His Love Endures Forever ... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ >-->OoooWEeeee!! (>, oo / 8 "} > @ < |`.8 .-._/| `-.'`')`_.' ) / / |__, | ( / .' , / `._/ '`- \| -- -`' - --- VK/ejm I'm doing a 'Happy Angel' dance! Why? Because Shangrala has been blessed with another 2010 Angel! William Lysak from Canada is again a faithful Shangrala supporter. This is his SECOND time this year and his THIRD year in a row of stepping up to the plate to help Keep Shangrala Alive with a sweet donation! We sure do thank God for him and all our wonderful angels! If you'd like to help too and be counted as a 2010 Shangrala Angel, please visit the site and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL page comes up. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS ALL OUR ANGELS MOST ABUNDANTLY! ================ >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) >Hot Off The 'Shangy' Press... This hot tottie is from our friend PatDeE. I admit I had a bit of fun with this one and hopefully you all will enjoy it too! Turn up your sound and give it time to load... ,sdPBbs. ,d$$$$$$$$b. d$P'`Y'`Y'`?$b d' ` ' \ `b / | \ \ / / \ | \ _,--' | \ | /' _/ \ | \ _/' /' | \ `-.__ __/' ,-' / | | \ `--...__ /' / | / \ \ `-. `\ / /;;,,__-' / / \ \ `-. / |;;;;;;;\ \ What Your GPS Won't Show You http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/gps.html --- ...A Very FUN One! Thanks PatDeE! -<>- >From Emergency Email: Breaking Health: UPDATE Egg Recall Expands Investigation ongoing possibility of more recalls , |\ /\/ \/| ,_ ; \/` '; , \_', \ / '. .' /`. jgs `~~` , /\ `"` . `" Egg Recall expanded list... http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=589&z=29 Updated Egg Recall FACT SHEET: http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=590&z=29 -<>- >From Our Friends At TruthOrTradition :) , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Hello and God bless you! We have a new research article and video series on TruthOrTradition.com that we thought would be a blessing to you. Can a Christian be Possessed by a Demon? Simply visit www.TruthOrTradition.com/can Under the video is a link to watch the entire series (including a video on Symptoms of Demonization). You are always in our prayers! The Staff of TruthOrTradition.com Spirit & Truth Fellowship International STFonline.org ================================================================== >-->From Heartwaarmers: .-""""- F .-' F J I I L `. L `-._, `-.__.-' ## ### # #### _____ ## .---#####-...__ .--' `-### .--..-' ###### ""`---.... _____.----. ###`.._____ .' ####### a:f ### / -. ####### _.--- ### .( ####### # : `--... ###### # `. ``. ###### : :. ##### .' ) ### .' / ## _.' | .## ,:' | ' .' < ' | / | ' . ` >MOON SET by Bobbi Hahn As I've gotten older, the joy of "sleeping in" has become a thing of the past, so I'm awake most days by 5:30 or so. There are many benefits to being an early riser, not the least of which is enjoying magnificent sunrises. This morning, however, I witnessed another of Mother Nature's spectacular shows --a moonset. Whenever the moon is full, I have trouble sleeping anyway, so often when I awaken in the middle of those nights, I'll go outside just to bask in moonlight. It is so much softer and feels gentler than sunlight, making everything appear more attractive, like the filming techniques used for aging movie stars years ago. I'd read that Mars would be making an appearance, so when I awakened a little after five, I went out on the deck to see what I could see. And there was the big old moon, hanging right in front of me. Off to the left, and much higher in the sky, I saw one bright star -- could that be Mars? It didn't look any different from a normal star, so later today I'll have to check on the location of Mars. (My astronomical skills obviously need work.) I live on Hilton Head Island, a major destination for visitors from around the world. This week begins a slowing down in tourist visits, as children head back to school. The island settles into a more normal phase, and residents breathe a sigh of relief at finding a parking space closer to the grocery store. Our villa is situated in a perfect location -- a short walk takes me to a lovely little shopping area that holds a Post Office, several shops and restaurants, and my hairdresser. A short bike ride in the opposite direction takes me to work; on the way, I pass a few lagoons and a tidal creek, where I always check for alligators or various coastal birds. It's a slow, peaceful life that I love with a surprisingly deep passion. You see, I'm a city girl. I was born and raised in Philadelphia. I loved the energy and yes, even the noise that comes with city living. I never imagined that I would fall in love with the natural beauty of a small barrier island in South Carolina, of all places! But fall in love is exactly what I did -- hard. And forever. I cannot imagine living anywhere else. My life here is soothing, and feeds my creativity because to be inspired, all I need do is walk out the door. Our deck overlooks a lagoon, and the fountain in the middle made soothing sounds as I sipped my coffee and watched the moon slipping down the sky. Once they begin their descent, I'm always surprised by how fast the sun or moon set. Before it disappeared behind the tall live oaks across the lagoon, the moon played hide and seek behind some clouds. The clouds were barely visible, blending into the sky which was turning a sharper blue as it lightened into day. Wisps would pass across the moon's face, making it a momentary spooky with a Halloween look. But soon the moon would reappear, so full