Posted on 04/21/2009 7:32:54 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Though they aren't journalists, Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton broke one of the biggest stories in contemporary religion with their 2005 book Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. Conducting the most comprehensive study of religion and teenagers to date, the sociologists discovered a newly dominant creed that they dubbed Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD). Rather than transformative revelation from God, religion has become a utility for enhancing a teenager's life. Smith and Denton lay out the five points of MTD:
1. A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.
Surely American teenagers did not invent this new religion. A quick scan of bestseller lists, television guides, or public school curricula will reveal MTD's appeal. Indeed, the God of MTD sounds like the "cool parent" teenagers adore.
"God is something like a combination Divine Butler and Cosmic Therapist: he is always on call, takes care of any problems that arise, professionally helps his people to feel better about themselves, and does not become too personally involved in the process," Smith and Denton write.
Writing this month for his blog with The New Republic, Damon Linker declared MTD to be an ideal civil religion for America. Maybe it's not surprising that someone who wrote The Theocons: Secular America Under Siege would champion an admittedly "watered-down, anemic, insipid form of Judeo-Christianity."
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
Ping to read later
Full stop. There is enough commie pinko anti-capitalist propaganda in the mainstream media without linking to it here.
Thanks ping.
This is the Reader’s Digest religion that most of America actually holds. Even my father, who originally wanted to teach the Gospel, has morphed into holding this sentimental, sanctimonious viewpoint.
After the difficult message of our failure has rubbed upon the psyche for a while, most of the US has found a way to change the message Paul delivered to Rome just enough to be palatable and publicly tolerable. Witness Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Tony Robbins, most evangelical churches.
Whoa...knee-jerk reaction there!
Since when is it anti-conservative to be honest? This is biblical ethics, not “pinko anti-capitalist propaganda.”
Deism is NOT Conservative...
1. A God exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.
As far as it goes, that is perfectly true. The point is that God doesn't just "watch over human life". He is personally, vibrantly interested in everything all of us do.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
I'm sure God does want that. But its not ALL that he wants from us. He wants a living personal relationship.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
For sure being happy and fulfilled is better than being unhappy and unfulfilled. After all, Jesus came that we shouild have life and have it abundantly, but that's not the central goal.
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
God does resolve our problems, if we let Him, but He does not exist in our pockets. We serve Him, not the other way round.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.
True enough, but what about here and now? I believe in life BEFORE death.
Most of our founding fathers were Deists. But the description here is not true Deism. The real Deist believes that there is a God who set the universe in motion and could care less about we humans.
cite please.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Here’s a link with information and quotes from people like Adams, Franklin, Jefferson etc.
http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html
Publick skool edumacationshalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiachDistinguish between a follower of the Christ
and the religious governments of Europe
I don’t know what you are talking about. You must be some doofus.
John Adams and John Hancock: That is a lie taught in the Public Schools.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
In 1787 when Franklin helped found Benjamin Franklin University, it was dedicated as "a nursery of religion and learning, built on Christ, the Cornerstone."
We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus! [April 18, 1775]
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.