Christianity is going to be extinct soon.

Christianity has survived the scorn of smarter people than you folks for over two thousand years. We're not going any where soon.

This is my subjective opinion, and I have probably stated this point numerous times in other threads, but I believe many individuals are choosing a humanistic type theory/lifestyle to account for the choices they make in life. If I remember correctly, an individual even stated earlier in this thread that:

"Live by your own rules of right and wrong, don't be a sheep. Besides, it all comes down to personal interpretation in the end any way."

This is a clear example of the humanistic agenda. The media supports this adgenda and pushes this movement by creating shows like "The Book of Daniel" or other avenues which depict the Christian individual as a hypocritical, judgemental, and non compassionate person who has no empathy toward others but only pushes their fundemantal Christian ideals. This depiction by the media does not resemble nor represent the true characteristics of Christianity. The media chooses not to display the positive attributes of the Christian community (such as the Salvation Army and its effort to help out those effected by Katrina) but yet proudly displays the negative attributes by some... and do not represent Christianity as a whole. The problem is many are ignorant (the true meaning of the word) to the Christian faith, and instead of becoming educated and enlightened by its representation in our society, they become informed by the negative propaganda produced by our media depicting the negative imagry toward the Christian community.

Many would choose the humanistic lifestyle simply because many believe it has no consequence for the actions they choose, but rather it is only subjectively based on what one considers "right and wrong." Many choose to jump on this bandwagon because of the lack of restriction or conviction, and they will "do as they will" and without regret or circumstance. Many other countries have resorted to the humanistic lifestyle. The United States, however, is one that is in a war within itself between its culture and future. If many begin to embrace the media's negative portrayal of the Christian ideal without futher educating themselves to view the truth despite propaganda, the U.S. will also head toward a more humanistic lifestyle (I'm sure many would greet with open arms.) Our future generations may be brought up on this concept and pushed to live without taking heed to the negative attributes this provides, if not careful. Some may subjectively think there is nothing wrong with this idea. Others could easily disagree.

I do not think Christianity will diminish, but I do feel that many will abandon religion for the sake of their selfish desire. That is the true flaw and downfall of man... we are selfish and greedy by nature (or sinful to those who believe.) It isn't until Christ's return will there be a change. Until that happens, Christianity will always be threatened by worldly views.

And frankly, with all that is going on... I couldn't be more ready.

i am a Christian and I believethe universe has been around for about 15 billion years, Earth has been around for about 4 billion, and there has been life on Earth for abount 3.5 billion. None of this contradicts the Bible either. If you want to know why I believe this then go to a library and check out the book titled "A Scientific View of Christianity". BTW. it isn't scientology bs. Feel free to email me at [email protected]

[deleted]

:DDDDDDD

VERY well said, every word! I'm sharing this with my friends. You ROCK, BudGgaL!

(Yog-Sothoth was cold, but his suckers GROPE.)

--
Zeke Krahlin
http://www.gay-bible.org

"You can lie, cheat, steal, fornicate, hate your neighbor, blow up abortion clinics, beat up fags, and STILL go to Heaven."

In other words, you're not clear on the concept of what Christianity is. One of the usual complaints by non-Christians about Christianity, for example, is that it disapproves of sexual intercourse outside of marriage, i.e. fornication. In fact, in the Christian New Testament, Paul of Tarsus specifically states that fornicators will not go to heaven.

"Plus on top of it all you get to gloat and sneer at anyone who doesn't agree with your beliefs."

You haven't met too many professing Christians, most likely. Outside of unapologetically Christian communities like non-urban white communties in the South and African-American and Hispanic communities there and elsewhere, the typical response to an individual openly identifying as a Christian is gloating and sneering. This is, of course, reinforced by stereotyped portrayals of Christians in movies and on television.

BTW, I understand that you are not a serious interlocutor, but I comment anyway out of courtesy.

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If the level of education and the ability to think for oneself in North Korea was just as high as it is in Western countries, and there were just as many Christian as Islamic missionaries, I highly doubt there would be a significant difference between people converted to Christianity and Islam.
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I doubt it. Islam generally gains converts by the sword and not by persuasion, while Christianity has historically used both but has been far more successful with the latter. Islam is easier to understand and has more of an appeal to gut human instincts than Christianity does - Christianity's ethical demands like monogamy and forgoing of revenge are far more stringent and counterintuitive than Islam's. It will be interesting to watch.

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Furthermore, education and the ability to think for oneself will prevent the rise of Christianity and Islam in countries without any historic traditions with those religions.
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Christianity has historically thrived in such conditions - worldwide in a neutral environment, the better one's education, the more likely one is to convert to Christianity. Generally those most resistant to and suspicious of education are the ones who hew to "the old ways" - Christianity was an urban phenomenon in the Roman Empire and it swept through the educated upper classes like wildfire. That precise etiology is replicating itself in modern Africa. And Christianity is spreading most swiftly through the "new entrepreneurial class" of China - as well-educated and independent-minded a bunch as you can find in contemporary China.


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But of course this is al just theory; when the communist regime finally falls the North Koreans are highly uneducated and have the same ability to think for themselves as sheep, so they will be easy targets for charismatic western fanatics who promise a far better life after this one.
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North Koreans are relatively well-educated - it's just that their education intentionally has specific gaps. I would assume that the denominations popular among South Koreans, like Presbyterianism, Pentecostalism and Catholicism will be successful in NK as well if NK becomes free.


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In Western-Europe: Christianity will almost die out, Islam will become bigger (but certainly not 50+%)
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Christianity is dead in Western Europe already. Once Islam becomes 30% of the population, the inevitable Islamic calculus will come into play - with such critical mass, Islam will either push to Islamicize the rest of the population by the sword or will fail to do so. My guess is that increased aggression by militant Islam in Europe will reenergize the Warsaw pact countries as Christian cultures and that Italy and Spain may be reenergize as well. France, Germany and Britain are most likely permanently lost to Christianity at this point.


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3d world countries: Islam and Christianity will continue to grow. The fastest growing religion will be the one that is the most persistent, has the most missionairies (and funds), and has the ability to 'discover' and 'open' new 'markets'
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A good assessment. It will come down to a competition by the House of Saud and the Iranian mullahs on one side with the Vatican and the Southern Baptists of the USA on the other. The ability of the new Pope to restore internal discipline and the ability of the mullahs to go nuclear without being toppled are of incredible historical significance.

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US: difficult... It will probably become even more conservative and religious (= Christian)
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Most likely, because it will become extremely apparent in the next few decades that it is the more orthodox religious people in the US who are having children and caring for other peoples' castoff children through foster care and adoption. Confirmed nonbelievers marry less and marry later and have fewer children. Believers are the opposite - this reality is currently playing out in miniature in Israel, where Orthodox Jews steadily increase as a percentage of the population, having two children for every one child born to a secular Israeli.

In point of fact, Christianity correlates highly with prosperity, not poverty. In Africa and China Christians are generally better educated and wealthier than the average person. Historically, organized Christianity has been a poverty-destroying cultural engine, while organized atheism has been a poverty-creating mechanism of unparalleled speed and intensity.