Considering how this (UK) is a christian country...?

Question

...and we can't get through our school years without having religious 'education' and worship rammed down our throats;
...and we blindly believed it because it was taught as though it is fact;
...and the bible is the biggest selling book ever;
...and the rewards of heaven are so wonderful and tempting;
...
...
Why the hell are there so few christians!?
What eventually turns everyone else off?

btw- I'm not at all happy with the description of the uk being a christian country - couldn't we have a vote?

Roger B - I don't need to find god, because unlike you, I am not in a vulnerable state or feeling depressed. And you'd already bored me.

JUSEve - What!? Are you saying we are a religious country, and not a christian one? The government and royalty of this country suggest it is christian. The point I was making was that it is NOT overrun by christians. Thank god.

Azra - ;o) x x x

Answer 1

Freedom of choice is the way of the good book my man.

Personally I turned my back on it BECAUSE it was shoved down my throat. I see hypocrisy in all walks of religion, and chose to stand down from it. I guess part of it is that all my friends' families who are religious (be they christian, jew or whatever) are amongst the least generous, caring people I know.

Answer 2

I'm an atheist/agnostic (depends on my mood :-)

However your statement that (paraphrasing); "we are taught religion as though it were fact" is not true in my experience.

I went to a comprehensive school and during Religious education was taught about every major religion in the world. We probably spent more time on Hinduism and Judaism than on Christianity.

The reason why so many people are "turned off" of becoming religious is because thankfully the very liberal church of England has little to do with the running of government.

Unlike in special private schools (catholic, Jewish, Muslim etc) where science is often taught as an unlikely alternative to the world being created by a fat guy with a beard in seven days, in state schools Science is considered to be "fact" whereas religion is just based in belief and faith.


That's why our country isn't overrun by fundamentalist nutters like in the states.

Answer 3

Interesting question. Here are a few thoughts. I think a lot of people still believe; many still call themselves Christians. If you mean why don't they go to church, maybe it's because there are so many opportunities of other things to do. They would rather read the papers in bed, than make the effort to go. Or there's football on Sunday mornings, DIY to be done etc.

Maybe people don't feel obliged to attend boring services in the way they once felt they should. They no longer want to be preached at. The different denominations of Christian churches are continually bickering, so people don't know who's got the 'Truth'. Every different denomination will tell you that they, and they alone, have got it. At one time, you'd go to your local church, hear a message, and probably accept it. Now, with scientists telling us what appears to contradict the this message, people are turned off. They are educated, taught to think for themselves; there are other things for them to believe in. Personally, I think the Bible and science can be reconciled - there's only Truth after all, not Truth and a bit extra that I might believe in. Many concepts, such as Hell, are plainly absurd to modern people. Good. Hell in the Bible means simply the grave, but it's different churches' interpretations that can't be trusted.

The 'charismatic' churches are seeing an increase in attendance, as are the Roman Catholic ones where there's been an influx of Eastern Europeans.

If you go to a traditional Christian place where the pace of life is slower, such as the Caribbean islands, you will still see whole villages, in their Sunday best, trooping off to church together as families. So maybe you can blame the breakdown of the traditional family too.

But it's not just about church. The Truth needs to be searched out.personally by each of us. Other things get in the way - like TV. There's a selfishness and laziness in society. Perhaps people 'break a rule' - such as committing adultery, feel they've messed up their chances with God, so don't bother any more. It's a shame. Most of us have a yearning for spiritual things. It may be hidden, but it surfaces sometimes, like an itch to be scratched. Then, hopefully, people turn back to what they learned as children & try to find out more.

Search out the Truth for yourself - find a church you like,(that means people, not a building!) get yourself to a Bible study group, and find out what it's all about. Or perhaps there's another path for you; Buddism, for example.

Answer 4

No, I will not flatter you tonight. Tonight I will agree with you for the first time. UK is not a Christian country when looking at it from political aspect. What happened to democracy? Religion should not be imposed as a subject in schools. I think of religion as very private. I have a kid and I will be the one teaching him about our religion, I will not let him be brainwashed by school representation and misconception.

Thak you very much for this question! See? That's why you're my favourite atheist in this forum - ok, i had to say that hehehehe

Answer 5

Because the church has too many boring people like Rowan Williams who wouldn't stand up for a principle if you put a gun to his head (eg the BA cross fiasco) and not enough engaging people like John Setanmu (who's publicly putting forward good ideas about BA, muslims, crime. elderly etc).
I think the church bored everyone into becoming agnostic (including me).
I'm definitely not saying it should be "happy clappy" but if you can sleep through the sermon then the vicar's not doing his job.

Answer 6

i never really believed in christianity because the bible has so many contradictions in it, and the church has a history of corruption, which is totally against what its about, like pope pius XI signing treaties with Mussolini to protect the church's wealth, and not condemning his policies just because socialism would have taken away it's wealth instead of standing up for christian values. hardly the actions of an infallible man who is God's representative on earth

Answer 7

i think of that the united kingdom is a nominally Christian united states in that maximum folk interior the line could state that they've been individuals of the Church of britain or, greater probably in recent times, the Roman Catholic Church on the ability of having been baptised into the two of those church homes as toddlers. particularly few human beings while taking the oath in a court docket of regulation, working example, will decide to be sure particularly than swear on the hot testomony. whether, there is alarming indifference in direction of and lack of information on the subject of the Christian faith and maximum toddlers in recent times at the instant are not receiving any style of religious preparation in or out of faculty. human beings refer vaguely to Christian values with out being waiting to communicate them in any intensity. this occasion isn't a sparkling one. interior the days while John Wesley began his ministry there substitute into additionally a brilliant degree of indifference the two between the clergy and the laity and it took a revival for hearts and minds to alter. All Christian believers interior the united kingdom could be praying earnestly for revival so as that certainly their united states would substitute right into a Christian united states in each experience of the word.

Answer 8

It should be a secular state, preferably a republic. There are to many religiosity's of all denominations, indoctrinating the youth with their fanciful poisoners fear fulled fairy tales.
All good fiction sells well.
There is no heaven.
Education helps break the evil spell of this insidious twaddle.

Answer 9

ita is because it is rammed down our thouats at school thats why people hate it when thay leave school and thats is why we are not brainwashed by the fairy tale the churches think this is a christian country but thay are wrong 90percent never got to church

Answer 10

Why don't you use your own conception of God such as a 'creative intelligence of the universe'if you don't like what other people are preaching? Faith will grow from this point.I only asked for help from a 'higher power' or God after I got too much pain from a life of self will run riot. I got the help but my story is too long to tell here-also I don't want to bore you. :-)