pope apologises for mass childrens graves

[cromwell]

Returning to the OP, I'm not sure of the value of apologising for anything that you had no control over. I know he's apologising on behalf of the Catholic Church, but what did the current Pope have to do with it?
It was like Tony Blair
Tony Blair apologised for the potato famine
Tony Blair had nothing to do with it. It had happened 150 years back.

Pointless words.

Correct,he might have been better apologising for his own misdeeds.

[Barry]

Returning to the OP, I'm not sure of the value of apologising for anything that you had no control over. I know he's apologising on behalf of the Catholic Church, but what did the current Pope have to do with it?
It was like Tony Blair
Tony Blair apologised for the potato famine
Tony Blair had nothing to do with it. It had happened 150 years back.

Pointless words.

[T00ts]

Aye toots , we are going to see what the census reveals on "faith" when the results are released by the end of the year if im not mistaken.

Heres what academics are predicting based on information they have....







Less than half of Britons expected to tick 'Christian' in UK census

Snapshot of Britain will see many reject church as immoral or irrelevant, academics predict

The "post-Christian era" in the UK will be cemented by data emerging from Sunday's census which is expected to show further generational disengagement from organised religion, according to a leading academic.

The once-a-decade snapshot of the country has included a voluntary question about religion since 2001. In 2011, returns across England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland showed 59.3% ticking Christianity, a fall from 71.6% a decade earlier.

Abby Day, professor of race, faith and culture at Goldsmiths, University of London, expects this year's census to show a further erosion in Christian identity, mainly because postwar generations regard the church as irrelevant and immoral.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/20/less-that-half-of-britons-expected-to-tick-christian-in-uk-census
post christian era uk they are saying will continue to see the fall of the church and faith as irrelevant and immoral.

Just out of interest I had a look at what the world consensus is. I tend to think of Christianity in Global rather than local terms and grant that here in some Churches numbers are dropping. Apparently though it is increasing world wide and there are a variety of articles. This one looks like the most recent I could find on a quick look. Perhaps the rest of the world need to teach us something.

https://research.lifeway.com/2022/01/31/7-encouraging-trends-of-global-christianity-in-2022/

[T00ts]

It is all this TV and internet and music on the radio. It is only a few decades ago that if you wanted a bit of sing song and a chance to meet your friends you went to church. John Steinbeck mentions something about that in his book Travels With Charley. He was a liberal sort of bloke, but one Sunday he found himself in a strange town with not much to do so he went to church.

And the priest gave them loads. They were all foul sinners who would burn in hell fire and that and that. And the congregations backs straightened, their eyes sparkled and they belted out the hymns with gusto that Steinbeck had not heard in years. Clearly they thought that sort of thing was worth a few dollars on the plate.

But these days we get that sort of thing on the TV and internet, so why bother with church?

I think you may have hit on the answer. More Gospel on the internet.

[Borchester]

Religion and belief: some surveys and statistics

Numerous surveys indicate that the proportion of individuals who do not hold religious beliefs is steadily increasing and perhaps now represents the majority of the UK's population.

https://humanists.uk/campaigns/religion-and-belief-some-surveys-and-statistics/


Belonging and identifying

See also our page giving more details on the latest findings from the British Social Attitudes Survey
In the UK, the percentage of the population which describes itself as belonging to no religion has risen from 31.4% to 50.6% between 1983 and 2013 according to the British Social Attitudes Survey's 31st report issued in 2014. Conversely, the report found that only 41.7% of people in the UK identify as Christians compared to 49.9% in 2008 and 65.2% in 1983. The Church of England has seen the greatest decline in its numbers; membership has more than halved from 40.3% of the population in 1983 to just 16.3% in 2014.

Among people aged between 18 and 24, the incidence of religious affiliation is only 30.7%. It is only amongst the over 55s that the majority of respondents are religious. But even then, only 47% of English funerals in 2012 were performed by the Church of England, Roman Catholic Church, and Methodist Church, down from 59% in 2005.

