Biblical literalists may be a dying breed. At least according to a new Gallup poll, which says that only 20% of Americans believe the Bible is literally the word of God – a marked downturn from previous decades when as many as 40% of Americans stated they believe the Bible comes straight from God’s holy lips.
Additionally, the poll says, more Americans view the Bible as a collection of fables than as the literal truth, a trend which is only increasing year over year.
With each new generation less religious than the one that came before, the evidence shows that Americans increasingly view Christianity – and religion in general – with skepticism.
Move Over, Christianity!
The poll results are surprising, even if you’re already aware of the trend lines showing religious belief in steep decline in the United States.
In the late 1970s through the early 1980s, American belief that the Bible was the "actual word of God, to be taken literally" held steady at 40%. Around that time, only 10% of Americans believed it was a collection of "fables, history, [and] moral precepts recorded by man."
In 2022, things look a lot different. 29% of Americans now say the Bible is a collection of fables, and only 20% say it’s the literal word of God.
That's quite the change in less than 50 years.
These results reflect the views of younger generations who don't hold the same relationships with religion that their parents and grandparents did.
Indeed, more than one-third of young adults identify their faith as "none." That is more than double the percentage of non-religious baby boomers and more than triple the percentage of the silent generation.
It’s not just an American phenomenon, either. Reports from all over the western world show a staggering increase in the rate of secular belief across Europe and Oceania.
Millennials and Gen-Z are rejecting the faiths of their fathers in record numbers.
But what’s pushing them away?
Opinion is divided, but one frequently cited reason is the strict views about gender and sexuality held by evangelical Christians and other deeply religious faith groups. Young people are largely in favor of things like same-sex marriage and abortion rights, for example, and don’t view the religious opposition to such issues all that kindly.
An (un)Representative Government?
Another Gallup poll found that only 81% of Americans believe in God at all. Yet again, a sharp decline over years past.
And yet, the religious makeup of our political institutions hardly seems reflective of our changing demographics. Only one member of the 117th Senate (Krysten Sinema of Arizona) identifies as religiously unaffiliated. And in the House, only 15 members – a whopping 3.5% – declined to give a specific religious affiliation.
Eight members of the Supreme Court are Christian (seven of them Catholic), President Biden is Catholic, and former President Trump identifies as a Presbyterian.
Pointing to recent Supreme Court decisions that overturned Roe v. Wade and declared a high school football coach's right to pray on the field, many people have expressed concern that Christianity and Christian values now hold a significantly oversized influence over policy in the United States.
Religious belief is at an all-time low, but you wouldn’t know that by looking at the makeup of our political institutions.
What do you think? Why is religious belief in decline? Should American institutions better reflect the views of the people?
95 comments
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Ryan R. Shaw
Born in Nagpur, you're probably Hindu. Born in Nishapur, you're probably Muslim. Born in Nashville, you're probably Christian. Born in Narathiwat, you're probably Buddhist. Born in Nesher, you're probably Jewish.
The predominant religion of one's native culture, milieu or heritage is likely their religious affiliation. Most people do not "become" Hindu, Muslim or Christian; they are born into it.
According to orthodox Christianity, if a natural disaster takes place in Nagpur or Nishapur that kills thousands of people, they are doomed to eternal conscious torment. Why? Because the religious culture, dogma and theology says so.
Religion is a narrative into which a person is born, conditioned and indoctrinated. People become Christian because they are raised or evangelized into it. It's not like they sat down and objectively investigated a menu of alternative views about ultimate reality and the meaning of life.
What a person believes isn't necessarily a problem. It's a problem if your beliefs harm and divide people. It's a problem if you think your beliefs are the only way to understand God and ultimate reality.
Stop acting like you're right and everyone else is wrong. Have your beliefs, but stop pretending like you arrived at them through some exclusive divine revelation or lifelong critical analysis. If you want to hold orthodox Christian beliefs, do it and own it, but don't hide behind the idea that you were given a special revelation that 75% of humankind didn't get.
If humankind could just stop and for one moment and silence all the mindsets, belief systems, religions, isms and ideologies that fill our heads and divide us against each other, and sink down into what's real in our deepest innermost being, then we would know we are one family. Each of us are shimmering expressions of the one and same beautiful ultimate reality. ~~ author unknown
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Paul Edward Nunis
The famous bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks. His answer:"That's were the money is". In like fashion, history proves that con artists go where the gullible are, pedophiles go where the children are, and sociopaths go where the power is. Organized religion (among other institutions) has been a haven for all 3 over many centuries, from St. Damascus to Emperor Constantine to Joseph Smith to Mother Theresa... Shouldn't be a surprise that more people are finally turning their backs.
