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• Wednesday, September 10, 2008 11:07 PM

  Comment with List of Major World Religions...jt

  I would happily support the candidacy of a member of any one of the world's religions (See List Below), if I was convinced that he or she would be an honest advocate for reasonable public policy, as well as a passionate protector of the liberty and dignity of all citizens. I would actually prefer lower taxes if the person had the courage to propose corollary cuts in spending, as I would expect anyone who is serious about advancing the general welfare to be on a crusade against governmental and bureaucratic corruption.

  However, as any careful observer can report, Fundamentalists, fanatics of all religions, too passionately believe themselves to be in possession of 'Absolute Truth," to extend such civility to "heathens" or "infidels." Religious fanatics habitually begrudge the rights of citizenship to the rest of us. The Republican Party Platform reflects that anti-democratic fanaticism, on abortion, on gay-rights, on civil liberties of all sorts. They are big on bigotry. Why should they not pick Governor Palin, after all, she is one of them?

  Major Religions of the World - Ranked by Number of Adherents

  Sizes shown are approximate estimates

  This list is from Adherents.com

  Christianity***: 2.1 billion

  Islam: 1.5 billion

  Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion

  Hinduism: 900 million

  Chinese traditional religion: 394 million

  Buddhism: 376 million

  primal-indigenous: 300 million

  African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million

  Sikhism: 23 million

  Juche: 19 million

  Spiritism: 15 million

  Judaism: 14 million

  Baha'i: 7 million

  Jainism: 4.2 million

  Shinto: 4 million

  Cao Dai: 4 million

  Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million

  Tenrikyo: 2 million

  Neo-Paganism: 1 million

  Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand

  Rastafarianism: 600 thousand

  Scientology: 500 thousand

  *** Nominal Christians, of all sects, compose about 33% of all the people on earth. For statistical purposes: Groups which self-identify as part of Christianity include (but are not limited to): African Independent Churches (AICs), the Aglipayan Church, Amish, Anglicans, Armenian Apostolic, Assemblies of God; Baptists, Calvary Chapel, Catholics, Christadelphians, Christian Science, the Community of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormons"), Coptic Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches, Ethiopian Orthodox, Evangelicals, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Local Church, Lutherans, Methodists, Monophysites, Nestorians, the New Apostolic Church, Pentecostals, Plymouth Brethren, Presbyterians, the Salvation Army, Seventh-Day Adventists, Shakers, Stone-Campbell churches (Disciples of Christ; Churches of Christ; the "Christian Church and Churches of Christ"; the International Church of Christ); Uniate churches, United Church of Christ/Congregationalists, the Unity Church, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, Vineyard churches and others.

  —JoeyTranchina Read JoeyTranchina's other letters
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