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One in five Americans has no religion

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

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Survey: One in five Americans has no religion – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs <-- clicky

Washington (CNN) – The fastest growing "religious" group in America is made up of people with no religion at all, according to a Pew survey showing that one in five Americans is not affiliated with any religion.

The number of these Americans has grown by 25% just in the past five years, according to a survey released Thursday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

The survey found that the ranks of the unaffiliated are growing even faster among younger Americans.
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I view this as a very positive step forward in the USofA.

Hoping the trend continues.
 
I believe you pointed out in a slightly similar thread, that it can't be anything but a plus when logic, reasoning, science, and fact become more pertinent than faith, fables, and dreams.
 
My question is, "How many Americans still believe in a Supreme Being/God?" Until that number comes down significantly, I don't think this means quite as much as you folks would like it to. It is something of a disappointment and does show a growing trend of immorality and lack of values in society, but it's not quite dead YET.
 
Tigger said:
My question is, "How many Americans still believe in a Supreme Being/God?" Until that number comes down significantly, I don't think this means quite as much as you folks would like it to. It is something of a disappointment and does show a growing trend of immorality and lack of values in society, but it's not quite dead YET.
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100% correct. The vast majority still believe in some kind of supreme being.

But - the trend is showing that many are beginning to think for themselves.
 
Dragonfly said:
100% correct. The vast majority still believe in some kind of supreme being. But - the trend is showing that many are beginning to think for themselves.
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Which is a trend towards the end of worthwhile civilization. It's already happened for the most part in Europe, and it's coming to America's shores as surely as the tide.
 
RabidAlpaca said:
Excellent news. I find it interesting how a lot of the religious people I know, particularly the older generation, see this trend as the end of the world and morality. I see it as social and intellectual evolution.
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Being religious myself, I don't think the people becoming atheist is progress in itself -- I'd prefer people embracing an understanding of religion that doesn't deny science and doesn't cling to superstition. But when there is only the choice between either superstition and bigotry on one side, and atheism on the other, I agree the latter is progress.

I don't believe religion and science should contradict, but complement each other. From the holy scriptures of the Baha'i religion:


If religious beliefs and opinions are found contrary to the standards of science, they are mere superstitions and imaginations; for the antithesis of knowledge is ignorance, and the child of ignorance is superstition. Unquestionably there must be agreement between true religion and science. If a question be found contrary to reason, faith and belief in it are impossible, and there is no outcome but wavering and vacillation.
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`Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1922. 2nd edition 1982, p. 181

Religion and science are the two wings upon which man's intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism.
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'Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1969), p. 143
 
Tigger said:
Which is a trend towards the end of worthwhile civilization. It's already happened for the most part in Europe, and it's coming to America's shores as surely as the tide.
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So because we become irreligious, civilization will collapse? Hey everybody, be wary of that slippery slope there!

It's happened in Europe? I haven't turned on any news yet, but did Europe cease existing? That seems a bit odd.

Speaking of American shores, weren't you leaving and denouncing your citizenship?
 
zgoldsmith23 said:
So because we become irreligious, civilization will collapse? Hey everybody, be wary of that slippery slope there!

It's happened in Europe? I haven't turned on any news yet, but did Europe cease existing? That seems a bit odd.

Speaking of American shores, weren't you leaving and denouncing your citizenship?
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1. An anti-spiritual and anti-moral society cannot remain viable for long.

2. Yes, it has happened in Europe already. Europe has ceased to exist in any societal model which is worthy of discussion. The people and nations are nothing more than upright standing cockroaches, which Americans are quickly becoming as well.

3. Nowhere else would have me, so you folks are apparently stuck with me for the time being.
 
Tigger said:
1. An anti-spiritual and anti-moral society cannot remain viable for long.
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Atheists aren't anti-moral.

2. Yes, it has happened in Europe already. Europe has ceased to exist in any societal model which is worthy of discussion. The people and nations are nothing more than upright standing cockroaches, which Americans are quickly becoming as well.
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I don't think you know what "cease to exist" means. Also, by some standards, Europe surpassed America. (Is this going to turn in to an "America - love it or leave it!" or "'Merica' we're number 1!!" rant?)