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Linda Happenny
I left the Christian church in 1972 and had the same feelings as the teens do today. They are leaving cause they see how hypocritical it is. I don't mean all but they are leaving. If you want them back. Show them you care. Show them a different way to approach the teachings. Don't BS them. They are smarter than you think.
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Linda Happenny
Ever since I was a child, Something about the christian faith didn't sit well with me. The church that my parents took me to was really cruel to me. I was quiet and observed the people how they acted in church and out. It was like night and day. I didn't like the way they talked to each other which was not how G*d or C****t spoke supposedly. So when I finished Church School , I never returned to It. Years later I became a Pagan to present. Best decision since I felt the Christian faith is full of hockey puck(my own feelings about it)
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Paul Edward Nunis
Yes Teresa, people who aren't insane can actually see matter. Please tell me that you go around solid objects, instead of closing your eyes and waiting for God to do all the work.
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Teresa de Jesús Cruces
Hi there. It is a fact that most people in the world have a limited mind and the only thing they accept as truth is what they see with their physical eyes.Many others will see it and wont believe it.Because they are just not ready and simple they do not understand it.They must evolve from within first. To feel God's love is glorious but to believe it when you do not feel it is a treasure. Romans 1:20 For the Invisible things of Him from Creation of the World are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and God head, so they are without excuse.
Now; it does not mean that because it is not tangible they do not exist. Somewhere on Earth 4 billion years ago matter came to life. Can we see matter? Gravity? Wind?
The biggest leap of Faith that humanity take is believing that a Higher power, God, Creator exists. Right? This is what is called Faith.
In Nature there is a sequence that is called Fibonacci Sequence or Golden ratio.We can find this nature's code or Divine proportion everywhere around us(1.618). We can find it in the arrangement of seeds in a sunflower, rotations of hurricanes, spiral arms of galaxies, living organisms, inside our ears( cochlea).Please find it and read. There are many other examples, but I rather you to look and ignite your spark. I am not going to debate about if you believe in God or if you need proof. The fact is that He reveals Himself to those He chooses. It is up to you to look, search and knock. There are plenty new discoveries that maybe it will change your perspective and believes with scientific facts and spiritual truths. And for those concerning about Ministers molesting children, please understand that this has nothing to do with God or Religion. Ministers are people like you and I .We are not God.These people are parasites that under the name of Religion, Spirituality or God hide to obtain their purposes. God gave us regulations and laws for us to learn, to understand, to evolve. This is my website www.luzimperium.com I have created videos and maybe you can learn something from them. I do believe in God and I have proof that He is real.I have written some books about my experiences. Please read. Learn and Grow Peace Profound Teresa
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Wilberta M. Berry
The problem is man has Anthropomorphized God. Man has made God in his imperfect image and has ascribed his human flaws to God. That is a major turn off. Plus you have the most vile people claiming to be speaking in the name of God. Well actions always speak louder than words. One can not be a do as I say but not as you witness me doing person and expect to illicit devotion to God.
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Richard Lee Cornell
Walk into a Catholic Church on Sunday and see the empty seats. If they can not fill up a church on Sunday then the world has lost faith in God. Better to ask your Mother for help then bow down to a idol.
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Warren Calvin Wall
The stopping point, for me personally, is the complete flip from the Judaic God to the Christian God. The Judaic God was a sadistic monster. According to the Bible, Moses spent a goodly amount of his time treating God as a petulant child and convincing him not to wipe out everything and starting over from scratch. The Judaic God demanded blood sacrifices, animal and human. The Judaic God allowed for murder, rape and enslavement of non-Jews. Then, all of a sudden, he became this loving, full of light, turn the other cheek, peaceful God. He then sent the Christ to "redeem" man and turn him away from sin. God apparently retired and turned the running of everything over to the Christ and blamed Sa'atan, who actually had nothing to do with any of this mess, for all of the bad stuff. Then this dude, Dante, got pissed at the church and invented Hell for them in a political piece that he wrote defaming the "Church". The "Church" then took it and ran with it. What a messed up world they have created since then.
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Sarita Madala
Bible is the word of God and I believed In and I believe in miracles and please Pray Thankyou Rev Sarita madala
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William Lee Hornstein
We have lost the glue that holds Western Civilization together. The people are following Satan and all is lost without Jesus. When Jews were the chosen people, God let them be conquered. (Daniel)
It's been a long time since we've won a war!!
