Muslims 'to outnumber traditional churchgoers'

[Uthman]

By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:15am GMT 26/03/2008

The increasing influence of Islam on British culture is disclosed in research today that shows the number of Muslims worshipping at mosques in England and Wales will outstrip the numbers of Roman Catholics going to church in little more than a decade.

Projections show Muslims are to outstrip Catholic Sunday worshippers by 2020

Projections to be published next month estimate that, if trends continue, the number of Catholic worshippers at Sunday Mass will fall to 679,000 by 2020.

By that time, statisticians predict, the number of Muslims praying in mosques on Fridays will have increased to 683,000.

The Christian Research figures also suggest that, over the same period, the number of Muslims at mosques will overtake Church of England members at Sunday services.

Church spokesmen point out, however, that a growing number of Anglicans worship at other times of the week.

The projections show that, if the Churches do not reverse their historical decline, there will be more active Muslims than Christians in Sunday services across Britain before the middle of the century.

The figures, based on Government and academic sources and the latest edition of Christian Research's Religious Trends, come amid growing tensions over the place of Muslims in British society.

They follow fierce rows over the extent to which Islamic law should be recognised and over claims that "no-go" areas for non-Muslims are emerging in parts of the country.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, provoked criticism by saying the introduction of some aspects of sharia into British society was "unavoidable".

The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, faced death threats after writing in The Sunday Telegraph that Islamic extremism was turning some communities into "no-go" areas "where adherence to this ideology has become a mark of acceptability".

Peter Brierley, a former Government statistician who edited the latest Religious Trends, said that the continuing growth of the Muslim population since the 2001 census would have significant implications for society.

Source

[------]

:salamext:

By that time, statisticians predict, the number of Muslims praying in mosques on Fridays will have increased to 683,000.

SubhaanAllaah!!!!! :D

[Amadeus85]

Hooray secularization, Im sure that everyone who supported dechrystianization of England(feminists,atheists,gay activists and crazy leftists like Ken Livingstone) would feel good living in new UK :).

[FatimaAsSideqah]

As Salaam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

Great news for us! Subhan'Allah!

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[KAding]

Hooray secularization, Im sure that everyone who supported dechrystianization of England(feminists,atheists,gay activists and crazy leftists like Ken Livingstone) would feel good living in new UK :).

Looks fine to me.

679,000 catholics regularly going to church
683,000 regularly going to mosque

60,776,238 British population, which means
59,414,238 don't bother

In essence both are essentially minor fringe groups in society. I hope their influence among policymakers will reflect that.

[KAding]

I'm a bit confused though. Surely Catholicism is not the dominant Christian denomination in England? And surely many Anglicans also go to church on Sunday?

[Amadeus85]

I'm a bit confused though. Surely Catholicism is not the dominant Christian denomination in England? And surely many Anglicans also go to church on Sunday?

In year 2008 the number of practicing catholics outnumbered for the first time since hundreds of years the number of practising anglicans. It hapenned mostly thanx to eastern european immigrants.

[Fishman]

In year 2008 the number of practicing catholics outnumbered for the first time since hundreds of years the number of practising anglicans. It hapenned mostly thanx to eastern european immigrants.

:sl:
And prehaps because Catholics are a minority and are therefore more likely to be concious of their identity and religion and more willing to practice?
:w:

[KAding]

Thanks :).

So thats around 1.8 million Muslims/Catholics/Anglicans going to church/mosque regularly. Wow. Imagine how secularized Britain has become.

Is this secularization also noticeable within the Muslim community? Surely there must be some "attrition" there as well?

[barney]

Hooray secularization, Im sure that everyone who supported dechrystianization of England(feminists,atheists,gay activists and crazy leftists like Ken Livingstone) would feel good living in new UK :).

It sounds here as if your mixing up the natural progression of mankind with a resentment over shedding the stranglation of catholisism.
But yes , in effect, Women who are striving for equality, people who wish to have independent thought & Homosexuals who have been oppressed by the "loving" church probably are feeling good.

Ken Livingstone, despite his scepticism on theism, is just a bad example to bring out in any situation. The mans mad, even if he has a few rational thoughts.

[Amadeus85]

:sl:
And prehaps because Catholics are a minority and are therefore more likely to be concious of their identity and religion and more willing to practice?
:w:

Im afraid that the situation of anglicanism in England is just bad, there is too much liberalism in this.

[Amadeus85]

[QUOTE=KAding;920462]Thanks :).

So thats around 1.8 million Muslims/Catholics/Anglicans going to church/mosque regularly. Wow. Imagine how secularized Britain has become.

In England there are also other religious groups, like baptists,pentecostals,orthodox,methodists, and also sikhs and jews.

Is this secularization also noticeable within the Muslim community? Surely there must be some "attrition" there as well?

I have no idea about this, I just guess that muslims are still wise and conservative enough to practise their religion.

[Amadeus85]

[QUOTE=barney;920464]

It sounds here as if your mixing up the natural progression of mankind with a resentment over shedding the stranglation of catholisism.

Well if for you a self destruction and moral fall is a natural progression, so I dont want this kind of progression in my country. :)

But yes , in effect, Women who are striving for equality, people who wish to have independent thought & Homosexuals who have been oppressed by the "loving" church probably are feeling good.

Sure and Im also sure that all those feminists,free thinkers and gays will feel like in heaven in Egnlandistan. It was really worth to break the chains of that opressive and homophobic church to feel the warmth of multiculturalism. Enjoy :).

Ken Livingstone, despite his scepticism on theism, is just a bad example to bring out in any situation. The mans mad, even if he has a few rational thoughts.

Yes he is mad.

[Fishman]

Livingstone, despite his scepticism on theism, is just a bad example to bring out in any situation. The mans mad, even if he has a few rational thoughts.

