“95 percent of Poles identify themselves as Catholic, but only 41 percent attend Sunday Mass regularly. In the big cities of Warsaw and Krakow, only about 20 percent attend Mass regularly on Sundays”
Poland, Bastion of Religion, Sees Rise in Secularism
Maybe three years in Poland has left me somewhat nostalgic, but I love America; I miss America. As Ginger and I learn the language and observe this culture so foreign to our own, we often find ourselves comparing the two. One culture is home, and the other, well … it’s growing on us. Many similarities can be observed but a few stark differences exist. The longer I’m away from home the more I see “American Individualism” emanating from across the Atlantic.
We Americans love stories about people who overcome all odds. We root for the underdog. Whether its pilgrims surviving the first winter; or sending the world’s great superpower back across the pond with its “tail between its legs;” or a handful of men holding off Santa Anna’s army, allowing Sam Houston to rally the troops; stories of one person or a handful of people making a difference are ingrained in our folklore. It worked for Knight Rider; it’s why Sylvester Stallone made six Rocky films; and it’s why Jack Bauer has saved America from certain destruction something like seven times (and if he can overcome direct exposure to weapons grade uranium, he’ll save us an eighth time this year). Though we know the outcome we can’t avert our eyes.