The Great Dialogue

..Hello...Readership seems to be on the rise in Russia! Pageviews by Countries Entry Pageviews United States 2291 Russia 730 Germany 259 Portugal 66 France 65 Ukraine 42 Poland 39 Romania 23 Switzerland 20 Sweden 16

See:  https://barna.org/blog/family-kids/barna-group/how-do-you-define-marriage?utm_source=Barna+Update+List&utm_campaign=a3118c5813-BU_Debating_the_Data12_23_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8560a0e52e-a3118c5813-172086125&mc_cid=a3118c5813&mc_eid=75e096d2c2#.VoUgBfkrIgs

See:   http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/12/25/460797744/a-religious-forecast-for-2050-atheism-is-down-islam-is-rising?sc=tw

SEE:  http://www.npr.org/2015/12/19/458058251/are-you-an-evangelical-are-you-sure

See:  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/18/most-u-s-christian-groups-grow-more-accepting-of-homosexuality/

See:    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/world/africa/senegal-islam-extremism-boko-haram.html?_r=0

See:   http://www.religionnews.com/2015/12/08/orthodox-rabbis-letter-calls-christianity-part-gods-plan/

" The term  evangelical  derives from the Greek word  euangelion  meaning "gospel" or "good news." Technically speaking,  evangelical  refers to a person, church, or organization that is committed to the Christian gospel message that Jesus Christ is the savior of humanity. The Greek root word is used in the New Testament and was popularized in the first centuries A.D..." SEE:     http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/12/evangelical-christian/418236/

Worth reading through...Much important History of the China/Tibetan Conflict...SEE: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/magazine/the-last-dalai-lama.html

SEE:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/27/world/asia/indonesia-islam-nahdlatul-ulama.html?_r=0

SEE:  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34960971

See:  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/17/in-nations-with-significant-muslim-populations-much-disdain-for-isis/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=d857bf86aa-Religion_Weekly_Nov_19_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-d857bf86aa-400098233

SEE:  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/10/most-americans-believe-in-heaven-and-hell/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=7bbbb7536a-Religion_Weekly_Nov_12_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-7bbbb7536a-400098233

See:  http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/11/09/454670739/for-some-muslim-asylum-seekers-in-germany-christianity-beckons?sc=tw

See:   http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/03/454063182/poll-finds-americans-especially-millennials-moving-away-from-religion?sc=tw

...It may be good to read this while remembering that a church is not merely a club where the majority opinion rules: See:   http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/10/26/most-u-s-catholics-hope-for-change-in-church-rule-on-divorce-communion/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=d26578e628-Religion_Weekly_Oct_29_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-d26578e628-400098233

See:    http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/10/21/450557985/its-nepals-biggest-holiday-and-goats-are-not-happy-about-it?sc=tw

See:  https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/733-concerns-over-religious-freedom-have-increased-in-last-three-years#.VhJgT_lVikq

See:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/28/us-pope-usa-idUSKCN0RS13320150928

SEE:  http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pope-francis-challenges-congress-to-heal-world%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98open-wounds%e2%80%99/ar-AAeJiHU?li=AAa0dzB&ocid=iehp

See:  http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/09/22/442517305/the-red-god-had-the-earthquake-blues-but-now-hes-on-a-roll?sc=tw

" The argument goes that religious freedom doesn't just mean the government not picking the hymns a congregation will sing on Sundays. It means allowing faith-based groups to be both true to their beliefs and also active players in public life, on the grounds that it's good for society when people of faith are able to apply their values in concrete acts of service." See:  http://www.cruxnow.com/pope/2015/09/21/pope-francis-could-reframe-the-us-religious-freedom-debate/

SEE:  http://www.religionnews.com/2015/09/16/catholic-us-catholics-measure/

See:   http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/09/15/pope-francis-impact-on-cuba-and-its-church-is-already-being-felt/

SEE:  http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/07/uk-pope-cuba-castros-idUKKCN0R720U20150907

