 |
|
|
|
January 1st, 2012
03:00 PM ET
15 faith-based predictions for 2012To ring in the New Year, CNN's Belief Blog asked experts in religion, faith leaders, and a secular humanist about how the forces of faith and faithlessness will shape the world in 2012. Here's what they told us: 1. The Republican Party will tap Mitt Romney as its presidential nominee, and America will finally have its "Mormon moment." As evangelicals try to figure out whether they can support a president who practices Mormonism, the rest of us will try to figure out whether Mormonism is a cult, a form of Christianity, or something in between. Meanwhile, visitors to Marriott hotels will finally crack open some of those nightstand copies of The Book of Mormon. 2. Despite all of the lessons that could have been learned from Y2K and Harold Camping, people will still rally around the idea that apocalyptic events are on the calendar for 2012. Some will turn to the end-date of the 5125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar (closely associated with the Maya civilization) and a handful of folks believe cataclysmic events are awaiting on December 21, 2012. But the dates with will pass with little fanfare — except for those profiting from the sale of gold coins, generators, and dried food that you'd probably rather want to die than eat. 3. Continuing revolutions across the Arab world will raise alarming questions about the fate of the remaining Christians in the region, and will put the issue of religious persecution squarely on the political agenda. Sizable Christian populations now survive in only two Arab countries, Egypt and Syria, both of which could soon be under Islamist rule. At a minimum, expect to see inter-faith violence on the ground. In a worst case scenario, Arab Christians could face large scale persecution, forcing millions to seek new homes overseas. Watch too for religious persecution to be an emotive issue in the U.S. presidential race. 4. The year will see an increase in the number of people "coming out" as nonbelievers. Major events like the Reason Rally in March will be a catalyst for more people to publicly declare their secular worldview. The statements of popular celebrities George Takei and Ricky Gervais as atheists in 2011 are just the tip of the iceberg. 5. "All-American Muslim" will become a bigger hit than "Jersey Shore" ever was. Obsessed fans worldwide, regardless of gender, will begin rocking sassy colorful hijab (veil) and converting en masse. Tim Tebow will choose to fast in solidarity with Muslim football players and Tebowing will be replaced by Teprostrating. President Obama will jump on the bandwagon and replace VP Joe Biden with Keith Ellison as his running mate, guaranteeing his re-election in a landslide victory in November. Peace will reign on earth and pigs will have a new lease on life. 6. There's no question the worldview of most younger Christians already differs from previous generations regarding social justice, cultural engagement and politics. The next issue of probable divergence? The conflict in Israel and Palestine. The American church has largely purported just one theology about the modern state of Israel, but now questions are being asked - especially by younger Christians learning of persecution and human rights issues happening in the region - if the church should have a more active role in peacemaking. Is there a way for the Church to be pro-Israel, pro-Palestine and pro-peace? 7. Significant numbers of millennials (young people born in the 1980s and 1990s) will continue to walk away from socially conservative religious traditions. Bringing them back will be tough, especially for religious organizations deeply invested in brick-and-mortar and bureaucracy. Millennials who are facing the erosion of access to affordable, quality education and meaningful employment and who stand to inherit from their elders a great deal of debt and environmental destruction want to know why and how faith matters. 8. The year 2012 promises to be a time of great spiritual stirring in our nation. People are seeking both practical and spiritual answers to their problems. As a result, churches and media ministries that answer specific needs will grow in unprecedented numbers. We can expect to see the numbers of mega-churches and super mega-churches continue to grow. Culturally there will be marked return to helping the poor (both domestically and internationally) and political and social engagement by a younger/more racially diverse, evangelical people. 9. Sabbath becomes trendy! Fourth Commandment makes a comeback! Sabbath named Time’s person of the year! A new movement sweeps the country. They call themselves 24/6. Worn out by being tethered to the grid 24/7, sick of being accessible all hours of the day, inundated by updates, upgrades, and breaking news, Americans finally rebel, demanding, “We need a day off.” People all over the country go offline for 24 hours every week. The simple break from the frenetic pace results in lowered cholesterol rates, fewer speeding tickets, and a reduction in marital strife. Peace, tranquility and contentment spread like wildfire. 10. Women in the Middle East and around the world will rally in protest about the woman who was beaten, stomped on and stripped down to her blue bra (under her abaya) during a demonstration in Egypt. Women everywhere who have been oppressed by their religions will rise up, as they have already done in Egypt, to join "The Blue Bra Revolution." We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. 