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Key Factors Driving Christianity’s Declining Influence

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Christianity’s influence in the West has been on the decline over the past decade but the reasons for that may not be as obvious as one might think. One reason for the decline is the internet age. The information age has made it possible for people to study and research Christianity from a vantage point once considered unthinkable. At times in history, it was a death sentence to be caught in possession of the Holy Bible, but now Christians can learn of the history of any Christian sect or denomination. This allows people to get a holistic view on how the collective religion has progressed over history. Gone are the illusions of a church so perfect in its beliefs devoid of human frailties. Now, people are able to view the Christianity from the perspective that belief in a perfect Savior does not translate into a perfect set of followers or a perfect body of Christian worshippers. For some, this realization may lead to a loss of faith in the religion all the way up to a loss of faith in deity. This doesn’t have to be the result though. Learning of the short-comings of people can be a reaffirmation of the good we all can achieve despite ever being just imperfect people.

Also, societal evolution has advanced and at times has been directly against established beliefs regarding same gender attraction. As one segment of the population moves toward greater equality, traditional Christians are faced with a dilemma of whether they are expanding their understanding of a loving God or compromising their faith for a more worldly view. Again, advances in one segment of society cause a constriction of faith in Christianity. To be completely fair, the same is happening in other world religions as well. Perhaps what all Christians have to face is that the understanding of our faith is evolving. While this may seem as a threat to true worship by some, it in fact, has always been the case. God is perfect but for all those who are not, a constant evolution of faith will be required as we increase in the measure of that God we trust and love.

Eating Habits: Things to Know

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

People from Italy wouldn’t know what to do with your HOME SECURITY ALARM just as you wouldn’t know how to work a bidetisn’t it interesting how different we all are, culturally? One of the biggest ways we clash is in our eating styles: here are a few things to note if you’re travelling abroad:
French Drink Wine: Always. A glass of good wine is EXPECTED with dinner so don’t turn your nose up at a little old lady or even a pregnant woman when you see her sipping vino. They know moderation so even if you don’t drink be prepared.
Italians Linger: If you want to go to dinner in Rome or another populated city in Italy, plan ahead. It’s going to be a 3 hour ordeal, minimum, and you’ll be treated to at least 3 courses during your sit down.
Germans Keep Distance: Germans have a big personal-space bubble so they won’t cram themselves into a booth or eat off of each other’s plates. Mind your Ps and Qs when you’re dining with Germans lest you invade their area of comfort.

The Evolution Of Morals Within The Western Civilizations

admin — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A simple answer to questions about the basis for morals in Western Civilization is that they came from the Judeo-Christian Tradition. Simple answers are often quite misleading or incomplete. While it is safe to say that the teachings of these two great religions influenced morals they did were not totally responsible for them.

Morals are an expression of culture. What is culture you may ask? Culture has been said to be shared solutions to common problems. These shared solutions become the moral values that direct the actions of people within each culture. Monogamy is an excellent example. Western Civilization places a high value on property rights. Multiple partners and their resulting offspring can create havoc with issues of ownership and inheritance. Therefore Western Civilization adopted monogamy as a cultural solution to this problem. The credited it to Judeo-Christian teachings. Research disproves this assertion as early Jewish society did embrace multiple wives.

Morals decline when the original problems no longer exist or are minimized. New solutions are found to more immediate problems and the morals change. The impact of birth control on morals demonstrates this. When women can regulate their fertility then monogamy is no longer needed as a cultural value.

New Environmental Challenges Facing The United States Of America

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The 21st century has opened the door to a limitless number of technological advances. From communication to transportation, everything is becoming faster, more efficient and reliable. However, the serge in technology poses serious problems to the environment. The United States will be facing some seriously challenges in protecting its land, and the quality thereof, in the coming decades.
The fact that all transportation services are becoming more dependable means one thing and one thing only; that they require more energy. As of today, an overwhelming amount of our energy comes from oil, the supply of which is quickly depleting. Once what we have runs out, there will be a huge demand to dig for more oil in places that have so far been kept protected. However, this cannot go on for long, especially if no ulterior sources of energy are found. If (and when) digging for oil proceeds in places like Alaska, it will become a monstrous threat to the land, vegetation as well as the land and marine life of the ecosystem.
Today, the United States is trying to resolve the issue of current environmental damage and is trying to find alterior energy sources so it does not have to deal with further environmental damage in additional places.

The Industrial Revolution’s Impact On Today’s Western Cultures

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Up until the steam engine became standard as a form of power most people worked in growing food. Most of Europe’s population were peasants, tied to the land, sold with it when the lord sold it to another. Peasants had no rank, merely numbers. They were uneducated and governed by church and king, kept in check by knights and men at arms unless they themselves were drawn into a war and armed with crude spears and blades. They were only slightly above the cattle they raised.

The Industrial Revolution had its horror stories of inhumane factories of the Oliver Twist nature but the seeds of liberty were also planted.Is this new to you? Catch up here The peasants left the fields and entered the factories. But while they labored long hard hours at toil for low wages, they thought about what they had in common and decided to act as one. In America they labor movement had its beginnings in the mills when workers worked together to get better treatment. It took years but finally public sympathy in newspapers and political support. Laws were enacted to govern child labor, regulate safety, provide a fair wage structure, and prevent abusive practices by mill and factory owners. The image of the huge mill and factory is not a pleasant one, but what happened inside was good for workers and their lives. We owe these labor heroes a debt of thanks.

The Pros And Cons Of Religious Freedom

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Freedom from religious persecution is what compelled many European settlers to come to the “new world’ hundreds of years ago. Individuals have the privilege of adhering, or not adhering, to a religious belief of their choosing. As with all beliefs there are pros and cons.

The advantages of religious freedom cover the total spectrum of human life. People can exercise free will to join, or not join, a particular faith. People enjoy the ability to observe and practice their faith without fear of intimidation. Individuals can wear religious garments and to display religious objects without fear of reprisal. Religious freedom allows people from different faiths to peacefully work and socialize together without prejudice.

There are also some cons associated with religious freedom. In an area where there is one major religion, an individual from another religion may be shunned or ignored. There can be the insolence of some religious members that expect others to take on their values and belief that theirs is the only true religion and that their Lord is the only savior.

Religious belief is a personal value and to be respected, not ridiculed. The more we understand about diversity, the more we can appreciate each other.