Church attendance?

[Nial]

There's a running theme in many threads discussing how the country is being 'over-run by muslims'.

 

The results of a survey were published recently (I can't find a link) which showed that 10% of those under 20 in the UK

identified as muslims, yet the population of Christians ageing and reducing.

 

 

Those who are calling for something to be done to defend "Our Christian country", when was the last time you went to church?

 

What do you _really_ know about the message of Christianity?

 

 

Serious question.

 

 

Nial.

 

 

[Aled]

Define myself as Agnostic, but find sitting in a Chapel (not Church i'm afraid) quite theraputic my children attend a Sunday school which they enjoy so i feel obliged to attend occasionally. Would not define myself as a believer but the Christian way of life is one which does have values i think are important. thou shalt not kill, steal etc. Last attended Chapel 2 Sundays ago. Now then how many others are going to answer honestly?

Cheers

Aled

Edited May 23, 2013 by Aled

[walshie]

I'm a non-believer myself, however Britain is a Christian country. Our Queen is Defender of the Faith.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but for these muslims to come here and try to impose thier beliefs on us, when we can't even build a church in their countries is a joke.

[keg]

I am a practising Christian of catholic birth and upbringing. Now worship at C of E church in the village. Same god....

[flynny]

 

Define myself as Agnostic, but find sitting in a Chapel (not Church i'm afraid) quite thereputic my children attend a Sunday school which they enjoy so i feel obliged to attend occasionally. Would not define myself as a believer but the Christian way of life is one which does have values i think are important. thou shalt not kill, steal etc. Last attended Chapel 2 Sundays ago. Now then how many others are going to answer honestly?

Cheers

Aled

Same as you mate, I'm not a beleiver but the wife is. My kids attend Sunday school and will be going to a C of E Shool, they seem to offer a sound education and ethics and morals to boot. I go about once a month coz the boss makes me and the kids ask me to go with them,

 

Atb

 

Flynny

[ayrshiretaxidermy]

I'll keep it short, there is no god. It's the biggest con/scam in history.

[yates]

I don't think we are a Christian country anymore. Most people only have the religion they were given at birth by their parents. Most do not attend church services or lead a Christian way of life. Look at the way that the media mocks church clergy these days to see how little respect they are given. Times have changed.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Churches are ONLY useful as landmarks when giving directions!

[ozzy518]

Totally refuse to enter any church. Had a real bad experience last time I went In one. Came out to find I'd got married!!

[Penelope]

 

There are no gods.

 

I'll keep it short, there is no god. It's the biggest con/scam in history.

[camokid]

biggest lie ever created ... its a big joke how can you take anything serious when they have been found guilty of crimes such as rape and money fraud .. wrong beliefs can twits heads just as that poor solder just found out... he died over what ?? no church for me thanks and out of all the people i no personally 1 goes to church it will be a thing of the past ..

 

each to there own my view ....

[Vipa]

 

There's a running theme in many threads discussing how the country is being 'over-run by muslims'.

 

The results of a survey were published recently (I can't find a link) which showed that 10% of those under 20 in the UK

identified as muslims, yet the population of Christians ageing and reducing.

 

 

Those who are calling for something to be done to defend "Our Christian country", when was the last time you went to church?

 

What do you _really_ know about the message of Christianity?

 

 

Serious question.

 

 

Nial.

 

 

 

There's a running theme in many threads discussing how the country is being 'over-run by muslims'.

 

The results of a survey were published recently (I can't find a link) which showed that 10% of those under 20 in the UK

identified as muslims, yet the population of Christians ageing and reducing.

 

 

Those who are calling for something to be done to defend "Our Christian country", when was the last time you went to church?

 

What do you _really_ know about the message of Christianity?

 

 

Serious question.

 

 

Nial.

 

 

One does not have to be a practicing Christian to follow a Christian set of rules and lifestyle.. We all do that on a daily basis possibly without realising.

 

Our laws, morals, social rules and norms, in fact the set of parameters that define how way we lead our lives are almost all derived or can be traced back to early Christianity and the bible..

