Religion Takes a Hit by Christopher Orlet on 12.18.09 @ 6:07AM
I used to spend hours studying a faded, color-coded map at a publishing house where I worked. The map, hung on the wall behind my desk, showed the population density of the various denominations and faiths across America. Save for the southern half of Louisiana, the south was one thick crimson swatch of Southern Baptists. The Northern Midwest was Lutheran green. Utah's solid yellow represented the Church of Latter-Day Saints. New Mexico, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Massachusetts were shaded the deep blue of Roman Catholicism.
It used to be just that easy to generalize about Americans and religion. That is no longer the case, as shown by several recent polls on Americans and Religion.
Contemporary Americans, it appears, have no problem hopping from one denomination to another, marrying a spouse of another faith, or shopping around for a church or a preacher more to one's liking. American churches -- for the past century and a half at least -- have been pro-active in their recruitment strategies, due to the countless denominations vying for a limited pool of congregants. As American luck would have it, those countless denominations turned out to be a good thing. It was Voltaire who noted of 18th-century England: "If there were only one religion in England, there would be danger of tyranny; if there were two, they would cut each other's throats; but there are thirty, and they live happily together in peace."
Americans remain one of most religious people on earth, but their creed is no longer the Old Time Religion. The faith of our fathers has been supplanted to an increasing extent by "spirituality," a vague and amorphous term social scientists are still trying to define. According to a recent Pew poll, about 10 percent of believing Americans no longer call themselves religious, but spiritual. Double what it was in 1964. The results of an April 2009 Newsweek poll, are even more dramatic. Here 30 percent of believers confessed to being "spiritual, but not religious." If you account for the roughly 11 percent of Americans who are nonbelievers, we are now at a point where 41 percent of Americans hold views on religion that 200 years ago in Europe would have gotten them roasted as heretics.
To many of these non-religious believers, "spiritual" may mean believing in a prime mover, a god that encompasses everything, or some kind of noble truths. It may entail membership in groups like the American Ethical Union, Universal Unitarianism, or the Universal Pantheist Society. What spiritual certainly does not entail is a belief in the God of Abraham, or the belief in the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth.
For those who continue to call themselves religious Christians, a good portion of them experiment with other denominations and faiths (three-in-ten Protestants attend services outside their own denomination, and one-fifth of Catholics say they sometimes attend non-Catholic services). Curiously, many of these same religious Christians believe in pagan astrology (about a quarter of Christians), or accept Eastern mysticism's concept of reincarnation (22 percent). If you are willing to believe in astrology and reincarnation, you are probably open to seeing ghosts (one-in-five Americans have seen or experienced spooks), while 16 percent of Americans fear the "evil eye."
ALL OF THIS avenue hopping and religion shopping has forced many churches into yet another round of modernization and reinvention. Like any modernization campaign, this often entails a drift to the Left. In its more harmless manifestation, it is marked by string bands, and colorful banners strung about the church, while priests and ministers don even more Day-Glo vestments till they begin to resemble not so much a minister as one of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters. In its more pernicious manifestation, it is evidenced by Happy Talk or Feel Goodism.
It is not surprising that Americans would jump from denomination to denomination and faith to faith. Americans are used to having choices, and why shouldn't religion be subject to the laws of supply and demand? A city or town can only support so many churches. Fire and brimstone may have worked fine when Calvinism held a monopoly, but today's churches are likely to maintain that God has mellowed, that he's gotten with the program. Even Billy Graham has come around to this view, and now says don't worry, hell isn't a scary, real place after all, it's just the absence of God's presence. How hipper and happier can Happy Talk get?
Naturally, with this new, anything-goes belief system something has been lost, those same things that are always lost when tradition goes by the wayside: our sense of self, our confidence in our mission, our connection to all that has gone before, of standing on the shoulders of giants like Augustine and Luther and Wesley. Today, Americans seem to be making it up as they go along, improvising and personalizing religion -- a dash of New Ageism here, a teaspoon of Eastern Spiritualism there, a sprinkle of good old-fashioned Lutheranism for taste -- until everyone is his own John Calvin or Mary Baker Eddy.
