Health and Religion

[CoinCube]

Your stated purposes are all good ones but they are a floating list without a foundation or at least without a foundation you have shared. A solid foundation requires a rational criteria for choosing between them when they conflict as well as a structure that will keep these desires healthy and limit excess when opportunities for excess arise.  

My foundation is based on my education, both formal and informal.  Reason and logic are my lighthouses.

It is wrong to teach children that they will see their loved ones in heaven after they die.

That is what these cults of the afterlife are all about, plus the fear of hell sprinkled here and there and you have your foundation and your "lighthouse".

It is highly immoral to scare children about hell.  Both hell and heaven do not exist.  We went where they supposed to be to check.
Nada, no hell and no heaven.

Your Christian foundation is built on a fantasy.  Hardly a solid foundation. LOL.

Ok af_newbie you did not really address my critique but that is ok.

Its not wrong to teach something that is true and the assertion of Christianity is one of truth. You don't believe in that truth so you are unsurprisingly not Christian.

I have shared with you the path that lead me away from beliefs not entirely dissimilar to yours and towards Christianity. Perhaps someday you will find that reasoning helpful. More likely it will be like the passing of a song something noted and quickly forgotten.

Many of us must walk for a time with our eyes closed before we learn to open them. I was such an individual. Perhaps you will be too.

Best Wishes

[af_newbie]

To be happy: If twisted to extremes can lead one to selfish pleasure seeking and hedonism prioritizing ones happiness over all else.

To desire kids who thrive amidst competition: Twisted this towards evil takes one to a tribalistic mindset and in extreme cases a desire for eugenic supremacy by whatever means necessary.

To help others: Is noble but it is also a cornerstone of many flawed ideals such as communism and the argument that the need to help others requires we take via force from those who possess abundance to fund the redistribution.

Your stated purposes are all good ones but they are a floating list without a foundation or at least without a foundation you have shared. A solid foundation requires a rational criteria for choosing between them when they conflict as well as a structure that will keep these desires healthy and limit excess when opportunities for excess arise.  

My foundation is based on my education, both formal and informal.  Reason and logic are my lighthouses.

It is wrong to teach children that they will see their loved ones in heaven after they die.

That is what these cults of the afterlife are all about, plus the fear of hell sprinkled here and there and you have your foundation and your "lighthouse".

It is highly immoral to scare children about hell.  Both hell and heaven do not exist.  We went where they supposed to be to check.
Nada, no hell and no heaven.

Your Christian foundation is built on a fantasy.  Hardly a solid foundation. LOL.

Ok af_newbie you did not really address my critique but that is ok.

Its not wrong to teach something that is true and the assertion of Christianity is one of truth. You don't believe in that truth so you are unsurprisingly not Christian.

I have shared with you the path that lead me away from beliefs not entirely dissimilar to yours and towards Christianity. Perhaps someday you will find that reasoning helpful. More likely it be like the passing of a song something noted and quickly forgotten.

Many of us must walk for a time with our eyes closed before we learn to open them. I was such an individual. Perhaps you will be too.

Best Wishes

Coincube, I did not think it was worthwhile, but here you go:

To be happy: happiness can lead to hedonism - as opposed to mental masturbation of hell and sin Christianity offers?  Humans are pleasure-seeking animals in case you forgot this.  What is wrong with hedonism?  "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness", remember that.

To desire kids who thrive amidst competition: well, that is not exactly what I said. I said: to have kids, (comma), and help them to be rational thinkers, to help them thrive amidst competition.  I agree that genetic technology will push some parents to buy designer babies, so what?  The desire to have kids and help them succeed is a noble goal, IMHO.  Today, we are affecting the natural selection anyway.  Genetic testing, AI matchmaking, etc.  We don't live in the 18th-century Amish vacuum.

To help others: the desire to help and the actual action are voluntary.  A noble goal, so what that the communists used this in their propaganda. I am not a communist. Helping when you can help should be as natural as breathing.  You can be a selfish prick, but I think it is better to be a nice guy.
For you and the people around you.

