DU Religious Demographic Survey

[Renew Deal]

Someone ran this poll 4 years ago. We might as well give it another shot and see if anything has changed.

2005 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=263x2828
2003 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x470636

[Arctic Dave]

1. I don't see Flying Spaghetti Monster, your a bigot!

;)

[KansDem]

3. Maybe that's covered under "Other?"

:shrug:

[Arctic Dave]

14. Why do you want minimalize ones faith, FSM should be at the top of the page

were it belongs because it is the one true, all knowing being!!1

[RaleighNCDUer]

30. Let me hear a 'Ra-men'. nt

[shireen]

92. R A M E N !!! nt

[AsahinaKimi]

104. R a m e n !!!

R A M E N !!!

[Thickasabrick]

44. +1

:rofl:

[ChoppinBroccoli]

2. I'm Not Sure WHAT I Am

I've said for years that my religious beliefs don't fit into any specific category, but I really wouldn't even know how to classify them on this poll. I guess I'm closest to what some people call a Deist (just like the Founding Fathers were). I believe in A God, just not the one in the white robe with the long beard you see in artwork. I don't even know for sure that "God" is a person. I believe that there is a controlling force in the universe that doesn't necessarily have to be a person. As far as spiritual beliefs, morals, ethics, etc., I have a smorgasbord of beliefs culled from all the best parts of EVERY religion. So what does that make me?

[pipi_k]

10. That's my view as well

Some Universal Force that others may choose to call "God" but in my own opinion this force is not involved in the everyday affairs of a bunch of puny little humans on a relatively insignificant planet in one of a gazillion galaxies in a universe so huge we can't even imagine it.

I'm also rather fond of the Native American view of spirituality too


:)

[laughingliberal]

22. Pretty much in the I think there's something but I don't know what category

Checked agnostic

[Fumesucker]

4. Being an agnostic doesn't really speak to one's religion..

Agnosticism is about whether one believes it is possible to know for certain that there is a god or gods, not whether or not one believes in such a god or gods.

There are both agnostic theists and agnostic atheists.

It is possible to both believe or not believe in a god or gods and not be certain of the correctness one's belief or lack of such.

[Democracyinkind]

11. That's true. And pretty witty.

But still, common use of the word "agnostic" can and often does imply non-acknowledgment of the question itself. That makes allot of agnostics non-religous, although, as you correctly state, such an interpretation doesn't necessarily include every person who would call himself an agnostic.

[Fumesucker]

21. I was striving for accuracy, not wit..

Any wit was entirely unintentional on my part. :)

For the record I consider myself an agnostic atheist, or atheist if pressed to choose.

[Democracyinkind]

32. For the record, in regard to this topic we're on the same page.

..And true wittyness is mostly unintentional...

Have a nice day!

[robinlynne]

54. An agnostic told me that agnostic means you had a religion, then chose to leave it,

as in you were brought up in a religion, and left that religion later. The difference between an agnostic and an atheist would be then, the atheist did not have any religion to begin with, or does not count that past as part of his/her religious beliefs.
signed,
an atheist.

[ArbustoBuster]

69. But what about me? I was raised agnostic!

So if I decide to leave agnosticism, I become an agnostic?

I think I just found a bug in the Universe. Nobody panic. I don't think it will cause the world's operating system to cra HGHF :J GSHH GOPSH GJDS

**REBOOTING**

[robinlynne]

79. maybe you were raised without religion, as I was, i.e. atheist?

[eppur_se_muova]

110. That depends. Were you raised by *fundamentalist* agnostics? nt

[Sapphocrat]

97. That's going to come as quite a shock...

...to my atheist wife, who was raised Southern Baptist.

[NMMNG]

99. An agnostic once told me that atheists squeeze the Charmin. n/t

[Sapphocrat]

100. Really? I heard atheists eat puppies. n/t

[NMMNG]

101. Liar!

We eat babies. Fat, juicy babies. Of course I eat Tofu Babies since I'm a vegetarian.

