Thursday 14 June 2018

Gayformatorisch Dagblad

Onder de titel Gayformatorisch Dagblad brengt stichting Roze Maandag eenmalig een krant uit over homoseksualiteit en geloof. De uitgave wil „een dialoog op gang brengen.” 

De krant verschijnt digitaal en in een beperkte gedrukte oplage, die via onder meer bibliotheken wordt verspreid. De eerste voorvertoning heeft plaats tijdens een bijeenkomst op 27 juni in de Clarissenkapel in Tilburg, in aanloop naar de zogeheten roze maandag op de Tilburgse kermis in juli.


De al eerder aangekondigde krant is een reactie op de commotie over de flyers van Civitas Christiana die in maart via het Reformatorisch Dagblad werden verspreid, en waarop een rood kruis staat op de foto van twee zoenende mannen, zegt voorzitter Rona van der Heijden van stichting Roze Maandag.
 „Deze flyer sloot mensen uit, terwijl wij juist staan voor insluiting. We willen laten zien dat geloof en geaardheid, inclusief een huwelijk tussen man en man of vrouw en vrouw, elkaar niet hoeven te bijten.”
Hierin werd geprotesteerd tegen de 'zedenloze' posters van SuitSupply, waarop twee mannen met elkaar zoenen. De flyers waren van de actiegroep 'Gezin in Gevaar' van de conservatief-katholieke stichting Civitas Christiana. 
Naar aanleiding daarvan begon activist Jasper Klapwijk een crowdfundingsactie om een advertentie in het Reformatorisch Dagblad te krijgen die positief was over relaties tussen mensen van hetzelfde geslacht. De krant plaatste deze advertentie  niet


Men zou algemeen moeten komen te aanvaarden dat mensen een bepaald geloof kunnen aanhangen, waarbij anderen hun geaardheid niet als een onoverkomelijk iets moeten aanschouwen om hun uit te sluiten of al of niet in een gemeenschap op te nemen.

Christenen moeten ook inzien dat zij de geest van Christus Jezus moeten aannemen en daarbij open moeten staan voor allerlei mensen en verschillende culturen. Wel mogen zij die bij een bepaald geloof willen behoren niet vergeten welke de leerredenen zijn van die geloofsgroep.

Vreemd is de zinspeling naar het Reformatorisch Dagblad.

 Niet beledigend 

De naam Gayformatorisch Dagblad is gekozen
 „omdat we een naam zochten die een beetje schuurt en uitnodigt tot lezen.”
Zowel op de bijeenkomst in de Clarissenkapel in Tilburg als in de krant komen mensen aan het woord die „een geloofsovertuiging hebben” en homo zijn. Dit kunnen bijvoorbeeld ook moslims zijn.
 „We zijn er volop mee bezig. Ik kan nog geen concrete namen noemen.”

Het verhaal van een homoseksuele christen die op Bijbelse gronden geen relatie wil aangaan, past even goed in de krant als dat van een getrouwde homo, zegt Van der Heijden.
 „We willen zo breed mogelijk zijn. De hoofdredactie van het Reformatorisch Dagblad nodigen we eveneens uit om een bijdrage te leveren. Uiteraard voeren wij wel de eindredactie en geldt dat artikelen nooit beledigend of aanstootgevend mogen zijn.”
Verbaasd 

Hoofdredacteur Steef de Bruijn van het Reformatorisch Dagblad zegt in een reactie dat hij verbaasd was over de naam ”gayformatorisch”.
„De lezers zullen straks uiteraard het verband leggen met de aanduiding ”reformatorisch” en ik hoop dat ze zich gaan afvragen waar die naar verwijst. Ik ga zeker gebruik maken van de gelegenheid onze opvatting over homoseksualiteit en homorelaties aan de lezers van deze speciale krant voor te houden.”

