Keller At Large 01/29/2009

[0:12] ..." in states like Mississippi Tennessee and North Carolina where they say yes religious practices very important to them. By contrast in the New England states that number drops to less than 50%. In Massachusetts it's 48%. Dirt from the bottom in New Hampshire it's even lower 46%. These numbers touched off a shallow and offensive debate on the Internet with non religious jerks arguing that they -- a badge of honor because only dummies subscribe to devout religious practice and their critics responding in kind. How did we ever get along in the bad old days without a high level discourse the web brings in more homes every day. Anyway on these poll results telling statistics were meaningless. I vote for meaningless. Yes I don't doubt that other regions have higher rates of attendance at religious"...

[1:30] ..." sharing his modest home with the daughter of an old friend now deceased who is battling illness and has no family upper room to turn to. His acts of loving kindness performed for no other reason than -- the right thing to do are what spirituality. Is all about and they are duplicated on every street in New England every day without fanfare or publicity. Maybe you'll see that guy in church this Sunday and maybe you won't but I'll take"...

[0:00]" The annual Gallup poll of attitudes towards religion is out and there are some pretty stark regional differences in the percent of Americans who say religion is an important part of their daily life. It's around 80% in states like Mississippi Tennessee and North Carolina where they say yes religious practices very important to them. By contrast in the New England states that number drops to less than 50%. In Massachusetts it's 48%. Dirt from the bottom in New Hampshire it's even lower 46%. These numbers touched off a shallow and offensive debate on the Internet with non religious jerks arguing that they -- a badge of honor because only dummies subscribe to devout religious practice and their critics responding in kind. How did we ever get along in the bad old days without a high level discourse the web brings in more homes every day. Anyway on these poll results telling statistics were meaningless. I vote for meaningless. Yes I don't doubt that other regions have higher rates of attendance at religious services. And I've seen surveys that show residents of most other states have higher rates at charitable giving and then we do. But -- the implication is that we're somehow less in the spirit here that were less caring and generous and others sorry I'm not buying it. I met a guy recently who to my mind is more typical the -- under then atypical. He lives out of the boon docks and doesn't have much. But he sharing his modest home with the daughter of an old friend now deceased who is battling illness and has no family upper room to turn to. His acts of loving kindness performed for no other reason than -- the right thing to do are what spirituality. Is all about and they are duplicated on every street in New England every day without fanfare or publicity. Maybe you'll see that guy in church this Sunday and maybe you won't but I'll take him his mind neighbor any day."