I think you are skeptical of progressive values, or anything that does not fit into your 'Christian model' because you are afraid that it might invalidate your position.  You are insecure, your model and I think, by extension, your ego needs protection.  That is what you are doing, protecting yourself from these 'evil' influences.

Enjoy your life a bit.  Relax, nothing bad is going to happen to you because you think Jesus did not actually exist or because you stop going to church and giving them your hard-earned money.

[BADecker]

Enjoy your life a bit.  Relax, nothing bad is going to happen to you because you think Jesus did not actually exist or because you stop going to church and giving them your hard-earned money.

But most of all, nothing bad will happen to you if you stop trying to save someone who is unwilling to be saved.

You have worked at warning him of the deficiencies of his ways, and he has adamantly turned against your warnings.

Somewhere along the line it is time to stop. It's time to move on to the joy of reaching those who want to understand. It's time to encourage your own faith by letting go of the folly of others.

Salvation is for you. Those others who tend to reject their salvation, need to be left behind so that they don't drag you down into their disaster.

Be at peace. Encourage yourself with Bible readings, that the Lord will reward you for trying. Move on to the many who will listen.

Absolutely maintain an open heart for af_newbie just in case he does turn and return to you.

Go in the peace and love and joy of your Lord. Hebrews 12:1b,2:

1bAnd let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

See you there, CoinCube.

[af_newbie]

Enjoy your life a bit.  Relax, nothing bad is going to happen to you because you think Jesus did not actually exist or because you stop going to church and giving them your hard-earned money.

But most of all, nothing bad will happen to you if you stop trying to save someone who is unwilling to be saved.

You have worked at warning him of the deficiencies of his ways, and he has adamantly turned against your warnings.

Somewhere along the line it is time to stop. It's time to move on to the joy of reaching those who want to understand. It's time to encourage your own faith by letting go of the folly of others.

Salvation is for you. Those others who tend to reject their salvation, need to be left behind so that they don't drag you down into their disaster.

Be at peace. Encourage yourself with Bible readings, that the Lord will reward you for trying. Move on to the many who will listen.

Absolutely maintain an open heart for af_newbie just in case he does turn and return to you.

Go in the peace and love and joy of your Lord. Hebrews 12:1b,2:

1bAnd let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

See you there, CoinCube.

What are you afraid of, BADecker?  Let him think for himself.  He does not need your encouragement.

On many levels, I am pretty sure he does not share your devotion and lack of attention to detail.

Independent thinking is discouraged in your church, isn't it?

Anyway, as you say, may the Lord be with you.

[BADecker]

Enjoy your life a bit.  Relax, nothing bad is going to happen to you because you think Jesus did not actually exist or because you stop going to church and giving them your hard-earned money.

But most of all, nothing bad will happen to you if you stop trying to save someone who is unwilling to be saved.

You have worked at warning him of the deficiencies of his ways, and he has adamantly turned against your warnings.

Somewhere along the line it is time to stop. It's time to move on to the joy of reaching those who want to understand. It's time to encourage your own faith by letting go of the folly of others.

Salvation is for you. Those others who tend to reject their salvation, need to be left behind so that they don't drag you down into their disaster.

Be at peace. Encourage yourself with Bible readings, that the Lord will reward you for trying. Move on to the many who will listen.

Absolutely maintain an open heart for af_newbie just in case he does turn and return to you.

Go in the peace and love and joy of your Lord. Hebrews 12:1b,2:

1bAnd let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

See you there, CoinCube.

What are you afraid of, BADecker?  Let him think for himself.  He does not need your encouragement.

On many levels, I am pretty sure he does not share your devotion and lack of attention to detail.

Independent thinking is discouraged in your church, isn't it?

Anyway, as you say, may the Lord be with you.

Quite the opposite. In war, a group of soldiers is better than one soldier alone.

You need to get together with some friends who think like you do, and hold weekly services. If you don't, you will ultimately become bitter with your ungodly stance in life.

After all, just because you say that you are not a religious person, people are religious beings, and you can't get away from religion in yourself. As I have said in the past, you simply have a religion of non-religion. Maintain your health by "worshiping" with those who believe as you do. No man is an island.

