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good post rb
however, i think that analysis holds true for the subset of religious structure you discussed (catholicism) much more than it does for the balance of organized religion in the US.
even still, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that organized religion is taking a hit from increased physical/social mobility because 1) the church does provide a range of social/communal functions 2) various social organizations of all stripes (religious/secular/recreational) are all reporting low numbers. it seems reasonable to infer that the church wouldn't be exempt from that phenomenon.
but i don't think our two theories are entirely independent. part of rampant post-modernistic multiculturalism and its joined-at-the-hip sibling moral relativism is the inevitable splintering of cultural/social groups. the glue that binds society together is weakened by both individualized morality as well as more transient/mobile lifestyle.
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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
~ Winston Churchill
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