More Americans have given up their faith or changed religions because of a gradual spiritual drift than switched because of a disillusionment over their churches’ policies, according to a study released Monday that illustrates how personal spiritual attitudes are taking precedence over denominational traditions.
The survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is the first large-scale study of the reasons behind Americans switching their religious faith and found that more than half of people have done so at least once during their lifetime.
Almost three-quarters of Roman Catholics and Protestants who are now unaffiliated with a religion said they had “just gradually drifted away” from their faith. And more than three-quarters of Catholics and half of Protestants currently not associated with a faith said that, over time, they stopped believing in their religion’s teachings...
~ from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ~The survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is the first large-scale study of the reasons behind Americans switching their religious faith and found that more than half of people have done so at least once during their lifetime.
Almost three-quarters of Roman Catholics and Protestants who are now unaffiliated with a religion said they had “just gradually drifted away” from their faith. And more than three-quarters of Catholics and half of Protestants currently not associated with a faith said that, over time, they stopped believing in their religion’s teachings...
When your beliefs don't match up with the world around you, it's not surprising at all that you will abandon those outmoded beliefs!
The only negative in this report is that many state they are still open to religion with "about three in 10 [saying] they had just not yet found the right" one. I suppose they will continue to look, but it's kind of hard to find the right mythology.
The only negative in this report is that many state they are still open to religion with "about three in 10 [saying] they had just not yet found the right" one. I suppose they will continue to look, but it's kind of hard to find the right mythology.
Speaking as an ex-Taoist (or at least a highly lapsed one), I find it interesting that you should make a criticism of other religions based on their selective mythology. On what is Taoism based, if not mythological, emprically unverifiable ideas?
ReplyDeleteThat's not intended to sound aggressive; I'm just curious as to how you square your skepticism with your Taoism. I couldn't, and that's why I no longer consider myself a Taoist, but I'd be interested to hear your take on it.
I have perhaps a similar question.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be critical of "religions," as you call them, across the board. Do you consider Taoism a religion? If not (which is perfectly fine), what do you consider a religion? Taoism is generally considered a religion by western academia, as you probably know.
I should probably post some text somewhere on the blog to answer this question as it comes up frequently.
ReplyDeleteThere are two forms of Taoism: [classical] philosophical and religious. Of the two, the former has been around for thousands and thousands of years. The latter was developed in the early years of the modern era when Taoism was losing favor amongst the people to the religion of Buddhism. To compete, a group of Taoist created a religion out of thin air.
I am a philosophical Taoist. I believe in no creeds, rituals not deities.
That's fair enough.
ReplyDeleteI think it is arguable that there is a similar division within Buddhism, and that there is philosophical Buddhism and religious Buddhism. There is perhaps even philosophical Hinduism (Vedanta).
It's harder to do that with the Abrahamic religions (although perhaps Meister Eckhart and other Christian mystics, and the Sufi poets, approach this), because right from the beginning of one's religious engagement one has to accept such fanciful things as a personal creator God, etc., etc.
AA,
ReplyDeleteI agree. Once the concept of a monotheistic deity is introduced -- this is the foundation of Judaism, Christianity & Islam -- it's difficult, if not impossible, to divorce the philosophy from its religious mooring.
Yes, certainly the same division exists in Buddhism (said this "quasi-Buddhist" who is similarly anti-religious to TRT here). Neither Buddhism nor Taoism posit a deity, at least in their oldest, purest forms which existed before the religious accretions and trappings began to accumulate.
ReplyDeleteRT, your aversion to deity (which I share) is why I wanted to comment on the next post in regard to the suggestion that was made that you check out deism.
Whaddya think? I, for one, doubt that you'll find much resonance with deism.
Peace to you and all your readers. Your agnostic/atheist/quasi-Buddhist friend,
Forest
Forest,
ReplyDeleteYou is right on!