[af_newbie]

Enjoy your life a bit.  Relax, nothing bad is going to happen to you because you think Jesus did not actually exist or because you stop going to church and giving them your hard-earned money.

But most of all, nothing bad will happen to you if you stop trying to save someone who is unwilling to be saved.

You have worked at warning him of the deficiencies of his ways, and he has adamantly turned against your warnings.

Somewhere along the line it is time to stop. It's time to move on to the joy of reaching those who want to understand. It's time to encourage your own faith by letting go of the folly of others.

Salvation is for you. Those others who tend to reject their salvation, need to be left behind so that they don't drag you down into their disaster.

Be at peace. Encourage yourself with Bible readings, that the Lord will reward you for trying. Move on to the many who will listen.

Absolutely maintain an open heart for af_newbie just in case he does turn and return to you.

Go in the peace and love and joy of your Lord. Hebrews 12:1b,2:

1bAnd let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

See you there, CoinCube.

What are you afraid of, BADecker?  Let him think for himself.  He does not need your encouragement.

On many levels, I am pretty sure he does not share your devotion and lack of attention to detail.

Independent thinking is discouraged in your church, isn't it?

Anyway, as you say, may the Lord be with you.

Quite the opposite. In war, a group of soldiers is better than one soldier alone.

You need to get together with some friends who think like you do, and hold weekly services. If you don't, you will ultimately become bitter with your ungodly stance in life.

After all, just because you say that you are not a religious person, people are religious beings, and you can't get away from religion in yourself. As I have said in the past, you simply have a religion of non-religion. Maintain your health by "worshiping" with those who believe as you do. No man is an island.

Sure man.

I will leave you with one final thought.

If Eve was created as an afterthought, why was Adam created with a penis and testicles?

[BADecker]

Quite the opposite. In war, a group of soldiers is better than one soldier alone.

You need to get together with some friends who think like you do, and hold weekly services. If you don't, you will ultimately become bitter with your ungodly stance in life.

After all, just because you say that you are not a religious person, people are religious beings, and you can't get away from religion in yourself. As I have said in the past, you simply have a religion of non-religion. Maintain your health by "worshiping" with those who believe as you do. No man is an island.

Sure man.

I will leave you with one final thought.

If Eve was created as an afterthought, why was Adam created with a penis and testicles?

What makes you think that:
1. Eve was created?;
2. The making of Eve was an afterthought?;
3. Adam was created?;
4. Adam originally had a penis and testicles?.

You really need to dig into it to see that what you say is assumptions.

[af_newbie]

Quite the opposite. In war, a group of soldiers is better than one soldier alone.

You need to get together with some friends who think like you do, and hold weekly services. If you don't, you will ultimately become bitter with your ungodly stance in life.

After all, just because you say that you are not a religious person, people are religious beings, and you can't get away from religion in yourself. As I have said in the past, you simply have a religion of non-religion. Maintain your health by "worshiping" with those who believe as you do. No man is an island.

Sure man.

I will leave you with one final thought.

If Eve was created as an afterthought, why was Adam created with a penis and testicles?

What makes you think that:
1. Eve was created?;
2. The making of Eve was an afterthought?;
3. Adam was created?;
4. Adam originally had a penis and testicles?.

You really need to dig into it to see that what you say is assumptions.

I don't think any of the stuff Bible says happened, actually happened.  
But I am just pointing out the nonsensical part of the Christian creation story so that people like you can examine it for themselves.

1. Genesis 2:22 - God made a woman from Adam's rib bone

2. Genesis 2:7 - God made man from dirt
    Genesis 2:19 - God made different beasts as a companion for man, Adam rejected them all
    Genesis 2:22 - Then God created a woman from Adam's rib bone

The chronology provided in the Bible suggests that God after creating a man, thought it would a good idea to create a companion for him, but was not sure what creature man would like, so he started creating all kinds of animals then after all were rejected by Adam, out of the blue, he decided that he can form a woman from Adam's rib bone.  Eve was way down on the list of afterthoughts. LOL.

