Faithlessness reaches new levels

[Her3tiK]

I know I post this kind of thing a lot (everyone's gotta read some good news every now and then, right?), but the faithlessness of my generation has finally reached a new point: there are no longer enough priests/Imams to keep up with the faithful.

Worldwide, the Catholic Church is facing a shortage of priests, which the Vatican recently blamed on secularism, sexual abuse scandals and parents' ambition for their children.

What's more, Religion News Service recently reported that among American Muslims, the number of Imams is too few to meet the present demand.

I love it. Not only is my generation losing faith, but there aren't enough "spiritual leaders" to continue indoctrinating what's left. Add that to the fact that nearly 1/3 of my peers doubt the existence of god(s), and I think we may see a secular majority in my lifetime. One can only hope.

[ironbite]

Whoops....losing power there are you old beans?

Ironbite-sorry but that's the way it goes.

[Art Vandelay]

I wouldn't get too excited. A lot of young people go back to their former religion when they start settling down. It's likely that this generation will become a little more religious as time goes on.

[largeham]

We have to see why people become atheist/agnostic/non-theist and why people may become religious and why people change religions. If the factors for the first are increasing in general, then maybe. But yeah it could just be an age thing, if the factors that make people turn to religion become more common as one ages.

[Her3tiK]

We have to see why people become atheist/agnostic/non-theist and why people may become religious and why people change religions. If the factors for the first are increasing in general, then maybe. But yeah it could just be an age thing, if the factors that make people turn to religion become more common as one ages.

A big cause of doubt/faithlessness has to do with the actions of religious institutions, such as their stances against homosexuality, women, minorities (when applicable), and how difficult it is for those same institutions to cover up such scandals. Additionally, greater access to information allows the curious or doubtful to compare their religion to others, as well as historical sources and sciences. It probably goes without saying on this board, but religions don't tend to fare very well when their supposed answers and explanations for things are exposed to facts and criticism.
As far as changing religion goes, my understanding is that it tends to be more a case of a person's previous religion not providing sufficient answers or agreeable moral guidance.

[Osama bin Bambi]

Muahahahaha! The plots of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy are coming to fruition!

[largeham]

A big cause of doubt/faithlessness has to do with the actions of religious institutions, such as their stances against homosexuality, women, minorities (when applicable), and how difficult it is for those same institutions to cover up such scandals. Additionally, greater access to information allows the curious or doubtful to compare their religion to others, as well as historical sources and sciences. It probably goes without saying on this board, but religions don't tend to fare very well when their supposed answers and explanations for things are exposed to facts and criticism.
As far as changing religion goes, my understanding is that it tends to be more a case of a person's previous religion not providing sufficient answers or agreeable moral guidance.

Well I guess one could argue that we are becoming more secular as time goes on (quite probably true I would say) as information and attitudes about the actions (and preachings) become more widespread. But if the factors that make people turn to religion (from non-theism) increase, then we could see a reversal.

[Distind]

I love it. Not only is my generation losing faith, but there aren't enough "spiritual leaders" to continue indoctrinating what's left.

It's not like self sacrifice has been a huge virtue these last few generations, or consideration for your fellows, it's really largely been get what you can before someone else gets it. Not the kind of culture that breeds significant numbers of people willing to earn jack and squat while quoting goat herders. Thus we get the mega churches, which are closer to access television than an actual church.

[Rime]

Secularism is simply not pandering to a religion.  If this is the reason that there's not enough priests to attend to the flocks, it hints that the religion which became popular isn't what it originally was, and there's no shortage of proof.

[IanC]

You... Love it? Nice...

[Old Viking]

I'm thinking that, among the Abrahamic religions, a goodly percentage of the "spiritual leaders" are middle-aged to geezer.

[Vypernight]

What exactly is parents' ambition and why is it a problem for religions?

[TheL]

What exactly is parents' ambition and why is it a problem for religions?

Well, in the RCC, a priest can't get married.  So if you want your son to settle down with a nice girl and raise some kids...

[N. De Plume]

What exactly is parents' ambition and why is it a problem for religions?

They are assuming priests, pastors, reverends, rabbis, imams, etc. are supposed to be poor and lowly, totally ignoring all the ones that have made quite the pretty penny and/or at least a fuck-ton of palpable influence.

[Her3tiK]

You... Love it? Nice...

Should I not take sadistic pleasure in religion losing ground?