Perhaps there is a God after all

[tvashtarkatena]

This supports my anecdotal observations of the decline of religiosity in America, particular among younger folks...

 

One in five (American) adults have no religious affiliation

 

...but is it really a decline or more of a transformation?...

 

 

Decline of religiosity?

 

America is fantastically more God fearing than any other first world nation - it is a distinct outlier in this regard - so it would make sense that, over the long term (and given today's much more fluid world of ideas), it would trend towards rather than away from the attitudes of its international colleagues.

 

As religiosity declines, however, certain sects have become more extreme and politically organized - the Born Again movement comes to mind. This has produced a tidal wave of anti gay and anti abortion legislation at the state level over the past ten years. I wonder if this effort will survive the upcoming generation, however, or whether or not it will be thwarted or encouraged by court decisions.

Edited October 10, 2012 by tvashtarkatena

[ivan]

if you liked that report may i recommend this blockbuster trilogy by Oolon Colluphid:

Where God Went Wrong

Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes

Who is this God Person Anyway?

 

[tvashtarkatena]

Still sunny on Oct 10 - just in time to finish painting after many, many delays. I'm willing to entertain the existence of a personal deity.

 

I suspect the rest of you miscreants may have been cut loose, however.

[Stefan]

America is fantastically more God fearing than any other first world nation - it is a distinct outlier in this regard - so it would make sense that, over the long term (and given today's much more fluid world of ideas), it would trend towards rather than away from the attitudes of its international colleagues.

 

I have always thought it was the larger safety nets of the more socialized western governments have created less religiousity--that is why you see less European people being more religious than the U.S. People tend to go to religion when they are in a bad spot...and since governments have been taking over that role, then less people go to a religion. The US is less socialistic and has less safety nets, and therefore people have relied on religion more...

 

just an opinion

[rob]

less != fewer

[ivan]

doesn't the report say its more than people just aren't members of a formal religion, as opposed to true atheists? i can't see 'mericans ever giving up on that fuzzy fusion of jesus and santa claus, ya know?

 

the funny thing is that most folks in this fair land of ours more physically resemble buddha

[tvashtarkatena]

The future is CASCAE.

[tvashtarkatena]

America is fantastically more God fearing than any other first world nation - it is a distinct outlier in this regard - so it would make sense that, over the long term (and given today's much more fluid world of ideas), it would trend towards rather than away from the attitudes of its international colleagues.

 

I have always thought it was the larger safety nets of the more socialized western governments have created less religiousity--that is why you see less European people being more religious than the U.S. People tend to go to religion when they are in a bad spot...and since governments have been taking over that role, then less people go to a religion. The US is less socialistic and has less safety nets, and therefore people have relied on religion more...

 

just an opinion

 

Travel in the 3rd world, which tends to be pretty religious, doesn't indicate that churches are providing much in the way of a safety net. Our religiosity isn't the only adorable attribute that sets us apart from the rest of the educated world. Why? Sheeeit, there's got to be a few PhDs worth of studies in there for the taking.

[Off_White]

I recently uttered that exact phrase while walking down the street at Burning Man. Some guy on a bike came along and smacked the back of my elbow with his hand really hard, which both startled me and hurt quite a bit. I reacted much too slowly to kick his back tire, but not 100' ahead of me he hit a patch of sand at an intersection, tried to turn, and went down face first into the ground. I automatically blurted "Maybe there is a god after all" thereby cracking up the complete stranger walking next to me. It took the faceplanted dickwhistle a good 15 seconds to start to move, and I proved my superiority by not running up and kicking him in the ribs.

 

 

[Raindawg]

I recently uttered that exact phrase while walking down the street at Burning Man. Some guy on a bike came along and smacked the back of my elbow with his hand really hard, which both startled me and hurt quite a bit. I reacted much too slowly to kick his back tire, but not 100' ahead of me he hit a patch of sand at an intersection, tried to turn, and went down face first into the ground. I automatically blurted "Maybe there is a god after all" thereby cracking up the complete stranger walking next to me. It took the faceplanted dickwhistle a good 15 seconds to start to move, and I proved my superiority by not running up and kicking him in the ribs.

 

 

So, did you find out if he wrote any books, and then made a parody of them, and then mocked him for going on book-signing lecture tours? That would have been some gratuitous fun!! Yee haw!

 

[olyclimber]

not as much as digging up some corpses and bitching about a few scraps of metal on the internet!!!!!!111!!

[olyclimber]

"I am like God, and God like me. I am as large as God, He is as small as I. He cannot above me, nor I beneath Him be. Selatius, 17th Century. "

 

Counselor?

