Missed this one.

In a story on the Religious News Service website, I discovered a "special" day that I did not know existed. According to the story, Guideposts Magazine has designated October 2 as "Guardian Angel Day." The magazine has even provided a website (guidepostsmag.com/guardianangel/) to honor them online.

Again, quoting the story, "Most surveys show that somewhere between 70 to 75% of Americans believe in Guardian Angels. An even more compelling number was revealed in a recent Baylor University Institute for Studies of Religion poll that showed 55% of the survey respondents answered affirmatively to the statement, 'I was protected from harm by a guardian angel.' What that means is that a majority of Americans have had actual experiences with Guardian Angels. These findings confirm that a very large number of people absolutely believe someone is looking out for them."

Are you of the 70-75% who believe in guardian angels who protect and guide you? Are you one of the majority of Americans who would say that you have been protected from harm by a guardian angel? If so, how do you know that it was an angel who protected you - did ypou see one or did you just feel that it was one? Or, are you one of the skeptical minority who would not affirm either statement. If not, why not?

VP Debate on Deck

Since Senator Biden and Governor Palin will engage in their first and only debate tomorrow night, the experts are beginning to pontificate on what should be asked of them. In the Washington Post's On Faith section some of their regular columnists are asked to weigh in on the topic of questions about their faith. I think their responses are interesting.

First, Susan Jacoby writes:
My consistent position is that a candidate's religious beliefs are relevant to political campaigns only if he or she wishes to impose those beliefs on other American citizens--whether by administrative fiat, legislation, or attempts to reshape the judiciary in a particular religious image. I do not care whether Joseph Biden believes in the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which states that bread and wine are actually transformed into the body and blood of Christ during the Mass. I would care very much, however, if he suggested that this religious belief should be presented as a fact in a public school science class. And I do not care that Sarah Palin has worshipped at a church where she received a blessing to guard her against witchcraft during her campaign for the governorship of Alaska. I would care very much, however, if Palin wanted students to open their school day with an invocation against witchcraft.

Yet, she would propose these questions:
Do you interpret our Constitution as an instrument intended to separate church and state?
Do you believe that the founders established a Christian government and that America should be considered a Christian nation?
Do you think that religious theories, such as creationism and intelligent design, should be taught along with evolution in public school science classes?
Do you believe that parents who wish their children to attend religious schools should receive a tax break to defray the tuition?
You have both said that your religions teach--and you believe--that life begins at the moment of conception. Why do you, Gov. Palin, think that your personal beliefs should set the legal standard for Americans who do not share them? Why do you, Sen. Biden, draw a distinction between what your faith tells you and the legal standards your government should set for others?
What do you consider the proper approach for judges to take on legal disputes involving the relationship betwen religion and government?
Do you believe that religious interference with government is as dangerous as government interference with religion?

Cal Thomas proposes the following:
My question for both of them would be: "How does your faith influence, even mandate, your positions? Senator Biden, do you believe it is mainly up to government to follow the principles in Matthew 25 to "do unto the least of these," or is that primarily a command for the church? And Governor Palin, how do the "end times" described in the books of Daniel and Revelation, among others, influence your view of the Middle East, of Russia and your own worldview and which policy matters might be influenced by your conservative Christian beliefs?

Michael Otterson, the Head of Public Affairs for the LDS Church would ask nothing aboutb their faith of them writing:
It does matter to me that a presidential candidate reflects values of decency, honesty, reliability, steadfastness and trustworthiness. But whether he or she draws those values from celebrating mass or attending a synagogue or from some other source entirely is quite irrelevant to me.

So, would you ask either of these people who are known for their faith about their faith? If yes, what would you ask? If no, why not?

Is the wrong now right ... or at least accepted?

At the end of August, the George Barna organization released the results of a new poll that suggests Americans have adopted a new standard of behavior. Barna asked how many of the poll participants had engaged in at least one of the following behaviors in the previous week: "exposure to pornography, using profanity in public, gambling, gossiping, engaging in sexual intercourse with someone to whom they were not married, retaliating against someone, getting drunk, and lying."

To Barna's dismay, a majority of the 1003 people polled had engaged in at least one of the behaviors. The most common 'naughty' behavior was cussing; the least mentioned was retaliation and having sexual intercourse with someone to whom they were not married. Barna said, "We are witnessing the development and acceptance of a new moral code in America."

That survey and results raised some questions for me.
*** While I would not argue that any of the behaviors are 'good' ones, I wonder how Barna decided to use these as his criteria. They do not match any of the recognizable behavioral lists in the Biblical text, as in the Ten Commandments or the Greatest Commandment. If you were to design this poll, what behaviors would you include to measure the moral behavior of Americans?
*** What defines profanity in our society? When I was growing up, there were certain words one must never say. Most everyone I knew, though, developed 'substitute' words. The intent was the same, but the words were different. So, for example, someone would say, "Sugar" instead of "Sh*t" or "Goldurn" instead of ... well you know. Does using the substitute word constitute profanity? Or, are some words so bad that merely speaking them constitute a 'sin?'
*** Other polls indicate that the vast majority of Americans consider themselves Christian and believe in God. What does a poll like this one from Barna, who is a conservative Christian, say about the depth of belief in America?

I will be curious to see your reactions to this.

Civil Disobedience - Follow Up

According to the news story in the Washington Post online today - it can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/28/AR2008092802365.html?hpid=sec-religion, the protest went off as planned.

The Reverend Ron Johnson of Crown Point Indiana was quoted extensively in the Post story.

"In the modern red-brick Living Stones Church in Crown Point, a town of 28,000 residents 50 miles southeast of Chicago, Johnson explained why he thinks a minister should dispense political advice. He then laid out his view of the positions of Obama and McCain on abortion and same-sex marriage, which he called two issues 'that transcend all others.'

'We want people when you prick them, they bleed the word of God,' Johnson said.

Johnson said ministers have a responsibility to guide their flocks in worldly matters, including politics, calling the dichotomy between the secular and the sacred a myth: 'The issue is not 'Are we legislating morality?' This issue is 'Whose morality are we legislating?' '

Asked why he felt the need to discuss the candidates by name and to be explicit in rejecting Obama and his pro-choice views, Johnson said he must connect the dots because he is not sure that all members of his congregation can do so on their own."

I found that last comment particularly telling. Reverend Johnson does not believe the members of the congregation he serves are smart enough to be able to decide for whom to vote without his guidance. I guess I have just served congregations I have trusted to be mature enough to make their own decisions.

Should you desire to investigate the issue from the perspective of The Alliance Defense Fund, its website is www.alliancedefensefund.org.