shopaholic01 wrote: » Numbers falling in developed countries with access to education, conversely numbers are increasing in under-developed countries with poor or non-existant education. Coincidence?
Midlife Crashes wrote: » Christianity is declining in the West around the time that the Western World is slowly loosing is standing on the world stage. In contrast it is growing in developing countries that are gaining standing on the world stage.In China estimates point that there are up to 130 million Christians. 50 years ago there were under 500 thousand..
Midlife Crashes wrote: » Christianity is declining in the West around the time that the Western World is slowly loosing is standing on the world stage. In contrast it is growing in developing countries that are gaining standing on the world stage. In China estimates point that there are up to 130 million Christians. 50 years ago there were under 500 thousand..
krudler wrote: » Yeah but in China 130 million people is like a small town in Mayo.
Grayson wrote: » Actually, on that survey I posted earlier the higher your level of education, the less likely you were to attend mass.
Grayson wrote: » EDIT: I just read some more of the survey. 5.8% of catholics do not believe in life after death. And 10% believe in reincarnation.
shopaholic01 wrote: » Education - the work of the devil! Now that's strange. Surely that's the main selling point for religion - eternal/after life?
Midlife Crashes wrote: » Christianity is growing in places with poverty. In these places the IQ levels are obviously lower. In developed countries there is no real correlation between intelligence and faith..
padd b1975 wrote: » What makes you think a persons IQ is related to how rich or poor they are?
Midlife Crashes wrote: » In places where IQ is lowest (70's or less) are mainly poor countries. Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Guatamala, Ghana and Angola...
Fromthetrees wrote: » That's what made me create the thread. The thought that most people don't listen to the Catholic Church yet are Catholic in many of their behaviors.
Midlife Crashes wrote: » Christianity is declining in the West around the time that the Western World is slowly loosing is standing on the world stage. In contrast it is growing in developing countries that are gaining standing on the world stage.
ABajaninCork wrote: » Based on what exactly? The fact that the majority of the people in the countries you mention are not white?? Please say that isn't what you mean...
Fromthetrees wrote: » So, as a nation, are we actually atheist but ethnically Catholic?
Boo2112 wrote: » That is the best twisting of words I have ever seen. Bravo. I think (hope) two more generations and catholicism is fvcked in this country. I can't wait for the day church and state seperate.
Fromthetrees wrote: » Off the top of my head the last census put the number of Catholics at nearly 90%, considering there's about 5% Protestant and we've got plenty of Muslims and Hindus and other religions does that mean there's almost a clean sweep of essentially everyone considering themselves to be a Catholic. Mass attendance is at an all time low, the Catholic Church has never had such little influence on society in the history of our state yet it's very rare someone won't have their child Christened or won't get married in a church or won't have their funeral in a church. So, as a nation, are we actually atheist but ethnically Catholic?
Devon High Radiator wrote: » There are a lot more practicing Catholics of all ages out there than the atheists and church bashers would like to admit....... ......Every sunday its hard to get parking at the church (various different ones) and there is always a good crowd, I think a while back churches looked a bit quieter but recently there is always plenty at mass again.
Madam_X wrote: » Can't remember the census now but is there a box that says "Catholic - non practising"? Because that's what I reckon a lot of people would select. They're baptised catholic so they are essentially catholic, just not observing it.
frankie_fisher wrote: » ireland is still culturally catholic the rate of church attendance in sweeden is less than 10% but that country is still culturally lutheran religon ( like it or not ) has had a profound influence in shaping various countries charechter
stmol32 wrote: » I would say this means that as a nation we have too many hypocrites. If it was just laziness of thinking I could probably forgive but the census is literally asking you to stand up and be counted. Still huge amounts of people are falling over themselves to be in the club even though they have no intention of following the club rules and might not even believe in anything it stands for. I say "might not" believe because we'll never be sure because the one time we try to do an accurate count, otherwise non-believers suddenly decide they want to be part of the statistics (for reasons I can't fathom but I'm sure they are varied and wide).
stmol32 wrote: » Just because a certain influence was present in a countries past does that mean it should be a used as a catch-all label to define the the country when that influence has waned? For example England has a low church attendance and is quite secular but Anglicanism also has had a profound influence in shaping that countries character yet I wouldn't call it culturally Anglican. Another profound influence on England's character was the acquiring of an Empire, they weren't alone in this of course as lots of countries have this past including Sweden,yet it would be unfair to call England an imperial nation in this century (or would it?) I don't necessarily disagree with you I just thought you raised a good point that deserved a bit of discussion.
Devon High Radiator wrote: » I don't agree with getting rid of catholic education in national schools or secondary schools either.
frankie_fisher wrote: » i meant it was culturally lutheran in a religous context , very few countries have no religous influence of any kind , im not saying its a possitive or a negative btw , just a reality incidentally , i would not describe ireland as ethnically catholic ,i dont like that description
stmol32 wrote: » The only saving grace .....
LordSutch wrote: » From the 2011 Census figures in Wikipedia . . . . . .Roman Catholic (RC) 84.2%Lapsed Roman Catholic 0.03% Only 0.03% have lapsed, I find that hard to believe.
stmol32 wrote: » I agree it would be foolish to say a nation has no religious influence and I'd go further and say it would be a shame to ignore that influence completely when taking about culture because you then deny some properly majestic and awe inspiring sights (looking at you high crosses, round towers and St. Michan's church). I just don't want the nation I am accidentally part of to be defined by only one influence when there are many more that have made us who we are. Not sure how to crowbar this into my post but I particularly hate when some media or political talking head utters that truly vile statement "this is a catholic country you know". I can't tell ye how that makes me blood boil. The only saving grace is that they seem to have subtly changed it to "this is still a catholic country you know" so they seem to know which way the wind is blowing.