11.“Occu-pew Church" – a movement away from counterfeit "Church-ianity," cult of personality and religion toward authentic grassroots personal faith, based on living and loving like Jesus. More churches will lose the moat dragon mentality, lower the drawbridge and dispatch members beyond the church service to church SERVICE, applying their faith in the community through volunteerism and outreach. A renewed global emphasis on prayer - especially for peace and reconciliation - as individuals and leaders recognize that personal spiritual peace in one's heart provides the only lasting foundation for physical peace among families, friends, neighbors - even nations 12. Hindu Americans will continue to become better advocates for themselves, particularly in the public policy arena. They will play a larger role in defining the manner in which Hinduism is represented in the media, academia, popular culture, and interfaith dialogue. The acknowledgment of the Hindu roots of yoga will continue to spread with more people seeing the connection. And the Hindu ethos of religious pluralism will take on a more prominent role in nurturing not only tolerance, but respect for and between the world's religions. 13. In 2012 the lines between the sacred and the profane will get even more blurry: Scientists will religiously maintain their search for the elusive God particle (they won't find it); evangelical sports superhero and Denver Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow will continue to be both an inspiration to the faithful and an object of scorn to skeptics (he will be watching, not playing in, the Super Bowl); at least one well-known religious leader or leading religious politician will be brought down by a sex scandal (let's hope all our leaders have learned a lesson from former Rep. Anthony Weiner and stay away from sexting); and the "nones" - those who don't identify with one religion - will grow even more numerous and find religious meanings in unexpected places (what TV show will become this season's "Lost"?) 14. America’s evangelical community will have its hands full addressing both a presidential election and offering a biblical response to “end of days” Mayan prophecies surrounding 2012. With the economy emerging as the primary issue for the November election, America’s born-again community will have an opportunity to contextualize an alternative narrative to the polarizing elements from both the right and the left by reconciling the righteousness message of Billy Graham with the justice platform of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. By offering compassionate, truth-filled solutions and focusing on the message of grace, love, reconciliation and healing, evangelicals will demonstrate that the greatest agenda stems neither from the donkey nor the elephant but rather from the lamb. 15. We are seeing the divide between younger generation evangelicals and older generation (baby boom and older) get wider every year both theologically and culturally (lifestyle). 2012 promises to widen the gap even more with Gen X and younger evangelicals having trouble understanding why the traditional lines make sense and/or just outright rejecting those lines. |
  About this blog
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.  |
|
|
|
I think you missed #16: radical Christian fundamentalists will continue to stir up anti-Muslim hatred, probably resulting in sporadic outbreaks of violence.
This is a test to see how quickly this posts since my first comment hasnt shown up after 10 minutes
@Light Bulb
You said, "This is a test to see how quickly this posts since my first comment hasnt shown up after 10 minutes"
CNN uses automated censoring that looks for words, or fragments of words, that are considered offensive. My guess is that your post had had a forbidden word in it. Posts that contain too many URLs will also get rejected.
Repeat posts, even those that were previously censored and not displayed, will show a message stating that you posted it before.
The following words or word fragments will get your post censored (list is incomplete):
arse
bastard
bitch
cock
coon
cum
cunt
douche
effing
fag
ftw
fuck
homo
horny
jackass
jap
jism
kinky
kooch
nipple
orgy
pis
porn
poo
prick
rape
sex
shit
slut
snatch
spic
tit
twat
vag
whore
wonderful us (don't ask.....)
wtf
To circumvent the filters you can break up the words by putting an extra character in, like: consti.tution (breaking the oh so naughty "tit").
The American Muslim Population isn't big enough to go against Fundamentalist Christian. (AND HOPEFULLY NOT RADICAL)
blah, blah, blah... The sooner this world loses its fear-based death-grip on mind-control and antiquated mythology, the sooner war, bigotry, hatred, hypocrisy, ignorance, intolerance, and free tax to rip-off cults/churches will end and our economy and progress in science and medicine might just skyrocket. What scares me the most is this country's possibility of swearing in a president in 2012 whose cult's tenets require him to believe his underpants are magical (church of latter day saints) and will protect him from harm. Do we really, truly want to elect a delusional psychotic whose finger will be on the red button? Ponder that one, folks... Yikes.
