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New percentages of Americans that are Christian

Riders

Well-Known Member
I keep hearing Christians quote 77 to 8 percent of AMericans so I wanted to bring this us. If you llook WIkis actual recent count its 70 percent and actually its lower then that.

It includes people and churches that most mainline church dont consider to be Christian. It includes Mormons, jehovahs Witnesses,, Universal Christian church and also Quakers, the last 2 don't require belief in jesus as God. Actually the real percentages maybe 65 percent or lower. If you don't count those churches.

Truthfully I have a sister who doesn't believe Catholics are Christian and some here don't either, take them off and the percentage is way lower.

Also the percentages for church attendance isn't 45 or 50 percent like some think. 45 percent covers people who claim to go once a year on Christmas. For people who really go regular its more like 20 to 25 percent.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
I keep hearing Christians quote 77 to 8 percent of AMericans so I wanted to bring this us. If you llook WIkis actual recent count its 70 percent and actually its lower then that.

It includes people and churches that most mainline church dont consider to be Christian. It includes Mormons, jehovahs Witnesses,, Universal Christian church and also Quakers, the last 2 don't require belief in jesus as God. Actually the real percentages maybe 65 percent or lower. If you don't count those churches.

Truthfully I have a sister who doesn't believe Catholics are Christian and some here don't either, take them off and the percentage is way lower.

Also the percentages for church attendance isn't 45 or 50 percent like some think. 45 percent covers people who claim to go once a year on Christmas. For people who really go regular its more like 20 to 25 percent.

In New Zealand where I live, a traditionally Christian country, the number identifying themselves as Christian slipped below 48% in the last census taken in 2013. Those with no religion were just over 41%.

Religion in New Zealand - Wikipedia

100 years ago the number of Christians would have been well over 90%.

We have a census every 5 years so with current trends those with no religion are set to outnumber those considering themselves Christian.

Baha'u'llah the 19th century founder of the Baha'i Faith said:

"The vitality of men’s belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it."


Best wishes
 

lovesong

:D
Premium Member
Ok, so you're just looking at the percentage of Protestants, and not just all Protestants, but hardcore devout Protestants. Nobody ever said that group made up 77% of the country, so yeah, your number is gonna be closer to reality, but only because you're eliminating most Christians.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
I keep hearing Christians quote 77 to 8 percent of AMericans so I wanted to bring this us. If you llook WIkis actual recent count its 70 percent and actually its lower then that.

I believe the actual survey is who identify as christian. Whether they practice or not is not important. If a person identifies as christian they are more likely to support christian causes and be wary of non-Christians. They are more likely to vote for christian qualities as well. Minimizing the amount of actual Christians in America and you will surely be surprised at results in government and private. Being that it is so large it would be better to inflate it so that you over prepare.
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
Ok, so you're just looking at the percentage of Protestants, and not just all Protestants, but hardcore devout Protestants. Nobody ever said that group made up 77% of the country, so yeah, your number is gonna be closer to reality, but only because you're eliminating most Christians.


No I said my sister looks at it that way,it snot 77 percent..Its 70 percent for all of it, if you consider universalist Christians and Quakers who don't believe Jesus is God as Christian then its 70. I'm just saying you Christians always say you have to believe Jesus as God but whatever, if you count them its 70, if not 65 whichever way you want to count it I don't care.

But it is not 77 or 80 percent, its 70 percent including churches that don't believe Jesus as God 65 percent or less not including them.
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
I believe the actual survey is who identify as christian. Whether they practice or not is not important. If a person identifies as christian they are more likely to support christian causes and be wary of non-Christians. They are more likely to vote for christian qualities as well. Minimizing the amount of actual Christians in America and you will surely be surprised at results in government and private. Being that it is so large it would be better to inflate it so that you over prepare.


Its 70 percent, but that 70 percent includes Universal Christian church and other churches that don't teach Jesus as God, which makes it 65 percent or a ltitle less, so whichever way you want to count to count it, either 70 or 65 percent.
 

lovesong

:D
Premium Member
No I said my sister looks at it that way,it snot 77 percent..Its 70 percent for all of it, if you consider universalist Christians and Quakers who don't believe Jesus is God as Christian then its 70. I'm just saying you Christians always say you have to believe Jesus as God but whatever, if you count them its 70, if not 65 whichever way you want to count it I don't care.

But it is not 77 or 80 percent, its 70 percent including churches that don't believe Jesus as God 65 percent or less not including them.
I don't mean this is any negative kind of way, but is English your first language? I only ask because it can often be hard to understand what you're trying to say because of spelling and grammatical errors.
 

Ingledsva

HEATHEN ALASKAN
I keep hearing Christians quote 77 to 8 percent of AMericans so I wanted to bring this us. If you llook WIkis actual recent count its 70 percent and actually its lower then that.

It includes people and churches that most mainline church dont consider to be Christian. It includes Mormons, jehovahs Witnesses,, Universal Christian church and also Quakers, the last 2 don't require belief in jesus as God. Actually the real percentages maybe 65 percent or lower. If you don't count those churches.

Truthfully I have a sister who doesn't believe Catholics are Christian and some here don't either, take them off and the percentage is way lower.

Also the percentages for church attendance isn't 45 or 50 percent like some think. 45 percent covers people who claim to go once a year on Christmas. For people who really go regular its more like 20 to 25 percent.

Regardless of the Christian group, a Christian poll that I posted some time back, said the numbers were actually wrong and even lower then given, as people that moved from one religion, to another, and another, where being counted by all of them. Also people on Church lists such as on Catholic baptism records, or marriage records, were counted even when they were now Atheist, etc.

