Knox Academy RMPS Learning Log

“Between 1979 and 2005, half of all Christians stopped going to church on a Sunday.” Have people simply become lazy or is there some other reason why religious practice is deteriorating? In Britain we are often seen as a Christian nation but in modern society Christianity doesn’t always fit in. Our society is fast-paced and contemporary and to many ways I think the Church is viewed as old-fashioned and conservative. Ideas about female roles in society and homosexuality have changed and I think people don’t want to follow religions that, in their eyes, are not accepting the future and present changes around us.In Christianity a main religious practise is going to church every week on a Sunday. This practice doesn’t appear to fit in with some people’s modern lifestyles. Today, it is possible to be working on Sundays and many feel after a hectic week the thought of church is daunting when all they want to do is relax.Even though these more ‘classic’ religious practices are on the decline other practices aimed more for spiritual well-being are becoming popular. People are picking and choosing aspects of religions to follow. Buddhist meditation as well as more alternative spiritual paths like astro-planeing are becoming increasingly popular. The power of the media has increased in the last 50 years and I think the way the media has portrayed religion has affected it. Islam has suffered endless amounts of negative media over terrorism and there are now widespread feelings that religions cause war. However, whether this is necessarily true doesn’t really matter as this public disgracing of religion is bound to affect those undecided about their own faith.I think that religious practice is also declining in the West because of changes in family structures. Traditionally a religion may be ‘passed down’ from generation to generation and a whole family would always go to a church on a Sunday. Today, we see gaps in families due to divorce or separation and this often leads to less time or less pressure to go and follow the ‘family’ religion.Furthermore, society is less conservative and it is now encouraged for children to choose their faith when they decide to or if they wish. I think this more relaxed attitude to faith has led to less people growing up being made to go to church. Although I don’t think there is anything wrong with wishing your sense and feelings of faith upon a child I do think it is good for a person to make their own choice about faith. This does, however, lead to people being undecided about their faith for a long time and some choose not to believe in God. Personally, I think more people choose to wait to decide on a religion or to follow spiritual directions nowadays because there is not much pressure to ‘be’ part of a religion.In conclusion, I think there are many reasons why religious practice is declining in the West, but I think that this doesn’t mean there is less faith and belief in society, I just believe it has changed direction away from the restrictions of religious practice. People today see lots more choices in their lives and tend to take the time about decisions of faith.Perhaps we need to ask ourselves if it is not our faith that is declining but our need to conform with societies religious ideologies?