Mar 10 2009
Pagan Perspective: Less Christians in America
According to recent survey findings reported by CNN, there are less people identifying themselves as Christian in America. The findings seem to indicate that more people are falling away from what is called ‘mainstream Christianity,’ though there is an increasing number of evangelicals.
In the article, Lou Dobbs speculates that this is due to individualist feelings stirred and promoted in the last century. While this does make sense, it seems to me as though some people are abandoning traditional Christianity in favor of other paths, whether they are evangelical, non-traditional, or athiest. The article also mentioned that Catholics remained steady in numbers.
I think this is good news. That’s not because I want people to lose their faith, but I do think it’s important that people question and examine faith to determine what is (and is not) best for him or her self.
In a world which allows us to customize just about everything, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that people want their spirituality with a side of 2.0.
What do you think of this shift? Why is it happening?
I like this article, I do think people are leaving behind traditional Christian beliefs. Why you ask, maybe because they are opening the Bible and reading what it actually says. I am a Christian and proud to be one, but no where in the Bible does it say to treat people of other religions badly. For that matter I love to learn about other religions if someone converts to my faith that should be their of their choosing not because I crammed it down their throat.
The Bible is used way to often to justify denying people things that are offensive to some. They use verses out of context to create rules. I have been ridiculed because I don’t believe traditionally but I don’t care that is between me and my God.
I really appreciate your perspective. Thanks for commenting. I think a lot of this blog’s readers have been there, too, and I agree with what you are saying!
I don’t think that people are necessarily trying to remove God from things, rather they are trying to make things fair and just for those who choose not to believe in God, or those who choose to see a deity in a different way (mainstream or not). I think that such fairness is at the core of the Bible if you choose to see it that way, as well as at the core of the Constitution, whether America was founded on Christian principles or not.
Thank you for your perspective!
I’m also a Christian. I found this blog by googling Enya’s music somehow. Many in my faith act shamefully and in ways Jesus did not teach, filled with hate, judgment and the like. Like the first who commented I too love to learn about what others believe. In some ways I find it fascinating that it seems to only strengthen my own faith and yet at the same time I can identify with others who believe differently. I believe at the core we are all human and most of us want the same thing. I do not wish for there to be less Christianity in the country but I do wish for less hypocrisy by those of my faith and beyond. You have a fascinating, well written site here and I thank you for your perspective.
DD, Thanks for your comment. I really appreciate your thoughts and your respectful nature. Best of luck on your spiritual path!
Being an atheist, I have to say that the idea that society at large is moving away from pushing religious beliefs onto others to now trying to keep that from happening is very heartening to me. I am going to school to become an elementary ed teacher, and simple things like leading the Pledge of Allegiance suddenly becomes fraught with problems, especially considering I live in rural America.
Some days I want to just move to Norway or Sweden and call it good.
There, atheists are in the majority, not in the tiny minority, which would surely make it easier on me! LOL!
Hava