Is the new pope going to bulster the ranks of atheists?

Question

He seems pretty keen on winding the clock back to the middle ages.

Will this trigger many catholics to question their faith?

If so, how many will lose all faith in god concepts and how many will swing toward evangelical churches?

Answer 1

Yes. Interestingly, atheism rises when people become frustrated with religious establishments (not after scientific discoveries)...

Answer 2

He came here in Brazil a couple of months ago. And i didn't see anything but the ranks of the catholic churches being bolstered. He came as a marketing strategy exactly to prevent this swinging from catholicism to the evangelical churches (In Brazil, a very catholic country, the growth rate of evangelical churches in the last few years is really really big).

And aparently, here at least the Pope's strategy has been working, people seem to like him in spite of him being a completly non-charismatic figure. And sise he came there has been a slight boost to catholics here in Brazil.

I have nothing against catholics, went to catholic church for a while, but that Pope ius even worst thanthe last one...

Paz de Cristo

Answer 3

Hello,

Short of starting the Inquisition again I think many Catholics will stick around and do their thing as usual. I doubt this pope will have a long tenure like John Paul since he is in his 80's and not starting in his late 50's . Difficult as the Church of Rome can be, some of the evangelical churches are even worse in many of their attitudes, philosophies and pissing people off even going back to the middle ages in science theory etc.

Michael

Answer 4

No matter how the Pope offends me, I will NEVER become an evangelical Christian because I disagree with so many of their teachings and practices. I also will not become an atheist because I have had too many spiritual experiences to not believe in a higher power. The Pope is not God.
If I decide to leave the Catholic church, I most likely will become Episcopalian.

Answer 5

Any sane Catholics, who up until now believed the Pope to speak for god, must clearly now question that belief.

But imagine the shock they're in for. Catholics aren't as moderate as the rest. They don't believe in a "higher power" or some vague description of a godlike intelligence. They believe in the god of the bible, and all the ceremony that surrounds him.

For them to question such a faith, is going to force them to go straight to the heart of the matter. I doubt they'll be able to "water down" the Catholic faith. They'll either follow the pope, or finally say "$%#^ it... I can't fake this anymore. Atheism... here I come"

Answer 6

I suspect that he will do exactly what you have been suggesting. This Latin mass thing is the exact opposite of what the church needs. I believe it will turn people off at a time when church attendance is declining. I mean, who will sit through the service when they cannot understand a word of it???

As for other policies, he is just continuing the policies of regression of rights of John Paul II. Paul 6th before them made the church very progressive, and the catholic church has ALWAYS been against change. Didn't JPII just apologize for the INQUISITION a few years ago???

Answer 7

Bolster the ranks of Atheists?
No, but he's working real hard to polarize Catholics and Protestants.
As a result, both Catholics and Protestants will be re-affirmed in their respective faiths.

Answer 8

I think his actions will hurt the Catholic church, from an attendance perspective.

At least in the civilized world. The 3rd world countries will continue to plod on in mystery and awe, but Catholics in Europe, the US and Aus will be turned off by his, pre-Vatican 2 belief system.

Imagine a non Catholic walking into church and hearing a mass in Latin, the few new converts they get now will dwindle down to nothing.

Answer 9

I doubt his statement are going to send the masses running into the Catholic churches but I also doubt that it will be as dramatic as to make a significant amount of existing Catholics question their faith, either.

Answer 10

My whole family is Catholic. None of them are questioning their faith. They've ignored what the Pope said yesterday. Their religion doesn't depend on the Pope.

Answer 11

We have ranks. I never joined anything.

It's their faith, and I don't see all of this as a zero sum game. People cling to faith for many reasons. Some need it. I don't see each loss of faith as a victory for reason, as many non-Christians are just or more irrational than Christians.