It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Christianity at risk of dying out in a generation

page: 3
8
<< 1  2    4  5 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 02:09 AM
link   

ketsuko
reply to post by helius
 


Remember what it was like after the Roman Empire fell?

What did we call those times?

Oh yeah, the Dark Ages. We didn't call them that because they were full of love and happiness. We called them that because society in general lost a lot of learning and culture and went backward into darkness and ignorance for a period of time.

A lot of people want to blame religion for that, but it was a lot more complicated and complex than that.

The massive social bureaucracies and institutions that people had come to rely on in the Empire broke down. Whole cultures broke down. The Romans in general lost their vigor as a people and became indolent and corrupt.

We can see the same going on in our very own society today.
edit on 24-11-2013 by ketsuko because: (no reason given)


This was called the dark ages, because people were not allowed to think and question anything that might have contradicted the God´s Word. The Church was in power and they dictated everything to people, while raking in the profits and living like kings. What illustrates the whole scene well is Bruno, an Italian scientist, who was burned alive at stake for proposing that earth is revolving around the Sun, while Sun is only one of the billions of stars out there and there are alien civilisations. His charges:


-holding opinions contrary to the Catholic faith and speaking against it and its ministers;
-holding opinions contrary to the Catholic faith about the Trinity, divinity of Christ, and Incarnation;
-holding opinions contrary to the Catholic faith pertaining to Jesus as Christ;
-holding opinions contrary to the Catholic faith regarding the virginity of Mary, mother of Jesus;
-holding opinions contrary to the Catholic faith about both Transubstantiation and Mass;
-claiming the existence of a plurality of worlds and their eternity;
-believing in metempsychosis and in the transmigration of the human soul into brutes;
-dealing in magics and divination.


Knowledge was suppresed, everything that one could do, think, say, write or paint was dictated by the Church. That is why it was called the dark ages.




edit on 25-11-2013 by Cabin because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 02:29 AM
link   
People just don't believe the mythology of the bible anymore. It's as simple as that. People have seen that we live in a massive universe and the idea of a god sitting in the clouds watching your every move is no longer a realistic view of things. Even people who say they believe in god, don't really believe in the god of the Old Testament.
It's all about trying to shoe horn the bible into the 21st century and defend it, by saying that it isn't a literal but metaphorical document . Must be hard work defending these Iron Age beliefs written by tribesmen in the desert to a modern scientifically educated society.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 09:16 AM
link   
reply to post by Grimpachi
 


This is a good thing. Fairy tales should be left for children. Tax exempt snake oil salesmen should be publicly humiliated for the con-artists they are.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 09:19 AM
link   
reply to post by Cabin
 


I don't know of any historians or anyone in academia that refers to that period as the Dark Ages. People should stop with the cracker jack history when trying to make a point. There are many ideas and inventions from that period.

Not trying to single you out Cabin I have just seen many people making that claim and it reminds me of people who know nothing of the Bible but still feel that all of the second hand info they have heard somehow gives them an accurate picture from which to make a judgement.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 09:27 AM
link   
Religion disappearing(hopefully the organization, i don't mind individual) will not prevent wars, i mean it will cut huge chunks off hatred and divided and conquer tactics.

For those who says religion is not part of the current word issue, i say you are wrong, religious plays a huge role in it, even now.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 11:08 AM
link   
reply to post by Grimpachi
 


He's not really talking about Christianity. There's no danger of Roman Catholicism or the Eastern Orthodox Churches dying out. American Protestantism is probably doomed unless it can make peace with science, but it will die hard. It will probably survive for a few generations yet.

But Lord Carey is talking about his own particular brand of Christianity, Anglicanism, which is the denomination that grew out of the Church of England during the heyday of the British Empire. In America, it's called the Episcopal Church.