Jimmy Swaggart is an "expert" on religion. Did they get is expert opinion?
Oh, Lord, forgive them. they do not know what they are doing/saying about you.
sorry to say dtw88 but we do just like we know you are a complete and total idiot, ok?
YES! I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE COLLEGE TOMORROW! THOUGH I WILL MISS THOSE CUTE ARAB CHICKS WITH THE VEILS.(ARAB CHICKS ARE MY FETISH)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pOjw9rAWt2E
People do not want religion. I agree. I am a Christian. I follow Christ and I do because I believed in Him with all my heart, then I saw the power of His glory work in my life and family. I have seen things that those who do not love God will never see. People ask for signs and wonders in order to belive in God, but they will NEVER see that. You need faith to see God. People are so angry with God because of the things that have gone wrong in their lives but do they ever stop just to think that He is actually interested in healing and restoring the lives of those that humble themselves before Him? Pride and hate are your worst enemies, not God.
Well said, Jackie. Too many rail against God when things go bad, yet, give no acknowledgment when things go good, day after day, after day.
How (and why) would a non-believer "rail against" an imaginary being that they don't believe in...?
Do Tell – that's not what she said...
and antibiotics are your friend.
No in Jackie88s case i think heavy narcotic opiates are her real friend, a thinking person could not spout such BS without being totally drugged ot of their mind. Then again she could just be stupid and that would explain a lot and as we all know you just can't fix stupid, it is terminal.
I speak for myself: Jesus Christ transformed my life. I love having such an amazing friend. He answers my prayers and He cares for me.
I love Jesus Christ and love having a relationship with HIM.
Amen and Amen!!
I'm not where I want to be in His Kingdom right now, but thank God I'm not where I use to be!!!!!
I love you, Jesus...and thank you for dying for me!!
Taking strokes of each others' c.o.c.k I see LOL
Me too =)
Yeah Jackie88 you are definitely stroking someone elses c.o.c.k. and all of you morons are definitely drinking too much of the kool aid that makes you a complete and utter idiot. And in all of your cases we know there just is no way to fi stupid, I am sorry but all 3 of you will die stupid as well. What a rude awakening it will be when you don't go to heaven, don't see god and just turn to maggot food as if you had no idiot beliefs at all.
I'm meant this:
Again:
I don't understand the hostility, which is directed towards a Creator…. who loves each and everyone of you all …enough to give you your next breath for this physical world: And also, who supplied you with your own ‘Guardian Angel’ (who cringe at your disbelief in the One who created you and ‘them‘….and ‘they’ WILL be there to usher you into the ethereal dimension). Good luck with your ‘disbelief’!
Shame on you fools!
Personally, I'm angry that I didn't get an invisibility cloak. My guardian angel keeps hitting on my girlfriends.
And wisdom4u2 i meant it when I said I was truly sorry you were so stupid but there just isn't a fix for stupid and I guess you will just have to die that way and not go to heaven or anywhere else ecept to end up as worm food, but then you are so stupid you won't know any better anyway, there just isn't any fixing stupid.
@Don
No need to be 'sorry' for me....I've come a long way ....many years ago...been through a lot...seen a lot....I love my life, sorrows included.
No regrets for me, and I am very thankful for all that I've been 'through'. That's the word'...'THROUGH'....I never remained there....I'm traveling on...this road call 'life'.
God and I have a lot to laugh and cry about when my time comes to tell my 'bedtime' story. : )
Have any of you Christians Prayed for congress? Because it is not working.
How do you know it's not working? Could it be because it's not going as 'YOU' want it to? Well, that doesn't mean it's not working, control freak!!
What have you done?
Religion declines even faster than it did in 2011.
.
Let's hope that in 2012 more people dump manmade religion and find their Higher Power. These manbased religions are killing too many people.
Let's pray each of us have the strength to believe in our own intelligence and ability. Let's pray human beings will become wiser with each growing moment.
Hey Jesus–you fucking suck!!!
You seem to have some major "dumb" issues.
I hope we're all able to see your dumb face when Jesus ask you why He should let you enter..... LMFAO!!!!
