Interesting Religious Statistics

[Rex]

72% of the members of the National Academy of Sciences are atheists and 21% are agnostic

According to the leading science journal Nature 394:313, a recent survey of members of the National Academy of Sciences showed that 72% are outright atheists, 21% are agnostic and only 7% admit to belief in a personal God. .

Objectivethought.com - stats



80% of U.S. prisoners are Christian and 0.2% are atheists

Data source is The Federal Bureau of Prisons, March 1997.

Holysmoke.org - prisons



The World Christian Encyclopedia tabulates 10,000 distinct religious groups, including 33,830 Christian denominations

Adherents.com - WCE



Among Wealthy Nations, the U.S. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion

Religion is much more important to Americans than to people living in other wealthy nations. Six-in-ten (59%) people in the U.S. say religion plays a very important role in their lives. This is roughly twice the percentage of self-avowed religious people in Canada (30%), and an even higher proportion when compared with Japan and Western Europe. Americans’ views are closer to people in developing nations than to the publics of developed nations.

Pew Research Center Report 167



Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist is the world's 4th largest "religion" at 850 million

Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents is available at:

Adherents.com - Religions by Adherents



In 10 years the percentage of the U.S. population with no religious affiliation has doubled to 14%

In the past 10 years the percentage of the U.S. population with no religious affiliation has doubled to 14%. See table 2 in The Vanishing Protestant Majority at:

University of Chicago PROTSGO8.pdf



The American Religious Identification Survey also tabulates the percentage of the U.S. population with no religious affiliation at 14%.

ARIS – Key Findings



The Institute for Jewish & Community Research in their Heritage and Religious Identification (HARI) survey tabulates the percentage of the U.S. population with no religious affiliation at 16%.

The Decline of Religious Identity in the United States

taken from: non-religious.com

 

[linwood]

In the past 10 years the percentage of the U.S. population with no religious affiliation has doubled to 14%.

I love that one.

Thanks Rex

 

[Yerda]

This survey and many more showing that more intelligent people tend not to believe in religion.

That will annoy people.

 

[Rex]

Didn't even notice that. I edited it out. heh.

 

[cfer]

But why should it annoy people? I think all it means is that people who are "more intelligent" tend to be less satisified with what is told to them and ask more questions and do more research. In other words, they don't have the blind faith of more religious people.

The exception to that, of course, is those that have asked their quesions and their religion had stood up to the test and passed.

 

[Yerda]

But why should it annoy people? I think all it means is that people who are "more intelligent" tend to be less satisified with what is told to them and ask more questions and do more research. In other words, they don't have the blind faith of more religious people.

The exception to that, of course, is those that have asked their quesions and their religion had stood up to the test and passed.

Fair point. But people do tend to get annoyed by things like this. Not a bad thing all the time.

'More intelligent' people don't neccessarily become scientists and perform research though. And many of the 'more intelligent' members of the human race exhibit blind faith, like economists at the world bank and IMF with very reputable degrees and the politicians we elect to represent and govern us.

 

[cfer]

Fair point. But people do tend to get annoyed by things like this. Not a bad thing all the time.

'More intelligent' people don't neccessarily become scientists and perform research though. And many of the 'more intelligent' members of the human race exhibit blind faith, like economists at the world bank and IMF with very reputable degrees and the politicians we elect to represent and govern us.

Right. But I never said "more intelligent" people become scientists or researchers.

Also, when it comes to politicians, I tend to be very cynical and believe that they will say anything and act like they are very religious and have blind faith in order to get reelected or to be more esteemed in the public's eye. I doubt that they are really that religious. It's all for looks.

Of course, that is only my opinion.

 

[Yerda]

Right. But I never said "more intelligent" people become scientists or researchers.

I see. You did mention research though. You meant research other than the scientific form?

Also, when it comes to politicians, I tend to be very cynical and believe that they will say anything and act like they are very religious and have blind faith in order to get reelected or to be more esteemed in the public's eye. I doubt that they are really that religious. It's all for looks.

Of course, that is only my opinion.

I didn't mean blind faith in religion, I meant blind faith in the political system that got them their jobs. Intelligent people often exhibit blind faith, not neccessarily in god.