[Sapphocrat]

102. I didn't realize. I'll stop making you tofu puppies, then. n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

16. So in that case one believes in something of which one is not certain?

>>>It is possible to both believe or not believe in a god or gods and not be certain of the correctness one's belief or lack of such.>>.


Seems to me we need to update the dictionary. Don't have one handy and there are doubtless multiple meanings for "believes", but generally... in the way the OP is probably using "believe"... it means "convinced".

I agree, however, that "agnosticism" does not speak directly to religious status. Though it certainly rules out having an affinity for MOST of them. ( i.e. most organized religions; since they're based on "belief".... in the "convinced" sense.)

[Fumesucker]

19. Eh, even Mother Teresa had doubts..

Quite strong ones I understand..

Does that mean that MT was not a Catholic?

[RaleighNCDUer]

108. Agnosticism is actually (or can be) a very strong belief -

the firm, unshakable belief that it is impossible for anyone to know what happens to the consciousness after death without dying yourself.

[Fumesucker]

129. But that doesn't negate my point..

That an agnostic can be either theist or atheist, even those who have a strong agnostic component.

Most people have an *opinion* about life after death, even if they are agnostic.

[Renew Deal]

27. I agree

A lot of people identify themselves that way, and that's why I listed it.

[Echo In Light]

5. Other: Gnosticism

... although I take a somewhat eclectic approach

[Mari333]

6. Other

Im all of them. : )

[Misskittycat]

7. You may want to wait until the day after Yom Kippur

to post a religious poll....just a suggestion.

[Renew Deal]

13. lol, good idea

Oops. I'll kick it up tomorrow.

[rd_kent]

31. Why?

[Misskittycat]

36. Because many Jews are in synagogue today and are not posting on

DU, like I should be.

[Taverner]

83. That would explain the low turnout on Judaism

I was like "there has to be more - somethings wrong!"

And then you reminded me

[mamaleah]

103. LOL I was wondering when this was posted when I only saw 6 votes as well.

nt

[Maru Kitteh]

8. How about running a poll where "Christian" is not minimized by being divided into 3 categories?

Hinduism, Islam and other religions also have different sects, and yet they are not divided in this poll.

The categories should be treated equally. To treat the them differently damages the polls validity.

[Renew Deal]

17. I wanted to keep it the way was last time

Also, there are about as many Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists combined as there are catholics.

[laconicsax]

50. Some Christians get pissed when they have to share the label with other sects.

Protestants and Catholics don't always like to be reminded that they're both Christians, and neither group likes including Mormons.

[robinlynne]

58. ahh. You can add the 3 categories with a calculator then....

[lukasahero]

65. Oh for god sakes why is it always the christians who complain about everything?

FTR, I used to be one. I'm so fucking sick and tired of the requested special treatment and constant whining that I can no longer associate myself with them.

If christians didn't separate themselves into so many disparate groups, then we probably wouldn't have as many wars among the different factions.

For fuck's sake, answer the god damn poll as it was posted or post your own.

[roguevalley]

89. in some ways they are all separate. the schism don't you know.

and I doubt that they can all sit in the same pew without differences popping up in style and substance.

[ieoeja]

121. Agnostics + Atheists is still kicking your ass! (nt)

[Chisox08]

9. I don't see the Jedi faith

What's up with that?

[Renew Deal]

12. I only had room for 10 spaces

So I listed the most practiced religions.

[HamdenRice]

15. Christian atheist

One who accepts the social teachings of an itinerant teacher and healer of the late Roman Empire, but who does not believe in fairy tales.

[demwing]

42. I understand why some atheist may feel the need

to denigrate the religious, because so many of the religious in the outside world have an unabashed hate for atheists.

I apologize for the behavior of those out there, who hold in one hand a flag of peace and forgiveness, and in the other a flag of hate and vengeance. They suck.

But is that the case here?

Do atheists really need to be rude to the religious on DU?

[Djinn]

128. how is reference to fairy tales being rude?

What do the religious think of the creation myths of other religions?