Christian Response: You're dumb. HAHAHA good one!
Jesus was actually a pretty funny guy, he actually used sarcastic, dry humor a lot to get his point across. And the guy turned water into wine...if that doesn't show he's got a sense of humor I don't know what does. Also, I consider myself pretty familiar with the Bible, and I can't find any instances of him lying, being heartless, or being cruel to animals
ok you morons, the only thing that matters here is first of all, there is no jesus, there is no heaven, there is nothing that wouold pay attention to you morons even if there was something as moronic as a god because you are too totally stupid for any deity to give a crap about. The only fact here is you are all too stupid for any deity to give a squat about over any other creature in the universe, why you feel you are so special is totally beyond me. So, there is no fix for stupid and all you morons are going to die and NOT see your imaginary jesus or go to your imaginary heaven. All you are going to do is die and become worm food, a fitting end for any creature who believes for some idiotic reason they are above all other creatures in the universe. You are all just so pathetic as to be laughable.
Total flake. Big time.
All of you people grew up with the tooth fairy, the easter bunny and santa claus. Eventually, you all noticed that they were incompatible with the real world around you, and you stopped believing in them because it was so blatantly obvious that they were fake.
How is it that you never noticed this about the myths of religion?
because science can neither prove nor disprove that God exists. Maybe in your mind it can and already does, but it's not definitive enough for many people. Too much about this world is unexplainable...and until science can explain it all, there is a possibility that God exists.
I think the difference is fear. There was nothing scary in the childhood myths. Add the specter of eternal flames, and people will hold on a lot longer. Plusthe social acceptance that comes from being in the same group as the others in your community, and the fear of being ostracized for non-belief, and there are some pretty good reasons to keep up the appearance of faith.
Now Leprachauns....those little guys are real.
@rogerthat,
because science can neither prove nor disprove that Leprechauns exist. Maybe in your mind it can and already does, but it's not definitive enough for many people. Too much about this world is unexplainable...and until science can explain it all, there is a possibility that Leprechauns exist.
....and that's why I keep a box of Lucky Charms, complete with candles lit underneath, as a vigil for my Leprachaun friends.
I just re-read the article CNN published last year at this time called "11 faith based predictions for 2011". None of the came to pass fully. Two proved to be PARTIALLY true. I'd call that at best a 4.5% accuracy. Therefore... frankly... I didn't even bother to read this article. I can dream up my own predictions and be at least as accurate - maybe more. Yawn.
‘1’ faith-based prediction for 2012: “God said.....and it was so“!!!!
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?…”
I love me some God!!
and therefore you are a total and complete idiot and I do not love me some idiot, sorry they can't fix stupid, you are just going to have to die stupid but nice try. Have fun feeding the worms and wondering what happened to your god, LOL.
@Don
I still love me some God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit....without them, I'd be nothing; And I really am 'something'!
Holy crapy people are hostile on here.
I am a Christian who fully believes in Christ, his death and resurrection. I also believe that if God gave us the freedom to choose how we want to live our lives, I should extend that same grace. I don't believe in forcing anyone to believe as I do.
If "Christians" have made some of you bitter and spiteful, I truly am sorry, because God knows we can be a poor reflection sometimes. And given the responses of many on here, it seems like that may be the case. At the same time though, I don't know if some of the things being said are fair... to be honest, they seem kind of like cheapshots. Just because I can't produce proof that God is/isn't real doesn't make it so. There's lots of things I cannot prove.
In any case, it doesn't really matter. If God actually does exist, he sure doesn't need me defending him.
As for the article itself, If some of these predictions came true I'd be very okay with that. Peace between Israel and Palestine. Women's rights becoming an issue in the Middle East. America having a spiritual stirring. Greater community service from the church. If any of these things happen in 2012, I personally think that would be awesome.
Hi, Jason,
Not all of us are hostile. 🙂
Hi Jason! What people fail to understand is that 'Christians' are not perfect...just forgiven. We understand them way more than they even know....we, too, were sinners...and we still do most of the time, but we know where to go for 'love' and 'forgiveness', that's the difference.
Appreciate the comment Jason.
