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Bishop Spong and the Modernization of Christianity

To be fair, it's a sketchy source, bud. I did an extensive search on Google for good statistics, but the only statistics that support a growth trend are Christian publications, and therefore should be looked at with a grain of salt, in order to avoid getting caught up in bias. I would believe numbers are down - certainly in North America and Europe, anyway.

Thing is, though, the church has always gone through cycles of ebb and flow. The only thing you need worry about is you. That's why they talk about a personal relationship.

So Christian publications cannot have good information?
 
I noticed you avoided the question. Do you agree with the translation of the bible project by Conservapedia?

Well that wasn't the subject of either topic and I really don't care.
 
Well that wasn't the subject of either topic and I really don't care.

The avoidance of the question is very telling. Have a nice new year.
 
I noticed you avoided the question. Do you agree with the translation of the bible project by Conservapedia?

By the way, in case you haven't figured it out, the more you hassle me the less likely you are to get anything out of me.
 
The avoidance of the question is very telling. Have a nice new year.

So is your lack of a counter argument on the Christian growth question. Same to you.
 
So Christian publications cannot have good information?

Mmm...I don't know if I'd go that far. But in this particular case they're not a great tool for this debate, especially when they're the only publications that support your assertion.

I'm not slagging on you, bud, but you might be wasting your time if you're trying to convince anyone. Acknowledging the reality of the situation while reminding folks we're talking about a 2000 year old institution that has seen it's share of ups and downs over the past two millennia might make your point better...if you feel the need to make that point. :) I would suggest that taking anything too seriously in a thread started to redefine Christianity, by someone who makes no bones about how much they hate Christianity, is a bit of a useless exercise to begin with.
 
By the way, in case you haven't figured it out, the more you hassle me the less likely you are to get anything out of me.

In case you haven't figured it out, that doesn't matter one bit to me. My questions make a point.. as does the fact you avoid them.
 
No. That would involve me saying what you were touting was false. Sorry.

Fair enough. The fact is, I am plugged in to a part of the Anglican Church that has its own parishes in places like India and Africa. Africa has exploded over the last 10 years and I have also heard of things going on in China. I can't vouch for the details of the article but from where I stand the growth has been phenomenal. And we are only one jurisdiction. I know Europe is turning into a secular wasteland but Europe isn't the whole world.

Then there is this, which I think is pretty amazing:

https://www.christiantoday.com/arti...ord-number-training-for-priesthood/110512.htm
 
In case you haven't figured it out, that doesn't matter one bit to me. My questions make a point.. as does the fact you avoid them.

Actually, I am trying to avoid YOU more than your questions.
 
Actually, I am trying to avoid YOU more than your questions.

Yet, you respond.. but don't answer the question. If you want to avoid me, it would take a lot less effort to answer the question.
 
Mmm...I don't know if I'd go that far. But in this particular case they're not a great tool for this debate, especially when they're the only publications that support your assertion.

I'm not slagging on you, bud, but you might be wasting your time if you're trying to convince anyone. Acknowledging the reality of the situation while reminding folks we're talking about a 2000 year old institution that has seen it's share of ups and downs over the past two millennia might make your point better...if you feel the need to make that point. :) I would suggest that taking anything too seriously in a thread started to redefine Christianity, by someone who makes no bones about how much they hate Christianity, is a bit of a useless exercise to begin with.

Oh, I don't make these posts for people like the OP, I make them for people who might be playing along at home who don't know any better.
 
Yet, you respond.. but don't answer the question. If you want to avoid me, it would take a lot less effort to answer the question.

No, you don't, you're not going to drag me down some irrelevant rabbit trail that has nothing to do with the topic. The reality is that if you could have refuted what the article said you would have by now, but you can't, so you're starting another argument.

But thanks for trashing this thread.
 
Actually, I am trying to avoid YOU more than your questions.

Ya sure have a funny way of showin' it...when I want to avoid a person, it's as if they're not there, therefore what they say matters not...
 
