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December 19th, 2011
12:08 PM ET
Christianity goes global as world's largest religionBy Richard Allen Greene, CNN (CNN) - Christians are by far the largest religious group on the planet, and the religion has gone truly global over the past century, according to a new report out Monday, which finds some of the world's biggest Christian communities in surprising places. Europe was the clear center of world Christianity one hundred years ago, but today the Americas are home to more than a third of all Christians. In fact, the United States has the world's largest Christian population, of more than 247 million, followed by Brazil and Mexico. China also appears on the list of top 10 largest Christian populations - with an estimated 67 million Christians, it has more followers of the faith than any western European country. There are nearly 2.2 billion Christians around the world, making up about one-third of the world's population - the same percentage as a century ago, according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Islam is the world's second largest religion, with about 1.6 billion followers worldwide, the Washington-based organization calculates. That's just under one-quarter of the estimated 2010 world population of 6.9 billion. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen the biggest explosion in its Christian population in the past century, going from about 9 million Christians in 1910 to about 516 million today - nearly a quarter of all the world's Christians. Three of the world's ten largest Christian populations are in Africa: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. The study, "Global Christianity," is based on demographic and opinion data from 232 countries and territories. It's part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, which has also included reports on the current and projected number of Muslims in the world. It does not measure practice or belief, merely counting as Christian anyone who says they are. The report calculates that half the world's Christians are Catholic, 37% are Protestants, and 12% are Orthodox. The remaining 1 percent belong to other traditions such as Mormonism. soundoff (2,648 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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My most sincere condolences to the world. May you all wake up and realize that the Christ (and all Abrahamic faiths) is/are nothing more than a repressive tool used by the rich and the powerful to subdue the fearful and the stupid. No greater level of suffering, despair, and chaos has been inflicted on man, than by the actions of the Church.
Yep...that's why you must know to separate and decifer what the will of God is over what the will of anyone religion is.
Robert gets it. It's all fantasy that no self-respecting ADULT should give credence to. Sadly, billions do, much to the detriment of the world's well-being.
"Yep...that's why you must know to separate and decifer what the will of God is over what the will of anyone religion is."
No – it's better to figure out for yourself how to be a decent human being. Otherwise you might think god wants you to blow up an abortion clinic. Or fly a plan into a building. A decent human being wouldn't do such a thing.
Robert has forgotten the toll we paid for the various socialist totalitarianism experiments of the last century. Most ( the worst) of these were non-theist in their core philosophies.
@Brad: Can you give examples?
Eric:
Here are some. More or less in order by number of lives lost. Suffering is hard to quantify.
-The Soviet Union during its foundation years and under Stalin
-China under Mao
-Germany under Hitler and National Socialism
-Cambodia under Pol Pot
-North Korea to the present day
Some may argue that Hitler adopted Christian elements. Maybe: Alfred Rosenberg is worth a look. Hitler himself was pragmatic and viewed religion in turns as a tool or an obstacle.
Brad brings up a good point. His first two examples alone are responsible for tens of millions of deaths.
I guess Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and Ceausescu must have converted then?
I recently read some interpretations of the dead sea scrolls. Scholars state that they are unbelievably similar to, and many manuscripts are identical to, books of the Old Testament. These are dated 1000 years earlier than the oldest translations of the Bible. Love the verse that says the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, the Word of God will stand forever.
And the largest group of dilusional nutcases
Are non believers.
Deluded because we are NOT deluded, NOW I am confused. 🙂
You're confused because at the moment you can't see that buying into a system of non-beliefs is the same basic movement of mind as buying into a system of beliefs.
for me it's a tie between Christianity and Islam.
Although I've concluded that the Islam of today is the Christianity of 600 years ago. (oh how ironic, Islam came about 600 years after Christianity LOL)
It's interesting information, though I think it leaves a lot to question. Christianity is pretty split. "Protestants" is not a religious sect, but is a conglomeration of religions that believe pretty different things. Before the common use of "christianity", many of these sects were basically at war with each other.
Speaking of which, I wonder what hte split is of the other major religions. What is the split of the sects of other Abrahamic religions (Islam and Judaism)? What is the split of Buddhist or Hindu religions? I wonder if the size of the largest few changes when you cut them up by sects.