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P. Keith Benefiel
The word of God is sharp and to the point, like a needle. The Bible is the haystack.
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Paul Edward Nunis
Samuel Johnson pointed out that "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"... he never said the only refuge. Organized religion could easily be among the first. After so many millions of cases of priests, pastors, Popes and politicians stealing, raping, and killing while waving around various crosses and scriptures (none of which contain a single word actually written by Jesus), it would be a miracle if people hadn't started walking away.
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Aurora Rodriguez
Love the different viewpoints, opinions and food for thought! My grandmother always told us that 'each man is a Universe" in that Universe there are trillions of stars, planets and lifeforms. If you stop to think about our bodies, inside and out and how incredibly intricate is, we are like a Universe! Personally, I believe in one God, the Creator of the "Universe". I feel we are constantly awakening to truths that were hidden from us. As many of you have expressed the reasons behind our ignorance for so many centuries. We believed that yesterday, this today and tomorrow something else ... we switch our identities ... we create new realities, we throw this out and take this in ... we uphold this truth and knock down that truth, etc. etc. Isn't that what we do all our lives from the time we are born till we die? Everyday, if you are aware, something comes your way to make you shift and ponder about something even something which may seem insignificant, not just 'what is my purpose, why am I here, what is real, but should I eat this, drink that, go here, do that, etc., etc. Then in the End you just Exhale and only God knows what's on the other side of the veil. John Lennon said, "Everything will be okay in the End, if it's not Okay, it's not the End." When is the End and from who's point of view?
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Maria Osmarina Rush-Starr
Read the Divine Principle It is the guidance for this time. It is the precious time for the coming of Christ. Nothing will prepare you better for his coming... Find it at Amazon.
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Randy C Hamilton
returning? Your boy isd quoted as saying that he would return during the lifetimes of those he supposedly spoke with. Matt 16:27-28 Matt 24:34 Mark 9:1 Luke 9:27. I guess he lost his watch???? No show and never will. My unicorn told me so.
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Maria Osmarina Rush-Starr
MY GRATITUDE
In Spring, Summer, Autumn or winter, I am so gratified and delighted for another new day! Heavenly Parent , You have created it for me, with infinite possibilities. Your creation will never cease. Everything was made to multiply, and it continues going on for eternity, You created all the laws that govern this whole universe, and according to them, You created everything that exists In it. I can see your character, Your personality, Your almighty absolute powers,Your harmony, love and beauty contemplated in everything that moves on the face of the earth, in the waters and in the air, in what is visible and invisible. Absolutely magnificent!! Wonders that brings me the spark to understand and become fully aware of Your boundless infinite love for me. Your creation is amazingly perfect and absolute. I delight in the beauty of this vast mysterious, complex, wondrous universe. I contemplate the beauty of the fields of flowers in a diversity of sizes, shapes and colors, with their incomparable fragrances that allure the most gorgeous , breathtaking butterflies, sketched and painted in perfection to enhance the beauty of Your creation, a characteristic purely feminine. The amazing mountains and valleys, the green fields of incomparable variety of trees with leaves structured in the most unique patterns and attributes, sketched in microscopic details, deeply implanted in the beautiful fertile soil with robust trunks and brunches showing Your constant strength, stability and firmness, a characteristic purely masculine When I look up to the firmament, how marvelous are the celestial bodies! The sun on its majestic splendor, like the king of the skies with its life giving light and warmth during the day, and the moon on its majestic beauty giving its light to make our nights fascinating and brighter like the queen of the skies, together with the shimmering stars making our nights amazingly beautiful, The infinite wondrous blue of the skies and almost unknown making a background that no other artists could paint. The clouds that makes an incomparable scenery, and so much more that we can't even imagine in this infinite universe!!! When the rain falls it creates an incomparable feeling of renewal and freshness that moves our hearts. In the winter, the beauty of the snow flakes designed in the most distinctive, unique and the most perfect shapes like if they were hand made one by one. Everything that you made, was to touch my emotion, and my intellect. That is why You created me with senses that allows me to see, hear, touch and smell the perfume and the taste of You creation. And yet with my emotion which makes me capable to feel deeply in my heart how magnificent is Your love for me. All of this You have created for me. Your love is really infinite and boundless. It is like that for each one of us, Your children. To you there is no difference if we are black, white or yellow, if we are tall, short or in between. Or even if we are more smiley or the serious type, and also if we don't have the most attractive looks. I am Your object of art Your master piece Your object of love. It feels like I am your only one, and in reality, we are one, part of one body, one infinite body, but in my individuality I am one, unique, and I can provide that unique type of love to You and occupy the place within Your heart that no one will ever be able to. You love me for what I am and for what I become according to your expectations for me. You love me for all the possibilities that I have to grow and to become the person that You idealized, and that one day I will become I will become the object of Your only love, because you love me as an individual before anything else, because I am the one person that can ring the bell to awaken that unique kind of love in Your heart, and that is also true, to each one of us. It even awakens the feeling that I am your only child, and I am... Because there isn't another like me in the whole universe, we are all your objects of love. For this and for so much more, we are important, special and unique. Because that is how You created me. For all of these and for all You have done for me, I am grateful. Thank you my Heavenly Parents, the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and all Humankind
Written by
Osmarina Rush
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Randy C Hamilton
heavenly parent? What do your physical parents say to that? No proof = no belief in your imaginary sky parents. Try reality.
