Will religion, in Ireland, die out?

recylingbin

I don't know anyone my age, or younger, who goes to mass. Apart from weddings, funerals, christenings and, maybe, christmas day.
Do you think participation in religion will shrink to levels of 15% or under when our parents generation die out?

K4t

Let's hope so.:)

Sinfonia

recylingbin wrote: »

I don't know anyone my age, or younger, who goes to mass. Apart from weddings, funerals, christenings and, maybe, christmas day.
Do you think participation in religion will shrink to levels of 15% or under when our parents generation die out?

I was thinking about this recently, and for me, even anyone I know of my parent's generation wouldn't go to mass (although I'm 24, I don't know how old you are).
My answer would be I hope so.

GLaDOS

Within 2 generations I reckon we'll be mostly non-theist

Guaranteed.. I was reading some ghost stories there in another thread and they're infinitely more believable than the religion buzz. And I don't even believe in ghosts.

My kids will not be believers either.

IvySlayer

I wonder if the next census (2011?) will show a decrease in Roman Catholics? Most people I know just tick the box even though their not practising Christians!

If I recall correctly, according to the last census, Ireland was 70% Catholic!

starbelgrade

My local church is packed out every Sunday - especially with young couples & kids.

I'd say that a lot of this has to do with the Church's stranglehold over our schools - you're more likely to get your kids into the local school if you go to mass every week & in country areas like mine, where there is no alternative to that, I can't see things changing all that fast.

Mike 1972

shrink to levels of 15% or under does not equate to dying out

Holsten

Yes, not for a long while though.

Jesus Wept

Maybe it will be viewed the same way as many people nowadays would view our ancestors who used to worship the sun, hilarious.

Though, comparatively I think worshipping the sun at least has some degree sort of merit and logic.

Sharpshooter

recylingbin wrote: »

I don't know anyone my age, or younger, who goes to mass. Apart from weddings, funerals, christenings and, maybe, christmas day.
Do you think participation in religion will shrink to levels of 15% or under when our parents generation die out?

The last time I set foot in a church was for my mams funeral, the next time I do it willingly will be for my dads.

After that the church can close it's door to me forever.

Mike 1972

The-Rigger wrote: »

Though, I think worshipping the sun compartively has some sort of merit and logic.

Provided it doesnt involve staring into it

starbelgrade

The-Rigger wrote: »

Maybe it will be viewed the same way as many people nowadays would view our ancestors who used to worship the sun, hilarious.

Though, comparatively I think worshipping the sun at least has some degree sort of merit and logic.

I worship the sun - it makes my plants grow.

mikom

What? You mean you don't all knell before the green altar.
In our new religion we turn our parishioners donations into carbon credits.

strobe

I really really do think that our childrens generation will be -15% religious, yes. Like you recyclingbin anytime I fnd myself amongst my peers (not just my freinds in particular, random groups of people aswell) if the topic comes around to religion it is extremely rare for anyone to be a believer in a particular organised religion. A few people do seem to be deists but barely any Christians, Muslims, Mormons ect. Therefor I believe that without parents (us) telling their future children (our children) that x brand of superstition is without a doubt true, atheism or agnosticism or to a lesser extent deism will become the norm. Can't fukking wait to be honest.

bronte

starbelgrade wrote: »

My local church is packed out every Sunday - especially with young couples & kids.

I'd say that a lot of this has to do with the Church's stranglehold over our schools - you're more likely to get your kids into the local school if you go to mass every week & in country areas like mine, where there is no alternative to that, I can't see things changing all that fast.

I wouldn't raise kids in Ireland for reasons like that alone.

Sinfonia

Catholicism is alright, but it's no Special K...

Openmp

Wishful thinking on the part of atheists. Atheism is faddish in nature, is a minority belief system, and just like roller-blades will eventually get over its little premature ejaculation into the premier league of intellectual thought.

The church I go to is also packed out every Sunday. Young couples, children as well as older people. Frankly we're better off without the a la carte/cultural "Catholics" who only rock up when it suits them and wail for the local priest (who they don't even know the name of) when they're on their death beds.

Elliemental

While schools in Ireland remain in the grip of the Catholic Church, I can't see religion here ever dying out. Although Religious education isn't the whole of the problem, ending it is a good start to solving the problems caused by the ancient superstitions. Complete secularisation is definately the best way; but even then you'll still have large swathes of people who just want to carry on believeing in "God". Religion will, more than likely, never die out anywhere. Sad, though it is.

blow69

Openmp wrote: »

Wishful thinking on the part of atheists. Atheism is faddish in nature, is a minority belief system, and just like roller-blades will eventually get over its little premature ejaculation into the premier league of intellectual thought.