3. Genesis 2:7 - made man from dirt
4. Adam was created as a man.  All men have penises and testicles.

Anyway, keep reading it maybe eventually you will get it, that the Bible was written by a primitive, uneducated person who thought that life can be breathed into inanimate objects.

Just read this book for once and think for yourself. Logical inconsistencies are all over this book.

[BADecker]

What makes you think that:
1. Eve was created?;
2. The making of Eve was an afterthought?;
3. Adam was created?;
4. Adam originally had a penis and testicles?.

You really need to dig into it to see that what you say is assumptions.

I don't think any of the stuff Bible says happened, actually happened.  
But I am just pointing out the nonsensical part of the Christian creation story so that people like you can examine it for themselves.

1. Genesis 2:22 - God made a woman from Adam's rib bone

2. Genesis 2:7 - God made man from dirt
    Genesis 2:19 - God made different beasts as a companion for man, Adam rejected them all
    Genesis 2:22 - Then God created a woman from Adam's rib bone

The chronology provided in the Bible suggests that God after creating a man, thought it would a good idea to create a companion for him, but was not sure what creature man would like, so he started creating all kinds of animals then after all were rejected by Adam, out of the blue, he decided that he can form a woman from Adam's rib bone.  Eve was way down on the list of afterthoughts. LOL.

3. Genesis 2:7 - made man from dirt
4. Adam was created as a man.  All men have penises and testicles.

Anyway, keep reading it maybe eventually you will get it, that the Bible was written by a primitive, uneducated person who thought that life can be breathed into inanimate objects.

Just read this book for once and think for yourself. Logical inconsistencies are all over this book.

1. That's why He is God. Way advanced even over the ability of man to even think, to say nothing about what man can do.

2A. People still are made from all the materials found in the ground... dirt.
2B. All right. So only you don't have a pet dog or cat or goldfish or parakeet. Notice that Adam didn't reject them. He even named them.
2C. See "1" above.

God doesn't think the way we do, so nobody can know that the chronology suggests anything that we might think. The man was perfect at that time. His thinking was good enough for him to determine on his own that he needed a different companion besides the animals... one greater than the animals... more like himself. No afterthought after all. Simply a progression of events.

3. See "2A" above.

4. At the time of his creation, Adam was perfect. This means that we don't know what he was like, because there has never been anyone other than Adam and Eve who was perfect (except Jesus, of course. And traditions says that Jesus didn't have any children.). We have no model of perfection to see what perfection in a human is like. We don't know that a perfect man would have penis and testicles. Keep on guessing.

The Bible was written by people who were more intelligent than people of today. How do we know? Only devolution since the past. Moses, who wrote the things listed above, was a prince of Egypt, with access to writings from the Beginning... writings that have long since crumbled to dust. You are one of the great pieces of evidence of devolution. You are almost too ignorant to recognize that you (like all humans) are a religious being.

[af_newbie]

What makes you think that:
1. Eve was created?;
2. The making of Eve was an afterthought?;
3. Adam was created?;
4. Adam originally had a penis and testicles?.

You really need to dig into it to see that what you say is assumptions.

I don't think any of the stuff Bible says happened, actually happened.  
But I am just pointing out the nonsensical part of the Christian creation story so that people like you can examine it for themselves.

1. Genesis 2:22 - God made a woman from Adam's rib bone

2. Genesis 2:7 - God made man from dirt
    Genesis 2:19 - God made different beasts as a companion for man, Adam rejected them all
    Genesis 2:22 - Then God created a woman from Adam's rib bone

The chronology provided in the Bible suggests that God after creating a man, thought it would a good idea to create a companion for him, but was not sure what creature man would like, so he started creating all kinds of animals then after all were rejected by Adam, out of the blue, he decided that he can form a woman from Adam's rib bone.  Eve was way down on the list of afterthoughts. LOL.

3. Genesis 2:7 - made man from dirt
4. Adam was created as a man.  All men have penises and testicles.

Anyway, keep reading it maybe eventually you will get it, that the Bible was written by a primitive, uneducated person who thought that life can be breathed into inanimate objects.