[Raindawg]

not as much as digging up some corpses and bitching about a few scraps of metal on the internet!!!!!!111!!

 

What are you? A 12-year old internet bully in a cubicle?

Got a fascinating job I should be envious of?

Can't handle climbing ethics that don't match your own?

[tvashtarkatena]

An archeologist really isn't the best source for fresh material.

[Off_White]

I recently uttered that exact phrase while walking down the street at Burning Man. Some guy on a bike came along and smacked the back of my elbow with his hand really hard, which both startled me and hurt quite a bit. I reacted much too slowly to kick his back tire, but not 100' ahead of me he hit a patch of sand at an intersection, tried to turn, and went down face first into the ground. I automatically blurted "Maybe there is a god after all" thereby cracking up the complete stranger walking next to me. It took the faceplanted dickwhistle a good 15 seconds to start to move, and I proved my superiority by not running up and kicking him in the ribs.

 

 

So, did you find out if he wrote any books, and then made a parody of them, and then mocked him for going on book-signing lecture tours? That would have been some gratuitous fun!! Yee haw!

 

You're a smart guy, you should have been able to understand I was mocking your opinion of bouldering and climbing gyms, and there was nothing gratuitous about it. For one who likes to make fun of other people, your skin is inordinately thin.

 

 

[Raindawg]

The answer will be in Raindawg's next book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Bouldering and Sportclimbing" coming out next month. He's bound to be doing a book signing event at a gym near you.

 

You're a smart guy, you should have been able to understand I was mocking your opinion of bouldering and climbing gyms, and there was nothing gratuitous about it. For one who likes to make fun of other people, your skin is inordinately thin.

 

Hey, "moderator". You brought me into a "discussion" I wasn't a part of. I'd call that "gratuitous". And I'd call dragging my non-climbing profession into it a "cheap shot". My commentary on bouldering,sport-climbing and gyms is typically general and addresses the concept, not particular individuals. Congratulations! I guess you have now joined the core group of cyber-bullies on cc.com that have driven off so many from this site.

[keenwesh]

your skin is inordinately thin, if you're going to incite the same argument on thread over thread year after year maybe you should toughen up, sugar tits.

[ivan]

actually, raindawg and this "god" feller i hear so much about seem to have a lot in common...

[tvashtarkatena]

Perhaps this smart gentleman would prefer to expand his public statements to topics the venture beyond himself, his many persecutions, and bolts, his proxy for same. If respect is what he so painfully and obviously craves, one must give to receive.

 

He might also consider actually joining a discussion sometime. You know, one that other people are having...the topic at hand comes to mind. Having a multi-millenium perspective on man's relationship with god (an assumption on my part - I know nothing about the man other that he is embarrassingly insecure about his professional life and how it is perceived) might actually bring something enlightening to the table, but one would need to be willing to share more than a cartoon cut out of themselves, and remove the word 'deign' from their emotional lexicon, to make something like that happen.

 

I expect I'll get the standard '17000 posts little man!' response. The Dawg is nothing if not predictable. He might be a lot more interesting and engaging if he we a bit less so, at least here.

 

Or not. Perhaps that's all there is to the man.

Edited October 12, 2012 by tvashtarkatena

[tvashtarkatena]

your skin is inordinately thin, if you're going to incite the same argument on thread over thread year after year maybe you should toughen up, sugar tits.

 

Eh, what was that, Keenwash?

 

Couldn't resist...

[tvashtarkatena]

actually, raindawg and this "god" feller i hear so much about seem to have a lot in common...

 

I hear you're one year closer to finding out in person, however improbable that outcome may have seemed on occasion. You'll always look like a big kid to me. OK, a fucking enormous kid. Thank God you're hairless or the Samsquanch sightings would be edging out the BIAS ALERTS on Foxnews by now.

Edited October 12, 2012 by tvashtarkatena

[Pete_H]

Praise Jah.

[keenwesh]

 

Eh, what was that, Keenwash?

 

You're trying to incite my rage. I ain't fallin' for it. Plus, "Waeschle" translates to something to do with washing in German, so you're kinda spelling it right.

 

I shoulda come up with a more creative handle.

[tvashtarkatena]

You just did.

 

So your name translates roughly to "Neato Laundry"?

 

I'm named after a king.

 

An Irish king, so he'd have barely qualified for the janitorial staff among the Teutons.

 

See, we are all related in a sense, depending on how little sense one uses for the analysis.

Edited October 12, 2012 by tvashtarkatena

[keenwesh]

"Keenan" is irish name that means ancient or distant (thanks wikipedia)

So my name roughly translates to ancient laundry. Fuckin' fascinating!