Re: morality and religion

[Drnanjo]

Hello,

David Myers wrote:

But across individuals, religiosity (as indexed by such things as
participation in faith communities or self-rated importance of religion)
correlates with intentional altruism.  While the correlations between faith
and
altruism/happiness/health seem pretty well established, the causal
explanations
of the correlations are open for debate and research.  And it remains to be
seen whether the proposed faith-based interventions will pay social dividends.

I am attaching an clip from an article I received on another list. The bold
print is my own added emphasis.

To me, the kind of bigotry that is implied in the last sentences, if this
research reflects what is true, does not speak to an altruism, unless we are
only speaking of charity to people of our own kind....


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans support the idea of President Bush's
plan to fund faith-based charities but have reservations about government
involvement in religion, according to a poll released on Tuesday.

The poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and the Pew
Forum on Religion and Public Life, found 75 percent of 2,041 people surveyed
supported the concept of faith-based funding while 21 percent opposed it.

However, most respondents were selective about who should receive the money
and did not think non-Judeo-Christian religious groups, such as Muslims and
Buddhists, or groups outside the mainstream, such as Scientologists, should
get funds.