- CuteOldGuy
- 10-31-2011, 11:16 PM
I share the concern about using religion as a basis for policy, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or whatever. After that, Big Louie, I must disagree with most of the rest of your statement.
- BigLouie
- 10-31-2011, 11:32 PM
- I B Hankering
- 10-31-2011, 11:42 PM
- I B Hankering
- 11-01-2011, 12:05 AM
Opening Prayer
10/31/2011
Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J.
Almighty God of the universe, we give you thanks for giving us another day.
On this All Hallow’s Eve, we pray in thanksgiving for all our American ancestors, who lived courageously while forging futures fraught with risk and danger. Their hope and their faith, through many challenges and victories, built this great nation. Grant them, living and dead, the peace of your presence.
We ask your blessing as well upon the men and women of this, the People’s House. May they strive with all their energy and good will to serve our nation, to work on legislative solutions to the challenges we face in this time, always mindful that they are entrusted especially with the well–being of so many who are powerless. We know, O God, these little ones are of special interest and concern for you.
Bless us this day and every day, and may all that is done within these hallowed halls be done for your greater honor and glory.
AMEN
Thought of the Day
“Prayer for Peace
Send Thy peace O Lord, which is
perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may think, act and speak harmoniously.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may be contented and thankful for
Thy bountiful gifts.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that amidst
our worldly strife, we may enjoy Thy bliss.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may endure all, tolerate all, in the thought of
Thy grace and mercy.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that our lives
may become a Divine vision and in Thy light,
all darkness may vanish.
Send Thy peace O Lord, our Father and Mother,
that we Thy children on Earth may all
unite in one family.
”
—Hazrat Inayat Khan
http://chaplain.house.gov/
. . . but a twelve year old child would be suspended for uttering such words aloud in a classroom.
10/31/2011
Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J.
Almighty God of the universe, we give you thanks for giving us another day.
On this All Hallow’s Eve, we pray in thanksgiving for all our American ancestors, who lived courageously while forging futures fraught with risk and danger. Their hope and their faith, through many challenges and victories, built this great nation. Grant them, living and dead, the peace of your presence.
We ask your blessing as well upon the men and women of this, the People’s House. May they strive with all their energy and good will to serve our nation, to work on legislative solutions to the challenges we face in this time, always mindful that they are entrusted especially with the well–being of so many who are powerless. We know, O God, these little ones are of special interest and concern for you.
Bless us this day and every day, and may all that is done within these hallowed halls be done for your greater honor and glory.
AMEN
Thought of the Day
“Prayer for Peace
Send Thy peace O Lord, which is
perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may think, act and speak harmoniously.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may be contented and thankful for
Thy bountiful gifts.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that amidst
our worldly strife, we may enjoy Thy bliss.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may endure all, tolerate all, in the thought of
Thy grace and mercy.
Send Thy peace O Lord, that our lives
may become a Divine vision and in Thy light,
all darkness may vanish.
Send Thy peace O Lord, our Father and Mother,
that we Thy children on Earth may all
unite in one family.
”
—Hazrat Inayat Khan
http://chaplain.house.gov/
. . . but a twelve year old child would be suspended for uttering such words aloud in a classroom.
- TexTushHog
- 11-01-2011, 03:06 AM
- Sensia
- 11-02-2011, 09:43 AM
- CuteOldGuy
- 11-02-2011, 10:06 AM
It will be sad at his funeral. All dressed up and nowhere to go.
- Whirlaway
- 11-02-2011, 11:23 AM
- I B Hankering
- 11-02-2011, 11:35 AM
I'm not an atheist. I'm an agnostic. Originally Posted by TexTushHogNevertheless, the Bible still accommodated your needs.
In another thread, a member of this board, dearhunter, accurately summed up the “beliefs” of those who subscribe that they only believe in “facts” as discovered by “critical scientific investigation”. Dearhunter wrote:
“There is one problem with science.....in order to believe that science is the beginning and the end, you have to believe that science created something from nothing at some point.......welcome to your religion......can we pass the offering . . .”
