U.S. Views on God and Life Are Turning Hindu ~ Newsweek

We Are All Hindus Now

By Lisa Miller NEWSWEEK
Published Aug 15, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Aug 31, 2009

"America is not a Christian nation. We are, it is true, a nation founded by Christians, and according to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as Christian (still, that's the lowest percentage in American history). Of course, we are not a Hindu—or Muslim, or Jewish, or Wiccan—nation, either. A million-plus Hindus live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth. But recent poll data show that conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our selves, each other, and eternity." continue reading

on the same shelf:

• Newsweek says “We Are All Hindus Now”August 18th, 2009 - 11:02 am ICT by sampurn
• We are all Hindus now, so let's say 'Om': Newsweek, ZOPAG.com

Whatever has happened to Hell?

Note: Visualization of spirituality / secularism with a different mindmap, as depicted by Susan White in the following. Read the note by Dr. Kumar, below on this mindmap.

by Dr. Sehdev Kumar Editorial. SouthAsianObserver.com

Extract: In the spirit of emerging Gaia consciousness - the earth consciousness - an Australian artist, Susan White portrays Seven Deadly Sins in a modern version: Indifference replaces Anger; Sucking Up Envy; Self-Effacement Pride; Celibacy Lust; Dieting Gluttony; Workcoholism Sloth, and Squandering Avarice, all watched by the all-seeing eye of Gaia rather than of God.

Yet despite all, on life’s slippery slopes, at some tortuous moments, hell does become an unbearable reality for all of us in one form or another. The Pursuit of Happiness seems so often an illusion; we are tormented by the meaninglessness of life, and by its frailty, and by its unexpected twists and turns. Sweet fragrance turns sour; youth slips away; innocence becomes icy; spring seems far, far away. One then looks towards the door on Dante’s Inferno, and reads a sign: “Abandon all hope ye who enter here”.

Life without Hope! Could this be the meaning of Hell? continue reading

On the same shelf:

The 7 Deadly Sins Sampler ~ Daniel Born

Pride • Envy • Anger • Sloth • Greed • Gluttony • Lust

Ten Things You Can Do to Build Religion-Labor Partnerships

by Kim Bobo
Partnerships between the religious community and labor community are growing at an unprecedented pace. In 2001, seminary and rabbinical students worked directly for labor unions as part of the Seminary Summer program. An emerging network of labor coalitions around the country is systematically reaching out to people of faith in support of critical labor issues. Hundreds of cities participate in the Labor in the Pulpits program every Labor Day. The national AFL-CIO leadership has consistently met and worked with national religious leadership and has urged it's regional staff and affiliates across the nation to build partnerships. continue reading

Quality of Life -- Spiritual Thoughts Re-Visited

"Spiritual well-being is considered by some to be the most significant dimension of quality of life, and may also be the least well understood. Until recently, the concept of spirituality was considered to be faith-based or religious in nature. Although religion may well be a part of the spiritual dimension of quality of life, there are many other aspects of this dimension to be considered. Spiritual well-being encompasses uncertainty, religiosity, the meaning of illness and suffering, the purpose of life, transcendence (lying beyond the limits of ordinary experience) and hopefulness. It is not difficult to see how a diagnosis of cancer can lead to self-doubt and conflict with one's beliefs. In contrast, some will find meaning and solace through reliance on their strong spiritual foundation." continue reading: From the desk of the Laura Hilderley, R.N., M.S., Member, Rhode Island Cancer Council, Inc. December 2001 Quality of Life

Solar eclipse scares Indian mothers-to-be

By Harmeet Shah Singh, CNN
NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- While many now recognize the scientific explanation for a solar eclipse, the phenomenon is still marked with tradition and sometimes suspicion in Hindu-majority India. continue reading

What Do Religions Believe? A Website with Answers

By Jeninne Lee-St. John Tuesday, May. 05, 2009

Quick — what's the difference between Methodists and Presbyterians? (Presbyterians believe in double predestination; Methodists that free will can help you get to heaven.) Confused about how Hindus believe the world was created? (So are they; the religion has no single canon and there are many, sometimes conflicting, origin stories.) Why are so many celebrities drawn to Scientology? (A key teaching says personal success can help overcome the human condition.) ...

The vast majority of Americans hold some religious affiliation, but we're often too polite — or maybe too shy — to ask friends and neighbors about the nuts and bolts of their beliefs, let alone sneak into a service in a house of worship that we're not thinking of joining. Enter a new website that sets out to explain the differences among religions as well as illuminate the areas of common ground. Patheos.com, which is launching on Tuesday, is a mash-up of path and theos, the Greek word for "god." ... continue reading