Does anybody have any ideas about the future of Christianity in the US?

The last survey I saw from Pew Forum showed that all denominations were shrinking except for Pentecostal and Catholic, and young people are more likely to identify as a "none".

I have wondered if the decrease of Christianity in Europe might give clues about the future in the US. Of course the internet didn't exist when this happened in Europe.

Maybe Christians will gravitate towards neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and universities that are majority Christian? Maybe Christians will flock to churches that immerse them in activities, services, etc.?

The worst elements of Evangelical American Christianity are being shunted out and exported to Africa already. I do remain more optimistic than some though, that with the vast availability of information on the internet, successive generations will continue to get more educated and will come to view religion as a relic of their parents' and grandparents' generation.

(December 2, 2014 at 4:27 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote: The worst elements of Evangelical American Christianity are being shunted out and exported to Africa already. I do remain more optimistic than some though, that with the vast availability of information on the internet, successive generations will continue to get more educated and will come to view religion as a relic of their parents' and grandparents' generation.

If they're lucky, they will grow up in an environment where they don't have to give a shit. But going by what has been swept into Washington by the last election results, there's a very strong opposition of stupid. And they're pushing hard for ignorance.

(December 2, 2014 at 4:40 pm)abaris Wrote:

(December 2, 2014 at 4:27 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote: The worst elements of Evangelical American Christianity are being shunted out and exported to Africa already. I do remain more optimistic than some though, that with the vast availability of information on the internet, successive generations will continue to get more educated and will come to view religion as a relic of their parents' and grandparents' generation.

If they're lucky, they will grow up in an environment where they don't have to give a shit. But going by what has been swept into Washington by the last election results, there's a very strong opposition of stupid. And they're pushing hard for ignorance.

Ehh, the GOP in the last half-century has been trying their best to inculcate those ideas with each successive generation, but the data are against them. Religiosity is declining, acceptance of evolution is increasing (a pittance, I know, but it's a start for us Americans), the availability of information in mass communications is something that the GOP can't (for now at least) get their hands around.

The 1950s baby-booming white picket fence non-interracial marriage AIDS-denying climate-change "skeptics" that consitute the bulk of the current GOP might seem to be "in charge" at the moment, but as more of the younger generations reach the age of governance I still think those kind of archaic ideas will decay and die (like the opposition to gay-marriage in recent years, which is a pretty stunning progress compared to where it stood two decades ago).

Still optimistic here!

(December 2, 2014 at 4:24 pm)watchamadoodle Wrote: Does anybody have any ideas about the future of Christianity in the US?

Its influence will wane very slowly, IMO. They still have political clout and there are large parts of the country where Christianity is quite deeply entrenched. The appearance of "libertarians" could signal a change, as it seems to me that most people who identify as libertarian in the US are really just conservatives who reject most of the faith-based portions of the GOP platform (which doesn't leave much aside from economic policy and gung-ho patriotism, when you think about it).

When atheists become the majority the following things will be done.

1. Christmas will be banned
2. The bible will be banned and churches publicly burned to the ground
3. Everyone who is religious will be required to wear identifying tags
4. FEMA death camps

Oh wait, I'm quoting Faux Noise again.

(December 2, 2014 at 5:17 pm)Beccs Wrote: 2. The bible will be banned and churches publicly burned to the ground

As far as I am concerned, they can burn these ugly mega churches as quick as they like. But leave the old Cathedrals alone. They're beautiful and witnesses to human ingenuity.

And leave the bible alone too, since it's still of use to historians.

(December 2, 2014 at 5:19 pm)abaris Wrote:

(December 2, 2014 at 5:17 pm)Beccs Wrote: 2. The bible will be banned and churches publicly burned to the ground

As far as I am concerned, they can burn these ugly mega churches as quick as they like. But leave the old Cathedrals alone. They're beautiful and witnesses to human ingenuity.

And leave the bible alone too, since it's still of use to historians.

I agree. I love some of the architecture of the big cathedrals.

And I am completely against the burning/destruction of any books, no matter how much the message offends me. In my home office I have a bible and a Koran.

(December 2, 2014 at 5:23 pm)Beccs Wrote: And I am completely against the burning/destruction of any books, no matter how much the message offends me. In my home office I have a bible and a Koran.

I know what you mean. I have a copy of the script of 2004's Catwoman with Halle Berry.

It will decline slowly as it is in Europe.