Tending ones own flower bed first

[Orthodoc]

When reading things like this one has to wonder why western Christians are so hell bent on planting flowers amongst the Orthodox flower beds in eastern europe when their own flower beds in western europe are whithering and dying.

Seems like where religion and God is concerned, there is a 180 degree turnaround.  While Russia is passing laws to teach religion and God in the schools.....America & western europe has taken God out of the school and is doing things like firing people for saying "God Bless You"  as a comfort to a grieving widow
at Arlington Cemetary which happened recently.

Orthodoc

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2003.01.30 SwissInfo:
Census reveals shift away from religion
 swissinfo
January 30, 2003 3:25 PM

The religious landscape in Switzerland has undergone a sea change, with a
growing number of people moving away from organised forms of religion.

According to the most recent census, over 11 per cent of Swiss have no
religious affiliation - a rise of ten per cent in just 30 years.

The results of the 2000 survey revealed that most people in this category
were aged between 30 and 50, lived in cities and were more likely to be men
than women.

The Federal Office of Statistics, which published the figures on Thursday,
said there was also a marked regional contrast, with French-speaking cantons
claiming the greatest number of non-religious people.

Christianity remains the most widely-followed religion in Switzerland, with
40 per cent of the population defining themselves as Roman Catholics and 33
per cent as Protestants.

However, both churches have registered a significant fall in the number of
churchgoers since the last census in 1990 - down 363,000.

Non-Christian groups

Non-Christian religious groups account for some seven per cent of the
population, a rise of just under four per cent since 1990.

These religions include Islam, Hinduism, Orthodox Christianity and Buddhism.

Muslims make up the largest non-Christian community, with 311,000 devotees.
They include many Albanians from Kosovo and Macedonia.

The Christian Orthodox church has 130,000 followers, while Hinduism and
Buddhism each claim more than 20,000 devotees.

The Federal Office of Statistics said factors such as immigration, mixed
marriages and increased mobility had contributed to this development.

Jews accounted for just 0.2 per cent of the Swiss population.

swissinfo with agencies

[Mor Ephrem]

Non-Christian religious groups account for some seven per cent of the population, a rise of just under four per cent since 1990.

These religions include Islam, Hinduism, Orthodox Christianity and Buddhism.

I like how Orthodox Christianity is one of the non-Christian religious groups mentioned in the article.

[JoeS]

Never, ever underestimate the ignorance shown by the west when writing articles that include Orthodox Christians.
JoeS

Non-Christian religious groups account for some seven per cent of the population, a rise of just under four per cent since 1990.

These religions include Islam, Hinduism, Orthodox Christianity and Buddhism.

I like how Orthodox Christianity is one of the non-Christian religious groups mentioned in the article.  

[Frobie]

Good one, Mor.

"Jews accounted for just 0.2 per cent of the Swiss population."

Oh, and who would want to be a Jew in Switzerland?

[Brigid of Kildare]

Never, ever underestimate the ignorance shown by the west when writing articles that include Orthodox Christians.
JoeS

Yes Joe, a position that might change when Orthodox nations like Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus come into the EU as full members and are able to educate westerners?

I agree with your sentiments completely Orthodoc. I was just reading an article by Frederica Mathewes-Green on the morality of "evangelizing" Russia where she says:

The dilemma is summed up by a missionary T-shirt a friend of mine observed. It read, "Bringing the light of the Gospel where it has never shown before." Below this there was an image of a church with onion domes--topped by crosses.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/32/story_3240.html

[Orthodoc]

[The dilemma is summed up by a missionary T-shirt a friend of mine observed. It read, "Bringing the light of the Gospel where it has never shown before." Below this there was an image of a church with onion domes--topped by crosses. ]

That as bad as the program I watched once on TBN where one of these American Evangelical preachers dressed in a cowboy hat, jeans, and boots was standing in Red Square with St Basil's Cathedral looming in the background asking for money so he could bring Jesus to the Russians and teach them to say 'Slava Boho' (Glory to God) which they have been saying for over a thousand years!

The program ended with that beautiful hymn - "A cold bottle of beer won't wash away your sins"!  I KID YOU NOT!
I haven't watched TBN since.

Orthodoc

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