Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

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Lucidity
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Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

Post by Lucidity » Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:26 am

I recently read the very short book, The Return of Christendom, by Steve Turley, after a friend had mentioned that it was interesting.

Mr. Turley makes the case that although we see trends in the US and western Europe that formal religious affiliation is lessoning, worldwide Christianity is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. Indeed religion in general is. He focuses on the "re-traditionalization" movements occurring across eastern Europe. He demonstrates that a major pushback is occurring against the secular and globalist views of western Europe. Constitutions are being are being change to refer to nations as a "Christian Nation" and traditional family values are being set as a vital part of that nations identify. Old holidays and traditions are being revitalized and birth rates are on the raise. Church attendance is also on the rise. This seems to goes hand in hand with the populist movements that are taking place around the world. A serous pushback against progressivism and the rise of a world culture. This is not coming from only the old, but also from young people.

He's spends a lot of time pointing to and praising Russia. Which indeed is a strange thing to hear from a conservative christian. Although he is praising the return or Russian Orthodoxy, not necessarily Putins iron fist.

A truly amazing stat he mentions is that after 70 years of the atheistic rule and social indoctrination that occurred in the Soviet Union, today a whopping 71% of Russians identify as Christian. Essentially a complete reversal over 30yrs. The building of a new church is being completed in Russia each day.

This has me wondering if the trends we see today should be taken with a grain of salt. If secularism is unable to deliver on its promises, could we see a highly religious youth in 30yrs? A sort of backfire effect. Could we see a more religious world, but perhaps with updated software that is more compatible with science and democracy? Will religion see the large swings of affiliation and discontent that we see in the compressed timeline of politics?

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Hagoth
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Re: Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

Post by Hagoth » Mon Sep 30, 2019 12:29 pm

This is fascinating. I hadn't seen any of these statistics. I hope it doesn't mean a return to judgmental, authoritarian religion, but a type of Christianity that even Jesus might approve of.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

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Lucidity
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Re: Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

Post by Lucidity » Sun Oct 06, 2019 8:16 pm

Hagoth wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 12:29 pm
This is fascinating. I hadn't seen any of these statistics. I hope it doesn't mean a return to judgmental, authoritarian religion, but a type of Christianity that even Jesus might approve of.
Good question. I'm curious if there is a branch of Christianity that you feel particularly stands as an example of what you'd like Christianity to look like.

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Hagoth
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Re: Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

Post by Hagoth » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:06 am

Lucidity wrote:
Sun Oct 06, 2019 8:16 pm
Hagoth wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 12:29 pm
This is fascinating. I hadn't seen any of these statistics. I hope it doesn't mean a return to judgmental, authoritarian religion, but a type of Christianity that even Jesus might approve of.
Good question. I'm curious if there is a branch of Christianity that you feel particularly stands as an example of what you'd like Christianity to look like.
Nothing comes to mind. Hopefully something that emphasizes some of the more important sayings attributed to Jesus that generally he overlooked, like about where he tells us to seek the kingdom of God.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."

iwanttotalk
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Re: Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

Post by iwanttotalk » Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:17 pm

A truly amazing stat he mentions is that after 70 years of the atheistic rule and social indoctrination that occurred in the Soviet Union, today a whopping 71% of Russians identify as Christian. Essentially a complete reversal over 30yrs. The building of a new church is being completed in Russia each day.
They identify as provoslav which means russian orthodox. Not really christian at all. It is a cultural thing not a religious one. Its like catholics they go to church once a year.

And the reason they were converting was becuase of heritage and to stave off foreign power. Not because they are devout. The value is in retaining their culture not being told not to drink tea.

The reason they are “christian” is to ward off the marxism of the west from infecting them. They know what marxism looks like and what comes of it and know the west is fataly infected.

Without the strong cultural moorings the atheistic marxism of the west would destroy russia. Its why they have provoslov and tolerate a dictator. Its the only way not to succumb to infiltration.

Without these things the west would have divided and ruled russia the way it has the US and European block.

For everything bad we say about the church. They have a profound role in protecting utah from the absolute destruction that is being wrought elsewhere.

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alas
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Re: Is religion really going away? book, The Return of Christendom

Post by alas » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:20 pm

Lucidity wrote:
Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:26 am
I recently read the very short book, The Return of Christendom, by Steve Turley, after a friend had mentioned that it was interesting.

Mr. Turley makes the case that although we see trends in the US and western Europe that formal religious affiliation is lessoning, worldwide Christianity is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. Indeed religion in general is. He focuses on the "re-traditionalization" movements occurring across eastern Europe. He demonstrates that a major pushback is occurring against the secular and globalist views of western Europe. Constitutions are being are being change to refer to nations as a "Christian Nation" and traditional family values are being set as a vital part of that nations identify. Old holidays and traditions are being revitalized and birth rates are on the raise. Church attendance is also on the rise. This seems to goes hand in hand with the populist movements that are taking place around the world. A serous pushback against progressivism and the rise of a world culture. This is not coming from only the old, but also from young people.

He's spends a lot of time pointing to and praising Russia. Which indeed is a strange thing to hear from a conservative christian. Although he is praising the return or Russian Orthodoxy, not necessarily Putins iron fist.

A truly amazing stat he mentions is that after 70 years of the atheistic rule and social indoctrination that occurred in the Soviet Union, today a whopping 71% of Russians identify as Christian. Essentially a complete reversal over 30yrs. The building of a new church is being completed in Russia each day.

This has me wondering if the trends we see today should be taken with a grain of salt. If secularism is unable to deliver on its promises, could we see a highly religious youth in 30yrs? A sort of backfire effect. Could we see a more religious world, but perhaps with updated software that is more compatible with science and democracy? Will religion see the large swings of affiliation and discontent that we see in the compressed timeline of politics?
Yes the communists tried to stamp out Christianity and as soon as the powers that be let them be Christian again, they go back. But I wouldn’t put too much stock in that, after all, Christianity has tried for 15 hundred years now to stamp out the old pagan religion in Great Britain and Europe, yet there are still places where the pagans are alive and well. And look at Christmas, since ‘‘tis the season, the way “Christians celebrate their biggest holiday is 80% the exact same way the pagans did, with holly and evergreen trees. 1,500 years after the Christians took over all of Europe and paganism is alive and well and converting young people, just ask my pagan priestess daughter. Persecution and even burned as witches didn’t get rid of the witches and Wicca is still around.

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