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TheArtist
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« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2009, 06:04:49 pm » |
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I am gonna just push away from the Dem vrs Rep on this one. I also don't think its a religious thing per say either.
I am a 4th generation Tulsan and from the best that I can recall and discern, something has indeed changed from when I was a kid and even from my parents generation and earlier, pertaining to how people think. Think about science and religion in general, and just how they think and reason, period.
I remember as a little boy staying with my grandmother every summer and spring break. We would walk to the little country church around the corner where she played the piano and church organ for the congregation. This side of the family was very poor, but worked hard and valued learning. She wore those simple handmade dresses, farmed and raised cattle, she would walk to church holding her bible in one hand while I proudly held her other hand. I remember going to Bible School and memorizing the books of the bible, and bible verses, etc. I remember going to Falls Creek as a young teen. But I also remember my grandmother as being someone who was very intelligent and talented. My mom was a college professor and taught science in grade school and high school. There were always books in my home and both grandparents homes to read. Lots and lots and lots of books. There was school and there was church, and the topics never mixed.
I actually cant remember a single time in my life when anyone in my family or extended family really mentioned church outside of church other than asking what you were going to wear that Sunday etc. lol. We didn't preach at people, or use religious language or quote bible verses and couch everything in a religious context. We were out eating the other day when my mother was in town and the people behind me in the booth were, actually getting annoying. They were discussing religious stuff, LOUDLY, this one guy kept singing religious songs, etc. Besides the fact that they had poor manners and were so loud, the point is it seems like there are more and more people who are just consumed with church, and church groups, church outings, making sure everyone else is "in on it".
The other day a lady on another forum mentioned something very interesting. She had recently moved here from the east coast. She said she was a Christian, had always gone to church,,, but she noticed something very different about things here. She said it seemed harder to make friends with the neighbors here. People are very friendly on the one hand, but distant on another. As she kept reaching out to her neighbors and community as was her habit where she used to live she noticed that people were busy doing things "with their churches" Kids soccer was with the church soccer club for instance. She said where she used to live there was more of a sense of community within the neighborhood or area you lived in. People went to all different kinds of churches, but their church wasn't so entwined with everything else, so all consuming as it seems here. You went to church but you also did things with your neighbors. Here, unless you go to the persons particular church, your kind of on your own. Not true in every case, but just enough truth to make a real and noticeable difference. It was interesting to read her perspective and how she explained it.
I also remember as a kid how important science education was. I remember those bw, fluttery, films that are so cliche in our memory. Science was honored and respected. It was important and so highly valued. I remember the same kinds of films that taught values and manners. Don't talk to strangers, always wear sunscreen lol, look both ways before crossing the street, say yes sir, yes mam and thank you, practice makes perfect, study hard, work hard, eat your vegetables, get plenty of exercise, etc. etc. It wasn't "What would Jesus do?" You just learned good behaviors and habits period. Those old science books and movies made science seem as though it was something incredible. Not something to be scorned.
I would venture to say that its not that we are religious, its that we are perhaps religious differently. Its not that people may or may not be as smart. Its what they are smart about and the respect they give to different things. If you don't respect science, your not likely to respect getting it right. Somewhere along the way that lack of respect led to junk science and pseudoscience getting a big foothold. People cant discern between whats real and not real, then add to that religion that has become more a part of politics, daily life, community life, and one that has a tendency to believe in "magic" (vrs unknown and mystery, but with good science ultimately knowable). Which leads to another thing. More and more churches here ascribe to the "waving around of hands up in the air for some magical who knows what reason, flopping around on the floor, faith healing, working yourself up into some ecstatic trance by singing and saying adjectives like "wonderful, glorious, awesome, powerful, super duper megalistic,,," swaying back and forth jumping, up and down. At my church as a kid you stood up, sat down, didn't fidget or cough lol. I can only guess that blabbering nonsense, rolling your eyes around, then flopping around on the floor would have been a definite no no.
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