3. Nowhere else would have me, so you folks are apparently stuck with me for the time being.
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Well I'm sure we are delighted to hear that... :2razz:
 
zgoldsmith23 said:
Atheists aren't anti-moral.
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The vast majority of the one's I've met and dealt with would tend to show a different result.

zgoldsmith23 said:
I don't think you know what "cease to exist" means. Also, by some standards, Europe surpassed America. (Is this going to turn in to an "America - love it or leave it!" or "'Merica' we're number 1!!" rant?)
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I don't know what standard you're using to suggest that Europe has surpassed America. Definitely not any one that I would put stock in. As for "Love it or Leave it" or "We're Number One".... Nah. There's no point in going down that road. We're definitely losing our place as #1 and the leave it option is nowhere near as easy as one would tend to think it is.

zgoldsmith23 said:
Well I'm sure we are delighted to hear that... :2razz:
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Interestingly enough, they wouldn't have you either. It's a matter that they're not admitting any American citizens at this time for immigration. Travel, temporary stays, etc... yes but not for immigration.
 
Tigger said:
Which is a trend towards the end of worthwhile civilization. It's already happened for the most part in Europe, and it's coming to America's shores as surely as the tide.
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Of course, it's tough to stem the tide of rationalism in the human race. We'll continue to evolve as time goes on and as our collective information increases we will see less and less dependency upon religion.
 
Ikari said:
Of course, it's tough to stem the tide of rationalism in the human race. We'll continue to evolve as time goes on and as our collective information increases we will see less and less dependency upon religion.
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Yes, it is tough to stem that tide. That's exactly the point. Life is not intended to be easy or simple. One has to WORK to stay on the Right path. If it were easy there would be no point in it to begin with.
 
Tigger said:
Yes, it is tough to stem that tide. That's exactly the point. Life is not intended to be easy or simple. One has to WORK to stay on the Right path. If it were easy there would be no point in it to begin with.
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Exactly, knowledge does not come easy. But we strive and we fight and we learn and we grow.
 
Ikari said:
Exactly, knowledge does not come easy. But we strive and we fight and we learn and we grow.
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Actually my point was the need TO realize when the proper time to stop learning and growing IS. But somehow, I think you already knew that.
 
Tigger said:
Actually my point was the need TO realize when the proper time to stop learning and growing IS. But somehow, I think you already knew that.
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Humanity cannot stop learning and growing. Stagnation is slow death.
 
Ikari said:
Humanity cannot stop learning and growing. Stagnation is slow death.
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On that we will have to disagree. For some of us just the idea of "learning and growing" would be worse than death.
 
Tigger said:
On that we will have to disagree. For some of us just the idea of "learning and growing" would be worse than death.
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Ignorance is rarely valid reason for sloth.
 
Not particularly surprising. Materialism is presented as fact and science is considered a supreme authority in fact, it's inevitable with that criteria.
 
Scientific fact is exactly what it is. How it's used to manipulate and persuade is an entirely different discussion.
 
Tigger said:
The vast majority of the one's I've met and dealt with would tend to show a different result.
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Well that's by your standard - which we both know is not commonplace in society.

I don't know what standard you're using to suggest that Europe has surpassed America. Definitely not any one that I would put stock in. As for "Love it or Leave it" or "We're Number One".... Nah. There's no point in going down that road. We're definitely losing our place as #1 and the leave it option is nowhere near as easy as one would tend to think it is.
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It's a subjective standard. For one, in my case, Europe, as a whole, supports WAY more science than Americans even conceive of.

Interestingly enough, they wouldn't have you either. It's a matter that they're not admitting any American citizens at this time for immigration. Travel, temporary stays, etc... yes but not for immigration.
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I wouldn't want to leave.
 
zgoldsmith23 said:
It's a subjective standard. For one, in my case, Europe, as a whole, supports WAY more science than Americans even conceive of.
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Which is part of the reason that I have no use for that part of the world, or its inhabitants.
 
Tigger said:
Which is part of the reason that I have no use for that part of the world, or its inhabitants.
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Says the guy who utilizes science daily...
 
zgoldsmith23 said:
Says the guy who utilizes science daily...
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Yeah, the anti-science folk rarely give up the conveniences of science and technology even though they rant against it. It's hard to put down the XBox 360 to take up residence in a damp cave.
 
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