Hippypoet – If you're going to come on this site with disparaging comments....at least learn how to properly write coherent sentences. You're ramblings sound like those of an uneducated – extremely biased person.
You're new here, aren't you.
haaahhahahah you're hhaahhaahahaahhaahaha fool
keith wrote:
If you're going to come on this site with disparaging comments.... [ellipses only have three dots, e.g. '...'] at least learn how to properly write coherent sentences. You're [Your, possessive, not a contraction of 'you are'] ramblings sound like those of an uneducated – [should be comma, not a dash] extremely biased person.
Keith, you should perhaps have a better grasp of the basics before you to take someone else to task for not being able to write coherent sentences. You're welcome.
God Bless You and have a Merry Christmas!
Strange to see that world's third largest religion with more than a billion followers does not merit a mention in this article. Just goes on to show the Christian media's bias against polytheism. Ok, 2 billion followers of Christianity can't be wrong; 1.6 billion followers of Islam can't be wrong. But 1.1 billion followers of Hinduism somehow got it all wrong!
@Kelkar
Don't feel singled-out...all three got it wrong.
If second place is the first loser...what does that make third?
It's a contest of which delusion is the most popular. This is the kind of contest I would think you don't want to win.
Besides, it's turtles all the way down.
I'm sort of amused at the rabid protestants who think this is good news ... the same poll says 50% of the Christian world is Catholic. Apparently, God's will is for YOU to think the Pope is infallible, and to go to confession. Want to join me, Baptists? I'm sure the priest will grant you absolution for your sins.
Wow Jen and I'm sure the church appreciate your attempt to incite contempt toward it.
Does anyone here a gong?
Contempt toward the Catholic Church ... you bet, when so many bishops have been covering for child rapists. And when the Pope has been covering for all of them.
Maybe it is time to make atheists pay. If they deny a Christian display, they should be boycotted for 10 years. Any atheist firm shall be boycotted. Lawyer firms should be shutdown. Any supporting group should be boycotted. Any business supporting this hate group should be shutdown. Stifling speech or displays from another viewpoint is a violation of the first amendment. Any organization that tries to stifle free speech shall be prosecuted under the law.
Yeah, great way to show the love of Christ to people....
I guess that means you'll be the first one prosecuted. Boy are you stupid!
Please point to where anyone's right to free speech is being violated. Hint – not being given public money for religious displays is not violating free speech.
So I guess anyone ever participating in any debate will be a felon?
I wished you Christians would stop persecuting those of us who do not follow your cult.
Comedy gold.
@Chicagok
You are exactly right. Atheists are a hate group. We Christians do need to boycott anyone who we know to be an atheist.
"Stifling speech or displays from another viewpoint is a violation of the first amendment."
And it is precisely what you propose
George is an inbred gash
@chicagok
You, your chosen religion, and all other religions have free speech....with one limitation – the Establishment clause of the First Amendment to the United States Const.itution prohibits the government from endorsing any religion; therefore, any religion is free to express their views as long as they receive no government "support", including using tax-payer funds in any way (this would include displays on public property, holding meeting on public school grounds, etc.). Our founding fathers were very clever fellows.
By the statements made by the religious goons it clearly shows that whatever actions made by atheists against the religious are justified.
It's amazing that a group that a group containing over 80% the country's population would be so discriminated against. And yet this group has been reporting being marginalized and discriminated against, to the point where they are afraid to announce their religion. Though it could all just be a giant persecution complex.
Christians discriminated against? What country are you talking about? Here in the U.S. I find that more and more often people assume I'm Christian and on the few occasions when I correct that notion, they look at me like I have two heads or something. I do believe you have it backwards. The most discriminating folks I know are Christians.
Ah, my apologies, I was trying to make my sarcasm as thick as possible, which is often hard to do on the internet. That is exactly my point. Christians, at least those that end up tv and post comments on the internet, scream about discrimination, all while forcing their viewpoints down the throat of everyone else. It's surreal.
We are the champions
We are the champions
of the world !
Rev. You may be right, but you sound arrogant and full of pride.
You misspelled "idiots".
Rev, isn't pride one of the seven dealies? Shame on you.