How does one believe in Jesus without relegating Annapurna to fairy tale status? How does one believe in the teachings of Mohammad without relegating Ahura Mazda to fairytale status?

It is not in any way rude to label any and/or all of mans Gods fairytales, it is simply a belief.

It is impossible for one human being to believe the myths of all of the people's of the world so if an atheist referring to fairytales is rude then rude has to be the defining character of religion itself.

[lostnfound]

52. Interesting. Well, perhaps that makes me an agnostic Catholic.

One who finds beauty in fairy tales and has a hole in the mind that lets the light shine through.
On the other hand, hard cold logic has substantial appeal.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

18. Not a good day to ask about Judaism. It's Yom Kippur today.

[Mimosa]

96. I wub your wittle black buddy! n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

113. Jack thanks you! lol! nt

[alfredo]

20. Why is Buddhism a religion?

[grantcart]

34. Probably because even though it is not deistic the common practices

at most Buddhist temples still approximate religious activites.

[alfredo]

39. Once ritualized it stops being real.

[ZombieHorde]

64. Buddhists have religious beliefs, such as reincarnation and alternate planes of existence.

They declared themselves a religion to get a tax break.

They have monks and nuns.

[alfredo]

90. It really doesn't need that.

[ZombieHorde]

94. I am assuming "it" = Buddhism and "that" = the contents of my reply.

How should one determine what Buddhism needs?

How should one determine what Christianity needs?

[alfredo]

112. The basic teachings is more about personal growth, not the

building of a hierarchy and stifling creativity through ritual. You don't need the monks and nuns, the diet, the clothing, the daily ritual to end suffering. That doesn't mean you can't have a friend to help you through your journey, but you don't need an infrastructure of experts to help you.

I think it was Arthur Janov that said that psychotherapist know nothing about your pain, the only expert on you is you. You are the only one that really knows how to cure yourself.

RD Lang's "The Politics of Experience" says pretty much the same thing.
http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Experience-R-D-Laing/dp/039471475X

[ZombieHorde]

118. Which teachings are the basic teachings? nt

[alfredo]

120. The closest could be the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path.

[ZombieHorde]

122. Have the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path done anything for you? nt

[alfredo]

126. I didn't expect anything out of the teachings of Buddha other than what I learn by reading.

I read the early writings, hoping to get a less adulterated picture of the philosophy. What I see is a simple self help regime. All that other crap, all that complexity, self denial, and playing dress up has little to do with getting your shit together, in my opinion. Maybe other's want or need that discipline, but I don't.

[safeinOhio]

23. Church going

Atheist. UU member and about half of our church is Atheist or Agnostic. The rest is all of the above.

[WonderGrunion]

24. Once again Taoism gets relegated to "Other"

I'm going to go meditate now. *sigh*

[Renew Deal]

26. I tried to cover the most practiced

because of the limited space

[Warren DeMontague]

57. Actually, by my interpretation at least, most Taoists, Buddhists, etc. don't believe in "God"

And hence, fall under "Atheist".

I voted "Atheist" because in this country, unbelievers get the short shrift politically. I consider myself a Atheistic Taoist Secular Humanist Discordian Pastafarian Subgenius Metaphysical Free Agent and Deadhead, insofar as I subscribe to categories about the ineffable.

[ZombieHorde]

67. The Tao which can be named is not the eternal Tao. "Other" should be fine for Taoists. nt

[seabeyond]

25. *sigh* all things and no thing. nt

[damntexdem]

28. Agnostic and Unitarian/Universalist.

And a devotee of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. ;-)

[whoneedstickets]

40. Same!

Pastafarian UU'er! (so are my kids)

[goddess40]

46. Atheist and Unitarian/Universalist.

I checked atheist

[DevonRex]

55. I attend UU on occasion, too.

:hi:

[BolivarianHero]

73. Once in a while...

Yay for 80-something hippies who marched in Alabama and dedicate their lives to helping children and refugees. :D

[bigwillq]

29. Agnostic (nt)

[Hubert Flottz]

33. My Dog Tags have said since 1970...

"no religious preference"

If some of the church going assholes that I've crossed paths with go to "Heaven" I'll pass...