and looking close enough to grasp in the palm of my hand. All too soon, the clouds grew thicker, the moon descended below the treetops, and my lunar encounter was at an end. I lingered over my lukewarm coffee, reluctant to go inside and begin the mundane routine with which we all prepare for work. But this day would be different -- it began with wonderment. Who could ask for a better beginning for the blessing of another day in paradise? -- Bobbi Hahn __________________________________________________ Bobbi lives in that cozy villa beside a lagoon with her husband and two elderly cats. She is a frequent contributor to Heartwarmers and Petwarmers, and more of her work can be seen on her website: http://www.bobbihahn.com ==================================================================== >-->From Our Friend James :) __________ | __ __ | | | || | | | | || | | | |__||__| | | __ __()| | | || | | | | || | | | | || | | | | || | | | |__||__| | ejm |__________| >Narrow Door "For many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." – Luke 13:24 It's a silly Japanese game show that sent me rolling with laughter. Now, the Philippines has its own version entitled Hole in the Wall. The object of the game is to pass through an approaching wall that has odd-shaped holes. Contestants have to contort their bodies or balance themselves in almost inconceivable positions so they can pass through the moving wall without being pushed into the water. It's an entertaining game that reminds me of our Gospel today. Jesus tells us, "Try to come in through the narrow door." In my life, I've experienced all sorts of narrow doors as I sought to follow Jesus. There were times when the approaching challenge seemed as impossible for me to get through as the silly shapes in the game show above. But there was one thing I discovered: As long as my heart was disposed to obey the Lord, the impossible became possible and I'd be able to miraculously make it through my dead-end. You know what's even better? I also discovered that only the door was narrow. Because as soon as I made it through, the riches of God's kingdom opened up before me. REFLECTION: What narrow door is Jesus asking you to enter through? Lord, I don't want to be among the many who try but are unable to enter. Grant me the grace to enter through the narrow door of Your Kingdom. -<>- >BE HONEST Even if others are not Even if others will not Even if others cannot "He who walks honestly walks securely." Proverbs 10:9 A message from The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals. -<>- .. ____ ____ . | / + \ || || /+ . \ . | |o x.| =**= _ =**= | o x| . | |____| || _( )_ || |____| . | || /_____\ || . | ______________//| |/__________________ . |_______^________/ | + | /____^_____ . . _U_ / |___| // _U_ . | /_______________________________________// | . /|\ |______________________________________|/ /|\ >Hypocrisy "Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing." – Matthew 23:28 Ouch! Matthew could have written this verse with me in mind. Sure, I've been in a personal relationship with the Lord for the past 15 years, helped others to know Him through my writing, served actively in our community, evangelized a person or two, etc. But no matter how many more good deeds I add to the list, my goodness is overshadowed by the "bad" I do. I'm blessed to have Jesus who confronts me with Scripture and the witness of His very own life — even if it means calling me a hypocrite. That's the kind of love I need — the tough, in-your-face kind that is also sincere, tender and unconditional. Who else but Jesus can go on accepting and loving me no matter how "H" I become? Facing the truth about me hurts but I know it will also set me free from my badness so that I can embrace my goodness. I'm amazed at just how deeply Jesus loves me — He never gives up and leaves me to be my hypocritical self. He changes me for the better constantly. As I spend time with Him in prayer, receive His body and blood at the Eucharist and surrender my life to Him more and more, His love changes me slowly but surely. REFLECTION: Your true self is who you are when nobody is watching. Lord, teach me to be the person You created me to be and to live as You want me to live. -<>- Beauty is God's handwriting. ~ Charles Kingsley --- ...Thank You James! Since 'beauty' is in the eye of the beholder then this quote does make sense. ================================================================== uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu u" uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu "u u" u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u "u u" u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u "u u" u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u "u u" u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u "u u" u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u "u $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $ $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $ $ $$$" ... "$... ...$" ... "$$$ ... "$$$ $ $ $$$u `"$$$$$$$ $$$ $$$$$ $$ $$$ $$$ $ $ $$$$$$uu "$$$$ $$$ $$$$$ $$ """ u$$$ $ $ $$$""$$$ $$$$ $$$u "$$$" u$$ $$$$$$$$ $ $ $$$$....,$$$$$..$$$$$....,$$$$..