To ask why religion is declining in Britain

[Jackieweaver2024]

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

What do you expect in lockdown? Church services are online and can be accessed all around the clock, so people can exercise when it suits them. Also there are (in normal times) several church services a day, so how do you know those same people won't be going later?

Um, my point was that the argument upthread stating "people don't practice religion because they're too lazy to get out of bed on Sunday" is clearly bollocks since evidently many non-religious people do loads on weekend mornings. (And the post I was replying to had nothing to do with lockdown.)

The reason people don't practise a religious faith is simply because they do not believe, and there's absolutely no reason anyone should practise a religion they do not believe in.

I think you'll find, @Snugglepumpkin, that there have always been selfish, self-centered, entitled people - many of them religious, which makes them hypocritical as well as selfish.

Just to take a couple of examples from your post, do you honestly think that unemployed people and disabled people were treated better in the 'good old days' when more people went to church?

The thing that blows my mind is that believers of religion genuinely believe thei religion they follow is the right one.

How can you look around you, see that there are literally thousands of other religions, some of which predate yours by thousands of years, and then go "nah, this one I just happen to have been born into is definitely the one true religion".

It's so strange how people expect those who attend church to magically be perfect and never commit any sins.

No it’s more that some such people try to act/pretend that they don’t sin whatsoever while telling others how right their religion is and how much better a person they are because of it because in many of their minds they’re somehow better than us non-believers and non-churchgoers because they simply show up, preach the good word, and can quote a few bible verses. Yet, they’re breaking the morals and rules of their religions left and right.

How can you look around you, see that there are literally thousands of other religions, some of which predate yours by thousands of years, and then go "nah, this one I just happen to have been born into is definitely the one true religion".

It is quite possible that they weren't born into that particular religion, but tried a few then decided that this was the one that suited them the best.

Absolutely, @Buccanarab. It's remarkably naïve. The idea that yours is definitely the true one, even though you only follow it because you happen to have been born in a particular country during a particular period, and even though every other religious person throughout the world and throughout history is just as sure as you are that theirs is the one true one! Extraordinary really.

Of course some Christians, in the name of religious tolerance, will say that other religions are just different cultures' interpretations of the same divine entity. But to me that always feels like what they really mean is either 'That's their odd way of worshipping what is really my god' or 'I don't want to think about how the existence of umpteen different religions weakens the likelihood of mine being true, so I'm going to say they are all the same thing really'!

It is quite possible that they weren't born into that particular religion, but tried a few then decided that this was the one that suited them the best.

Some of them maybe, but it would be silly to argue that the reason most religious people in the UK are Christian rather than, for example, followers of Sikhism or Shinto is unrelated to where they were born. It's not that all of them were born into families committedly following that religion, but they were born into a country where it is a or the common one to belong to.

[quote lightand]@rosetylersbiggun
Never forget that we will all have to answer to Jesus, and account for our every thought and action.[/quote]
No, we don't. And your fanatical thinly-veiled threat just proves to others why being a Christian doesn't make someone a good person.

@phoenixrosehere

It's so strange how people expect those who attend church to magically be perfect and never commit any sins.

No it’s more that some such people try to act/pretend that they don’t sin whatsoever while telling others how right their religion is and how much better a person they are because of it because in many of their minds they’re somehow better than us non-believers and non-churchgoers because they simply show up, preach the good word, and can quote a few bible verses. Yet, they’re breaking the morals and rules of their religions left and right.

It may be the case that their faith has made them better people than they were before, but unless you met them before they had their faith you wouldn't know if it was true or not.

I have known people who have broken the moral code of their faith so am not going to say it doesn't happen. I don't really see how it helps to point the finger at them and think we are "better" because we didn't do what they did.

Lol we absolutely don’t think we’re without sin - if anything, surely we’re more likely to judge ourselves. That’s my experience anyway.

I try to be a good person, but I’m human and far from perfect.

I've been doing RS revision with my 12yo today. It really is the most batshit crazy nonsense. I'm more surprised thst anyone still believes (or pretends to) than I am surprised that it's in decline.

There has to be some reason that everything exists, even if it’s pure chance or completely unfathomable. For some people ‘god’ is just a metaphor for all existence.

It's so strange how people expect those who attend church to magically be perfect and never commit any sins.

Not at all.

If anyone genuinely believes that their existence for all eternity is going to governed by judgment on their 4-score years and ten on this planet, then they would be completely nuts to lead anything but the most pious God-fearing life. The fact that most of humanity is screwing around, blaspheming, dishonouring their mother or father or coveting their neighbour’s ox shows how, deep down, how everyone, even the “religious” know it’s all a load of baloney.

Prove that God exists?

I have experienced the supernatural, but I wouldn't expect you to believe anyway. Let's wait until we die and see who's right ;)

And please don't celebrate Christmas if you don't believe in God. It's laughable and you look like a goof.

We don’t believe in God but celebrate Christmas as the party season, family time, presents, good food and drink. It’s the holiday time. Christmas means different things to different people.

It may be the case that their faith has made them better people than they were before, but unless you met them before they had their faith you wouldn't know if it was true or not.

I did meet them and they were worse than what they after finding religion and unfortunately more bigoted.

I have known people who have broken the moral code of their faith so am not going to say it doesn't happen. I don't really see how it helps to point the finger at them and think we are "better" because we didn't do what they did.

Not pointing my finger saying we or I am better, I’m saying some do this and that is what annoys some of us who aren’t religious or believers.

*were before

@Marmunia11975

And please don't celebrate Christmas if you don't believe in God. It's laughable and you look like a goof.

No, it doesn't. It really, really doesn't. Most Christian celebrations trampled all over Celtic festivals/celebrations. As the Christians have done, non Christians are allowed to make celebrations their own. Or is it only Christians that are allowed to do this?

@Marmunia11975

And please don't celebrate Christmas if you don't believe in God. It's laughable and you look like a goof.

Its going from the sublime to the ridiculous on this thread

Absolutely crack on with your own festivals, not sure why you’d be asking permission. How bizarre.

You've misread or misinterpreted my comment, @Flipflops85. Interesting.

If its any help i dont think your post was the bizarre one beseiged 😀

But it is pointing the finger to say Look at that group of people (insert religion of choice) they did this! They did that! They're so bad
(insert smug feeling of choice) Oh look at those religious people, they're such hypocrites (ignores the log and misses the point)

So you don’t think they should be allowed their own festival?