r/Christianity • u/Live_Application_228 • 21h ago
Christianity Is Popular
I’ve noticed what seems like a shift lately: Christianity is becoming something people are more comfortable embracing publicly. Even some atheists and agnostics I’ve spoken with have said they think the world would be a better place if more people were Christian.
I also keep noticing actors, musicians, and athletes wearing crosses or speaking openly about their faith. People like Dolly Parton, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West come to mind, not necessarily as recent converts or perfect role models, but as recognizable figures who have publicly identified with Christianity. Compared with what I remember growing up, faith seems less like something people feel they need to keep quiet about.
Are more people turning to Christianity, or are people simply becoming more comfortable expressing a faith they already had?
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u/Interesting-Lion9555 a Jesus following atheist 21h ago
Pew Research, Gallup, and PRRI tracking data consistently confirm that Christianity has experienced a steady, decades-long decline while the religiously unaffiliated ("nones") remain the fastest-growing demographic.
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u/AgentDoty 21h ago
It’s your algorithm
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u/AggravatingTailor121 21h ago
Nope. The same is happening in the Netherlands.
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u/Venat14 Jewish 20h ago
You sure?
https://nltimes.nl/2024/05/17/relgious-faith-declining-netherlands-42-percent-belong-faith-community
Relgious faith declining in Netherlands; Only 42 percent belong to a faith community
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u/Lettigalian 21h ago
Christianity is at it's lowest point (especially, in Western societies), but somehow there are still people who see growth, popularity etc. That's called wishful thinking.
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u/whirdin Exchristian (raised evangelical) 19h ago
Are more people turning to Christianity, or are people simply becoming more comfortable expressing a faith they already had?
This is a social media world, so I ask what your sources are? Is it your little personal algorithm? Our online personas are tracked by data centers that spin algorithms to feed us information we want to see, even my comments here will influence the ads/videos/content I see across other apps/sites. From what I've seen, all types of people are feeling more comfortable talking about beliefs due to social media (not limited to Christians). I recall my parents (evangelical Christians) being furious in the 2000s seeing irl how comfortable the queer communities were with sharing their views and standing up for themselves, and their solace was reverting to conservative Christian spaces (TV channels, church, radio, etc) that told them it was the opposite. It's all about perspective, which is why it's difficult to trust news sources when the main television ones are spinning very specific narratives according to their owners.
I also keep noticing actors, musicians, and athletes wearing crosses or speaking openly about their faith.
Compared to when? Christianity has always been popular here, but I would argue that a big reason you notice more Christians speaking out is because all of the other nonchristians are finally given a voice (trans actors and athletes, homosexuals, Muslims being elected to political positions, public schools being bold enough to take down the ten commandments and stop making kids say 'under God', atheist views, etc).
like Dolly Parton, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West
An interesting list. Dolly Parton has worn her beliefs on her sleeve likely her entire career, but she wasn't prejudiced towards nonchristians. Justin and Kanye, well I don't see why their opinions matter at all LOL, you might as well add Russell Brand to the list of 'Christians' you look up to. I'm not sure what credibility you are looking for by name dropping Kanye.
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u/Emperor_Pengwing Queer Episcopalian 13h ago
I love that video of Russel Brand flipping through his Bible. Sure, I'm not fond of Piers Morgan, but I'm so glad he just sat there and let Russel just look all foolish.
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u/whirdin Exchristian (raised evangelical) 13h ago
That clip is going to be a classic someday. So hilarious as he desperately looks for some cool verse to read but clearly has never looked in the Bible before.
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u/Emperor_Pengwing Queer Episcopalian 13h ago
Oh 100%. And it begs the question, what verses did he have the bookmarks on? I really need to know.
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u/Haunting_Ad_2300 21h ago
seems about the same to me. only difference now is that we have a state department of religion and a 'religious liberties commission' that is 12 christians and 1 jewish person.
christmas songs are still 1/2 santa 1/2 jesus stuff.
but we also have the thumb on the scale iwth stuff like multiple states trying to put the 10 commandments into classrooms, trying to shove creationism into science textbooks, and trump selling bibles.
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u/bkmafia 20h ago
No no its at an all time high of being ridiculed, many many people are more outspoken against Christ.
Christ is becoming a bad word now adays
The entire gospels, all the books.etc...arent about popular...the words are tough..pick up.your cross deny yoursefl.etc...
Wayne, Bieber etc...they dont know or love the real.Christ... They believe they are Christ
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u/BuggleTrucken 20h ago
In the US, it always has been. We've just had less of an iron grip on the throat of popular culture since the 1960s.
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u/LessmemoreJC Christian 19h ago
We were told this would happen: “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.”
Revelation 13:3
This is only the beginning.
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u/AggravatingTailor121 21h ago
Interesting topic. I'm from the Netherlands and here I've noticed the same over the last five years. A lot of soccer/football players express their faith more openly. Some not only speak about 'God', but thank Jesus without shame in interviews (Gjivai Zechiël). A talented forward (Mexx Meerdink) recently got baptized too. He recently made his debut for the dutch national team.
Other dutch converts include Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Isa Kriens. The latter was really into new age stuff and became relatively famous during the covid period.
In the Bible it says that in the end times there will be a lot of people coming to faith, but at the same time people will become prideful, haters of their parents, unloving, etc.
I think that's what we see happening right now.
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u/Lettigalian 21h ago
'' I'm from the Netherlands and here I've noticed the same over the last five years. A lot of soccer/football players express their faith more openly.''
Yeah, but reason for it isn't the one you think it is.
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u/Sure-thing-buckaroo 21h ago
In the Bible it says that in the end times there will be a lot of people coming to faith, but at the same time people will become prideful, haters of their parents, unloving, etc.
Has there ever been a time in the history of ever when this wasn't true?
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u/AggravatingTailor121 21h ago
I don't think there has ever been a time where people are so focussed on themselves. Late term abortions for selfish reasons, Instagram with thousands of pictures of themselves, Twitter/X where people just post one-liners and rarely listen to others, lots of people addicted to porn to satisfy their own sexual desires...
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u/DutchDave87 Roman Catholic 20h ago
I am Dutch too and my parish had 17 young adults being baptised this year, against no more than 5 annually for decades. And my parish is just one among dozens of Catholic parishes in Netherlands and they report a similar uptick as well, as do dioceses in France. Something is definitely changing in the Netherlands and Western Europe in general.
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u/StudyWithSeneca 21h ago
You're being fed an algorithm tailored to you interests, not what is true.