$$$$$$$$ $ $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $ "u "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" u" "u "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" u" "u "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" u" "u "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" u" "u "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" u" "u """""""""""""""""" u" """""""""""""""""""" >Should We Stop? Story Editor: by Jaycey Swenka Clayton Bennett Iowa, USA In 2002, my newlywed husband worked briefly as a tow-truck driver in my hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Because he was almost always on call, I would ride along to be with him whenever I had the opportunity. One particular day, we had just dropped off a vehicle and were heading to the next pick-up when we encountered a father and his son stopped almost in the middle of a four-way intersection. Their truck was parked off to the side a bit, at enough of an angle to see that many bags of concrete had slid off the opened pickup bed. Some had broken apart on the asphalt. The father had tried to park his truck so it gave them some protection from the oncoming traffic, but as it was a busy intersection during the 5:00 rush hour, it wasn't hard to see that they could easily get hit. Even though they had their emergency flashers on, they were almost hit twice by people flying past, not slowing down in the least, much less stopping to offer help. This infuriated me, not because they were blocking traffic, but because no one passing or waiting at the lights had offered their help. Many sat there waiting for the light to change, watching this man as he and his son tried to pick up the heavy bags of concrete quickly and not get hit. Not one single person stopped to help. I told my husband that you know things are getting bad when even people in Iowa won't stop to offer help anymore. He asked if we should stop and help. "Most definitely!" I replied. I wanted to help -- not because no one else would, but because I felt like I needed to. My husband pulled up behind the truck and turned on his flashing lights. Many people wouldn't notice emergency flashers on a regular truck, he said, but they will notice the lights on a tow truck, even in broad daylight. He wanted me to stay in the tow truck as I was pregnant with our daughter at the time, but I refused. "The more hands out there helping, the faster the job will get done" was my excuse. The man gratefully accepted our offer to help. As we were loading the unbroken bags of concrete back onto his truck, he told us they had just come from a hardware store -- after buying supplies for a deck and patio his wife had wanted for years. He then went on to tell us that his wife was dying of cancer, and that he didn't want to leave her alone for long, as she wasn't doing well. After everything was reloaded, the father offered us some money, which we refused even though we needed it. We told him that we hoped someone would someday do the same for us. Little did we know when we stopped that our reward would be meeting a man on such a poignant, inspiring mission. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: Just a little poem I wrote for my grandson ..::''''::.. .:::. .;'' ``;. .... ::::: :: :: :: :: ,;' .;: () ..: `:::' :: :: :: :: ::. ..:,:;.,:;. . :: .::::. `:' :: .:' :: :: `:. :: '''::, :: :: :: `:: :: ;: .:: : :: : : :: ,:'; ::; :: :: :: :: :: ::,::''. . :: `:. .:' :: `:,,,,;;' ,;; ,;;, ;;, ,;;, ,;;, `:,,,,:' :;: `;..``::::''..;' ``::,,,,::'' I Saw God Smile It was a typical birthday party my grandson just turned "One" Everyone having a good time, Eating and having fun. Then we all gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday to You" I looked at your bright face and saw your beautiful smile, It wasn't that normal laugh or smile That we've grown accustomed too. It was different in a way that's hard to explain, I felt moved in A different way too. As I walked away from the crowd In that room a feeling came over me. I've just seen God smile through my grandson, how blessed Could a Grandpa be? T.Royer 2004 -<>- >Daily Devotional by Helen Steiner Rice Thank You, God, for the miracles We are much too blind to see, Give us new awareness Of our many gifts from Thee. --Helen Steiner Rice -<>- ____ | | \ | | \________ _|_|____________) /| / | __________) ||__ /____|,' ________| |/_/| _|_______,' )( | | :|)( ejm )( )( >Piano At the prodding of my friends, I am writing this story. My name is Mildred Hondorf. I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des Moines, Iowa. I've always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons, something I've done for over 30 years. Over the years I found that children have many levels of musical ability. I've never had the pleasure of having a prodigy though I have taught some talented students. However I've also had my share of what I call "musically challenged" pupils. One such student was Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single Mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially boys!) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student. Well, Robby began with his piano lessons and from the beginning I thought it was a hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But he dutifully reviewed his scales and some elementary pieces that I require all my students to learn. Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and tried to encourage him. At the end of each weekly lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me play someday." But it seemed so hopeless. He just did not have any inborn ability. I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled but never stopped in. Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling him but assumed because of his lack of ability, that he had decided to pursue something else. I also was glad that he stopped coming. He was a bad advertisement for my teaching! Several weeks later I mailed to the student's homes a flyer on the upcoming recital. To my surprise Robby (who received a flyer) asked me if he could be in the recital. I told him that the recital was for current pupils and because he had dropped out he really did not qualify. He said that his mother had been sick and unable to take him to piano lessons but he was still practicing. "Miss Hondorf . . . I've just got to play!" he insisted. I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Maybe it was his persistence or maybe it was something inside of me saying that it would be all right. The night for the recital came. The high school gymnasium was packed with parents, friends and relatives. I put Robby up last in the program before I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing piece. I thought that any damage he would do would come at the end of the program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my "curtain closer." Well, the recital went off without a hitch. The students had been practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked like he'd run an eggbeater through it. "Why didn't he dress up like the other students?" I thought. "Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?" Robby pulled out the piano bench and he began. I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen Mozart's Concerto #21 in C Major. I was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to fortissimo. From allegro to virtuoso. His suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so well by anyone his age. After six and a half minutes he ended in a grand crescendo and everyone was on their feet in wild applause. Overcome and in tears I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in joy. "I've never heard you play like that Robby! How'd you do it? " Through the microphone Robby explained: "Well Miss Hondorf . .. . remember I told you my Mom was sick? Well, actually she had cancer and she died this morning. And well . . . she was born deaf so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play. I wanted to make it special." There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed into foster care, noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy and I thought to myself how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. No, I've never had a prodigy but that night I became a prodigy. . . of Robby's. He was the teacher and I was the pupil. For it is he that taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in yourself and maybe even taking a chance on someone when you don't know why. Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995. -<>- W __ __ [ ] |::||::| E ._. |::||::| ._. |\ |:| ._. |::||::| |/| \ \\|/ |:|_|/| |::||::|_ |/| |-( )- |:|"|/|_|::||::|\|_|/| _ | V L |:|"|/|||::||::|\|||/||:| \ ` ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | \/ / ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ >Quilt This is truly incredible! Please take a look. When the quilt comes up, click on it to enlarge it, and then click again and again -- each time it gets larger. When you make it big, you will see the faces of people who died at the World Trade Center. Lois Jarvis of Madison, Wisconsin made this beautiful quilt. Imagine the amount of work and planning that had to go into this. It is a labor of great love. Please look. http://www.gzquilt.com/About_the_Quilt/about_the_quilt.html --- ...Oh, and they say the Mosque debate is about being a bigot. This is what it is all about. The people who lost their lives and the countless families that lost their love. Radical Muslims took these people away from their families and friends. A reminder of that horror need not be present so close to the tragedy. It would serve only as a victory monument to those who did this evil and not an atonement of peace. -<>- * . , . - * - . ' ` ._c \c _c/ _c \`- )` ' / '/\ >\ |> /\ -'| brojek >I Threw Out Last week I threw out Worrying, it was getting old and in the way, It kept me from being me, I couldn't do things my way. I threw out those Inhibitions; they were just crowding me out, Made room for my New Growth, got rid of my old dreams and doubts. I threw out a book on My Past (didn't have time to read it anyway) replaced it with New Goals, started reading it today. I threw out childhood toys, remember how I treasured them so? Got me a new Philosophy too, threw out the one from long ago. Brought in some new books too, called I Can, I Will, and I Must. Threw out I might, I think and I ought. You should've seen the dust. I picked up this special thing and placed it at the front door, I Found It - it's called Peace, nothing gets me down anymore. Yes, I've got my house looking nice, looks good around the place for things like Worry and Trouble, there just isn't any place. It's good to do a little house cleaning, get rid of the old things on the shelf. It sure makes things brighter. Thank you God for cleaning up myself. -Author Unknown -<>- . | . \ | / `. \ ' / .' `. .-*""*-. .' "*-._ /.*" "*.\ _.-*" : ; ____ """"': .. ; _.-*" \ `.__.' / "*-._ .' `-.__.