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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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80% are Christians and USA is a Christian country..... admitt it atheists and Jews 🙂
Spell-check will not kill you. Neither will high school equivalency classes.
When your cons-t-i-tution disproves you on the basis of the facts (written on it's declaration) then all your numbers will not matter. Hence your 80% does not matter.
80% of the people in the United States are actually robots. No, why should no one believe me aside from the common sense issue? I don't name a source that is an unbiased statistical survey from a respected peer reviewed piece of literature.
if 80% is christian then why is Obama president?
wow, 80%, last time I checked it was only like 50% where did the other 30% come from, out of your ass?
Well, a majority of Americans happen to be white.
By the same argument you gave, does that mean that the US is a White nation?
(Don't laugh; there are actually many people who believe this. You probably wouldn't want to have them as your neighbors.)
about 80% of all people are complete morons whats your point ?
Also religious people tend to lie/exaggerate example 6 million animals on a wooden boat.
And they will know we are Christians by our Love....
....the HATE and FEAR I read and hear so much of by people who think they have it RIGHT, the right God, the right skin color, the right country, the right religion, even ther right definitions, the right science, the right proof, all the while telling all others they have it WRONG is the scariest stuff on this planet Earth. So-called Christians who display any of the above shame and distance themselves from the teachings of Jesus and everytime I read it the words from a hymn, above, come to
mind...
THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE!
I'll say it again, then...They will know we are Christians by our Love....
....the HATE and FEAR I read and hear so much of by people who think they have it RIGHT, the right God, the right skin color, the right country, the right religion, even ther right definitions, the right science, the right proof, all the while telling all others they have it WRONG is the scariest stuff on this planet Earth. So-called Christians who display any of the above shame and distance themselves from the teachings of Jesus and everytime I read it the words from a hymn, above, come to
mind...
THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE!
What part of the separation of church and state don't you get? These United States are secular - yet still let people "believe" in whatever they want. You obviously want to believe that this is a christian nation. You are wrong.
My cousin is a christian.
He smokes, drinks, swears and cheats on his wife.
S whats your point ?
A lie is a lie no matter how many people believe it...
The truth is the truth no matter how few believe it....
No. 4 discusses the Reason Rally in March 2012. If people use reason, they will have to conclude that human free will requires a spiritual soul. If on the other hand, people claim that they do not have free will, then they are robots. They would not be "free thinkers" as some atheists claim. Science cannot logically use causes and correlations (which is what science uses) to explain free will (which by definition is the ability to make choices that are NOT based on causes and correlations). The above is described in more detail in the book The Science of the Soul which contains the written statements of many prominent scientists who confirm the above logic including Stephen Hawkings, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Erwin Schrodinger, William Provine and others. The atheist Richard Dawkins claims "what do you think you are if not a robot?"
That is an astonishingly bad argument based on a chain nonsensical conditionals. According to your reasoning if a person states that he does not have a cream filling, then he must be a donut and not a twinky.
People are animals with a little better reasoning ability and memory, which doesn't alwasy serve them well, unfortunately. On the other hand, who cares? It's all about the survival of the gene pool.
By definition, a robot does not have free will. It operates based on how it is built and programmed. This is logical and many scientists, as described in the original post, agree. I feel I am in good logical company with Hawking, Einstein, Schrodinger, and the many others quoted in the book The Science of the Soul.
Bill the Pseudoscience Guy, you hit the nail right on the head. You "feel" you are logical. Just like you may feel you are a pink elephant after a few too many beers after the Superbowl.
Nothing offends more than the appeal of the religious to science. Free will is due to perfectly explainable chemical and biological processes. An undergraduate cognitive psychology course – plus a course in the Humanities – could clear up your ignorant confusion.
Where do you guys at CNN come up with these goofball "experts?"
Religious idiots are a dime-a-dozen.
finally a post that is true
What do you believe? Who taught you? It is good to read and learn and see how others think...you don't have to believe everything you read or hear or even see...but you can consider it, if you are willing. If you aren't willing, why are you reading
and writing about it? Why do you care? It is sooooo easy to criticize others, easiest thing to do...but where does it get you?