:sl:
I quite like Ken Livingstone actually, he's got good multiculturalist policies.
:w:

[barney]

[QUOTE=Aaron85;920471]

Well if for you a self destruction and moral fall is a natural progression, so I dont want this kind of progression in my country. :)



Sure and Im also sure that all those feminists,free thinkers and gays will feel like in heaven in Egnlandistan. It was really worth to break the chains of that opressive and homophobic church to feel the warmth of multiculturalism. Enjoy :).



Yes he is mad.

1) Then move somewhere else!!!:D Whats a moral fall anyway? By whose standards? The churches standards of course.
2) Yup the church is oppressive and homophobic. Multiculturalism is the best hope for mankind to be united. Religion needs taking out of the picture before people can be at peace.
3) He needs to be in a padded cell with Boris Johnson.

[Amadeus85]

Those who think that England (and any other european country) will be forever secular in future are very naive.

[Karina]

I'd just like to add...ahem...that 99.3 percent of statistics and official figures are notoriously inaccurate.


:giggling:

[Fishman]

Those who think that England (and any other european country) will be forever secular in future are very naive.

:sl:
Those who think that any country will be independent in the near future are very naive. Long live the FISHMAN EMPIRE!

More seriously, if you extrapolate the current trends of religion being increasingly marginalised and ignored, then yes, western Europe does look set to remain secular. That is ignoring other events that might happen to change the current trends of course.

Would you agree with me that minorities are more likely to practice their religion than the majority group?
:w:

[Fishman]

I'd just like to add...ahem...that 99.3 percent of statistics and official figures are notoriously inaccurate.


:giggling:

:sl:
And 99% of statistics are made up on the spot. People are obessed with saying '99%' or '99.9%' or '85%' without any proof of what they are saying!
:w:

[Karina]

:sl:
And 99% of statistics are made up on the spot. People are obessed with saying '99%' or '99.9%' or '85%' without any proof of what they are saying!
:w:

I know! And people believe everything they read as long as it's backed up with a statistic.

Anyway, sorry to drag this off-topic....

[IbnAbdulHakim]

Looks fine to me.

679,000 catholics regularly going to church
683,000 regularly going to mosque

60,776,238 British population, which means
59,414,238 don't bother

In essence both are essentially minor fringe groups in society. I hope their influence among policymakers will reflect that.

yeah when i saw the regularly mosque goer's numbers i was saddened thinking "is that it?" :(...

i honestly thought it would reach at least a million. this is just sad, i wonder how many muslims there are in total amongst the british population


may Allah guide us all

[------]

:salamext:

^ Ameen...

I would've thought brothers would go even if sisters dont...coz they have house and kids responsibilities etc. (not that I'm saying they shouldn't go, but its harder for them)

[Uthman]

:sl:

i wonder how many muslims there are in total amongst the british population

According to the 2001 census 1,536,015 Muslims are living in England and Wales[9], where they form 3% of the population, in Scotland they represent 0.84% of the population (42,557)[10]. The Northern Ireland census indicated 1,943 Muslims[11].

Source

:w:

[AvarAllahNoor]

The decline is because many parents don't follow Christianity as they once did. So because of this, they can't teach/convince their children to go to Church or read/follow the teachings of the Bible.

[Amadeus85]

[QUOTE=barney;920528][QUOTE=Aaron85;920471]

2) Yup the church is oppressive and homophobic. Multiculturalism is the best hope for mankind to be united. Religion needs taking out of the picture before people can be at peace.

Amsterdam is good example. In 70's and 80's it used to be most gay friendly city in whole Europe. But lately things changed. Gays holding by hands or going out from gay clubs are being atatcked by young moroccan Dutches or turkish Dutches. Things that never happen in catholic "homophobic" Wilno,Warsaw,Budapest or Zagreb. This multiculturalism will first eat those who worked so hard to establish this neo-marxist system.

[AvarAllahNoor]

[QUOTE=Aaron85;920648][QUOTE=barney;920528]

Amsterdam is good example. In 70's and 80's it used to be most gay friendly city in whole Europe. But lately things changed. Gays holding by hands or going out from gay clubs are being atatcked by young moroccan Dutches or turkish Dutches. .

If you notice, these are people who've emigrated from 'Muslim' countries. (or the parents have) and as Homosexuality is frowned upon in Islam. This reaction is to be expected. (Though I do not agree with it)

[Uthman]

This reaction is to be expected. (Though I do not agree with it)

Neither does Islam, I should add. :)

[IbnAbdulHakim]

:sl:

According to the 2001 census 1,536,015 Muslims are living in England and Wales[9], where they form 3% of the population, in Scotland they represent 0.84% of the population (42,557)[10]. The Northern Ireland census indicated 1,943 Muslims[11].

Source

:w:

from the above it sounds as though only one third of the muslims are attending the masjid on fridays.

i know its opposite, but its strange that it reminds me that one third will leave imam mahdi to fight alone... (ie turn back) and one third will be swallowed right?


correct me if im wrong

[Uthman]

from the above it sounds as though only one third of the muslims are attending the masjid on fridays.

i know its opposite, but its strange that it reminds me that one third will leave imam mahdi to fight alone... (ie turn back) and one third will be swallowed right?


correct me if im wrong

Yeah, what you said rings a few bells.

But that's masjid on Fridays. What about Fajr and 'Isha prayers? In the vast majority of cases, at least Fajr would be outside of people's work hours, wouldn't it?

[IbnAbdulHakim]

^ yeah unless they have late hours, but honestly masjids are so widespread i mean i have two next to my work place so i try going every zuhr. (cant make asr)

but in my masjid its normally packed out during zuhr Alhamdulillah