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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.  |
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Why do atheists only target Christians & Christianity when 20% are non-Christians in this country? There are millions of Jews, Muslims, Hindus etc. out there too....
The Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc, aren't trying to force their crap down our throats nearly as much as Christians do.
All religions are fair game, they just don't post here very often. It could be that they don't feel the need to defend their faith constantly, or they just have better things to do. I don't really know, I don't believe any of it.
Any adult that bases their life on a fairy tale is fair game, if someone told you they went to a church of the purple people eaters and tried to elect govt officials that had same belief, wouldn't you want to do something about that or make fun of how dumb them are ?
It's not just Christianity. It's religion in general. It may be your experience that it appears that way if you are in fact Christian.
Three reasons primarily, first, living in a society dominated by Christianity means they understand it better than other religions, generally speaking, and so are better able to construct objections. Secondly, as they live in a society dominated by Christianity, they are more directly impacted by the major trends in that religion,both on a personal level in terms of friends and family of the faith, and also at a legal level when religious groups attempt to legislate faith. Finally, most of those of differing viewpoint they encounter online for the purpose of debate are Christian. Combine these factors and where do you expect the bulk of their efforts to end up?
Don't worry, when they show their insane religious beliefs here we dump on 'em just the same. But most of us are surrounded by Christians, churches, and many are ex-Christians, like me. Christian insanity holds a special place in our list of disgusting religions worthy of destruction.
Christians are the only religious group (speaking very broadly) that knocks on my door to bother me, asks me to donate money, makes their death grip on legislation well known, attempts to publicly affect elections/candidates, publicly sponsors large events, badger citizens about personal social issues in normal conversation, attempt to reconstruct other citizen's rights and personal freedoms to conform to a single religious philosophy.
Through the years in many locations I have had next door neighbors that were American Jews, Muslims, Hindu, and Christians (note the American part, not the crazy foreign varieties). Most have been kind, good people with no ill intentions that were easy to work with, understanding and curious of other views, and shrugged off differences. The only times i've had any problems were times i lived next to radical fundamentalist Christian folks that were always far too interested in other people's personal affairs. They have been the only ones that bothered me about politics, social choices, moral/ethical choices, things on my lawn that offended them (mysteriously), had no interest in worldly affairs, had on interest in conceptualizing other viewpoints on issues, wanted to argue about differences rather than accept that it's part of life, etc. I don't care for any organized religions, but the Christians are like really drunk guy at a formal gathering. Obnoxious, in your face, dramatic, unable to accept rational arguments, unable to leave other people alone in their personal affairs, and confused about why people have negative comments.
I don't see any difference between atheism and nazism.... and both ends with 'ism' 🙂
You're kindergarded kid told you that right? That really can't be your thought?
Take away the A in Atheism, and you have Theism, which is the belief in a god or deity.
It also happens to end in "ism"...
I can tell by your post u have a higher then normal IQ for a religious person your IQ is 80 right ?
@bob It really isn't a good idea, generally, to attempt an insult at the IQ of another person when you are incapable of expressing intelligence yourself.
Just saying.
What about Catholicism, Judaism, Republicanism, creationism, etc.
Failtroll is fail
@Adam tell me, did Adam and Eve's kids do the nasty to populate the earth ? also do you think people rode dinosaurs ?
And how did 8 people feed 6 million animals ( if a god helped them, why build a boat and go through the whole flood thing, I could think of a million better ways to accomplish the same goal )
I know now you will find a spelling mistake or something minor to discredit me or just press report abuse to remove my post like a weak person would.
Then you are either really stupid or really ignorant, Louis.
GOD BLESS Fox News
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS! JESUS CHRIST IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR!! GOD BLESS!
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.
How symbolic of you.......brainwash is a powerful tool.
@Jim C., Haha... brilliant!
No TV and no beer make Homer something, something...
May Allah help those who don't believe in Allah and face the truth. Allah U Akbar
And may the Easter Bunny help those who don't believe in the Easter Bunny.
For 2012, I'd love to see all religions dry up and blow away. They're nothing but trouble, the lot of them.
May you find s3x with something more than your hand.
Kuwait. U talking about only those extremeist Islamic terrorists...I hope.
Atheism is NOT healthy and good for children..... please stay away from our country!!!!!!!!!!
@Mommy
Just because their belief is different from your's doesn't mean it's bad. They have a right to believe what they want. It's called the freedom of religion.
Too late, we are everywhere!
Raising our children to be good people without the threat of judgement from a magic man in the sky is very healthy I think.
You would like me to stay away from a country that I defended? Sweet, thanks
I'm leaving my son the option to believe what he wants whether religious or not. I want him to have morals unconditionally rather then doing good or bad for reward or punishment from religious reasoning.
Congratulations on a historic achievement. You've posted the dumbest comment in the history of the internet.
More specifically, Mr. Hat, it's called "freedom from religion."
@Mommy, I'm friends with your child and am currently working night and day to counter-indoctrinate them in the secret ways of Atheism. Don't go to sleep. That's how we get you.
