Why religious fundamentalism can't hold in this nation...

People just don't believe in the numbers they used to.


http://www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2006/11/07/Metro/Poll-Certainty.About.God.Slips-2443529.shtml?norewrite200611071920&sourcedomain=www.dailyiowan.com

Poll: Certainty about God slips
Ben Fornell - The Daily Iowan
Posted: 11/7/06
In God We … Trust?

According to a recent online Harris Poll, 73 percent of Americans believe in God, but only 58 percent are "absolutely certain."

In an identical poll conducted by Harris in 2003, 79 percent of respondents said they believed in God, and 66 percent were absolutely certain. In this year's poll, women, blacks, Republicans, and those older than 40 were more likely to report they were "absolutely certain" of God's existence.

Born-again Christians were the most certain, at 93 percent. The numbers decrease from there, with 76 percent of Protestants, 64 percent of Catholics, and only 30 percent of Jews saying they were absolutely certain of God's existence.

"Meaningless" and "temporary" are the words Dwight Bozeman, a UI professor of religious studies, used to describe the poll; he also said things that breed concern, such as wars and elections, are also more likely to increase interest in "redemptive concepts."....

It is a fantastic book, a little harsh at times (not like they don't deserve it), but overall a fantastic and elightening read. I have the followup "Letter to a Christian Nation" but I wanted to read this one first.

I'd highly recommend it

If there are few examples of God's work in the US, who is to blame? We are all born crippled in some way, I've read. Mistakes are easy to make, especially when painful context is forced upon an individual. Those who attempt the path are instant targets for those who most need it but won't make the effort. No matter how ludicrous the individual, especially the pompous windbags, I still have some compassion when they fall into their weaknesses.

Negativity would be characterized as those who purposely interfere with the free will and capacity for evolution in others. Again, forcing context upon others that could result in them causing harm in order to protect themselves or others, such as family. Times of war are a good example; true negativity would seek ways of causing slippery slopes into war, and individuals would have to solve the trouble. To kill is to interfere with the evolution of another, even if it is in self-defense. This is a tricky set of issues I'm not qualified to call true, but I've been reading too much lately.

In regard to reincarnation, since no one asked, your actions cause you to move up and down the scale of consciousness. Folks like Hitler and Stalin, directly responsible for all of those deaths, are purported to suffer erasure of personality, reincarnating as groups of bacteria, the lowest form of life known on the planet. The purported lower consciousnesses who manipulate and goad others into performing negative-going actions don't receive all of that karma; it is said that the "fallen angels" still have positive karma for large good works and might avoid final judgement. Thus the trick of "evil", causing others to be erased while suffering little in comparison. Negativity doesn't serve anything but itself and the desire to negate the positive.

The thing about good, is that it is selfless and will help and sacrifice for others even at its own expense. There is always help if you surrender in order to allow it to operate. It's an active relationship, and it's detailed in paths such as Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism, by the name Guru Yoga. You can find derivatives in the 12-Step programs. Is there a God? Ask your friendly recovering addict where their guaranteed fatal disease went, and how easy it is to fall back into it. There is proof of something there, judge for yourself.

And the claims of spirituality are being quantified by physics. Check this out:

http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/research_emoto.htm

It definitely goes to the concept of working to retain positive thoughts and attitude regardless of the context you find yourself caught up in. Especially these days.