Pew 2024 religious landscape survey

FWIW, I don't believe in an "individual" existence post mortem either. I believe our sense of individuality is like the cycle of water. There's the Great Ocean and then there are temporary periods where water molecules pass through different states of "invividuality" before rejoing the Great Ocean. Is the water molecule lost when it arrives back at the ocean? No. It becomes part of something greater.

watercycle_0.jpg

I'm not sure what to believe. The common thread in the religions I've read about is that there is some kind of life force, which transcends quarks and electrons, which humans refer to as souls, atman, Qi, spirit, etc. -- and that there is some kind of transcendent existence that doesn't simply involve us rotting and turning into fertilizer upon death.

I don't think atheism will never be more than 5 to 10 percent of the population, because human intuition generally does not register that nothing is real but atomic matter and energy, even if that might be the possible reality.
 
Where do your opinions fit into the Noble Eightfold Path, Terry.

Let me remind you since you don't appear to know about it:
  1. Right view
  2. Right resolve
  3. Right speech
  4. Right conduct
  5. Right livelihood
  6. Right effort
  7. Right mindfulness
  8. Right samadhi (meditative absorption or union)

I think nine times out of ten, the American Hollywood stars, urban hipsters, and metrosexuals who claim Buddhism are just poseurs who are looking to associate themselves with something seemingly edgy or non-traditional.
 
I think nine times out of ten, the American Hollywood stars, urban hipsters, and metrosexuals who claim Buddhism are just poseurs who are looking to associate themselves with something seemingly edgy or non-traditional.
or as an excuse to not be Christian. LOL

Agreed most are poseurs regardless of the reason. It's easy to talk the talk. As a results-oriented guy, I like to see if they walk the walk.
 
I'm not sure what to believe. The common thread in the religions I've read about is that there is some kind of life force, which transcends quarks and electrons, which humans refer to as souls, atman, Qi, spirit, etc. -- and that there is some kind of transcendent existence that doesn't simply involve us rotting and turning into fertilizer upon death.

I don't think atheism will never be more than 5 to 10 percent of the population, because human intuition generally does not register that nothing is real but atomic matter and energy, even if that might be the possible reality.
No one knows. That's the big mystery even though history shows the majority of people think there is something more to existence than the material universe.
 
No one knows. That's the big mystery even though history shows the majority of people think there is something more to existence than the material universe.
It's hard to fathom how the rational mathematical design and lawful organization of the universe came about by random chance, and it's difficult to understand how protons and electrons are capable of freely choosing love.
 
It's hard to fathom how the rational mathematical design and lawful organization of the universe came about by random chance, and it's difficult to understand how protons and electrons are capable of freely choosing love.
Not a mathematician nor a physicist, but if the infinite multiverse theory is correct, then some universes will be stable and capable of life while others will simply be dead.
 
Not a mathematician nor a physicist, but if the infinite multiverse theory is correct, then some universes will be stable and capable of life while others will simply be dead.

That explanation is unsatisfactory to me. There is no tangible evidence for a multiverse, and no evidence that natural laws and physical constants can vary. The evidence for a finely tuned and lawful universe is overwhelming and staring us in the face.

The idea of the multiverse was just an ad hoc speculation to make the fine tuning of the universe seem less curious.

The multiverse also does not explain where the mathematical laws of physics come from or why they exist, even if the physical constants could be adjusted. Why wouldn't everything just be chaotic, random, and unlawful?
 
I asked if Jesus or Paul promoted a political ideology, I didn't say anything about the Pope.
Why ask a question nobody can possibly answer?
I mentioned the poop because he’s the guy in charge of the catholic sect now.

You need to respond to what I actually wrote, not to what you wish I wrote.
I need to practice my chipping and putting. Kinda sucked yesterday but the swing was good.
 
Why ask a question nobody can possibly answer?
I mentioned the poop because he’s the guy in charge of the catholic sect now.


I need to practice my chipping and putting. Kinda sucked yesterday but the swing was good.
I didn't say anything about the Pope.

Why can't you answer if Jesus and Paul were teaching political ideologies?

Is it really because it's an unanswerable question?
Or is it really because you don't like the answer?
 
Coming from the urban Northeast, I find it very hard to believe that only 2% of Americans are Jewish.
And living where I do I would bet that you couldn't find 5 Jews within a 5 county radius. It's interesting to me as a math and statistics guy who likes to research history and politics to see where people tend to settle and why.
 
Which can be found in most houses of worship. My S.I.L. deliberately chose to walk away from her Lutheran upbringing because of political differences, she has stated.
I would be interested to know what political differences caused her to leave? That's an interesting conversation to me.
 
That explanation is unsatisfactory to me. There is no tangible evidence for a multiverse, and no evidence that natural laws and physical constants can vary. The evidence for a finely tuned and lawful universe is overwhelming and staring us in the face.

The idea of the multiverse was just an ad hoc speculation to make the fine tuning of the universe seem less curious.

The multiverse also does not explain where the mathematical laws of physics come from or why they exist, even if the physical constants could be adjusted. Why wouldn't everything just be chaotic, random, and unlawful?
There's no evidence of a creator or an afterlife either. Yes, the Universe works. If it didn't, we wouldn't be here.
 