@Henry Miller
Technically, Atheism is a religion. If you don't believe me, look up the definition of "religion".
@Mr. Hat, Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.
No, Mr. Hat, it isn't. Religion is defined by a set of beliefs, atheism is a lack of belief in a deity or deities. A lack of belief is not the same thing as a set of beliefs and so atheism does not qualify as a religion unless you define the word so broadly as to render it meaningless.
@Jim C
Like I said, look up the definition of religion. In case you are too lazy to look up said definition here is what I found:
"a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs."
Imposing beliefs and teaching hatred of other that are different is NOT healthy and good for children..... please, I'm not asking you to leave OUR country. Just chill. I, as a person who just happens to not be religious, mean no harm to you.
You say we arent healthy for children, but riddle me this batman.. when has the belief in 'God' ever stopped someone from doing wrong such a murder.
Mr. Hat, exactly. Atheism is a lack of belief in a singular idea, that there exists a god or gods. That is not a set of beliefs and so is not a religion by your definition.
@Mr. Hat, Atheism falls out of that definition with "superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances". No magic, no rituals, none.
@Jim C
Note the word "Usually". And Lord Abraxas after thinking about the definition you're right. Sorry about that.
@Mr. Hat, "Usually" isn't applied to the supernatural part. Atheists don't believe in the supernatural. I'll give you the ritual part. Although I have met some Atheists who seem to buy into ghost stories, I guess some people will always be prone to that kind of thinking.
@Mommy
You truly must hate the United States. After all, our Const/itution guarantees us the right to worship or not worship as we chose. This is a secular nation. Unless you can accept that, it is YOU that should stay away.
Today is January 1 (New Year's Day) and it's Pope Gregory's calendar. It was NOT created by an atheist or non-believer
Did anyone say otherwise? Does the fact someone of faith produced something useful and practical mean they are right about their faith too? In that case with all we have taken from the Greeks we should be worshiping Zeus.
The Gregorian calendar was a tweaking of the Roman (Julian) calendar, which was adapted by Julius Caesar (not a "believer") from earlier Greek (also not "believers") lunar calendars.
A useful Pope. The Catholics could use one of those again.
So what? Do you know who actually devised the current calendar or if they were believers? It wasn't actually the Pope-A-Dope.
That's right. An atheist would never burden the world with such a stupid calendar. (Do a search on 13 month calendars if you want to see a better way)
Now in the correct location:
The chinese and jews have their own calendars that are much older than the one created by papal decree in 1582. And lets not even get started on how many names on that papal calendar have origins in pagan mythology. You mentioned January? The name comes from Janus, the roman god of doors.
You call a comment made by a no-name comedian, Faith based??? Way to go, CNN. Can you at least try to be a professional news source in the new year?!?
I was disappointed that it wasn't funny. Not much of a comedian there.
No – they can't. They try occasionally but they just ... can't. What a load of nonsense.
I predict that in 2012 White people around the world will re-discover the beauty of the swastika.
Except we will have replaced its' meaning with:
"I'm extremely gay but too scared to say so, so I'll wear this badge instead"
Love all the Christian like comments and responses. Way to represent your religion with all your hatred. I'm sure that's how Jesus would want you to behave.
They are much like the old Pharisees, claiming to know much but God himself doesn't even recognize them."
I’ll say this in closing; I do love ‘atheists’. While I’ve never been an atheist, myself, I too, have had many questions ….asking ‘why?’; but, I’m smart enough to know that my mind is incomparable to the Mind of God, and therefore, I would not be able to understand a thing….even if He stood in front of me and tried to explain it in plain words…but, that’s where my ‘faith’ comes in.
I didn’t create myself, and I know without a doubt that ‘He’ loves me….and I’ve been by ‘many’ of bedsides (when last breaths were taken)….therefore…I know that ‘He’ IS and that ‘He’ LIVES.
I have to say it is really strange you can pretend to have a brain and sit there and tell us how you still believe in stupid childish fantasies, takes a real moron to do something that truly stupid, but then you do believe and I would have to say that makes you about as truly stupid as you can get. Sorry about that because the truth is, you just can't fix stupid, it is terminal.
Don–thanks for proving once again the overwhelming arrogance that defines atheists who regularly opine here.
Don, you are an I diot and your sidekick 'o.k.' is too.
Thank you for noticing my intelligence....and to the point of commenting on it....the Lord gave it to me; So 'He' gets the Glory!!! Glory to God in the Highest!!!
However, you two are fools! LOL
And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.
2 Samuel 7: 28
P.S. Don, truth came from Jesus.
Amen.
Reason destroys faith. You can't argue about your faith and you shouldn't even try. Just go to church and shut up.
# 9 is already in Bergen County, NJ – where nearly every retail is shut down on Sundays by law – which is great! I love our blue laws...
I predict that nonbelievers will convert to Christianity and be done
I predict you are an idiot and will never get any smarter and I have a feeling my prediction will come true long before yours does.
Jesus is the TRUTH and the LIFE......Buh-Bye, Don!!!! : )
@wisdom4u2, Ever hear that expression, "I heard it on TV so it must be true"? You're basically doing the 2nd century version of that.
