Espresso Shots [05-09-06]
Reuters reports that several Chinese Christians will meet with President Bush regarding religious freedom in China.
Yu Jie, a Beijing-based writer and evangelical Christian, told Reuters by telephone from Midland, Texas, that he and two other Chinese Christians -- Li Baiguang and Wang Yi -- were scheduled to meet Bush for half an hour on Thursday to discuss their faith and its place in China.President Bush has been showing signs that he is growing impatient with the attitude of the Chinese government regarding religious freedom. It is the hope of this group that the meeting will lead to a stepping up of the Bush administration's pressure on the Chinese government to loosen control on religion in the country.
Yu belongs to a small Protestant congregation in Beijing that includes many intellectuals and some political dissidents and refuses to even try to register with the government. He said China's small but growing band of politically-engaged Christians might have attracted Bush's interest.
'This is a new phenomenon -- young supporters of democracy and human rights who have also embraced Christ.'
[Full story here.]
Federal STD Panel Shake-Up Causes Stir
The results in a republican senator's questions about the absence of abstinence program supporters causes a number of criticisms from some inside the scientific community.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main organizer of the conference, dropped one speaker from a panel on abstinence being held today, added two others and changed the name of the session, officials said.
The decision was praised by supporters of abstinence programs and the congressman who raised questions about the panel, but it was condemned by public health experts as political meddling because the new presentations had not been approved through a scientific peer-review process.
In response to the criticisms, spokesman for the CDC said, "Upon further review of the composition of the panel, CDC did decide the symposium was not balanced and needed to be expanded to include a broader perspective on abstinence education."
The bottom line? This from Bruce Trigg of the New Mexico Department of Public Health:I have nothing to fear from a balanced program. They would have been welcome to submit abstracts for review and consideration. The claim is this is about a public health program when it's really about ideology and religion.
The fact is because so many like Mr. Trigg in the scientific community are predisposed to dismissing things like abstinence-only programs as nothing more than religion or ideology, no amount of peer-review would have resulted in the kind of balance established by the actions of this senator. Their peer-review is largely smoke and mirrors. Full story here.
Empty Religion
Some Parents Who Shy From Religion Want Their Children to Taste Its Psychological and Spiritual Comforts
Here is a fascinating article in the Washington Post about the number of parents going to church because of their kids, though they have little or no belief in God. Though I could write volumes about the problems articulated in this article, suffice it to say it is worth the read and gives a glimpse into the state of religion in America. Here is an excerpt:
I, for one, would love to hear their answers. [Full story here.]Such parents may seek the sense of community or emotional security they hope religion will provide their kids; they may want a sense of purpose or tradition; and they may be looking for ethical or spiritual influences to mold their children's lives. For some, a religious education simply means giving their kids a better shot at understanding a cultural force that they consider both powerful and pervasive.
Whatever the reasons, nonreligious parents may face a number of humbling questions. Are they willing to trade sleepy Sundays for 10 a.m. services? Is it a good idea to start down a spiritual path when their hearts aren't in it? And what should they say if their 4-year-old looks up at them wide-eyed and asks if there really is a God?
Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 5/09/2006 05:50:00 PM
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2 Comments:
David,
Regarding 'Empty Religion', I see this phenomenon all too often, sadly. I was just talking to a non-church-goer the other day who told me that since he and his wife are now expecting their second child, he thinks they need to get back into a church.
He said "church really helped me when I was a kid, and I think it'd probably be good for my kids too, so we're going to start trying it out. I think it's probably good for them."
It's just hard to follow this reasoning to a logical conclusion. Is religion something that is only appropriate for kids, but as adults something we can turn our backs to? Do parents think it just instills a certain sense of morality into their children, but nothing more? What's the thought process behind this?
Sorry for the delay in responding to you, Andy. It seems that unless you look at this from a dichotomy between faith and "the real world," it doesn't make much sense. So many have determined that faith is something that is optional and totally subjective and the real world is a place where faith doesn't really belong, it's rather easy to turn away from it. At the same time, many people acknowledge that it is only the Christian worldview that actually provides for things like morality and ethics and so, at their convenience or for the good of their children, they borrow the faith. They take what they want and do away with the rest. They only want enough of God to make their kids good, believing they can treat Christianity as a cafeteria. It's really a sad reality, but within this mindset, it makes perfect sense to them.
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