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Paul Edward Nunis
So the creator did all of that just for you? Wow!!
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Mrknowitall
There is no such thing as 'Evolution " there has only been De-volution since Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise. With that said there was a creator. If you deny there was a creator then you are simply not using your reasoning. Do you think the creator of everything would leave us completely clueless ? If you do than you are not using your reasoning. Our creator Yahweh decided the best way to communicate to us was through written word. It's simple, easy and obvious. The thing is his word, the only real Truth is only understood for those who believe in him, sorry. Those who don't believe in God will not ever honestly try and read the Bible because of 2 things : A disbelief in God also It is not understandable unless you are ' Born Again "...Listen Life is all about ' Believing " either you believe something or you don't, either way your still believing. What happens to you when you die ? Every person is a very unique individual, what makes you you ? Ask yourself some questions : Who am I ? How did I get here ? Where did I come from ? Where am I going ? What is my purpose ?
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Rodney
Amen to what you are saying
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Lionheart
Thank you for your fallacies, Daniel. Clearly you believe things you read with no demonstrable evidence to back up the listed claims. Just as a spoiler alert, the words in The Book of Mormon, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, etc, also make fallacious claims, even though there are people who believe every word, and are relying only on faith…….. just like you, Daniel. I strongly suggest you don’t read any of the Harry Potter books, I wouldn’t want you to be led further astray with your belief structure.
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Kevin Joseph Kervick
Yes. we need a new way forward that captures the boundaries and hope of Christianity but without the divinity of Jesus or the literalism of the Bible. The old Unitarian Church was on the right track until it disbanded and was later sued by the liberal universalists.
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Jimmy Moon
GOD has already shown HIS SELF to the world. Just look around you. HE doesn’t need to do anything else to prove who HE is. It’s up to man to make up his mind. Heaven or Hell. It’s your choice. I made mine in 1998. I’ll keep you in my prayers. No need to reply because I’m not going to be able to show you anything new. HE did it all.
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Richard Darwin Richards
Amen!!!!
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Jimmy Moon
It does not matter what we think. The bible is still GOD's word. And it is true.
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Lionheart
And your demonstrable evidence to back up your fallacious claim is where, Jimmy?
If you can prove your god is real, or any of the worlds gods, you will become the first person on earth to do so, and can claim the Nobel prize that’s waiting for whoever can provide that demonstrable evidence. It appears that even your own omnipotent god can’t even show up to prove it’s real, so somehow, I suspect you are going to struggle.
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Rev. B
I do not think you understand, Lionheart. Jimmy needs no evidence; the bible is true because he says it is.
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Lionheart
Darn it, you are right, Rev B. 🤗
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
The 20% are the hardcore. There may be about 20% of the ‘heavily religiously delusional’ on this website. Several have ‘prayed to god/jesus in the above comments. But IMO there is still an extremely high percentage that believe in god/jesus. Go ahead, state clearly that there is a total lack of evidence for such beliefs and watch the objections start to pour in.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
There’s a positive correlation between “MAGA’ers, and those whose lack of critical thinking skills enable them to actually believe the medieval superstitious nonsense in the King James version of the Hebrew/Christian Bible.
True-believer types are attracted to fascist type Gods— and know, that because the Christian Heaven is a dictatorship — in which there is no personal freedom (and/or right vote) that the USA should be transitioned, ASAP, into a government run by the likes of Trump, so that those who end up in the Christian Heaven get used being constantly told what to do, when to do it, and how.
For the odd freethinker who makes it to the Christian Heaven — he’s been sent there instead of the Christian Hell — as his punishment.