Harriet Beecher Stowe born on this day June 14, 1811


Harley, the slave trader, examining one of the human lots up for auction, illustration from an early edition (c. 1870) of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin.As kid I loved "Uncle Tom's Cabin", in full Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly, novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in serialized form in the United States in 1851–52 and in book form in 1852. An abolitionist novel, it achieved wide popularity, particularly among white readers in the North, by vividly dramatizing the experience of slavery. By the South of the United States of America it was vilified  It so enflamed popular opinion that when Harriet Beecher Stowe met Abraham Lincoln during the war between the states he said,

 "So this is the little lady who made this big war!"
Harriet was born in Litchfield, Connecticut on this day June 14, 1811, the sixth child of the prominent Congregationalist minister Lyman Beecher, an ardent Calvinist and Puritan, and is the sister of Catharine, Henry Ward, and Edward. She grew up in an atmosphere of learning and moral earnestness.
 
Lyman remarked

"Wisht it had been a boy".

Although he doted on his daughters, he desired sons who could become preachers and soul-winners. The fifth Beecher child had also been named Harriet, but had died of whooping cough a few weeks after birth.

Harriet was often morbid while growing up as she struggled with issues of faith. But when she was fourteen, she cried to her father that she had given herself to Christ. Later in her marriage to Calvin Stowe, she would plead with him to seek Christ with the same burning devotion with which he sought knowledge.
"If you had studied Christ with half the energy that you have studied Luther ... then would he be formed in you ... "
When he turned to spiritualism, she pleaded with him, the biblical scholar, that it was unbiblical.
Although Harriet wrote many other books and stories, Uncle Tom's Cabin is her best. Uncle Tom’s Cabin tells the story of Uncle Tom, depicted as a saintly, dignified slave. Blacks are shown as fully human and, more importantly, as created in the image of Christ. Many of the characters, such as Uncle Tom, Simon Legree, Eva and Topsy are vivid and memorable. Eliza, crossing the Ohio river by leaping from chunk to chunk of ice, is an unforgettable picture and is based on the true account of a desperate fugitive.

While being transported by boat to auction in New Orleans, Tom saves the life of Little Eva, whose grateful father then purchases Tom. Eva and Tom soon become great friends. Always frail, Eva’s health begins to decline rapidly, and on her deathbed she asks her father to free all his slaves. He makes plans to do so but is then killed, and the brutal Simon Legree, Tom’s new owner, has Tom whipped to death after he refuses to divulge the whereabouts of certain runaway slaves. Tom maintains a steadfastly Christian attitude toward his own suffering, and Stowe imbues Tom’s death with echoes of Christ’s.

June 14, 1381 Simon of Sudbury his head hacked off as traitor


Rebels Killed Archbishop SudburyIn 1380, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Simon of Sudbury became Lord Chancellor of England. It was an honor that cost him his life. Outraged by a corrupt church, a failing war with France, and the hardship of special taxes, England's peasants revolted. Under the leadership of men like Wat Tyler, Jack Straw, and John Ball, they petitioned for the abolition of serfdom, and the reform of tithes, game laws and use of the forests. Above all they wanted the hated poll (head) tax abolished.  Archbishop Sudbury had approved this crushing burden. The Roman Church was at a low ebb of respect at the time, particularly because of the great schism which had rival popes warring with one another.
On this day, June 14, 1381, while Wat Tyler negotiated with the king, the mob broke into the Tower of London, shouting, "Where is the traitor to the kingdom? Where is the spoiler of the commons?" When they found Archbishop Sudbury, he was at prayer before an altar with some of his associates. The rebels dragged all of them outside and down some steps to Tower Hill where they hacked off their heads as traitors. Lifting the heads on pikes, they carried them in triumph through the city.
 
 

June 14, 1381
 

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Kijk op een afgezant van een Hogere Macht

In het Christendom gelooft de meerderheid nog steeds in de valse leerstelling van de 4de eeuw. In België valt het wel op dat hier mensen zijn die zich Christen noemen en daar eigenlijk Katholiek mee bedoelen maar dan toch een Katholiek met een dubbel kantje. In België zijn er namelijk Katholieken die wel geloven dat Jezus de zoon van God is en Niet God. Hierbij zien ze over het hoofd dat hun gedachte in tegenstelling is met de Katholieke leer welke gelooft in de Heilige Drie-eenheid.

