Forget the numbers. The big story is that religion has lost social influence.

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/forget-the-numbers-the-big-story-is-that-religion-has-lost-social-influence-analysis/2015/05/26/c1b0f0ac-03dd-11e5-93f4-f24d4af7f97d_story.html

By Arthur E. Farnsley Ii | Religion News Service May 26 at 3:31 PM

“Religion plays a less important role in American life.” Or maybe, “Religion declines as powerful source of American public authority.”

I doubt those headlines would have garnered the attention the Pew Center recently received with its subtitle “Christians Decline Sharply as Share of Population.”

This is no criticism of Pew. It gets full credit for bringing religious demographics to the public’s attention. And the story of Christian decline is an obvious hook, as is the story of the rapidly growing number of “nones,” people with no particular religious affiliation.

But behind the story of Christian decline and the rise of “nones” is a long-standing debate about what religion theorists call “secularization,” the broad process by which religion gradually loses its social influence.

more at link

[skepticscott]

1. Dupe...again

This makes, what? The third or fourth time you've repeated something that someone else has already posted. If you're going to put up OPs in droves, fine, but please do the users of this board the courtesy of checking what's already been posted. It's quick and easy to do.

[rug]

2. You do realize she's ignoring you, don't you?

Probably with good reason.

Wait. You're allegedly ignoring me.



I guess you collegial message to her will just have to waft over the room.

[Promethean]

3. Doesn't matter.

When someone posts on this forum while they are often responding to an individual they are posting for everybody who decides to read it. This is why when I respond to you I know I am not going to get past that wall of flaming hatred you have for atheists but what I post is for everybody who reads.

[rug]

4. I see, it's a form of prayer, isn't it?

You hope somebody is listening.

I'm sure this latest effort of yours is edifying. Or something.