Chances of an atheist believing in God

[April]

atheist-and-god.gif (29.13 KiB) Viewed 276 times

[Mando]

Notwithstanding the humor in the graph, let’s look at some real figures.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life completed a survey in 2007, entitled the US Religious Landscape Survey in which 35,000 Americans of all faiths and ideologies were quizzed on their beliefs and practices.

The survey is at http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/repor ... ndings.pdf

One interesting tidbit appears to be the range of belief among those who call themselves “atheist or agnostic”. The results appear far different from the humorous graph we saw at the last posting.

The survey found the follow:

1. Do you believe in the existence of God?

Atheists:
21% believe in God. Of these: 6% believe in a personal God, 12% believe in an impersonal force, and 3% don’t know.

Agnostics:
55% believe in God. Of these: 14% believe in a personal God, 36% believe in an impersonal force, and 5% don’t know

Perhaps some non-believers want their cake and want to eat it too…hedge betting. Perhaps they more align with a conception or wish for a god other than the Christian God. Even Richard Dawkins gives a little leeway to the idea of 100% non-existence of a god, as he rates himself as a Level 6 (where Level 7 is 100% no god). So, a spectrum of probability is likely a better way to characterize “disbelief” rather than a simple “yes or no” response as revealed by the survey.

[..Ñøßߥ..]

The survey found the follow:

1. Do you believe in the existence of God?

Atheists:
21% believe in God. Of these: 6% believe in a personal God, 12% believe in an impersonal force, and 3% don’t know.

Agnostics:
55% believe in God. Of these: 14% believe in a personal God, 36% believe in an impersonal force, and 5% don’t know

Perhaps some non-believers want their cake and want to eat it too…hedge betting. P

I suspect its more likely that the Americans interviewed have no idea what Agnostic or Atheists mean, all you need to do is watch this and all will be revealed:



Or how about these smart cookies taking part in a little Geographically survey?

[Vladd44]

If a person calls themselves an atheist and believes in a god, they are not an atheist. By it's very default being an atheist would deny the option of believing in a god.

An "atheist" that believes in the christian god is a christian. An "atheist" who believes in allah is a muslim.

AN agnostic that believes in a god is very unlikely to remain an agnostic for long. They are more accurately defined as at least a deist.

It is absurd as calling a christian an atheist. A christian that does not believe in a god is not a christian, they are an atheist.

[..Ñøßߥ..]

If a person calls themselves an atheist and believes in a god, they are not an atheist. By it's very default being an atheist would deny the option of believing in a god.

An "atheist" that believes in the christian god is a christian. An "atheist" who believes in allah is a muslim.

AN agnostic that believes in a god is very unlikely to remain an agnostic for long. They are more accurately defined as at least a deist.

It is absurd as calling a christian an atheist. A christian that does not believe in a god is not a christian, they are an atheist.

Agreed, this is the sort of reply i originally started to write, but i wiped and started over as it was more fun to post the dumb Americans clips

[Mando]

Vladd44 wrote: If a person calls themselves an atheist and believes in a god, they are not an atheist. By it's very default being an atheist would deny the option of believing in a god.

Surveys don't lie. And, here are atheists saying they believe in a god of somekind. Based on the facts, I think we can deduce the following - "no one ever said that those people who call themselves atheist are smart, logical, schooled,etc." I have never understood atheist being called "brights".

[Vladd44]

Once again you show how dim that bulb really is.

I can call my cat a car, but I won't get far when I try to drive in the morning. A person can call themselves an atheist, but if they believe in some turd of a god then they are by default not an atheist.

Just as I said that if a person calls themselves christian, yet they do not believe in your turd of a god...then they are not a christian.

[April]

For every atheist and agnostic that believes in a god, there is at least one Catholic that doesn't.

Why? Because they are ignorant and don't understand what the label they have chosen to wear, means.

Or they have chosen it as a cultural definition of what they are, rather than it reflecting any sort of religious beliefs they may or may not hold.

My area is full of Italian atheists that define themselves as Catholic because their parents define themselves as catholic. They don't believe in god, but they go through the motions and pretend they do, depending on who is around or what the occasion is. (They are also very likely to be registered as Republicans, yet vote Democrat)

They will go through the religious rituals, church weddings, baptism of their children, sending their kids off to catechism classes just long enough for them to make first communion, then again later on so they can make confirmation. They may even go to midnight mass on Christmas.

This is all because this was the traditions they were raised with and it defines their culture & heritage. It kind of goes along with being Italian.

But if you can catch them by themselves, or get them into a group of others just like themselves, they will admit to the truth.

I live with one of them.

My husband is one of those Italian atheists that defines himself as a Catholic. When I first met him he even ate fish every Friday (for the same reason he ate spaghetti every Sunday, turkey on Thanksgiving, lasagna on Christmas, and went to the boardwalk on Easter).

He would never admit to not believing, in the presence of his parents, aunts, uncles, brother, or sisters, but while among his wife, kids, friends and complete strangers, he will openly and freely admit to not believing in a god and even go as far as obnoxiously mocking those that do. (ironically, he has no idea that his most "religious" sister is the same)

One of the most amusing observations from my Catholic church wedding is how the priest was the only believer in the building.

[..Ñøßߥ..]

One of the most amusing observations from my Catholic church wedding is how the priest was the only believer in the building.

WTF are you talking about April, a Catholic priest that beleives in God? dont be stupid.

[Vladd44]

Of course catholic priests believe in god, after all who do you think provides the little boys?