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Very interesting poll when one considers what one usually hears.
Often one hears that only about 5% of Americans are atheists. This poll says 29.4% are nonreligious (atheists) and a further 15% have no religious preference, of which one can assume (yes it IS an assumption) that most of those are agnostic or atheists.
44.4%!
So, the common canard about the USA being a religious nation, and particularly a Christian nation, is quickly falling apart. And as Martha Steward would say, "And that's a good thing".
Here is the chart, you will have to pick the metric to find what I have posted here. Lots of other interesting things in there also, but I am concentrating on this.
Even the most religious State, Utah, has over 40% (25% atheists, 15% no religious preference).
Slowly, methodically, but surely, rational though and science will finally enable people to throw off the bonds of religion that has torn apart the world for so long. At least in the USA.
Maybe the "nonreligious" includes those that consider themselves spiritual. There seem to be posters like that on these forums who would identify themselves as NON religious yet also identify with the term "spiritual."
So as the USA becomes less religious we can expect more property crime and possibly violent crime (see link below)?
Maybe there should be a push to have people become believers because the in-between crowd may cause problems...
So, the common canard about the USA being a religious nation, and particularly a
Christian nation, is quickly falling apart. And as Martha Steward would say,
"And that's a good thing".
So then the USA will become a "better" nation as religion wanes? Wouldn't surprise me to see things getting worse not only here but globally. Yeah religion plays a role in wars past and present (think Crusades, think ISIS, etc, etc ) but even without it humans find a way to slaughter or take advantage of each other (people want freedom, independence, want to belong to this nation but not that other one, they like this tribe not that one... yada, yada, yada).
Maybe people don't practice what they supposedly believe in? Maybe that's why Christianity hasn't panned out for nations like the USA identified as Christian? But whose fault does that lie with? Love your neighbor as yourself , Pray for your enemy, hate what is bad not people...seems simple enough.
I do not agree that "non-religious" means "atheist". It means "non-religious" which can certainly mean that they believe in God, follow God but are not involved in the "religious" life like wearing it on their sleeve, going to church and all the other institutional trappings that being "religious" brings to one's life. Although, I do notice a decline in believers sort of aligns itself with increases in the number of suicides and other serious mental health issues. Wonder what that means?
Since many state mental hospitals were closed some ~40 years ago, after the government decided these people should be mainstreamed in society, a number of negative changes have occurred, homelessness as well as suicides and other mental health issues. In some cases, they go untreated because of the government closure of state hospital and the refusal to commit these people to what hospitals remain. I've not seem any studies relate these problems to changes in religious attitudes.
I do not agree that "non-religious" means "atheist". It means "non-religious" which can certainly mean that they believe in God, follow God but are not involved in the "religious" life like wearing it on their sleeve, going to church and all the other institutional trappings that being "religious" brings to one's life. Although, I do notice a decline in believers sort of aligns itself with increases in the number of suicides and other serious mental health issues. Wonder what that means?
No. Wrong.
Non-religious means ... non-religious. If you believe in Yahweh and that Christ was his son and is the messiah and you read the Bible to find inspiration ... you're a Christian. Period. You can't believe in all of those things and then pretend you're not religious. That's simply denying your faith.
If someone is non-religious, the MOST they can be are theists but they are NOT Christian. Therefore, the point still stands.
And this ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnywhereElse
Although, I do notice a decline in believers sort of aligns itself with increases in the number of suicides and other serious mental health issues. Wonder what that means?
You ought to be ashamed of yourself for making an unsubstantiated correlation between suicides and atheism. You're on a fishing expedition now and engaging in flagrant intellectual dishonesty.
At least Cupper had the good graces to admit the mistake he made - rather than intentionally obfuscating the issue with a non-fact like the one you just made.
IF ... there IS such an increase, it is most likely due to the fact that this country doesn't take mental health issues very seriously; the numerous abandoned asylums and mental health facilities littering the east coast is a testament to that fact. Now, the only help these facilities offer anyone is to ghost hunters and paranormal thrill seekers.
Since many state mental hospitals were closed some ~40 years ago, after the government decided these people should be mainstreamed in society, a number of negative changes have occurred, homelessness as well as suicides and other mental health issues. In some cases, they go untreated because of the government closure of state hospital and the refusal to commit these people to what hospitals remain. I've not seem any studies relate these problems to changes in religious attitudes.
LOL!
You beat me to it, mensaguy. I didn't notice there was a second page to this thread until after I posted, and here to find you already pointed out the state mental hospitals - the few that remain.
You beat me to it, mensaguy. I didn't notice there was a second page to this thread until after I posted, and here to find you already pointed out the state mental hospitals - the few that remain.
Great minds and the like, eh?
I often use that "Great minds think alike" thing when my wife and I end up thinking the same thing too.
Another thing I noticed about the poll is that it tallies up Protestant, Catholic, and "No Religious Preference," but did not tally Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Native Americans or any other religion. Those add up to over 10% of the population. Some of these are also experiencing growth.
Go back and read the definition that the poll gives for "non-religious":
"The percentage of state residents who say religion is not important in their lives and say they seldom or never attend religious services"
I know many, many folks who maybe attend church on Christmas and Easter. They don't read the Bible or pray regularly. But if you ask them whether they believe in God, they will answer "yes". When they have a child, they have the kid baptized, and celebrate their Bar Mitzvah or First Cummonion. These people are nonreligious, but are they atheists?
Pretty hard to put any other nomiker other than "atheist" for "non-religious".
No, I can't agree with you here. The irreligious or "nones" can easily be theists who just don't care to socialize at church or join a religion. "Spiritual but not religious". Atheism is a reach. Atheism is lack of any belief in any god(s).
in the end, it doesn't matter what one prefer. The truth will be revealed eventually, regardless of what one believes to be true.
It is true that the truth will come out in the end, though recognition of the truth for any one individual is a dicey proposition. Many are blinkered to reality because they don't like it.
I can't agree that it doesn't matter in the meantime, though, because I have been greatly harmed in the past by my belief in god. Unrealistic expectations, bad basis for personal decisions and views, wasted time investing effort and energy in the wrong directions, etc.
I can't agree that it doesn't matter in the meantime, though, because I have
been greatly harmed in the past by my belief in god. Unrealistic expectations,
bad basis for personal decisions and views, wasted time investing effort and
energy in the wrong directions, etc.
The world is full of contrast as we all experience the world, its great ills and great joys.
So ...
'We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience'.
(de Chardin).
Just another look from another side of our ride through this world that we flow through.
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