 

So... Atheist, agnostic, devout believer... it matters not... we live a Christian lifestyle and that is the important point... it is irrelevant whether we have stepped into a church in the past. I do not believe in God per se but I would still class my self as Christian just as I would class myself as British.

[TaxiDriver]

ALL & ANY religion is the source of all EVIL in the World.

religion is often a crutch for the emotionally weak/vulnerable

 

If a god is so great and good, how can he/she/it justify all the misery, termoil and ills that are inflicted on the world, for example on innocent babies born with physical or mental handicaps

Or, a fella I know who has always lived a god fearing christian life, attended church several times weekly, run bible studies classes, sunday school, youth outreach programmes etc etc, then get struck down by a stroke and reduced to a vegetative state ? And his family STILL going to church and giving thanks for his life and the fact he's alive not dead It's utter MADNESS

[welsh1]

I am an atheist,but I admire the strength of some people's faith,my wife believes,and we don't talk religion in our house,we both understand each others views and accept them.

 

But I cannot believe that people accept teachings that are so flawed spouted by people who have shown themselves flawed,and a Catholic Church that has enough money to substantially help the third world,but instead preaches that safe sex is wrong while sitting in their palace.

 

I enter a church for births ,deaths and marriages,my wife always tells me to steer clear of the font of holy water as a drop could be lethal to me.

[al4x]

One does not have to be a practicing Christian to follow a Christian set of rules and lifestyle.. We all do that on a daily basis possibly without realising.

 

Our laws, morals, social rules and norms, in fact the set of parameters that define how way we lead our lives are almost all derived or can be traced back to early Christianity and the bible..

 

So... Atheist, agnostic, devout believer... it matters not... we live a Christian lifestyle and that is the important point... it is irrelevant whether we have stepped into a church in the past. I do not believe in God per se but I would still class my self as Christian just as I would class myself as British.

 

this is about it, I go occasionally at Christmas and family events but its more a way of living your life and it could be said the lack of living by those rules is at the source of a lot of the problems in the UK population today.

[flynny]

One does not have to be a practicing Christian to follow a Christian set of rules and lifestyle.. We all do that on a daily basis possibly without realising.

 

 

 

Our laws, morals, social rules and norms, in fact the set of parameters that define how way we lead our lives are almost all derived or can be traced back to early Christianity and the bible..

 

 

 

So... Atheist, agnostic, devout believer... it matters not... we live a Christian lifestyle and that is the important point... it is irrelevant whether we have stepped into a church in the past. I do not believe in God per se but I would still class my self as Christian just as I would class myself as British.

 

 

 

 

Bang on Vipa, Excellent post,

 

ATB

 

Flynny

[overandunder2012]

weddings and funerals when required

[keg]

Agree with the last 3 posts. Best mate only goes in for weddings, funerals and christenings but still follows a very Christian life. As for Prawn again Christian.. See below.

Far away in the tropical waters of the Caribbean, two prawns were swimming around in the sea - one called Justin and the other called Christian.

The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that inhabited the area. Finally one day Justin said to Christian, "I'm fed up with being a prawn, I wish I was a shark, then I wouldn't have any worries about being eaten."

A large mysterious cod appeared and said, "Your wish is granted" and lo and behold, Justin turned into a shark.

Horrified, Christian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.

Time passed (as it invariably does) and Justin found life as a shark boring and lonely. All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them. Justin didn't realize that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight.

While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again and he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back into a prawn.

He approached the cod and begged to be changed back, and, lo and behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn.

With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes Justin swam back to his friends and bought them all a cocktail. (Editor's note: The punch line does not involve a prawn cocktail - it's much worse).

Looking around the gathering at the reef he realized he couldn't see his old pal.

"Where's Christian?" he asked.

"He's at home, still distraught that his best friend changed sides to the enemy & became a shark", came the reply.

Eager to put things right again and end the mutual pain and torture, he set off to Christian's abode. As he opened the coral gate memories came flooding back. He banged on the door and shouted,"It's me, Justin, your old friend, come out and see me again."

Christian replied, "No way man, you'll eat me. You're now a shark, the enemy, and I'll not be tricked into being your dinner."

