This is why 10-year-olds believe in God...
Sam had last week off from school. But unbeknowst to me, he was supposed to be working on a project for some subject. It slipped his mind until this morning, one hour before he was due back in school. To his credit, he was gamely trying to throw something together before leaving for school. Then his older brother noticed that there were no cars in the parking lot of the high school, went on the Internet and found that, due to, I don't know, rain or something, schools in town were closed.
It was like a reprieve from the governor right before the switch on Ol' Sparky is thrown.
Now, Sam has a whole day to do his project, a gift from the heavens.
But, as one of my co-workers asked me, "What do you think the odds are that he'll be done with the project by the time you get home from work?''
There may be no athiests in the foxholes of fourth grade, but 10-year-olds also believe in a little thing called Tempting Fate.
It was like a reprieve from the governor right before the switch on Ol' Sparky is thrown.
Now, Sam has a whole day to do his project, a gift from the heavens.
But, as one of my co-workers asked me, "What do you think the odds are that he'll be done with the project by the time you get home from work?''
There may be no athiests in the foxholes of fourth grade, but 10-year-olds also believe in a little thing called Tempting Fate.
posted by Michael Riley at 10:32 AM
16 Comments:
MR wrote:
"There may be no athiests in the foxholes of fourth grade.."
They're there. At least the children of atheists are there. You just don't know it. In fact, there are more atheists in this country than there are Jews and Muslims combined. If you're seeing Jews and Muslims in the fourth grade then you're seeing atheists, too.
I don't know if there are more children of atheists, or more children from homes of parents/grandparents who believed something once, or still believe something, but just don't practice anything due to anger, disinterest or lack of time.
It's all of the above. People who don't actively participate in religion are another category beyond atheism -- 14% of the U.S. population, if I recall correctly.
where do agnostics fit into that mix I wonder?
just because you do not actively participate (translation: attend a religious facility) doe not mean you are not a spiritual believer/follower...not to be diminished by the unchristian-like judgmental "active" participants..it really does not matter where you practice your beliefs, but that you practice them..
and before papinian, or whacko anon jump to any conclusions, I am not an agnostic or an atheist, I am a Christian believer who embraces all beliefs...
dg, God knows where you're at. Church really means a lot to me, but you know your reasons for not attending, and who knows. Life is a funny thing...someday you might be attending again... or not. Regardless, God knows your heart.
The category was atheists/agnostics. IOW, non-believers.
dg wrote:
"just because you do not actively participate (translation: attend a religious facility) doe not mean you are not a spiritual believer/follower..."
Right. My point was that atheists/agnostics (non-believers) are more numerous than Jews and Muslims combined in the U.S. and that there are also those who don't relate to a particular religion and that this is a separate category from atheists/agnostics.
Ray where are the statistics for that statement. I'm not being facetious. Is there a website with that specific information, or is it what you've heard, or just believe strongly?
While does not specifically state the findings in the US, The World Almanac for Kids 2007 gives statistics fo religions...
It states that as of 2004 there are more than 2.1 billion Christians in the world,, 375 million Buddhists, 1.3 billion Muslims, and 15 million Jews. I looked for Agnostics and Atheists, but there were no statistics for them...I'll have defer to Ray for those...
margaret wrote:
"Ray where are the statistics for that statement."
Go to the Gallup poll results at:
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=1690&pg=2
There are a few results there that you might find enlightening. The question about beliefs separates out the atheist from agnostic positions but the most recent combined result is about 7%. You have to realize that this is always going to be an underestimate because many people are afraid to admit publicly their lack of belief.
I wrote the hyperlink wrong in the above post. It won't work. This will:
Gallop Poll, religion
Thank you for the Gallup poll info, Ray. It did provide some insight as to why people are or are not religious, or at least practicing their religions. I did not see that 14% figure you spoke of, though I did see on page one a combined non-relgious and undecided of 12%. The thing is, this a a national gallup poll and those who were given it or responded to it are the ones represented, not the actual entire nation. I know I was not polled. I don't exactly know how the gallup poll works; forgive my ignorance, though I have heard of it.
