Largest Religion

[nogoodname90]

:confused: ok so im wonder since islam is the largets religion does anyone fear that? i mean cause its kinda wierd to say people fear islam because its big?

[JoeR]

Christianity is larger still I think.

[nogoodname90]

Christianity is larger still I think.
in america im sure and if it is larger it dosnt matter to me but do jews and muslims fear that then and if so why?

[Atticus]

in america im sure and if it is larger it dosnt matter to me but do jews and muslims fear that then and if so why?Not just in America, but worldwide, Christianity has more adherents than Islam--by quite a bit, actually:

1. Christianity 2.1 billion adherents 33% of the world's population
2. Islam 1.3 billion adherents 21%
3. Secularism 1.1 billion freethinkers 16%
4. Hinduism 900 million adherents 14%

Source: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

It doesn't matter to you? YOU bring it up and make it the basis of a thread, and now it doesn't matter to you?

Seriously, here's an answer: Unlike Christianity, which has the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox churches and several dozen protestant sects to represent it "officially," Islam has no central organization that declares what Islam is. There are clerics, and ultimately Muslims as a whole decide what Islam is and isn't. But without an organization, Islam seems slippery to outsiders--everyone who calls himself a Muslim has a say in what Islam means. So it's hard to see the most extreme elements of Islam contradicted by the more moderate elements--even if overall the moderates outweigh the extremists by a considerable portion.

[nogoodname90]

Not just in America, but worldwide, Christianity has more adherents than Islam--by quite a bit, actually:

1. Christianity 2.1 billion adherents 33% of the world's population
2. Islam 1.3 billion adherents 21%
3. Secularism 1.1 billion freethinkers 16%
4. Hinduism 900 million adherents 14%

Source: http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

It doesn't matter to you? YOU bring it up and make it the basis of a thread, and now it doesn't matter to you?

Seriously, here's an answer: Unlike Christianity, which has the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox churches and several dozen protestant sects to represent it "officially," Islam has no central organization that declares what Islam is. There are clerics, and ultimately Muslims as a whole decide what Islam is and isn't. But without an organization, Islam seems slippery to outsiders--everyone who calls himself a Muslim has a say in what Islam means. So it's hard to see the most extreme elements of Islam contradicted by the more moderate elements--even if overall the moderates outweigh the extremists by a considerable portion.
um i was bringing up the topic about if people fear religions because they have more people im saying i dont care what religon is the biggest.

[bowerbird]

I would have thought Buddhism was bigger. I don't know that you really can lump all of the sects of christianity together like that - some are pretty out there. This breaks it down some more

http://www.geohive.com/global/religion_top.php

[USViking]

I would have thought Buddhism was bigger. I don't know that you really can lump all of the sects of christianity together like that - some are pretty out there. This breaks it down some more

http://www.geohive.com/global/religion_top.php
Buddhism is a distant 4th, or worse, and differs from the others
by putting God in the background instead of the forefront.

All the big religions are divided into sometimes warring sects.

I wish they would all disappear into an unobtrusive deism,
or some such thing, myself.

[mataj]

Who cares. They all look the same to me.

http://www.godulike.co.uk/

[Lumpen Prole]

Yeah, Christianity is the largest religion, but I believe Islam is the fastest growing.

[JoeR]

I do think that has to do more with birthrates than with conversions, though.

[sub_zer0]

Yeah, Christianity is the largest religion, but I believe Islam is the fastest growing.

I challenge that... Christianity is still the fastest growing.

[USViking]

I challenge that... Christianity is still the fastest growing.
According to this site Muslim growth rates
are significantly higher:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm

Actual religious obsevance is sure to be much lower among
Christians as well.

I believe church attendance rates are in a state of collapse
in most of Europe, and increasing numbers of Europeans identify
themselves as atheist or agnostic.

[brainpan]

Consolidations of power tend to generate a healthy warriness. That is why people might fear a religion that boasts a large membership. Does that seem reasonable to you, nogoodname?

[h12]

Great numbers of Americans have entered the fold of Islam. They are from different classes: the rich, the poor, the educated, and the illiterate. Today, there are about five and a half million Muslims in the United States

[USViking]

Great numbers of Americans have entered the fold of Islam. They are from different classes: the rich, the poor, the educated, and the illiterate. Today, there are about five and a half million Muslims in the United States

Yeah?

Well, here is another American who will stand with his family,
his friends, and himself, against the benighted, <<MOD EDIT: Trolling is against the forum rules>> of Islam.

[nogoodname90]

Yeah?

Well, here is another American who will stand with his family,
his friends, and himself, against the benighted, alien superstition of Islam.
Since when was islam a supersititon?

[Atticus]

Let's keep it civil, folks.

[Your_Embryo]

As a Christian, I dont fear Islam or Muslims so to speak...i fear the advent of islamic law that seems to follow its promotion. People better start realizing and looking into the true history of Muhammad and how he conquered lands, only too allow those of differing religions to survive if they agreed to pay taxes.

[steveksux]

Since when was islam a supersititon?Since when is Christianity NOT a superstition? Religion IS superstition. Islam, Christianity, the whole ball of wax. The only exception to that rule is whatever superstition... oops.. RELIGION you happen to believe in.... ;)

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the only TRUE religion. Long live Pastafarianism. :bow

Randy

[neo of the mind]

Since when is Christianity NOT a superstition? Religion IS superstition. Islam, Christianity, the whole ball of wax. The only exception to that rule is whatever superstition... oops.. RELIGION you happen to believe in.... ;)

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the only TRUE religion. Long live Pastafarianism. :bow

Randy

Superstition:
Definition: An irrational belief (i.e., one held in spite of evidence to the contrary), usually involving the supernatural and associated with rituals.
Example: The belief that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day is an ancient superstition.

Religion in itself is not a superstition. There may be aspects of some religions that have superstitious beliefs, but to say that Christianity or any other main religion is an irrational belief, is not correct.

[Dangerrmouse]

So you agree that USViking's comment was in error?