Religion is not like art -- something that should be individualized and, in Ezra Pound's phrase, constantly "made new." Stripped of tradition, it becomes just another ethical system, no different from one devised by a secularist society. That may or may not be a good thing, but it is not religion. It's not even spirituality.
Articles link: http://spectator.org/archives/2009/12/18/religion-takes-a-hit
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Survey finds complexity in U.S. religious beliefs.
Can you believe in Jesus and in astrology? The answer is a resounding yes, according to a study that shows Americans' beliefs to be more complex than might be expected.
The survey -- one of the first by a major polling group to tackle Americans' belief in such things as "the evil eye" and "spiritual energy in trees" -- was conducted in August by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. The goal was to explore the complexity of faith in the modern world and the overlap between religions and other supernatural beliefs.
To read this article in it's entirety, please click on the link below. It was published in the Washington Post and written by William Wan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/09/AR2009120903712.html
The survey -- one of the first by a major polling group to tackle Americans' belief in such things as "the evil eye" and "spiritual energy in trees" -- was conducted in August by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. The goal was to explore the complexity of faith in the modern world and the overlap between religions and other supernatural beliefs.
To read this article in it's entirety, please click on the link below. It was published in the Washington Post and written by William Wan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/09/AR2009120903712.html
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A survey on religion and the public life of many.
Here is a neat article published on the Pew Forum. It appears a survey was taken in North America on where people stand and what their views are pertaining to religion. Many people are blending religions and even accepting new age traditions along with it, which results in a mixture of diverse traditions. So where do you stand in all of this? Do you believe in God, ghosts/communing with the dead, fortunetellers, psychics, new age perpectives/views? Where do you stand with your beliefs?
This is a great article and is worth taking a peek at. Check the full article out by clicking on the link below:
http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=490
This is a great article and is worth taking a peek at. Check the full article out by clicking on the link below:
http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=490
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Star of Bethlehem.
Have you ever really pondered that star that the wisemen followed. In the story, the wisemen left plenty of time for contemplation. They were proficient at studying the night sky. It took them months to travel the journey. It was a long and dangerous journey, yet them embarked on it anyway.
Here is an article by Lynn Hayes of Astrological Musings. In the 2,000 year old tale that we know as the Christmas story, three wise men came out of the east following a star to Bethlehem. The three wise men were Magi, members of the priestly class of Persia. Ancient historian Diodorus tells us that after Persia invaded Babylon, the Magi learned astrology from the Chaldeans as well as alchemy and other occult arts.
There has been much debate over the centuries as to the identity of the Star that the Magi followed. In ancient astrology Jupiter, being King of the Gods, was associated with kings and Johannes Kepler in 1606 hypothesized that the Star was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in June of 2007. Astronomer Michael Molnar says:
Jupiter underwent two occultations ("eclipses") by the Moon in Aries in 6 BC. Jupiter was the regal "star" that conferred kingships - a power that was amplified when Jupiter was in close conjunctions with the Moon. The second occultation on April 17 coincided precisely when Jupiter was "in the east," a condition mentioned twice in the biblical account about the Star of Bethlehem. In August of that year Jupiter became stationary and then "went before" through Aries where it became stationary again on December 19, 6 BC. This is when the regal planet "stood over." - a secondary royal portent also described in the Bible. In particular, there is confirmation from a Roman astrologer that the conditions of April 17, 6 BC were believed to herald the birth of a divine, immortal, and omnipotent person born under the sign of the Jews, which we now know was Aries the Ram. Looking at the chart for 4/17/0006 b.c.e. with our modern planets, there is a nearly exact Mystic Rectangle formed by an opposition between Pluto and Uranus which sextiles an opposition between Neptune and Mercury. Jupiter in Aries is at the exact midpoint of the Mercury/Uranus sextile. This is a powerful configuration that could bear out this theory.
