esrosedotblog

ASTONISHING

Someone has done a survey of religious practice and politics.

Here is the correlation that they found between partisanship and prayer.

It turns out that the expected correlation between right wing partisanship and prayer is, indeed, present. But the astonishing part is that left wing partisans pray as frequently!

There is some speculation that this arises from belief intensity.

You certainly know people who do not have very intense beliefs, if any. I cannot believe it when I run into them. On the political side it would be the people who haven't decided yet or don't see a difference between the two parties. Vaguely disconnected.

So perhaps there are strong and weak believers and intense believers believe in it all—their country, their particular god, their party and, probably, themselves.

Take me for example.

I pray twice daily, at least. Sometimes, if you include group prayer, maybe as many as five or six times.

I told you that you would be surprised. Well, I didn't tell you but I bet you are.

Note, please, the this survey and my revelation do not discuss the "who" or "what" being prayed to. That is quite a different thing.

But prayer is prayer and faith is faith and strong belief always begets strong practice whether it be religious our political.

On the other hand I do not in any way identify with the people who stand outside the Supreme Court and pray for some political issue. Weeping and wailing and flailing their arms about.

This is the mixture of prayer and politics. I do not do that. I do not think that it should be done. Well, I am not in charge of who does or does not do it but I disapprove anyway.

Someone famous once advised that we should go into our closet to pray and I don't think that he meant that closet. He meant somewhere anonymous and quite. Private.

So there you are.

If you want to read more about this go here and here where you will find other links and other charts.

Labels: politics, religion