Christians know...

Christians know...

It looks like they're finally getting it. They've been getting less and less popular by the day and finally they're catching on to why.

Have you heard of the Barna Group... and David Kinnaman? David is the group's president. The group is a Christian research company. And the newest research is that the news for Christianity isn't so good. I read this article on teen skepticism.

"UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity... and Why it Matters" is the title David Kinnaman chose for his new book - a book about how the perception of Christianity has been changing over the course of several generations and most rapidly over the past ten years. Importantly, moreover, is that the trending line for Christian popularity has been on a downward slope. "Outsiders" (as David tags non-Christians) are on the rise - no news there - but now there's research from "insiders" suggesting why. And guess what, there's really no new news there either...

What David Kinnaman and his research group have been finding out sounds just exactly like what atheists have been saying forever: Christianity is judgmental, hypocritical, old hat and way to involved in politics.

But here's a little something that may wet your whistle to read Mr Kinnaman's book anyhow: Christian teens, the book promises to claim, have the same complaints about Christianity as there counterpart "outsider" friends. Now that's an interesting finding, isn't it!?

It does appear, at last, that Christian researchers, or at least this group of them, are getting it. Christianity is growing negatively for good reasons. Let's hope the news spreads to the ordinary Joe Biblethumper on the street. I know I wouldn't mind (in the least way) seeing some Christian change take place from within - less judgmental-ism, less hypocrisy, a lot less emphasis on old notions and less (oops... make that NO) political nosiness - these are all on my wish list for Christian change. But I guess I ought to add one more, eh? How about less ov'em. Yea, that would work...
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Halloween ... Eeeek! It must have been the work of a ghost.

Halloween ... Eeeek! It must have been the work of a ghost.

Unless you're a totally over-the-top believer of ghosts, ghouls, goblins (and gods, including Jesus H. Christ) Halloween is a great time to have a little family and community fun. But apparently that's not how Pat Robertson's CBN sees it.

According to bloggers, Trian Hoaks and "Hump" (Atheist Camel) an article written by Kimberly Daniels and published on CBN blasted the traditional Halloween fun as being a night filled with the doings of Satan - even the candy is suspect of being demonic according to Daniels.

But what's this...? The article has suddenly gone missing. Could it have been a ghost at work? (LOL) I doubt it. I suspect Pat's site was getting a tad to many negative hits...

Courage of conviction must not be a virtue, eh?

But so what... What are you waiting for...? Its Halloween! Toss on a bed sheet, cut a couple of eye holes and go out trick-or-treating. Just have fun. That's what Halloween is for.

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One small step of reason... one giant leap over taxpayer-paid faith-healing.

One small step of reason... one giant leap over taxpayer-paid faith-healing.

This is something religionists have to get comfortable with: Reasonable decision making. Our congress has recently acted to scratch-out all clauses pertaining to "paid medical faith-healing" and "paid spiritual healing" from its upcoming health care reform bill... Thank reason.

Religionists on the whole won't likely not be very surprised by the news. It's not like congress is saying don't pray for your sick friends (since everyone knows prayer doesn't work.) What they're saying instead is, we know prayer doesn't work so we're not letting tax money pay for it. You see, there isn't any difference between the two positions stated with regard to the effectiveness of prayer, yet there remains a difference... individual liberty is protected. People who want to pray can continue to act stupidly and believe in prayer if they like. Those who want to beat drums, shake rattles, make smoke and chant or bend their knees and clasp their hands to save their sick and dieing relatives, can... and the public won't have to pay for it. That's good for all of us.

That's how reason works for everyone and I hope believers will get use to the idea that our legal system isn't "out to do them wrong" but rather it is out to make reasoned decision based on evidence and to protect the remainder of society from being forced into taking any part in or paying for stupidity. And that's KOOL, isn't it...!?

Honestly!