NationStates Jolt Archive

Christianity has done well as a religion to grow from a small group to nearly 2 billion in about 2000 years. There are many other religions that co-existed with Christianity since then, but (apart from Islam), none has been such a phenomenal success.

Based on Dawkins' idea of a replicating unit, the meme, what do you think are the reasons why Christianity is so popular today?

Also do you speculate that Christianity (especially the more organized, institution-based aspects), with respect to winning the hearts and minds of people - gaining ground, stagnating or losing ground?

Stagnating in Europe, Latin America, and parts of the US; Simultaneously gaining in Asia,Africa, parts of the US

Reasons...
Simple
They used to give you the book if you didn't take it, you got given the sword.

Unfortunatly that isn't cool anymore and Christians can't do that as often without profesional complainers complaining.

I say Christian ideals are stagnating.
Why?
Because Dance music is being accepted by the Catholic Church and there is Christian Rock music in the funny churches.

Based on Dawkins' idea of a replicating unit, the meme, what do you think are the reasons why Christianity is so popular today?

See: Nietzsche, Genealogy of Morals ought to do it.

I say Christian ideals are stagnating.
Why?
Because Dance music is being accepted by the Catholic Church and there is Christian Rock music in the funny churches.

Does that "appeal to the young" bit look like the Christianity is gaining ground? In numbers, that is.

I think Christianity has been stagnant for the past several years.

But, with the liberalization of vast numbers of congregations, we might see a resurgence in the number of younger people associating with the church, especially in (talking about the US now) the Northern Protestants, such as the Lutherans (ELCA) and the Nondenominationals.

I think the "organized" portions of pretty much all religions, at least in the Western world, are declining.

Of course, as a religious person, I don't see that as a bad thing. Organization has a tendency to stifle faith.

It certainly is declining.

Of course, that has been said countless times in past centuries by men far wiser than me, and yet we still continue to carry the greatest burden of Western Civilization.

In some ways it is stifling, but in a lot of places, there is a lot of growth, and there are quite a few people still very passionate about their Christian faith. Time magazine pronounced God dead years back, and that prediction was made to look pretty silly. Christianity continues to grow where people haven't become complacent and comfortable because of material wealth.

Stagnating in Europe, Latin America, and parts of the US; Simultaneously gaining in Asia,Africa, parts of the US

Stagnating in Latin America? Really?

It certainly is declining.

Of course, that has been said countless times in past centuries by men far wiser than me, and yet we still continue to carry the greatest burden of Western Civilization.

"We" being Christians or wise men? Because it certainly isn't the former.
Unless "burden" means working class labor, in which case, yes, the undereducated proletariat masses are predominantly Christian.

"We" being Christians or wise men? Because it certainly isn't the former.
We being those who inhabit Western Society.
Unless "burden" means working class labor, in which case, yes, the undereducated proletariat masses are predominantly Christian.
The burden is Christianity itself. Its ideals and the ideals of its followers have hindered scientific, social and sometimes even economic development for over a millennium.

I think Christianity is a matter of perspective. it is declining in the west, but gaining substancial ground in the Central and South America, as well as parts of Africa and a touch of Asia. Europe seems to be growing more Muslim. Evangalism is still Christianity though. So if you are referring to Catholicism, I would definately have voted "What Christianity".