The church I go to is also packed out every Sunday. Young couples, children as well as older people. Frankly we're better off without the a la carte/cultural "Catholics" who only rock up when it suits them and wail for the local priest (who they don't even know the name of) when they're on their death beds.

You're certainly voicing your "opinions" today.

recylingbin

Is atheism a belief system or is it just dealing in facts.
At heart, I'm a scientist. If it can be proven mathematically or scientifically, I believe it. Everything else is opinion, possibilities, probabilities and hokum.

Sharpshooter

recylingbin wrote: »

Everything else is opinion, possibilities, probabilities and hokum.

You just described the Catholic Church right there, imo.

Mike 1972

blow69 wrote: »

You're certainly voicing your "opinions" today.

Not to mention contradicting oneself a hell of a lot

Dave!

Openmp wrote: »

Wishful thinking on the part of atheists. Atheism is faddish in nature, is a minority belief system, and just like roller-blades will eventually get over its little premature ejaculation into the premier league of intellectual thought.

The church I go to is also packed out every Sunday. Young couples, children as well as older people. Frankly we're better off without the a la carte/cultural "Catholics" who only rock up when it suits them and wail for the local priest (who they don't even know the name of) when they're on their death beds.

lol @ the idea of religion being in the "premier league" of intellectual thought

Hilarity!

Aridstarling

Openmp wrote: »

Atheism is faddish in nature, is a minority belief system, and just like roller-blades will eventually get over its little premature ejaculation into the premier league of intellectual thought.

Sorry, are you saying roller-blades one had a place in the higher echelons of our intellectual consciousness?

GLaDOS

recylingbin wrote: »

Is atheism a belief system or is it just dealing in facts.

Atheism is not believing in a god, that's it. Everything else is up to you.

Openmp

How many years has Pied Piper Dawkins been around?

Dave!

Openmp wrote: »

How many years has Pied Piper Dawkins been around?

Born in 1941, so 69 years

mikom

Openmp wrote: »

How many years has Pied Piper Dawkins been around?

Pied piper.......... You like fairy tales do you?
My favourite begins "In The Beginning God Created The Heavens And The Earth"

recylingbin

Openmp wrote: »

How many years has Pied Piper Dawkins been around?

I've not once listened to or read anything he has to say.
I figured it out when I was 15. I was sat in church listening. The more I listened, the more I came to the conclusion that the whole lot was utter bollox.

There's some good moral lessons in catholicism. But tell me the stories. Don't wrap them up in something that expects me to believe in a wizard of oz type figure.

GLaDOS

mikom wrote: »

Pied piper.......... You like fairy tales do you?
My favourite begins "In The Beginning God Created The Heavens And The Earth"

Really? Poor story flow, lack of consistency in characters and some downright obvious plot holes ruined it for me.

starbelgrade

Openmp wrote: »

Wishful thinking on the part of atheists. Atheism is faddish in nature, is a minority belief system, and just like roller-blades will eventually get over its little premature ejaculation into the premier league of intellectual thought.

The church I go to is also packed out every Sunday. Young couples, children as well as older people. Frankly we're better off without the a la carte/cultural "Catholics" who only rock up when it suits them and wail for the local priest (who they don't even know the name of) when they're on their death beds.

In terms of footballing references, your attempt at an intellectual comment on the status of aethietism, would find you relegated out of the Conference League & have your ass dumped into the Blue Square North.

mikom

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Really? Poor story flow, lack of consistency in characters and some downright obvious plot holes ruined it for me.

The bit with the zombie was cool though.

Openmp

You atheists won't put your hand in your pocket to support your beliefs. Nor are you willing to organise. Probably because ye can't agree on anything, because you believe in nothing. lol. The Church has billions of dollars of assets and over 1.1 billion followers. You have a bunch of embittered live-for-the-moment consumer types interlinked on the interweb whose sole purpose in life is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. One self gratificatious act after another. Now, if only we could get Science to figure out how to make us all immortal. lol.

mikom

Openmp wrote: »

Now, if only we could get Science to figure out how to make us all immortal.

Thought your lot had that figured out.

recylingbin

Openmp wrote: »

sole purpose in life is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

Absolute ****ers.
How dare they???
I'm angry now.

-> to the church.

starbelgrade

Openmp wrote: »

You atheists won't put your hand in your pocket to support your beliefs. Nor are you willing to organise. Probably because ye can't agree on anything, because you believe in nothing. lol. The Church has billions of dollars of assets and over 1.1 billion followers. You have a bunch of embittered live-for-the-moment consumer types interlinked on the interweb whose sole purpose in life is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. One self gratificatious act after another. Now, if only we could get Science to figure out how to make us all immortal. lol.

