mikhail

From polls etc you would think theusa was what 85% christian this doesent seem to ring true however. I think there are much more non believers than are accounted for. I personolly feel becoming an an atheist is part of growing up abit like stopping believing in santa claus.

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The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

Jerry

Okay, I'll bite....
From what polls, etc, would I infer this? Please link to them.

Okay, and you think that based on what?

So are you looking for a conversation on an acuret representation of "believers" to "non-believers" in polls or are you looking for a fight?

If you're going to claim to have more maturity than your average believer then you will have to display a greater mastery of logic by not starting in with the Ad-Homs.

How easy would it be, after all, for an theist to answer your OP’s accusation that you, by virtue of being an atheist, are more mature then they, by giving your 4th. Grade grammar and spelling as evidence to the contrary? You apparently didn’t even try to use a spell-checker, which suggests a lack of knowledge of basic computer operation, further supporting the counter evidence.

It would be far more mature of you to link to the “polls, etc” you refer to, and form your argument based off of verifiable data.

Folks like myself will ignore grammar and spelling and stay on topic, unless and until you stray into attacks first

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1069

Well, look at it this way; here's some statistics from the Federal Bureau of Prisons:

Religious Affiliations of Inmates

Catholic 29267 39.164%
Protestant 26162 35.008%
Muslim 5435 7.273%
American Indian 2408 3.222%
Nation 1734 2.320%
Rasta 1485 1.987%
Jewish 1325 1.773%
Church of Christ 1303 1.744%
Pentecostal 1093 1.463%
Moorish 1066 1.426%
Buddhist 882 1.180%
Jehovah Witness 665 0.890%
Adventist 621 0.831%
Orthodox 375 0.502%
Mormon 298 0.399%
Scientology 190 0.254%
Atheist 156 0.209%
Hindu 119 0.159%
Santeria 117 0.157%
Sikh 14 0.019%
Bahai 9 0.012%
Krishna 7 0.009%
---------------------------- --------
Total Known Responses 74731 100.001%

This seems to indicate that only a fraction of 1% of the prison population is 'atheist', while 99+% practices some religion, with that religion being some variant of Christianity in over 80%.

The prison population tends to have a lower median IQ than the general population.
I'm sure there's some connection we could draw.

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Lightdemon: "Is 10 going to outer space or something?"
Jerry: "...yes, 10 is going to outerspace."

jfuh

What's the percentile of the country that graduated from higher education vs that of religious affiliation? Just a ponder

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The facts and science of the theory of anthropogenic Global warming

1069

Well, I know that approximately 93% of the scientific elite claim atheist/ no religious affliation.
I know that religiosity is more rife in the southern United States, where fewer of the population have higher education.
I'll try to pull up some stats on this tomorrow; right now it's bedtime.

1069

Here's something, right offhand; not sure how credible it is:
link

talloulou

IQ tests though don't necessarily, in my opinion, show this population is full of smart folks while these guys over here are retarded. First off the IQ tests test a variety of skills and different problem solving abilities. Frankly if you weren't raised in an environment that forced you to use your problem solving skills in such a way that honed the skills the test was checking for then you won't do well on the test and it doesn't imply you're dumb. I'm sure you could plop me in Angola and I'd have a ridiculous time trying to stay alive while some native over there who performed poorly on an IQ test laughed his a$$ off at what an idiot I appeared to be.

I'm always skeptical of intelligence tests. I think they can measure ability in certain areas but they certainly don't check all areas and I would think our brain adapts to deal with whatever the hell it is we gotta deal with on a daily basis.

I also imagine things like lifestyle, wealth, and opportunity probably play a huge part in how certain countries do on IQ tests. I know wealthier nations trend towards having fewer kids and then those kids trend towards higher IQs ect.....

rathi

Atheism has been characterized to exclusively mean someone who outwardly states the non-existence of supreme deities. However, if we take it to mean anyone who lacks belief, the number is probably higher. How many teenagers label themselves as Jewish of Christian because of their family, despite never really attending church or temple more than a few times? Religion has many cultural components that go beyond personal belief. A self-described atheist that will show up on polls only includes those who have made a pro-active statement that they do not believe. These are few in number.

However, if you include people who live completely secular lifestyles, never pray or attend a place of worship, and never even think about the existence or non-existence of deities, the number of non-believers is much higher.

__________________
He'd be right at home on some ancient battlefield, swinging an axe into somebody's face.

tecoyah

A logical and impartial evaluation of available Data invariably favors the atheist viewpoint, as there is virtually a zero sum of credible information to verify a Deity. The question therefore is not one of "Gods' Existance", but rather one of human perception. Each of us has our own way of viewing reality, and some favor a certain level of verified observation before accepting something into the worldview, others simply do not require this level of detail to believe something as a truth.
With this difference in thinking comes a double edged stigma, with both aspects of human reality looking on the other with measured disdain. Those prefering a more scientific approach look down on the other as lacking the ability to reason properly. Those accepting a God based reality view others as unworthy of the Gods attention and therefore inferior (these are both the extremes, and most of us fall in the middle somewhere).
The result of this division is distrust and cultural upheaval, What a Pity.

Jerry

My superiority to others comes from my being an Evil Conservative, not my being a 'believer'