The Vatican is reporting that the number of Muslims in the world now exceeds the number of Catholics. While the total number of Christians (including Orthodox, Anglicans and Protestants) make up about a third of the world's population, Muslims represent more than 19% of the world's population.
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To bad crusades are a thing of the past.
However, I have a great respect for peaceful, reasoning Muslims. They are very strict, and conservitive. All things in moderation, though.
~Allah Ackbar!~
Matt,
I greatly appreciate your insight on all matters concerning geography.
I just wanted to share that I believe your column is truly fantastic!
Colin, you bigotry is showing through. As a non Christian and non Musilim, I can see that religion is the source of all evil
God Bless You
i knew it! there is going to be so much evil in the world once the muslims take over
As a muslim live in Indonesia, the world’s largest muslim country, Mr. Rosenberg’s article doesn’t have any impact to us. We live in harmony for centuries. But in the last decade, evil values (islam radicalism and western cultures) have ruined our value of harmony. Even we are predominantly muslim, we’d had a christian as our ruler (Prime Minister Amir Sjarifuddin). We don’t care with figures as western countries do.
Matt
As far as I can tell Moslems have outnumbered Catholics for sometime, because “Moslem” includes all the divisions of “Islam”, whereas “Roman Catholics” are one division only of “Christianity”.
In the same way that Christians have had serious differences of opinions which led to great bloodshed, e.g. initially The Thirty Years War 1618–1648, Moslems are doing the same thing today in, say, Iraq.
I just wish members of all religions atttempted to persuade others to their opinions in a much more peaceful way, as most of their founders suggested.
The Vatican’s worries should be taken very seriously. For example, the population majority in Lebanon was Catholic Maronite but now and after unlimited birth control by the Muslims shiaat, they became the majority. They are now looking to rule the country. This will happen to the world in the future if we overlook the Vatican’s warning and if the Christians continue to ignore the church role in their community. The Christians’ freedom, concerning the love and sex, should have a limit, in order to build strong families.
Matt, Ireally appreciate your efforts oo various topics in numerous studis of Geography. My standing is that religion is not to be made as source of conflicts throughout the world. Every person shold worship his religion without harrass another person.
MAtt,
As a catholic myself, i am concerned at the vast amount of wealth the Vatican possesses and if they were to share it with all the poor in the world there wouldn’t be a single hungry mouth, i am certain.They need to prioritise their concerns
Thanks, Matt, for keeping us informed as usual.
This is another interesting article that leads us to even more interesting information if one is so inclined.
Further research leads us to many more numbers that can be manipulated to show what we wish to show. Hopefully, we are not manipulative in any sort of negatively biased manner, particularly those teachers among us.
My problem is the grammar, punctuation, and spelling of the comments by my fellow readers of your web page. My goodness! I hope THEY are not teachers!
We are all people of THE BOOK -whether Christans, Jews or Muslims. I Have ONE REQUEST to make to ALL people of THE BOOK – Let us reade each others DIVINE BOOK and ONE MORE REQUEST – PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE QURAN ONLY ONCE – and you will find out the TRUTH of what I say. And then I will AGREE WITH the LOGICAL VIEWS of the People of any FAITH of THE BOOK – I promise.
A small Passage from the Quran is given below – Thank you and MAY THE ALMIGHTY show us the true light instead of colecting data on WHO OUT NMBERS WHO.
Mustafa Aziz
Say ye: “We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam).” Chater 2, Verse 136THE QURAN
Why does it matter if Muslim out number Christian and vise versa—-what does matter is the day of judgment where you reap the harvest of your deeds or misdeeds. Your salvation is in your own hands.
In reality, this doesn’t mean much of anything.
If you were baptized as an infant (as most Catholics are) and never set foot in a church again, you will still be counted in the Catholic church’s rolls.
The Islamic figures are taken from those reported by governments who, in many cases, require their citizens to belong to the state religion.
Stats from both of these sects should be looked upon with skepticism.
It does not matter whether Muslims or Christians have an upper hold on the number of people who are in their religion. The basic views of Christianity and Islam are the same, but are intrepetreted by different peoples and cultures.
Shift happens,
what more can i say?
If the governments today cannot put a curb on Islamic or Muslim violence throughout the world, it seems to me the Vatican and other Christian leaders may have no choice but get together and form another “Crusade” to counter act the Muslim threats. Of course this will be a more modern style with modern weaponry.
Oh Rollando, sort yourself out. That is already happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. Are you happy?
The issue is how we treat each other, not which religion they follow.
Would you support a crusade if it were against your own family? I think not.
The Vatican spokesperson said:
“For the first time in history we are no longer at the top”
What?? What about the thousands of years before Catholicism or Christianity existed?
The statistics mix 2 different concept. Catholic is a confessio of Chrstianism, religion made of ortodox, calvinist and other (Jehowah as well!). Even Muslim are divivdeed in to different big branch (Sunny and Scism). So this statistic is reported by media for another purpose…Guess which!
It is important to note the lack of concern about amounts of people. It seems there are far too many occupying the earth.Moslem,Christian,Hindu we have problems feeding,clothing,and sheltering the present population. Unchecked population will lead to problems best outlined by Edward T. Hall,a great scholar.
All the people in the world could fit in 1 city in the USA. Jacksonville, Fla. Look up the sq footage. Or break them into family units and give each family of 4 their own acre of land Down Under. The rest of the earth goes unpopulated. OVER population is NOT the problem. Lack of love is the problem. The founder of Christians, ya’ know that Jewish guy, who died because he was “King of the Jews” he said to love one another. The founder of that other religion killed those who wouldn’t conform to his way of thinking; and he smashed 364 of their idols to boot, leaving only the Cresent Moon. Ya’ll gotta learn history! BUT THANK YOU for our lessons in Geography! GREAT STUFF!!!!!
In Quran, you can read every where that those who believe and do good things will go to paradise.
Actually, I am a Christian…
Everyone in the world will eventually come over to the moslem faith or we’ll chop their heads off.
Several comments bashed islam Just thought I’d mention a few things from the bible.
Jesus and Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon them) are both from the lineage of Abraham. Jesus from that of Isiah and Mohammad from that of Ishmael
Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee, Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation.
Also read Genesis 21:13
Abraham was promised great nations from his progeny (many more verses to support that it was not just promised for Isaac but also for Ishmael). The two great nations today are Christians and Muslims.
Another point I’d like to mention is that at many points in the bible does Jesus refute speaking of his own will, making the case for his prophethood stronger. Also the Bible Psalms 91 10-12 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh…..
crucifiction would contradict this.
Matthew 21:43 Therefore I say unto yo, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bringing fruits thereof.
Just a few examples to ponder over. There is much more but the space does not permit it. It is a proven historic fact that Bible has been changed over the years. It might be worth looking into as your eternal life may depend on it. God gives the right path to those who look for it who are open to it.
Quran 3:4 aforetime, as a guidance unto mankind, and it is He who has bestowed [upon man] the standard by which to discern the true from the false. [4] Behold, as for those who are bent on denying God’s messages – grievous suffering awaits them: for God is almighty, an avenger of evil.
May the peace and blessings of God be upon you all
thats sad