Americans and religious liberty: A new poll yields good news and bad news

[cleanhippie]

Should one religious tradition be given preferential treatment in the United States? I think most of us would emphatically say, “No!”

So a new public opinion poll from the Barna Group has good news for us. The telephone survey, announced Jan. 18, found that 66 percent of Americans say no one set of values should dominate in this country. That’s two out three Americans on the right side, and that’s not too bad.

But Barna, an evangelical-leaning enterprise, also found some troubling statistics. Twenty-three percent of those polled say “traditional Judeo-Christian values” should be given preference in the United States. Among evangelical Christians that number rose to 54 percent!

I think this data tells us why we have so much trouble with the Religious Right. Most Americans have a live-and-let-live attitude toward religion. We make our own decisions about faith, and we expect others to do so as well.

But a sizeable minority of Americans is so sure they’re right about religion that they want the government to give their faith preferential treatment. Needless to say, there are a lot of problems with this approach.

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2013/01/americans-and-religious-liberty-a-new-poll-yields-good-news-and-bad-news/

[rug]

1. "Most Americans have a live-and-let-live attitude toward religion."

Imagine that.

[Fumesucker]

2. But most evangelicals don't have a live-and-let-live attitude toward religion

I didn't think I was imagining that.

[rug]

3. The poll doesn't determine how many evangelicals there are.

Among them it's 54% - 46%.

[Fumesucker]

4. If you live in a heavily evangelical area you're already familiar with the way a lot of them think

Many evangelicals seem to be incapable of keeping quiet about their religion (duh! right?), it's their right to say what they wish, it's non evangelical's right to think they are often rude and boring and a little scary, particularly the heavily armed ones carrying on about Jesus and Second Amendment Remedies without pausing for breath.

I'm actually embarrassed for them sometimes the way they carry on, like watching some poor sod who has his shirt inside out, his fly open and two yards of bumph dragging from his mismatched shoe.

I'm reminded of this joke.

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said "Stop! don't do it!" "Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?" I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious." I said, "Me too! Are you christian or buddhist?" He said, "Christian." I said, "Me too! Are you catholic or protestant?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me too! Are you episcopalian or baptist?" He said, "Baptist!" I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you baptist church of god or baptist church of the lord?" He said, "Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too! Are you original baptist church of god, or are you reformed baptist church of god?" He said,"Reformed Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too! Are you reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!" I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off. -- Emo Phillips

[rug]

5. Fortunately that incident has witnesses.

A man enters a bar and sits next to a Baptist.

Man: "See that man on TV, standing on the ledge?"

Baptist: "Yes."

Man: "He's going to jump."

Baptist: "No, he's not. Pray with me."

Man: "Okay, but let's bet, just to make it interesting. Here's twenty."

Baptist: "You're on. Jesus will save him." Puts down his money. "Now let's pray."

They pray.

The guy on TV takes a dive.

Baptist: "Well, a bet's a bet. Here." Shoves his money down the bar.

Man: "I can't take your money. I've got to tell you; I saw this news program earlier."

Baptist: "Yeah, I saw it too, but I thought we could save him this time."

[tama]

6. Deep and funny. Thanks. nt