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Since about 75% of Americans and Canadians identify themselves as Christians, this section will mainly deal with the conflicts between some Christian spokespersons and other elements in society.

The topics listed below were chosen because they have a strong religious or moral content.

The deeper questions:

One can often find fundamental questions that underly active conflicts, but which are often neglected. Yet it is often in these ignored questions that the possibility for consensus lies.

Basic questions that often underly many conflicts

Religious change:

Changes in religious beliefs are very different from changes in scientific beliefs.

• In the larger world religions, religious beliefs are largely based upon the writings in a holy book -- the Hebrew Scriptures for Jews, the Holy Bible for Christians, the Qur'an for Muslims, etc. Religious beliefs evolve only as the interpretation of the holy book(s) change. Because of the close interaction between religion and culture, change happens at a very slow rate -- often over generations. For example, in the U.S. the level of acceptance of inter-racial marriage increased over the latter part of the 20th century by only about 1% a year.
  
  
• In science, all beliefs are open to falsification. Scientists know that their beliefs only approximate reality. Their beliefs are grounded in observations. They expect and aggressively search out change, which can happen quickly.

How religions changed (and are changing) their teachings on various topics

Past Conflicts, Now Settled:

Ever since the time of the scientist Galileo, there have been continual battles in the West between the dominant religion (Christianity) and persons who propose conflicting social, medical, scientific and other ideas.

	Human slavery: Slavery has been almost completely eliminated. However near-slavery is still a serious problem in some areas of the world.
	Other conflicts which have been resolved

Future topics which have not yet been fully engaged:

At any time over the past few centuries, there have been "hot" topics that are just emerging into public debate. Now is no exception.

	Transgendered persons -- Equal rights and protections for those who experience gender dysphoria. Their gender identity conflicts with their physical sex. This topic has surfaced into public view as a result of a federal bill in the U.S. to end discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity.
	Polygamy (a.k.a. plural marriage): Marriage is an amazingly flexible institution. It has taken many forms in various cultures and eras. It has not always been restricted to a union of two spouses.

Currently active religious conflicts:

	The current big three major moral/ethical concerns:> Equal rights for homosexuals and bisexuals including same-sex marriage Abortion access including methods of reducing the abortion rate Capital punishment
	Mental and physical therapies and treatments: Psychological and other hoaxes CAM: "Complementary and alternative medicine" Facilitated communication for people with Autism and other communication disorders Faith healing vs. medical treatment The HPV vaccine and cervical cancer Recovered Memory therapy Theophostic Counseling Therapeutic Touch: valid healing method or hoax? Ending discrimination in hospital visitation
	Educational topics: In the U.S.: Religion in the public schools School library book censorship Condoms in the schools, sex-ed, and pre-marital sex Posting the ten Commandments in public schools In Canada: Residential schools for Native students in Canada Anti-bullying "wear pink" day Faith-based, government financed schools
	Marriage topics: About marriage: Changes in marriage, marriage in the Bible, marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution, covenant marriages, same-sex marriages, inter-faith marriages, handfasting, polygamy.....
	Other items (in alphabetic order): Christian urban legends: really neat stories with a Christian theme that never happened Clergy sexual abuse of children and youth Cloning of humans; Therapeutic cloning  Condoms in the schools, sex-ed, and pre-marital sex Conscience clauses: Discriminating against people motivated by religious belief Corporal punishment of children (Spanking) Cremation vs. burial Embryo and stem cell research Euthanasia and assisted suicide Medical management of pain Evolution vs. Creation Science Fantasy role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, etc. Female Genital Mutilation (Female Circumcision) and Intersexual Surgery Female ordination Freedoms: erosion of freedoms and human rights in the U.S. Gay/lesbian marriage Government vs. religion in the US Halloween: Facts and misinformation The Harry Potter books (children's imaginative fiction) Hate crimes Inter-faith marriages Intersexual Genital Mutilation Jesus' body: where is it now? In heaven or a Jerusalem tomb License plates with anti-abortion or pro-Christian messages Masturbation Nudism, Naturism, Public Breast-feeding, Toplessness The "Occult" Priests' sexual abuse of children and youth Recovered Memory therapy Religion in the public schools Residential schools for Native students in Canada Ritual abuse Satanic ritual abuse Sex related topics Separation of church and state;   Recent court decisions Spanking (corporal punishment of children) Stem cell research Suicide The Ten Commandments; should they be posted in public schools, etc.? Transgenderism, transsexualism and gender identity Truth and falsehood: absolute or relative? "Spare the Rod:" an essay describing partnership and dominator cultural models by Riane Eisler Vouchers for religious schools War costs in Iraq and Afghanistan Women in the clergy: priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis

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More "Hot" Topics can be seen elsewhere on this Web site at the following menus:

	Overlap and conflicts between science and religion
	Religious hatred and other not-so-spiritual matters
	"Cults" - (a.k.a. New Religious Movements)
	Morality

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