IS RELIGION A SCAM?

The Pandemic continues, and the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are now dominating.  The New York Times answers the following questions for you, like about long COVID.  Just click on any question of your interest.

• 
  What are the symptoms of an infection with BA.4 and BA.5?

• How often can you be infected with the coronavirus?

• Is reinfection more common with BA.4 and BA.5?

• 
  Does my mask protect me if nobody else is wearing one?

• I tested positive. Now what?

• What antiviral treatments are available and do I qualify for them?

• 
  What is long Covid? How will I know if I have it?

• Can vaccines protect against long Covid?

• Do I need a booster shot if I’ve already had Covid?

Growing up I can recall that people seemed to be more religious.  

• According to a series of polls by Gallup, just updated last month, in the early 50's nearly 100% (98%) of Americans believed in God.  In 2022, this belief percent dropped to 81.  Still rather high.  
• However, you can expect a continued decline because only 68% of those 18-29 today believe in God.  
• As would be expected, the belief rate for Liberals is 62%, but 94% for Conservatives.
• Check out these trends for selected countries:

For those who are religious, you will want to return tomorrow, for I then will delve into science, technology, energy, the environment, politics, cuisine, travel and so forth.  Sundays I many times address a spiritual topic.  Why a scam alert?  This posting of a collection of images and feelings provides some balance from the norm.  Plus, I have a sense that religion might have been crucial to advance Homo sapiens to what we are today, but has become obsolete.

That quote by Vic Stenger is typical of him.  He was a colleague of mine at the University of Hawaii.

When I wrote The Golden Evolution chapter for SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity, my knowledge of religion was minimal.  The first book I read to educate myself was Religion for Dummies.  Since then I've pored through a couple of dozen other more intellectual works, but have not quite found time to read the following books. 

Maybe I should.  Let me end with a few digressions for your Sunday enjoyment:

• Here is a video worthy of view:  Top 10 Shocking Religious Scandals.  
• Read this article:  Top Ten Classic Travel Scams.  What has this to with religion?  Nothing, just something interesting and scary I stumbled into during my search for religious scams.  
• Here is a rant from a Harvard student:  Why Life is a Scam.
• This one leans in the spiritual direction:  What If the Meaning of Life is a Scam?

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