Top 5 Religion Stories... Of All Time!

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-laderman/top-5-religion-storiesof-_b_4512692.html

Gary Laderman
Chair of the Department of Religion, Emory University and Editor of Sacred Matters Magazine

Posted: 12/30/2013 10:09 am

We are in the season of lists that look back on the year and designate best books, blogs, films, music, and other items. This is a ritually consoling way of taking stock of the previous 12 months, highlighting those events and stories and products that stood out as special or unique, and reminding folks that as one year passes, another is about to begin.

Religion lists are especially prominent this year, with authors claiming the obvious about what stood out in the world: a new Pope; disappearing Jews; gay marriage; Muslim violence; the death of Mandela, and so on. It's an easy and fun task to pull up these stories, rank them, and say a few words about each to remind readers of the incessant, often easily forgotten, news cycle of current events that fade from view almost as quickly as they emerge in public consciousness.

The real story about religion is that it won't go away, and whatever blips and blasts make it to CNN or Fox or The Huffington Post will inevitably be pushed aside by new stories that fleetingly capture the imagination. Perhaps this year we can look at religion and identify some stories that never die, that are not simply events that happened over the course of 12 months but are, in a sense, eternally returning and deeply rooted in human cultures and consciousness.

So with that in mind, let's dig beneath the surface of things and dredge up some religion stories that are thousands of years old. Here are the top 5 religion stories of all time:

5. The sacred is elementary. The sacred is always present in societies, a basic elemental way of thinking about the world, identifying what is of greatest importance, and unifying groups of people together. Totems, taboos, territories, time, and so on are all tied in to what counts as sacred and how that is differentiated from the profane. Nothing is more important to social identities and solidarity than the sacred -- it is both the glue that binds individuals together and the source for profound and meaningful religious experiences that shape cultural values and ideals. Gods and spirits, texts and flags, animals and landscapes are only a few examples of sacred phenomena found throughout human history.

more at link

[skepticscott]

1. Those really aren't news stories about specific events

In the way that the headline and the lead-up would have you believe. They are (allegedly) universal concepts or truths.

Some things more in keeping with what was promised might have been:

Christianity Declared Official Religion of Roman Empire! Pagans Vow: "We'll Still be Relevant"

German Monk Named Martin Luther Breaks from Rome, Starts New Church

[pinto]

3. No clue to who wrote the headline. Often editors do the headline lead in for an author's piece.

Agree, the piece looks at some broad concepts.

[pinto]

2. Good read.

Perhaps this year we can look at religion and identify some stories that never die, that are not simply events that happened over the course of 12 months but are, in a sense, eternally returning and deeply rooted in human cultures and consciousness.

[cbayer]

4. I thought it was a fun article, too.

I like end of the year lists in general, but this one quite different.

[dimbear]

5. The real story about religion is that it won't go away...............

Watch Perry Mason late some night, the early shows from the 50's and 60's. Everybody smokes. Smoking was backed up by a giant international corporate network
and seemed unassailable.

Almost nobody imagined that that would go away.

[cbayer]

6. Er, smoking and religion aren't anything like each other, imo.

The link between smoking and illness has been consistently confirmed and very little benefit has ever been shown. There are a few exceptions, including some interesting data on smoking and schizophrenia.

OTOH, the data about religion shows both harm and benefits.

You are right, it's not going away. That's why it's good to promote the benefits while trying to eliminate the harm.

[dimbear]

7. Have a look at the world of 1960. Lots of advertisements for cigarettes tout their

supposed mildness, their flavor and pleasures, their attractions. Folk in white coats recommended them..........

It's hard to imagine, today, that the world was that way. It was.

One eerie little fact about Perry Mason: the shows close with everyone having a wonderful time, lighting up, except the lovely Della Street (Barbara Hale.)

Barbara Hale is still alive.

[cbayer]

8. Right, but the data was accumulating rapidly and was pretty definitive.

No such thing has happened with religion, nor is it likely to.

I remember the days of smoking everywhere. I remember being given a small pack of cigarettes during my first plane ride (13 years old!) and smoking in nurses stations and patient rooms as recently as 30 years ago.

Things have changed a lot, haven't they. I smoke and I now feel like a pariah almost anywhere I light up, including in the cockpit of my own home.

[dimbear]

9. It's shocking that you and I should have a difference of opinion, but that's the way

these issues get hammered out. Let me take the sunshiny view this time.