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"Newsweek greeted the coming of Easter with a black cover, and the headline 'The Decline and Fall of Christian America,' spelled out in red in the shape of a cross. Inside, it was more declarative: 'The End of Christian America.' Why? Because they found that the percentage of self-identified Christians had fallen 10 points since 1990. Okay, then let's compare. How much has Newsweek's circulation fallen since 1990? Just since 2007, their announced circulation has dropped by 52 percent. It would be more plausible to state 'The End of Newsweek.' At the end of 2007, Newsweek reduced its 'base rate' (or circulation guaranteed to advertisers) from 3.1 million to 2.6 million, a 16 percent drop. ... Newsweek's strategy in the midst of all its financial decline is to double and triple the amount of editorializing, cast aside all semblance of 'news' in favor of long, liberal essays by self-impressed Newsweek editor Jon Meacham and his international editor Fareed Zakaria. Is that really a business solution, or is it the captains performing violin solos on the deck of the Titanic? Christianity, in contrast to Newsweek, is in decent demographic shape. The American Religious Identification Survey that Newsweek touted -- from Trinity College in Connecticut -- estimated there are now 173.4 million self-identified Christians in America, up from 151.2 million in 1990. The percentage declined, but the actual number increased. ...[T]he top minds at Newsweek think they are the wisest of men, the definers of trends and the shepherds of public opinion. So why is everyone abandoning their advice? Why are the captains of a magazine that's lost half its circulation telling the rest of us where the mainstream lies?" --Media Research Center president L. Brent Bozell

According to Obama, we're no longer a Christian nation.

I see and hear more and more people who don't describe themselves as religious. "Religious" denotes belonging to a particular sect of Christianity...Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, etc. They describe themselves as spiritual. They don't claim to be a member of a pigeonholed religion. They believe in moderate Judio-Christian beliefs and life patterns, but don't necessarily go to a place to worship once a week. They pray to their lord in their own way and on their own timeline.

When someone asks me what my religion is, I reply, "recovering Catholic." I'm one of those people who describes himself as spiritual. And I'm more comfortable with my relationship with God now than at any other time in my life. I've had a few people describe me as a born-again Christian without the rituals. Go figure. Me?

miamiair wrote:Why are the captains of a magazine that's lost half its circulation telling the rest of us where the mainstream lies?" --Media Research Center president L. Brent Bozell

Because the decline in percentage of self identified Christians has to do to with demographic shifts, and the percentage decline in Newsweek's circulation has more to do with the decline of print media in general in favor of the internet.

Ask yourself, who is most likely going to react to this story? Um... Christians. Newsweek has basically taken a small statistical trend and puffed it up into a store of more importance than it deserves - all in the interest of selling magazines.

PA110 wrote:Ask yourself, who is most likely going to react to this story? Um... Christians. Newsweek has basically taken a small statistical trend and puffed it up into a store of more importance than it deserves - all in the interest of selling magazines.

And most Christians, nominal or otherwise, IMO, will dismiss Newsweek's story w/a wave of the hand. Moving on.

Speaking simply from my own observation, I think their article is correct, and maybe even understated. You can easily see the decline in adherence to Christian morality in our society, in entertainment, in politics, in government, and everywhere else. The reason multi-denominational churches are becoming the norm is because attendance in small churches has become so sparse that they have gone through a consolidation just to survive.

I have a problem with organized religion. I don't care if you want to worship your skygod on your own, that's fine, but the whole idea of organized religion is ludicrous.

Think about it. Our universe goes on into infinity. We are but a spec of dirt floating around in a sea of dirt. If there is an all knowing, all powerful skygod, do you really think that it would be so vain as to care how a bunch of hairless monkeys on a spec of dirt worshipped it? I don't.

Spicoli wrote:I have a problem with organized religion.

Thanks for that. How do you feel about the content and accuracy of the article?

Queso wrote:

Spicoli wrote:I have a problem with organized religion.

Thanks for that. How do you feel about the content and accuracy of the article?

Not sure. While I feel that the overall number of religious people may indeed be declining, the fervor of those who remain religious is growing. It isn't just in the US though, Religious fervor is growing all around the world, a "revival" of sorts. In Lebanon for example, women wearing Hijabs (head scarves) were never seen in Beirut 30 years ago, now it is commonplace to see so.

Fundamentalism is on the rise, even if sheer numbers aren't.

Religious fervor is growing in many ways, and I include the environmental movement in that category.

The whole concept of 'stop sinning (polluting) or we all die' bothers me.

AndesSMF wrote:Religious fervor is growing in many ways, and I include the environmental movement in that category.

The whole concept of 'stop sinning (polluting) or we all die' bothers me.

I agree with you. And that's why I say that the GOP and the Dems are the same party anymore; both like to spend large sums of other people's money.

Only differnce is your religious preference; if you are a Christian, you'll likely be drawn to the GOP, much like the BIg Government Social Cons who hijacked the party, or if your religion is that of the Global Warming movement, you'll be drawn to the Dems, like the Big Government Environazis.

PA110 wrote:[ Newsweek has basically taken a small statistical trend and puffed it up into a store of more importance than it deserves - all in the interest of selling magazines.

Bingo, we have a winner.