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?

Jacqueshammer- no, but I think as it goes, it's not a bad instruction manual.

it doesn't judge it offers guidance

Isn't that what this thread is really all about. On Christian privilege's side of the fence its just gentle guidance pushing people into the right choices. On every ones else side of the fence its hypocritical religions using its historical privilege to judge everyone else and try and force them into following their rules no matter the misery it causes.

26 Priests in the House of Lords are not just guiding they are judging, abortion laws aren't just guiding they are judging, faith schools aren't just guiding they are indoctrinating, banning gay marriage isn't just guiding its judging. Threats of eternal damnation and original sin aren't just guidance, they are threats of punishment to obey the religious rules judged by god and the church.

Once you take off the rose tinted glasses of religion, you get to see humanity, religion and the world as it really is.

jacqueshammer- no, but I think as it goes, it's not a bad instruction manual

What do you think of Leviticus?

I find it a shame that in the 21st century we haven't moved on from thousands of years belief's which are as believable as Scientology.

For people who get offended by the sky fairies arguement, atheists have been persecuted for years by the church. But as from protests against filament like Life of Brian certain people don't like it when the shoe is on other foot.

Christian, Muslim and jewish religion has always been about wars to spread Thier religion. You can argue about athiest leaders but they had there own cults of personality's and twisted messed up ideology which was practically their religion.

I preferred the Greek gods at least you knew they were sexmad and blood thirsty.

Jacqueshammer- no, but I think as it goes, it's not a bad instruction manual

And written by humans.....the ones who can't be trusted to set their own moral code

Humans are selfish and capable of great cruelty

Some are, most aren't. Hence we have created democracies with checks and balances to stop evil people getting into power and doing bad things. We have a separate legal system, a separate military system a monarch with power to dissolve parliament. We created human rights laws enforced by courts outside our country. A United Nations to try and mediate with other countries.

We are creating structures to stop theocracies from taking control because we all see and know of the evils they allow.

In America for example, we see the checks and balances stopping Trump from doing the extreme crap he campaigned on. We see the law stopping football coaches forcing people to pray. Humans are doing a better job of being peaceful that some religious zealot.

Most of my friends don't believe. We were brought up Catholic. Some are indoctrinating their children to fit in with societal norms. Others are using non-religious schools. Most schools & hospitals here are run by church bodies.
I have faith & pop along to mass occasionally, but it's rare to see anyone under 40 there now. It will eventually die out, when the older generation pass on. The influence in Ireland though is still strong in comparison to England...

it's not a bad instruction manual

Zeus help us if people start believing the Bible (written by humans) is considered a good instruction manual for life.

I cant get past gods genocidal flood wiping out all but 8 people because you know no judging, just guiding people ... to their deaths.

After 1965 years of Christian 'rule' (sic) a more secular Great Britain banned the death penalty.

18 January 2014 "David Silvester a councillor has blamed the recent storms and heavy floods across Britain on the Government's decision to legalise gay marriage.... he said the prime minister had acted "arrogantly against the Gospel".

"it's not a bad instruction manual"

Jesus wept It's ghastly! Have you actually read any of it except the fluffy bits they read out in church?

Of all the faiths out there. Buddhism seems to offer a good pattern on how to lead life. As far as I am aware, Buddhism is a way of life without a God or prophet - although I think that may depend on the particular sect of Buddhism. Yet even Buddhists aren't perfect and have not behaved in the way the Buddha would expect.

Just as I have no doubt Jesus would be shocked by how some of his followers have acted. He'd also be pleased by some of the positive things done by people acting in his name.

In America for example, we see the checks and balances stopping Trump from doing the extreme crap he campaigned on

Ironically, Trump seems to be attaching himself to Christian faith a lot more than other Presidents seem to have done. Yet his acts seem deeply at odds with what Jesus says. I am not sure what Jesus had to say about refugees and a wall but I suspect he would be resisting Trump.

Orlantina - and probably Taoism. Makes so much sense, it's logical, compassionate and seemingly much more in tune with human nature and the the realities of life.

Ironically the Jedi belief system was not allowed as an official religion by the Charity Commision.

To qualify as a religion to get charitable status..it must have a positive impact on society

"The commission said to be classed as a religion it must also have a positive beneficial impact on society in general and raised concerns that Jediism may, in part, have an "inward focus" on its members"

The report on Jediism and the Charity commision

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38368526

Catholism is the only true religion.... tracing back to St. peter. The only religion established by Jesus Christ.
" Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church"
I'm just going to leave that there, nothing else to say.

I have great reservations about religions. I am a great advocate of beliefs and morals but not the rules implicated by texts written 2 thousand years ago. Talk about out of date.
I still think UK will uphold Christian traditions as we have a head of state and church still. Church rule schools are also still a big deal in the UK so not to be poo pooed just yet.

If there was a Jesus I feel he would be appalled by what has been done in his name

Catholism is the only true religion.... tracing back to St. peter. The only religion established by Jesus Christ

No doubt such a statement will win the approval of the church, but don't you feel it's a bit of an arrogant thing to say in today' world?

I also have to wonder about PP's remarks on the church's attitude to paedophilia, given what they've allowed to happen and what they still appear to seek to hide. I doubt any would deny that such behaviour is unchristian in the extreme, but as has been said, one can lead a Christ centred life without necessarily supporting a particular church ... which is perhaps just as well

Original Christianity was not Catholicism.

And what's written in the bible was written by men, human beings, several decades after the events described.

Either way, I think any institution needs to be tested by current social rules and mores, not what seemed appropriate 2000 years ago.

orlantina Thanks for that link on Jediism, I did occasionally wonder given 2000 years if it would blossom into a movement to rival Christianity. Guess not if the powers that be with Priests in Parliament, have scuppered it. So much for not judging.

Catholism is the only true religion.... tracing back to St. peter
Catholism is a mature cult, like Islam, JW, Scientology, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism and many others. No reason to grant it copyright over the title of the one true religion. I mean we dont even know if Jesus even existed in real life. At least Star Wars is real.

At least Star Wars is real

There is good evidence that Jesus (as a person) did exist, and did preach, and was crucified. The rest is conjecture.

I was Christian for about 80% of my life. I turned my back on my faith because of the actions of the Church and parishioners. I couldn't continue to be part of something which is so full of hypocrisy.

There is good evidence that Jesus (as a person) did exist, and did preach, and was crucified.
There really isn't.

At least Star Wars is real I hope it was obvious I meant the films are real. I dont know if it is referring to Cosmic ordering which some people believe is real in real life.

There is good evidence that Jesus (as a person) did exist, and did preach, and was crucified PacificDogwod, perhaps you could supply that evidence because I have looked for years and no one ever provides actual evidence (as opposed to opinion).

hairypaws I see a lot of that happening. Sadly for older people its almost impossible to recover from the trauma.

Ok, I should have been a bit more vague, shouldn't I?
There's some evidence to suggest that it is possible a man called Jesus existed and preached and was crucified.

The point I was trying to make is that whether he existed as a person or not, he was a man of his time (assuming he did exist) and whatever rules various people decided on between 80 to 200 years later would really not be regarded as gospel now.
Oh, wait, that IS the Gospel