USA one of most religious countrys in the World

[Vic]

http://www.nationalreview.com/derbyshire/derbyshire200311170917.asp

click there, i find this a quite interesting statistic:

"""The most striking illustration of American exceptionalism is a bar chart of polled responses to the statement: "Religion plays a very important role in my life."
Nearly 60 percent of Americans responded affirmatively. The corresponding figures for other nations were: Britain — 33; Italy — 27; Germany — 21; France — 11."""


How come there is such a big difference in the importance of religion between USA and Europe? What keeps the american people so religious?

also notice, that an average of 50% in Europe considers the USA a threat to world peace, in Britian a loyal ally of the US, its even 55% according to this statistic.

do the average American even know that they are hated so much in the world? i think the US should do something to clean up their image. 10-20 years ago, USA had still a much better image in europe.

[Captain America]

My neighbor was a black man. Mr. Thomas. I loved the old man but he used to embarass the heck out of me when he would take me fishing. He would pull off on the side of the road, in broad daylight, to relieve himself. He would cover his eyes as he pee'd on the shoulder of the road. Cars would pass and people would laugh and sometimes even blow their horn.

Moral: If he couldn't see the cars passing him, as he pee'd, in his mind, they couldn't see him either.

I hope that answers your question, "do the average American even know that they are hated so much in the world?

They don't if they cover their eyes!:eek:

[Destined]

Is it really are fault we lost so much of our prestiege. ('we' being an average american citizen) I'd condem those who elected people like Nixon and Clinton, but the average person?

[gopman]

Are you suggesting that people would like America more if we were less religious? I think you'd also be surprised if you took an opinion poll of Europe in the US. Not many people I know are planning vacations to France.

[Vic]

Originally posted by gopman
Are you suggesting that people would like America more if we were less religious? I think you'd also be surprised if you took an opinion poll of Europe in the US. Not many people I know are planning vacations to France.

the diferenceis , unlike europe, the us is also hated by most people in southamerica, asia, middle east.... etc...

and i wouldn´t be surprised at all, if americans don´t like europeans. I mean, i can´t really expect somone to like me if i don´t like him/her.

The religion may also have a role in the US- image. I mean most europeans dont take religion very serious, the US(goverment) uses it to justify wars.

[Eric]

exactly! We are so religious because our government has made sure that they use religion in their favor for many years now. Most of the European countries are very liberal, and that is why religion plays less importance in their lives. I also think we think religion and we automatically assume bible studies and churches. Ask most Europeans if they believe in some form of spirituality and I bet they would responde yes. Spirituality is very close to religion, just not absorbed by the bible and the idea of a church and a "god".

Ultimately we are not that different from europeans, but our government, who is suppose to represent the people, is quite different. I agree that as 'average' americans there is little we can do to help better our world wide reputation. That's why most 'americans' don't care what other nations think about them anyway, because they can't do anything to help and they are probably (like mentioned) not planning trips abroad any time soon.

[gopman]

When did Powell mention religion in his justification of the war to the UN? I'll tell you. He didn't. Maybe you wouldn't hate America so much if you didn' make up stuff about us.

[DRMIZER]

Originally posted by Captain America
My neighbor was a black man. Mr. Thomas. I loved the old man but he used to embarass the heck out of me when he would take me fishing. He would pull off on the side of the road, in broad daylight, to relieve himself. He would cover his eyes as he pee'd on the shoulder of the road. Cars would pass and people would laugh and sometimes even blow their horn.

Moral: If he couldn't see the cars passing him, as he pee'd, in his mind, they couldn't see him either.

I hope that answers your question, "do the average American even know that they are hated so much in the world?

They don't if they cover their eyes!:eek: I think other countries see the hypocricy rampant in this country. Something like values = religion (money isn't everything, it's the ONLY thing kind of life) Most Americans traveling to other countries are the "financially better off" ones, of course. Their behavior is not always congruent with their faith and obedience to religious Diety.

If there is any problem with our religousity it's our hyporicy! :angel:

[DRMIZER]

Originally posted by Eric
Most of the European countries are very liberal, and that is why religion plays less importance in their lives.

Interestingly in Rome, most do not really participate in the Catholic religion. That I find very strange.

[Vic]

Originally posted by gopman
When did Powell mention religion in his justification of the war to the UN? I'll tell you. He didn't. Maybe you wouldn't hate America so much if you didn' make up stuff about us.
not powell, i´m talking about your president. I have seen speeches of him, citing parts of the bible like: "i walk in the valley of the shadow of death, yet shall i fear no evil...etc" to justify this so called war against terrorism hes pulling trough.

talking about the axis of evil, "we know that god is not neutral between good (USA, Britain) and evil (terrorists, Iran, North korea, most islam countrys...etc).

i´m sorry, but if here in europe some politician would use such methods to justify a war or anything else, everybody would jst laugh at him/her and noone would take him/her serious.