No, you don't, you're not going to drag me down some irrelevant rabbit trail that has nothing to do with the topic. The reality is that if you could have refuted what the article said you would have by now, but you can't, so you're starting another argument.

But thanks for trashing this thread.

Well, I can see why you have a habit of not giving sources, because this source is less than reliable.

It is quite feasible to give information about the subject from a neutral source. The source choice, however,was yours.

And, do you agree with Andrew Schlafly's effort to retranslate the bible to be more conservative or not?
 
As I see it it's all gone....

Well what Spong is saying is that we need another way to look at god- not as some all powerful mysterious being who kills whoever he wants to and forces you to worship him.

To all: I misread the page title and thought that it was in fact from wikipedia, which I know is a source you all believe unquestioningly. My bad.

Nonetheless, the claims of the growth of Christianity are true.

So you lied then. Not surprising since you always do that. Christianity is indeed dying out, and will do so unless people start to look at Spong's points.
 
Well what Spong is saying is that we need another way to look at god- not as some all powerful mysterious being who kills whoever he wants to and forces you to worship him.



So you lied then. Not surprising since you always do that. Christianity is indeed dying out, and will do so unless people start to look at Spong's points.

You have this unfortunate habit of thinking you can speak reality into existence. Just because you say it doesn't make it true, and I haven't seen any proof of your claims, by the way, or Spong's. But like many of the others here you are willing to buy into anything that sounds like something you want to hear. In other words, prove it.
 
You have this unfortunate habit of thinking you can speak reality into existence. Just because you say it doesn't make it true, and I haven't seen any proof of your claims, by the way, or Spong's. But like many of the others here you are willing to buy into anything that sounds like something you want to hear. In other words, prove it.

Unlike you, I can cite legit sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-less-affiliated-with-religion/?noredirect=on
 

Just to point out, the washington post is addressing religion in the USA verses the entire world. Africa ,and latin america is growing. .. not nearly as much as the conservapedia claims, but it is growing slightly more than the population growth. Typically , Christianity is doing well in poor areas that have do not have a robust education system.
 
Fair enough. The fact is, I am plugged in to a part of the Anglican Church that has its own parishes in places like India and Africa. Africa has exploded over the last 10 years and I have also heard of things going on in China. I can't vouch for the details of the article but from where I stand the growth has been phenomenal. And we are only one jurisdiction. I know Europe is turning into a secular wasteland but Europe isn't the whole world.

Then there is this, which I think is pretty amazing:

https://www.christiantoday.com/arti...ord-number-training-for-priesthood/110512.htm

That reminded me of something I read a while back, so I did some searching and found this:
Edit: replace wrong link...
https://catholicherald.co.uk/issues/december-11th-2015/vladimir-putins-holy-war/

which may (or not) offer some info on why. Seems the state and church might like to use one another? I don't think this stuff is healthy for religion or society, but people will often grab power anywhere they can find it. Strange bedfellows.

Do the Anglicans do any outreach in Ethiopia? We (my wife and I) work with a charity there, but it's not religiously based.
 
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That reminded me of something I read a while back, so I did some searching and found this:
Edit: replace wrong link...
https://catholicherald.co.uk/issues/december-11th-2015/vladimir-putins-holy-war/

which may (or not) offer some info on why. Seems the state and church might like to use one another? I don't think this stuff is healthy for religion or society, but people will often grab power anywhere they can find it. Strange bedfellows.

Well, they do kinda need each other. Better to be on the government's side than not to be.

Do the Anglicans do any outreach in Ethiopia? We (my wife and I) work with a charity there, but it's not religiously based.

It's complicated. We have a presence in Ethiopia (among others) but we are only one jurisdiction. Where are you, Addis Ababa?
 
It's complicated. We have a presence in Ethiopia (among others) but we are only one jurisdiction. Where are you, Addis Ababa?

Not IN Addis Ababa, but in that vicinity. The big issue there is AIDS. We help children of stricken parents. Food, medical, education.

Here's a pic of the girl we are currently (personally) sponsoring, Rahel. She'll be an accountant.
rahel.jpg

My wife has been there 4 times. I can't go due to medical issues.
 
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