I didn't say anything about the Pope.

Why can't you answer if Jesus and Paul were teaching political ideologies?
Neither Jesus nor Paul had anything to say about political ieologies that I can find. What few political things they did have, well, ...

Jesus said, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s," which is basically saying, "live according to the rules of the government under whose rule you reside." Not a bad idea.

Also, realize that during the time Jesus lived the government, especially the Jews (a theocracy) weren't at all friendly to Jesus and His followers. Also remember that in Matthew 17 Jesus and His disciples come to Capernaum and are asked about paying their temple tax, a very Jewish tax. "Are you going to pay it?" Jesus said, "Sure," and instructed Peter to catch a fish and take the money out of the fish's mouth to pay the tax. "Live according to the rules of your government" is the message conveyed.

Peter would later write that we should "submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." (I Peter 2:13-17)

Again, this is written in a time when the Roman government was becomming increasingly unfriendly towards Christians. But here it is again...live according to the rules of your government...honor the king.

Then there is this from Paul -- "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."

Again, how friendly was the government going to be towards Christians?

So I conclude that when it comes to laws, taxes, etc. that I, as a Christian, should obey them. There is only one exception and that is if those laws forbid me to do something God requires me to do, like Peter and John were in Acts 4 when they concluded, "We ought to obey God rather than man." OR if the law requires me to do someting that God does not want me to do as in the case of Hannaiah, Mishael and Azariah and also in the case of Daniel ... which we read about in the book of Daniel...in which case death would be preferable to obeying the government in that regard.

Fortunately we live in the USA and not some of the countries that are opposed to Christianity.

But back to the original question, Neither Jesus nor Paul had much to say about politics, and when they did it could be summed up with, "Obey the laws of the government under which you live to the best of your ability."
 
But back to the original question, Neither Jesus nor Paul had much to say about politics, and when they did it could be summed up with, "Obey the laws of the government under which you live to the best of your ability."
Good post. Says a lot about Trump and his MAGAts, eh? LOL
 
I would be interested to know what political differences caused her to leave? That's an interesting conversation to me.

She felt that they were "too liberal," which I found interesting in itself. She also said that they are "too much like Catholics." She has always lived in small rural towns in Illinois, Indiana, and Louisiana. Now they live in Manhattan, KS but still attend a fundie church. Abortion is her biggest single issue. She was unhappy that the Lutheran church(es) didn't condemn it, although I did point out that they don't exactly support it either. She also thought that the Lutherans were hypocrites but I never delved into why she felt that way, but the way it was said made me think it was more personal than the Lutheran church as a whole. I think that they were Evangelical Lutherans where they grew up, not Missouri Synod.
 
And living where I do I would bet that you couldn't find 5 Jews within a 5 county radius. It's interesting to me as a math and statistics guy who likes to research history and politics to see where people tend to settle and why.

It's kind of interesting, isn't it? Even within cities ppl tend to do the same thing. St. Louis has little enclaves of Jews, Muslims, Bosnians, Vietnamese, etc.
 
Neither Jesus nor Paul had anything to say about political ieologies that I can find. What few political things they did have, well, ...

Jesus said, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s," which is basically saying, "live according to the rules of the government under whose rule you reside." Not a bad idea.

Also, realize that during the time Jesus lived the government, especially the Jews (a theocracy) weren't at all friendly to Jesus and His followers. Also remember that in Matthew 17 Jesus and His disciples come to Capernaum and are asked about paying their temple tax, a very Jewish tax. "Are you going to pay it?" Jesus said, "Sure," and instructed Peter to catch a fish and take the money out of the fish's mouth to pay the tax. "Live according to the rules of your government" is the message conveyed.

Peter would later write that we should "submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." (I Peter 2:13-17)

Again, this is written in a time when the Roman government was becomming increasingly unfriendly towards Christians. But here it is again...live according to the rules of your government...honor the king.

Then there is this from Paul -- "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."

Again, how friendly was the government going to be towards Christians?

So I conclude that when it comes to laws, taxes, etc. that I, as a Christian, should obey them. There is only one exception and that is if those laws forbid me to do something God requires me to do, like Peter and John were in Acts 4 when they concluded, "We ought to obey God rather than man." OR if the law requires me to do someting that God does not want me to do as in the case of Hannaiah, Mishael and Azariah and also in the case of Daniel ... which we read about in the book of Daniel...in which case death would be preferable to obeying the government in that regard.

Fortunately we live in the USA and not some of the countries that are opposed to Christianity.

But back to the original question, Neither Jesus nor Paul had much to say about politics, and when they did it could be summed up with, "Obey the laws of the government under which you live to the best of your ability."
Yeah, I didn't think Jesus and Paul had any real political agenda.
 
There's no evidence of a creator or an afterlife either. Yes, the Universe works. If it didn't, we wouldn't be here.
Yes, no tangible evidence of an afterlife.

What I'm saying is there is overwhelming evidence the physical parameters of the universe are so finely tuned, and that in itself is so mathematically unlikely at the level of probability, it seems curious.
 
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