Voor hen die geloven in de Heilige Drie-eenheid of Drievuldigheid zijn er enkele nieuwe artikelen gepubliceerd om duidelijkheid te scheppen over de positie van Jezus Christus. Die artikelen praten over Jezus als de door God op de wereld geplaatste afgezant of gedelegeerde. Die artikelen over de  gezondene van God moeten een duidelijk beeld geven over wie Jezus is en welke zijn rol hier op aarde was en welke zijn rol in de toekomst zal zijn.

De Bijbel of Heilige Schrift is duidelijk dat er slechts één God bestaat. Die Enige God verklaart in de Schrift dat Jezus Zijn zoon is. Indien Hij het zou zijn die naar de aarde zou gekomen zijn, zou God dat wel gezegd hebben, want Hij is een God die geen leugens vertelt en een God van orde en klaarheid is. Ook Jezus eist nooit de positie van een god of van God op. Hij wist trouwens zeer goed dat hij niets kon doen zonder zijn hemelse Vader, Die ook zijn God is.

 “ Hierop nam Jezus opnieuw het woord en sprak: ‘Voorwaar, voorwaar, Ik zeg u: de Zoon kan niets uit zichzelf, maar alleen datgene wat Hij de Vader ziet doen. En alles wat Deze doet, doet de Zoon insgelijks.” (Joh 5:19 WV78)

 “ Gij heb Mij horen zeggen: Ik ga heen, maar Ik keer tot u terug. Als gij Mij zoudt liefhebben, zoudt gij er blij om zijn dat Ik naar de Vader ga, want de Vader is groter dan Ik.” (Joh 14:28 WV78)
In de tijd van Jezus  konden enkelen een stem uit de lucht horen, die aan gaf dat die man van vlees en bloed, die in de rivier de Jordaan stond, na zijn doop door zijn neef, Zijn eniggeboren welbeminde zoon was.
 “21   Terwijl al het volk zich liet dopen, en Jezus na zijn doop in gebed was, geschiedde het dat de hemel openging 22   en de heilige Geest, in lichamelijke gedaante als een duif, over Hem neerdaalde, en een stem uit de hemel sprak: ‘Gij zijt mijn Zoon, de welbeminde, in U heb ik mijn behagen gesteld.’ 23   Deze Jezus nu was bij zij optreden ongeveer dertig jaar. Hij was, in de opvatting der mensen, de zoon van Jozef, de zoon van Eli,” (Lu 3:21-23 WV78)
Uit de onderstaande artikelen zal u kunnen opmaken hoe belangrijk het is voor een mens om in geloof te komen, en welbepaald te geloven dat er slechts één God is en dat Jezus de gezondene of afgezant van God is in wij onze hoop en geloof moeten stellen voor een betere wereld en verlossing en aanvaarding in het Koninkrijk van God mogen ontvangen.

Lees meer over die bijzondere man, welke vele mensen kon boeien met zijn verhalen en parabels, maar ook met de wonderen die hij verrichtte, zoals mensen doen lopen, horen en zien die dat daar voor nooit hadden kunnen doen.


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Omtrent de kennis van God en Zijn Woord:

  1. Bijbel - Enige bron van kennis en openbaring van God 
  2. Bijbel baken en zuiverend water
  3. Bijbel verzameld Woord van God
  4. Bouwen op het Bijbels fundament 1.Feit of fantasie?
  5. Rond God de Allerhoogste 
  6. De Enige Ware God 
  7. Jehovah Voornaamste Hooggeplaatste
  8. Eigenheden aan God toegeschreven  
  9. Drie-eenheidsleer een menselijke dwaling  
  10. Is God Drie-eenheid?
  11. Overtuigd door de Schriften 
  12. Plan van de Goddelijke Maker
  13. Waarheid van mens of van God 
  14. Woord van God tegenover dat van mensen   

