Christians in the US need to do their homework.......

[blue sky at night]

Mike Malloy mentioned this excerpt on the Harpers Website by Bill McKibben. It is amazing in a way but not unexpected knowing how truly dumb Americans are getting. (no time for homework!)
A quick Snip and a Link.

Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may be further evidence of our nation’s educational decline, but it probably doesn’t matter all that much in spiritual or political terms. Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves.” That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin’s wisdom not biblical; it’s counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans—most American Christians—are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up.

http://www.harpers.org/

[IntravenousDemilo]

1. I just picked up the magazine yesterday

There's also a good story there about how the Republicans stole Ohio in the last election, while the press sits idly by.

[lizzieforkerry]

6. REALLY?!?! I am going to buy it today!!

I'll have to admit I believed that hte Bible said this phrase. I just chalked it up to Old Testiment angry God who told us to smite our neighbors and beat our children. I just thought it was something Fundies brought out to prove their conservative point, ignoring the liberal ideas of Christ. Thanks for letting me know!!!

[dhinojosa]

2. Hahaha. passing this one on...nt

[theHandpuppet]

3. Sheesh!

Even this non-Christian was able, off the top of my head, to name 9 of the 10 commandments and all four authors of the Gospels.

[greekspeak]

4. I'd love to give this test to the kids taking my intro New Testament class

I know that I would be shot down by the powers that be, but I would still love to see what, on the first day, people's notions are of Christianity.

[Kalish]

5. most Americans are woefully ignorant of the Bible

pollsters call them up and ask 'are you christian'....and they pause for a few seconds and say...'uhhhh, yeah.'

[Toots]

7. Any right thinking person would know Joan of Arc was Noah's mistress not

his wife. :shrug: Sheesh

[seabeyond]

8. an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, vengence is mine sayth the

lord. they never add the part where god says it is his job to punish, do they.

do the religious right knowing leave this out, or leave it out because they have never actually read the passage

my kids were in a baptist christian school for 6 years. i have never been a church goer, always been a christian, and interested in all relgions. i could run circles around all the people in the church/school. even the preacher, on just the little information i had. the trick

walk it in love. walk it in love, you are doing as jesus says. walk it in love, always, you end up right/winner.....and it is always a win win for both. that is the clue in, that it was walked in purity. anytime anyone came from hate, isolating a group or another, the argument was lost

all this isnt hard.

[blue sky at night]

10. I really do believe that is the way to god.

Thanks for the reply, you made my day.

[seabeyond]

11. religion is hitting hard in my world

with people i love. "hard work". but then ultimately, as i said, with people i love, ergo love, how hard can that be. lol lol

i had a tough time with religion yesterday. listening to the requirement to keep lie alive, to protect the bible in literal sense. that is so hard for religious. always there is hypocrisy, defending the lie

creationism is live and well, and a wonderful example of a religious to have to adopt and protect a lie with 3562 years this earth has existed.

i demand that anyone insist that is literally true also embrace, i woman, am allowed to be beat up and murdered by male in gods eye. slaves are ok.

sorry god, you know what, may not know what you are talking about (i think i do, but that is a whole nother story), but i just really really feel, me being beat up, raped, tortured or murder is not what you want for me.

breathe out. lol lol

told friend yesterday, i cannot hear another mention of church or religion. told boys in car, we can talk jesus and god all we want.

summer is good because i am isolated from community of "good christians". when school starts, it is all around me. it is starting to come around me

(this is becoming a rant, but....)

and then to have it so much a part of what our judicial and government, body of law are implementing for me to follow. i mean, they are telling me i must live by their religious rule

wrong wrong wrong

it is the obvious, like me telling a repug texas male that knows me well, i get pissed when you in giggle with your friends and say i am not a christian. evil, satan. dude...........i know you sit with your friends and say how all liberals dont have family value, arent christians. it makes me mad

he says..........really, (in confusion)

fuck ya. really. asshole

see i have to go out in it in about an hour. getting scared. wink

there is no fear but fear alone. i will just bravely walk right into it with all the faith in the world. a smile and love, all it takes. but damn.....

[China_cat]

9. They've since given up, realizing how stupid it was,

but there was a religious sect about 20 years ago that claimed to have the skull of the baby Jesus as a relic.

While still professing the death and resurrection of the adult.