Mark23

There is definitely some overlap here. Let's divide the "pretenders" into two groups.

The pretenders that are in church because they want to please older people and the pretenders that are in church because they are shallow and want to rebel against their parents are different people. The former pretenders are actually more like questioners in disguise; wheras the latter are just as ignorant (and shallow) as the "faithful believers", as you say. In fact, I would most probably expect to find this brand of pretenders outside the church smoking cigarettes, rather than sitting in it.

I wasn't too sure what you meant by the "apologists" falling victim to older christians. What group are the older christians in? Are they apologists who have survived the christian "system" without getting "put down" and becoming questioners? Also, where does all this tie in with education? You mention the "think-tanks" leaving the church after academia, but the very essence of your argument is that education has little to do with it.

Personally, I would look at things more simply.

Firstly, there are the people who do not want to learn, do not want to think for themselves, and will always be willfully ignorant. Nothing can change them. What they believe is probably a direct result of their upbringing be it christian or muslim. The same thing unites these two groups of "faithful believers" and "pretenders", their ability for non-thinking.

The second group are quite mediocre; they are fairly open-minded, but have an extraordinary ability to become absolutely brainwashed. They will question everything else except their religious belief. These kinds of people are very common, and usually are the sort of christians that I deal with on a day to day basis. It seems they are just able to shut out anything negative when it interferes with their faith.

The third group are able to think for themselves. To be as honest as possible with regards to religion, anyone who thinks things through properly will be far from impressed. The only way objective, free thinking people would be religious is through ignorance. That is why I believe that education has a big part to play.

If people are educated, then ordinary, intelligent people can learn how to critically think, read the scientific literature and do away with things like faith once and for all. The church hasn't changed in centuries, but the education system has. More people are being educated, we are learning more through science every day, and less people are going to church. It has to be education; if not then what else?