Anglicanism probably will die out soon, for a variety of reasons, both doctrinal and historical. As an ex-Anglican who still sees it as the most civilised and humane of Christian denominations, and who still loves High Church ritual and the literary beauty of Anglican hymns and the Book of Common Prayer, I will be half sorry to see it go.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 01:59 PM
link   
reply to post by Astyanax
 


Oh I agree with you. I thought the article was pretty clear that it was talking about that sect I am pretty sure you figured that out right away as well. However as you can see many posters didn't take the time to open the link and seem to have gone by the title alone. I have read several papers on the subject of religion dying out as a hole across the world some places it is happening faster than others and there is only a few countries where it is actually growing.

Personally I think people confuse spirituality with religion. As far as spirituality goes it is here to stay. Religion on the other hand will morph to adapt or fade away.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 08:28 PM
link   
I wish I could believe that the grasp Christianity has on the minds of humanity is dying, but I really don't think it will.

Its been around for 2,000 years so far. I don't know how the Abrahamic religions have kept their staying power this long, but its not going to suddenly die out despite my hopes that it will.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 08:48 PM
link   
reply to post by Frith
 



Its been around for 2,000 years so far. I don't know how the Abrahamic religions have kept their staying power this long,


Well lets see... They made it illegal to own a bible... so the church were the only people who had any say on what "God" wants, which was obviously more about the churches agenda then what God wants...

They killed people who didn't agree with them... and preyed on the publics fear of the unknown which still happens today but no where near the same extent

They killed those of opposing beliefs and basically cornered the "market" on God...

Theres a huge list of reasons why they've stayed in power...

Since the Invention of the Internet Anyone is free to read the bible without the church looking over their shoulder directing what they should believe... The church lost its power once anyone could read their book and make their own decisions on what "the bible" says, and IF its actually "Gods book" or not...

Religion has held our species back for thousands of years... its about time they got the boot




posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 09:00 PM
link   
reply to post by Akragon
 

Dear "The Scalpel" Akragon,

I'm always anxious to learn new things, so I come back for further education.

Well lets see... They made it illegal to own a bible... so the church were the only people who had any say on what "God" wants, which was obviously more about the churches agenda then what God wants...
To what does this refer? The Muslims killing people who own a Bible? I'm sure you're not referring to the time when Bibles were chained to the pulpit. What did you have in mind?


They killed people who didn't agree with them...
Do you mean the Inquisition? That's not what happened.

and preyed on the publics fear of the unknown which still happens today but no where near the same extent
ATS preys on the fear of the unknown. Doom porn is almost our biggest product. 2012, Nibiru, Ison, NWO. People always are afraid of the unknown.


They killed those of opposing beliefs and basically cornered the "market" on God...
Are we back to the Inquisition? But they didn't kill people because of opposing beliefs. Do you mean the Crusades?

I always learn from you, Akragon. Don't fail me now.

With respect,
Charles1952



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 09:20 PM
link   
reply to post by charles1952
 



To what does this refer? The Muslims killing people who own a Bible? I'm sure you're not referring to the time when Bibles were chained to the pulpit. What did you have in mind?


Even with a quick search its easy to find brother...

COUNCIL OF TOULOUSE - 1229 A.D.

Canon 14. We prohibit also that the laity should be permitted to have the books of the Old or New Testament; unless anyone from motive of devotion should wish to have the Psalter or the Breviary for divine offices or the hours of the blessed Virgin; but we most strictly forbid their having any translation of these books.


The Council of Tarragona of 1234, in its second canon, ruled that:

"No one may possess the books of the Old and New Testaments in the Romance language, and if anyone possesses them he must turn them over to the local bishop within eight days after promulgation of this decree, so that they may be burned lest, be he a cleric or a layman, he be suspected until he is cleared of all suspicion."

And lets not forget Mr Tyndale...... theres so many instances of possession of the bible being illegal I can't even list them all LOL


Do you mean the Inquisition? That's not what happened.


I was referring to the gnostics actually... I know many Christians say they weren't exterminated... I personally believe they were...


ATS preys on the fear of the unknown. Doom porn is almost our biggest product. 2012, Nibiru, Ison, NWO. People always are afraid of the unknown.


