To ask why religion is declining in Britain

[Jackieweaver2024]

Just that really I would be interested to hear everyone’s opinions?

Cos it's a load of old twaddle?

^ This.

Because it's out of touch with everything abs hasn't kept with the times? I went to a catholic mass and couldn't believe it was still the same as 30 years ago. I'm not religious at all but can see the comfort it brings. It's outdated and just hasn't really found a place in today's society with the generations coming up.

Better education and skills in thinking for ourselves.

I agree with @mnahmnah that overall there are changes in worshipping style but difficult to tell what's happening to numbers overall.
Since lockdown lots of churches are broadcasting services online too which has made church more accessible to those who wouldn't normally set foot in the building. Will be interesting to see what growth or otherwise there is when things are back to normal again.

I don’t think it is.
Christianity is decreasing in the UK but worldwide I would say the percentage of religious people is the same.

Because most people are now much better educated than in previous centuries so we no longer need fairy stories to explain the things we don’t understand about the world.

For example, we know that the novel illness which is currently killing thousands of elderly and vulnerable people around the world every day is caused by a virus, and not by ‘bad spirits’ or whatever other mumbo-jumbo people might attribute it to. We also know that the way to fight the virus is with vaccinations which have been proven to be effective in clinical trials, not rituals or prayers.

Because societies, like individuals, have to grow up eventually.

and people are increasingly more well informed?

I think that's debatable

It’s all very judgy isn’t ut. I like to think we are becoming more tolerant and compassionate as a nation, overall.

For example, we know that the novel illness which is currently killing thousands of elderly and vulnerable people around the world every day is caused by a virus, and not by ‘bad spirits

Plenty think it's not real or created by 5G or Bill Gates hence my earlier point.

@KatyClaire

I don’t think religion - or at least Christianity - has kept up with the moral development of the nation. People are so much more tolerant and accepting these days, and the message of many (albeit not all) churches does not cater to that. It makes the sermons feel very outdated and irrelevant.

I think lots of people actually would enjoy and benefit from the social / community aspect of church membership, if the teaching aspect was more accepting and relevant.

IMO this is a thoughtful and sensible answer.

I agree with your last paragraph. The friends I made when I first moved to the area were through the church I used to attend. I no longer go to church, but my friends are still around.

Interestingly enough most of the congrgation at our local church where we live now are intelligent, well educated people capable of rational and critical thinking - doctors, lawyers and other professionals. I think these people just want something more, something spritual to lift them up. The vicar is a lovely, charismatic woman, who is very likeable and well liked.

I think it is rude to disrespect and poke fun at people who have a faith, especially if they aren't trying to impose their beliefs on anyone else.

People are (in western countries at least), letting go of the old religions. They do not balance with modern day living, values, lifestyles, freedoms etc.

That doesn't mean that un-provable belief systems have gone. They will probably never be. Humanity have some sort of deep need to follow an ideology that is based on personal feelings over unwavering reality. People seem to have a huge desire to somehow prove something beyond the realms of logic and science. If the evidence of a God isn't forthcoming, people will turn their focus elsewhere.

Appalling misogyny, homophobia and other bigotry in all the major religions.

A mix of reasons but it requires effort and doesn’t offer instant gratification.
Abuse scandals, Sunday opening of shops and activities, hedonism, less part of school life as U.K. has become more multicultural, not modernising or modernising too much.

Because in the absence of religion, people have found new idols to worship, follow and aspire to instead: footballers, celebrities, Boris, Nigel Farage....

Load. Of. Shit.

Because immigration is dropping

Churches are very diverse places, and in particular the Catholic Church saw a big boost in numbers.

I think it's interesting that almost every comment on this thread has interpreted 'religion' as 'christianity', or in fact quite often as 'the church of england'. If you don't do that the picture is much more complicated re decline.

People are talking about Christianity because the OP specifically asked about Britain, where Christianity is the dominant religion.

I'd like to be part of a church community (or similar). I think i'd have liked some of the social and charitable elements of that.

But people just don't believe in the actual content of the religion. It's outdated and people see through it.
We don't need to believe it anymore.

I think lots of people actually would enjoy and benefit from the social / community aspect of church membership, if the teaching aspect was more accepting and relevant.

Yes, but there's the small matter of not believing in god! I absolutely agree that it's a shame to have lost the community focus that church provided when most people attended (although doubtless there were bad aspects to that side of it too). But even if the sermons etc were more relevant and tolerant, I doubt many people would come to listen to them unless they were already believers. I just don't think most people believe in god tbh.

Because it doesn’t make sense, too much is a matter of faith.
Gone are the days of unquestioning obedience by the masses, now there’s vast amounts of information available to all.

@BrilliantBetty @lazylinguist

Have you heard of the Sunday assembly? It’s a movement that aims to bring all the community aspects without the religion. They have music and talks. Just like a church service.

Critical thinking
Better books out there these days.

As populations become more educated religious faith naturally decreases as people realise it's a load of old bollocks.