However, there was a slow moving comet in 5 b.c.e. that bears the hallmarks of the gospel stories. The gospel of Matthew reports that the comet "stood" over Bethlehem, and Chinese accounts of the comet in 5 b.c.e. said that it was visible in the sky for 70 days. Although in the middle ages comets were seen as portents of doom and disaster, in more ancient times comets were said to herald new dynasties. Colin Humphries has written a very convincing article promoting the Comet as the Star of Bethlehem.
The dating of the birth of Jesus at zero c.e. is due to an error by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus who was instructed in A.D. 533 to create a new calendar using Christ's birth as a beginning point. The Gospel of Matthew states that Jesus was born during the time of Herod the King, but Herod died in 4 b.c.e.
Because the Magi were astrologers and astronomers, it is more likely that they used a combination of astrological information to seek the star since they would not have been privy to the schedules of comets. However, the confluence of events that occurred during this period, combined with a high expectation of the imminence of a messiah to rescue the Jews from Roman subjugation, no doubt led to a flurry of messianic prophecy and excitement.
Articles link: http://blog.beliefnet.com/astrologicalmusings/2009/12/what-was-the-star-of-bethlehem-1.html
Here is an article by Lynn Hayes of Astrological Musings. In the 2,000 year old tale that we know as the Christmas story, three wise men came out of the east following a star to Bethlehem. The three wise men were Magi, members of the priestly class of Persia. Ancient historian Diodorus tells us that after Persia invaded Babylon, the Magi learned astrology from the Chaldeans as well as alchemy and other occult arts.
There has been much debate over the centuries as to the identity of the Star that the Magi followed. In ancient astrology Jupiter, being King of the Gods, was associated with kings and Johannes Kepler in 1606 hypothesized that the Star was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in June of 2007. Astronomer Michael Molnar says:
Jupiter underwent two occultations ("eclipses") by the Moon in Aries in 6 BC. Jupiter was the regal "star" that conferred kingships - a power that was amplified when Jupiter was in close conjunctions with the Moon. The second occultation on April 17 coincided precisely when Jupiter was "in the east," a condition mentioned twice in the biblical account about the Star of Bethlehem. In August of that year Jupiter became stationary and then "went before" through Aries where it became stationary again on December 19, 6 BC. This is when the regal planet "stood over." - a secondary royal portent also described in the Bible. In particular, there is confirmation from a Roman astrologer that the conditions of April 17, 6 BC were believed to herald the birth of a divine, immortal, and omnipotent person born under the sign of the Jews, which we now know was Aries the Ram. Looking at the chart for 4/17/0006 b.c.e. with our modern planets, there is a nearly exact Mystic Rectangle formed by an opposition between Pluto and Uranus which sextiles an opposition between Neptune and Mercury. Jupiter in Aries is at the exact midpoint of the Mercury/Uranus sextile. This is a powerful configuration that could bear out this theory.
However, there was a slow moving comet in 5 b.c.e. that bears the hallmarks of the gospel stories. The gospel of Matthew reports that the comet "stood" over Bethlehem, and Chinese accounts of the comet in 5 b.c.e. said that it was visible in the sky for 70 days. Although in the middle ages comets were seen as portents of doom and disaster, in more ancient times comets were said to herald new dynasties. Colin Humphries has written a very convincing article promoting the Comet as the Star of Bethlehem.
The dating of the birth of Jesus at zero c.e. is due to an error by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus who was instructed in A.D. 533 to create a new calendar using Christ's birth as a beginning point. The Gospel of Matthew states that Jesus was born during the time of Herod the King, but Herod died in 4 b.c.e.
Because the Magi were astrologers and astronomers, it is more likely that they used a combination of astrological information to seek the star since they would not have been privy to the schedules of comets. However, the confluence of events that occurred during this period, combined with a high expectation of the imminence of a messiah to rescue the Jews from Roman subjugation, no doubt led to a flurry of messianic prophecy and excitement.
Articles link: http://blog.beliefnet.com/astrologicalmusings/2009/12/what-was-the-star-of-bethlehem-1.html
The Star of Bethlehem - by Syed Ashraf Ali
I came across a pretty interesting article in the New Nation written by Syed Ashraf Ali. Below is a snippet of the article.
