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[johnslat]

And apparently, it depends on how you define "fastest-growing religion"

Religions can grow in numbers due to conversion or due to higher birth rates in a religious group (assuming that children take on the religion of their parents). Religions in particular countries can grow due to immigration. So the fastest growing religion could refer to:
The religion whose absolute number of adherents is growing the fastest (by whatever means).
The religion which is growing fastest in terms of percentage growth per year (by whatever means).
The religion which is gaining the greatest number of converts.
Measures counting absolute numbers tend to favour the larger religions; measures counting percentage growth the smaller ones. For example, if a religion had only 10 followers, a single addition would be a 10% increase, and would therefore dwarf the percentage growth rates of the larger religions.
Using data from the period 2000-2005 the 2006 Christian World Database estimated that by number of new adherents, Christianity was the fastest growing religion in the world with 30,360,000 new adherents in 2006. This was followed by Islam with 23,920,000 and Hinduism with 13,224,000 estimated new adherents in the same period.
Islam
Data for Islam reveal that the growing number of Muslims is due primarily to immigration and high conversion rates (in the West) and higher birth rates (worldwide).[15]
In 2006, countries with a Muslim majority had an average population growth rate of 1.8% per year (when weighted by percentage Muslim and population size).[16] This compares with a world population growth rate of 1.12% per year.[17]
By real growth in terms of new adherents per period Islam was classified as the second fastest growing religion in the world behind Christianity.[18]
According to the "Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life"[19]
� Islam is already the fastest-growing religion in Europe. Driven by immigration and high birthrates, the number of Muslims on the continent has tripled in the last 30 years. Most demographers forecast a similar or even higher rate of growth in the coming decades. �
According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the World Christian Database as of 2007 estimated that the fastest growing of the five largest religions in the world by percentage to be Islam (1.84%). High birth rates were cited as the reason for the growth. The same study concluded that in terms of real growth Islam was not the fastest growing religion.[20]
There is considerable difficulty in ascertaining the number of Muslims and as a result most measurements are inflated. The issue of apostasy in Islam is a major factor in this discrepancy. Countries such as Islamic Republic of Pakistan, The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Algeria disallow legal recognition of non-Islamic religions, Islamic apostates and or impose the death penalty as a punishment for apostasy.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claims_to_be_the_fastest_growing_religion

[Pikgitina]

[eclectic]

The way they cope is they avoid it.

[Pikgitina]

For sure, eclectic. Admirably easily as there's minimal temptation (if any) involved, especially when compared to indulging in the flesh or al-kohl.

What I meant was that it must be a real pain in the ar*e if what is so expressly forbidden is around you and in your face all the time. But then, it's not all that different in Spain compared to many other countries I guess.

Moving on.

[desultude]

[Cleopatra]

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

[eclectic]

[007]

[Kipling]

Mr Bond says

[eclectic]

hey give me some credit, I started the thread! ...then revived it in week 2, as it was sucking wind for a while, but now back with a vengeance!

007 is right-- The One God spoke the same message. If you are Christian, Jesus said: "....easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a sinner to reach the Kingdom of Heaven."

Anyway, back to sura Qaf.

[Mia Xanthi]

[johnslat]

Dear Mia,
True - and rather than the impossibility of a camel trying to pass through the "eye of a needle", I've always thought this explanation made more sense (and offered more hope for the rich)

"The interpretation that seems to make sense is this. The "Eye of the Needle" was indeed a narrow gateway into Jerusalem. Since camels were heavily loaded with goods and riders, they would need to be unloaded in order to pass through. Therefore, the analogy is that a rich man would have to similarly unload his material possessions in order to enter heaven."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-25583,00.html

But this interpretation is disputed.

Regards,
John

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

I never ceased to be amazed that I am NCTBA! Thank you, to all my loyal followers.

I remain,

NCTBA

[007]