Society & Culture - 10 December 2007

"Despite the separation of church and state being enshrined in the US constitution, more than 40 per cent of US citizens said religious leaders should use their influence to try to sway policy-makers. In France, by contrast, 85 per cent of people said they opposed such "activism" by the clergy."
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0607-02.htm

“The United States is becoming unique among industrialized nations in the importance its society places on religion,” Miller continued. “It’s more important today that it has been in many, many years.”
“Religious beliefs are the most strongly held beliefs in our society,” said Dr. G. Howard Miller, associate professor of history and an expert in Christianity at The University of Texas at Austin. “They are absolutes, and absolutes are worth dying for.”.....scary!
http://www.utexas.edu/features/2005/religion/

Why do you think the US is the only nation left that puts so much importance and prestige on religious views?

2007-12-10 01:23:09 · 11 answers · asked by ☼ɣɐʃʃɜƾ ɰɐɽɨɲɜɽɨƾ♀ 5 in Religion & Spirituality

OK, so I was talking with my cousin on the phone the other night and I heard her soon-to-be-husband saying something in the background behind her and then she said to me "oh, 'sam' (her soon to be hubby) wants you to know that his mother just LOVES you". I didn't know what to say since I've only met this woman 3 or 4 times in my life. I said "um haha, tell him I love his mom too(she really is a very sweet old lady)" and she did. Today she informs me that she is annoyed because his mom doesn't like her very much and she apparently "loves" me and she's kinda been taking it out on me since then. I don't know what to say. Did I say something wrong? Why is she acting like this? She declined my dinner invitation and has been very short with me. why did he say that?

2007-12-10 01:22:22 · 9 answers · asked by TMCO 1 in Other - Society & Culture

A mother was working in the kitchen listening to her 5-year-old son
playing with his new electric train in the living room. She heard the
train stop and her son saying, "All of you sons of bitches who want
off, get the hell off now.. cause this is the last stop! And all of you sons
of bitches who are getting on, get your asses on the train...cause we're
going down the tracks."

The horrified mother went in and told her son, "We don't use that kind
of language in this house. Now I want you to go to your room and you are to
stay there for TWO HOURS. When you come out, you may play with your
train...but I want you to use nice language."

Two hours later, the boy came out of the bedroom and resumed playing with
his train. Soon the train stopped and the mother heard her son say... "All
passengers, please remember your things, thank you and hope your trip was a
pleasant one. We hope you will ride with us again soon."

She heard her little darling continue..."For those of you just
boarding, remember there is no smoking in the train. We hope you will have a
pleasant and relaxing journey with us today."

As the mother began to smile, the child added, "For those of you who
are pissed off about the TWO HOUR delay, please see the ***** in the
kitchen."

2007-12-10 01:21:41 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Senior Citizens

In Bethlehem, shepherds kept their sheep in fields from April to October, and kept them sheltered during the winter months.

According to Luke 2:8, the shepherds and sheep were in the fields: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

Did those sheep escape their barns or something? Why were the shepherds just watching them instead of herding them to safety?

2007-12-10 01:19:56 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

I want to go so bad because I am going through so much and I have noone to turn to. Do I just go to a church and sit down? I haven't been in years and I just don't know what to do. What should I do?

2007-12-10 01:15:41 · 29 answers · asked by lvbrdy4vr 1 in Religion & Spirituality

I don't personally but you read about these things so I thought i'd ask

2007-12-10 01:14:59 · 49 answers · asked by rycally00 3 in Etiquette

2007-12-10 01:12:05 · 8 answers · asked by aashna m 1 in Other - Society & Culture

I don't know. I don't think it can ever be called just but sometimes it is necessary. A necessary evil. However, I don't really think that the war we're in right now is necessary, but I'm just talking about war in general.

2007-12-10 01:11:40 · 21 answers · asked by Becky 5 in Religion & Spirituality

James 1:25-27

25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

If thats what religion is in the Christian sense, Where did people get their view of religion from?

2007-12-10 01:10:58 · 11 answers · asked by ReliableLogic 5 in Religion & Spirituality

handicapped people are also people like us.they deserve better.

2007-12-10 01:10:02 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

believers who believe. If they are happy and secure with their beliefs why do so many feel the need to enlighten them. Like I said, I'm just curious.

2007-12-10 01:09:30 · 35 answers · asked by Becky 5 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-10 01:09:25 · 7 answers · asked by ? 6 in Religion & Spirituality

nothing ever rocked my boat except weeing in a sink, lol as u all read in my previous question!!

