A supreme irony, but some would say they had it coming.

[Dodece]

@sales2099

Christianity is merely the predominant monotheistic religion in the West. Which is where the decline in established organized religion is most pronounced. Nations that are in the third world, part of emerging economies, or are under theocratic rule are obviously farther behind their Western counterparts. The predominant point of view being that higher standards of eduction, stronger economics, secular institutions, and the technological advances brought about Science. Are strengthening pluralism. Which actually undermines strict interpretation.

Basically the smarter people are, the more options they have, and the stronger the freedoms they are in actual possession of. The more likely they are to abandon organized religion in favor of generalist sentiments, or just plain outright disbelief. People seem to be increasingly less responsive to the idea of a interventionist god. Since it is increasingly becoming the case that science, technology, or secular thought can more adequately address their problems. When you get sick your first act isn't to pray for a healing. You take some medicine, see a doctor, or have a operation to repair the damage. In a very real sense people are placing more of their faith in Science which has a fairly solid track record. Then in a god which is fundamentally binary.

On topic I think people are fundamentally practical. Late in the nineteenth century, and early in the twentieth century. Organized Christianity took stands against anesthetics, and the evils of alcohol. In both cases those views have been pretty soundly crushed outside of a small number of denominations. You don't see a lot of preachers railing against people getting knocked out before they undergo surgery, and you don't see a lot of them calling people who drink heathens. Practicality eventually won out, because in a either or scenario religion loses out when it comes to people doing things people feel they have a right to do.

Personally I think Christianity is both being eroded and diluted, and it will not so much end as it will just crumble apart. I think the religion has fundamentally placed itself at odds with progress, and in a face off it will always lose, because progress brings tangible results. Every time the religion loses a battle in the court of public opinion it not only loses credibility, but it also damages its reputation. It is really a process of attrition rather then a process of reinvention. Pieces of the religion are getting ripped out, and that is allowing for doubt to slip right in.

I think in the end people who identify themselves as Christians probably will not have much conviction left, and will view the self identification in the same way we view birth signs. It will have just been something handed down to them. I also don't think the trend can reverse, because it isn't a vacuum type of situation. The voids being left in Christianity are being replaced by things like Science, Philosophy, and Newer types of thinking. So eventually in the end there will not be anything for people to go back to.