tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post6965441103517432352..comments2024-02-23T11:23:45.971-05:00Comments on Lost Motorcyclist: Explaining America to the Rest of the World: "Koran Burning"Lost Motorcyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08873504561959138792noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-31981851642123606432010-09-29T14:33:20.065-04:002010-09-29T14:33:20.065-04:00I realize this 'addendum' is not quite on ...I realize this 'addendum' is not quite <i>on topic</i>, but I really needed to post a record of this somewhere.<br /><br />The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has just published the results of their recent survey on <a href="http://pewforum.org/Other-Beliefs-and-Practices/U-S-Religious-Knowledge-Survey.aspx" rel="nofollow">U.S. Religious Knowledge</a>.<br /><br />The survey attempted to measure Americans' knowledge '<i>about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions</i>'.<br /><br />Even after correcting for differing levels of education, it would appear that <b>atheists</b> and <b>agnostics</b> are the most 'knowledgeable' group.<br /><br />The survey reveals that, '<i>Nearly six-in-ten U.S. adults say that religion is “very important” in their lives, and roughly four-in-ten say they attend worship services at least once a week. But the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey shows that large numbers of Americans are uninformed about the tenets, practices, history and leading figures of major faith traditions – including their own.</i>'<br /><br />Some of the findings I consider simply appalling! For instance: '<i>[O]nly about a quarter of all Americans (27%) correctly answer that most people in Indonesia – the country with the world’s largest Muslim population – are Muslims.</i>'Madeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593933575568389288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-22022942686900750392010-09-12T09:32:52.140-04:002010-09-12T09:32:52.140-04:00Yes, I'm rather surprised that you were not fa...Yes, I'm rather surprised that you were not familiar with the <a href="http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/statutes/english/2000/elaws_src_s00026_e.htm" rel="nofollow">Red Tape Reduction Act</a>. It was part of our wonderful 'Common Sense Revolution' in Ontario.<br /><br />Among other important landmarks, it achieved the repeal of the dreaded <i>Hunter Damage Compensation Act</i>.<br /><br />(Although the section dealing with the burning of all books advocating any aspect of socialism never made it through Queen's Park ;-)Madeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593933575568389288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-43989371906359373342010-09-12T08:33:54.702-04:002010-09-12T08:33:54.702-04:00The Universal Life Church has 20 million ministers...The Universal Life Church has 20 million ministers, that makes it one of the up-and-coming new religions. And they do have minimum standards: Real names only, and no animals allowed. Although presumably they will never find out until your cat officiates at a wedding ceremony on national television. At which point I guess the cat is defrocked?Lost Motorcyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873504561959138792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-8481050072387175352010-09-12T08:25:14.870-04:002010-09-12T08:25:14.870-04:00I see what you mean about things being a bit more ...I see what you mean about things being a bit more complex in Ontario. Although it's nice to see they are trying to keep it simple:<br /><br />"Note: On the day section 32 of Schedule F of the Red Tape Reduction Act, 1999 comes into force, the English version of subsection (2) is amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 2001, chapter 9, Schedule D, subsection 10 (4) by striking out “solemnization of the marriages” and substituting “solemnization of the marriage”. See: 2001, c. 9, Sched. D, ss. 10 (4), 16 (2)."<br /><br />So apparently there is something called a "Red Tape Reduction Act?"Lost Motorcyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873504561959138792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156536327610779049.post-70626746380340492062010-09-12T08:06:01.551-04:002010-09-12T08:06:01.551-04:00You write, 'In America, a Pastor can be anyone...You write, '<i>In America, a Pastor can be anyone with ten dollars and an internet connection.</i>'<br /><br />In fact, even the 'ten dollars' is not required ... <a href="http://www.themonastery.org/?destination=ordination" rel="nofollow">Universal Life Church</a> (although, for those of us who've worked in the life insurance 'industry,' <i>universal life</i> has certain questionable associations).<br /><br />And, in <a href="http://marriage.about.com/cs/marriagelicenses/p/florida.htm" rel="nofollow">Florida</a> (Pastor Terry Jones' stomping grounds) that's enough to allow you to officiate at weddings.<br /><br />In Ontario, of course, things are <a href="http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90m03_e.htm" rel="nofollow">a bit more complex</a> ;-)Madeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593933575568389288noreply@blogger.com