-' `. bug .' / . \ `. / | \ ' | ` >LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING By: Joseph J. Mazzella We have all heard that old saying, "Looks can be deceiving." Well, I got some good proof of it this morning as I was shaving. I looked in the mirror and noticed that some of the hairs in my mustache were as white as my shaving cream. I laughed about this because I feel more alive, vibrant, and joyous now than I did when I was twenty. I got a little more proof later on as I walked through my tiny home and sat in my old, worn chair. Two cats quickly jumped on my lap while a smile leaped to my face. It seemed funny that in this society where fame and fortune are looked on as everything that I had found so much joy in such a simple life with so little money. It was a short time later, however, that I got the greatest proof of all. The sun broke through the clouds, shone through my window, and gently warmed my face. Bathed in that golden light I felt not only the heat of the sun but also the loving touch of God on my face, in my heart, and through my soul. I knew then that life’s greatest joys can’t be seen with the eyes at all. Looks truly can be deceiving. Joy, love, energy, and vitality don’t end when your body gets old, but can continue until your last breath and beyond. Fame, fortune, and material things may look nice on the surface, but they don’t bring your heart and soul any lasting peace or happiness. This natural world we live in is both blessed and beautiful, but beyond it there is another world that is even more blessed and more beautiful. We are only here for a short time. Let’s not be deceived by appearances then. Look at things with your eyes, but feel them with your heart and see them with your soul. Take care of your body, but know that you are much more. Work in this world, but always live in the Kingdom of Heaven. Do all the good you can, share all the love you can, and choose all the joy you can in this life. But know that an even greater life full of God’s love and light awaits you. -<>- >Links For Your Enjoyment Scuba Diving Cat http://www.buffalosjokes.com/42006.htm Amazing Child http://www.buffalosjokes.com/1180606.htm America's Funniest http://www.buffalosjokes.com/1180607.htm 2005 Armor http://www.buffalosjokes.com/21701.htm Respect Your Elders http://www.buffalosjokes.com/42004.htm Shark VS Octopus http://www.buffalosjokes.com/42009.htm One Day http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/oneday.htm Our Valuable Anchor http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html Choose His Children http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/choosehischildren.html Old Barns, Old People, Old Friends http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/barns.html Moon Photography Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/moonart.html Sand Sculpture Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/sandart.html Harvest Moonbow http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/moonbow.html Visit our site at http://www.inspiredbuffalo.com If you are looking to join any of our other fine e-zines visit www.buffalosjokes.com We look forward to seeing you there! ======================================================================= >-->From SermondFodder: ,, ;;'} ,""", | \ \_ ^oo^,-----. | `--"` (..) ) )& |___| . ^oo^,-""""`.`| )( ) (( | (..) ) )&( ^..^,-"""-. || ) `--'.| )_( ) (..) ) )& ||_| . . |( )) `--'| )_( ) jrei LL-.> . .. |( )) >Country Pearls . . . Don't name a pig you plan to eat. Country fences need to be horse high, pig tight and bull strong. Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce. Keep skunks and bankers at a distance. Life is simpler when you plow around the stumps. Mortgaging a future crop is saddling a wobbly colt. A bumble bee is faster than a John Deere tractor. Trouble with a milk cow is she won't stay milked. Don't skinny dip with snapping turtles. Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled. Meanness don't happen overnight. To know how country folks are doing, look at their barns, not their houses. Never lay an angry hand on a kid or an animal, it just ain't helpful. Teachers, bankers, and hoot owls sleep with one eye open. Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads. -<>- .======. | INRI | | | | | .========' '========. | _ xxxx _ | | /_;-.__ / _\ _.-;_\ | | `-._`'`_/'`.-' | '========.`\ /`========' | | / | |/-.( | |\_._\ | | \ \`;| | > |/| | / // | | |// | | \(\ | | `` | | | | | | | | | \\jgs _ _\\| \// |//_ _ \// _ ^ `^`^ ^`` `^ ^` ``^^` `^^` `^ `^ >Poll: Most Americans Say They're Christian Varies Greatly From the World at Large Analysis By Gary Langer — Ask Americans their religion and you'll get an earful — 50 individual answers in an ABCNEWS/Beliefnet poll, ranging from agnostics to Zen Buddhists. The vast majority, though, have something in common: Jesus Christ. Eighty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians. Most of the rest, 13 percent, have no religion. That leaves just 4 percent as adherents of all non-Christian religions combined — Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and a smattering of individual mentions. That's quite different from the world at large: Fifty-two percent of the world's population is non-Christian, compared to 4 percent in the United States; and one-third is Christian, compared to 83 percent in the United States. (These are rough comparisons, because the world figures, reported by the Encyclopedia Britannica, are for the full population, while the U.S. figures are among adults only.) This poll used an open-ended question to gauge religious affiliation: "What if anything is your religion?" Most of the 50 affiliations cited are Christian denominations, ranging from the Assembly of God to the United Church of Christ. Added up they show that 53 percent of Americans are Protestants, 22 percent Catholics and 8 percent other Christians, such as Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses. Protestant Groups The largest group within the ranks of American Protestants is unaffiliated: Nineteen percent of Americans say they're Protestants, but don't cite a specific denomination. They account for more than a third of all Protestants. Another 15 percent of