[DevonRex]

115. That's what mine say, too. nt

[Matariki]

35. Christians and Atheists are tied. It just dosn't look that way

because christian religions are divided into 3.

[whoneedstickets]

41. Its a conspiracy to undermine Christians I tell you!

Typical of the left! :sarcasm:

[Arugula Latte]

76. They're a small, persecuted group without a voice in our country!

First the War on Christmas, now this! *wrings hands*

[frogmarch]

37. Atheist here. Good to see I'm far from alone. :-)

[county worker]

38. I'm Buddhist but I don't feel it is a religion as the others may be.

Buddhism in my opinion is a way of living your life. The is no deity to worship. It is more about attaining enlightenment and ending the cycle of being reborn. Buddha was a human and not a god. He is not worshiped like other religions worship a deity.

[Xolodno]

43. Had a hard time on this one...

Do I accept the Old & New Testaments? Yes. But I also accept the Book of Enoch, Apocalypse of Peter, etc to name a few.

Doctrine wise....I reject every single doctrine and decree of the Ecumenical Councils.

Even though I chose "Christian Other" I have hard time with the word "Christian", it depends on how its defined. I renounce the version that is incorporated with much bloodshed and politics.

By most "standard" Christian religions I would be classified as a certified heretic.

[Romulox]

45. Other: not a god botherer, for or against. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. Nominally Jewisn, but my thinking has moved to atheist over

the last few years, from agnostic

[Libertas1776]

48. Being religious or atheist

is believing definitively in what you believe happens in the after part, so I guess I am agnostic since I don't pretend to know what happens when we cross into that wild blue yonder. I guess I'll just find out when I kick the bucket. But in the mean time I'll just do my best to be a good person to myself, to others, and the Earth. Life would be a lot easier and harmonious if people followed this path, I think. Peace.

[teachthemwell15]

91. Being religious or atheist

I think you're right.

[Sapphocrat]

98. Not exactly.

Atheism is an absence of belief, not a belief system. A few "strong" atheists may disagree, but I doubt it.

[burning rain]

49. Atheist by inward conviction, & by profession.

I'm guessing you're on about inward conviction for purposes of the poll. Of course many people conceal their inward convictions within an outward observance for sake of staying in good standing with their place of worship, religious community, and society.

[Synnical]

70. There is an atheist profession? Do tell. n/t

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Synnical]

51. I'm an atheist, but there is no religion/dogma of "atheism".

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[DevonRex]

53. Other. A blend of Pagan, Christian and agnostic.

I take the good from a number of religions. I'm currently studying gnosticism.

[Synnical]

72. Do you also like leftover food?

Oh, that was very, berry rude!

[DevonRex]

114. Why yes. Yes I do.

And I don't think you were rude at all. You made me smile.

[Chulanowa]

56. Animist paganism

More of a "connection to my culture" thing for me, though

[NightWatcher]

59. Other: Native deist believer in Wakan Tanka or Great Spirit

[NoSheep]

60. I am an atheist because I do not believe in "god". However, I was raised

in a relatively liberal Christian home in the South where I was not compelled to attend church or be "saved" but I learned values of forgiveness, humility, charity, honesty, selflessness, sharing...I guess they were Jesus people. These concepts I still continue to live by. I think it is the reason I am a Democrat although I DO NOT feel I had to grow up in that environment to learn these values. I think of what my grandma would feel were she have lived to see what has become of many so called Christians...she was born in 1901 and had very little formal education and I know she would be able to spot "a wolf in sheep's clothing" in an instant.

[stevedeshazer]

61. Other. Meaning batshit crazy.

I don't know what to make of anything anymore.

