To ask how many Christians you know in real life?

[Shutupdad]

In the census it said that now less than half of the UK identify as Christians. I am amazed it’s so high since personally I know a few elderly people and one family who are very born again/evangelical who are Christian in my real life. The vast majority of people I know are agnostic or atheist. I don’t have very strong views on religion. I’m Agnostic but I enjoy going to church on Christmas and Easter. I find there to be something comforting about the services but I can’t really describe myself as a Christian. Maybe I just live in a bubble and there are loads of religious people out there. It seems like only the very enthusiastic evangelical type of church seems to be growing and even then it’s quite small numbers. Aibu to ask if you know any Christians?

Our friends didn't realise we go to regular services until we asked if we could meet a bit later one Sunday. It's not something we advertise.

I know some members of the congregation in other contexts and if I didn't see them would never know otherwise.

I know some people who go to other churches, more modern ones than traditional CoE/ Catholic types and they tend to be more expressive about it than the traditional church goers.
At our church, marriage & baptism bring younger families in, but retention is harder as families get older and more activities such as Sunday league football get in the way. That doesn't mean peoples' underlying values change though.

Plus there'll be the people who still feel sufficiently culturally Christian whether it's for special occasions/ life events or not attending church at all.

It boils down to how you define 'Christian'. I'm sure lots of people would have ticked 'Christian' and by that meant they were christened when in reality being a Christian is a set of beliefs about Jesus, the Bible etc. But then I'm sure that'll have been true of many other faiths...some will have ticked Muslim or Jewish because that's the faith they were born into but they don't necessarily believe the core teachings.

So I think a simple text box on a form doesn't really give us a decent picture of what's going on. In some church denominations, attendance is shrivelling up and in others it's completely booming.

In answer to the OP, I know probably hundreds but then I am a Christian and am currently at theological college.

I'm married to one, actually it's his name. He's atheist having had too much religion forced upon him at school.

Only my white African friends... although my kid goes to C of E school. I wouldn't say I'm practicing and certainly didn't put that on the census!

3 actual church going christians

@ReadtheReviews 😬🤣🤣

Many years ago, when I started going to Church, a lot of people told me I was stupid, that I had joined a cult, and were just really rude. This is the reason why I don't bring it up, unless I'm asked.

Lots, from the ones who keep it quiet and don't evangelise to the ones who think I will burn in some eternal fire for being a Humanist.

I actually find Muslims and Hindus more tolerant than Christians a lot of the time.

Quite a few. Probably more than I know about. Not everyone tells the whole world about their faith - some people I haven't known their faith for years after meeting them, and it has come as a surprise.

What's wrong with being a humanist?

I'm not religious and neither are my family. Neither is dh.

But I do know a few Christian people through friends and through work, as does dh. Some of the families at work are, so know young families up to older adults in their 60s/70s who are Christian, several of the ]m church goers but not all.

It isn't as much as 50% of the people I know though.,

A few, including one who you would have no idea was a regular churchgoer, one who is open about practicing their faith and an absolutely lovely person, and one who seems totally uninterested in helping anybody (including close family) unless it is via their church!

It depends on the interpretation of "christian". Does it mean regular attenders or people who believe but don't go to church.
My MiL claimed to be C of E but never went to church so I suppose she'd have put herself down as Christian,

Nearly everyone I know is a Christian, but then I'm from the African community so perhaps that's why. I also know a good number of white Christians from our local church even in my street there's a couple.

Far too many - going by my Facebook newsfeed!

Reckon it's about 1/3 of the people I know? Most of my wider family (aunts/uncles and cousins) are christian and some pretty committed Catholics. And one of my closer friends is a part time priest (alongside her day job)

My parents are Christian. I can think of one friend who says she and her husband go to church. I may know other Christians and they just don’t mention it of course.

I only know a handful. I know in our village of around 2000 people less than 10% attend church and it's far fewer young people/families.

I think a) the numbers are boosted by urban & migrant populations on the evangelical side b) lots of people routinely tick "christian" for heritage reasons - my mother filled in the census form for her and my dad and will have selected christian almost without thinking, despite not setting foot in a church for over 40 years.

Two neighbours I know fairly well are regular C of E churchgoers. One is quite elderly, the other is probably mid 40s.

I’m not a churchgoer, except for Christmas, weddings, and funerals. I don’t believe (but often wish I did) and described myself as C of E on the census.
If I had a lovely little old church nearby, like a dd does (she doesn’t go) I’d probably go now and then anyway, for the lovely peaceful atmosphere and the hymn singing. Plus there’s a lovely old pub right opposite!

I am a church-going Christian but I don't tell people because people are generally rude and dismissive about my choice. I expect there are many more closet Christians out there because of this.

I don't know any. Having said that I doubt that I would ever have any in my social circle.

Most of the people I know who are regular church goers seem to be nasty, racist and bigoted and seem to believe an hour in church weekly entitles them to do so.

I prefer to shun the word "Christian" instead I try to be a reasonable human being and treat others as I wish to be treated.

Quite a few.
I went to a C of E school, attended Sunday school and was fostered by an amazing Christian family in my teens.

I lived with a lovely Christian family in my 20’s as a lodger too.

I would consider myself spiritual instead of one specific religion though.

5 friends. They are lovely normal people and don't mind me being a 'heathen!'

Loads … but then again I’m a Catholic, go to church, and am a Governor at a Catholic school. We have a lovely young priest (not Fleabagable I’m afraid!)