Pew U.S. Religious Landscape Survey

Originally Discussed April 8th, 2010

Interesting statistics about American population:

• 1.7% Jewish
• 0.6% Muslim
• 78.4 % Christian
• 6.1% Unaffiliated
• 
  
• The Millenial Generation (18-29 yr.old), is less religious than older generations, but a rising trend among this generation of remaining traditional.

• Prayer frequency goes down when incomes rise

• Men more likely to have no religious affiliation

• 40% of couples married to person of a different faith

• Hindus and Mormons most likely to marry within their faith

• The Midwest is most representative of the total population

• West has the most unaffiliated populations

• 15% of population prays every day (including the Unaffiliated)

1. Maybe this is related to the amount of Christians who are taught
to be in prayer all the time
2. All Abrahamic faiths have prayers before meals and times they can
ask for “anything.”
xiii. Changes in affliations over time eg. 50 years ago Lutherans had strong denominational loyalty to the point where they did not call themselves Christians. Today that affiliation is not as strong.

Questions

• How do you define who is “practicing” their stated religion?

• Will encouraging more people to marry within their faith, will it spawn more fundamentalism by having people closed off to other beliefs?

• How do you define what is and isn’t praying?

Discussion: Introduction of Basic Texts

Originally discussed: February 4, 2010

Everyone shared their religious upbringings, how texts played into their lives and their current beliefs


In Hinduism, the last Sikh Guru is a book, worshipped

In Islam, the Koran is the main text and people memorize it.

In Greek Orthodox Christianity, only the top church figures read from the Gospel (the life of Jesus). Everyone can read the bible.

In Judaism, the main books are the Torah and the Talmud. Traditionally, only men can read from the Torah in the Synagogue.

Discussion: Religion and Art

Originally discussed: March 10, 2010

Catholicism: Many depictions of Jesus and the prophets

Islam: Disrespectful to depict people in art, especially religious figure, ok for scenery, geometric shapes, calligraphy

Judaism: allowed to portray people and prophets, but not g-d

Greek Orthodox: lots of paintings, icons, figures

In past, non-Christians were depicted poorly

Artists sometimes seen as gifted by g-d

Art is more central to Christianity because at first people were illiterate

Wealthy Christian patrons during the Renaissance commissioned art

Depictions of Jesus usually down according to one’s own culture.

Discussion: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Originally discussed: January 21, 2010

Siddhartha:
About a Young Hindu Brahmin who leaves his family to find religious satisfaction

His journey takes his entire life

Idea of the cyclical nature of life: Siddhartha’s son eventually leaves to find enlightenment on his own

Importance of not blindly following faith and rituals

Siddhartha rejected the idea of teachers because he believed enlightenment could not be taught, must be learned individually.

Govinda (Siddhartha’s closest friend) finds enlightenment by kissing Siddhartha’s head, not through words.

Discussion: Religion and Sex

Religion and Sex: Dec. 12, 2009
Generally, premarital sex and homosexuality is frowned upon in all the Abrahamic faiths

Language of scripture can be interpreted in many ways because they are translated from other languages, less-varied words at the time.

People interpret the bible to fit their own beliefs, can use certain excerpts and ignore others

Different denominations within religions have different stances on these issues

Sex

In Islam, sexual desires are considered similar to other desires, such as hunger and thirst—don’t do it in excess

In Islam and Judaism, once you’re married “have fun,” enjoy sex

In Episcopalian Christianity, premarital sex is considered a sin, but homosexuality is not considered a sin.

Homosexuality

Some believe that homosexuality was forbidden in biblical times because it was more important increase the population back then.

In some types of Christianity, homophobia is a bigger sin than homosexuality because it is denying love

The bible doesn’t say specifically what homosexual actions are wrong

Love is mentioned more often in the bible than homosexuality

Women are hardly mentioned in all of this!!