EDIT - Forgot to add that in one Viking country (can't remember which one) - the ancient Christians and Vikings made a deal to baptize all people as Christian, while being allowed to practice their Viking religion at home. The modern country still lists ALL of the births as Christian, - even though only a very small percentage of the country consider themselves Christian. Weird!

*
 
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Riders

Well-Known Member
Well I'm talking about AMerica but that's interesting I did not know they were counting people who had been baptized as a child. Yea that definitely shouldn't count. I do think the numbers are les then that too.

Sometimes when people say theyre Christian they do mean they were raised Christian or baptized as a child etc.
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
I don't mean this is any negative kind of way, but is English your first language? I only ask because it can often be hard to understand what you're trying to say because of spelling and grammatical errors.


I only have one miss spelled word, which words are miss spelled? Others are reading it and having no issues with it. I've put up many threads where people didn't have a hard time reading it. So when I get this type of confrontation from a Christian I assume its a way to divert the attention else where. But if you cant read it feel free not to read my posts.
 

lovesong

:D
Premium Member
I only have one miss spelled word, which words are miss spelled? Others are reading it and having no issues with it. I've put up many threads where people didn't have a hard time reading it. So when I get this type of confrontation from a Christian I assume its a way to divert the attention else where. But if you cant read it feel free not to read my posts.
Why do you think I'm a Christian? Seriously, where did that come from! I just have to know. :tearsofjoy:
I'm not being confrontational or giving you any kind of insult, I was just genuinely asking out of curiosity, since English grammar and spelling can be a real ***** to learn. Nothing wrong with asking someone what language they're most familiar with! :)
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
Ok, so you're just looking at the percentage of Protestants, and not just all Protestants, but hardcore devout Protestants. Nobody ever said that group made up 77% of the country, so yeah, your number is gonna be closer to reality, but only because you're eliminating most Christians.


The reason I thought you were Christian is because this reaction, Sorry it does sound like its coming from a Christian.Its sympathetic, claiming 77 percent, its 70.Im not illiminating most Christians, infact I said its 70 percent if you include everyone.

If Christians choose not to count( I'm not saying I'm counting it this way I'm saying if) Universal Christians, Jehovahs Witnesses Mormons and QUakers are counted then its 70 percent if not 65 percent. That's only a 5 percent difference, how am I illuminating most Christians with only a 5 percent difference?
 

Father Heathen

Veteran Member
I keep hearing Christians quote 77 to 8 percent of AMericans so I wanted to bring this us. If you llook WIkis actual recent count its 70 percent and actually its lower then that.

It includes people and churches that most mainline church dont consider to be Christian. It includes Mormons, jehovahs Witnesses,, Universal Christian church and also Quakers, the last 2 don't require belief in jesus as God. Actually the real percentages maybe 65 percent or lower. If you don't count those churches.

Truthfully I have a sister who doesn't believe Catholics are Christian and some here don't either, take them off and the percentage is way lower.

Also the percentages for church attendance isn't 45 or 50 percent like some think. 45 percent covers people who claim to go once a year on Christmas. For people who really go regular its more like 20 to 25 percent.

You could continue to apply arbitrary hoops and people's bigoted opinions and bring it down to 1%
 

Riders

Well-Known Member
WHy one percent? I'm just going by statistics that say 70 percent why would I want to go by peoples bigoted opinions?
 

Father Heathen

Veteran Member
WHy one percent? I'm just going by statistics that say 70 percent why would I want to go by peoples bigoted opinions?

Unless I misunderstood, you suggested that the percentage should be lower because some people don't consider certain demonstrations "real" christians, or that frequency of church attendance determines how "real" a christian someone is. My point was that if intend to toss crap like that into the equation, you have to establish what your criteria for "christian" is beforehand, otherwise such statistics are useless.
 

Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Many people don't consider themselves Christian, yet their attitudes and behaviours are more Christian, than many Christians.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Regardless of the Christian group, a Christian poll that I posted some time back, said the numbers were actually wrong and even lower then given, as people that moved from one religion, to another, and another, where being counted by all of them. Also people on Church lists such as on Catholic baptism records, or marriage records, were counted even when they were now Atheist, etc.
Most Brazilian atheists are counted as Catholics by the church's records. It takes considerable paperwork to file a request of being tossed out of those.

EDIT - Forgot to add that in one Viking country (can't remember which one) - the ancient Christians and Vikings made a deal to baptize all people as Christian, while being allowed to practice their Viking religion at home. The modern country still lists ALL of the births as Christian, - even though only a very small percentage of the country consider themselves Christian. Weird!

That is not very unusual.

For quite a few Christians, or at least Catholics, adherence to and support of Christianity is far less a matter of actual belief than it is one of respect to social expectations and, often to actual social efforts. It is not rare for people to actually prefer to avoid mention or inquiry of the actual beliefs and participation of others. It is often perceived as rude to insist on doing so.

On a practical level, adherence to Christianity is often motivated by a practical need to show good will towards the community's values and to develop a common, shared vocabulary. How many people actually care or even know the doctrine is a separate matter and will depend a lot on how stable and well-supported the community is. The most troubled places tend to lend a lot more significance to belief.
 

Cephus

Relentlessly Rational
Many people call themselves Christians, but in fact they are not Christians at all, so what about them ?.

There is a difference between cultural Christianity and religious Christianity. Even Richard Dawkins said he considers himself culturally Catholic, even though he's not remotely religiously Catholic. I bet if we limited "Christian" to only those who actively go to church, actively read the Bible and actively pray on a regular basis, there wouldn't be a lot of Christians.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
I bet if we limited "Christian" to only those who actively go to church, actively read the Bible and actively pray on a regular basis, there wouldn't be a lot of Christians.
Or better yet, imo, actually living out the teachings of Jesus in regards to compassion and justice for literally all.
 
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