The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

UNdeniable

It is no mistake that nearly half of the American population doesn’t attend church as over the past 30 years religion turned intolerant.

“UNChristian,” reveals why it is happening, but surprisingly doesn't recognize the role of Christianity, the group that nurtures them, as a part of the reason for the drop.

“UNChristian” reveals how Americans are turned off by religion, especially that of the Right Wing evangelical type with its deep persecution complex and in-your-face intolerance. Researchers David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, interviewed hundreds of young Christians and found that that those from 16-29 think there is too much religion in politics, the church is filled with hypocrites and the church not only hates the sin, but the sinner as well.

Amazingly, the researchers seemed surprised by the younger generations disdain for religion’s stance on homosexuality and Kinnaman said, “Our hostility toward gays — not just opposition to homosexual politics and behaviors but disdain for gay individuals — has become virtually synonymous with the Christian faith. When you introduce yourself as a Christian to a friend, neighbor, or business associate who is an outsider you might as well have it tattooed on your arm: anti-homosexual, gay-hater, homophobic.” In a nationwide survey released discussed in the book, the image of "evangelicals" rated tenth out of eleven groups evaluated, beating out only prostitutes.

The book reveals a lot about evangelical religious practices while also showing the naiveté of the researchers who registered surprise that proselytizing dropped off sharply, not understanding that hawkers of religion fall into the same category as telemarketers—people don’t want to hear it. Still, the information contained in this book is valuable if for no other reason it presents one side of what is afoot in the country.

Already, Protestants slipped below 50% of American religious denominations for the first time in the history of the United States. It is not news. Protestantism started into decline nearly 30 years ago and shows no signs of slowing. UNChristian deals with this issue as well as many others, such as the loss of membership in evangelical faiths.

The numbers were always inflated, but by their own account, evangelical Christians make up only 6-7% of the population, a far cry from the reported 25-30% that allowed them a degree of political power. For those who keep up with what’s happening on the religious front, the book represents valuable research even though the developers seem completely unaware of the part their own belief system plays in their findings.

The most telling moment in the book occurs early on when UNChristian quotes a stinging rebuke from a male interviewee stating that today’s Christianity, “Doesn’t look very much like Jesus.” Again, the information and statistics remain interesting and thought provoking, but the apparent disregard for their own research as far as seeking solutions seems almost contrived, but it may be a necessary blind spot.

3 members like this

Comment

You need to be a member of Atheist Nexus to add comments!

Join Atheist Nexus

Comment by Donald R Barbera on October 15, 2013 at 9:55am: I've seen some of the they use to make. "Wood" and it ain't pretty. (Pills, suction devices, injection into the penis, rubber bands and more). It s little. It is little better for the women.

Comment by Luara on October 15, 2013 at 9:01am: Being a porn actor and a regular actor does require different skills. The males have to (blush) make wood.

Also being in porn would ruin a regular actor's reputation.

But they could sub in a porn actor as a kind of stunt-wood :) That would preserve the regular actors' reputations.

It wouldn't have to be pornographic. Clinton getting blow jobs would look seedy, not pornographic - which would be an accurate comment on his sex addiction. Most people having sex don't look appetizing from the outside.

Comment by Donald R Barbera on October 15, 2013 at 8:49am: I'm wondering also. Doing a sex scene that doesn't diene rate into pornography or voyeurism is probably difficult to pull off without it being corny or pornographic. It would take a talented director to make a scene that was stimulating without it becoming silly. I've seen some hot scenes in movies, but most of them were visually suggestive without show much if any skin. I'm going to think on this to see if I can recall a movie like we are speaking of or how I make one if I were the director.

Comment by Luara on October 15, 2013 at 8:12am: I've wondered whether there could be a very explicitly sexual movie that is a story about real people with emotional depth.

Such as a biography of President Clinton :) :) :)

Comment by Donald R Barbera on October 14, 2013 at 10:31pm: Me too. Porn is boring after one or two or 22 screenings. LOL No I agree with you. From what I've seen, no one is missing much. LOL I'm a book junky. My cabinets are full. I can't bear to part with them even though they are just drawing dust. I do back and reread some of my favorites.

Comment by kathy: ky on October 14, 2013 at 9:04pm: I also love books. I've gotta get this one. I still like the library. Always have. My little library will order anyhting for me. Except maybe porn. But, I've never asked for that.

Comment by Donald R Barbera on October 14, 2013 at 5:09pm: Comment by Donald R Barbera just now
Delete Comment
Ruth--No doubt. If I were a religionist, I don't think I'd want to be associated with politicians in any way. A theocracy ain't gonna happen. There are one or two Americans who haven't lost their mind. I think of the teabaggers as Pat Robertson clones. Who knows what will come out of their mouths next. I also blame the media for trying to slant equity in this affair. That is not telling the story, but the corporate media is nothing but a lapdog for their owners. So much for the Fourth Estate.

Comment by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on October 14, 2013 at 4:53pm: The numbers were always inflated, but by their own account, evangelical Christians make up only 6-7% of the population, a far cry from the reported 25-30% that allowed them a degree of political power.

Nevertheless, evangelical Christians have disproportionate control of one political party, which has shut down the government.

Comment by Donald R Barbera on October 14, 2013 at 4:34pm: Yes. They seemed to be surprised by their own findings. Religionists lead sheltered lives to avoid the world because their belief is weak and they are susceptible to learning.

Comment by Joan Denoo on October 14, 2013 at 4:29pm: Donald, your review of UnChristian, especially your recognition that the authors seem to be blinded by their own beliefs. My guess is, they don't get it. Reading christian apologetics is like ready fiction; leaving me with more laughs than information.