See.. im not on my own.

[tommy.irene]

Godless UK: A quarter of Britons have no religion with Christians increasingly likely to be retired people
One in four people in Britain no longer believes in any religionFigure rises to more than a third of under 25s2011 census shows number of Christians fell by 4.1million

One in four people no longer believes in any religion, official analysis of national census returns found yesterday.

It revealed Christianity is in decline and Christians are increasingly likely to be older or retired people.

Many young people, young men in particular, appear to be rejecting religious belief altogether. Nearly one in three under-25s – 32 per cent – say they do not have a religion.

Dwindling: The number of Christians in Britain has fallen by 4.1million in the past decade

The rise of atheism has gathered pace in the decade since 2001, the census showed, a period when churches found themselves under pressure from equality laws and secular groups.

At the same time the UK’s second-biggest religion, Islam, frequently found itself on the defensive because of the actions of extremist groups.

The 2011 census showed the number of Christians fell by 4.1million to 33.2million. Of these, only a third attend church outside of weddings, baptisms or funerals.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325838/Godless-UK-A-quarter-Britons-religion-Christians-inc...

[malacandran]

Could the blame be worshipping barbarous desert superstitions?

[ronnybabes]

That's a very good way of putting it.  😉

[tommy.irene]

[Reuters) - Atheists should be seen as good people if they do good, Pope Francis said on Wednesday in his latest urging that people of all religions - or no religion - work together.

The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics made his comments in the homily of his morning Mass in his residence, a daily event where he speaks without prepared comments.

He told the story of a Catholic who asked a priest if even atheists had been redeemed by Jesus.

"Even them, everyone," the pope answered, according to Vatican Radio. "We all have the duty to do good," he said.

"Just do good and we'll find a meeting point," the pope said in a hypothetical conversation in which someone told a priest: "But I don't believe. I'm an atheist."

Francis's reaching out to atheists and people who belong to no religion is a marked contrast to the attitude of former Pope Benedict, who sometimes left non-Catholics feeling that he saw them as second-class believers.

[subseatree]

Society has changed in many ways even over my nearly three score years.  Has it changed for the better ... I'm not so sure.

Christianity gave a decent basic set of morals which were used as a basis for our thoughts and deeds.  What has that been replaced with?  Mostly other dogmas, usual trivial dogmas, generated by the advertisers to sell produce to a public who lead quite often very shallow lives.

It's fine being an atheist, but I hope you find some depth to existence and can connect with the holy or spiritual life around you in other ways.

[right-then-petal]

[fallen-archie]

Religion can be a crutch or a curse depending upon ones interpretation. Many find solace and comfort in it whereas others se it as absolute and worthy of killing for. It upsets me to see Christmas hi jacked by commercialisation with kids clambering to get the latest toy or phone instead of celebrating the nativity. What could be more inspiring than a good carol service In your local church? Followed by a few pints down at what was once your local? These days most of our youngsters practice materialism which is a shame because I know which I prefer!

[kh-enas]

Hi everyone,

Locking thread as it is an old one bumped without any posts for more than 4 years. If you wish to discuss this topic further please create a new thread. 

Cheers 

Enas 

Community Moderator