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Why do Christians become Christians?
#54
RE: Why do Christians become Christians?
(May 6, 2016 at 12:25 pm)SteveII Wrote:
(May 6, 2016 at 11:40 am)Mister Agenda Wrote:


I am not trying to prove anything. I am defending the OP observation that adult (I am now clarifying) conversion to Christianity is based on what I wrote about Jesus and not 1) biological and social evolution and 2) cultural influence.

Missionary conversion success illustrates that there must be something about the message that resonates with the person rather than 1) and 2) above.

Well, here is a 2015 Pew study about religions in America - Pew Studies are pretty dependable.  http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanin...study.html

[Image: bba585b5e5841afdc51f2966e5e7bdd0.jpg]

Evangelical numbers have held pretty steady in America, and Evangelicals are the only groups that have "gained more than they have lost".  
"Over the past seven years, evangelicals lost almost 8.5 percent of adherents and gained almost 10 percent for a net gain of 1.5 percent since 2007."

Of course, this doesn't talk about WHY adults would join a church.  It would be easy to propose that the "feel-good, warm and fuzzy, god will take care of you and bless you" messages coming from the Joel Osteens' and Megachurches might be appealing to some.  
    I don't see how you can dismiss "1) biological and social evolution and 2) cultural influence."  I have friends who adore their "Megachurch family" and all of the social activities it provides.  They never mention Jesus.  I could name 3 that have told me that they believe the Bible is a bunch of motivational fables.
    I'm sure there are some adults who hear the story of Jesus dying for their sins, don't question it, and fall down sobbing on the altar.  I can't figure out why they would, but there are all types of people in the world.

And that "missionary success" bit has a lot more to do with feeding starving people while forcing them to listen to fairy tales, and then the children start believing those fairy tales - that's how it works.  Again, economic hardship, lack of education, and doing whatever it takes to survive.  And sure, some will grab onto that promise of heaven - the ultimate con.
"The family that prays together...is brainwashing their children."- Albert Einstein
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Messages In This Thread
Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 5, 2016 at 6:05 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 5, 2016 at 6:12 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 10:19 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 6, 2016 at 10:30 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 11:15 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 11:39 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 12:30 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Chad32 - May 5, 2016 at 6:31 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Athene - May 5, 2016 at 7:25 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by dyresand - May 5, 2016 at 10:21 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Silver - May 5, 2016 at 11:22 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 10:13 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 11:17 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 11:38 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by dyresand - May 6, 2016 at 11:47 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 10:35 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 12:25 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by drfuzzy - May 6, 2016 at 1:43 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 10:11 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by dyresand - May 6, 2016 at 10:18 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 6, 2016 at 11:23 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 6, 2016 at 11:42 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by drfuzzy - May 6, 2016 at 11:53 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Aroura - May 6, 2016 at 11:59 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by SteveII - May 6, 2016 at 12:35 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Aroura - May 6, 2016 at 1:27 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by brewer - May 6, 2016 at 4:48 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 14, 2016 at 11:33 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 16, 2016 at 3:58 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Angrboda - May 9, 2016 at 11:49 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by drfuzzy - May 10, 2016 at 1:40 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 8, 2016 at 11:26 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Brian37 - May 9, 2016 at 10:33 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 10, 2016 at 8:10 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 16, 2016 at 5:54 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 14, 2016 at 10:50 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by abaris - May 14, 2016 at 11:03 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Polaris - May 16, 2016 at 9:18 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 17, 2016 at 4:00 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Brian37 - May 18, 2016 at 12:50 pm
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 19, 2016 at 7:11 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by Silver - May 20, 2016 at 2:46 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 20, 2016 at 2:51 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by robvalue - May 20, 2016 at 4:03 am
RE: Why do Christians become Christians? - by drfuzzy - May 20, 2016 at 8:43 pm

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