Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate

[Ralph]

Here's the link to the whole thing on-line.

tinyurl.com/2ot6hp

I don't think it is so much that people need religion, as a way to understand where they fit into the world, what influence they have and what the truth of "faith" in anything may be, including themselves.

[bobbbiez]

Thelma,, very, very well stated. Doesn't make a difference what religion one practices, we are all his children, in the eyes of God. Just my beliefs.

[frankcor]

Well, if you consider that almost all wars in history were fought over religious differences, it's a wonder there haven't been any casualties in this thread already.

[Ralph]

Why I try to stay in the background Frank! ;D

[thelma]

Let's be more positive as we have come a long ways in the tolerance of other religions and their beliefs.

I'm old enough to remember the days when if you were Catholic, it was a huge sin to even enter a Protestant church. This meant you could not be a God Parent for a relative's child if either one of the parents was not a Catholic and the child was not being baptized in a Catholic Church.

It also meant you couldn't be the Best Man if your brother or best friend was getting married in a Protestant Church.

Both of these types of events I faced when I was young and having my children. Thankfully, we no longer see this type of bigotry occurring anymore.

How about the belief that once married, you stayed married forever - no matter what; even if your life was in danger. By our large Divorce rate of today, very few listened!

[Clipper]

I have read a little about taoism in the past. Taoism has some interesting perspectives, that I subscribe to in my daily life. Whether I would be interested in following ALL of the teachings, I cannot say, but I found many of the revelations that you speak of, to be very valid, logical and wise. I would have to take the time to read and digest much more of the writings before forming an informed opinion.

My non subscription to organized religion leaves my mind open to many concepts and ideals. I find solace in the writings of many philosophers and religious leaders, while not being complacent enough to place all my faith or loyalty in any one. I find my perception of my God to be based on, and rooted in, christianity, and the teachings of Jesus Christ. However that doesn't forbid me from reading and contemplating other philosophies.

Chapter 47 is quite encompassing in it's advice for living a good life. You have rekindled my curiosity. I am an avid reader, and read for a couple of hours everynight. I also read alot on line since getting a computer. I will have to see what I can find, to further my knowledge of Taoism. Thanks for the educational and informative post.

I saved the link and am going to read more of it before I shut down the computer tonight. I had only briefly skimmed it when you posted it. Thanks for expanding on it.

[dgriffin]

Chapter 23 says it all, I think, Ralph. It says there is never much that needs to be said. Neat.

[frankcor]

Well, that's where I'd have to get off the train.

[concerned]

And if we think about it Jesus is the embodyment of Tao.

I have often wished that more people would inform themselves with the lives and thoughts of of the great philosophers of ages past. They can teach so much.

This maybe simpleminded but I wonder what the world would be like if all manmade laws were given up and only the Ten Commandments were followed. I kind of think they address all the problems in society today.

[Ralph]

concerned said:

This maybe simpleminded ..........

I don't think so at all, I think that we have come so far down the road that we more often than not miss the forest for the trees.

If we lived on a path closer to the Commandments and followed The Golden Rule more often, we would have far less problems in the world.

But it seems that life is not that easy.

[thelma]

concerned said:

<snip>

This maybe simpleminded but I wonder what the world would be like if all manmade laws were given up and only the Ten Commandments were followed. I kind of think they address all the problems in society today.

......................................

I have been saying this for years and years! If we ALL lived our lives in accordance with the 10 Commandments, we could eliminate 75% of our Jails and cut back on all law enforcement officers as not many would be needed except to write out traffic tickets-LOL

[dgriffin]

Well, I came up to Utica this morning. Cold!! About 8 degrees colder than here on the Hudson.
Snow everywhere, of course. On some of the back streets, it felt nostalgic driving on packed snow. But most things looked as I remembered them as I came in over Bleecker St. (Where have all the buildings gone?) In town for my mother's memorial mass. St. John's church, now called "Old St. Johns," I guess, didn't look a lick different as I entered and walked around, my own memories of my teen years crowding out those of my Mom. The side door was put in 20 or so years ago and, of course, the exterior has been refinished. And I noticed the baptismal font was moved to the front altar. Every person in my line, from myself and my brothers back to Patrick Griffin in 1830, has been baptized in St. Johns, and in that font for as long as it has been there. (The building was rebuilt after the fire, of course.) I spent my high school years next door to St. John's Church. I brought my sins there for forgiveness. As an altar boy, on a snowy Sunday morning in 1959, I dropped the book in front of the entire convent as I changed sides for the Offertory . I asked for favors from above in that church. I even fell in love there. And I said goodbye to my Father there and I eulogized my Mother when she died with a reading from Ruth as I stood in the ornate pulpit . Ruth, the short spelling of 'retut', means ‘lovely friend’.
‘But Ruth said, “Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die. There I will be buried. Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you!”’

But I didn't go and I didn't follow. Sort of sad.
See ya later. I gotta go write.

[bobbbiez]

Just a thought I'm having, every lamb loses their way once in a while. Never too late to find your way again.

[frankcor]

Damn you, Dave. You made me cry.

[Ralph]

Amen Dave.