Omtrent Jezus

  1.  Jezus de Heer
  2. Jezus de zoon
  3. Jezus de Gezonden Afgezant van God
  4. De Gezondene  
  5. Gezondene van God 
  6. Zoon van God 
  7. Zoon van God - Vleesgeworden woord 
  8. Jezus Christus is in het vlees gekomen
  9. Afstraling van Gods heerlijkheid 
  10. Rond Jezus 
  11. Eigenheden aan Jezus toegeschreven 
  12. De Onschuldige 
  13. Jezus moest sterven
  14. Het Beschreven Lam 
  15. Zoon van God dé Weg naar God
  16. Adam en Christus
  17. Actie bij aanvaarding van Redder Jezus
  18. Christus in profetie
  19. Zoenoffer 
  20. Lijden bedekt door Zoenoffer
  21. Het Zoenoffer 
  22. Lam van God 
  23. het beschreven lam
  24. Hij die Komt 
  25. Hij die zit aan de rechterhand van Zijn Vader   
  26. Priesterschap van Christus 
  27. Redenen dat Jezus niet God is 
  28. Jezus wederkomst
  29. Christus' wederkomst en Eindtijd tekenen
  30. Reddingsplan
  31. Redding mogelijk voor allen
  32. Uitdaging van Bijbels Christendom 
  33. Vertrouwen in Jezus Christus 
  34. Koninkrijk van Christus en Koninkrijk van God

Monday 4 June 2018

Background of Faith

The Word of God in the Old Testament or Hebrew Writings as well as in the New Testament or Greek Messianic Writings speaks about people who had a faith or certain believe in a Higher Power, the Most High Maker Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

We can see or read that faith has something to do with having a belief in things which we are not sure of and of things we can not see. When there is faith present than this means that person is being sure of the things he or she hopes for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it. For those people having faith "Faith" is the reason they remember great people who lived in the past, like Enoch, Noah, Abraham who were all great people who died in faith and whose stories are told in the set apart or Holy Scriptures.

Those great people whose stories can be an example for us did things because they believed in them and believed in the One for Whom they did it. The Nazarene man Jeshua (Jesus Christ) also had such a strong believe in the One Whom sent him, that he was prepared to put his own will aside to do the Will of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God of Israel. He totally trusted his heavenly Father and asked us also to trust Him Who had sent him.

With our belief in Jesus we should trust in what Jesus told us and in what his heavenly Father has to offer us. Looking at figures as Sarah, King David, Isaiah, Jeremiah we can find reason enough to believe in their writings and find Zechariah and other prophets telling us about what we might expect in the near future, the Messiah bringing us a world of peace.

Looking at Scriptures we may find assurance that all the prophesies told in it which did not come true shall also come true as the other accomplished. We can live by hope that it shall not be not for nothing to live a sanctified life and to have put our hope on the yet unseen with the absolute conviction that there are realities we have never seen but may be sure of that they shall come true.

It was by faith that our forebears were approved. Through faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God; everything we now see was fashioned from that which is invisible.

Faith begins as hope and indeed is unseen; so many doubt that it is real. The bible gives all the answers we need to know and provides the proof that faith is a reality that can be trusted.

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Please read also Hebrews 11 and following articles

