Prof Tiger & Sardis "All Things Considered" Theology Hut

[AlabamAlum]

I like him. He was snarky, but so were most of those that he debated.

[hedge]

One of his best was early on in his career (when he was still a Trotskyist) when he was on Firing Line with Wm. Buckley and a Buckley protege by the awkward name R. Emmett Tyrrell. Hitchens could've hardly been more opposed ideologically to Buckley, but he presented his points calmly and intelligently, while the Tyrrell clown was playing an early version of Sean Hannity, except even more snarky. Tyrrell was being sickenly obsequious towards Buckley, but it was clear that Buckley understood that Hitchens was by far his (Tyrrell's) intellectual superior and appreciated it. I'm sure he was thinking "Why can't I get somebody like this on my side instead of this clown (Tyrrell)?" Anyway, it's worth a look. Interestingly, the episode was titled "The Liberal Crack-up" (this was during the early days of Reagan when conservatism was enjoying its glorious rise, whilst liberalism was in decline, but Hitchens remained steadfast and nonplussed (depending on which definition of "nonplussed" you subscribe to))...

[Jungle Rat]

Shut up hedge

[Johnette's Daddy]

Jews Getting, More Religious, More Conservative, Less Educated and Less Affluent

The headline is mine.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sandy-goo ... lp00000592

A few snippets:

The American Jewish community is coming apart at the seams. Its vital center is collapsing, and the entire group is increasingly polarized by runaway growth at both extremes: religious fundamentalism on one end, secular non-belief on the other. The result is not only bad for the Jews, but bad for the rest of America.

The most important study was the 2013 Pew Portrait of Jewish Americans, a poll of some 3,500 Jews nationwide. It found that almost six out of ten are intermarrying, including more than seven of ten of the non-Orthodox; more than one-fifth of all Jews don't believe in God, and two-thirds don't belong to a synagogue.

The changing face of New York Jewry reveals that today's Jews "are poorer, less educated and more religious" than a decade ago, as well as politically "less liberal" (nationwide, Pew found 70 percent of all Jews favor Democrats, but 57 percent of the Orthodox prefer Republicans). A New York Times story analyzing the local Orthodox surge was headlined: "Are Liberal Jewish Voters a Thing of the Past?"

Lack of adequate secular education makes many Hasidim unable to find good jobs. Coupled with their many mouths to feed, this often leads to poverty. The New York study showed "fast-rising levels of poverty that appear to be unparalleled in recent history." One-fifth of New York Jewish households were poor in 2012. Eleven per cent were on food stamps. The community with the nation's highest poverty rate in 2008 was no ghetto or barrio but the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel in upstate New York.

[hedge]

"The most important study was the 2013 Pew Portrait of Jewish Americans, a poll of some 3,500 Jews nationwide. It found that almost six out of ten are intermarrying, including more than seven of ten of the non-Orthodox; more than one-fifth of all Jews don't believe in God, and two-thirds don't belong to a synagogue."

I'd say that's good for jews and good for America...

[Jungle Rat]

Poor Jews? Heh.

[sardis]

"The most important study was the 2013 Pew Portrait of Jewish Americans, a poll of some 3,500 Jews nationwide. It found that almost six out of ten are intermarrying, including more than seven of ten of the non-Orthodox; more than one-fifth of all Jews don't believe in God, and two-thirds don't belong to a synagogue."

I'd say that's good for jews and good for America...

Wish you were a Jew...in Nazi Germany.

[Jungle Rat]

Naw. They are happy I wasn't around then.

[Professor Tiger]

Here's an impressive study about the current and projected religious demographics throughout the world. It is making quite a stir among some American Christians.

http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/reli ... 2010-2050/

It says, in short,

The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. Over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group, but Islam will grow faster than any other major religion. If current trends continue, by 2050 …

The number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.

Atheists, agnostics and other people who do not affiliate with any religion – though increasing in countries such as the United States and France – will make up a declining share of the world’s total population.

The global Buddhist population will be about the same size it was in 2010, while the Hindu and Jewish populations will be larger than they are today.

In Europe, Muslims will make up 10% of the overall population.

India will retain a Hindu majority but also will have the largest Muslim population of any country in the world, surpassing Indonesia.

In the United States, Christians will decline from more than three-quarters of the population in 2010 to two-thirds in 2050, and Judaism will no longer be the largest non-Christian religion. Muslims will be more numerous in the U.S. than people who identify as Jewish on the basis of religion.

Four out of every 10 Christians in the world will live in sub-Saharan Africa.

[hedge]

"It is making quite a stir among some American Christians."

I'd like to stir you into a vat of molten lava...

[Professor Tiger]

In your fantasy, what am I wearing?

[hedge]

A grimace...

[Dr. Strangelove]

Decline in Christians clearly tied to Southern Baptists' inability to get gay marriage banned everywhere. Double down on those efforts and Christianity will flourish. I'm sure of it.

[Professor Tiger]

Any decline in the Southern Baptists is more likely explained by their opposition to drinking and dancing - even though their members (1) drink like fish and (2) dance like Elvis after (1).

[Jungle Rat]

I never realized how dumb this
forum was until I saw Jonkey post here. That dude is a loony bird.

[Professor Tiger]

Is Jonkey hedge or DSL?

[Jungle Rat]

Probably hedge

[Professor Tiger]

hedge is trying to rise to your stature, but is failing badly.

[hedge]

You guys need to get a room...

[Professor Tiger]

See what I mean? Sad, really...