A 2014 Survation poll found 60% of the British public describing themselves as not religious at all, compared with a third being somewhat religious and 8% very religious.
A 2014 YouGov poll found that 50% of the population do not 'regard themselves as belonging to any particular religion', compared to 43% who do. It also found that only 3% of the population consider themselves to be 'very religious' and only 20% 'fairly religious', while 37% consider themselves to be 'not very religious' and 40% 'not religious at all'.

It is all this TV and internet and music on the radio. It is only a few decades ago that if you wanted a bit of sing song and a chance to meet your friends you went to church. John Steinbeck mentions something about that in his book Travels With Charley. He was a liberal sort of bloke, but one Sunday he found himself in a strange town with not much to do so he went to church.

And the priest gave them loads. They were all foul sinners who would burn in hell fire and that and that. And the congregations backs straightened, their eyes sparkled and they belted out the hymns with gusto that Steinbeck had not heard in years. Clearly they thought that sort of thing was worth a few dollars on the plate.

But these days we get that sort of thing on the TV and internet, so why bother with church?

[Thomas]

Religion and belief: some surveys and statistics

Numerous surveys indicate that the proportion of individuals who do not hold religious beliefs is steadily increasing and perhaps now represents the majority of the UK's population.

https://humanists.uk/campaigns/religion-and-belief-some-surveys-and-statistics/


Belonging and identifying

See also our page giving more details on the latest findings from the British Social Attitudes Survey
In the UK, the percentage of the population which describes itself as belonging to no religion has risen from 31.4% to 50.6% between 1983 and 2013 according to the British Social Attitudes Survey's 31st report issued in 2014. Conversely, the report found that only 41.7% of people in the UK identify as Christians compared to 49.9% in 2008 and 65.2% in 1983. The Church of England has seen the greatest decline in its numbers; membership has more than halved from 40.3% of the population in 1983 to just 16.3% in 2014.

Among people aged between 18 and 24, the incidence of religious affiliation is only 30.7%. It is only amongst the over 55s that the majority of respondents are religious. But even then, only 47% of English funerals in 2012 were performed by the Church of England, Roman Catholic Church, and Methodist Church, down from 59% in 2005.

A 2014 Survation poll found 60% of the British public describing themselves as not religious at all, compared with a third being somewhat religious and 8% very religious.
A 2014 YouGov poll found that 50% of the population do not 'regard themselves as belonging to any particular religion', compared to 43% who do. It also found that only 3% of the population consider themselves to be 'very religious' and only 20% 'fairly religious', while 37% consider themselves to be 'not very religious' and 40% 'not religious at all'.

[Thomas]

Sorry life got in the way for a bit. What do you base your supposition on? People you talk to, bums on seats in Churches what? I would agree that here many CofE churches are in decline, but that doesn't mean that they have all lost their faith. I talk to people a lot and wherever I go I get the sense even amongst unbelievers that they wish they could have a faith. Perhaps you talk to the wrong people or just believe the media.   Do I have comprehensive numbers? Of course not for all the reasons mentioned above.

Aye toots , we are going to see what the census reveals on "faith" when the results are released by the end of the year if im not mistaken.

Heres what academics are predicting based on information they have....







Less than half of Britons expected to tick 'Christian' in UK census

Snapshot of Britain will see many reject church as immoral or irrelevant, academics predict

The "post-Christian era" in the UK will be cemented by data emerging from Sunday's census which is expected to show further generational disengagement from organised religion, according to a leading academic.

The once-a-decade snapshot of the country has included a voluntary question about religion since 2001. In 2011, returns across England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland showed 59.3% ticking Christianity, a fall from 71.6% a decade earlier.

Abby Day, professor of race, faith and culture at Goldsmiths, University of London, expects this year's census to show a further erosion in Christian identity, mainly because postwar generations regard the church as irrelevant and immoral.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/20/less-that-half-of-britons-expected-to-tick-christian-in-uk-census
post christian era uk they are saying will continue to see the fall of the church and faith as irrelevant and immoral. 

[T00ts]

could you back that up please by providing evidence of this "many who care about faith" or is this merely wishfull thinking on your part?

