Religion in America

There is a reason why the following poem by Hafiz rings true for so many of us today:

The great religions are ships,
Poets the life boats.
Every sane person I know
Has jumped overboard!
That is good for business,
Isn’t it,
Hafiz?

On Saturday, February 20th, the PCUSA made the Faith section of our local paper, the Johnson City Press. It was in regards to the survey the research department of our denomination made of its members.

The media turned us into national news for a couple of weeks. Here is the story:

The Presbyterian Church USA’s statement of faith says God through Jesus Christ delivers followers “from death to life eternal.”

But one in three members of the nation’s largest Presbyterian denomination seem to believe there’s some wiggle room for non-Christians to get into heaven, according to a recent poll.

I find the whole business embarrassing that so many still are worried about archaic speculation such as heaven and further worried about who will get in or not. This to me is religion at its most superstitious. Many of us are trying to move on.

Today, a letter to the editor in the same paper wrapped it all tightly in a bundle of crazy:

Jesus is the way.

Headline in Saturday’s paper: “More than one-third believe non-Christians will have spot in Heaven.” Headline in Noah’s day: “99.999 percent of population believe boat builder to be insane.” Jesus is the way or he is a liar. Your choice.

Welcome to religion in America, 2010.