  1. Devotees and spotters
  2. Can you question the existence of God
  3. Are there certain books essential to come to faith 
  4. Looking to the East and the West for Truth
  5. Israeli leaders delight in Europe’s cruelty toward refugees
  6. Islam says it admires faith based on logic, what about the others
  7. Honest-hearted people are losing faith in humanity and humanity losing faith in God
  8. No insurmountable obstacles to come to know God
  9. Challenging claim 2 Inspired by God 1 Simple words
  10. Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
  11. Miracles of revelation and of providence 1 Golden Thread and Revelation
  12. Disobedient man and God’s promises
  13. God’s forgotten Word 5 Lost Lawbook 4 The ‘Catholic’ church
  14. Cognizance at the doorstep or at the internet socket
  15. Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God
  16. Knowing The Truth and Loving The Truth
  17. Faith
  18. God Will Lead 
  19. The Right One to follow and to worship
  20. Omniscient God opposite a not knowing Jesus
  21. Meaning of Sacrifice
  22. For The Love of Stuff
  23. Matthew 6:1-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary on Leviticus 19:18 Continued 2 Prayer and neighbour love
  24. Matthew 8:5-13 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Servant of Army Officer Healed
  25. Matthew 9:18-26 – What others say about Jesus knowing how to care for people
  26. Redemption #7 Christ alive in the faithful
  27. God has not destined us for wrath
  28. Hope by faith and free gift
  29. Memorizing wonderfully 3 Practical Tips for Memorizing Scripture
  30. Leaving the Old World to find better pastures
  31. Like grasshoppers
  32. With all your heart
  33. Establish your hearts blameless in holiness
  34. When having found faith through the study of the Bible we do need to do works of faith
  35. Do those who want to follow Christ to be Jews
  36. The works we have to do according to James

Sunday 3 June 2018

Negative views of immigrants, Muslims and Jews

Both non-practicing and churchgoing Christians are more likely than the unaffiliated to hold negative views of immigrants, Muslims and Jews

The Pew Center survey, which was conducted following a surge of immigration to Europe from Muslim-majority countries, asked many questions about national identity, religious pluralism and immigration.

Most Western Europeans say they are willing to accept Muslims and Jews in their neighbourhoods and in their families, and most reject negative statements about these groups. And, on balance, more respondents say immigrants are honest and hardworking than say the opposite.
But a clear pattern emerges: Both church-attending and non-practicing Christians are more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults in Western Europe to voice anti-immigrant and anti-minority views.
For example, in the UK, 45% of church-attending Christians say Islam is fundamentally incompatible with British values and culture, as do roughly the same share of non-practicing Christians (47%). But among religiously unaffiliated adults, fewer (30%) say Islam is fundamentally incompatible with their country’s values. There is a similar pattern across the region on whether there should be restrictions on Muslim women’s dress, with Christians more likely than “nones” to say Muslim women should not be allowed to wear any religious clothing.

Views on relationship between government and religion

Views on relationship between government and religion

Results of the Pew research Center survey:

Generally speaking, Western Europeans do not look favourably on entanglements between their governments and religion. Indeed, the predominant view in all 15 countries surveyed is that religion should be kept separate from government policies (median of 60%), as opposed to the position that government policies should support religious values and beliefs in their country (36%).

Non-practicing Christians tend to say religion should be kept out of government policy. Still, substantial minorities (median of 35%) of non-practicing Christians think the government should support religious values and beliefs in their country – and they are much more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to take this position. For example, in the United Kingdom, 40% of non-practicing Christians say the government should support religious values and beliefs, compared with 18% of “nones.”
In every country surveyed, church-attending Christians are much more likely than non-practicing Christians to favour government support for religious values. In Austria, for example, a majority (64%) of churchgoing Christians take this position, compared with 38% of non-practicing Christians.


The Pew survey also gauged views on religious institutions, asking whether respondents agree with three positive statements about churches and other religious organizations – that they “protect and strengthen morality in society,” “bring people together and strengthen community bonds,” and “play an important role in helping the poor and needy.”
Three similar questions asked whether they agree with negative assessments of religious institutions – that churches and other religious organizations “are too involved with politics,” “focus too much on rules,” and “are too concerned with money and power.”
Once again, there are marked differences of opinion on these questions among Western Europeans across categories of religious identity and practice. Throughout the region, non-practicing Christians are more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to voice positive opinions of religious institutions. For example, in Germany, a majority of non-practicing Christians (62%) agree that churches and other religious organizations play an important role in helping the poor and needy, compared with fewer than half (41%) of “nones.”
Church-attending Christians hold especially positive opinions about the role of religious organizations in society. For example, nearly three-in-four churchgoing Christians in Belgium (73%), Germany (73%) and Italy (74%) agree that churches and other religious institutions play an important role in helping the poor and needy. (For more analysis of results on these questions, see Chapter 6.)