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Mrknowitall
Wow, you are a real hater ! Anytime I read the words MAGA and Fascist together I'm reminded how simple minded people ( yourself included ) really are.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
Daniel;
You’ve classified me as simpleminded because I refer to MAGA’ers as fascists.
Which means you have no idea of what a fascist is.
Look it up — and were you do — you’ll be able to look into a mirror— and see yourself a the fascist you probably are — for the first time.
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Weldon Joe Horton
The christian bible is a poorly written collection of stories designed to instill fear and keep people in mental slavery.
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JaZe
translated from greek into latin then into other languages 🤔 Jesus spoke aramaic correct translation involves knowing all the ins and outs of a language which the old translators (in a sea of illiterate peoples) didnt have anyway as modern translators are finding out other cultures traditions and myths are also present and adapted in the Bible as a means of persuading the masses to accept the new kids on the block
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Rev. MichaelRS
Fascinating: All the ministers that seem to have little to no use for God...in whatever form.
Diesn't that play right into the teachings of people of various faiths, not just Christians, of dark forces (call it the devil if you like) working in the world to turn people away from Him?
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Joe Stutler
It's really no different than turning away from Harry Potter, or Gandalf, or Yoda... fictional characters only have the powers that we give them.
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Paul Edward Nunis
Minister doesn't alway have to mean 'fleecer of sheep'. It comes from the same root form as 'minor'.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
The bible is like any book on mythology. It's not scientific. It's meant to feed the spirit and guide the heart. It provides for a code of morals.
That's it.
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Randy C Hamilton
No morals there. Ask Noah's neighbors. Read Numbers and pretend you are getting killed and your daughter turned into a sex slave. Want a wife? Rape is the recommended way: Deut 22:28-29. JC said that you have to HATE yourself and your family to follow him Luke 14:26. Try actually reading your book with your brain in gear and you, too, can become a functioning human atheist. Millions of us have!!!
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Rev. B
I agree wholeheartedly! The problem I see is when the moral lessons become archaic, like stoning adulterers or eating pork. Are those the types of lessons that apply today?
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Paul Edward Nunis
Today? Well... the US Supreme Court just cited witch burning/rape apologist Matthew Hale as an 'eminent jurist' and binding authority.
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Johnny Mac
FATHER forgive them, they know not that YOU have done for all mankind all these years. In YOUR son’s name JESUS Christ I pray. Amen
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
As a witch, I know what god has done to me and my ancestors over the ages. He wiped the world out with flood. The Spanish Inquisition. The witch trials. The Holy ̶L̶a̶n̶d̶g̶r̶a̶b̶ Crusades. And that long nap that he took during the Holocaust - doing nothing to save his "chosen" people.
More evil has been committed in god's name, then by anyone else.
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Lionheart
Yes, we know what your mythical holy father has done for mankind. Absolutely nothing! But if you want to believe in myth, his genocidal leanings killed everyone on earth apart from a drunkard, and his incestuous daughters, plus a few others, and his infanticidal leanings killed little children. His showing up at children's hospitals to heal those dying of cancer continues to be none-existent. He’s also well known for doing nothing to prevent the holocaust, and those dying in natural disasters like the 2004 tsunami.
While we are at it, do you have any demonstrable evidence your god, or any god, is real? If you do, you’ll be the first person on earth to provide it.
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Robert Gagnon
In general I agree, but until someone proves scientifically that God does not exist in any form, it's a matter of choice. The thought that such a supreme being has to sit and rest means he must have a butt to set on his throne. Once again, humans have projected their physical appearance on an infinite being, because we can't imagine anything better than us. Let's replace the word choice with Faith and make it blind. Blind enough to direct for profit or power. As an individual these faithful are laughable, as a danger to our government and our society they make a formidable group. We should take pity on any of these lost sheep looking for any direction they can join with their herd mentality. By the same token the weak minded should never rule anything
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Rev. B
I can prove he doesn't exist.
- Go outside
- Look up.
- Do you see a bearded man that grants wishes wearing a robe? No? Bam! Proof!
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Lionheart
You are correct in that we can prove any of the worlds created gods are not real, just as we cannot prove fairies, elves, and gnomes don’t exist, which is quite a pity 🤭
Thank you for your comment.
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Rev. B
While you are listing mythological deeds from the old testament, let us not forget what he did to his most faithful follower (Job.)
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Richard Darwin Richards
Sadly , these people know what they are doing.
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Johnny Mac
I do not care for those who doubt The Bible, I know The Bible was written in English by one of my ancestor in England. He was later crucified for his efforts.