Just read this book for once and think for yourself. Logical inconsistencies are all over this book.

1. That's why He is God. Way advanced even over the ability of man to even think, to say nothing about what man can do.

2A. People still are made from all the materials found in the ground... dirt.
2B. All right. So only you don't have a pet dog or cat or goldfish or parakeet. Notice that Adam didn't reject them. He even named them.
2C. See "1" above.

God doesn't think the way we do, so nobody can know that the chronology suggests anything that we might think. The man was perfect at that time. His thinking was good enough for him to determine on his own that he needed a different companion besides the animals... one greater than the animals... more like himself. No afterthought after all. Simply a progression of events.

3. See "2A" above.

4. At the time of his creation, Adam was perfect. This means that we don't know what he was like, because there has never been anyone other than Adam and Eve who was perfect (except Jesus, of course. And traditions says that Jesus didn't have any children.). We have no model of perfection to see what perfection in a human is like. We don't know that a perfect man would have penis and testicles. Keep on guessing.

The Bible was written by people who were more intelligent than people of today. How do we know? Only devolution since the past. Moses, who wrote the things listed above, was a prince of Egypt, with access to writings from the Beginning... writings that have long since crumbled to dust. You are one of the great pieces of evidence of devolution. You are almost too ignorant to recognize that you (like all humans) are a religious being.

Why do I even bother?  I am guessing you don't know much except that Jesus is your king. LOL.

Oh, we know quite a bit about our origins, and nothing matches your fairy tale.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/world/human-origins-botswana-scn-trnd/index.html

You don't need logic to make your worldview coherent, magic and ancient myths is all you need.

Good luck.  I am done.  You 'win'.

[BADecker]

Why do I even bother?  I am guessing you don't know much except that Jesus is your king. LOL.

Oh, we know quite a bit about our origins, and nothing matches your fairy tale.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/world/human-origins-botswana-scn-trnd/index.html

You don't need logic to make your worldview coherent, magic and ancient myths is all you need.

Good luck.  I am done.  You 'win'.

That's a good question. Why do you bother? Knowing Jesus as my King places me way above you in knowledge. But since you can't get this into your head, why do you bother?

All that stuff that you suggest is knowledge about our origins - NOW GET THIS - when you look at the actual writings by the actual scientific investigators, they all say that they THINK that this is the way it is. You are basing your beliefs on the kinds of "knowledge" that has proven over and over in the past to be faulty. And they say it because they don't say that this is the way it was, rather they say that they think that this is the way it was.

I am, however, glad that you have a religion... even if it is that religion. It is a starting point for you. There is still chance that you will remember my and CoinCube's words when you are so low that you want to commit suicide. And maybe, just maybe, you will wake up to salvation.

[af_newbie]

Why do I even bother?  I am guessing you don't know much except that Jesus is your king. LOL.

Oh, we know quite a bit about our origins, and nothing matches your fairy tale.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/world/human-origins-botswana-scn-trnd/index.html

You don't need logic to make your worldview coherent, magic and ancient myths is all you need.

Good luck.  I am done.  You 'win'.

That's a good question. Why do you bother? Knowing Jesus as my King places me way above you in knowledge. But since you can't get this into your head, why do you bother?

All that stuff that you suggest is knowledge about our origins - NOW GET THIS - when you look at the actual writings by the actual scientific investigators, they all say that they THINK that this is the way it is. You are basing your beliefs on the kinds of "knowledge" that has proven over and over in the past to be faulty. And they say it because they don't say that this is the way it was, rather they say that they think that this is the way it was.

I am, however, glad that you have a religion... even if it is that religion. It is a starting point for you. There is still chance that you will remember my and CoinCube's words when you are so low that you want to commit suicide. And maybe, just maybe, you will wake up to salvation.

Maybe because I care about people, and because I care about what is actually true.  Take care, my friend.

“With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.”
― Steven Weinberg

[CoinCube]

“With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.”
― Steven Weinberg

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956

[BADecker]

Why do I even bother?  I am guessing you don't know much except that Jesus is your king. LOL.