STARS occupy a very important place in the history of homo sapiens. Although Whitman claims, "I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars", people in various ages have always believed in the maxim: "The stars rule men, but God rules the stars". Stars indeed, have haunted the imagination of saints and seers from time immemorial. To many, stars have been symbols of high ideals and great hopes. Poets have eulogised stars in their poems, patriots have depicted stars on their flags, stars in songs have provided inspiration to the tormented souls of the lovers and the imprisoned. For thousands of years stars have also been used as religious symbols. The ancient Babylonians believed that the stars and the gods were closely related. Ancient writings testify to the fact that the Chinese used to worship the constellations and the whole heavens. The Black-foot Indians of North America believed that every star was a human being. When a person died his spirit rose to the heavens to become a star. From the days of yore, the six-pointed star of Shield of David has been a symbol of Jewish faith. But it is the Star of Bethlehem, the symbol of the Christian religion, which has the unique distinction of attracting the attention of people both in the realm of science and in the world of religion.
The Star of Bethlehem is that unique star following the light of which three wise men found Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. The Christmas Story, as told in the Bible, describes how the wise men from the East followed a bright star to the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. A silver star in the great cathedral in the village has the simple inscription. "Here, of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was born". And each year, thousands of Christians make a pilgrimage to Bethlehem on Christmas Day and the Silver Star reminds them of the unique Star of Bethlehem which guided the three wise men on the first Christmas Day.
More than two thousand years have shaded themselves with the past since Jesus was born, but the Star of Bethlehem still remains a mystery not only to the devoted followers of Christianity but also to historians and astronomers in this twenty-first century. It seems that the miraculous star was not just a divine apparition. Scientists in various corners of the world have been pondering for years over all known documentation of a supposed number of recorded sightings of the period. As a result many a theory has been put forward. Some claim it to be a regular bright star, others opine in favour of an exploding Nova-Star or a comet. There are still others who advocate in favour of a conjunction of planets.
To read the article in its entirety, please click on the link below:
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/12/25/news0536.htm
STARS occupy a very important place in the history of homo sapiens. Although Whitman claims, "I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars", people in various ages have always believed in the maxim: "The stars rule men, but God rules the stars". Stars indeed, have haunted the imagination of saints and seers from time immemorial. To many, stars have been symbols of high ideals and great hopes. Poets have eulogised stars in their poems, patriots have depicted stars on their flags, stars in songs have provided inspiration to the tormented souls of the lovers and the imprisoned. For thousands of years stars have also been used as religious symbols. The ancient Babylonians believed that the stars and the gods were closely related. Ancient writings testify to the fact that the Chinese used to worship the constellations and the whole heavens. The Black-foot Indians of North America believed that every star was a human being. When a person died his spirit rose to the heavens to become a star. From the days of yore, the six-pointed star of Shield of David has been a symbol of Jewish faith. But it is the Star of Bethlehem, the symbol of the Christian religion, which has the unique distinction of attracting the attention of people both in the realm of science and in the world of religion.
The Star of Bethlehem is that unique star following the light of which three wise men found Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. The Christmas Story, as told in the Bible, describes how the wise men from the East followed a bright star to the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. A silver star in the great cathedral in the village has the simple inscription. "Here, of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was born". And each year, thousands of Christians make a pilgrimage to Bethlehem on Christmas Day and the Silver Star reminds them of the unique Star of Bethlehem which guided the three wise men on the first Christmas Day.
More than two thousand years have shaded themselves with the past since Jesus was born, but the Star of Bethlehem still remains a mystery not only to the devoted followers of Christianity but also to historians and astronomers in this twenty-first century. It seems that the miraculous star was not just a divine apparition. Scientists in various corners of the world have been pondering for years over all known documentation of a supposed number of recorded sightings of the period. As a result many a theory has been put forward. Some claim it to be a regular bright star, others opine in favour of an exploding Nova-Star or a comet. There are still others who advocate in favour of a conjunction of planets.
To read the article in its entirety, please click on the link below:
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/12/25/news0536.htm
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Excellent advice on psychic readings, predictions and future comings.