[gopman]

"to justify this so called war against terrorism hes pulling trough."

He has never used any religion to justify his case for war. Saying terrorists and brutal dictators are evil has nothing to do with religion. Interestingly, certain European nations have used their own oil interests as justification for compromising the security of the US.

[xexon]

My friends, there is a wide ocean of difference between being religious and being spiritual.

Religion relies upon a written or verbal dogma, while spirituality flows from one's own soul. Its a matter of polarity.

Religion is an outside force trying to get in.

Spirituality is an inside force trying to get out.

You can only serve one master. I chose the latter

If this country is regarded as religious, its because of the worship of the almighty dollar.

God is a personal thing, and it belongs to no nation.



x

[DRMIZER]

Originally posted by xexon
My friends, there is a wide ocean of difference between being religious and being spiritual.

Religion relies upon a written or verbal dogma, while spirituality flows from one's own soul. Its a matter of polarity.

Religion is an outside force trying to get in.

Spirituality is an inside force trying to get out.

You can only serve one master. I chose the latter

If this country is regarded as religious, its because of the worship of the almighty dollar.

God is a personal thing, and it belongs to no nation.



x
yes yeS yES YES!

[america]

Originally posted by Captain America
My neighbor was a black man. Mr. Thomas. I loved the old man but he used to embarass the heck out of me when he would take me fishing. He would pull off on the side of the road, in broad daylight, to relieve himself. He would cover his eyes as he pee'd on the shoulder of the road. Cars would pass and people would laugh and sometimes even blow their horn.

Moral: If he couldn't see the cars passing him, as he pee'd, in his mind, they couldn't see him either.

I hope that answers your question, "do the average American even know that they are hated so much in the world?

They don't if they cover their eyes!:eek:

some people cover their eyes when they light a candle on the wrong day too

[america]

Originally posted by gopman
"to justify this so called war against terrorism hes pulling trough."

He has never used any religion to justify his case for war. Saying terrorists and brutal dictators are evil has nothing to do with religion. Interestingly, certain European nations have used their own oil interests as justification for compromising the security of the US.

the problem though is he put a bible under his arm (prop?) when he made on of his first speeches concerning afghanistan. He wanted to get the Christians behind him and he did. :(

[Amelia]

If there is any problem with our religousity it's our hyporicy
I agree!

There was recently a NY Times article on Bush' "envangelism" and how
he seems to have an enormous difficulty separating his personal religious commitment from his public policy positions. I think, it is wrong for a
president to refer to God in his speeches.

While God, crosses, and prayers were banned from all public Schools in the US,
Bush in the meantime is crusading as the new evangelist, out-wrestling Jimmy Swaggart.

Bush said, "We feel our reliance on the Creator Who made us. We place our sorrows and cares before Him, seeking God's mercy ... justice and cruelty have always been at war, and God is not neutral between them." (NY Times article)

Hypocricy? You're damn right it is!

[Simon666]

Maybe because America was founded by religious nutcases who were not welcome in Europe, so the most extreme and deluded left Europe which can be noticed until today?

[america]

Originally posted by Simon666
Maybe because America was founded by religious nutcases who were not welcome in Europe, so the most extreme and deluded left Europe which can be noticed until today?
maybe I will hit you on the head with my bible?
we came here because of taxes and did not want to bow down to the queen. We worked hard and welcomed many.

[america]

don't forget Bush just found his christianity and is a newbie.
he is also not following doctrine which says to love your enemies and thou shalt not kill
if i do a math problem wrong does that make math wrong?

[DRMIZER]

Originally posted by Amelia
I agree!

There was recently a NY Times article on Bush' "envangelism" and how
he seems to have an enormous difficulty separating his personal . I think, it is wrong for a
president to refer to God in his speeches.

While God, crosses, and prayers were banned from all public Schools in the US,
Bush in the meantime is crusading as the new evangelist, out-wrestling Jimmy Swaggart.

Bush said, "We feel our reliance on the Creator Who made us. We place our sorrows and cares before Him, seeking God's mercy ... justice and cruelty have always been at war, and God is not neutral between them." (NY Times article)

Hypocricy? You're damn right it is! Mr. Bush is a politician first! The one sure-fire way to win an election in this country is to have God on your side. He will NEVER separate religious commitment from his public policy positions. To do so would be political death!

[Amelia]

To do so would be political death!

That happened (political death) regardless of his faith. :)

[Amelia]

Originally posted by Simon666
Maybe because America was founded by religious nutcases who were not welcome in Europe, so the most extreme and deluded left Europe which can be noticed until today?

Most certainly not, but it was a good try :cool:

[Locke]

what those people who are trying to get rid of the "God" in the pledge of alleigence and stupid things like that? I can see how we are religious, but those who aren't are a lot more prominent (unfortunatley) than in other countries.