Oh, we know quite a bit about our origins, and nothing matches your fairy tale.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/world/human-origins-botswana-scn-trnd/index.html

You don't need logic to make your worldview coherent, magic and ancient myths is all you need.

Good luck.  I am done.  You 'win'.

That's a good question. Why do you bother? Knowing Jesus as my King places me way above you in knowledge. But since you can't get this into your head, why do you bother?

All that stuff that you suggest is knowledge about our origins - NOW GET THIS - when you look at the actual writings by the actual scientific investigators, they all say that they THINK that this is the way it is. You are basing your beliefs on the kinds of "knowledge" that has proven over and over in the past to be faulty. And they say it because they don't say that this is the way it was, rather they say that they think that this is the way it was.

I am, however, glad that you have a religion... even if it is that religion. It is a starting point for you. There is still chance that you will remember my and CoinCube's words when you are so low that you want to commit suicide. And maybe, just maybe, you will wake up to salvation.

Maybe because I care about people, and because I care about what is actually true.  Take care, my friend.

“With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.”
― Steven Weinberg

There isn't any "without religion." Nobody can get away from religion. The closest they can come is to say that they don't have religion. So saying, they have made non-religion-expression to be their religion... or at least part of it.

We might appear to be friends in some ways. We might even appear to be brothers when considering that all people came from the same prehistoric woman in the distant past. But we aren't brothers, really, and we are enemies, although not violent enemies.

This will be proven out at the return of Jesus when He sentences all people in the formal Judgment. He will place His people - the sheep - on His right, and His enemies (the children of the evil one, Satan) - the goats - on his left. He will send the goats into the eternal destruction that they asked for by the way they did what they did on Earth.

The only way to do the good required by God here on Earth, is to understand that God exists, and to do the good out of that understanding... having faith that God will do as He says.

Until you let yourself realize that God exists, and then have faith in Him, we are enemies, even though we are not violent enemies in this life.

[af_newbie]

Why do I even bother?  I am guessing you don't know much except that Jesus is your king. LOL.

Oh, we know quite a bit about our origins, and nothing matches your fairy tale.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/world/human-origins-botswana-scn-trnd/index.html

You don't need logic to make your worldview coherent, magic and ancient myths is all you need.

Good luck.  I am done.  You 'win'.

That's a good question. Why do you bother? Knowing Jesus as my King places me way above you in knowledge. But since you can't get this into your head, why do you bother?

All that stuff that you suggest is knowledge about our origins - NOW GET THIS - when you look at the actual writings by the actual scientific investigators, they all say that they THINK that this is the way it is. You are basing your beliefs on the kinds of "knowledge" that has proven over and over in the past to be faulty. And they say it because they don't say that this is the way it was, rather they say that they think that this is the way it was.

I am, however, glad that you have a religion... even if it is that religion. It is a starting point for you. There is still chance that you will remember my and CoinCube's words when you are so low that you want to commit suicide. And maybe, just maybe, you will wake up to salvation.

Maybe because I care about people, and because I care about what is actually true.  Take care, my friend.

“With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.”
― Steven Weinberg

There isn't any "without religion." Nobody can get away from religion. ...

There are millions of Americans getting away from the religions of their parents and grandparents every year.  There are probably a few people doing exactly that as I type this post.

https://www.beliefnet.com/news/why-are-americans-turning-away-from-religion.aspx

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/atheism-fastest-growing-religion-us/598843/

https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/6/4/18644764/church-religion-atheism-secularism

And what is going to happen in the next 20-30 years:

https://www.pewforum.org/2018/06/13/young-adults-around-the-world-are-less-religious-by-several-measures/

Ancient cults: 0
Science: 1

See you in the movies.

[BADecker]

There isn't any "without religion." Nobody can get away from religion. ...