Sorry life got in the way for a bit. What do you base your supposition on? People you talk to, bums on seats in Churches what? I would agree that here many CofE churches are in decline, but that doesn't mean that they have all lost their faith. I talk to people a lot and wherever I go I get the sense even amongst unbelievers that they wish they could have a faith. Perhaps you talk to the wrong people or just believe the media.   Do I have comprehensive numbers? Of course not for all the reasons mentioned above. 

[Thomas]

I don't know perhaps it isn't bad enough yet. Many care about faith Thomas. You just don't know them.

could you back that up please by providing evidence of this "many who care about faith" or is this merely wishfull thinking on your part?

[T00ts]

Prove you wrong about what? No once cares about religion , not that they want to prove you wrong is my point.

We are experiencing thw worst events in modern history at present , war famine , higesht drop in livng standards. Why arent people turning to your religion or any religion in their droves if what you are saying is correct?

I don't know perhaps it isn't bad enough yet. Many care about faith Thomas. You just don't know them.

[Thomas]

Do you go out of your way to misinterpret what I am saying? I don't know if there is a majority of Christians any more than you do all I said was that it is difficult to confess to a belief since it brings all sorts of challenges from those out to prove us wrong. I think if as is written, things get progressively worse you will find that people will turn to a hope if not a belief that there is someone who will come to their aid. It won't the man in the moon or any politician!

Prove you wrong about what? No once cares about religion , not that they want to prove you wrong is my point.

We are experiencing thw worst events in modern history at present , war famine , higesht drop in livng standards. Why arent people turning to your religion or any religion in their droves if what you are saying is correct?

[T00ts]

oh come now ,this is merely more of the english remainer silent majority syndrome.

Just as the political silent majority never appeared at election time ,the christian silent majority never appear on the church benches.

Could it possibly be , and heres a novel thought toots , that the silent majority doesnt exist?

Do you go out of your way to misinterpret what I am saying? I don't know if there is a majority of Christians any more than you do all I said was that it is difficult to confess to a belief since it brings all sorts of challenges from those out to prove us wrong. I think if as is written, things get progressively worse you will find that people will turn to a hope if not a belief that there is someone who will come to their aid. It won't the man in the moon or any politician!

[Thomas]

I don't blame anyone for keeping their faith fairly quiet, it would certainly be more comfortable.

oh come now ,this is merely more of the english remainer silent majority syndrome.

Just as the political silent majority never appeared at election time ,the christian silent majority never appear on the church benches.

Could it possibly be , and heres a novel thought toots , that the silent majority doesnt exist?

[T00ts]

i think thats wishfull thinking. My dad had a humanist funeral  whenhe passed , my mum a catholic , and from what i have read and saw i nscotland , christianity is dying on its feet .

I think blaming church organisations is merely wishful thinking.

Incidents like the above and what cromwell has mentioned are speeding christianities demise. Eventually christianisty will go the same way as other religions and beliefs before it.

As barry said , i wish former forum member dave uk were posting . Such and articulate and knowledabble person on religion , and its many and varied flaws and its ongoing disintegration.

I don't think I was blaming Church organisations. People are what have faults and they are in every religion. It is difficult in an increasingly secular world to maintain an avowed faith. I don't blame anyone for keeping their faith fairly quiet, it would certainly be more comfortable. It is interesting though that when catastrophes happen it is God's name that tends to be called.
As a rule it is those who have left their faith who shout the loudest so it isn't surprising that it is felt that Christianity is failing. I guess it depends who you mix with.

[Thomas]

I don't think it's necessarily Christianity that dies but belief in certain Church organisations. There are many who still have faith in Jesus Christ even though they no longer feel the need for Church involvement.

i think thats wishfull thinking. My dad had a humanist funeral  whenhe passed , my mum a catholic , and from what i have read and saw i nscotland , christianity is dying on its feet .

I think blaming church organisations is merely wishful thinking.

Incidents like the above and what cromwell has mentioned are speeding christianities demise. Eventually christianisty will go the same way as other religions and beliefs before it.

As barry said , i wish former forum member dave uk were posting . Such and articulate and knowledabble person on religion , and its many and varied flaws and its ongoing disintegration.