My bad, Muhammad was a mad Conquer,Murder,slave owner,raciest,very insecure And a Pedophile.
and "god" was his inspiration!
Yeah, because there certainly wasn't any killing in the old testament....
James: As opposed to the god that knocked up the virgin and left the world to deal with the blatherings of the illegitimate child?
Bob.
Reading the comments above will drive any GOD loving whether Muslim or any faith to take judgment in to his own hands and make a crime...
The growth of the Christian superst.ition in the Third World is not surprising. A person's propensity to believe in the supernatural is inversely proportional to their education. Africa and South America lag behind Western Europe and the USA in terms of educating and providing opportunities for their populations.
Just as atheism and its functional equivalent, disinterested agnosticism, are growing in the developed World, Iron Age supersti.tions are having their moment in the sun in those parts of the World where the people are less equipped to see through them.
Give it time, but the inevitable march of science and knowledge will one day push the nonsense of religious superst.itions to the fringes in all parts of the World.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCSfZp_-ZCo&feature=player_detailpage
Eat our dust stupid, qu eer atheists !
Science and knowledge are God's gifts to man. How do you figure your theory is going to work?
great point, colin. indeed "the inevitable march of science and knowledge will one day push the nonsense of religious superst.itions to the fringes in all parts of the World." it's just too bad it won't happen in our lifetime.
Thank you. "Best post" award winner.
It takes more faith to place your belief on scientific theories ie Darwin than it does to have faith their is a God.
Prove without a shadow of a doubt there is no God ..the burden is on you.
@Colin...here's another option. Perhaps it doesn't have anything to do with intelligence, but rather selfishness. In the West, we have a great number of comforts that we simply take for granted–clean water, education, stable governments, wealth (comparative to the third world–great wealth), housing, entertainment. Even those "without" in the West have it much greater than third world inhabitants. Perhaps the reason the West has disclaimed God is because we've decided we don't need Him. Pity for the West.
ok – funny that your god would reward those who turn away from him with the benefits you note. Muslims are always saying the same thing about the "decadent West" and how it has turned its back on Allah.
Funny, while 99% of the World’s Muslims live in grinding poverty, the “decadent,” increasingly secular West has allowed its population to live a standard of living most Muslims could never dream of.
I wish that were so, Colin, but when 95% of the world's people believe in god in one form or another, you are very much in the "wishful thinking" realm.
[opps! placed in wrong place in string. reporting to Colin's comment. apologies for the duplicate.]
according to you, Felix. in reality, however, by accepted definition, science is the human practice of systematically building knowledge through organized, verifiable study of a BODY OF FACTS, while knowledge is gained by sight, experience and report of a BODY OF FACTS. since ALL religion is built on NONE of this, i'd say there's a pretty good chance that someday, Colin's theory "is going to work."
science and knowledge decidedly aren't gifts from a fantastical God, Felix. they're things...tangible, provable, verifiable, indisputable things.
@Sarai: Sorry, the burden of proof lies with those making a claim of fact, not those who dispute the claim. You must provide evidencal support for your claim, not the other way around.
On a side note, the theory of evolution does not require belief. The evidencial support is demonstrative and proves fact. If your belief contradicts this theory, your position can only be based on two possible positions. First option is that you do not understand evolution theory. This is an argument from ignorance. Second option is that you do understand the theory and the evidence which supports it but choose to dispute it because it does not support your belief. This is an argument from dishonesty. These are your two options regarding your position on the theory of evolution, ignorance or dishonesty.
so, so very, very well-said Eric G. one of my favorites out there concerning the "proof" demand is this one: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?s=b9e42530c660c8270b35427c19d490fc&p=53145689&postcount=9. you really should read it Sangai ...and everyone else.
i can't recall that i've ever, as a counter-measure, demanded proof that a God exists. mostly because i don't feel i need any. i'm a scarecrow and all i need is a brain. that's it. the real marvel of the universe, our existence, and human anatomy. nothing else. just a brain. a thinking, realistic, reasonable, in other words, rightfully functioning brain.
sadly, believers in such things as all-powerful Gods may never realize that the REAL moment of saving grace in life comes THE MOMENT you humbly accept that there is no God. yep, that feeling you get after a long spiritual journey when "you find God" or you're baptised or accepted by your church...it's even BIGGER on the side of actual truth and reality. you can truly start living YOUR life, not some preordained, puppeteered life of faith in things originally borne of a once unknown reality.
believe me. i know. i just wish 20-something years hadn't passed me by...
the more we are evolving, the more Christians are on the earth...... hmmmm I don't Christians are going anywhere anytime soon....