So people hated us christians even before our LORD’S death on the cross. That right there is proof it is real.
Yet more so, it was provided to men who served GOD to be written so man could understand it. This was common in olden days.
A few men knew how to write their own language! Many without embellishments. And all translations may be right for some but The King James Version is the one I have most studied and come to understand.
My LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST lives! And by HIS grace I live here to serve my fellow man, woman and child. The scripture I read set me free from sin and brought me to my knees to worship JESUS CHRIST and accept him as my savior. I now await HIS coming and seek a home in Heaven.
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Rev. Dr. G. Waldron
I am sorry, but your statement doesn't make much sense. Christians need to make clear statements about their faith, lest they be ridiculed. We need to stand firm, but be in a loving and gentle way approaching the nonbelievers. We cannot bang on their heads and expect any progress. Yes, some are so hard in the head that banging wouldn't even make a dent. It is better to just shake off the dust from your shoes and move on.
My statement of faith is this: I believe in God the father and maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ His Son and our savior. I believe in the Holy Spirit who is our guide. I believe the Bible as passed down to us is the history of God's people and a guide for our salvation.
Is the Bible literal in all things? Only God knows. Is it the best guide we have? Yes with the help of scholars and ancient texts.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Rev G… I gave you a ‘like’ for your opening sentence of ‘I am sorry but your statement doesn’t make much sense.
After that opening the same applies to your own.
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Richard Darwin Richards
Amen!!!
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JaZe
Christ was not Jesus family name Jesus, the Christ, is the correct form since The Christ is a consciousness not a person.
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Brien
Maybe people are tired of the mythic, archaic beliefs that have ruled over humanity since the beginning. These beliefs had purpose hundreds of years ago but we have simply grown up. It is time to look to our future and stop living in the past.
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Robert Gagnon
Old testament is history of the Jews along with some of their folklore. Immediately after JC's demise, one of his brothers (Joseph) formed the first church of Christ, which was a sect of Jews only. New Testament was created by a ruler of Rome to consolidate the different Christian factions. Rome picked from dozens of gospels which ones were best for control of the masses. They kept the tithing part, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar etc. They also preached that Judaism was not required to participate. After a 20 year disagreement, the Romans threw Joseph from the wall of the Temple only to survive the fall. They stoned him to finish off the job. Taking all this into consideration along with language interpretation, there is very little chance that the literal word of God can reasonably exist.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
It’s not that “… there is very little chance that the literal word of God can reasonably exist.’ but simply very little chance that god exists. And that would be best worded with “there is simply no evidence whatsoever that god exists”.
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Rev. B
All true, but Robert gives an excellent history of the events which set things on track to where they are today.
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Joe Stutler
It's good to see the number to the highly gullible in the USA go down a bit. Let's hope the trend continues.
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Richard Darwin Richards
No wonder the world is in such horrible shape...
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Lionheart
It always has been Richard, especially during the Catholic inquisition.
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Eric James Hudnall
Find it hard to believe it's that many...
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Susan Marie LaLonde
I know MANY People that don't believe in Heaven or Hell, but rather believe Heaven or Hell is what YOU make it while You are here on Earth. People are fed up with reading about Priests and Ministers molesting children and now with the Religious sects demanding the end of Roe vs Wade, many People will be leaving their churches.
Maybe if Everyone tried to be more KIND, PATIENT, FORGIVING and treat each Other with respect, we would have a much better Country and World.
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Teresa de Jesús Cruces
Times are changing; our consciousness is evolving. So, what do we do? We have to leave Religion aside; because Religion is what separates us. Think carefully, open your minds and try to have a better understanding. What is easier: To believe that there is only One God and Universal Creator that sent His only Son to this world (Sin, Dark, Ignorance) for us to have Salvation/Light and receive Eternal Life or Keep on believing in all these types of Religions, that in the end, everything is nothing but Interpretations from some people’s consciousness, trying to decipher content at their level of understanding. Remember the Protestant Religion started with Martin Luther, he published his Ninety-five Theses as a reaction against abuses in the sale of Indulgences by the Catholic Church. The majority of people in the 1500 hundred did not have access to the scriptures, plus very few people could read and write, probably everyone knew someone who could read…. Book learning had been integrated into the life of the male clerical elite of monks and priests by 1100. The religions are the ones that have been distorting our way of thinking with the Real Message of our Heavenly Father. Have you ever thought that maybe all these kinds of religions are nothing but God communicating with us over and over because we just don get it right along the way, or someone is distorting the whole information? I had a Spiritual Awakening and can see that all these issues are nothing but evolution within our consciousness. This is why I am here; trying to awaken the world to have a better understanding through knowledge, divine knowledge. This is why our Spirituality worldwide is in chaos, because of Religion. We are going to have to work really hard to change our way of thinking in our present moment.
