(June 14, 2014 at 8:12 pm)ShaMan Wrote: Except that they're all Baptists now 
Actually - the Baptist population in the Usa peaked iin 2007 and has dropped as a percentage of the total US population every year since then - and baptisms are dropping about 5% a year.
And it is NOT only dropping but it is AGING as well - and fewer young people come in to replace the OLD who die off.
The SOUTHERN BAPTIST research arm LifeWay Research released the following projections at the convention’s annual meeting in Kentucky: it said its numbers would fall nearly 50 percent by 2050 “unless the aging and predominantly white denomination reverses a 50-year trend and does more to strengthen evangelism, reach immigrants, and develop a broader ethnic base.”
“Using U.S. Census projected population figures, SBC membership could fall from a peak of 6 percent of the American population in the late 1980s to 2 percent in 2050,” said LifeWay director Ed Stetzer.
The Pew Research group reports that about 28% of the adults in the USA have left the religion they were brought up in - and most of them become unafiliated with religion.
And of course - the Study that says that religion is going extinct in 9 Western countries -
THe question that leaves for those that do not believe is - What to do with all the empty churches! (Bring Back Bowling?)
(June 15, 2014 at 12:17 am)Wyrd of Gawd Wrote: (June 14, 2014 at 9:15 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: The demographics of religious belief are heartening. The inverse proportion between age and faith is telling.
Catholic attendance should increase because of the influx of illegal aliens. And muslim numbers will increase once the Middle East refugees get their plane tickets.
Actually - the illegals are already the reason why the numbers are not worse. However - the influx has already topped out - and lots are leaving because there is no work for them.
As far as the Muslims - divorce rates skyrocket when they come to the usa - since the Woman have the same rights as men here.
Neither of these are enough to dent the decline in religion in the USA - and it is even worse for religion in European countries, Canada - and Australia.