"OM bhûr bhuvah svah tat savitur varçnyam bhargô dçvasya dhîmahi dhiyô yô nah pracôdayât".
- Sensia
- 11-02-2011, 11:43 AM
What case? You present no facts; no links, no proof to your assertions.....just BigLouie on his BigLouie soap box......Hold the phone. Many atheists such as myself are very giving and donate to various charity organizations. There are wealthy, famous atheists who have even kicked up their own charities. I think it is wrong to assume because we are atheists that some how we give less or do less in the way of charity. No one has to be believe in an invisible deity in the sky or belong to a church to do good for others. The sad thing is most who are religious do charitable work because they believe that there is a reward in heaven for them down the road. Where as for an atheist we do it because we want to, because we care and it is the right thing to do. Not because we think we might get some reward in the end.
Show me the atheists's equivalent of Catholic Charities? Originally Posted by Whirlaway
Edit: By the way this happens a lot to atheists and I have not been immune from this type of behavior http://blog.chron.com/believeitornot...500k-donation/
Also see: http://www.squidoo.com/Atheist-Charities
- Whirlaway
- 11-02-2011, 11:55 AM
What's wrong with American politics?
Lawyers and lobbyists....not Christians.
Lawyers and lobbyists....not Christians.
- CuteOldGuy
- 11-02-2011, 12:10 PM
What a crock. Turning down a donation because you are offended by what the donor believes. General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army once said "The only problem with tainted money is that it usually "'taint" enough." Booth knew that donations were a gift, regardless of the giver.
I've never seen anything that indicates that atheists are any less generous than anyone else. In fact, my 501(c)(3), the "COG Hobby Assistance Fund" welcomes any and all donations. PM me for details.
I've never seen anything that indicates that atheists are any less generous than anyone else. In fact, my 501(c)(3), the "COG Hobby Assistance Fund" welcomes any and all donations. PM me for details.
- Whirlaway
- 11-02-2011, 12:23 PM
Myth No. 5: Atheist Aid
FATHER THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, LC
Atheists often claim to be "just as moral" as religious believers.
Christopher Hitchens, for instance, in God Is Not Great, offers his rather vague and subjective assertion that no statistic will ever find that atheists "commit more crimes of greed or violence than the faithful."
Yet, when comparing the morals of believers and nonbelievers, neo-atheist authors are careful to tiptoe around the issue of charitable activity. The reason that atheists studiously avoid the question of generosity is that study after study shows an overwhelming difference between believers and non-believers. Not surprisingly, the believers come out on top every time.
In the year 2000, researchers at U.S. universities and the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Connecticut undertook the massive Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, drawing 30,000 observations from 50 communities across the United States. The survey questioned individuals about their "civic behavior," including their giving and volunteering during the year preceding the survey.
Analyzing the data, professor Arthur Brooks of Syracuse University divided respondents into three groups. He referred to the respondents who reported attending religious services every week or more often as "religious." This group made up 33% of the sample. Brooks called those who reported attending religious services less than a few times per year or explicitly saying they have no religion as "secular." These people made up 26% of the sample, leaving those who practice their religion occasionally to make up the remaining 41% of the sample.
Interestingly, these data show that the determining factor in predicting charitable behavior is not so much one's particular religion, but rather the seriousness of one's religious commitment.
Brooks found the variance between "religious" and "secular" giving to be dramatic. Religious people are 25 percentage points more likely than secularists to donate money (91% to 66%) and 23 points more likely to volunteer time (67% to 44%). In real dollars, this translates into an average annual giving of $2,210 among the religious as compared to $642 among the secular. Regarding hours volunteered, religious people were found to volunteer an average of 12 times per year, while secular people volunteer an average of 5.8 times. To put this into perspective, religious people are 33% of the population, but they make 52% of donations and 45% of times volunteered. Secular people make up 26% of the population, but they contribute 13% of the dollars and 17% of the times volunteered.