This is my website
www.luzimperium.com
I have created many videos; they are posted there for people looking for understanding. Blessings Peace Profound Teresa de Jesus Cruces
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Randy C Hamilton
Baloney. No proof = no belief in your imaginary sky daddy.
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Teresa de Jesús Cruces
Hello It is a fact that most people in the world have a limited mind and the only thing they can accept as Truth is what they see with their physical eyes. Many others even if they see it do not believe it. Because they are just not ready and simple they do not understand it. They must evolve from within first. This is a Fact. To feel God's love is precious, but to believe it when you do not feel it it is a Treasure. Romans 1:20 For the Invisible things of Him from Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made even His eternal power and God's head, so they are without excuse.
Now, it does not mean that because it is not tangible that they do not exist. Somewhere on Earth 4 billion years ago matter came to life. Can we see matter? Gravity? Wind? The biggest leap of Faith that Humanity take is believing that a Higher power, God, Creator, exists.Right? This is what is called Faith. Have you ever heard of the Electromagnetic Spectrum? It is the range of all types of radiations. Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes. We can only see a part that is called the visible light.Please find topic and read. In nature there is a sequence that is called The Fibonacci Sequence or Golden ratio We can find this nature's code or Divine proportion everywhere around us (1.618) The arrangement of seeds of sunflowers , rotations of hurricanes, spiral arms of galaxies, living organisms, inside our ears ( cochlea). Please read about this topic. There are many other examples, but I rather you to look into it, to ignite your spark. I am not going to debate if you believe in God or need proof. The fact is that He reveals Himself to those He chooses. It is up to you to look, search, knock. Now a days there are plenty new discoveries that maybe it will change your perspective and believes with: Scientific Facts and Spiritual Truths. And for those concern with the Ministers molesting children.Please understand that this has nothing to do with God, Religion or Spirituality. Ministers are like you and I. These people are parasites that under religion, God, hide themselves to obtain their purpose. God gave us laws and regulations for us to learn, to understand, to evolve. Please read, educate, update, evolve.
I had an Spiritual experience that changed my world within.I have written books about it. But this is more profound. It takes an awakened mind to comprehend it fully. Peace.Light and Understanding to the World. Blessings Teresa de Jesus
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John P Maher
SUSAN MARIE, YOU HIT the CROSS NAIL on THE HEAD, THANK YOU !
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Jeffrey M. Spencer
Amen!
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Lionheart
Is it really surprising? People are becoming educated into logic and reason more than ever before. I suspect many who are still deeply indoctrinated, having led a life of religion following family traditions, geographical birthing, or whatever, will leave it. Fortunately, many are coming to their senses in realizing the Bible is jam-packed full of mythical stories with no demonstrable credibility, very much like the Talmud, Book of Mormon, and Quran, etc.
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Rodney
But what if we are wrong
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Warren Calvin Wall
Then you will die. Then again, if we are right, then you will die.
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Sara Lizabeth Rawlins
Excellent answer!
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Lionheart
Yes, what if The Book of Mormon is right. What if the Quran is right? What if fairies really do exist? What if there really is a Hell and it’s not the Christian Hell, but the Egyptian Hell? What if little boys should have kept their foreskins after all. 🤷🏼
Wouldn’t it be nice if there really was a god that could turn up for once and prove to us all it’s real? Children dying in hospital with cancer would love that.
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Stewart
Church used to be the social center and entertainment for most rural people just attend a baptist church in the deep south where they still have a death grip on the mindless .
But the younger kids once free from mommy an daddy tend to not attend . older folks go to what they call a singing where some group tours the area getting paid to sing hymns and entertain and/or have fellowship meals where everyone pitches in on food prep an cost . Mostly you see very young or elderly at their services ...
many teens stop attending if not forced to go they have many more options for entertainment .
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William Waugh
If your religious studies begin and end with the bible; eh! -"God" help you. ----the closest thing to making sense of all the various religious writings with a nod toward modern science is that the universe itself is God and is fractal and holographic. Just need science to describe how an information packet (you) can survive intact while traveling thru spacetime without a physical body. Solve that and the reincarnationists and presumably everyone else should be satisfied.
