Don’t celebrate the dying of the Christian influence too
quickly. In an article entitled “Rise of the ‘nothing in particulars’ may be
sign of a disjointed, disaffected and lonely future,” Professor of Political
Science, Ryan Burge, has written:
·
The data indicates that those who [label
themselves] 'nothing in particular' aren’t just cut off from organized
religion. They have disconnected from many of the foundational structures that
hold us together as communities. https://religionnews.com/2019/07/03/rise-of-the-nothing-in-particulars-may-be-sign-of-a-disjointed-disaffected-and-lonely-future/
While Protestants now make up only 39% of the US population
and Catholics 18%:
·
[This group] makes up about 1 in 5 Americans,
according to the 2018 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, a survey that
is based at Harvard and has been conducted biannually since 2006. Its true
advantage is sheer sample size — 60,000 respondents in 2018.
Burge has warned of the serious consequences of this
demographic shift:
·
Political, civic and religious leaders need to
become aware of this growing group of Americans because if current trends keep
up they could have a significant impact on the United States, likely by
creating a smaller and smaller pool of volunteers who have to carry the burdens
of civilized society. For instance, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina, the Southern Baptist Convention trained more relief volunteers than
the Red Cross to aid in the recovery.
·
No matter how one feels about religion, it’s
undeniable that religious traditions have spent decades building networks that
operate behind the scenes to support those who are most vulnerable in our
society. As the number of socially detached people grows, the ability of faith
groups to fill in the gaps will be diminished, and once these ministries
disappear, it seems highly unlikely that they can be quickly or easily
replaced.
Why then the celebration of the declining Christian
influence? Despite its tangible contributions, the hatred directed towards
Christianity is palpable. We are called “bigots,” “homophobes,” and are
routinely condemned for “hate speech.” When we speak against the dangers of
sexual lifestyles outside of committed monogamous heterosexual marriage, our
speech is called “offensive.” There seems to be little willingness to engage in
discussions about the costs of non-traditional sexual lifestyles. Instead, the
tactics of the “cancel culture” reigns, even in places where it shouldn’t – in our
media, schools, and universities.
Why? Almost everyone is engaged in some form of aberrant
sexuality once we include pornography. Let’s face it - masturbating in front of
your computer doesn’t build self-esteem but rather guilt and shame. We can
either blame our behaviors for these feelings, or we can find another culprit. Our
“Puritanical Christian values” prove a convenient candidate. However, there is
always an uncanny price we pay for our denial the truth and our unwillingness
to take responsibility.
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