All Comments (6)

Daisy,

"The fact that Americans are switching their religions is indeed characteristic of an animated and healthy religion."

It is definitely a healthy religious environment, but it may or may not be healthy individually. Freedom to move among religions and freedom of religious speech together keep the environment for religious inquiry healthy. Indeed, that freedom is necessary for a person to truly approach God. However, I'm not so sure that because there is a lot of movement out there, that that necessarily means that spirituality is increasing. Religious freedom doesn't address religious merit, but it does provide individual religions to rise or fall based upon that merit.

I am so glad our government is Christian. And has a Department of Religion. D.O.R.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/

"and as a result, they are actively seeking out faith and a connection to God."

I'm not seeing that.... Most people I know that are not 'thumpers' (wearing their religion on their sleeve 24/7) Are at best tepid about their 'religion'. In fact they seldom discuss or mention religion, or spirituality, opting instead to calling it 'church'. Many I know that go to church, pretty much shake it off very shortly after the service. Many I know that are active in the church, are volunteers for this cause or that event, the fact that it is religion-related is almost irrelevant as far as the spirituality is concerned.
I have know several ministers, and most of them are far more concerned about complacency and the need to Vegas up the service just to keep the pews warm as opposed to nurturing souls. In the main stream I really don't see that much faith-searching as I do comfort-searching. Don't even get me started on the number of guys I know (most of them) that only go to church for the wife and/or for the kids.

If these past years have taught me anything, it is that I am free to explore my inner self and I don't have to feel guilty about turning my back on the religion in which I was raised. In my estimation, organized religion is a political tool and the cause of a great deal of hypocrisy, suffering and intollerance. My inner self is enough for me to know, feel, respect and work with every day.

Daisy,

I believe I share with you a healthy, although minority, perspective on spirituality. There is so much ignorance about religion and spirituality. I would think a short review of the work of Mircea Eliade would open anyone's eyes, but dogma prevails. My views are at:

http://kengelhart.home.igc.org/religion.htm

Ms Khan
You say: "The fact that Americans are switching their religions is indeed characteristic of an animated and healthy religion."
I am simply curious to know how do you appraise a religion that orders its adherants to kill the apostate?