I think the problem is that there can be a lot of hostility from both sides. We've definitely lost respect for people with different points of view in this country- liberals and conservatives alike, believers and non-believers alike. I don't have a problem with people no believing in God- I have a problem with people who treat me differently because I do.
Hi bro. There are many here who are not hostile, and some are very funny, and pleasant. They seem to be busy this weekend though. Some are scary smart. Hope you stay around.
Prayer changes things
Opening the floodgates of God's love
Resulting in the salvation of millions
Dedicated to the gospel of love
Given to mankind by the Lord and savior
Jesus Christ
Prayer ushers in miracles
Pray without ceasing in 2012
Oh lord please save me from your followers!
Living in a fairy-tale world is not healthy for children and other living things...
Lard you don't have to live in a fairy tale world, the kingdom of heaven is available to any who ask.
We'll keep the Love,But prayer is worthless. Action is the motto of Right Now!
Teaching children not to think for themselves is bad for them. Teaching them that things for which there is abundant evidence are wrong is bad for them. Teaching them that things for which there is NO evidence at all are true is bad for them.
Religion is not healthy for anyone.
Actually a study was done that showed that prayer has no effect on events.
Prayer has often changed the course of human history.
Right, Perry's prayer saved Texas drought.
When you holier than thou people are knocked to your feet and starving to death like many children are in other countries then we will see how much prayer and your corrupt church helps you then.
I don't understand the hostility, which is directed towards a Creator…. who loves each and everyone of you all …enough to give you your next breath for this physical world: And also, who supplied you with your own ‘Guardian Angel’ (who cringe at your disbelief in the One who created you and ‘them‘….and ‘they’ WILL be there to usher you into the ethereal dimension). Good luck with your ‘disbelief’!
Shame on you fools!
@wisdom4u2, Have you actually READ the bible?
@ashrakay
I'm pretty sure 'you' haven't!!! DUHHHH!!!
@Puckles
Are you really that dense? You don't have to be in a 3rd world country to go through crap!! Most Christians here are 'believers' because of what they went through here (in the USA), and have come to realize that God was right there with them .....through it all!!! It's called 'LIFE'!!! DUHHH!
Yep, I guess the little babies born with terminal cancer don't get your lord's attention then because they can't pray yet
@Fritz Hohenheim
You're so sad!! You don't understand. Most parents of the children believe this:
A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.
Author Unknown
@wisdom4u2, I guess you have one of those new versions of the bible that cut out god commanding people to murder women and children, the parts about how to treat slaves and the parts about killing your children if they don't obey... and the r-ape stuff... and the leaving your family to follow christ part... and the women should be silent part...
Well for all you believing morons I HAVE read the bible, best joke book I have ever seen, just too bad there was no truth or facts in that book of lies but then I really didn't expect there to be. It is amazing, when you read this book of filth with an open mind you truly see how bigoted and filled with hatred christians truly are, then you begin to realize what the real problem with this country is, We should not have protected religious freedom, we should have outlawed ALL religion, The only thing the bible proves is our founding fathers were as stupid as most other humans are and thus just as flawed so there definitely is no wisdom in anything they wrote. They were just human thus able to be flawed, just like the pathetic morons who actually wrote the bible, it was written by man so therefore it is false and filled with lies and falsehoods.
@ashrakay
Is that your reason for being so bitter?? Not good enough....keep searching!! "Seek and you shall find."
@ Don
Nothing to say.... because err'body already knows you're a dic# looking for attention; move along now.
Another example of controlled media. Please! Vote Ron Paul! He's the only hope we've got!
Jesus is the only hope we've got
We're doomed...
For the love of god. Stop invading every forum and babbling on about Ron Paul. This forum has NOTHING to do with Ron Paul or the election. Get over yourself. Yes, you're oh so dedicated. I get it. We all get it. But for the love of god find something else to talk about once in a while. Your running into forums having nothing to do with the election and yelling "vote for Ron Paul!" makes everyone less and less likely to do just that.
Who is we? People who don't like basic government services and who think their corporate bosses deserve to get away with even more than they already do in the name of profits? No thanks, keep Ron Paul and your "revolution".
You know if the Mayan prediction of doom this Dec is correct.....
I'll die enjoy the look on all the theists face as they realize they've been praying to the wrong god the whole time....
To bad it won't happen......
Wow I mangled that sentence.....'Enjoying'