If you are so very secure and sure of your own beliefs you wouldn't be here at all. You are seeking just like all human beings
are seeking and those that think they are right, and truly believe it, do not need to prove others wrong to prove they are right to themselves.
Don't forget the sales tax on that dime!!! Since the idiots are religious, would that dime also be tax-exempt? 🙂
Can we just get rid of this belief blog? I get a little tired of an ancient organization with a history of molesting children and setting people on fire trying to claim moral authority over a civilization that it threatens with annihilation.
Are you not capable of simply not reading it?
Are you capable of being intelligent?
So you come here to complain? Get real.
Yes...so you come here and read and write for what reasons...to prove you are RIGHT...to find someone else to prove to you
are RIGHT...because you might be WRONG....an old friend of mine said it is interesting that with only one letter switched around within the word SCARED changes it completely to SACRED...think about it, I think that is one reason you might be here.
AMERICA IS A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY..... WHOEVER DISAGREE MOVE OUT!
Here are some more caps for you: F OFF
America is a purple unicorn, whoever disagrees fly away into the rainbows. Wow, the educational system has failed.
Screaming means that you have already lost your position. Screaming that it is a xtian country means that it never was.
How ever loud you scream it it simply means that you're begging your country to be a xtian country because losers like yourselves can't stand it as 'not being one'.
WRONG Shan. America is a nation of Christians. Big difference.. Pray on it.
And where 300 millions will go ??
So, Tom, I take it you are advocating the theft of all property of non-Christians and their forced exile from the United States of America? Or do you advocate that all non-Christians simply be taken to concentration camps? This is not a rhetorical question. Please answer.
the secular are rising up again and this next election will prove we do NOT want to be know as a christian nation. I for one don't nor do most of my friends. I stopped believing in fairy tales as a child.
It's because of people like you atheists despise religion. Ignorant, Arrogant . America was founded on the freedom of religion.
America has as it's mainstay FREEDOM OF RELIGION, ie: freedom to believe and worship as we believe, or not to. It does not tell Americans to leave if they don't believe ONE WAY.
Our founding fathers declared that America is a secular nation.
If only we could go back to the days when we tossed them to the lions.
Oh well.
I predict that Christopher Hitchesn will finally settle the question of the existence of God, and a realm beyond the scientifically observable – at least in his own mind.
He already settled it, the day before he died!
You know he died recently, right?
Liars for Jesus
What a bunch of crap this is. CNN, stick to reporting fact-based News and leave the mythology for someone else.
Hey Josh, CNN should appologize for holding a gun to your
head, and making you read this.
Religion = mental illness PERIOD.
The less intelligent among us, the religious followers will simply continue their demise. The church leaders will finally acknowledge that their pious position won't protect them from prosecution for child molestation and seek jobs elsewhere, probably the government, where such deeds are still protected.
Other faith-based predictions/assertions:
world will end last May
a virgin female gave birth to a live boy
a man walked on water and rose from dead
a statue in Latin America cures human diseases
we will repeatedly be reincarnated
world will end in 2012
a man in Rome can speak on numerous human conundrums and never err...
Do you spot a trend yet?
You can't prove that humans and animals will be repeatedly reincarnated ,wrong because you have to die and come back to life. P.S.You only get reincarnated for100,000 lives
"world will end in 2012"
If they get that wrong they will try it again next year and after that 'the year after' ...etc.
love it, it is all the fairly tale beliefs in one
I'm beginning to understand why CNN has taken such a big dip in the polls. I use to have CNN as my homepage, but since you've introduced the belief page, my impression of it is you now have lowered your viewers personal beliefs as "news". I don't think religion is news. It is simply something that you either believe in or don't believe in. I repeat, it is not news. It's a belief in something on a much higher level.
Well put and spot on!
CNN's attempt at humor at the expense of religofreaks is totally understandable and fully justified!