Justin cried back "No, I'm not. That was the old me. I've changed."

"I've found Cod. I'm a Prawn again, Christian!"

[Nial]

Vipa,

 

Fiar enough but this doesn't stand up to much scrutiny.

 

I do not believe in God per se but I would still class my self as Christian just as I would class myself as British.

 

I understand what everyone's saying about living in a country with Christian based traditions and laws, I was just wondering how to best

counteract the 'hordes of Muslims' panic.

 

 

Nial.

[al4x]

I don't think you will Nial the element that want to blame muslims for everything wrong in the uk at the moment will carry on doing so, yesterdays events will be taken out on all muslims be they extremist or not as we can see happening already.

[Vipa]

Vipa,

 

Fiar enough but this doesn't stand up to much scrutiny.

 

 

I understand what everyone's saying about living in a country with Christian based traditions and laws, I was just wondering how to best

counteract the 'hordes of Muslims' panic.

 

 

Nial.

 

Why?

[Penelope]

IMO they can be traced back to our furthest ancestors and to our closet living relective, the chimpanzee and pre-date any form of organised religion..

 

These 'moral' codes are what allowed primates (and many other species) to live in complex social groups.

 

One does not have to be a practicing Christian to follow a Christian set of rules and lifestyle.. We all do that on a daily basis possibly without realising.

 

Our laws, morals, social rules and norms, in fact the set of parameters that define how way we lead our lives are almost all derived or can be traced back to early Christianity and the bible..

 

So... Atheist, agnostic, devout believer... it matters not... we live a Christian lifestyle and that is the important point... it is irrelevant whether we have stepped into a church in the past. I do not believe in God per se but I would still class my self as Christian just as I would class myself as British.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Penelope

[Vipa]

IMO the can be traced back to our furthest ancestors and to our closet living relective, the chimpanzee and pre-date any form of organised religion..

 

These 'moral' codes are what allowed primates (and many other species) to live in complex social groups.

 

 

I'm pretty sure Chimps do not have written laws derived from the 'teachings' of the bible! you are talking of instinctive moral behaviour and yes, at that level, you are right.. quite a few primates show quite complex social structures and behaviours.

 

The catholic church (where all modern Christian sects began) effectively produced a rule book and a guide as to how one should live one's life... that rule book was called the bible. Most of western society can trace its moral and legal code back to that in one way or another and as I said, it matters not whether you believe, the bulk of moral code and rules are those that most of us live by on a daily basis and that our most complex laws have as their basis.

[Katzenjammer]

Those so called "Christian" rules by which we supposedly live existed long before the Christians appeared on the scene. The Christians borrowed much from the Jewish faith as did the Muslims. Those "Christian" rules and values also existed in many other religions and societies around the globe and most likely came into being to ensure some law and order in societies to avoid anarchy and chaos.

 

One thing that can be said in favour of the Christian faith is that it is theoretically a more "turn the other cheek" religion than some of its near relatives albeit that it and its believers have not always acted like that over the centuries.

 

I reject the three main religions that grew in the middle east as totally alien to our Celtic culture. It is right though that attendance at Christian places of worship has fallen over the past decades and indeed over the past centuries. I put this down to a more reasoned civilised line of thought amongst better educated individuals rather than blind faith or forced mass worship/church attendance by some priest/rabbi/iman who uses threats or the mob to chivvy communities to bend the knee.

[Penelope]

No, you are right, they don't but those 'values' had to evolve from somewhere, and the ability to live in social groups without constant turmoil is where.

 

 

I'm pretty sure Chimps do not have written laws derived from the 'teachings' of the bible! you are talking of instinctive moral behaviour and yes, at that level, you are right.. quite a few primates show quite complex social structures and behaviours.

 

The catholic church (where all modern Christian sects began) effectively produced a rule book and a guide as to how one should live one's life... that rule book was called the bible. Most of western society can trace its moral and legal code back to that in one way or another and as I said, it matters not whether you believe, the bulk of moral code and rules are those that most of us live by on a daily basis and that our most complex laws have as their basis.