Non-practicing Christians widely believing in a god or higher power


Non-practicing Christians widely believe in God or another higher power

Of those who call themselves Christian the majority believe in the Trinity and not as such  as Pew count them as believers in God as described in the Bible. In the 27% who believe in God, the majority believe in a concept they were brought up with, some Catholics even not knowing that their church worships a Trinity, or do not know what it entails. Non-trinitarian Christians though still may be counted as the minority



Most non-practicing Christians in Europe believe in God. But their concept of God differs considerably from the way that churchgoing Christians tend to conceive of God. While most church-attending Christians say they believe in God “as described in the Bible,” non-practicing Christians are more apt to say that they do not believe in the biblical depiction of God, but that they believe in some other higher power or spiritual force in the universe.
For instance, in Catholic-majority Spain, only about one-in-five non-practicing Christians (21%) believe in God “as described in the Bible,” while six-in-ten say they believe in some other higher power or spiritual force.
Non-practicing Christians and “nones” also diverge sharply on this question; most unaffiliated people in Western Europe do not believe in God or a higher power or spiritual force of any kind. (See below for more details on belief in God among religiously unaffiliated adults.)
Similar patterns – in which Christians tend to hold spiritual beliefs while “nones” do not – prevail on a variety of other beliefs, such as the possibility of life after death and the notion that humans have souls apart from their physical bodies. Majorities of non-practicing Christians and church-attending Christians believe in these ideas. Most religiously unaffiliated adults, on the other hand, reject belief in an afterlife, and many do not believe they have a soul.
Indeed, many religiously unaffiliated adults eschew spirituality and religion entirely. Majorities agree with the statements, “There are no spiritual forces in the universe, only the laws of nature” and “Science makes religion unnecessary in my life.” These positions are held by smaller shares of church-attending Christians and non-practicing Christians, though in most countries roughly a quarter or more of non-practicing Christians say science makes religion unnecessary to them. (For a detailed statistical analysis combining multiple questions into scales of religious commitment and spirituality, see Chapters 3 and 5.)

Being Christian in Western Europe at the beginning of the 21st century #2

The figures you find in #1 raise some obvious questions:
  •  What is the meaning of Christian identity in Western Europe today?
  •  And how different are non-practicing Christians from religiously unaffiliated Europeans – many of whom also come from Christian backgrounds?
The Pew Research Center study – which involved more than 24,000 telephone  interviews with randomly selected adults, including nearly 12,000 non-practicing Christians – finds that Christian identity remains a meaningful marker in Western Europe, even among those who seldom go to church. It is not just a “nominal” identity devoid of practical importance. On the contrary, the religious, political and cultural views of non-practicing Christians often differ from those of church-attending Christians and religiously unaffiliated adults. For example:
  • Although many non-practicing Christians say they do not believe in God “as described in the Bible,” they do tend to believe in some other higher power or spiritual force. By contrast, most church-attending Christians say they believe in the biblical depiction of God, though of most of them we do know they believe in the human doctrinal god, namely the trinity. And a clear majority of religiously unaffiliated adults do not believe in any type of higher power or spiritual force in the universe.
  • Non-practicing Christians tend to express more positive than negative views toward churches and religious organizations, saying they serve society by helping the poor and bringing communities together. Their attitudes toward religious institutions are not quite as favourable as those of church-attending Christians, but they are more likely than religiously unaffiliated Europeans to say churches and other religious organizations contribute positively to society.
  • Christian identity in Western Europe is associated with higher levels of negative sentiment toward immigrants and religious minorities. On balance, self-identified Christians – whether they attend church or not – are more likely than religiously unaffiliated people to express negative views of immigrants, as well as of Muslims and Jews.
  • Non-practicing Christians are less likely than church-attending Christians to express nationalist views. Still, they are more likely than “nones” to say that their culture is superior to others and that it is necessary to have the country’s ancestry to share the national identity (e.g., one must have Spanish family background to be truly Spanish).
  • The vast majority of non-practicing Christians, like the vast majority of the unaffiliated in Western Europe, favour legal abortion and same-sex marriage. Church-attending Christians are more conservative on these issues, though even among churchgoing Christians, there is substantial support – and in several countries, majority support – for legal abortion and same-sex marriage.
  • Nearly all churchgoing Christians who are parents or guardians of minor children (those under 18) say they are raising those children in the Christian faith. Among non-practicing Christians, somewhat fewer – though still the overwhelming majority – say they are bringing up their children as Christians. By contrast, religiously unaffiliated parents generally are raising their children with no religion.