Anyway, if people are annoyed by statements like the one before that is up to them I don't think I'd care if a study came out saying being Scottish increases your tendency to be moronic. But some people would.

Keep up the skepticism.

 

[oracle]

But why should it annoy people? I think all it means is that people who are "more intelligent" tend to be less satisified with what is told to them and ask more questions and do more research. In other words, they don't have the blind faith of more religious people.

The exception to that, of course, is those that have asked their quesions and their religion had stood up to the test and passed.

I think that the "more intelligent" simply require more than emotional conviction alone. They need evidense. I think science IS their religion.

 

[rivet]

These statistics can be misleading.
When questioned, most Americans will state a religious PREFERENCE.
But, if asked if they are actually practicing their religion, the number will be many times lower.

 

[Valjean]

But why should it annoy people? I think all it means is that people who are "more intelligent" tend to be less satisified with what is told to them and ask more questions and do more research. In other words, they don't have the blind faith of more religious people.

The exception to that, of course, is those that have asked their quesions and their religion had stood up to the test and passed.

A person living in a house of straw is more likely to be vigilent about threats to his dwelling and react with greater intensity to percieved assaults than one living in a house of stone.

 

[Pah]

In the past 10 years the percentage of the U.S. population with no religious affiliation has doubled to 14%.

That is about the same percentage of the US population that is evangelical.

 

[anders]

These statistics can be misleading.
When questioned, most Americans will state a religious PREFERENCE.
But, if asked if they are actually practicing their religion, the number will be many times lower.

In Sweden, recording a person's religious or ethnical affiliations is strictly illegal. The one exception is the Government's own notes on where a person's church tax goes.

And it's not just a case of practicing their religion. If you asked members of the Lutheran Evangelical Church of Sweden (the by far most numerous flavour of Xians here), I honestly think that most of them (us ) would join the archbishop (yes!!) in not believing for example in any virgin birth of Jeshua Josephson or his resurrection.

 

[michel]

I am not going to reply or make comment on the topic in question, except by means of what I see as a parallel situation in France.

James, my son has been in France for nearly six months, and has travelled quite a bit. He is the type who will go to places where the locals go, rather than 'hang around' the tourist traps.Having said that, he is working as an English language teacher's assistant at a Lycee, and therefore mingles with the regular professors (Therefore is 'in touch' with supposedly intelligent people), I think he is qualified to have a good perspective of the French, as a nation.

Roman Catholicism is of course the 'Religion of the masses' in France - and yet, James tells me that most people feel that there is no need to go to church; the majority of the people he has met regard themselves as 'lapsed Catholics'.

I am not convinced that Intelligence or lifestyle or working environment has much to do with the number of church goers; I feel that it is probably more because of the hectic lifestyle which also encourages people to feel that they must make the most of their leisure time. That hectic lifestyle being due to heavy demands on better earnings, both partners needing to work etc etc. I suppose that what I am trying to say is that people are much more 'busy' now than say, forty or fifty years ago, and perhaps are becoming more reluctant to spending what they consider to be valuable 'Time for ME' in church.

 

[DianeVera]

In Sweden, recording a person's religious or ethnical affiliations is strictly illegal.

What is the reason for this law?

 

[Pah]

What is the reason for this law?

Most likely, a more complete separation of state and church and to avoid predujice.

 

[Lightkeeper]

What is the reason for this law?

It could be to protect privacy. Religious affiliation should be noone elses business, it's very personal.

 

[DianeVera]

Most likely, a more complete separation of state and church and to avoid predujice.

Maybe it's to avoid prejudice, but Sweden does NOT have complete sparation of church and state. They still have an official state church -- Lutheran, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Pah]

Maybe it's to avoid prejudice, but Sweden does NOT have complete sparation of church and state. They still have an official state church -- Lutheran, if I'm not mistaken.

You are right and I am forgetful. You just got frubals for another thread otherwise you would have gotten some for this. Thanks

 

[BUDDY]

So if I am religious I must not be very intelligent? That's very kind and tolerent of you guys. Thanks, I appreciate the uplifting thought. Oh, and by the way. If I posted the exact same numbers, but said that they were in reference to atheism and agnosticism, I would have about 30 threads saying how horrable a person I am for doing so. Of course I can't prove that, but I am pretty sure that is what would happen.