The less educated are more religious -Gallup/Pew (America, atheist, agnostic)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This recent Gallup poll confirms what Pew has already shown, that the percentage of those that claim some religion has drastically declined in the last decade. Gallup conducted a very large scale poll of about 174,000 people.
The biggest shift is not to other religions, which have been static, but from Christianity to none.
Statistics from the Pew Center’s comprehensive 2015 report on religion in America also revealed that the more education one had, the less fervent any belief, and the more likelihood of no belief occurred.
No wonder so many evangelicals oppose real education as compared to their restrictive and incomplete models.
Real knowledge kills superstitious religious beliefs, although not always. A thorough reading about religious beliefs and their so called holy books can lead one away from religion also. Atheists performed highly on a recent Pew survey about relgious knowledge.
I can see that...
lower IQ people being 'followers' and believing the
interpretations and untruths from a charismatic speaker/preacher.
Being part of group mentality..fills the need to belong and be part of
'something'...keeps the loneliness and isolation at bay. My opinion, only.
Belief in a Superior Power, Force, Source, Universal Consciousness, however, I see
as for smart people! Hahaha! Lol
(But, not because someone 'told' you there was One...because of direct personal experience.)
My opinion that is worth nothing :
Dumb people believe in something they have never experienced.
(Albeit, God may think they are blessed....I think they are dopes...and settling for less.)
Real knowledge kills superstitious religious beliefs, although not always. A thorough reading about religious beliefs and their so called holy books can lead one away from religion also. Atheists performed highly on a recent Pew survey about relgious knowledge.
I got 15 out of 15 on the Pew religious knowledge quiz!!! Of course, the quiz didn't ask Old Testament trivia of the kind so many "Bible thumpers" are so fond of.
This recent Gallup poll confirms what Pew has already shown, that the percentage of those that claim some religion has drastically declined in the last decade. Gallup conducted a very large scale poll of about 174,000 people.
The biggest shift is not to other religions, which have been static, but from Christianity to none.
Statistics from the Pew Center’s comprehensive 2015 report on religion in America also revealed that the more education one had, the less fervent any belief, and the more likelihood of no belief occurred.
No wonder so many evangelicals oppose real education as compared to their restrictive and incomplete models.
That chart doesn't mean what you think it does. The fairly certain doesn't shift at all. The "absolutely certain" shifting 20% accounts for fundies. The atheist and agnostic shifts a bit. But the fairly certain is what you should be looking at because these are the people who do some genuine thinking about religion. And that 50% still be absolutely certain, and a solid chunk arefairly certain even having education. Did they all cheat through higher ed? No. They found other reasons to believe.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
10,202 posts, read 7,917,771 times
Reputation: 4561
Quote:
Originally Posted by AREQUIPA
I'd hoped for a more drastic change but it has more like 30% change amongst the younger. Encouraging - maybe I was hoping for too much.
While it is absolutely true that the younger cohort is far less religious than us old guys and women, the trend of that younger cohort has also been increasing over the decades.
The unanswered question is if that younger cohort will get religious as they get older or not. My pure guess is that as Western society becomes more integrated and educated, that the trend that that younger cohort has established will continue.
While it is absolutely true that the younger cohort is far less religious than us old guys and women, the trend of that younger cohort has also been increasing over the decades.
The unanswered question is if that younger cohort will get religious as they get older or not. My pure guess is that as Western society becomes more integrated and educated, that the trend that that younger cohort has established will continue.
Yes. Good point. If left with only religious apologetics thrown at them many would convert as they get older, but with the atheists like us pretty much winning the debate hands down, they could stay atheist. Or at least irreligion/none if the God -instinct overrules them.
I can see that...
lower IQ people being 'followers' and believing the
interpretations and untruths from a charismatic speaker/preacher.
Being part of group mentality..fills the need to belong and be part of
'something'...keeps the loneliness and isolation at bay. My opinion, only.
Belief in a Superior Power, Force, Source, Universal Consciousness, however, I see
as for smart people! Hahaha! Lol
(But, not because someone 'told' you there was One...because of direct personal experience.)
My opinion that is worth nothing :
Dumb people believe in something they have never experienced.
(Albeit, God may think they are blessed....I think they are dopes...and settling for less.)
The point of the OP is not that dumb people believe in god; it's that uneducated people believe more in god.
Actually I'm surprised that a firm belief in god is attested still by half those with a post-grad degree. That is pretty durable considering how much information one takes on board over 6 to 10 years of university life. I suppose it is a testimony to the magic of compartmentalization and the social pressure from family to toe the party line.
The only sect I know of that has a rational response to this within their irrational world are the JWs, who actively discourage higher education on the pretense that it's a waste of time and energy and a distraction from the work of god. They do not particularly want to take a 15% hit in god-certainty and they don't care if it limits the earning (and giving) power of their members. They are more interested in blind conformity and controllability and dependence. It is at least a nakedly honest stance that doesn't try to sugar coat or deny the real objectives of religion as much.
That chart doesn't mean what you think it does. The fairly certain doesn't shift at all. The "absolutely certain" shifting 20% accounts for fundies. The atheist and agnostic shifts a bit. But the fairly certain is what you should be looking at because these are the people who do some genuine thinking about religion. And that 50% still be absolutely certain, and a solid chunk arefairly certain even having education. Did they all cheat through higher ed? No. They found other reasons to believe.
I got two wrong. I wasn't sure about just why sound was louder (because it's taller? I'd never have guessed), and I just didn't think it through on the magnifying glass one.
So I guess that your better science knowledge means that your theism is right and my atheism is wrong. Including thinking that open to question is what we should be looking at rather than the fairly certain. But with 2 wrong, what do I know?
Got one wrong. When does the Sabbath begin. I don't care what they say. I still say it starts on Saturday or it's the day of preparation.
P.s No. They are right in Western time -keeping. Sabbath starts Friday at dusk but non -Jewish Friday goes on to midnight.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 12-27-2015 at 09:36 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
: 