People's definition of "news" varies widely and everyone has an opinion. Religion is an extremely important topic of interest to millions of people worldwide. While I am not an overly religious person, I do enjoy learning about others' beliefs, where they are coming from, and what they're doing in the name of their religions. So many things happen worldwide in the name of religion. It's important to know what is going on and what people believe so you can follow world events properly and make informed decisions if you're in a position to make decisions. It's that simple.
So Tom is now going to decide what is news, and what is not ?
How kind of you Tom.
Now listen Tom, if you dont like the story, dont read it.
You dont need to share your six year old attutude,
just S T F U .
Thank You.
Amazing how many truly nasty and unkind comments are coming from the non believers towards the believers.. And they sum it all up with how being religious "makes" you a nasty person..~!?
Really?
From what I read , I would assume a nasty person is just simply a 'nasty person'~!..NO matter if they believe or dis believe.. ~!!
I think the proof is written here on this wall....
Chill out. No one on this board has stated that religion makes anyone nasty. Just that it is a pointless waste of time. Enjoy reading your tea leaves... they are just as useful as your scriptures for predictive powers.
False, look at all the religious comments. These are some of the comments these so called christians say "GET OUT OF AMERICA , IF YOUR NOT CHRISTIAN' GOD WILL SEND YOU TO HEL* IF YOU DONT FIND JESUS" do you think that we want to be a part of these sociopaths that obviously don't even respect our civil liberties?
maestro, you posted your babble of "Chill out. No one on this board has stated that religion makes anyone nasty. Just that it is a pointless waste of time. Enjoy reading your tea leaves... they are just as useful as your scriptures for predictive powers."
Answer: You and the other atheists keep proving Jesus' truth as written in Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luk21:9-11, Amos 8:11.
You're too easy. Go back to your atheists blogs and come up with new ammo so we can prove Jesus wrote the answers about your new junk thousands of years ago.
Amen.
Religious people vote against my civil liberties and the proper education of children. For the sake of my rights, an d the rights of children, I have to oppose religious agendas.
@HeavenSent
Please prove that Jesus actually existed. Please use a primary source. No, the bible is not a primary source as nobody writing in that work actually even met a man by that name in person. Even the Romans, sticklers for details and record keeping, did not record his birth, activities, transgressions, or death.
I am searching for the truth. I want to believe. Help me answer this one minor question.
Still waiting...
Hevensent:
This posting is the one true religion....
I know it to be true because it says so right here in this posting.
Generation X and Y will progress to degrade into atheistic heathens where all forms of morality are based upon the situation at hand. There will be no right. There will be no wrong. Our society will be both immoral and amoral at the same time. With such a system of thought running our society we will crumble and fall like the ancient Romans. I still want my bread. And the last I checked our stadiums are based on the Roman coliseum. I also want free tickets to the football games. Just give me my bread and the circus and I'm happy. 😉
Heathens? Your a joke
Right and wrong only exist within the context of one another, and not as value judgements, but rather as an example of opposites. If something is deemed right, then the opposite of that thing is "wrong". Morals and ethics change over the years, and with them, "right" and "wrong".
Oh... and "heathens"? Get real...
Adam, if you don't want to be called a heathen, how about pagan? If not pagan, how about fool. Pick your poison.
Amen.
CNN gets worse every year
Yet you continue taking the time to read and POST COMMENTS here. I guess your life is pretty bad since you have nothing better to do.
It's like a bad car wreck. You can't help looking.
15 paragraphs of nuttiness & nonsense
not totally true. some of them are hog wash but 3,4,7,10 have a realistic chance of happening.
100% agree
Churches are concerned that younger people are turning away from religion only because there will be less money in the collection plates in the future – the church leaders and staff won't be able to buy big luxury homes and cars like before. Go out and get real jobs and quit preaching and spreading a bunch of baloney!
I was praying you atheists wouldn't stay as carnally minded as 2011.
Amen.
I have faith that all of this is total BS!
It's 2012 and we're still predicting stuff as if we have some magical or super natural ability to do that! Jesus!
Interesting that with 70 million adherents in America – by FAR the largest religious denomination in our country, CNN could not find a single Catholic to make a prognostication. Curious