There are millions of Americans getting away from the religions of their parents and grandparents every year.  There are probably a few people doing exactly that as I type this post.

https://www.beliefnet.com/news/why-are-americans-turning-away-from-religion.aspx

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/atheism-fastest-growing-religion-us/598843/

https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/6/4/18644764/church-religion-atheism-secularism

And what is going to happen in the next 20-30 years:

https://www.pewforum.org/2018/06/13/young-adults-around-the-world-are-less-religious-by-several-measures/

Ancient cults: 0
Science: 1

See you in the movies.

Your links don't say anything about people moving away from religion. All they talk about is people changing religion. Often people move away from a religion that has God in it simply because they don't understand how God pervades the whole of the universe, macro to micro. Where do they move? To a religion without a formal god... like atheism. But maybe Buddhism or Hinduism, where if there are gods, they are understood way less than God in Christianity or Allah in Islam.

[af_newbie]

There isn't any "without religion." Nobody can get away from religion. ...

There are millions of Americans getting away from the religions of their parents and grandparents every year.  There are probably a few people doing exactly that as I type this post.

https://www.beliefnet.com/news/why-are-americans-turning-away-from-religion.aspx

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/atheism-fastest-growing-religion-us/598843/

https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/6/4/18644764/church-religion-atheism-secularism

And what is going to happen in the next 20-30 years:

https://www.pewforum.org/2018/06/13/young-adults-around-the-world-are-less-religious-by-several-measures/

Ancient cults: 0
Science: 1

See you in the movies.

Your links don't say anything about people moving away from religion. All they talk about is people changing religion. Often people move away from a religion that has God in it simply because they don't understand how God pervades the whole of the universe, macro to micro. Where do they move? To a religion without a formal god... like atheism. But maybe Buddhism or Hinduism, where if there are gods, they are understood way less than God in Christianity or Allah in Islam.

So we are back to word definitions?  What is new?  Is English your second language?

https://www.google.com/search?q=religion

BTW, the articles say exactly that.  Americans are leaving religion in droves.

[BADecker]

There isn't any "without religion." Nobody can get away from religion. ...

There are millions of Americans getting away from the religions of their parents and grandparents every year.  There are probably a few people doing exactly that as I type this post.

https://www.beliefnet.com/news/why-are-americans-turning-away-from-religion.aspx

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/atheism-fastest-growing-religion-us/598843/

https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/6/4/18644764/church-religion-atheism-secularism

And what is going to happen in the next 20-30 years:

https://www.pewforum.org/2018/06/13/young-adults-around-the-world-are-less-religious-by-several-measures/

Ancient cults: 0
Science: 1

See you in the movies.

Your links don't say anything about people moving away from religion. All they talk about is people changing religion. Often people move away from a religion that has God in it simply because they don't understand how God pervades the whole of the universe, macro to micro. Where do they move? To a religion without a formal god... like atheism. But maybe Buddhism or Hinduism, where if there are gods, they are understood way less than God in Christianity or Allah in Islam.

So we are back to word definitions?  What is new?  Is English your second language?

https://www.google.com/search?q=religion

BTW, the articles say exactly that.  Americans are leaving religion in droves.

I use definitions from here - https://www.dictionary.com/browse/religion?s=t - because generally they are more complete.

Articles can say anything. If they say "religion" but don't say "formal religion" it's their problem. However, even if they say formal religion, everybody is formal in his life. So the articles need to be more specific. Why? Because by the nature of it, atheism is a formal religion. By the nature of it, science theory is a formal religion - because it has a bunch of believers when they all know it can be changed on a moment's notice.

In your atheism or whatever religion, you don't even realize that you are standing up as god by denying Him.

[CoinCube]

There are millions of Americans getting away from the religions of their parents and grandparents every year.  There are probably a few people doing exactly that as I type this post.
...
Ancient cults: 0
Science: 1

See you in the movies.

Not Quite

Christianity Booming, Atheism Declining around the World, Report Says
https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/christianity-booming-atheism-declining-around-the-world-report-says.html

The headlines might declare that Christianity is declining in the United States, but new research shows it’s growing faster than the population around the world – and atheism and agnosticism are on a gradual decline.

