>>>>>>To me it's mind boggling that 99.8% of the worlds population still belives in some supernational 'guy in the sky' type of religion.
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>>>>>>I won't speak for people outside the U.S. - but in my opinion, a pretty high % of Americans pay lip service to religion. Regardless of reason (out of fear, out of "duty", out of upbringing, etc.), I don't think many Americans take religion seriously.
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>>>>>I definitely disagree with you there. Sure, many pay lip service, as you say. But we have more than our share of true believers. Somewhere between 30 and 40% of Americans describe themselves as evangelical Christians. Those folks aren't just paying lip service.
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>>>>I think everyone needs to be shot at a few times, so they can put this religion/God thing in perspective. Not all at once, but I would like to invite everyone, except those who live in Detroit or New Orleans, to come to Memphis for your free personal experience. Be sure to visit Beale street late at night, and park your car about three blocks away in any direction for the optimum chances of being shot or shot at! That may be why we have so many churches in Memphis; that and the fact that some of the preachers have found a good way to meet women and make money!<s>
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>>>I am sure you are being humorous. This thread could use a little humor.
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>>>Just so it's clear, I was not criticizing or mocking anyone's religious beliefs, just disputing the suggestion that most Christians in this country are phony Christians. That has not been my experience.
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>>I don't know about that. I know we have a lot of Christians who are Sunday Christians, or as my pastor used to say, "they raise cane all week and pray for crop failure on Sunday." I'm told Ghandi said he would have been a Christian, but for the Christians. People are like sheep, they just follow whatever. They blow with the wind. So, while there are a ton of folks in the US who call themself Christian, I don't think they are really committed.
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>Maybe. My sense is there are a lot of devout Christians but maybe I'm naive.
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>The Catholics have a phrase for what you describe -- "C and E Catholics" -- meaning they go to mass only on Christmas and Easter.

I heard Joan Rivers saying she did something religiously, you know at Christmas and Easter!