2007-12-10 01:08:14 · 6 answers · asked by Aleshia 1 in Etiquette

My Pastor recently decided to put a cross at the Altar at my church. He made a statement that because our church services are televised both nationally and across the globe that in the past they have been advised not to have a cross on display as not to offend people. He stated that he made the decision to put the cross up because it is one of the largest symbols of Christianity and that we shouldn't "sensor" ourselves. This made me think of all the different church services I watch on TV and I see plenty of Globes, Bibles, and Praying Hands, but very few, if any Crosses. Now, I suppose I could sort of see how seeing Jesus actually hanging from a cross could be offensive to some, but just a cross in itself? How is that more offensive than a symbol of the Bible, or Praying hands? What are your views?

2007-12-10 01:05:17 · 9 answers · asked by jballerina00 2 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-10 01:04:05 · 9 answers · asked by iamnoone 7 in Religion & Spirituality

Now and then I get sublte signs from God...my biggest one so far was when I was feeling kind of depressed about myself...and when I went to flip the channel I "accidently" hit the numbers on the remote that led me to a christian speaker...not those redicals ones though...he was talking about how we should love ourselves the way we are and not compare ourselves to others and feel inferior. I've felt a lot better since.

2007-12-10 01:02:44 · 18 answers · asked by miams 1 in Religion & Spirituality

When will he feed the needy, stop the killing and create peace between people?

2007-12-10 01:01:13 · 31 answers · asked by MoPleasure4U 4 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-10 01:00:54 · 5 answers · asked by bone 4 in Christmas

Putting your affairs in Order

A woman went to her doctor. The doctor, after an examination, sighed and
said, "I've some bad news. You have cancer, and you had best put your
affairs in order."

The woman was shocked, but managed to compose herself and walk into the
Waiting room where her daughter had been waiting. "Well daughter, we women
celebrate when things are good, and we celebrate when things do not go so
well. In this case, things are not well. I have cancer. Let's head to the
club and have a martini."

After 3 or 4 martinis, the two were feeling a little less somber. There
were some laughs and more martinis. They were eventually approached by some
of the woman's old friends, who were curious as to what the two were
celebrating.

The woman told her friends they were drinking to her impending end. "I've
been diagnosed with AIDS." The friends were aghast and gave the woman their
condolences.

After the friends left, the woman's daughter leaned over and whispered,
"Momma, I thought you said you were dying of cancer, and you just told your
friends you were dying of AIDS."

The woman said, "I don't want any of those bitches sleeping with your
father after I'm gone."

Now that's putting Your Affairs In Order

2007-12-10 01:00:49 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Senior Citizens

also known as C-H-R-I-S-Tmas

2007-12-10 01:00:40 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

someone was using my toilet and i really needed a wee, so i went in the bathroom sink, i got a really big kick out of it, is that weird?

2007-12-10 00:59:56 · 20 answers · asked by Aleshia 1 in Etiquette

Do you have any?

2007-12-10 00:59:49 · 23 answers · asked by Little Miss Sunshine 5 in Etiquette

2007-12-10 00:58:21 · 3 answers · asked by Meri C 3 in Christmas

""I have no problem with my girlfriend's beliefs, and she has no problem with mine. Therefore, we have no problem ""

Do you AGREE? Is it RIGHT to date someone who does not share your RELIGION? Why would an ATHEIST want to date a CHRISTIAN? Would they ever have PURE motives?

I think the answer is NO it is an abomination and it is WRONG!

What do YOU SAY?

2007-12-10 00:57:59 · 35 answers · asked by Saved by Grace 3 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-10 00:57:28 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mythology & Folklore

2007-12-10 00:57:17 · 16 answers · asked by WoopTang! 1 in Religion & Spirituality

This weekend I asked my 32 month old to stop picking her nose. My wife commented on how perfectly the index finger fits inside the nostril (if you don't believe me, try it yourself). It seems that, on average, everybody's nostril is just wide enough to accommodate a picking index finger. Is that reasonable evidence for and Intelligently Designed nostril? Or would a better Designer have created a wider nostril to allow for finger AND thumb, just to make sure that there's enough room for the difficult work?

2007-12-10 00:57:11 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-12-10 00:56:41 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

You know, like Dandruff and Bitchin, Homer and Schlitzin and use these name in comedic Christmas songs?

2007-12-10 00:56:28 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Senior Citizens

Do they all spend their time singing Burl Ives' songs? Or make up silly songs about their toymaking instead?

2007-12-10 00:54:05 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Senior Citizens