[Simon666]

Originally posted by america
we came here because of taxes and did not want to bow down to the queen. We worked hard and welcomed many.
That's ridiculous. You claim they left because they didn't want to pay taxes (give away some of their possessions) yet when they emigrated they had to leave nearly all possessions behind. And you still had to bow down to the queen until the War of Independance. :rolleyes:

[FreeMason]

Simon...I believe just from what I've read of you here, to be an ignorant atheist who knows nothing of the creation of America or the Founding fathers...correct me if I'm wrong...but calling them "religious nutcases" is a bit extreme...and enraging.

[Simon666]

I've already said that patriotism clouds your opinion in another thread. By all means, if they lived today in Europe, they would be considered fundamentalist, religious nutcases.


The Pilgrims vs. the Taliban (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/93/story_9355_1.html)

What we can learn from our Founding Fundamentalists.

What should we do about these backward religious fundamentalists, who stand against everything we believe in this country? They oppose freedom of worship, murder religious opponents, and view other faiths as Satanic. How about we have a national holiday celebrating them? I speak, of course, not of the Taliban but of the Pilgrims, America’s founding fundamentalists.

This week we are both fighting our war against fundamentalism gone amok and celebrating Thanksgiving, which is in part a tribute to the Pilgrims and their Puritan brethren. In the short form of the Thanksgiving story, the Pilgrims came to America so they could practice their faith freely--heroes in the cause of religious tolerance.

In fact, while it's true that they left so that they might practice their faith, they were hardly religious pluralists. They left because they were angry that the English church was too Catholic. Once here, the Puritans worked hard to purge the land of those who disagreed.

The Puritans executed several Quakers for their religious beliefs (another two merely had their ears cut off), expelled Roger Williams for his views (he went on to found Rhode Island), and eventually produced the Salem witch trials. G.K.Chesterton wrote that the Puritans "would have died heroically in torment rather than tolerate any religious liberty" and that "the whole Puritan movement...was a struggle against religious toleration."

Sound a little bit like the Taliban? I'm not suggesting that we ditch the Thanksgiving celebration, or, alternatively, that we change our views about the Taliban or Osama bin Laden.

I point out our fundamentalist history merely to give us a proper sense of humility. At this season, especially, it's good for us to realize how hard it was to establish a culture of tolerance here. America's religious diversity was not inevitable.

How did it happen? Partly it was economic and demographic. The new immigrants who came here after the Puritans did so largely for job opportunities and had little interest in the Puritan way, so the Puritans were eventually outnumbered. Later, the realities of demographic pluralism were reinforced and given voice by people like Thomas Jefferson, who enshrined those notions on parchment. It took scores of court cases, hundreds of local skirmishes, some bloodshed and a lot of argument before the country fully incorporated religious pluralism into our civic code.

Right now, the Islamic puritans are in ascendance in parts of Afghanistan and the Middle East, and it’s an open question whether they will be surrounded and drowned out by diverse traditions, as they were in America. As Deborah Caldwell reported on Beliefnet a few days ago, there are the beginnings of an Islamic Reformation movement. Students, academics, business people--devout Muslims who are frustrated with the dominance of Islamic puritans--have begun trying to take back their faith. Interestingly, many of the leaders come from families that emigrated from the Mideast to avoid religious repression, just as the Pilgrims had fled England.

But unlike the Pilgrims, these immigrants (now often second and third generation) arrived as religious minorities and entered a culture that already had tolerance established as an important value. Muslims here can gather to foment change without fear of being imprisoned or tortured. For that reason, it may be here in America--a.k.a. the great Satan--that Islam may be able to best tap into its earlier history, when it was highly tolerant of Christians and Jews.

That America has become such a place--one where the ethics of Jefferson defeated those of the Pilgrims--this is something that we should be especially grateful for on Thanksgiving.

[FreeMason]

I'm a patriot eh? Yeah...no...I'm just well educated in the theory of Politics, law, and history.

And you are now starting to try my patience.

First off, Pilgrims didn't found America, hardly in fact, they showed up at plymouth rock or near abouts and weren't even the first to colonize.

What they showed was that people came to America for the ability of free expression...which they didn't have in england.

And to claim the "expelled Roger Williams" is a bit extreme, he left of his own accord after pissing them off by trying to convert them to his own views.

Besides, none of this has anything to do with the founding fathers...

And to claim that the Taliban is anything like the Puritans is a bit DUMB.

I guess you've never watched an execution because a woman's face was showing...

[Simon666]

The Piglrims are not the founding fathers, but the Founding Fathers found inspiration in them. They came to America for freedom of expression, which doesn't mean their views were not fundamentalist. It is also said in the article the Taliban are not like the Puritans. I guess you didn't read it completely.