Losing Our Religion?

[puppetmaker]

I know I rarely talk about religion here. But I read an article in the Times Magazine about Americans and Religion that was kind of interesting. The article was titled American's Unfaithful Faithful and can be read if you click the link.

Apparently Americans are not only very willing to move or change jobs or spouses but they are also very willing to change religions. Sometimes it is another form of the same religion for example being raised form of Christian religion and changing it for another. The example they gave were the number of former Catholics who now say they are Baptists or leaving one religion for another religion entirely and embracing the tenets of that religion with fervor. Then there are those who sample various religions like a Chinese buffet and drift from one set of beliefs to another. I think it is great that we have these sorts of options in our society. In a number of other countries they have official religions and if you don't adhere to that set of beliefs, you can find yourself in trouble.

To my mind there is a difference between religion and spirituality. Religion engages spirituality but one can be spiritual without being religious. I believe that some of what is happening with this religious dance is that people are searching for their personal spirituality or beliefs. I know a lot of people who have gone through a crises of faith or a search for spirituality. Most of them end up better for it. Either stronger in the faith of their childhood or much more comfortable about themselves as spiritual beings. Again this is my own opinion and your mileage might vary greatly.

Another thing I find interesting that even though people are changing their religious beliefs, the religions themselves are pretty much staying at the same statistical level as the last survey for many reasons. So no religion is really gaining or losing members at a rapid rate. It seems more an adjustment. The only group that has shown a gain is "unaffiliated" which, given the rest of the data, makes sense.

A majority of us believe in something be it a higher power or a flying spaghetti monster or even Bob. How we come to our beliefs is very personal in my opinion. But it seems that as a group we are still seeking/striving for something even though we might not be able to define what that is. And I think that this is going to continue as long as we are allowed the ability to question our beliefs and grow in them or find something that works for us.

I am grateful for religious freedom.

Comments

[lunalovegoddess.livejournal.com]

"I am grateful for religious freedom."

Same here. I'm also grateful for political freedom. We are allowed to worship as we like and criticize our leaders without fear of government agents breaking down our doors. I believe in the separation of church and state, that no one body should govern both, since history has proven time and again that mixing politics and religion is a bad idea.

I think of the Islamic revolution in Iran during the 80's, when wearing headscarves became mandatory and going without in public punishable. Women had rights to some extent, but as Muslim extremism flourished, they started to see their civil liberties (and other freedoms that Americans take for granted) vanish. I have very little problem with the basic principles of Islam, but, like all religions, some interpretations of holy texts are taken literally when they were meant to be more symbolic.

For example: Exodus 22:18
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live...

This phrase has been bandied about by a lot of Christian fundamentalists to denounce witchcraft. However:

"In the original Hebrew manuscript, the author used the word m'khashepah to describe the person who should be killed. The word means a woman who uses spoken spells to harm others - e.g. causing their death or loss of property. Clearly "evil sorceress" or "woman who does evil magic" would be the most accurate phrases in today's English usage for this verse."

~Quote from: religioustolerance.org ~

As a practitioner of Wicca, I can state that using magick to harm another violates our most sacred teachings. Just like harming others violates the teachings of Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus and other religious figures. Each of the major religions stresses the importance of treating others with dignity and not doing them harm. (Which is one of the reasons I had issues with my upbringing: If killing is against the Ten Commandments, then how is killing people who won't convert to Christianity a noble thing? How is it any different than what Hitler did, and others before him?) Yet, throughout history, religion has been spread, not through kind words, but through violence. One country conquers another, and forces their religion on the people.

*gets off of her soapbox*

Anyway, my point is that I am glad to live in a country where I have the freedom to pick which religion fully expresses my spirituality: a blend of neo-paganism, panentheism, feminist theology, and humanism. To pigeonhole me, I'd be PUU: pagan Unitarian-Universalist, since it's the closest thing to being both Christian and Wiccan.

Briefly, I believe in the Unitarian-Universalism concept that all people and faiths contain a piece of, and must have access to, the divine. Therefore, all religions have merit and connection with the Divine. I also, however, believe in panentheism; that God is greater than the universe and that the universe is contained within God. Part of, yet greater than. The Divine could be male or female, neither or both; sometimes God wears the face of a woman.

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

Hooray for freedom of religion!

And that even with stupidity like the Patriot Act, we can still express our displeasure of the sitting government without disappearing into the night never to be heard of again.