esrosedotblog

WANING?

Gallup says:

"Two-thirds of U.S. adults today perceive that the influence of religion in American life is waning, while just 27% believe it is rising. This represents a sharp decline in the image of religion compared with only three years ago, when 50% thought its influence was on an upswing, and marks one of the weakest readings on the influence of religion in Gallup's five-decade history of asking the question".

I am not surprised.

We have seen the effect of self-described religionists over the last eight years. Lousy PR. People voted for a pragmatist who happens to be a christian.

The term "religion" is pretty loose. I would take it to mean any organized belief system which tells its adherents what to think, feel and do to be "good". Or something like that.

I guess you would have to add God in there somewhere to make it a religion, huh? But not really.

There are so many "gods" around that it is hard to figure out what the core beliefs might be. It is the practice that counts.

I, for example am not religious but I believe in God. My own conception.

In fact, I am, indeed, anti-religious. I don't mind if you are religious and keep it to yourself. I am anti-religious when you want to impose your dogma on me.

We have had a bad case of that here in California with the Prop 8 thing. It must be said that many religious opposed this measure.

So where does the poll leave us? In the Prop 8 case it shows that this time more people, including some religious, were supportive of gay marriage than ever before. Since most of this is about religions, then we have a QED even though we lost.

I hope this is a hopeful sign. Hope squared.

These guys worship a golden cow. At least the cow doesn't hate queers.

Labels: christist watch, religion, republican whack jobs