Religion at the dinner table

Have fun with this one. Just recently I read an article citing the results from a Pew Forum on religion and Public Life, basically a poll on religion and religious views. I found the article interesting and carefully written, citing facts and views of what they might mean. The challenge I found with the survey, or at least the one nugget of information pulled for source material in this article, was the wording of the question. “Can many religions lead to eternal life?” Here is the actual question from the Pew folks as asked, “Now as I read a pair of statements, tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views even if neither is exactly right. First/next: My religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life, OR: many religions can lead to eternal life. Whoa boy here we go. Religion: Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This re·li·gion Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ri-lij-uh n] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. 2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. 3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions. 4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion. 5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith. 6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice. 7. religions, Archaic. religious rites. 8. Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow. —Idiom According to this definition can conservatism, liberalism, environmentalism, and humanism be deemed religions? Kinda muddies the water a bit. I believe, though intimately involved in a faith defined above as a religion, that it is not the religious practices that get you anywhere, in the eternal sense. We are all created as eternal beings, sorry Charles, designed to inhabit, subdue and fill the earth. We are already in eternity we just happen to be on Earth at the time. The question is when our time here on earth is no more, then what? Will the rest of your/my eternity be spent in the presences of our creator or not? Pew says roughly 88% of the over 35k surveyed believe in “God or a Universal Spirit”. Whether you believe in God or not He believes in you. It is not about religion it is about relationship; relationship with our creator and each other. Entropy, or lets call it breaking of relationship, entered the story on earth early with the taking of a fruit and has since severed the close ties designed in the relationship, and everything has been downhill from there. Two more items to ponder: 1) Do you believe in absolute truth? Absolutely? 2) Is being intolerant of the intolerant true tolerance? New Pew Questions: Do you believe in eternity? Do you believe in heaven and hell? Where will your correct or incorrect adherence to your religion take you? The truth is exclusive but morally compassionate because it provides objective hope. “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6 See Ya, Tony