The Decline Of Christianity In America

Since the announcement by Trump that he was running for the Presidency I had to wonder at the blind loyalty of the so-called "Evangelical" for this Nietzsche style of "christian". And as I have followed the events it mystifies me as to how they can claim to be Christians while supporting such an obvious cretin. It is not just their denial of his faults, it is their fawning over his anti-American, antiChrist, spiel. Now an article has been printed that I have to say addresses many of these concerns:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/04/the-last-temptation/554066/

"Trump’s background and beliefs could hardly be more incompatible with traditional Christian models of life and leadership. Trump’s past political stances (he once supported the right to partial-birth abortion), his character (he has bragged about sexually assaulting women), and even his language (he introduced the words pussy and shithole into presidential discourse) would more naturally lead religious conservatives toward exorcism than alliance. This is a man who has cruelly publicized his infidelities, made disturbing sexual comments about his elder daughter, and boasted about the size of his penis on the debate stage. His lawyer reportedly arranged a $130,000 payment to a porn star to dissuade her from disclosing an alleged affair. Yet religious conservatives who once blanched at PG-13 public standards now yawn at such NC-17 maneuvers. We are a long way from The Book of Virtues.

Trump supporters tend to dismiss moral scruples about his behavior as squeamishness over the president’s “style.” But the problem is the distinctly non-Christian substance of his values. Trump’s unapologetic materialism—his equation of financial and social success with human achievement and worth—is a negation of Christian teaching. His tribalism and hatred for “the other” stand in direct opposition to Jesus’s radical ethic of neighbor love. Trump’s strength-worship and contempt for “losers” smack more of Nietzsche than of Christ. Blessed are the proud. Blessed are the ruthless. Blessed are the shameless. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after fame.

According to Jerry Falwell Jr., evangelicals have “found their dream president,” which says something about the current quality of evangelical dreams."

 

The myriad quasi-christian sects in the US do seem to have some rather odd views in their choice of heroes...

 

Are there any Christians over there? I thought they all worshipped Mammon.

 

Over where mate? I live in the south of England... and they're a pretty rare breed.....we have druids in Amesbury and pissheads in Medway.....but not may Christians

 

Ah, a standard Scotsman then? Why do you so often sound like an American?

 

The decline is likely more than what most think. I know many who call themselves Christian but never go to church even once a year.

It get's worse in the Netherlands where 95% call themselves Christian, while only about 4% go to church even once a year.

If the numbers more closely match the believers in these forums, where there seem to be more non-believers than believers, then there are likely more atheists in the U.S., a Christian nation, than in most nations.

I see this as good but hypocritical on the part of believers who do not really believe.

https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/more-we-evolve-less-we-need-god

Regards
DL

 

'Christians' come in two sorts, I think - those who read the New Testament and aim to act in accordance with the teaching of Jesus, and those who go to Church. They overlap a bit, but not much. To go by the UK, where the Bible and the Prayer Book have both been translated into committee-ese, the traditional habit of 'going to Church' has been broken, and each parish has come under the control of some little gang or another, mostly retired managers looking for people to boss. There are also, of course, great tribes of other liars, like those in the US, who worship power and money mostly, and are at best very, very ill-instructed Old Testament Jews. It's important, obviously, that the Christians should come together and look for a way forward, but not yet. The followers of the anti-Christ need to go their appointed way first, I'd guess.

 

Christianity will do that. I understand that all references to an anti-Christ will be taken out of the newer bibles.

Why not? They have been screwing with the bible since it was invented by taking out most of the pertinent bits.

Regards
DL

 

I like you turn of phrase.

Regards
DL

 

Matthew 20:25-27 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:"