Not everyone in the country gets asked the questions. If they did, it wouldn't be a poll, it would be a simple head-count. I didn't get asked either. Public polling works as evidenced by the fact that polls taken at different times get virtually the same results, so the poll does indeed represent the entire nation.
We are overlooking the tragic error in the VT rampage case, namely a mentally ill person being able to purchase a gun, once “in person” and once over the internet. It seems odd to the rational thinking individual because when we receive prescription medication it is registered via computer so there is no “double dipping” of prescriptions. Since this person was depressed, on medication and declared a mentally unsound, a reasonable background check would have revealed that Cho should not have been sold a gun. Purchases of guns over the internet is purely absurd – what’s next, dirty suitcase bombs?
I don’t know if there is a procedure in place to check one’s medical record (at least the competency matter) when purchasing a gun, but there should be, which would be remedy #1. The second remedy would be to have a longer waiting period to purchase a gun than 10 days, or 30 days. etc. Our fathers always taught us that “a car was not a toy;” we took Drivers Ed courses and then a written and road test before being given a license to drive.
Mr. Cho’s background check in effect was “do you have any mental issues?” to which he responded “no, honest,” and left the store with a gun. A glock for those times when you have to kill multiple deer.
If students or teachers had a gun this event would have been minimized, most likely, but it wouldn’t have been eliminated because before a student or teacher realizes he has to use his gun (defend himself) a murder(s) would first have to occur.
Under reasonable gun laws, being adequate background checks and a waiting period proportionate to the seriousness of the item purchased, the event in VT and elsewhere might have been avoided, and until the time that we enact such legislation we will have people standing up for the rights at the expense of others falling to their deaths.
David DiBello
25 Nicole Court
Lakewood, NJ 07801
646-275-7534
Free Speech in Vulnerable Minds
I didn’t like the “Honeymooners” because it always feigned threats of physical violence by Mr. Kramden against his wife, which I felt set a bad precedence. My mother reassured me that “no one took it seriously,” but I believe her polling numbers did not extend beyond our family. I wonder how many misogynists in the 50’s felt a mere slap would be viewed as humorous or sub-consciously condoned acceptable.
I was also reminded by a friend that I am no fan of “the Sopranos,” believing it glorifies ignorant behavior and sheds Italians in a bad light. This is why my support for the I-man seemed so curious. I think it’s like that friend you grew up with who always told crude jokes, misbehaved in class, took crazy chances in life, cheated on his girlfriend but knew the soul that lied beneath; in a crisis situation he would always come through for his friends.
And so when Imus made fun of Jews, Italians, Blacks, et al I am as guilty, or naïve as my mother in thinking no one took what he said seriously; besides, he’s a genuinely nice guy whom with I grew up via the airwaves. I also am reminded of the rock bands of the 70’s like Black Sabbath and Kiss who had “suggestive lyrics” and dark images that we considered part of an act. The lines from Alice Cooper’s song, “I Love the Dead” declare with a lust “their bluing flesh for me to hold, cadaver eyes see nothing…” and we shrugged our shoulders.
Most of us. This week reaffirmed not all take things “with a grain of salt.” It is equally compounding since we are educated and informed enough to know about the psychological roots words take, and how they affect our sub-conscience. I remember that old commercial ending with a Mother telling her young daughter “I wish you were never born,” and sadly think we haven’t learned at all.
I wonder how many songs, video games or movies reinforced the Virginia Tech madman’s wild imaginings and made acceptable his course of action?
What’s more important, reinforcing the free speech (I can do whatever I want) theory, or being emotionally healthy and physically safe? The same people who espouse free speech also think security is more important than liberties with regard to the terrorist threat. They also feel its part of freedom to walk into a store in Virginia, declare “no history of mental illness, scout’s honor,” and walk out with a gun in faster time than microwave popcorn.
In the late 60’s a woman performing for President Nixon stopped in mid song and said, “Mr. President, if Jesus were in this room right now you’d stop the bombing in Vietnam.” Inappropriate, but if that were our criteria now can we stand self righteous before our deity and say “nappy headed ho” - it’s just a joke? Or would we bow our heads and throw out our Andrew Dice Clay tapes?
It’s about time we think of our dignity and clean up our act.
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