No good choices

I am curious and I wonder if anyone has ever done a scientific survey of news stories about religion.

I just did a quick survey of the last three days' newspapers in my home and this less than statistically valid survey confirms my suspicions: 6 of the 8 stories reported religious leaders using religious identity to foment violence against other religions; or driving some kind of division/repressive social agenda; or acting as sexual predators or protecting those predators. The other two stories dealt with caring for the needy during the Christmas season.

Why doesn't somebody fund a Pew study to perform a thorough survey on this subject?

Believe 'IT' or not;

WE[i] Always Love Ye/Yo's [onfaith] BLOGGER-FREUNDS (By Any Monikers). Soo,

Huggs-n-a-kiss's to ALL YE/YO Brothers & da Sisters. AND
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Credits "JJ" http://onwapo.wordpress.com/

Response to Bobmoses:

What is it exactly in Herb Silverman's comments that you find inaccurate?

Gee, you mean a guy who has dedicated his life to hating religion doesn't care for those who espouse faith? Didn't see that coming.

Of course, the other faith-hating bigots who live on this blog love to read such dreck. It confirms their own intolerance for those who dare not share their intrinsically correct views of the nature of the universe.

What on earth would faith-hating bigots do without blogs on which to share their hate?

No one would disagree with Mr. Silverman that there are plenty of good secular folks, and bad religious ones. But his statement, "for good people to do bad things--that takes religion", reflects not only bias but also just plain sloppy reasoning.

It is just as likely for bad people to do good things out of fear of the hereafter. And there are many other forces out there causing people to act against character - for example, think of the "good" men who sometimes get sucked into committing war crimes, without religion having anything to do with it.

It sounds to me like Mr. Silverman just dashed out something nonsensically critical on deadline, without bothering to think it through.

I believe Pope Benedict XVI delaying church action against pedophile priests was the most constructive event of the year. It has proven to its many naïve believers (and still counting) that religions and their preachers are part of the problem.

As one of the victims of pedophile priest crime, at age 62 my life is still affected daily by this experience I had at age five. I can never have a normal sex life, or normal family life...

I am producer of City of Angels Blog http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com as I am also a journalist, so have been covering these crimes since Jan. 2007 at my blog.

I don't understand how the Pope has any credibility at all, and as far as I'm concerned, all those people who attend Vatican Masses are re-victimizing the million or so victims of the Pope's crimes, allowing pedophiles to prey on children in every diocese in the country, probably the world.

I will be happy when the Pope says Mass to an empty audience. He deserves no more than permanent ostracizing. But no, instead the victims of his priests live isolated and damaged lives and he is surrounded by gold and wealth.

The Pope's continued attempts to excuse crimes of six thousand pedophile priests in the USA alone should earn him a place in a prison cell, and yet he's still considered a positive influence?

Disgusting.

Unfortunately, I predict in the coming year, as in past years, I will have reason to quote the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg: "With or without religion, good people will do good things and bad people will do bad things. But for good people to do bad things--that takes religion."

- Herb Silverman

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Are you sure it takes just religion to make good people do bad things?

But, nice try to blame all bad things that people do just on religion.

Had I composed such a list, the top member / culprit on it would
have been the Westboro Baptist Church group headed by the
"'Right' Un-reverend" (puns intended) Fred Phelps. The links below provide informtion that I need not elaborate on further:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2010/10/wbc-protests-arlington-national-cemetery.html

http://www.realcourage.org/2010/06/wbc-protests-colorado-synagogue/

I have come to the conclussion that anytime a public speaker, political leader or otherwise influencial person invokes the word God they have stepped away from a rational discourse and whatever they say should be suspect. Unfortunately many of our politicians who otherwise seem rational will continue to pander to their constituencies furthur making the waters murky and bringing devisiveness into our body politic thereby numbing our ability to make social progress.

The more powerful religious people become, the more I fear for our personal rights and freedom. To paraphrase a famous atheist, I don't want people who belive in talking snakes to make decisions that affect my life.

On Faith: 2010 influences on faith
Since the year is coming to a close, it is time to take a look back and discuss the people who had the biggest impact on faith in 2010.

Once again, atheists are not solely to blame for religious people losing faith in religion and God this year. It seems that religious leaders are able to drive people away from religion all by themselves. Pope Benedict XVI does a great job this year in his continued refusal to take responsibility for the actions and conduct of priests under his charge and his continued systematical cover up of the crimes of these child molesters. His comical attempt at blaming everyone else has made him the number one influencer of faith this year. The only way he can top this for next year is if Wikileaks were to release evidence that he too was a pedophile. As it is, we just have to settle for the Pope’s ridiculous statements allowing male prostitutes to wear condoms.

You can read the rest of my response to this topic:
http://exm.nr/gOVzCY

I will be responding to every issue posted in the 'On Faith' section. If you would like to be notified when my new response is up, please subscribe.

Sarah Palin? Isn't it troubling that a politician would be considered a "religion newsmaker"? And Beck, too - why would a "journalist" (I use the term loosely) be a "religion newsmaker"?

I guess that about covers it. When religion makes the news, the effect is usually a negative one. Curiously enough, aside from the Pope's actions, ever other newsworthy religious story was based in the U.S. When will the secularization of the U.S. arrive as it has in Europe and what will it take to bring such a change about? I hope such a change will be the religious news story of 2011.