Religious identity and practice are not the only factors behind Europeans’ beliefs and opinions on these issues. For instance, highly educated Europeans are generally more accepting of immigrants and religious minorities, and religiously unaffiliated adults tend to have more years of schooling than non-practicing Christians. But even after statistical techniques are used to control for differences in education, age, gender and political ideology, the survey shows that churchgoing Christians, non-practicing Christians and unaffiliated Europeans express different religious, cultural and social attitudes. (See below in this overview and Chapter 1.)

These are among the key findings of a new Pew Research Center survey of 24,599 randomly selected adults across 15 countries in Western Europe. Interviews were conducted on mobile and landline telephones from April to August, 2017, in 12 languages. The survey examines not just traditional Christian religious beliefs and behaviours, opinions about the role of religious institutions in society, and views on national identity, immigrants and religious minorities, but also Europeans’ attitudes toward Eastern and New Age spiritual ideas and practices. And the second half of this Overview more closely examines the beliefs and other characteristics of the religiously unaffiliated population in the region.
While the vast majority of Western Europeans identify as either Christian or religiously unaffiliated, the survey also includes interviews with people of other (non-Christian) religions as well as with some who decline to answer questions about their religious identity. But, in most countries, the survey’s sample sizes do not allow for a detailed analysis of the attitudes of people in this group. Furthermore, this category is composed largely of Muslim respondents, and general population surveys may underrepresent Muslims and other small religious groups in Europe because these minority populations often are distributed differently throughout the country than is the general population; additionally, some members of these groups (especially recent immigrants) do not speak the national language well enough to participate in a survey. As a result, this report does not attempt to characterize the views of religious minorities such as Muslims, Jews, Buddhists or Hindus in Western Europe.

Being Christian in Western Europe at the beginning of the 21st century #1

Today we do find a lot of people, in our regions, who say they are Christian and with that mostly mean Roman Catholic, but nearly never go to worship services like mass.

The majority of Europe’s Christians are non-practicing, but they differ from religiously unaffiliated people in their views on God, attitudes toward Muslims and immigrants, and opinions about religion’s role in society.

Western Europe, where Protestant Christianity originated and Catholicism has been based for most of its history, has become one of the world’s most secular regions. Although the vast majority of adults say they were baptized, today many do not describe themselves as Christians. Some say they gradually drifted away from religion, stopped believing in religious teachings, or were alienated by scandals or church positions on social issues, according to a major new Pew Research Center survey of religious beliefs and practices in Western Europe.
Yet most adults surveyed still do consider themselves Christians, even if they seldom go to church. Indeed, the survey shows that non-practicing Christians (defined, for the purposes of this report, as people who identify as Christians, but attend church services no more than a few times per year) make up the biggest share of the population across the region. In every country except Italy, they are more numerous than church-attending Christians (those who go to religious services at least once a month). In the United Kingdom, for example, there are roughly three times as many non-practicing Christians (55%) as there are church-attending Christians (18%) defined this way.



Non-practicing Christians also outnumber the religiously unaffiliated population (people who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” sometimes called the “nones”) in most of the countries surveyed.1 And, even after a recent surge in immigration from the Middle East and North Africa, there are many more non-practicing Christians in Western Europe than people of all other religions combined (Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.).

The 10% for Belgium is more 8%, where the Roman Catholic Churches are less filled and of the protestant churches the Pentecostals get most people in  their church-services. Where we can find most people going to a religious service is by the Islamic community where the garage mosques and official mosques may count on a very good attendance on Friday night.