RE: The real religion?
July 13, 2016 at 4:45 pm
(This post was last modified: July 13, 2016 at 5:08 pm by SteveII.)
(July 13, 2016 at 4:08 pm)Jörmungandr Wrote:(July 13, 2016 at 12:37 pm)SteveII Wrote: If you are replying to me, I don't remember using numbers. However, my point was that if we use adult conversions as a measure, we see that evangelical protestant Christianity seems to be the most compelling of the "loads of different theistic religions" that Rob observed. If this conversion rate comparison was true for the past 2000 years (which it could be argued that, on average, it was) that indicates that Christianity is more compelling than other religions.
Does compelling = true? No, not necessarily. But I think it is reasonable to conclude that adult conversions should be taken as a "vote" on the truth claims of any religion.
Or it could simply be a reflection of the fact that there are more Christians, period. You're cherry picking Steve. Since Christians aren't increasing in relative numbers you pick one statistic where they arguably have been making gains. I note you've yet to back up that claim with any relevant data. A table of U.S. conversions which shows that most are voting 'no' to affiliation with a religion isn't relevant. If adult conversion rates are high relatively speaking, that can only mean retention numbers are poor relatively speaking, because you aren't making any gains worldwide. And the following graph shows that: high numbers in Africa and Asia, low numbers in Europe.
Christian representation has been keeping par with global birth rates for over a century. That's not a vote of confidence. It's treading water.
You are missing my point. Rob's OP was about comparing religions. That is all I am doing. I think I demonstrated that Christianity is more compelling than other religions. Regarding your chart on religious switching, the only number that matters to my point is the incoming number compared to the incoming number of other religions. Leaving really isn't a factor since they define that as including being born into a religion.