I came across a great article, written by Cherry Sage. She hits on some points that clearly are excellent to know. I explain this to my clients all the time when the instance happens. There are times in a reading where the client will ask a specific question, and I do get insight, but it may not be what the person is looking for or thinking will happen. Keep an open mind when having a reading. The times when there is no clarity, an answer can be given, but it's clear on what it could be key to. You could be in the midst of two or even three situations where the insight could apply to, yet there isn't clarity given as to which situation it is. What you must remember is that you have free will, you have to take control of yourself and for your own personal growth. You must take responsibility for desired changes and play a role. By just sitting back, staying inside and not doing anything, your chances will pass you by.
Here is a snippet of what Cherry Sage wrote in her article posting:
Well, a good reason why you cannot know some things, and I say cannot because it is more of a value judgment if I say should not, I will explain. I will not be given certain information about the future if you are NOT meant to know the information at that moment. For instance, my client needed to know a while back where her relationship was going. Something more definite like, will they make it? But, I was not given this eventuality in past sessions. But the information I did receive indicated that she had to make a change. It was not a matter of waiting for an optimal outcome or more like believing it will happen.
First of all, knowing the future changes the future. More specifically, your knowledge of what can and will happen exerts an influence on upcoming life events. Your action or inaction will affect the flow of energy and once you know or think you know something that will occur in the future, you most definitely can change or alter it. Sometimes we can change what looks negative into something positive.
For example, I tell you you are going to be in a great relationship with a certain someone. You believe this. But what happens when that certain someone decides to change his course of action and ends up pulling away-- when they decide to change their scenery. This changes the course of events. But you were thinking or believing that it was going to be a great relationship. And by believing that you were guaranteed some eventuality, you failed to act or decide upon a course of action that allowed you to grow thereby changing the possible outcome because you thought it was going to be a fated event. You took the future for granted. You changed the desired outcome because you believed something you were told was going to happen and that you bore no responsibility to the ever developing future. By accepting your passive role in your life you deprived yourself of a desired reality.
To read more on Cherry Sage's article, please click the link below:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Psychic-Predictions---When-You-Just-Should-Not-Know-the-Future&id=3320133
Always be sure to follow your instinct. Find yourself a good advisor, tarot reader, spiritual counselor who is honest, unbiased and truly interested in your well being. All matters discussed should be private and confidential. Bigger sites does not always mean that their 'psychics' are better. Many of the larger sites do not screen their readers to see if their talent is genuine. So keep that in mind. Sometimes smaller and more personal sites are better. Do your research and check out what people are saying about the reader you pick. See how long they have been working with the public, check their experience. Should you come across a reader who is always insisting you call them often, then you may want to distance yourself. Do not allow the reader you pick to keep you constantly coming back for more guidance. Do not allow yourself to become dependent on a reader or always have to speak to them before making a decision or determination. Let a few weeks go by and see how things manifest. If you find the reader was incorrect on many things, then do not go back to that reader. Find a different one. One that can tell you things and give you perspectives so you can make an informed decision so you can use your mind, your personal power, your free will.
I like to work with people by email so they have everything written out to them to see how it unfolds. I prefer to go a few months without doing an update unless another situation manifests and they have a direct question pertaining to that. If you find that you are relying to much on a reader/advisor, it's up to the reader/advisor to calm you down and make you see how you can do things on your own and by your own will. No reader, no real, genuine, honest advisor should allow anyone to become dependent on them.
Brightest blessings to all.
Here is a snippet of what Cherry Sage wrote in her article posting:
Well, a good reason why you cannot know some things, and I say cannot because it is more of a value judgment if I say should not, I will explain. I will not be given certain information about the future if you are NOT meant to know the information at that moment. For instance, my client needed to know a while back where her relationship was going. Something more definite like, will they make it? But, I was not given this eventuality in past sessions. But the information I did receive indicated that she had to make a change. It was not a matter of waiting for an optimal outcome or more like believing it will happen.
