Tag Archives: atheism

Secularism Rising

My Protestant readers ought to find this interesting.

Protestant Majority Disappearing in U.S.

“The increasing secularization of American society has taken a particular toll on Protestant identity, presenting the prospect that after more than 200 years of history, the United States may soon no longer be a majority Protestant country, according to a new study by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago.”

“The percentage of the population that is Protestant has been falling and will likely fall below 50 percent by mid-decade and may be there already, the research reported.”

Catholic numbers steady despite rising unbelief in USA

“A survey in the United States has found that Protestant Churches have been losing numbers at an alarming rate due to an upsurge in those identifying themselves as having no specific religion, while the effect on the Catholic Church has been cushioned by the large number of Catholics among immigrants.”

“While still outnumbering Catholics roughly two to one, Protestant numbers fell from 63% in 1993 to 52% in 2002, and will drop below half in the next year or two.”

“The survey found those who said they were Catholic in 2002 remained fairly steady at about 25% of the population.”

Bad PR, Bad Homiletics

I wonder what theomorph would think about this piece. Thanks to the evangelical outpost for finding this gem.

How we sound to those who don’t believe
Posted by Michael Spencer on June 16, 2004 07:31 PM

Today I listened to the preacher in chapel. Really, really closely for a change.

It probably wasn’t a good idea. See, God is giving me a gift. I’m starting to hear sermons like non-Christians hear them. I’m starting to feel what they feel, and it’s disconcerting.

It’s scarey. Some of my Christian friends won’t like this, but that may be a good sign.

Interesting Atheist

My first brush with this atheist blogger has been a pleasant one. It’ll be interesting
to discover how I feel as I read more posts.

“Thought-Provoking
Criticism”

Woke up this morning and discovered that I have been linked by a Christian blog.
Of course, I am honored. It’s all part of my insidious plan, you know–get Christians
reading my blog as an attempt to enhance the dialogue between the religious and
the irreligious, and maybe everybody will finally admit that we have much more to
gain from embracing our shared humanity than from playing metaphysical war games
with each other.

Calling all Fiskers

This is a long, intelligent, well-written, logical, and rather wrong piece about the Communion controversy written by an atheist. If it were just just laughable pretzel logic, I probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Since is so skillfully written, it ought to be refuted with at least as much skill. Even if I had the time, I wouldn’t present myself as equal to the task. So I’m putting a call out for one or more persons to step up to the soap box. This article screaming for a good fisking.

The Communion Question
[link fixed 06/21/04 – Funky Dung]
Posted by John Holbo

I’ll assume you are an educated person who’s already read Josh Marshall’s post about – what to call it? Bush’s Al-Sadrist gambit: locked in a death-struggle with the forces of democratic reconstruction in your country? See if you can get zealous souls to lay down suppressing fire from the holy places. If you succeed, fine. If the holy places end up getting shelled when the targets lose patience, you cry religious persecution (even if it was pure self-defense) and make hay out of that. It’s win-win.

Offended By a Name?

I think it’s ridiculous when PETA tries to get street and town names changed, but at least they don’t bring constitutional law into it. I hope nobody is anal retentive enough to insist on name changes for cities with religious connections to their names. The number of names to be changed boggles the mind. They go well beyond "San" this and "Santa" that. What would happen to Bethlehem, PA, for instance?

L.A.’s name too divine?
‘Angels’ reference may mean trouble
By Troy Anderson, Staff Writer

"No L.A.? It’s no joke. A strong legal argument can be made that the name of the city of Los Angeles — even worse its formal name, "The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little Portion" — violates the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state."

Los Angeles name too godly for U.S.?
Some constitutional experts think reference to ‘angels’ spells trouble

The city of Los Angeles may have to change its name.