Fri, March 30, 2012
Questioning God Easier for More Devout
By
Stephanie Pappas
Occasional questioning of God is common among Americans. Now, research
reveals that the people who are most comfortable with this fact may well
be those who feel closest to the deity.
In general, people who are strongly religious are more likely than the
less devout to say that it's not okay to be angry at God, the new study
found. But people who describe their relationship with God as close and resilient are actually likely to accept complaining and questioning directed toward God.
See "Link to External Source Article" below to read further.
All of us have disagreed with our parents - even hated them at times. But if they are good parents, this does not in the least affect their love for their children. God is our affectionate Spirit Father - his love is about as unconditional as it gets: Supportive Urantia Book quotes follow:
2:6.2 Religion implies that the superworld of spirit
nature is cognizant of, and responsive to, the fundamental needs of the human world.
Evolutionary religion may become ethical, but only revealed religion becomes truly and spiritually moral. The olden concept that God
is a Deity dominated by kingly morality was upstepped by
Jesus
to that affectionately
touching level of intimate family morality of the parent-child
relationship, than which there is none more tender and beautiful in
mortal experience.
3:4.7 Finite appreciation of infinite
qualities far transcends the logically limited capacities of the
creature because of the fact that mortal man is made in the image of
God—there lives within him a fragment of infinity. Therefore man’s
nearest and dearest approach to God is by and through love, for God is
love. And all of such a unique relationship is an actual experience in
cosmic sociology, the Creator-creature relationship—the Father-child affection.
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Fri, August 26, 2011
Working-Class Americans Retreating from Church
By
Stephanie Pappas
 |
A man praying.
CREDIT: stock.xchng
|
Despite stereotypes to the contrary, Americans with only a high school
diploma are dropping out of church faster than their more-educated
counterparts.
In the 1970s, a new study finds, half of white Americans with a high
school education attended church at least monthly. Now only 37 percent
do. In contrast, 46 percent of highly educated white Americans attend
church, only a 5 percent drop from the 1970s.
...
In the 1980s, the researchers found, there was little difference in
religious participation between high school- and college-educated
whites. But by the 2000s, a gap appeared. Today, 46 percent of
college-educated whites go to a church, synagogue or equivalent
institution at least once a month, compared with 37 percent of high
school-educated whites.
Whites without a high school diploma were the least likely to attend church
in the 1970s and remain so today. In the 1970s, 38 percent attended
church at least monthly. Today, only 23 percent do. (Blacks and
Hispanics do not show the same declines.)
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Please click HERE to read the rest of the article
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