Posted on 09/29/2010 3:05:05 PM PDT by zippythepinhead
Atheists and agnostics know more about major world religions than many people of faith, while Mormons can answer more Bible questions than their Catholic and mainline Protestant counterparts.
Those are among the somewhat startling conclusions about religious literacy in America the Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion and Public Life drew after surveying 3,412 Americans.
Some of the multiple-choice questions were relatively simple: Where was Jesus born and who led the exodus from Egypt? What religion was Mother Teresa, what day does the Jewish Sabbath begin and what is the name of Islams holy book?
Others were more obscure: What is Indonesias dominant religion? Which Christians teach that salvation comes through faith alone?
About half the Protestants (53 percent) couldnt correctly identify Martin Luther as the person whose writings and actions inspired the Protestant Reformation. Fewer than half of Americans (47 percent) knew the Dalai Lama is Buddhist and only 38 percent correctly associated Vishnu and Shiva with Hinduism.
John Morehead, director of the Western Institute for Intercultural Studies in Salt Lake City, had already noted religious illiteracy in the general population as well as in the evangelical community. But he did not expect Mormons to top them in their biblical fluency.
Mormons tend to emphasize Mormon scriptures like the Book of Mormon rather than the Bible in their devotional life, Morehead said in an e-mail.
Even some LDS scholars were surprised to find Mormons at the top.
(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...
LOL...and THIS is the TRUTH that "Southern Baptist pastor" discovered...why am I not surprised that he is a hero to some FR mormons?
The Christmas Story and Joseph Smith, Restorer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
I think that we are seeing Matthew 23:24 playing out right in front of our eyes. Your obsession with this gnat after swallowing the camel of Mormonism is interesting to say the least.
Not really DU, reread your own post and the scriptures quoted there in, paying special head to the term brother.
Then remember there are actions and guidelines that apply to the family of Christ and the brothers and sisters there in.
Then there are actions and guidelines that apply to the lost and confused...
Then there are those that apply to those outside, those who attack or attempt to subvert the family and the Savior...
By their very nature those who deny the real Christ or worse bring people to a false gospel are by their own acts rather foolish (or cunning depending on motivation).
Of course we still hold out hope, for Christ, the real one, is always waiting for the lost or those who never knew him to begin with...
It was unfortunate that the tragedy which launched the thread occurred but the responses were enlightening. I would think that the PR wing of the LDS “church” would do everything it could to get that thread removed from the FR archives.
Sometime, like now, it’s not about me...
Really? I bet I've interacted with a lot more "Orthodox" Christians than you have and I honestly don't remember one person saying anything like this. Since when did calling someone a "fool" become the unforgiveable sin?
Matthew 5 is a warning about our attitudes. It states the person is "in danger of hell fire". A warning not a prohibition. It can't be a prohibition since Paul and Peter both call people fools and Jesus Himself called people fools in Matthew 23:17,19. Many of the OT prophets called people fools. The point seems to be to call someone a fool without grounds. Frankly, most of your exegesis of Bible verses leaves you vulnerable to that charge.
As someone else pointed out, this seems to be dealing with intra-church relations, the community of believers. I know that you dislike this conclusion but Mormons are not part of that group.
Your free tee shirt is in the mail...;)
Then I guess you'll just stand there, looking stupid, with a fishing worm hanging out of your mouth...
Proverbs 18:2
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.
So; what's the answer?
Or is it like your 'secret little name' you get with your Temple Endowments®?
I'll bet he doesn't know if those BIBLE verses he quoted were translated correctly or not.
Placemarker ... the fly went for the honey, LC. That’s no worm you’re seeing, that’s the bee about to sting. We may be about to get a huge piece of opinion, which will go on and on and on ...
FOOL!2
Reading comprehension is not BIG in your life; is it?
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
1. I ain't your BROTHER!
2. What part of WITHOUT do you not understand?
Uh...
It appears the wiggler is in your mouth; baited one!
Ouch...
Apparently they asked questions about whats in the Bible and the Mormons came out looking good. Thats cuz we actually read and study the Bible.
Actually, the survey was more on religion in general and didn't have much to do with the Bible at all.
Here is the quiz if you want to take it. I found it to be really easy (got 100%) and had very little to do with Bible knowledge.
http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-religious-knowledge/index.php
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