The population hasn't fallen. The figures have already been released showing growth in every region.
Poll: Should Britain drop the "Christian Country" moniker?
- Thread starter Ice Tea
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The population hasn't fallen. The figures have already been released showing growth in every region.
Soldato
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Yup my bad, saw and plucked the wrong figure whilst looking at Census data
Soldato
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Census 2001 and 2011
| 2011 | 2001 | |||
| Christian | 711110 | 62.8% | 789609 | 74.6% |
| Buddhist | 6019 | 0.5% | 3362 | 0.3% |
| Hindu | 15018 | 1.3% | 7458 | 0.7% |
| Muslim | 24378 | 2.2% | 14190 | 1.3% |
| Jewish | 3055 | 0.3% | 3229 | 0.3% |
| Sikh | 3783 | 0.3% | 1967 | 0.2% |
| Other religion | 4137 | 0.4% | 3281 | 0.3% |
| No religion | 280814 | 24.8% | 161074 | 15.2% |
| Religion not stated | 84076 | 7.4% | 74845 | 7.1% |
I expect it to fall below 50% and No Religion to jump to around 35%. Shame they don't ask the practicing question. I fully expect in my lifetime (maybe another 3 census) for No Religion to be the majority and well over 50%. Finally we are leaving sky fairy myths where they belong, in history.
Yet everytime there is a massive disaster they're away praying in church and believing in God again. Once life is back to normal it's back to poo-hoo'ing it.
Soldato
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i am completely ambivalent with a very slight leaning to anti religion. I am christened but not through choice, went to a C of E school but not to church outside of school, and my kid isnt christened..... - happy for people believe in what they want so long as it is not forced on me.
That being said, we are a Christian nation and i am happy for it to stay that way....... like it or not religion usually has a role in countries and as it stands we are as close to Secular as we can get. PErsonally i am ok with status quo and as someone else said, chances are another religion would try and take its place, and out of all of them C of E is about as laid back as it gets.
IF we ever got like some states in America i would be more vocal against it, but we are far from that.
That being said, we are a Christian nation and i am happy for it to stay that way....... like it or not religion usually has a role in countries and as it stands we are as close to Secular as we can get. PErsonally i am ok with status quo and as someone else said, chances are another religion would try and take its place, and out of all of them C of E is about as laid back as it gets.
IF we ever got like some states in America i would be more vocal against it, but we are far from that.
Just wait for the "don't be so sure about that!!" brigade to come in.
The truth is you're right, we are a long long way off that. My recent discussions with people I know in the US have shocked me with regard to how unfree and unprogressive parts of that country are.
Soldato
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Of course there are. Scared men might "pray" but its just a desperate act done in fear. They'd pray to the rat scurrying around their feet if they thought there was the microscopic chance it might do some good. They also cry out for their mothers, what good can they do in that situation? Prayer does nothing other than make some people feel better in that moment, it certainly isn't going to stop that snipers bullet blowing your brains out or those mortars from raining down on your heads.
Soldato
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The problem is if it gets that far its too late. Look at their politics, I believe there is 1 openly atheist member of Congress. What a joke, especially when the previous president is clearly an atheist. When you need to pass a religious test to get elected in a supposedly secular country you are already screwed.
Soldato
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famous last words and you can refer me back to this post if it happens
but i dont believe it would ever happen, indeed the opposite is more likely true, I believe IF a politician was openly religious and came close to bringing their views into actual political discourse i think it would do them more harm then good.
Religion can have its place for some people, it can bring support in a time of need, and also offers a community for people who may have no one else (ok a social club can do the same but i know a couple of folk who treat it exactly like a social club)
but i just dont think enough people buy into religion like some areas of america do. but like i said, feel free to make me eat my words in the future.
I know me personally, i would potentially vote for a person who identified religiously as Jewish, or Christian or Muslim and followed their beliefs at home...... but if i got a whiff of them bringing their stuff into policy i would never vote for them again.
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Man of Honour
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I think it's largely "just a name" now rather than actually being a Christian country. Churches are barely full on a Sunday (I do go occasionally), people blaspheme, don't behave in a very "Christian" way anyway, and so it's basically a title with no meaning.
All it used for now is to support some sort of nationalistic endeavour... Furthermore, I agree with the sentiment that religion is welcomed, but should be kept private and not interfere with policy or law. With the exception of protecting people's rights to have a religion and undertake their religious beliefs.
That said it is also something that brings people together, creates communities and offers solace to those that need it. So I think scrapping it or disregarding it at least would also be a misstep.
If the UK were truly a "Christian" country it would be in a probably completely different state of affairs than now, not necessarily for the better either.
I didn't choose the tea option as there wasn't a coffee option.
All it used for now is to support some sort of nationalistic endeavour... Furthermore, I agree with the sentiment that religion is welcomed, but should be kept private and not interfere with policy or law. With the exception of protecting people's rights to have a religion and undertake their religious beliefs.
That said it is also something that brings people together, creates communities and offers solace to those that need it. So I think scrapping it or disregarding it at least would also be a misstep.
If the UK were truly a "Christian" country it would be in a probably completely different state of affairs than now, not necessarily for the better either.
I didn't choose the tea option as there wasn't a coffee option.
Soldato
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famous last words and you can refer me back to this post if it happens
but i dont believe it would ever happen, indeed the opposite is more likely true, I believe IF a politician was openly religious and came close to bringing their views into actual political discourse i think it would do them more harm then good.
Religion can have its place for some people, it can bring support in a time of need, and also offers a community for people who may have no one else (ok a social club can do the same but i know a couple of folk who treat it exactly like a social club)
but i just dont think enough people buy into religion like some areas of america do. but like i said, feel free to make me eat my words in the future.
I know me personally, i would potentially vote for a person who identified religiously as Jewish, or Christian or Muslim and followed their beliefs at home...... but if i got a whiff of them bringing their stuff into policy i would never vote for them again.
Oh I don't think it will happen here. We had extremist groups like Britain First going all "Christian" and carrying crosses on their marches because they saw it in the US and thought it might work here. It was never going to work here. My point was when it gets as bad as it is in the US its too late.
Soldato
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Thankfully people don't behave in a Christian manner. We can do without the judgemental and holier than thou attitude. I really don't want or need to be converted but that is the job of a Christian.
Could you provide a source for that statistic of an average of eight children
per couple?
While I'm aware that Muslim families often have many children for the mean average to be eight there would have to be many couples having well over eg: twelve children for one couple to balance another one only having four (still a large number in my view). I'd be surprised if that number were accurate.
Soldato
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I would also like to see evidence they are having 8 children in the UK. I could see them having a lot of children if they came from a country with high infant mortality rates or a lack of access to birth control like the pill for women. That is the reason why parts of Africa and other parts of the world still have high birth rates, women haven't been able to take control of their own uterus. Not helped by Christian churches saying birth control is a sin. Mother Teresa was made a saint when she was anything but one. She helped keep women in poverty.