@Colin...my guess is that the benefits/advantages/wealth we have are based upon a series of events that took place when the majority of West were practicing (not in name only) Christians. Frankly, our democratic and capitalist systems established (primarily) in the 1700s (before the gross abuses we have today) put the benefits/advantages/wealth into play. You'll note, however, that those systems are failing all around us...and we're rejecting God in droves at the same time. You call that a coincidence. I call that cause and effect.
@Abinadi – you said " Christians are an amazingly tolerant people"
so you folks have conveniently forgot that you took part in the slave trade, gay bashing, witch killings, the inquisition, the crusades – i'm sure i could go on but i think these facts will as always fall to the wayside and once again be conveniently forgotten... if christianity has taught the world anything, its that god views us as sheep and we will be used as such...luckily for you and your kind that you can sheer a sheep many times...and like a dog keep coming back for the next beating! Perhaps you missed that part in sunday school where the teacher spoke about how so many of the bibles leaders are shepards...who tend a flock...but it is clear that you people like you have more use to the whole NOT having ideas of your own...(ready for the pun) god help us if you were to ever right!!!
baaa baaa
I’m hungry I’m going to go down to my Pub and get me some mutton. Yeah that and a pint of Guinness…I have to wait for 1 am fu-ck city regulations against serving alcohol between 2:00am-1:00pm. How are you supposed to run a decent public house. Da-mn Christians ruin everthing
@abinadi – If you're going to come on this site with disparaging comments....at least learn how to properly write coherent sentences. You're ramblings sound like those of an uneducated – extremely biased person.
If you ronery and you know it, crap your hands!
The Bible tells us that the path to heaven is the "narrow road" and that many will try to enter and be turned away. So with Chrisitanity becoming the largest religion, that means that a good portion of people claiming to be Christian are in fact not. Which means mathematically you really can't trust your fellow Chrisitians.
Agree that same applies to all religions and faiths that's we know of and that's why so much corruption taking place in the world... People called religious while their knowledge is nil in their religions and manners of it.
no sh!t sherlock holmes
If anyone would like to take a quick break from all the negativism and the atheists, you could go to biblevideos.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has done some really remarkable short videos on the life of Christ. They have a special spirit that will remain with you and make your whole day go better.
Sorry, that is http://lds.org/bible-videos?lang=eng.
‘K ti-t for ta-t
http://www.evilbible.com/
Don't think so. Mormons are a heretical off-shoot of Christianity. Mormon belief is clearly not in line with 2000 years of traditional Trinitarian Christianity. The Mormon Church would have you believe that the Apostles completely misunderstood Jesus' teachings and led astray the faithful as they were spreading the faith. God then for some unexplainable reason, allowed Christianity to remain "lost" and "wrong" for 1,800 years. Then, he decided to set everything straight by telling Joseph Smith, and no one else. Mormons then built an entire new faith around the teachings of Smith. How is this different than L. Ron Hubbard starting Scientology? Mormonism uses the popular appeal of Jesus Christ to soften the very un-Christian doctrine of their Church.
Thanks Abinadi. Good stuff.
@ Chris: From studying the Bible, it's clear that 'Christianity' "...is clearly not in line with 2000 years of traditional (original) Christianity" The Mormons I know seem to live more closely with the christian new testament bible than others who profess christianity. From what I see, the only reason why groups of people "remain 'lost' and 'wrong' for 1,800 years" or ever, is due to a collective lack of faith.
Compet-ition between both faiths are creating all these tensions we feel...it became as a holy wars who is to become larger in followers no matter whether by belief or financial support or by sword...!!
Main thing I should ask what did this 2.2 and 1.6 do for preserving earth or for humanity in matter of fighting poverty...?? Nothing so guess I can say that both are a failure in addition to those non religious one's who learned that religious one's are not making a good example to be followed... ..shame really...