The 2019 Status of Global Christianity report shows there were 2.5 billion Christians in the world as of mid-2019 – a major increase from the 1.98 billion Christians in 2000 and more than double the number of Christians (1.2 billion) in 1970. Christianity is growing worldwide at a rate of 1.27 percent each year and outpacing population growth (1.20 percent) – and is booming in Africa (2.37 percent), Asia (2.79 percent) and Latin America (2.29 percent).

By comparison, there were 138 million atheists around the world in mid-2019 – slightly more than the 137 million in 2000 but less than the 165 million in 1970. Atheism’s annual growth (.04 percent) is less than that of the population, and the number of atheists worldwide is projected to decline to 132 million in 2025.

Agnosticism and those affiliated with the “nonreligionists” category also are on the descent, according to the report.

The Status of Global Christianity report is released by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

A Pew Research Center study this month showed the percentage of American adults who call themselves Christian has declined the past decade, from 77 percent to 65 percent, while the percentage of U.S. adults who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” has risen from 17 percent to 26 percent in that same span.

Globally, though, the data is opposite of the Pew data, according to the Status of Global Christianity report.

There were 716 million agnostics in the world as of mid-2019, but by 2025 that is projected to fall to 707 million. Nonreligionists numbered 854 million this year but are expected to fall to 839 million by 2025.

Much of Christianity’s growth is due to its surge in other continents. Africa (119 million) and Asia (160 million) each have more Christians than North America (100 million).

Among Christian traditions, evangelicalism (2.19 percent) and Pentecostalism/charismatic Christianity (2.26 percent) are growing faster than Protestantism (1.61 percent) and Roman Catholicism (1.02 percent).

Christianity: 1
Scientism: 0

[af_newbie]

There are millions of Americans getting away from the religions of their parents and grandparents every year.  There are probably a few people doing exactly that as I type this post.
...
Ancient cults: 0
Science: 1

See you in the movies.

Not Quite

Christianity Booming, Atheism Declining around the World, Report Says
https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/christianity-booming-atheism-declining-around-the-world-report-says.html

The headlines might declare that Christianity is declining in the United States, but new research shows it’s growing faster than the population around the world – and atheism and agnosticism are on a gradual decline.

The 2019 Status of Global Christianity report shows there were 2.5 billion Christians in the world as of mid-2019 – a major increase from the 1.98 billion Christians in 2000 and more than double the number of Christians (1.2 billion) in 1970. Christianity is growing worldwide at a rate of 1.27 percent each year and outpacing population growth (1.20 percent) – and is booming in Africa (2.37 percent), Asia (2.79 percent) and Latin America (2.29 percent).

By comparison, there were 138 million atheists around the world in mid-2019 – slightly more than the 137 million in 2000 but less than the 165 million in 1970. Atheism’s annual growth (.04 percent) is less than that of the population, and the number of atheists worldwide is projected to decline to 132 million in 2025.

Agnosticism and those affiliated with the “nonreligionists” category also are on the descent, according to the report.

The Status of Global Christianity report is released by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

A Pew Research Center study this month showed the percentage of American adults who call themselves Christian has declined the past decade, from 77 percent to 65 percent, while the percentage of U.S. adults who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” has risen from 17 percent to 26 percent in that same span.

Globally, though, the data is opposite of the Pew data, according to the Status of Global Christianity report.

There were 716 million agnostics in the world as of mid-2019, but by 2025 that is projected to fall to 707 million. Nonreligionists numbered 854 million this year but are expected to fall to 839 million by 2025.

Much of Christianity’s growth is due to its surge in other continents. Africa (119 million) and Asia (160 million) each have more Christians than North America (100 million).

Among Christian traditions, evangelicalism (2.19 percent) and Pentecostalism/charismatic Christianity (2.26 percent) are growing faster than Protestantism (1.61 percent) and Roman Catholicism (1.02 percent).

Christianity: 1
Scientism: 0

The number of Atheists is not correct.  There are more than 138 million Atheists in China alone.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

It is fair to assume that the rest of the article is pure apologetics' bullshit.

About 16% of people are nonreligious
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion