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backscatter712

(26,357 posts)
Wed Mar 20, 2013, 10:10 AM Mar 2013

As religion declines in the U.S., Jesus freaks move to the third world and cause tremendous damage. [View all]

http://www.alternet.org/belief/you-wouldnt-believe-how-fast-americans-are-losing-their-religion-fundamentalists-have-plan?paging=off

AlterNet / By Adam Lee
You Wouldn't Believe How Fast Americans Are Losing Their Religion -- But the Fundamentalists Have a Plan
As their power declines in America, fundamentalists are moving to developing countries not as far along the secularization curve. And they're causing massive damage.

March 15, 2013 |
Sometime last year, the US quietly passed a milestone demographers had long been predicting: for the first time in its history, this country is no longer majority Protestant. Fewer than 50 percent of Americans now identify as Protestant Christians of any denomination.

This change has come on surprisingly recently, and from a historical perspective, with breathtaking speed. As recently as 1993, almost two-thirds of Americans identified as Protestants, a number that had remained stable for the several preceding decades. But sometime in the 1990s, the ground started to shift, and it's been sliding ever since. Whether it's the "mainline" Protestant denominations like Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans or Presbyterians, or the independent evangelical, charismatic and fundamentalist sects, the decline is happening across the board. The rise of so-called megachurches, like Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California or Mark Driscoll's Mars Hill in Seattle, represents not growth, but consolidation.

...

But the footsoldiers of fundamentalism haven't been entirely idle these past few decades. As their power declines in America and Europe, they're increasingly moving abroad, to developing countries not as far along the secularization curve, where they often find a more receptive audience.

The first example is Uganda, where the most despicable kind of American culture warriors have run amok with horrifying results. Since 2009, the country's parliament has been debating an "Anti-Homosexuality Bill," which among other things would establish a crime of "aggravated homosexuality," punishable by life imprisonment or death.


As people become wise to the bullshit here in the U.S., the fundies are scrambling for a new base of people who are less educated and more desperate.
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Jesus freaks out in the streets Agnosticsherbet Mar 2013 #1
sir - ha ! leftyohiolib Mar 2013 #2
That's Sir Elton Hercules John... Agnosticsherbet Mar 2013 #3
his middle name is hercules? so it's not sir Reginald Kenneth Dwight? leftyohiolib Mar 2013 #4
The Good Knight changed his name. Agnosticsherbet Mar 2013 #12
The fastest growth areas for the RCCC are in Africa and Asia. Ikonoklast Mar 2013 #5
When some man comes along and claims a godly need, he'll clean you out... Initech Mar 2013 #6
right through your teeth sigmasix Mar 2013 #34
losing their religion? hfojvt Mar 2013 #7
yeah, it's not that the country is losing its religion liberal_at_heart Mar 2013 #9
Those stats are wrong, snooper2 Mar 2013 #11
You are posting stats from 2007 Luminous Animal Mar 2013 #22
I noticed that (when another mentioned it) hfojvt Mar 2013 #33
Keep this in mind: Atheists/agnostics have fewer children than religious. reformist2 Mar 2013 #8
And thus we move towards Idiocracy. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #10
More people are moving to "no religious belief" RainDog Mar 2013 #13
I get a sense from some that this is the perfect opportunity for the righteous scientifically liberal_at_heart Mar 2013 #14
Maybe this is a little bit defensive due to "Jesus freaks" in the OP subline siligut Mar 2013 #16
you should read all the bullshit this person has been flinging RainDog Mar 2013 #17
thank you for letting yourself be known. I will be sure to put you on ignore. liberal_at_heart Mar 2013 #19
So you believe the post is calculated? siligut Mar 2013 #21
What atheist oppression? Are you OK? I mean really, where did you get this nonsense from? idwiyo Mar 2013 #31
Oh my stars and garters! Atheists are criticizing the priviledged majority religion! backscatter712 Mar 2013 #35
These surveys are always quick to point out that most unaffiliated people still believe in a god, Arugula Latte Mar 2013 #15
hopefull what will fall is prejudice against belief and non-belief liberal_at_heart Mar 2013 #18
WTF? Arugula Latte Mar 2013 #23
I think this goes back to the damage religious institutions have inflicted upon themselves RainDog Mar 2013 #20
We are moving toward a secular ruling class and what's left of the middle class... Deep13 Mar 2013 #28
maybe a lot of them aren't inoculating and a bunch will die off? KittyWampus Mar 2013 #40
They ruin every country they come into contact with. Apophis Mar 2013 #24
I've seen what Christianity has done to West Africa. Gravitycollapse Mar 2013 #25
Nothing's changed much defacto7 Mar 2013 #26
They're not "Jesus Freaks," they're right wing fundamentalists. Deep13 Mar 2013 #27
Despicable, disgusting arseholes. Regardless of the denomination they belong to. idwiyo Mar 2013 #29
Peoples who are not far from ancient beliefs xfundy Mar 2013 #30
How does someone determine which myths are correct? RainDog Mar 2013 #38
If Only AndyTiedye Mar 2013 #32
This is nothing new... Blue_Tires Mar 2013 #36
The Vatican chose a Pope from South America, as the region's populace Dawson Leery Mar 2013 #37
Mexico is following the same trend as the U.S. RainDog Mar 2013 #39
Many of those who are still religious are NOT agreeing with everything Dawson Leery Mar 2013 #41
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