At Risk of Becoming Europe!

One quails at the very idea, doesn’t one? America! At risk of becoming godless Europe! This article, predictably posted on the website of Religious Republicans Now Fox News, quails in fear at the prospect of the decline of Christianity in the United States. Statistics indicate that Christianity is dissolving into a mass of people who “believe in a God,” but have no use for organized religion. The author of the piece, one Bruce Feiler, presents us with a fairly typical portrayal of the “dire times” in which we find ourselves by the Christian standard.

The article begins with what I’m sure Mr. Feiler considered to be an emotion-provoking photograph of Christ’s crucifixion in silhouette. He attempts to jolt his audience to rapt, fearful attention by beginning the article with a single statement, meant to strike terror into the hearts of the religious:

Christianity is plummeting in America, while the number of non-believers is skyrocketing.

Be still, my beating heart! Plummeting was a wonderful choice of words, in my opinion. Mr. Feiler’s obvious dismay at the bottoming number of Christians in the country is truly my delight! Bring on those scary statistics, sir! But, I digress. Next, he proposes something that I’ll have to disagree with.

A shocking new study of Americans’ religious beliefs shows the beginnings of a major realignment in Americans’ relationship with God. The American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) reveals that Protestants now represent half of all Americans, down almost 20 percent in the last twenty years. In the coming months, America will become a minority Protestant nation for the first time since the pilgrims.

[Emphasis mine.]

Is it really all that shocking, Mr. Feiler? I don’t find it surprising at all that Christianity is on the decline. It happens to most major religions at some point or another. Look at popular religions of the ancient world. The Greek pantheon. The Egyptian pantheon. All left on the dusty shelves of history to be examined with back-seat fascination by those inclined to research them, but never blooming into the wide-spread belief of their time. But, here we find a key phrase: “Their time.”

It seems that the age of Christianity may be dwindling. It just doesn’t hold the charm it once did, frankly. How can a modern world reconcile the archaic requirements and ramifications held in the Bible? They can’t, obviously. And so the world begins to edge past Christianity, watching it slowly die with muted interest. But, those still entrenched within the fold are struggling violently to hold onto the last vestiges of their beliefs. The problem is, the more their desperation becomes apparent, the sillier they sound. And, the more we begin to see the cracks in their foundations and the true motivations behind so much of their angst.

It seems most likely, to me, that the Christian railing against the dying prominence of their religion has very little to do with number of souls saved and more to do with loss of religious favoritism. The government in our country has made very little bones about the fact that the Christian religion is generally afforded whatever it is they want. Despite their unfounded claims of “persecution” in this country, they are often handed their wishes on a silver platter. And when the slightest action is taken to even the playing field (see: Christians making a stink over bus ads) a tantrum is promptly thrown. Because, as I have asserted before, the Christians are concerned with control. They have no interest in equality.

I am elated to see the news that Christianity is on he decline. We will be all the better for it. Of course, Feiler finds himself disconcerted by the idea that we could end up like the Godless, uncivilized heathens in Europe:

Today, the rise of disaffection is so powerful that different denominations needs to band together to find a shared language of God that can move beyond the fading divisions of the past and begin moving toward a partnership of different-but-equal traditions.

Or risk becoming Europe, where religion is fast becoming an afterthought.

[Emphasis mine.]

I’m sure Mr. Feiler is not oblivious to the slight, here. He simply didn’t mind insulting an entire country, merely to demonstrate his point. Color me unsurprised. It seems to be a trend, among Christians, to speak first and think…. well, never. This, of course, falls under a guise of what Christians perceive as “blunt honesty” and, therefore, cannot be curtailed. They are not afraid of offending anyone, they proudly proclaim, for they are fighting for the glory of god.

But, I’m getting off track. The decline of Christianity in the United States is fantastic, as far as I am concerned. The best news I’ve heard all year! But, to androids like Mr. Feiler, it will surely be regarded as a sign of the coming end times. In spite of its predictability and the perfect sense of it all, Christians across the country will tremble in fear at the godless nation we are becoming and warn us all of the tragedy soon to befall us.

However, Mr. Feiler did offer his sheep a glimmer of hope!

Finally, Americans’ interest in religion has not always been stable. It dipped following the Revolution and again following Civil War. In both cases it rebounded because religious institutions adapted and found new ways of relating to everyday Americans.

Don’t worry, everyone. This is perfectly normal. We just have to find a different method of indoctrination. It couldn’t have anything to do with our penchant for stifling the civil liberties of other people. Clearly, we just need to update our image! Let’s get to work!

I hate to rain on your god parade, Mr. Feiler, but you know what they say. All good things must come to an end. And that’s just the good things, which means Christianity has well over-extended its time.

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