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THE VALUE OF BEING RELIGIOUS
THE PROGRAM ON PUBLIC VALUES at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, recently released a study in US News and World Report (March 16, 2009) that points out that the fastest growing segment in the American religious landscape is the nonreligious. The study examines in some degree why it is that more people are defining themselves as nonreligious. While some may consider themselves atheists or agnostics, the larger segment appears to have issues with what they perceive to be the practice of religion, rather than faith itself or belief in a Supreme Being. They point to attitudes such as "judgmentalism" and "triumphalism" (believing that your religion is superior to all others), or the various hypocrisies that evidence themselves in the scandals that have rocked some religions. Add to that the finding in the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life, that the majority of Americans hold a nondogmatic approach to faith (see http://religions.pewforum.org/ reports), and you get the sense that many are developing skepticism about what it means to be religious.
This, however, may turn out to be pretty healthy for religion. Self-examination, a practice at its very heart, may be exactly what religion needs to move to a higher practice. When all is said and done about what constitutes religion, might it not be about developing and learning to live by high ideals, ideals formed by the divine Principle, God?
About the author
Ron Ballard is a Christian Science practitioner and teacher from Ashland, Oregon.

April 27, 2009 issue
View Issue-
LETTERS
with contributions from JOY HINMAN, CATHERINE SMITH, JACK MYERS, DIANE SKILLINGS PIORKOWSKI, BRUCE CARRADINE, KRISTA GRAHAM
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A BEAUTIFUL PROMISE
PATRICIA KADICK, STAFF EDITOR
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
with contributions from Brendan Conway, Kim Shippey
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PRAYER BY THE SEA
DARREN STONE
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A FRESH STRETCH OF BEACH
BY ROBIN HOAGLAND
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MY ROAD TO RESTORATION
BY SONETTE TIPPENS
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YOUR STORIES in these times
with contributions from Leon Gleaves, Kathy Bird, Daniel Otieno Okello
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A window of love for our neighbor, Earth
BY GEORGIANNA PFOST
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PASTA... AND A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
BY MEG WELCH DENDLER
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You can ask God!
Fabiano
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TO SERVE GOD—MY CHOICE
MICHELLE NANOUCHE
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GOD IS IN ALL THE DETAILS OF OUR DAYS
KIM SHIPPEY, SENIOR WRITER
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EVERLASTING KINDNESS
BETH CAREY
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TRUST IN GOD'S MOTHER-LOVE
COURTNEY BUXTON
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THE VALUE OF BEING RELIGIOUS
RON BALLARD
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ALCOHOL AND SMOKING ADDICTION OVERCOME
BARBARA PROVENCAL
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HEALED THROUGH PERSISTENT PRAYER
GERRY HAMPLEMAN
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QUICK RECOVERY FROM AUTO INCIDENT
DONNA DEMARTINIS