First of all, knowing the future changes the future. More specifically, your knowledge of what can and will happen exerts an influence on upcoming life events. Your action or inaction will affect the flow of energy and once you know or think you know something that will occur in the future, you most definitely can change or alter it. Sometimes we can change what looks negative into something positive.
For example, I tell you you are going to be in a great relationship with a certain someone. You believe this. But what happens when that certain someone decides to change his course of action and ends up pulling away-- when they decide to change their scenery. This changes the course of events. But you were thinking or believing that it was going to be a great relationship. And by believing that you were guaranteed some eventuality, you failed to act or decide upon a course of action that allowed you to grow thereby changing the possible outcome because you thought it was going to be a fated event. You took the future for granted. You changed the desired outcome because you believed something you were told was going to happen and that you bore no responsibility to the ever developing future. By accepting your passive role in your life you deprived yourself of a desired reality.
To read more on Cherry Sage's article, please click the link below:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Psychic-Predictions---When-You-Just-Should-Not-Know-the-Future&id=3320133
Always be sure to follow your instinct. Find yourself a good advisor, tarot reader, spiritual counselor who is honest, unbiased and truly interested in your well being. All matters discussed should be private and confidential. Bigger sites does not always mean that their 'psychics' are better. Many of the larger sites do not screen their readers to see if their talent is genuine. So keep that in mind. Sometimes smaller and more personal sites are better. Do your research and check out what people are saying about the reader you pick. See how long they have been working with the public, check their experience. Should you come across a reader who is always insisting you call them often, then you may want to distance yourself. Do not allow the reader you pick to keep you constantly coming back for more guidance. Do not allow yourself to become dependent on a reader or always have to speak to them before making a decision or determination. Let a few weeks go by and see how things manifest. If you find the reader was incorrect on many things, then do not go back to that reader. Find a different one. One that can tell you things and give you perspectives so you can make an informed decision so you can use your mind, your personal power, your free will.
I like to work with people by email so they have everything written out to them to see how it unfolds. I prefer to go a few months without doing an update unless another situation manifests and they have a direct question pertaining to that. If you find that you are relying to much on a reader/advisor, it's up to the reader/advisor to calm you down and make you see how you can do things on your own and by your own will. No reader, no real, genuine, honest advisor should allow anyone to become dependent on them.
Brightest blessings to all.
A Focus on crystal therapy.
There is so much attention lately of meditation and crystals and how this therapy is calming, induces relaxion and strength and can really improve mind and body. I came across this article on crystal therapy. Here is a little snippet from the article:
Reverend Patricia Bankins runs the place with ease and you always feel comfortable and welcome when you walk through her doors. It is a unique combination of retail sales, new age services, and community center. You can find anything from an Angel Card Reader (similar to Tarot Cards) to a Reflexologist (foot massage that stimulates healing throughout the body) to a Psychic Channel and an Ear Coning Practitioner. Not only can you experience a healing of some sort but you can also take a class at the Crystal Matrix and learn how to use your own healing powers for yourself and others. Classes like Reiki, color therapy, and dream interpretation are offered throughout the year. There is such a fun energy of exploration that permeates this place and so many interesting things to explore.
To read the full article, please visit the link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-19378-LA-Alternative-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m8d25-Focus-on-Crystal-Therapy-and-the-Crystal-Matrix-Healing-Center
Reverend Patricia Bankins runs the place with ease and you always feel comfortable and welcome when you walk through her doors. It is a unique combination of retail sales, new age services, and community center. You can find anything from an Angel Card Reader (similar to Tarot Cards) to a Reflexologist (foot massage that stimulates healing throughout the body) to a Psychic Channel and an Ear Coning Practitioner. Not only can you experience a healing of some sort but you can also take a class at the Crystal Matrix and learn how to use your own healing powers for yourself and others. Classes like Reiki, color therapy, and dream interpretation are offered throughout the year. There is such a fun energy of exploration that permeates this place and so many interesting things to explore.
To read the full article, please visit the link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-19378-LA-Alternative-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m8d25-Focus-on-Crystal-Therapy-and-the-Crystal-Matrix-Healing-Center
Monday, April 12, 2010
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