Not offering any conclusions or analysis here just noting some recent polls and statistics in the news today.

1) Muhammad is the most common name for a child born in Britain.

2) Non believers outnumber religious believers by over 2 to 1 in Britain. The secular movement  has a "super' majority i. e. over 2/3rds. The loss of religious adherents is among the Christians.

Suppose this would also fit in Religion forum.

Well, a recent poll in America showed that 95% have premarital sex so the vast majority of Americans aren't practicing Christians either.  Looks like secularism or watered down Christianity is growing everywhere.

"We cannot allow a mine shaft gap"

Actually the last study I saw which was international (may have been UN) showed that religious adherents were increasing in numbers and proportion across the globe.  It made the point that atheists are a dying breed.  Seems like there are more and more people at least looking for God, even if many are looking in the wrong places. 

I think the "I am God, I am the supreme authority in the universe, I'll devise my own moral code based on my limited life experience, I know it all etc" school of thought that started in the 60s and 70s has peaked and is now in decline.  In some western nations we're still impacted by it's influence however.

We may trace England's economic and social demise in direct correlation with it's decline in practicing christians.

It's encouraging to read that in some areas of poorer nations such as India and China, Christianity in particular is flourishing and producing great results for the locals.  When I visited Kerala earlier in the year, it was by far the most prosperous region I saw.  Not only that, but the wealth was divided so you rarely saw poverty (unlike most of the rest of India).  Turns out they have a huge christian population there, and the christian values are filtering into how they run the place.  Just another example of how christianity at work is a beautiful thing...

x-ray
if your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it...

China's population estimated as of July 2006 = 1,313,973,713

China Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

3-4% of 1,3. billion = 39,000,000 - 52,000,000

India's population estimated as of July 2006 = 1,095,351,995

India Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

2.3% of 1,1. billion = 25,300,000

Add them both together and you get 69,300,000 - 77,300,000

Small percent of the two largest populations on earth but still lots of people. Probably difficult places to be Christians too.

Susan

PS This comes from the wonderful CIA World Factbook which is constantly updated.

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

I'd take that 39,000,000 - 52,000,000 figure with a huge dose of salt.

As far as I'm aware there hasn't been a census in China so I'm curious how the CIA calculated that figure.

x-ray
if your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it...

x-ray

Actually the last study I saw which was international (may have been UN) showed that religious adherents were increasing in numbers and proportion across the globe.

As per usual Cybacat all of your 'inciteful information' is based on your own anecdotal evidence rather than anything remotely factual.

Sorry if that's bad news for you buddy.

x-ray
if your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it...

Check out the link on the CIA website, Ray. I used this website about a year ago when compiling some figures. I started by Googling individual countries -- checking their own websites and others to cross-reference to see the commonalities. The one at the CIA website matched up well with most of the others. Don't forget, they say "estimated."

I think my most fave part of the CIA website's religious breakdown of countries was where they counted 14 Jews in one Muslim country. I'm sorry to say I don't remember which it was off hand but I recall thinking these 14 hold-outs had to qualify for the Most Stubborn Individuals on the Planet award. 

It's always hard to have precise figures even in the US. Ever hear those estimates of homeless people in the major US cities? Lots of dispute on those numbers. Same for undocumented workers or illegal aliens, depending on your choice of terminology. The terminology alone is a giveaway as to whether higher or lower figures will be incorporated into one's agenda.  How about how many people with AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa where even the terminally ill won't admit it and relatives go to great lengths to avoid having it AIDS listed on death certificates because of the stigma.  

There's always the Encyclopaedia Britannica Yearbook with its country stats. I don't know if they have it on the Internet, but I used to get a hard copy every year and loved reading it. One of the country stats concerned "luxury" items in any given home in any given country. Back in the early 80s, the luxury items of China were bicycles, transistor radios and COMBS. That has all changed by the 21st century a mere 20+ years later.

When you really think about it, who needs a census when there are satellites out there in space taking photos of each and every person on the planet?  All you need to do is count the sliver moons, the crosses and the 6-pointed stars on each of 'em. Or, in the case of the atheists, count the t-shirts with upside-down pentagrams. Not so complicated when you think about it. No doubt the CIA has its own means of calculating.

I used to love this electronic board I'd pass each morning while passing the West Hollywood Hard Rock Cafe. The numbers would change with each new person on the planet. Of course it's accurate! Then, a few miles away we have another electronic billboard. This one keeps a running body count of how many Americans have died from cigarette smoke each year. It's fun to be there on New Year's Eve and watch it start all over at "0". Better than watching that Time Square ball drop!

Have a little more faith, you heathen.

Susan

PS Yes, the Encyclopaedia Yearbook is on the Internet but only accessible if you own a set of the Britannica encyclopedias.

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

x-ray

If you ask me what colour the sky in Perth is today, I'll look outside and tell you it's a brilliant blue.  You see, I live here and can report directly.  If for some personal reason you want to believe the sky in Perth is black today, and therefore require a colour spectrometer reading from some offical 3rd party source, well that speaks more about you than I. 

Having witnessed the growth of christianity first hand in India, and having relatives and friends working directly in the field of church planting in China...I'm like the guy reporting "from the field".  Sorry if my first-hand eye-witness accounts are disconcerting for you.

As for facts and stats, I believe Susan has provided some to get you started...and you proceeded to ignore them...curious.

Here's some more info to read up on the subject.  Tip for 2007 "Google is your friend".

http://www.thetravelingteam.org/2000/articles/stat-growth.shtml

China's a little difficult to get "official" stats from, as it's a country that still persecutes christians.  People from my church have been imprisoned and beaten over there - some of the local chinese members of our church have been imprisoned for several months at a time.  So those who are christians there are "real" christians - people prepared to suffer and even die for their faith.

Here's some info for you from a range of sources - Time Magazine, The Telegraph, Wikipedia etc...take your pick - the story is the same as the one I'm telling you my friend. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/30/wchina30.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/30/ixworld.html

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061224/NEWS07/612240536/1009/NEWS07

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/16306350.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_China

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1229123,00.html