Westlife have billions of dollars and over 1.1 billion followers. That doesn't mean that they still aren't a shower of f*ckwits.

However, at least they are only dangerous to our musical sensebilities.

bronte

Openmp wrote: »

You atheists won't put your hand in your pocket to support your beliefs. Nor are you willing to organise. Probably because ye can't agree on anything, because you believe in nothing. lol. The Church has billions of dollars of assets and over 1.1 billion followers.

And blood on its hands.

You forgot that bit.

mikom

Openmp wrote: »

whose sole purpose in life is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

Gonna be a tough choice tonight over the ribbed or the lubed.

GLaDOS

Openmp wrote: »

You atheists won't put your hand in your pocket to support your beliefs. Nor are you willing to organise. Probably because ye can't agree on anything, because you believe in nothing. lol. The Church has billions of dollars of assets and over 1.1 billion followers. You have a bunch of embittered live-for-the-moment consumer types interlinked on the interweb whose sole purpose in life is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. One self gratificatious act after another. Now, if only we could get Science to figure out how to make us all immortal. lol.

7/10

strobe

Openmp wrote: »

Atheism is faddish in nature,

Fads that are verifiably older than Christianity? Yeah, those god damn fads. They are so faddish in nature.

*EDIT*: Oops, just checked your short lived posting history. Obvious troll, is self contradicting and obvious.

starbelgrade

How come the only time we get religious people posting in AH, they are always from the extremist looney end of the religious scale?

GLaDOS

starbelgrade wrote: »

How come the only time we get religious people posting in AH, they are always from the extremist looney end of the religious scale?

Because it's a lot easier to wind people up from that standpoint

Dave!

starbelgrade wrote: »

How come the only time we get religious people posting in AH, they are always from the extremist looney end of the religious scale?

Jakkass often posts here too

Oh....

KevinVonSpiel

Openmp wrote: »

You atheists won't put your hand in your pocket to support your beliefs. Nor are you willing to organise. Probably because ye can't agree on anything, because you believe in nothing. lol. The Church has billions of dollars of assets and over 1.1 billion followers. You have a bunch of embittered live-for-the-moment consumer types interlinked on the interweb whose sole purpose in life is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. One self gratificatious act after another. Now, if only we could get Science to figure out how to make us all immortal. lol.

& I'm hanging on 'til the demutualisation, after it converts to a PLC, Christ only knows how much we'll get.. I got shares worth 2 grand (punts, too, not Euros) when the First National Building Society became First Active..

theboxer

IvySlayer wrote: »

If I recall correctly, according to the last census, Ireland was 70% Catholic!

Whats your point?

theboxer

starbelgrade wrote: »

Westlife have billions of dollars and over 1.1 billion followers. That doesn't mean that they still aren't a shower of f*ckwits.

They arent. Their music is garbage if you are male and over 12 years old, but the lads themselves seem like a decent bunch. Id happily sink a beve with any of them. Unlike internet "I slag off everyone" chaps like yourself.

Of course, you, the internet hero, is better than these multi millionaires, eh?


I notice you seem to be a bit of an aul musician yourself, how did that go for ya? :pac:

Ahhhh, the jealousy.

Orangutani

I'm in favour of disbanding all religion. However, most people still seem to want "traditional" weddings, funerals, etc. Give it a couple more generations, just to weed out the hardcore. Hopefully things will be a bit more rational then....

starbelgrade

theboxer wrote: »

They arent. Their music is garbage if you are male and over 12 years old, but the lads themselves seem like a decent bunch. Id happily sink a beve with any of them. Unlike internet "I slag off everyone" chaps like yourself.

Of course, you, the internet hero, is better than these multi millionaires, eh?


I notice you seem to be a bit of an aul musician yourself, how did that go for ya? :pac:

Ahhhh, the jealousy.

Hmm. It intrigues me to see how wound up a throwaway comment that I made about a crappy group of overpaid karaoke singers seems to have made you.

It leads me to believe that you are either a member of Westlife, or you have a thing for me.

theboxer

starbelgrade wrote: »

It leads me to believe that you are either a member of Westlife, or you have a thing for me.

It leads you to believe, eh? It leads me to believe that you are a failed musician who is jealous of a few lads who can sing and whom made a success of themselves.

starbelgrade

theboxer wrote: »

It leads you to believe, eh? It leads me to believe that you are a failed musician who is jealous of a few lads who can sing and whom made a success of themselves.

Go on then - which one are you... the Dublin lad, the gay one, or one of the Sligo boyos? I'm guessing they gay one, as you seem to be very sensitive towards criticism.