Aside from a select few Nutjobs on ATS... none of the doom porn goes so far as to condem peoples souls to eternal torture...




posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 09:46 PM
link   
reply to post by Akragon
 


Basically, the church was saying that you couldn't have a non-Church approved translation/transcription of the Bible, because there were invalid translations floating around, both intentional misrepresentations and translations that were well intended, but not valid. If you carefully read what the Council said, you'll see that.

At the time, of course, copies of the Bible were incredibly expensive, which is why they were carefully protected by the church, but for anyone who could afford to pay to have a monk make a valid copy of the authorized translation of the Bible, there was no rule against it.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 10:11 PM
link   
reply to post by adjensen
 


Well you are the history major here...

Is it not true that in 860, Pope Nicholas I banned public usage of the bible in a papal decree?




posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 10:23 PM
link   
reply to post by Akragon
 



Is it not true that in 860, Pope Nicholas I banned public usage of the bible in a papal decree?

Not that I am aware of, no. What is your source of this claim?

So far as I know, the only official church proclamations regarding use of the Bible by the laity have been either specifically directed against non-approved translations, or were local and/or temporary in nature, due to the influence of heretical translations.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 10:43 PM
link   
reply to post by adjensen
 


I can't seem to find anything that would be considered a reliable source...

so i'll have to say google...


Though there are also tons of information about the church making it illegal to own a copy of the bible all through out history... are you saying its not true?




posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 10:50 PM
link   
I think the biggest problem with ANY religion is that the stories / myths (lies?) just aren't big enough. The miracles that impressed tribal-desert people just don't resonate any more. We live in a universe where omnipresence and omnipotence can be approximated by an app on our phones. We know that there are probably billions of "earth-like" planets in our own galaxy. We are going to need bigger, more unifying myths if our religious needs are to be properly met in the post-information aeon.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 10:58 PM
link   
reply to post by Akragon
 



Though there are also tons of information about the church making it illegal to own a copy of the bible all through out history... are you saying its not true?

No, it is not, with the exception of instances, as I noted earlier, where non-authorized translations were banned, and local and/or temporary bans were put in place in order to clear up an issue of heretical translations.

If you attend daily Mass in the Catholic church, or follow the Liturgy of the Hours, over the course of three years, you will pretty much hear the entire Bible read as part of the daily readings (or read it yourself.) That is contrasted by the majority of Protestant faiths, who emphasize certain parts over and over, and ignore other parts (my Methodist minister used to joke that you'd never hear a Methodist sermon on anything in Revelation of John.)

The Roman Catholic church, which established what Biblical canon was, has consistently defended and presented that text over the centuries. Claims that the church didn't want people to actually hear and/or read the Scripture are not bourne out by the facts.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 11:04 PM
link   
reply to post by adjensen
 


Interesting... Well I guess you'd know better then I would

Im not so sure about that.. but again what do I know

I'm dating a "reformed protestant" actually... she let me read her "notes" on the sermons she gets in her church... One thing I've noticed... I read through hundreds of pages of notes... and within two entire books of notes there was only 4 lectures on the gospels... and they didn't even involve the gospels... they cite one verse then refer to everything except the gospels as the sermon progresses...

Seems a little twisted to me




posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 11:13 PM
link   
reply to post by Akragon
 


If she's a follower of Reformed Theology, you need to understand her perspective, which is going to be very different from orthodox Christians, such as myself. As I recall, I cautioned you on that account when you first put forth the standards of your relationship.

Reformed Theology is much more based in both Paul and the Hebrew Bible than Roman Catholics, such as myself, are rooted in. We tend to a universalist view, that everything is in harmony with everything else, and that's what we need to sort out if we have an issue with it. Reformed theology starts with the premise of TULIP, and then has to shoehorn everything into that.



posted on Nov, 25 2013 @ 11:21 PM
link   
reply to post by adjensen
 


The two things I take issue with the most LMAO!!

Sigh

Why me...




top topics



 
8
<< 1  2    4  5 >>

log in

join