Religious survey of US shows hope for humanity!

The PEW poll on religion in the United States (PEW FORUM ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE) was just released. It was taken in the summer of 2007 and included 36,000 people from across the country. Researchers found a few things interesting.

Quite obvious and predictable is the fact that Americans are religious as hell.

One point that I did find interesting was that a majority (70%) of Americans believed that “other” faiths can lead to “salvation” and not just the Christian faith. The people that disagreed with that statement included 84% of Jehovah’s Witnesses and 61% of Mormons with a minority (43%) of Christian evangelicals joining the group.

This broke down into 79% of Catholics and 57% of evangelical Christians, believing that all good people belong in heaven – you go guys!

Statistically, 78% of Americans consider themselves Christians.

One of my most bitter disagreements with some of my most religious friends is about just that; a really good person that has lead an exemplary life is damned to hell if he does not follow a specific Christian faith or denomination. To me, their god has to be a total asshole if he can condemn a good man to burn for eternity just because he was born into a faith that does not qualify for salvation – absurd!

I find this logic unacceptable even though I do not believe in heaven or hell and think those are human inventions just like their god is and since no one knows for sure what the hell is out there; I find their convictions even more irritating.

These friends of mine are not stupid; they are actually very intelligent and well educated. They preach the loving grace of Jesus who would allow all the dregs of humanity into heaven but not rich people – huh?

Anyway, I find solace in the fact that these friends of mine are in a minority; a most definite minority since they do not regard Witnesses and Mormons as Christians anyway.

True, most American Christians know little about “theology” per se but the fact that they believe that all good people deserve heaven bolsters my faith in the basic humanity of man towards fellow man IF left alone and not corrupted by religion as proven by our history.

So my point, religion is a trouble maker and one cause of misery and inhumanity to man in our world. Let our natural goodness shine through which according to the survey may actually be happening.