Churches losing membership four times faster than they are gaining it

[JuliaL]

Big time. After doing no research I firmly conclude the Internet is a massive factor. Being able to check stuff you are told instantly makes it so much harder to insulate children from reality and scientific knoweldge.

I fully concur and second this personal lack of research.
Strange and totally unsupported assertions can only flourish in isolation. When forced to compete with assertions backed up by evidence, reasoned models that coalesce into theory, reproducibility and borne out predictions, religion cannot maintain. The regression to a primitive, coercive approach is more prevalent today because the passive system of isolation and indoctrination is eroded by modern communication and accumulating evidence. Religions don't care about truth, they 'care' about propagating themselves. 'Care' is in scare quotes because, as non-self aware entities, religions don't actually care about anything. But it is those religions that propagate and expand best that are most available for observation and so have the appearance of intention.