Americans identify themselves as Baptists or Southern Baptists, meaning this group accounts for nearly three in 10 Protestants. No other Protestant denomination comes close in size. Baptists are especially prevalent among black Americans: Nearly half of blacks, 48 percent, say they're Baptists, making it far and away their No. 1 denomination (next are nondenominational, at 15 percent of blacks, and Methodist, at 8 percent of blacks). Among whites, 22 percent are Catholics, another 22 percent are nonaffiliated Protestants and 13 percent are Baptists. Blacks, who are overwhelmingly Christian, are also more likely than whites to have any religion: Just 3 percent of blacks say they have no religion, compared to 13 percent of whites. ("No religion" includes people who describe their religion as atheist or agnostic.) Other Denominations Six percent of Americans say they're Methodists (including African Methodists and United Methodists); 5 percent, Lutherans. No other Protestant denomination was named by more than 2 percent of respondents. Evangelicals Thirty-seven percent of all Christians describe themselves as born-again or evangelical; that includes nearly half of all Protestants (47 percent), as well as a small share (14 percent) of Catholics. Baptists again dominate: Sixty-two percent of Baptists say they're evangelical Christians, compared to 46 percent of all other Protestant denominations combined, and 37 percent of nondenominational Protestants. Evangelism soars particularly among blacks, and southerners: Two-thirds of blacks describe themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians, double the share of whites who do so. And 55 percent of Christians in the South say they're born-again, compared to 21 percent in the Northeast, 26 percent in the Midwest and 31 percent in the West. Lower-income Christians also are more apt to be evangelicals. Among those with household incomes under $35,000, 45 percent are evangelicals; among those with higher incomes this declines to 31 percent. Income, Education More broadly, Protestants tend to have lower incomes than Catholics: Forty-nine percent of evangelical Protestants have incomes under $50,000, as do 43 percent of non-evangelical Protestants, compared to 36 percent of Catholics. Income correlates with education. Thirty-six percent of Catholics are college graduates; that declines to 23 percent of Protestants, and 17 percent of Baptists. Politics There's an enormous political difference between evangelical and non-evangelical Protestants on some issues. One is abortion: Sixty-two percent of evangelical Protestants say it should be illegal in all or most cases; by contrast, 65 percent of non-evangelical Protestants say abortion should be legal (as do 55 percent of Catholics). (See 7/2 analysis on abortion and 6/26 analysis on stem-cell research.) The difference narrows in terms of ideology more broadly. Forty-four percent of white evangelical Protestants say they're conservative on most political matters; that compares to 33 percent of white non-evangelical Protestants and white Catholics alike. Blacks are different in this regard; just 24 percent of blacks say they're conservative politically. And among people who have no religion, only 19 percent are conservatives. There's even less difference between evangelical and non-evangelical white Protestants in political party identification: Forty percent of white evangelical Protestants identify themselves as Republicans, as do 34 percent of white non-evangelical Protestants. By contrast only 5 percent of blacks, and 11 percent of non-Christians, are Republicans. Methodology This ABCNEWS/Beliefnet poll was conducted by telephone June 20-24, among a random national sample of 1,022 adults. Beliefnet is a Web site dedicated to providing information on religion and spirituality. It is not affiliated with any religious group or movement. The results have a three-point error margin. Field work was conducted by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa. Previous ABCNEWS polls can be found in our Poll Vault. http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/beliefnet_poll_010718.html ================================================================== _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >-->GIVE THANKS "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. who made the great lights -- His love endures forever. the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever. the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever. to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever. and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever. with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever. to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever. and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever. but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever. to him who led his people through the desert, His love endures forever. who struck down great kings, His love endures forever. and killed mighty kings -- His love endures forever. 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His love endures forever." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * arm * (Psalm 136) -<>- May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door. -- Irish Blessing >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Chhristian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->Pass this on as it should be of interesst to all who served. The study was carried out in Austrialia on their Vietnam Veterans. ABC Nat. 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