From the Humanist Association - discuss

I believe you may have missed this post on Friday 16.46:

Just this week the Church of England has published new figures showing that weekly attendance continues to fall, now representing just 1.5% of the population as a whole – and for the first time ever, fewer people attend church each week than children attend Anglican worship each day in state-funded Church of England schools.

However, the RC in particular should be quite pleased about this:

Mass migration of Christians to Britain from countries such as Poland and Romania is among the factors helping to stem the decline in church attendance, according to new figures.

However (both sources the Gardian- of course ;) ):

In 2013, there were 5.4 million church members in the UK, 10% of the adult population, taken as 15 and over, 300,000 fewer than five years previously in 2008, when it was 12%. It is likely to continue to decline at about the same rate for the next 12 years, reaching 9% by 2020 and 8% by 2025, if present trends continue.

alea When did the facts keep anyone from indulging in a good rant argument?

Granjura, thank you for replying, with respect there is no such thing as a a psalm which is not toooo religious and I am not silly or judging , you did say they asked for no religion now this has become not tooooo religious . I am puzzled by your views on this thread sorry

Alea I agree that arguments that are based on data need to be accurate and up to date.

As you will guess my opinion is not dependent on how many people attend church or self nominate themselves as Christian. Even if the vast majority of citizens were actively rather than nominally Christian I would still argue for separation of church and state. When one denomination, of one religion, is perceived to be favoured and hold more sway in a 'democracy' of what is now a far more diverse society than when Henry VIII created the break from Rome it is divisive and to be fair, unnecessary!

Elegran

Anyway, back to the point, not merely a diatribe on "faith" schools?
And also, remember we are not talking about the UK, but England.
By "church members" do we know which church? (C of E, Methodist, United Reformed??)
Even the Grauniad projections seem to be at variance with the figures quoted in the original post.
What's that quote about "Lies, damned lies and statistics"???

As long as the head of state is also top of the pile in the CofE things will not change , every memorial service , every celebration must be held in an Anglican Church because queenie doesn't do worship in any other church

I suppose it saves the hassle of deciding where a memorial or thanksgiving service will be held, if the Anglican Church were to be disestablished it would mean a lot of coin tossing, I don't care if it is separated from the state , I have no problem with 26 English bishops in the lords, how many English dukes are there ?

Oh Annie don't get me going on who is in the house of Lords

Nor me please!

Well Annieb- they could also move to the modern age and move away from the wars of religions ever since henry VIII- ans work together- ecumenically, as they do here- and finally come to the sensible conclusion that Christians still being so divided will hasten their demise.

Isn't it about time?

Penstemmon, let's not even think about it , brings on an almost uncontrollable rage and I have not the energy at the moment for almost uncontrollable rage

Really Granjura, you must be the only country where Jews hold a service in a Christian church . There is no war of religion in this country, stopped ages ago, good Friday's the RC, baptist, Methodists, Anglican carry a cross through town together. It would not be possible for Jews to hold a service in an Anglican Church , the reserved sacrament -blood of Christ - is always there ready should it be needed urgently , not a war , just respect for all faiths , we left the fifties a long time ago, here we hold prayer groups and bible study in homes and several churches are involved

Annie we can at least agree that we are not happy about the HoL and that neither have the energy for explaining exactly why or how annoyed we are!

Anniebach, you are wrong to state that HM doesn't worship in any church other than the C of E. When she is resident at Balmoral, she worships at Crathie Church which is C of S and has many connections with the royal family since the time of Victoria.

And. incidentally, Princess Anne, as a divorcée couldn't get married in the C of E so she went and got quietly married at Crathie Kirk.

Well Annieb- they could also move to the modern age and move away from the wars of religions ever since henry VIII- ans work together- ecumenically, as they do here- and finally come to the sensible conclusion that Christians still being so divided will hasten their demise
I am trying really hard to resist saying "Don't be silly" but that's been said before.

You totally fail to recognise the progress of ecumenism in this country. Oh and hadn't you noticed there are no religious wars these days (and in the bad old days when there were, I would urge you to look at Mainland Europe for how to do a really good religious war) and don't bring NI into it, that has an awful lot more to do with politics and history than religion.
Finally on what do you base "Christians being so so divided will hasten their demise"???

(Quelqu'un exagère, à mon avis.)
You started a thread on the disestablishment of the Church of England, why not stick to it?

I know where the windsors worship when in Scotland,

We can Penstammon, we certaintly can agree on that

When I was at school we had assembly and prayers were included they don't have this now so perhaps that's why there are less Christians if they are not taught it at school or at home.

Quite a few new posters have 'just appeared' today?

Cant see the problem. If you think there is one,I dont think you are allowed to do what you are doing granjura?

Would you be kind enough to re-phrase thise, please

' If you think there is one,I dont think you are allowed to do what you are doing granjura?'

as I truly do not understand what you meant to say. Thanks.

Thank you obieone , we are on the same wavelength

Looking for contentious issues perhaps?