Showing posts with label religious beliefs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religious beliefs. Show all posts

Sunday 3 June 2018

Views on relationship between government and religion

Views on relationship between government and religion

Results of the Pew research Center survey:

Generally speaking, Western Europeans do not look favourably on entanglements between their governments and religion. Indeed, the predominant view in all 15 countries surveyed is that religion should be kept separate from government policies (median of 60%), as opposed to the position that government policies should support religious values and beliefs in their country (36%).

Non-practicing Christians tend to say religion should be kept out of government policy. Still, substantial minorities (median of 35%) of non-practicing Christians think the government should support religious values and beliefs in their country – and they are much more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to take this position. For example, in the United Kingdom, 40% of non-practicing Christians say the government should support religious values and beliefs, compared with 18% of “nones.”
In every country surveyed, church-attending Christians are much more likely than non-practicing Christians to favour government support for religious values. In Austria, for example, a majority (64%) of churchgoing Christians take this position, compared with 38% of non-practicing Christians.


The Pew survey also gauged views on religious institutions, asking whether respondents agree with three positive statements about churches and other religious organizations – that they “protect and strengthen morality in society,” “bring people together and strengthen community bonds,” and “play an important role in helping the poor and needy.”
Three similar questions asked whether they agree with negative assessments of religious institutions – that churches and other religious organizations “are too involved with politics,” “focus too much on rules,” and “are too concerned with money and power.”
Once again, there are marked differences of opinion on these questions among Western Europeans across categories of religious identity and practice. Throughout the region, non-practicing Christians are more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to voice positive opinions of religious institutions. For example, in Germany, a majority of non-practicing Christians (62%) agree that churches and other religious organizations play an important role in helping the poor and needy, compared with fewer than half (41%) of “nones.”
Church-attending Christians hold especially positive opinions about the role of religious organizations in society. For example, nearly three-in-four churchgoing Christians in Belgium (73%), Germany (73%) and Italy (74%) agree that churches and other religious institutions play an important role in helping the poor and needy. (For more analysis of results on these questions, see Chapter 6.)

Thursday 3 December 2009

Doctrine and Conduct Cause and Effect

Doctrine and Conduct are Related to Each Other as Cause and Effect

"This affirmation may require a little explanation because so many people think of doctrine as belonging solely to ecclesiastical circles, and as being quite unpractical even there. They think of fierce doctrinal disputes that ministered occasion for rancour and bitterness without teaching anything of real value.

The fact is that, through the weakness and yet the pugnacity of human nature, great and important truths are continually obscured by disputes regarding matters of relative insignificance. Great truths are hidden not only by falsehoods but also by little truths, just as a great mountain may be hidden from sight by a too near and intent inspection of a tiny piece of stone.

Doctrine really means teaching. The word can be used in a much wider sense than is generally recognised. The doctrines that a man holds are really the principles that guide his conduct. If his doctrines are well-balanced with a just perception as to which are the most important, his conduct will probably be well balanced too. If he holds some false doctrines, or if his strongest convictions and most persistent thoughts centre round something of little value, the ill effect will be seen in his conduct.

Beliefs may be of all shades of strength, from a slight inclination of opinion to a confidence indistinguishable from absolute certainty. If a Christian has real faith in his religion and if he attaches the proper importance to Christian doctrines, he not only has a strong hope in life but his conduct is guided at every point. As the Apostle expresses it, he "believes with the heart unto righteousness"."

- Islip Collyer
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The Guiding Light
From Chapter 13

Continue reading > > Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside
+ Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation!
+ Prayer: Blessed be the name of Jehovah

Dutch translation / Nederlandse vertaling > Doctrine, gedrag, oorzaak en gevolg

Thursday 4 June 2009

Casual Christians

In a wide-ranging discussion about the state of faith in America, veteran researcher George Barna recently addressed questions raised by his new book, The Seven Faith Tribes: Who They Are, What They Believe, and Why They Matter. That book outlines seven diverse faith segments, profiling their lifestyles, religious beliefs and practices, values and life goals. The seven tribes include Casual Christians, Captive Christians, Mormons, Jews, Pantheists, Muslims and Skeptics. In this week’s Update we are providing the portion of that conversation regarding the largest – and potentially most powerful – tribe, the Casual Christians, a tribe that represents 66% of the adult population of the U.S.

Barna: Casual Christianity is faith in moderation. It allows them to feel religious without having to prioritize their faith. Christianity is a low-risk, predictable proposition for this tribe, providing a faith perspective that is not demanding. A Casual Christian can be all the things that they esteem: a nice human being, a family person, religious, an exemplary citizen, a reliable employee – and never have to publicly defend or represent difficult moral or social positions or even lose much sleep over their private choices as long as they mean well and generally do their best. From their perspective, their brand of faith practice is genuine, realistic and practical. To them, Casual Christianity is the best of all worlds; it encourages them to be a better person than if they had been irreligious, yet it is not a faith into which they feel compelled to heavily invest themselves.
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Casual Christianity, because of its moral receptivity and pliability, generally eliminates spiritual backbone from moral discussions. And yet, Casual Christians would typically embrace the 20 shared values that all seven of the tribes adopt as part of their moral code.

Read > Barna article -casual-christians-and-the-future-of-america

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2014 update
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