To ask why religion is declining in Britain

[Jackieweaver2024]

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

I cannot pray to a 'God' who allows child rape and torture and animal torture. If this God did exist then what's the point, looking down on us and not helping those suffering.

Many thousands more of those examples too.

Because God doesn’t exist 🤷🏻‍♀️

But then I only ever read the Bible in a figurative way as a work of fiction, rather than literally as a kind of "Haynes Car Manual", if you see what I mean.

How can there be a whole religion - on whose rules and guidance countless millions of people have based their lives, because of which countless people have been tortured and killed, and because of which many people and institutions have gained great power and wealth - based purely on a work of fiction?!

There is evidence for the resurrection of Christ

Really? Where?

There is evidence for the resurrection of Christ.

No there isn't.

... unless you have a new definition of the word 'evidence'.

Try Lee Strobel the case for Christ as a start. Very good book. Film too if you don’t want to read. Only if you actually want to though of course.

@TwilightSkies

There is evidence for the resurrection of Christ

Really? Where?

This is interesting.

www.veritas.org/evidence-easter-scientists-list/

[quote Blueeyedgirl21]@Abracadabra12345 why aren’t Christians taught that then? Why are fundamentalist Christians of the belief that women should not work, wear trousers or leave their husband even in times of abuse ? Why are we not taught that Jesus was a feminist and a radical, instead of Christianity being used by people like Donald Trump to promote ‘traditional values’ (which usually means less rights for women)[/quote]
I have no idea why, all I know is that the more you focus on the way Jesus treated women, the more shocking it was. Yes he was a feminist and a radical.

I’m not a fundamentalist and my church isn’t either. It’s shocking and sad that religion has been abused, in fact Jesus often called out the rule-driven religious teachings of the time. Imagine a holy person choosing to hang out with the outsiders as Jesus did - even more shocking then than now. He must have been good company, you wouldn’t want to hang out with someone who sermonised or looked down on you. I’m sorry that all this has been ignored or twisted

The gospels, and therefore the accounts of the resurrection, were written decades after Jesus died, based on oral oral stories that had been circulating (and no doubt changing) for years and which were designed to convert people. The accounts of the resurrection are not contemporary and are not even consistent with each other. We don't even really know who wrote them!

@Abracadabra12345 it is a shame. Imagine if the whole of Christianity was based on that - the world would be so progressive and open minded, instead of ‘liberals’ being slated and called devil worshippers

This is interesting. www.veritas.org/evidence-easter-scientists-list/

I find it hard to believe that was written by a scientist. It's vague, waffly nonsense! His main claims to 'evidence' seem to be based on the carbon dating of 'prophecies'. It's the very definition of clutching at straws.

He’s a professor at St Louis university in Washington.

S. Joshua Swamidass (MD, PhD, UC–Irvine) is a scientist, physician, and associate professor of laboratory and genomic medicine

I didn't mean I don't believe Jushua Swamidass is a scientist. I meant it's hard to believe that something like that was written by someone who is a scientist. It's astonishing, the leaps and convolutions intelligent people will perform in order to square their religion with reality.

I thought this was n interesting point of view. Although I'm no socialist.

socialistworker.org/2011/12/14/jesus-the-revolutionary

@Flipflops85

Try Lee Strobel the case for Christ as a start. Very good book. Film too if you don’t want to read. Only if you actually want to though of course.

Seriously, @Flipflops85? A book which claims to offer objective 'evidence' for the resurrection, by a man famously confused about the difference between internal cohesiveness in the gospels and actual historical fact, and who thinks that evidence that a man called Jesus may have existed and had followers and been executed is the same thing as him definitely being the Son of God and being resurrected -- and where out of all the historians and biblical scholars he could have chosen, every one of the thirteen 'experts' he selected for interview is an evangelical Christian?

You're not exactly doing a lot to bolster the intellectual credentials of Christians.

I dont go to church (although I used to)
I dont believe everything that's in the Bible and disagreed with a lot of the church views (which is why I stopped going)
I too am surprised that although the thread title is "why religion is declining in Britain?" , a lot of posters have perceived that as "explain what's wrong with Christianity in the 21st century and why you dont go to church"

And lots of various reasons. But with all the disdain for "sky fairies" and fairy tales, are you particularly singling out Christianity in this? I dont profess to know much about other religions but from what I remember, the story of Rama and Sita is no more believable that Noahs Ark, or the creation story.
And the Islamic stance on homosexuality is pretty punitive....?
But neither religion is coming in for nearly as much stick..? (Not that im encouraging criticism of any religion)

Because it's a load of bollocks created only to control the masses. In most cases people now realise that and know that they won't be stoned or got to a fiery hell for not believing in it.

That said, a lot of religion, astrology, cults, whatever exist because they prey on the fact that a lot of humans have no faith in themselves so they need something to blame when it all goes tits up. As the government are doing a marvellous job of filling that gap, there isn't so much need for religion, Christianity anyway!

@pluas That’s clearly not my personal interpretation of the book, but I have no issue with it being yours. Your attempt at humiliation and the (hilarious? ) suggestion that I’m just stupid suggests there’s not much else to reply.

Christianity is being singled out because it’s a soft target. If the same kind of derision and insult was levelled at any other religion the deletions on the basis of racism would turn this thread into a colander.

I too am surprised that although the thread title is "why religion is declining in Britain?" , a lot of posters have perceived that as "explain what's wrong with Christianity in the 21st century and why you dont go to church"

Few MN threads stick to the original question imo. Discussions develop. Without a survey of the UK population's reasons for not being religious, we can only really extrapolate from our own reasons, many of which are likely to stem from what we think is wrong or untrue about Christianity and the Christian church in the UK.

And lots of various reasons. But with all the disdain for "sky fairies" and fairy tales, are you particularly singling out Christianity in this? I dont profess to know much about other religions but from what I remember, the story of Rama and Sita is no more believable that Noahs Ark, or the creation story.

Are you really suggesting that the atheists on this thread who are incredulous about people believing in the Christian god are likely to think that Hinduism or Islam are perfectly believable? The reason Christianity is 'singled out' by atheists in the UK is pretty obvious, I'd have thought.

Christianity is being singled out because it’s a soft target.

Christianity is being singled out because we are talking about Britain/the UK. Though there are many people of different religions living in the UK, Christianity is the national religion. I haven't been brought up in a country whose institutions, rites or cultural traditions are based on Islam or Sikhism etc, so why would we single those religions out?

I mean... personally, I find all religions equally unbelievable, though not necessarily equally harmful. The only religion I have any time for is Buddhism, and that's because it isn't really a religion, as it has no deity.