I predict that nigras will at last "get in touch" with their inner monkey.
I 'know', not predict, you're a ss is coming back as a 'nigras'......
Atheists in this nation have never done anything great to this country other than causing conflicts and problem with the 90%+ that believe in God. At least churches help people in need as a group and community, while atheists spend thousands of dollars on nonsense billboards to tell us about their non-believe faith, how cr*p they are and are happy they will go to h.ell ...
I seem to recall your holy book including a section about judging others. Perhaps such disregard for his teachings and spite for your fellow man for merely disagreeing with you will land you in the same place they do when you pass into the next life, yes?
How very christian of you
people like you are one of the main reasons I left the church
If you check any list of declared Atheists in medicine, the arts or sciences I think you'd be surprised the contributions they have made. For my own contribution, if you drive any one of about half the cars produced in the U.S. and use the seat belts or if the airbags have to deploy, and they save your life, you can thank me, an Atheist.
On the contrary, Jim, a true Christian would be resentful of airbags and seat belts, after all, these things delay them from meeting their dear and fluffy Lord.
What a shallow minded idea. Sweden and many other European countries are very non-religious. But yet at the same time they boast way higher levels of societal health, such as low homicide rates, low poverty rates, low infant mortality rates, and low illiteracy rates, as well as high levels of educational attainment, per capita income, and gender equality then compared to more religious countries. Religion is the dumbing down of society. Atheists in America have a lower percentage of divorce and lower percentage proportionatly in prisons as well.
Sorry Adis, I think if you will actually check on the facts the ones who cause the most conflicts are religious nuts, just look at the Mid-East, complete insanity and if you go back in history the christian nuts were some of the worst, in fact it is because of the christians of the past that other religions in the Mid-East hate jews and christians so much as well as many other people around the world. More people have been killed in the name of one god or another than any OTHER cause of warfare, there is more blood on the hands of christians than just about any other religion. If anything you should hold your head in shame and denounce your evil ways and get a real life. But then you can't do that, why? Because you are stupid and you just cannot fix stupid, no matter how many times you dump the morons under the water. I personally think it is because you just don't hold them under long enough, maybe you should wait till they go limp and turn blue. It would certainly make the world a better place to live if you did and that's a fact.
Christian Crusades were blessed by the pope and by the Catholic Church and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands. You'll be hard put to point out any religion that doesn't have it's history shrouded in violence.
Jim C. I wud still thank God who gave u the DNA that knew FEW things about safety.
Yeah... that's what we need... more religious contributions. Hooray for ABC family shows!
The 'God' particle has nothing to do with God and only has that name because of Leon Lederman's book. It is the Higgs particle and responsible for the masses of elementary particles through spontaneous symmetry breaking. That Gary Laderman needs to get the facts straight.
I predict that in 2012, a watermelon shortage will cause even more nigra riots.
I predict that sadly and boringly, people thinking themselves clever will use the anonymity of the Internet to dredge up old racial stereotypes in order to try to get a rise out of others.
I predict that 'Big Brother' has your IP address and is coming for your dumb a ss!!! You'd better hope none of your minority neighbors' homes catch fire....cause your a ss will be the first to get busted....it's called 'hate crime', you I diot!!!! Big Brother is watching you, s tupid!!
Atheists should NOT be allowed to be U.S. citizen nor should they be allowed to live here ! They should create their own country and impose their own belief in their own nation.... wonder how long it would last because God would destroy it 🙂
Ironic, given the people who profess to lover Christ the most loudly are doing all they can to destroy this one.
Yes, just look at the hard time god is giving Sweden
You are an ignorant moron. Go back to school. Read some history books. Turn off fox "news." You are an embarrassment to the US.
Way to go NJ, you just single handedly proved tha if you truly want moronic bigotry and hatred you need go no further than to your nearest christian. They are the most intolerant and hate filled and bigoted people in the country, they hate everyone, even people of different christian faiths than their own. If you don't belong to their church you are all wrong and are going to hell. Ever wonder how a religion so filled with hatred and bigotry could be a 'true' religion? Perhaps instead of spouting total BS maybe you just ought to think for a minute, you might realize how truly stupid you are. But then I doubt if that is truly possible in your case, you are just way too stupid and as we all know, you just can't fix stupid.
NJ, you are laughably ignorant. The men that created the government of this secular nation separated church from state because of people just like you. They were smart enough to know that there can be no real freedom in a nation where religion has a foothold in government.
Atheists open their mouth big and attack religions, particularly Christianity online, but then when it comes to in real life, they act like a pu**y chicken !
Because, clearly, religionists want nothing more than an in-person fist fight with atheists. It's like the 11th commandment.
No, it is because you can't get an idiot to accept the truth no matter how hard you try because you just can't fi stupid and you have to be stupid to be a christian.
Yeah, maybe because we are sick of being tortured, hanged, and burned alive by you loving Christians....
Oh look - yet another christian who thinks that the laws of the bible don't apply to them. Why else would he be so blatantly bearing false witness?
people....learn your earth history...you are all lost.