How Americans View God

**MizMotown** · October-07-10, 02:07 PM

Interesting article in USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religio...V_N.htm?csp=hf

**Detroitnerd** · October-07-10, 02:27 PM

For some reason, this article reminds me of The Onion.

**maxx** · October-07-10, 03:47 PM

Bader says Whittington described how " 'our cars that are breaking down here will be chariots in heaven. Our empty bank accounts will be storehouses with the Lord.' "

Jesus mentioned mansions in heaven but not chariots. lol And why would souls need storehouses in heaven? What are they storing?

Those who see God as engaged in daily life [[authoritative or benevolent) are nearly twice as likely as those whose God is critical or distant to say that God often performs miracles that defy the laws of nature.

Defying the laws of nature? I'd like to hear those stories.They're probably like celebrity ghost stories.

**MizMotown** · October-07-10, 05:20 PM

Jesus mentioned mansions in heaven but not chariots. lol And why would souls need storehouses in heaven? What are they storing?

LOL

celebrity ghost stories

I actually kinda like that show... It's up there with Snapped. Forensic Files, and I Survived.

**MizMotown** · October-07-10, 05:23 PM

The Godfather God

The Authoritative God. When conservatives Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck proclaim that America will lose God's favor unless we get right with him, they're rallying believers in what Froese and Bader call an Authoritative God, one engaged in history and meting out harsh punishment to those who do not follow him. About 28% of the nation shares this view, according to Baylor's 2008 findings.
"They divide the world by good and evil and appeal to people who are worried, concerned and scared," Froese says. "They respond to a powerful God guiding this country, and if we don't explicitly talk about [[that) God, then we have the wrong God or no God at all."

bleh

DetroitPole · October-08-10, 09:16 AM

Okay, for all those who think God is responsible for the USA's greatness, it boggles my mind how they somehow think we exist in a vacuum. The USA has only been a world power AT BEST since the Spanish-American war, read: about 100 years.

The Mongols were pretty successful, was God on their side? Our former archnemisis the British were wildly successful, and more powerful than us for much of our history, was God on their side? The Romans? The Persians? China is doing pretty well for themselves, especially when you look at where they were 60 years ago - all part of God's fucking plan??

And regarding disasters, they are no better than the mullahs of Iran who claimed their earthquakes were caused by immodest women and turning away from God. We have an extremely dangerous and large strain of fanatics in this country that makes secular Europe look like a paradise.

**maxx** · October-08-10, 09:20 AM

Don't confuse fundies with facts.

**rb336** · October-08-10, 11:23 AM

speaking to the subject of this thread, for my part, generally in the mirror

**blackmath** · October-08-10, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPole

Okay, for all those who think God is responsible for the USA's greatness, it boggles my mind how they somehow think we exist in a vacuum. The USA has only been a world power AT BEST since the Spanish-American war, read: about 100 years.

The Mongols were pretty successful, was God on their side? Our former archnemisis the British were wildly successful, and more powerful than us for much of our history, was God on their side? The Romans? The Persians? China is doing pretty well for themselves, especially when you look at where they were 60 years ago - all part of God's fucking plan??

And regarding disasters, they are no better than the mullahs of Iran who claimed their earthquakes were caused by immodest women and turning away from God. We have an extremely dangerous and large strain of fanatics in this country that makes secular Europe look like a paradise.

This view that God is responsible for the greatness and power of the United States goes all the way back to the very beginning of European settlement here. In 1630 John Winthrop said that the new Massachusetts Bay Colony would be a "City on a Hill", [[quoting the phrase from the Sermon on the Mount) and a shining example of greatness in an otherwise dark and savage world. It was a really bold statement made while still on route to America - the colony wasn't even built yet and it was only ten years after the Plymouth colony was established, but bold moves and even bolder actions are what made the US what it is today.

What is now the United States was settled by two major groups of people with differing ideologies - religious and financial. In New England, most of the initial colonies were founded as religious colonies where people could practice their religion freely, where the church had absolute power, etc, and the colony at Jamestown in Virginia was established simply to make money, nothing more, nothing less. They didn't even bother to ship women there until nearly a decade after its establishment.

This duality still exists in society today, and for me is something that truly sets the United States apart from other countries on Earth. On one hand you have the reverence for religion and on the other you have the desire to make as much money as you can.

Its in your blood.

Blarf · October-08-10, 02:30 PM

Reading articles like that makes me glad I'm not religious. What a bunch of weirdos.

**jcole** · October-08-10, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPole

Okay, for all those who think God is responsible for the USA's greatness, it boggles my mind how they somehow think we exist in a vacuum. The USA has only been a world power AT BEST since the Spanish-American war, read: about 100 years.

The Mongols were pretty successful, was God on their side? Our former archnemisis the British were wildly successful, and more powerful than us for much of our history, was God on their side? The Romans? The Persians? China is doing pretty well for themselves, especially when you look at where they were 60 years ago - all part of God's fucking plan??

And regarding disasters, they are no better than the mullahs of Iran who claimed their earthquakes were caused by immodest women and turning away from God. We have an extremely dangerous and large strain of fanatics in this country that makes secular Europe look like a paradise.

God is on the side of the strongest battalion.

**canuck** · October-08-10, 07:09 PM

God can beat Rocky to a pulp.

**Patrick** · October-08-10, 07:16 PM

And what happens if when if you are reborn as a tree after you die? Where is God then?

**rb336** · October-12-10, 09:17 AM

obviously in the sapwood

**Danny** · October-12-10, 01:06 PM

This is how Americans view God.

1. As a supreme being.

2. As a supreme alien being from planet Heaven.

3. As a once alien being who lead other winged alien beings called "Angels" who colonized Earth over 7,000 years ago but left due to human problems.

4. As a spirit claiming that He created all things.

5. As a man/female noble who wants his name reconized throughout the ages.

6. As a mythological concept of faith within ourselves.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Becuase I know who God is and so is Neda.

**stipes** · October-12-10, 01:31 PM

I dont ever bash anyone that believes in their own way.....About God....................
I sometimes wonder.....We are born.,,and how many of us remember when we was born and seeing the first light....I cant.....I wonder alot if what if life gonna be like when we die...Is it gonna be when the last breath it all goes dark,,and nothing anymore,,,like before we was born....It just ends.....We are done,,,last thing we see in our eyes and mind,,and gone forever...
My God,,and Jesus......My family,my life that I have here on this earth....There is something that is special about us being here....You ever seen this USA as I have you would know....From the beaches of Charleston SC to Coos Bay Ore. then you would know....
There is alot of kids that sit at home that think they isnt nothing,,but they can be anything thay wanna be,,,as long as they believe in their dream.......We all dream ....Hope,,,,love...Thats something................

**maxx** · October-12-10, 02:38 PM

There is alot of kids that sit at home that think they isnt nothing,,but they can be anything thay wanna be,,,as long as they believe in their dream...

If by "believe" you mean do the work necessary. But too many kids dream of being professional athletes or rappers while they don't do much in school to prepare themselves for the real world most adults live in.