See:  http://www.tricycle.com/blog/gleeful-foreboding

" Indeed, in a few ways, Orthodox Jews more closely resemble white evangelical Protestants than they resemble other U.S. Jews. For example, similarly large majorities of Orthodox Jews (83%) and white evangelicals (86%) say that religion is very important in their lives, while only about one-fifth of other Jewish Americans (20%) say the same. Roughly three-quarters of both Orthodox Jews (74%) and white evangelicals (75%) report that they  attend religious services at least once a month . " See:  http://www.pewforum.org/2015/08/26/a-portrait-of-american-orthodox-jews/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=ff2eef00c1-Religion_Weekly_Aug_27_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-ff2eef00c1-400098233

See:  http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/08/26/india-census-religion-idINKCN0QV0G920150826

" 7. The majority of Americans—regardless of faith or age—believe religious institutions and clergy should not be forced to perform same-sex marriages against their beliefs. A significant majority of Americans disagree with the argument that religious institutions or clergy should be required to perform same-sex marriages against their beliefs; only one-fifth of Americans (19%) say they should be required to do so. Even among those with no faith, less than one-quarter (24%) argue that such institutions should be required to perform same-sex marriages. There is a substantial minority, however, among Americans under 40 (26%) who believe the law should compel religious institutions and clergy members to perform same-sex weddings." SEE:  https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/723-christians-react-to-the-legalization-of-same-sex-marriage-9-key-findings#.VdxbEPlViko

SEE:  http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/08/judaism-and-conversion

SEE:   http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-presbyterian-church-gay-marriage-aftermath-20150807-story.html#page=1

"It is not about Islam and Christianity. It is about the right for everyone to have the freedom to choose, practise, share non-coercively, and change their religion or belief – and it includes the right not to believe as well as the right for adherents of all religions to follow their beliefs," said Lord Alton. SEE:  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/27/dying-for-christianity-millions-at-risk-amid-rise-in-persecution-across-the-globe

http://www.religionnews.com/2015/07/28/federal-prisons-agree-inmates-can-humanists/ (RNS) Under the settlement, the Federal Bureau of Prisons agreed to acknowledge humanism as a "worldview" and allow its adherents the same rights and recognition enjoyed by inmates of other faiths.

SEE:  http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/legal-rights-lgbt-discrimination-religious-freedom-claims/399278/

See:  http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-33619331

...My friends; I urge you to read this--it is a sometimes shocking article in describing what is happening, but it is also a very complete history of the conflicts in the Middle East and the impact on Christians and other religious minorities...If you really want to know the scope of ISIS' impact, read this.... SEE:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/is-this-the-end-of-christianity-in-the-middle-east.html?_r=0

...Populism is now the major influence in the USA: See:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/21/opinion/is-polygamy-next.html?_r=0

See:  http://www.tricycle.com/feature/religion-resurrected

...I am inspired by this; people of the world with disparate spiritual viewpoints CAN make tolerance and mutual support possible, if we only make it a priority over the baser goal of "proving who is right:" See:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/us/chattanooga-mosque-where-gunman-worshiped-mourns-marines.html?_r=1

SEE:  http://thehill.com/homenews/house/247599-religious-freedom-bill-picks-up-momentum

See:  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/13/tibetan-lama-tenzin-delek-dies-in-chinese-prison

" Where does the next advance come?" he asks in an essay at  Politico.  "Now that we've defined that love and devotion and family isn't driven by gender alone, why should it be limited to just two individuals? The most natural advance next for marriage lies in legalized polygamy.... Gay marriage remains illegal in Australia, most of Asia, Africa, and Oceania, and parts of Europe and Mexico; the most liberal of those countries strike me as the most natural places for "the next advance" of marriage. I'd urge my fellow gay-marriage proponents to focus their efforts there––and legalizing group marriage in America right now would strengthen the hands of gay-marriage opponents abroad, confirming slippery-slope arguments that were raised and rejected here. If it ever made sense to avoid this fight as a matter of political strategy, it still does; if gay marriage was ever a more important priority​ than plural marriage, it remains so." ~ Freddie de Boe

See:  http://www.religionnews.com/2015/07/08/indias-debate-can-hinduism-homosexuality-coexist/

SEE:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/08/us/states-weigh-gay-marriage-rights-and-cake.html?_r=0

See:  http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/04/gay-marriage-jim-obergefell-religious-freedom-laws