Interestingly, these data show that the determining factor in predicting charitable behavior is not so much one's particular religion, but rather the seriousness of one's religious commitment. For example, among those who attend worship services regularly, 92% of Protestants give charitably, compared to 91% of Catholics, 91% of Jews and 89% from other religions.
Another indicative finding of the study relates to giving to nonreligious charities. It turns out that religious people are more generous than secular people with nonreligious causes as well as with religious ones. While 68% of the total population gives (and 51% volunteers) to nonreligious causes each year, religious people are 10 points more likely to give to these causes than secularists (71% to 61%) and 21 points more likely to volunteer (60% to 39%). As examples, religious people are 7 points more likely than secularists to volunteer for neighborhood and civic groups, 20 points more likely to volunteer to help the poor or elderly, and 26 points more likely to volunteer for school or youth programs. Across the board, religious practice is directly correlated to generosity with both time and money.
These results are only surprising to someone with an ingrained anti-religious prejudice. Even the deist Voltaire -- no friend to Christianity -- felt obliged to admit the great benefit of religion to organized charity: "Perhaps there is nothing greater on earth than the sacrifices of youth and beauty, often of high birth, made by the gentle sex in order to work in hospitals for the relief of human misery, the sight of which is so revolting to our delicacy. Peoples separated from the Roman religion have imitated but imperfectly so generous a charity."
In his analysis of charitable giving and faith, Brooks ends with a look at religion's pedagogical influence over giving and volunteering. "Houses of worship might teach their congregants the religious duty to give and about both the physical and spiritual needs of the poor. Simply put, people may be more likely to learn charity inside a church, synagogue or mosque than outside. If charity is indeed a learned behavior, it may be that houses of worship are only one means [albeit an especially efficacious one] to teach it."
Neo-atheist tracts such as God Is Not Great rely almost exclusively on anecdotal evidence to make their case against religion. In asserting the superiority of atheism over religious belief, they simply string together vignettes showing horrible things done in the name of religion, in the hope that their stories will disgust readers enough to turn them away from religion. Yet, wherever a real comparison can be made between religious people and unbelievers, the statistical evidence always favors believers.
Whether we speak about the evils and bloodshed of atheist regimes, the generosity and charitable giving of religious people, or simply the happiness derived from religious faith, religion beats atheism hands down in every area. This fact alone will give pause to any unbiased observer.
FATHER THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, LC
Atheists often claim to be "just as moral" as religious believers.
Christopher Hitchens, for instance, in God Is Not Great, offers his rather vague and subjective assertion that no statistic will ever find that atheists "commit more crimes of greed or violence than the faithful." Yet, when comparing the morals of believers and nonbelievers, neo-atheist authors are careful to tiptoe around the issue of charitable activity. The reason that atheists studiously avoid the question of generosity is that study after study shows an overwhelming difference between believers and non-believers. Not surprisingly, the believers come out on top every time.
In the year 2000, researchers at U.S. universities and the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Connecticut undertook the massive Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, drawing 30,000 observations from 50 communities across the United States. The survey questioned individuals about their "civic behavior," including their giving and volunteering during the year preceding the survey.
Analyzing the data, professor Arthur Brooks of Syracuse University divided respondents into three groups. He referred to the respondents who reported attending religious services every week or more often as "religious." This group made up 33% of the sample. Brooks called those who reported attending religious services less than a few times per year or explicitly saying they have no religion as "secular." These people made up 26% of the sample, leaving those who practice their religion occasionally to make up the remaining 41% of the sample.
Interestingly, these data show that the determining factor in predicting charitable behavior is not so much one's particular religion, but rather the seriousness of one's religious commitment.
