“Serving Others”
Here is a short clip that can affect any person, regardless of religion or belief. It is the caring of others and doing what’s right. I thought it was well played.
What goes around, comes around.
Giving and Volunteering, what religion does to the numbers
Whether you consider yourself more religious or more secular can determine how much of your money and time you give away for charity and organizations according to a study done by The Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (SCCBS).
The study was undertaken in 2000 by researchers at universities throughout the United States and the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. The data consist of nearly 30,000 observations drawn from 50 communities across the United States and asked individuals about their civic behavior, including their giving and volunteering during the year preceding the survey.
The first group that considered themselves more “religious” were those that attended religious services every week or more often. This group accounted for 33 percent of the sample. The second group that considered themselves more “secular” were those that attended religious services less than a few times per year or explicitly say they have no religion. This group accounted for 26 percent of the sample. The remaining 41 percent of the sample practice their religion occasionally.
Across the groups, 81 percent gave, while 57 percent volunteered.
Religious people are 25 percentage points more likely than secularists to donate money (91 percent to 66 percent) and 23 points more likely to volunteer time (67 percent to 44 percent).
They also found that it doesn’t matter what religion you associate with, as long as you consider yourself more religious does it matter. For example, those who attended religious services regularly, 92 percent of Protestants give charitably, compared with 91 percent of Catholics, 91 percent of Jews, and 89 percent from other religions.
In addition, the SCCBS data show that religion and secularism break down on ideological lines: Religious people are 38 percentage points more likely to say they are conservative than to say they are liberal (57 percent to 19 percent). In contrast, secular people are 13 points more likely to say they are liberal than to say they are conservative (42 percent to 29 percent).
The average annual giving among the religious is $2,210, whereas it is $642 among the secular. Similarly, religious people volunteer an average of 12 times per year, while secular people volunteer an average of 5.8 times.
There is a trend in the more religious people in giving back more. It’s hard to say why exactly. Some may believe that it is because the religious group wants to gain a more favorable place in heaven, or that the more secular group doesn’t like what the group stands for.
What can be said for certain is that religion has a significant impact on the amount of charity that is given.
Churches come together
When times are rough and it seems like things are falling apart, what better thing for three separate churches to do but come together and help out their community?
That’s exactly what happened for the black Methodist denomination community. They joined together for the first time in 45 years, with a combined membership of five million, to discuss the ailments plaguing their community: unemployment, crime and other problems that disproportionately affect black men.
All three churches trace their roots to John Wesley’s Methodist movement but gradually broke off on their own, mostly because of racism in white Methodist churches. Ten years ago, the United Methodist Church formally apologized to all three denominations.
They believe that unemployment is the major cause for incarceration and crime and that by addressing this issue in the community through the church, there can be a better outcome.
And instead of standing divided, they stand together to help the community.
Religion helping the poor and hungry
Here is an excellent example of religion going to work with helping the poor and hungry nation of Niger.
The Youth Exodus
Young adults are no longer sticking to their church, instead, casting it aside. According to a study done by LifeWay Research, seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30, both evangelical and mainline, who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23. Also 34% of those said they had not returned, even occasionally, by age 30.
The statistics are based on a survey of 1,023 Protestants ages 18 to 30 who said they had attended church at least twice a month for at least one year during high school.
Why are the church’s youth leaving?
Among the people who left, 97% cited life changes. Six of the top 10 reasons church dropouts leave relate to life changes. The most frequent reason for leaving church is a self-imposed change, “I simply wanted a break from church” (27%). On the other hand, 58% were unhappy with the people or pastor at church and 52% had religious, ethical or political reasons for quitting. Two reasons are reflected in the latter: “I disagreed with the church’s stance on political or social issues” (18%) and “I was only going to church to please others” (17%).
From the reasons given, what would help the youth remain with their church?
Brad Waggoner, vice president of research and ministry development at LifeWay, said, “Church leaders should passionately and consistently challenge church members to maximize their influence with youth and young adults. Frequent and intentional contact can either prevent or counteract the tendency of some to drop out of church.”
In the young adults view, the most frequent reasons young people stay in church relate to the relevance of church: “Church was a vital part of my relationship with God” (65%) and “I wanted the church to help guide my decisions in everyday life” (58%).
Not all is doom and gloom for the church however. They found that out of the dropouts aged 23-30, 35% currently attend church twice a month or more. Another 30% attend church more sporadically.
Here is a video done by the Church of the Nazarene for a call of attention of the state of their youth.
Religion helps shape wealth
A study done by Ohio State University using available data shows that religions actually help shape Americans wealth and how much many they accumulate.
The study found that Jews attain the most wealth with mainline Protestants and Catholics average among the rest of the population in overall wealth, and conservative Protestants amassing the least.
The study also found that people who attended religious services regularly were more likely to build more wealth than those who did not attend regularly.
Lisa Keister, author of the study, said:
The results suggest people draw on the tools they learn from religion to develop strategies for saving, investing and spending, and those tools may be different in various faiths.
According to the study, religious teachings of different faiths may influence spending and saving strategies in a variety of ways.
For example, conservative Protestants often emphasize prayer and trust in God, which may reduce their desire to invest. Conservative Protestants also look forward to the rewards of the afterlife and don’t promote acquiring wealth as a good for this life.