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Minister Carlos Ricardo Walls
Considering all the people in America 20% is a minuscule amount that believe literally about the bible.This discussion has been debated throughout history.Some people I spoken with believe the heavenly father is going to open the sky,put an end to all this misery.More and more everyday seems we're living in the last days.May God help us all?
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Richard Darwin Richards
We are definitely in the "last days". A LOT of people are going to wake up too late and realize that they were wrong.
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Lionheart
It’s strange how people for generations continue to say we are in the last days. Perhaps none more so than during the first, and second, world wars 🤷🏼
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Virginia A. Dias
I believe in the spirit of the Bible, but not literally. It was written in different times for different people. The God of the Old Testament is different than the current one because Jesus is a loving father who forgives sins. And what the Bible teaches is simple: don’t kill, don’t envy, don’t lie, honor your parents, etc etc. It gives a guide to become better human beings with values. I personally don’t believe in a established church because it’s used to commit crimes in the name of God. Men corrupt religion and misinterpret the Bible and the Quran to fit their personal petty goals, and the worst is that people follow those monsters blindly because they do not know better. However, I do believe in Jesus Christ and I have a personal relationship with him. I saw countless miracles. I also saw evil, and evil works better on twisted perceptions and instills doubts in men who have their souls empty. While I believe in science, I also see the hand of God. Nevertheless, I can’t understand why there are so many innocent such as unborn children, abused children, good people and animals. Dr
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William Joseph Moczan
In my eyes God AND Heaven both see people as innocent and great as they can. We are past the Crucifixion. Amen!!
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James McDunn
That is because the Bible ISN'T Literally True. God created everything out of nothing in seven days? When Adam was 130 years old he had a son? Noah built an ark to be saved from a flood that covered the entire earth? No, I don't think ANY of that is LITERALLY true.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
It was the Priest Georges Lemaître who provided the bible was wrong nearly 100 years ago starting with Genius. As people become more educated they realize God and the Bible got so many things wrong. And who wants to be associated with a murderous God who allows priests to rape children and women?
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Asa William Sprague, II
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became an adult, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
This is an example of how there are useful passages in the bible. But finding such is like looking for pearls in a cesspool.
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Rev. MichaelRS
Another victory for whatever or whomever you would like to identify it as; Satan, Lucifer, Azazel/Iblis, Mara, the dark side of The Force....whatever.
On US money we have, In God We Trust. This is more a symbolic philosophical statement than it is a religious one. Although some people certainly see it as the latter.
But it is really for all people as It means that we look to a higher and better purpose or goal beyond our corruptible and imperfect human nature. We strive to be better than we are.
But whether you think of it as the loss of God or the loss of "god", even with all the imperfections that religion has sometimes wrought, this trend is not a positive one.
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James McDunn
Michael, this isn't a slippery slope: Not believing that Adam had a son when he was 130 years old is not throwing up our hands and welcoming Satan into our hearts! Those stories in the Bible were....STORIES! We were never meant to believe that the ENTIRE WORLD was covered in water and Noah built an ark the size of 4 football fields in order to be saved from it!
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Robert James Ruhnke
Compared to all the murder done in the name of God. Nah. This is by far more positive. Once we realize that doing good for the sake of good, instead of God, we’ll realize it was just all vanity and moving on from that our species will be better off.
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Joe Stutler
Really‽ A decrease in gullibility is a good thing.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
It’s on the money in large part bc the govt needed to unite Americans against the ‘godless communists’. Worked, too. Just like drafting young kids to fight in wars without questioning ‘Why?’ Take advantage of those weak of mind.
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Robert James Ruhnke
😂😂😂😂😂😂
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Richard Darwin Richards
Well said Minister Michael! The new atheist religion is the worst!
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James Riggle-Johnson
Thank God it’s only 20% and 80% surveyed realize its stories written by human beings. The only question is whether they believe it was inspired by God or written based on their personal desires to control the populace.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Isn’t that sweet? Americans have entered junior high school in a philosophical sense.
But it still means that you have to be careful around some people when laughing about the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Santa. You’ll their wittle fweelings.
There were scads of fake religious relics dragged back from the holy land -- thorns and crucifiction nails mostly. But, as far as I know, not a single board, or shingle purportedly from a house that Jesus built. How strange. I have carpenters in my family. They're always pointing out things they've worked on as you go by. It seems odd that not a single apostle had a story about Jesus pointing to a house and saying he built that. If Jesus was a figurative carpenter, as opposed to a literal one, doesn't that make his story at least partly metaphorical... and, by extension, make the Bible at least partly metaphorical?