what you think Christianity is, but I can tell you now, Christians and Jews, and every probably Muslims as well (we are all people of The Book) do NOT believe that God is a bullying geriatric floating above us and picking on people.

I wish people of no faith would get this stupid idea out of their heads!

I am Buddhist but my Atheist Husband and I still take part in a lot of the Christian customs (Christmas, Easter,Lent). I know a lot of people with other faiths who also celebrate the same customs. I feel sorry for those who feel the need to generalize religion by using terms Like 'crock of shit' you may not believe but you should respect those of us that have a religion. I am very proud to be Buddhist and the idea of the offending someone because of this astounds me. Live and Let Live

Atheists claim that there is no evidence of god, but I think thats not true- the world and everything in it is so complex, there is no explanation of how it all started and science is no where near knowing and won't be for a long time. We can't even begin to explain anything really, we don't even know what's beyond our universe, so how can atheists be so sure there is no god, where is their evidence for this? There is no evidence to say there is no god and nothing to base this on. Believers can say that the existence of the world and eveything in it is evidence of a creator.

If you want to believe in God, well there is no evidence for... or against. So you can believe it.

But you might as well believe anything.
But the church has caused so much violence and intolerance, I really think we should get rid.

We dont know = evidence of god

Lmao

so how can atheists be so sure there is no god, where is their evidence for this?

The responsibility is not on atheists to prove no god.

It's up to those claiming existence of god to substantiate their claims.

8We dont know = evidence of god*= An insult to any rational mind.
Can I expand this too fairy tell are true, because we don't know if it is based on a true story.!

As previous posters have said atheism is a belief in itself- how do you say that belief is more valid than anyone else's which you dismiss as a "fairy tale".
I did not say don't know=god, I said the complexity of the world is evidence that there may be a creator- there is no such evidence for atheism.
Remember evidence is not the same as proof

Can I expand this too fairy tell are true, because we don't know if it is based on a true story.!

I suggest you crack a book on the subject. There is an enormous body of work devoted to reconciling the New Testament and its supporting texts (letters, etc) with historical events.

My daughter was told by her friend that she will go to hell because she does not go to church. They were both 7 at the time. For a moment there my DD was worried, I had to assure her that it was not true.

Having grown up as a Catholic I remember learning these things, with out question, and accepting them as such because "it says so" in the bible.I would ask how do we know that God really exists and the answer would because we have proof in the bible, because "it says so".

I think every ones thinking and beliefs should absolutely be respected, and religion brings great joy and comfort, to many. However, I was conditioned to believe so many things that are not true , and at times, things that are quite extreme and frankly very bad e.g that yes, I am full of sin and indeed I will probably be going to hell for all my sins etc. I was actually scared of this possibility for a very long time. This was my conditioning, from a young age.

I have decided not bring up my children in the faith, but we look at different belief systems and talk about them, so that they are as aware, as they can be, about everything. And also to absolutely question everything.

I do believe in God, but not in the biblical sense. I believe that there is something much greater than us, a life force as such. However, in equal measure, faith should be a personal matter and in no way should have influence on the education system or the governance of a country.

Thank goodness for secularism!!

Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance.

-Isaac Newton, Physics, Mathematics

The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator.

-Louis Pasteur, Medicine

There is an enormous body of work devoted to reconciling the New Testament and its supporting texts lies are mixed up with some truths.
Don't tell me the garden of Eden...
It's not worth the hassle. Christianity is part of a past era, let's just acknowledge and move on.

But missymoo, you're making what I see as the classic person of faith's mistake of looking at it the wrong way round. The reason there is life is because being at this precise distance from the sun etc enabled it to develop.

You're imagining that humankind is the point of something's plan, whereas the more logical way of looking at it is that a chance series of alignments led eventually to humankind and all other life on earth. People on this thread have tried to calculate the probability of this alignment happening, but that's nonsensical thinking. In infinite time and space, how can we measure probability in a terrestrial, dice-throwing way?

There is no evidence of God- thats why it is called faith. Faith - a belief with zero evidence to substantiate it

The universe and everything it contains is far more wondrous if you dont believe in god than if you do

I think the opposite araiwa