Jews, on the other hand, don’t have a strong orientation to the afterlife, but encourage pursuits that will lead to wealth accumulation, such as high-income careers and investing.
The most common financial trajectory is to buy a home relatively early in life and then accumulate other assets, such as stocks and bonds. About 35 percent of Jews followed this path, compared to 3 percent of conservative Protestants, 22 percent of mainline Protestants and 20 percent of Catholics.
Keister emphasized that this is only one part that influences wealth, but when she studied it, the impact of religion stood out.
When religion can shape wealth, it can shape giving.
First, religion by the numbers
Before we look upon the social implications and issues that religions deal with, first let’s look at religion as a whole around the world.
Statistics indicate Christianity as currently having the worlds largest number of supporters, around 33%, also being concentrated more in richer countries. At present, Islam seems a close second on number of supporters, about 22%, with Hinduism in third place at around 15%. Currently Buddist supporters follow on about 6%, with Chinese Traditionalism at around 4% and Judaism at only about 0.2%.
A larger list that was compiled by Adherents.com breaks it down even further:
- Christianity: 2.1 billion
- Islam: 1.5 billion
- Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
- Hinduism: 900 million
- Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
- Buddhism: 376 million
- primal-indigenous: 300 million
- African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
- Sikhism: 23 million
- Juche: 19 million
- Spiritism: 15 million
- Judaism: 14 million
- Baha’i: 7 million
- Jainism: 4.2 million
- Shinto: 4 million
- Cao Dai: 4 million
- Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
- Tenrikyo: 2 million
- Neo-Paganism: 1 million
- Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
- Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
- Scientology: 500 thousand
Normally, those in the majority have the most say on different issues. The issues that would be most acknowledged would be in the interests of the big three: Christianity, Islam and Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist.
The Light Rail Solution?
In the Houston Area Survey for 2009, traffic concerns are still on the minds of many Houstonians. In 2009, 63% said traffic in the Houston area has “gotten worse,” compared to 66% in 2007; only a slight decrease. So what was the slight cause of decrease? Could it be the METRORail light rail?
The survey says, “In 2005, 76% said they had not ridden on the light rail at all during the past year; that figure fell to 62% in this year’s survey. The number who said they generally ride on the light rail at least once a month doubled from 6% in 2005 to 12% in 2009.” Little by little, the light rail system is getting a higher usage.
The METRORail is 7.5 miles long and has an approximate daily ridership of 39,500, making it the eleventh most-traveled light rail system in the U.S. with the second highest ridership per track mile.
The rail map can be found here.
Houston is planning to add four more light rail lines by 2012. They will connect the main line to the North, South, East and West sides. It’s hard to say whether the ridership will help offset the costs of the $2.6 billion project.
As found in the 2009 survey, 82% drive alone to work and 54% agreed that, “Even if public transportation were much more efficient than it is today, I would still drive my car to work.”
The light rail system can help traffic flow a bit in the downtown area and specific neighborhoods, but the traffic flow will still be about the same on the main highways. As a commuter of an hour long drive, I know that even if UH had the light rail going straight through campus right now, I would not use it. I live too far out of city limits for it to be of any use for me. The only time it would come in handy is if I wanted to go out somewhere for lunch and leave my car on campus.
I’m not saying the whole light rail idea is a bad thing. It’s just that we need to also look at the traffic flow influx coming from all around outside the city limits and come up with effective logistics for the best possible traffic control.
What’s up with Kimbanguism?
The birth of the Kimbanguist church came from a man by the name of Simon Kimbangu (Baptist, 1887-1951). The movement of his Christian awakening occurred in his hometown of Nkamba beginning in 1921 with the healing of a woman by praying and the laying on of hands.
In his early childhood he was said to have performed miracles such as turning a feather into a bird and rotten fruit into a fresh one. He went to church and was an Anglican Catechist before being baptized in 1915 by the British Baptist Missionary Society.
Supposedly, Kimbangu recieved a spiritual awakening through coversations with Jesus. He preached the Word of God and prophesied the end of colonialism and the oppression of the African people
His message and mission gathered many followers. He even had 12 Apostles to assist him with his duties. They traveled across the land curing people of their ailments and spreading the word.
The Belgian government accused Kimbangu of practicing witchcraft. They believed the miracles that were being performed by using “kindoki” (witchcraft).
He replied:
“I am the one who gives life. I cure people from blindness, paralysis, and mental illness, and much more, yet you accuse me of something bad. But satan who stripped you of your life, who decided you would be born deaf, blind, lame, and stole the soundness of your mind. Him you do not accuse of anything.”
On September 12, 1921, he was arrested and charged with sedition. He was sentenced to death, however, his sentence changed to life imprisonment with 120 lashes. He died 30 years later in prison.
Despite his 30 years in prison, he continued to be regarded as a spiritual leader.
His three sons and wife were also persecuted by the Belgians. The movement was banned and its members were subject to deportation. It is estimated that between 1921 and 1957 about 150 000 Kimbanguists were deported.
In 1959 Kimbangu’s youngest son became head of the church. He built the Kimbanguist Church as it is seen today.
For more information:
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/his/Kimgangu.html
http://www.pctii.org/wcc/churches96.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Kimbangu
http://www.africareview.com/Special%20Reports/-/825444/825722/-/rseiy3/-/index.html