Brooks found the variance between "religious" and "secular" giving to be dramatic. Religious people are 25 percentage points more likely than secularists to donate money (91% to 66%) and 23 points more likely to volunteer time (67% to 44%). In real dollars, this translates into an average annual giving of $2,210 among the religious as compared to $642 among the secular. Regarding hours volunteered, religious people were found to volunteer an average of 12 times per year, while secular people volunteer an average of 5.8 times. To put this into perspective, religious people are 33% of the population, but they make 52% of donations and 45% of times volunteered. Secular people make up 26% of the population, but they contribute 13% of the dollars and 17% of the times volunteered.
Interestingly, these data show that the determining factor in predicting charitable behavior is not so much one's particular religion, but rather the seriousness of one's religious commitment. For example, among those who attend worship services regularly, 92% of Protestants give charitably, compared to 91% of Catholics, 91% of Jews and 89% from other religions.
Another indicative finding of the study relates to giving to nonreligious charities. It turns out that religious people are more generous than secular people with nonreligious causes as well as with religious ones. While 68% of the total population gives (and 51% volunteers) to nonreligious causes each year, religious people are 10 points more likely to give to these causes than secularists (71% to 61%) and 21 points more likely to volunteer (60% to 39%). As examples, religious people are 7 points more likely than secularists to volunteer for neighborhood and civic groups, 20 points more likely to volunteer to help the poor or elderly, and 26 points more likely to volunteer for school or youth programs. Across the board, religious practice is directly correlated to generosity with both time and money.
These results are only surprising to someone with an ingrained anti-religious prejudice. Even the deist Voltaire -- no friend to Christianity -- felt obliged to admit the great benefit of religion to organized charity: "Perhaps there is nothing greater on earth than the sacrifices of youth and beauty, often of high birth, made by the gentle sex in order to work in hospitals for the relief of human misery, the sight of which is so revolting to our delicacy. Peoples separated from the Roman religion have imitated but imperfectly so generous a charity."
In his analysis of charitable giving and faith, Brooks ends with a look at religion's pedagogical influence over giving and volunteering. "Houses of worship might teach their congregants the religious duty to give and about both the physical and spiritual needs of the poor. Simply put, people may be more likely to learn charity inside a church, synagogue or mosque than outside. If charity is indeed a learned behavior, it may be that houses of worship are only one means [albeit an especially efficacious one] to teach it."
Neo-atheist tracts such as God Is Not Great rely almost exclusively on anecdotal evidence to make their case against religion. In asserting the superiority of atheism over religious belief, they simply string together vignettes showing horrible things done in the name of religion, in the hope that their stories will disgust readers enough to turn them away from religion. Yet, wherever a real comparison can be made between religious people and unbelievers, the statistical evidence always favors believers.
Whether we speak about the evils and bloodshed of atheist regimes, the generosity and charitable giving of religious people, or simply the happiness derived from religious faith, religion beats atheism hands down in every area. This fact alone will give pause to any unbiased observer.
- CuteOldGuy
- 11-02-2011, 12:26 PM
I am not an atheist, but religious regimes are not lily white. The Spanish Inquisition, for one. The rule of the Church thoughout the Middle Ages, for another. The rise of Islamic extremism, yet another. Nazi Germany, still another.
- Whirlaway
- 11-02-2011, 12:28 PM
A load of crap !
Where is the atheist's equivalent of a charitiable organization like Catholic Charities?
You might not believe in God; but ya all do believe in organizing don't you?
But for some lame reason the atheists haven't gotten it together to create the Atheistis Charity Organization????
WTF is up with that?
Where is the atheist's equivalent of a charitiable organization like Catholic Charities?
You might not believe in God; but ya all do believe in organizing don't you?
But for some lame reason the atheists haven't gotten it together to create the Atheistis Charity Organization????
WTF is up with that?
The sad thing is most who are religious do charitable work because they believe that there is a reward in heaven for them down the road. Where as for an atheist we do it because we want to, because we care and it is the right thing to do. Not because we think we might get some reward in the end.
Originally Posted by Guilty Pleasures