The conservative/fundamentalist takeover 30 years ago was supposed to turn the trend around; it didn’t make a bit of difference.

A matter of fact it lead to the past seven years during which the evangelicals tied their future to the radical imperialistic BushCo regime. That’s one helluva albatross to have about your neck.

The acceptance of religious dogma has little to do with logic and facts. It has far more to do with social structures and socioeconomic interdependencies. Without resources to maintain these structures and enforce the interdependencies the grip on the followers will fade. Quickly too.

Also, what are we going to do with all the churches in 2030? Because thats a LOT of buildings, and most are not that nice.

I would hope at least a tax…..I mean an empty buiding on a lot that is not being taxed is a nice little egg I figure….wish I could buy some of those…..

suck it tax free clubs

Maybe church people nowadays expect that their churches should have schools, day cares, vacation offices, social functions, and all the other amenities and benefits that small churches can’t support. If that is the case, megachurches are, in a social sense, an evolutionary adaptation by the mind-virus we know as religion.

Also, if the infection has reached saturation level (as in 90+% of people report believe in god) then accellerating growth may be impossible.

I’m not trying to be a downer, I’m just saying that we should be aware of what we’re up against.

so while i would like to be jubilant reading this article like you are Dave, i see no meaningful progress in the conversion of america to atheism here. but keep dreaming, its healthy for the spirit.

Also think of all the Christians reading the same bad book and disagreeing on interpretation to the point there are something like a couple thousand denominations! It’s all getting watered down.

I remember a cover article a few years ago from Atlantic Monthly entitled, ” Oh Gods” which revealed there were, at that time about a thousand distinct deities on the planet with more being dreamt up. The Halle Bop comet lunatics were a minor example.

The growth of Christianity today is in Africa and parts of Asia, two areas of the planet not known for scientific advancement. Christian growth is relegated to thin ice as the waters of critical thought are warming up here in the land of milk and honey. Archeology, Paleontology, Oceanography, Astronomy, Geology, etc., etc. are all pealing back the whitewash of all religions.

A factor not mentioned which has been whittling away at church life is Karaoke singing. In our narcississitic society I wonder how many people who used to get a charge out of singing badly in a choir now get a rush out of singing badly in a bar. Especially those poor Catholics who no longer have to settle for a sip of grape juice in silence when they can lug around their own mug of amber fluid in a lively pub.

If a Catholic priest was to spank his monkey would he have to confess to a Bishop? If a Bishop had a wet dream is he obligated to tell the Pope? You’ll have to excuse me but I’m going to go turn some beer into urine.

The article from Alternet Headlines said fewer young people are drifting in but the elders are going to church more often. Desperation at its finest.

I have often pointed out that religiosity, and by extension support of gay equality, is very clearly delineated along generational lines. In another generation or two the USA will be a much more secular and progressive place.