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?

I'm an atheist I have equal dislike for all religions. I think having faith is a failure of logic. That doesn't mean I would persecute those who do have faith or try to stop believers from believing. I have friends who do practice various religions and I wouldn't tell them that they should do otherwise.
I do believe that religious concerns have no place in law making though.

I have a scientific background, and I believe there is a god. Science is nowhere near explaining how the world works- if you look at all the complexity of everything...is it all a bunch of coincidences?
The fact earths atmosphere would be such that can sustain life is improbable, then the fact life, developed even more unlikely, and then from those singled celled animals formed everything else.
Science can't even explain how the eye developed, it's such a complex structure and evolutionists struggle to explain it. Evolution is fact, it merely means the change of frequency of genes within a population. Natural selection, the theory behind it, is just a theory and struggles when it gets to complex structures like the eye.

Religious people asking why atheists are angry/bothered - on top of the points made about how religion impacts laws and things like school choices, one thing that saddens/angers me is thinking about the impact through the years religion has had on science/human development, and how much better off we would be had the religious not murdered so many great thinkers/scientists. Think about that.
How much money could be devoted to a million better things than religion and all the nonsense ceremonies and fancy buildings.
And for those who say religion does a lot of good, are you saying that people who do good in the name of religion would not do good otherwise?

how is life defined

At what point would you say something is alive?

We have a great set of conditions to get to 'life' - DNA? Simple bacteria? Something that can copy itself.

A lot had to happen to get to where we are now.

But it happened. Maybe there are other places it didn't happen.

And as for soil? I assume people know how soil developed. And that there was life before soil. In the water...

Having the right temperature to allow water not to freeze or boil has really helped develop life as we would recognise it.

Who knows if there are other planets that have some other forms of life that maybe use something different to water?

And who invented God? Did a God invent God?

Natural selection, the theory behind it, is just a theory and struggles when it gets to complex structures like the eye

Really. I too have a scientific background - and know a lot about the biochemistry of the body.

I agree the whole system, the way a single cell right up to the relationship between systems is amazing - but there is also a lot of overlap at the fundamental level between species. Enzymes, DNA replication, the basics of vision and hearing, pathways and basic mechanisms.

You can see how 'what works' has been kept through evolution.

I am amazed at a 'scientist' doesn't realise that a scientific theory isn't just 'a theory', that would be a hypothesis!

The odds of us being here in conjunction with the moon and sun has been described as "a tornado tearing through a scrapyard and all the pieces landing to compose an aeroplane

Yes - but given the vast amounts of planets out there, there is a chance that could happen somewhere.

And we just happen to be the winners.

If you had a worldwide lottery, we are the winners. We wouldn't say that proved a God existed. It's just that someone has to win.

"There is the old joke where a scientist gets in touch with God and says - 'i can create a planet, and life on it"

God says "Oooo-kay. Show me."

Scientist says "Come to my laboratory" Once there,the scientist goes to his bench, and empties onto it a bag of soil. "All I need to do now - "

"Hang on a minute" says God. "For a start, you can get your own dirt . . . " "
Deee-eeep. Really deep.

The big bang, dark matter etc is hard to get your head round. If you are not an astrophysicist / professor at CERN / top mathematician. Or, especially, if you are me.But they are a bit closer to finding the origins of the universe than a plantpot of compost.

Orlantina- I don't doubt evolution, I don't see it has to be mutually exclusive to religion. I think if god created man, he didn't say by what mechanism. It also says in bible life came forth from the waters, which is same as evolutionists believe.

Vegangelist- which religious peolpe and which scientists did they kill? Most people in the past were religious, so you can't pin every bad deed on someone as being related to religion.

Plus all the scientists that were christian, and there's a lot.

Plus all the scientists that were christian, and there's a lot

And a lot who aren't.

I think if god created man, he didn't say by what mechanism

If God created people as 'superior' beings on Earth, then he did make humans very very very similar to animals plus shared a lot of basic biochemical pathways, neutrons, quarks etc with plants, bacteria and viruses.

They didn't make much effort, did they to make people superior.

Missymoo, here's somewhere for you to start: markhumphrys.com/science.religion.html

But they are a bit closer to finding the origins of the universe than a plantpot of compost.
No they really aren't. They only know 5%

If God created earth for humans why did it take him so long to get around to actually making us?

Yes - but given the vast amounts of planets out there, there is a chance that could happen somewhere.
Seriously?

How do most people learn about religion? From a book, from scholars, from your priest, from your background. You have to take the word of others because by and large you don't actually know. It just feels 'right'.

How do most people learn about science? From books, from teachers, possibly from lecturers and also from things said as you grow up. You have to take the word of others because you don't actually know. It just feels 'right'.

Seems remarkably similar.

Storm treader If they aren't blown away then they're in the wrong job.

Seriously

Yes. There must be loads of planets. So so so so so many.

And life could happen on one of them.

That's us.

Even if the chances of life happening on a planet are tiny, there are so many planets out there that life will happen on one of them.

We are that life.

The countries with the least religion are generally the safest and happiest.

You have to take the word of others because you don't actually know. It just feels 'right

Except you can study science. Carry out experiments. Develop theories. Test them. Validate them.

Anyone can learn science.

Science is not a faith.

And then if new information comes along to disprove something, then what scientists thought they knew can change.

So what scientists thought they understood even 50 years ago has changed.

Some religions seem not to have changed their views with new evidence.

The countries with the least religion are generally the safest and happiest

And countries with "Christian leaders" seem to have forgotten what it is to be Christian.

Looking at you Trump.

Using the lottery example, if i buy 14m tickets theres a good chance i win

Well considering the number of planets in the universe, thats a lot of tickets to the lottery of life

I'm just watching the news about Rees-Mog, as a catholic he does not believe in abortion but says he wouldn't change the law or let it interfere with political role- but he's probably just commited career suicide. Why do the media even have to ask such questions.
I doubt the media would ask anyone of any other faith their view on such matters. Yet it's happening now and happened to Farron when he wouldn't give his view on gay marriage. As a Christian you are damned if you do, damned if you don't. There seems to be a deliberate attempt to bash christians.

As a Christian you are damned if you do, damned if you don't. There seems to be a deliberate attempt to bash christians

Maybe there aren't people of any other faith in politics to ask the question to?

Christians - especially male Christians - are prominent in politics.

If there were people of other faith in politics, then I am sure they would be asked the same question.

It's just rare to hear Muslim and Jewish voices etc being interviewed.

Male Christian voices dominate the airwaves.