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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think we no longer live in a Christian country

926 replies

orlantina · 04/09/2017 21:41

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?

OP posts:

Thread gallery

Heathen4Hire · 04/09/2017 23:19

Schadenfreude God doesn't sustain the universe. He isn't a creative force that modelled the solar system or whatever. This is all down to Physics.
God didn't create the universe. Humans haven't quite got to the point of what did, but they have several good theories on the subject, which are being tested over and over again (Such as at the CERN Hadron Collider).
The theory of evolution has been proven by scientists over and over again (a theory from a committed Christian, Darwin).
My morals came from my mother and from the CofE school I attended at primary level, at secondary level, I just took the Bible away from those morals and decided, I could have come to the same conclusions on good behaviour without lectures from the vicar.
My way of thinking on how the world works, works for me. It's based on evidence. I tried my best as a teenager to have enough faith to get confirmed but realised there was too much real-life evidence cancelling it out.
To me, God, the Bible, and other religious texts are merely stories to frighten children with (I was petrified all thru infants and juniors). Once I chilled out a bit and accepted I was probably agnostic at the least, a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. It was amazing.
I can definitely see why so many younger people are of "no religion". With the advent of the Internet and access to so much information, younger people have far more material on which to base their views on life. I celebrate that.
Most of my family are now agnostic or atheist.

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 04/09/2017 23:22

Heathen I agree with you about the Bible stories, though I don't think they are there just to frighten children. Religious texts and the preaching Priest are there to frighten adults too, in order to "keep them in their place" and not question the rules, set out by the Establishment.

Thank goodness as a society, we are moving well away from that.

notgivingin789 · 04/09/2017 23:25

Yes you may not respect my beliefs... I wasn't trying to get at that... but saying things like "invisible fairies"...."magical unicorns..." is just fucking damn right disrespectful ! I see it in every religiously- type threads on Mumsnet.

I'm not religious, though I'm defiantly not an atheist. I have many friends from all types different religions and many who are not. We may not agree with each other's beliefs...or respect them... but we are able to refrain from using very hurtful and offensive terms.

Honestly ! This is why I stay away from ...( to put it nicely) religiously bashing threads.

PickingOakum · 04/09/2017 23:26

We have an established church. Until the day we see disestablishment, we will continue to be a Christian state. It really doesn't matter how many people define as Christian.

Disestablishment would be a legal and constitutional nightmare that would take years to unpick. Think Brexit times twenty on acid with political implications that would last generations (and may very well cause civil conflict).

If you disestablish, you remove the foundation from which British state power is constitutionally derived, which essentially all comes from the head of state whose authority is bestowed by God.

Of course, no one believes this anymore (apart from the Queen), but it's the lynch pin of constitutional power. You remove it and fundamentally, all state authority disappears. All law is void. All governance is void. All state authority is void.

So you have to have something else in place. And that's the sticky (and often bloody) part. You'd have to rebuild the structure of the state, and in history, that often occurs in conjunction with revolution, massacre and genocide.

Tailypo · 04/09/2017 23:26

Satanism is on the rise? (Yet another place-marker )

Original poster

orlantina · 04/09/2017 23:28

You'd have to rebuild the structure of the state, and in history, that often occurs in conjunction with revolution, massacre and genocide

I am pretty sure that's a slight over exageration there.

OP posts:

Original poster

orlantina · 04/09/2017 23:29

If you disestablish, you remove the foundation from which British state power is constitutionally derived, which essentially all comes from the head of state whose authority is bestowed by God

So does this prove God exists because UK state power comes from God and it's in our law?

OP posts:

twelly · 04/09/2017 23:30

Britain is a country of Christian traditions and culture, I would worry about disestablishing the Church of England because that would lead to the culture and tradition with no more rights than others religions.

Original poster

orlantina · 04/09/2017 23:31

I would worry about disestablishing the Church of England because that would lead to the culture and tradition with no more rights than others religions

What's wrong with all religions being treated equally?

OP posts:

derxa · 04/09/2017 23:31

Love thy neighbour as yourself - we'd all do well to remember that. Something people on MN never seem to believe. It's all me me me whilst pretending to care about others.

derxa · 04/09/2017 23:33

but saying things like "invisible fairies"...."magical unicorns..." is just fucking damn right disrespectful ! I see it in every religiously- type threads on Mumsnet. yes that's the bit I hate

engineersthumb · 04/09/2017 23:38

Dexra
Did you remember to clap your hands after that post!

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 04/09/2017 23:38

All religions treated equally really

I am quite ok that polygamy isn't allowed and that children can't be married off

So no I am not in favour of treating all religions equally

DopeOnARope · 04/09/2017 23:38

Twelly, I am an atheist through and through, but I take part in Christmas celebrations: it is deeply cultural.

If it has to be enforced by an undemocratic relationship between church and state, what value does it actually have for us?

NYConcreteJungle · 04/09/2017 23:40

I cannot get my head around anyone believing in God. I've thought about it a lot and it astounds me that an adult would be taken in by it.

I don't understand why you wouldn't believe in God.

Each to their own.

DopeOnARope · 04/09/2017 23:40

Er, treating all religions equally is a long way from saying every belief in every religion will be given legal protection!

LellyMcKelly · 04/09/2017 23:41

If you believe in a god, great. If you don't believe in a god, great. It should be personal to you. I have no interest in foisting my beliefs on you, and no interest on you foisting your beliefs on me. I don't believe religion should play a part in public life beyond your own festivals and religious observances.

I'm an atheist. I enjoy Christmas and Easter because it's a time when most of my family are off work so we get the opportunity to spend time together, to eat, drink, and celebrate.

DopeOnARope · 04/09/2017 23:46

I have absolutely no quarrel with polygamy if it is equally open to men and women and amongst consenting adults. Why shouldn't two women be able to marry together with the biological father of their child, or 4 people, 2 men, 2 women, for example, be allowed to form a civil partnership and live together? It harms no one.

Of course children shouldn't be married off: an ethical society will protect minors and the vulnerable.

RiversDisguise · 04/09/2017 23:47

These threads remind me of a roomful of bichon frises all yapping their heads off.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 04/09/2017 23:50

If they are central to particular religions why wouldn't it treated equally

Inheritance laws, divorce laws, custody laws,

What laws should be considered from a religion that hasn't progressed (the laws it's based on) or laws from a religion where women have so little rights over property the right to divorce

derxa · 04/09/2017 23:51

Dexra
Did you remember to clap your hands after that post!
Firstly you've got my user name wrong and secondly I don't have a clue what you're on about .

cantthinkofabloodyname · 04/09/2017 23:52

I'm happily an agnostic. I was brought up by my parents believing that it is my choice when growing up to choose my own beliefs. My DH was brought up as a Christian but renounced his faith when certain life events happened. Our DCs have all been brought up knowing that I don't have any set religious beliefs. It is their place to choose when they are old enough to understand.
I have friends who have quite a few different faiths. I don't ridicule their beliefs & they don't try & force their beliefs on me.

heartstornastray · 04/09/2017 23:55

Christianity on the way out, Islam on the rise. Just awful.

JacquesHammer · 04/09/2017 23:56

Christianity on the way out, Islam on the rise. Just awful

Why?

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 04/09/2017 23:57

Polygamy by its design is to be unequal it was for women to have more children to increase growth of tribes

If people want open relationships there in nothing to stop them but marriage isn't about just sharing your love it's about other commitments you have children, property, inheritance and so on divorce in that situation well solicitors would do very well out if it

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