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according to your figures>
They're not my figures. I'm interested you say you only see empty churches, where do you live? Where I live in south london there are 4 or 5 busy churches in the immediate area, and I don't have to travel far to find mosques.
I cannot accept that pupils of faith schools are "better" (educated / rounded / nicer / perceptive / happier) than pupils of secular schools. So I don't see why they should exist.
I never said they were better, they are just different.
William.-
Something like 60% of people who say they are Christian haven't been to a church in the last year. That isn't to say that religion is necessarily on the decline but it surely indicates a culture in which people's secular needs take priority over the spiritual.
There were 8 village churches within 10 miles of where I grew up in Cambridgeshire. The ones that haven't closed are now empty on a Sunday.
I think it's a shame - the church (small c) can have a very positive community impact especially in areas where there is no social scene to speak of. In my view a community centre or pub would do the job just as well, though.
All said - I went to a CofE village primary school and I still managed to become a heretic. There's hope.
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"Where I live in south london there are 4 or 5 busy churches in the immediate area"
Which one do you worship in?
spiderpie
stevep
You didn't say "happy", you said "force for good". I see happy people everywhere, you haven't convinced me that "religion is a force for good in communities for vast numbers of moderate people"
I also see lots of empty churches, when, according to your figures, half the population should be in them.
Back to schools - I cannot accept that pupils of faith schools are "better" (educated / rounded / nicer / perceptive / happier) than pupils of secular schools. So I don't see why they should exist.