Ultimately, What Will be Christianity's Biggest Competitor


There can be no doubt the fastest growing subset of religion is the "nones." This is the group that replies "No affiliation with any religion" when asked about a religious preference. 

Yet, when surveys ask a question like, "Do you believe the is a higher power we cannot see for feel?" majorities say yes. Christians immediately glop onto this and say, "See, they really believe in God, they are under social pressure or don't like their last church and will be back soon. They are one of us."

It is risky for, anyone, Christians or myself, to claim we know the minds of the nones. Better is to look at behavior. We have at least a little information about behavior. One interesting bit, interesting to me at least, is the growing commercial success of what we can call generally the "occult." This used to be thought of as specific groups like witches or pagans. Specific groups have been splitting and dividing so much even this term has a broad and sweeping reach. In my lifetime we have gone from three TV channels to 300. Then we went to 3,000 on You Tube, etc. and it's growing. In the realm of otherworldly thinking, there are as many versions as there are humans. There are eight billion gods. 

One tangible measurement is the growth of people making money with from sites that offer witchcraft or other unseen powers. From what I have read this on-line business keeps growing. People seeking help with their problems can buying it the from $25 to $50. 

What does one get from the $25-$50? One receives exactly the same return as she gets from the preacher or friend who says, "I'm praying for you." A rigorous study several years ago divided seriously ill people into two groups, one which was known to have people praying for the patients and another where all family/friends pledged not to pray. The deaths and survivals turned out to be statistically the same. Nevertheless, if you have a few dollars you can by a sign like the one above and imply prayer causes something to change when it does not. 

I wish it was possible to assign ranking or grades to the level of dishonesty sold by all groups who take people's money and pretend to help them. Which of these two would be more dishonest? One which sold colorful stones with the promise that rubbing the stone would solve your problems or one which said come to church, pray and put something in the collections plate. For myself, it's a tie.

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