You are right! how about starting to change from here
http://www.wikiislam.net/wiki/Persecution_of_Non-Muslims
Many Islamic majority countries have non Muslims but they will be persecuted just as any Muslim if they break laws... Only certain corrupted Islamic countries would Persecute any one just for being non Muslim and not for breaking laws...!
What law are you talking about to justify persecution of people just for their belief that is different from yours?
Well they may be Islamic KKK ?!
Hello my friend. I hope all is well and that you and your family are safe from harm.
Is it a crime in Muslim nations to be an Atheist?
Bob.
Just seen the link and agree that lunatics are found in every religion and with their ignorance they take judgment into their hands... Which are obviously criminal acts no matter what they disguise it with...!
Are you justifying all this violence in the name of Islam?
First you used the name of Law, then you come up with some other weird justification.
Eric G.
Hi there friend...am ok and hope you are as well. Now about your question am sure we have many atheists in Islamic countries...many of those are the one's who had their education in Svt union or othe communist countries...many of them are on the Idology of Linin and Marcos... They are minding their own business and do not go shouting loud of their belief...any way in Arab countries there are no problem about that but might face some problem in Suadi Arabia or non Arabic Islamic countries...!
"Main thing I should ask what did this 2.2 and 1.6 do for preserving earth or for humanity in matter of fighting poverty...?? Nothing"
If you actually think Christianity has done nothing for fighting poverty, then you haven't been paying much attention. Churches and other organizations of Christians provide a very high percentage of the world's charity to poverty. If you further add the contributions made by Christians to charities not affiliated with a religion you most likely have a large majority of all of the world's charitable contributions.
Bob.
I did mention law before reading the link but after reading it I call it crimes made in the name of Islam when Islam the true Islam is free and innocent of it...
Hmmm.
Those were meant to bring people to become Christians but guess that was not meant for those already christians otherwise how can you still have poor in the west?
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/17/my-take-being-poor-on-christmas/
Muhammad Was a Pedophile!
Was that the best your brain can produce to solve worlds problems?
Technically that was the average age you got married in Arabia those days culturally it counts no more to pedophilia then a 14 year old marring a 27 year old in Europe in the 1400s
Juliet and Paris
Dude I played Paris in high-school only I could match the ego
My point is; it was common place, before making judgment please take into account cultural differences
My bad, Muhammad was a mad Conquer,Murder,slave owner,raciest,very insecure And a Pedophile
….And why do you think that is?.........Hint read the Torah
Am sure you been reading from the wrong book of history unless you got mixed up between the Messanger of GOD and the Mohammed the Conquerer of the Ottoman empire ??
Aisha stayed in her parents' home for several years until she joined Muhammad and the marriage was consummated.[6][8][9][11][12][13] Most of the sources indicate that she was nine years old at the time, with the single exception of al-Tabari, who records that she was ten.[8] The sources do not offer much more information about Aisha's childhood years, but mention that after the wedding, she continued to play with her toys, and that Muhammad entered into the spirit of these games.
It's a great sign that there are many people willing to stand up to morons like George.
George, how's that daily goat sacrifice doing? Sicko Christian god's gonna fry your fat ass in hell if you fall behind on it.
What is the 4th of July without barbecued goat? Not much good for anything else. Maybe we should bring back that old time religion.
see and here i thought americans were the only dumb ones
The echoes of the Roman Empire resound to this day.
I hear you! Without the convert or die methods used by the Romans, Christianity and Islam would not be worth mentioning in terms of numbers.
Yep.
Saint Augustine's dictum of "Cognite Intrare" – compel them to enter – was used for counteless centuries to justify the violent, forced converstion of heathens.
"The wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy. To love with sternness is better than to deceive with gentleness.... In Luke [14:23] it is written: "Compel people to come in!" By threats of the wrath of God, the Father draws souls to his Son."
One useless canadian stuck his nose in again. Why are we not surprised, and the bull sh it he spews has nothing to do with the story .What a maroon. There's your sign.
Go die in a fire, uncouth captain.
@Cap
Why am I not surprised that you're a fan of bad, redneck stand up comedians.
Will you be plagiarizing Larry the Cable Guy next?