"...The new law in England and Wales, which was a priority for British Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader David Cameron, allowed gay and lesbian couples to marry beginning March 29, 2014. However, the law prohibits same-sex weddings within the Church of England, which continues to define marriage as between one man and one woman." SEE:   http://www.pewforum.org/2015/06/26/gay-marriage-around-the-world-2013/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=130333f5d9-Religion_Weekly_July_2_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-130333f5d9-400098233

See:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/us/with-same-sex-decision-evangelical-churches-address-new-reality.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=2

SEE:  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/06/26/how-a-supreme-court-decision-for-gay-marriage-would-affect-religious-institutions/

See:  http://gu.com/p/4a3c7/sbl

SEE:  http://www.pewforum.org/2015/06/16/catholics-divided-over-global-warming/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=b7e1eb6856-Religion_Weekly_June_18_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-b7e1eb6856-400098233

See:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/09/us/some-evangelicals-take-new-look-at-bibles-stance-on-gays.html?_r=0

See:  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/19/growing-share-of-u-s-immigrants-have-no-religious-affiliation/

See:   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32929855

SEE:  http://www.charismanews.com/us/48944-34-000-black-churches-break-ties-with-presbyterian-church-usa

...Shades of Cain!   SEE:  http://n.pr/1KpRos5

The Vatican Calls Ireland's Vote for Same-Sex Marriage a 'Defeat for Humanity' The remark is the most critical made by the church so far http://time.com/3897462/ireland-gay-marriage-same-sex-vatican-pietro-parolin/?xid=emailshare

SEE:  http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-32722155

See:   http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32862824

See:  http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-32760416

See: http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/

SEE:  https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/714-what-do-americans-believe-about-jesus-5-popular-beliefs#.VU34PvlViko

See:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/04/28/402840690/justices-deeply-divided-over-same-sex-marriage-arguments?sc=tw

See:  http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/10/16/middle-easterners-see-religious-and-ethnic-hatred-as-top-global-threat/

SEE:   http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/05/397624826/in-easter-address-pope-condemns-violence-against-christians?sc=tw

See:  http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projections-2010-2050/

SEE:  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/150316-isis-beheadings-egypt-pictures-photos-family/?utm_source=NatGeocom&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=pom_20150329&utm_campaign=Content#

SEE:   http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/17/393705311/largest-group-of-u-s-presbyterian-churches-allows-same-sex-marriages?sc=tw

See:  http://www.pewforum.org/2015/03/05/in-u-s-popes-popularity-continues-to-grow/

SEE:   http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/26/5-key-findings-about-global-restrictions-on-religion/ ...Anti-Semitism again on the rise...

SEE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-31173047

See:  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31125338

SEE:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/opinion/mona-eltahawy-egypts-war-on-atheism.html?mwrsm=Email&_r=0

SEE:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2015/01/25/379634318/piece-by-piece-monks-scramble-to-preserve-iraqs-christian-history?sc=tw

SEE:  http://www.npr.org/2015/01/04/374857829/a-pastor-moves-past-his-attraction-to-men-and-so-does-his-wife?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20150111&utm_campaign=mostemailed&utm_term=nprnews

SEE:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30829733

SEE:   http://www.wsj.com/articles/eric-metaxas-science-increasingly-makes-the-case-for-god-1419544568

SEE:   http://www.npr.org/2014/12/27/373298310/after-year-of-atheism-former-pastor-i-dont-think-god-exists?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20150104&utm_campaign=mostemailed&utm_term=nprnews

http://www.pewforum.org/2014/12/15/most-say-religious-holiday-displays-should-be-allowed-on-public-property/ The new survey also suggests that most Americans believe that the biblical Christmas story reflects historical events that actually occurred. About three-quarters of Americans believe that Jesus Christ was born to a virgin, that an angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus, and that wise men, guided by a star, brought Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh. And eight-in-ten U.S. adults believe the newborn baby Jesus was laid in a manger. In total, 65% of U.S. adults believe that all of these aspects of the Christmas story – the virgin birth, the journey of the magi, the angel's announcement to the shepherds and the manger story – reflect events that actually happened. Among U.S. Christians, fully eight-in-ten (81%) believe in all four elements of the Christmas story. Even among people who are not affiliated with any religion, 21% believe all these ev