[lbo-talk] religion in the US

[Cassiopeoa DeVine]

As a European I find it strange enough that (especially during the
elections) that in politics in general religion is so important.
I have found it helpful to think that the famed "Founding Fathers" were
religious fugitives and had to hold on to their faith almost as a matter of
survival. Somehow this has reached right into the present (maybe because the
FF are remembered fondly).
Even though I was raised Catholic, went to a catholic pre-school and had
religion in school for fifteen years I was always taught a moderate faith, a
questioning way of looking at religions in general and even Catholicism in
particular (my teachers were church approved teachers as is the way in my
country).
I find it - to say the least - strange that to this day religion (whatever
faith) plays such a big role not even in every day life but as well in a
social context (politics, economy and the like), and increasingly - it seems
- influences the way morals and basic human rights are set (for example the
abortion issue).

Could anyone from overseas enlighten me as to why this might be? If my guess
about the roots is tainted?

Cass

On Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 8:47 PM, John Thornton <jthorn65 at sbcglobal.net>
wrote:


> Tim Francis-Wright wrote:
> > B. wrote:
> >
> >
> >> According to that Pew Survey Doug posted, Mormons are
> >> actually a little nuttier:
> >>
> >>
> >> "Only among Mormons (57%) and Jehovah?s Witnesses
> >> (80%) do majorities say that their own religion is the
> >> one true faith leading to eternal life.
> >>
> >>
> >
> > It gets better.   54% of Mormons surveyed responded that
> > "there is only one true way to interpret the teachings of
> > my religion."
> >
> > This must mean that the Utah Mormons and the Missouri Mormons
> > (Community of Christ, fka Reorganized LDS) must *really*
> > hate each other.  Or that there is less debate about getting
> > to be god of your own planet than I thought.
> >
> > (For comparison, 77% of Catholics, 82% of mainline
> > Protestants, and 90% of Jews responded that "there is
> > more than one true way to interpret the teachings of my
> > religion.")
> >
> > --tim francis-wright
>
>
> Utah mormons and Missouri mormons really do seem to hate each other.
> Every mormon I've met became extremely agitated if you confuse one
> 'sect' with the other.
> Much more upset than a baptist if you ask them if they attend an
> Assemblies of God church or something like that.
>
> John Thornton
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