:silly:

[jotsy]

62. As a student of faith, absent the confines of religious doctrine, I had to vote other.

I'm proud of my independently developed sense of spirituality. I believe in a supreme being, but I've often entertained the notion that said creator is some kind of struggling student trying to make the grade and we're all specimens in a petri dish. While I might engage in a lot of speculation and conjecture, I try my best not to judge or conclude. I find the human condition is a contrary expression at a dangerous age. It may be silly, but I hope to see a time where finding the right mix of head and heart won't be swayed by our envy of all the hi tech tools and we will stop wanting to compete with, hide behind, or run like machines.

[Synnical]

63. Atheists Are the Most Mistrusted Group: They Are Evil and Immoral!

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/homo-consumericus/200908/atheists-are-the-most-mistrusted-group-they-are-evil-and-immoral

[ccharles000]

66. Agnostic

[saltpoint]

68. I didn't vote for any single choice because I'm kind of a crazed jumble

of several.

Jewish relatives who fought in the Underground against the Third Reich.

A handful of Catholics from Bavaria and France.

Rather close associations with contemporary Buddhists as well.

With agnosticism slathered over the whole thing like mega-whip cream.

[LostInAnomie]

71. Oh, if only the religious demographics of the country really looked like this.

What a fine country we would live in.

[Touchdown]

74. You will pay for omitting The Force.

Relegating what binds the galaxy together to "other"?

I find your lack of faith disturbing.

[Synnical]

75. Psst - there is a forum on DU for Aths/Ags

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=263

[PassingFair]

77. Out and out heretic!

This is how I was described by an acquaintance
at work one day.

:evilgrin:

[conturnedpro09]

78. Lifelong Catholic here.

Oh--and I was raised to believe that a Christian is a Christian is a Christian. I guess you call it 'tolerance.'

(And no, like most Christians, I don't believe God is what Family Guys portrays him to be. That's just ridiculous.)

[liberalhistorian]

80. I'm a proud Christian who's getting really tired of

the anti-religious bigotry around here lately. There's always been an element of that here, but it's been getting much more strident and extreme lately. We are most assuredly NOT all RW fundie theocrats, not at all, and I'm getting tired of ALL Christians getting lumped in with them. MLK, Jr., was a proud Christian whose faith drove and infused his work, and the civil rights and abolitionist movements were given huge boosts by churches and synagogues, as was the turn-of-the-century crusade for the elimination of slum conditions and child labor, for better working and living conditions in urban areas, etc., etc. Many of the progressive initiatives that changed and improved the lives of millions, with laws and conditions we take for granted now but were not in existence not too long ago, were the work of religious progressives. You cannot lump all of us in with the RW fundie nutball fascist theocrats who wouldn't know Jesus and God if they came down from heaven right in front of them.

[goclark]

88. I am Christian as well ~ it is extremely hurtful to

have to read all the put downs.

It reminds me of the names and words they are saying about ALL those that are Democrats.

As an African American, in my view, it is exceedingly shameful.

[ismnotwasm]

81. Agnostic

And on the 7th day, Atheist.

[Taverner]

82. I'm either an Agnostic Atheist, or an Atheist Agnostic

Perhaps Non-Theist...

[Odin2005]

84. Atheist.

Religion is evil.

[tammywammy]

85. Protestant - Methodist n/t

[Critters2]

86. Girardian Christian, member of the UCC, a Protestant denomination. nt

[quaker bill]

87. Quaker

Thus the name

[rrneck]

93. Oher. I make my own. nt

[Mimosa]

95. I was baptised Catholic

At heart I'm catholic (or more like eastern Orthodox) but not a papist. I respect all peoples sincerely held religious beliefs as long as they don't try to impose their beliefs on others.

It's none of my business to convert others. They can come to their own decisions about faith. I treasure the excellent Catholic school education I received in elementary and the first year or two of middle schools. I had no experiences of crazy nuns or child molesting priests and I don't know any catholics who did.

I went of the rails when I nagged my grandparents into letting me go to public high school where everybody was having 'fun.' LOL

Once I took one of those detailed Beliefnet quizzes. It said the religions which most match me are Orthodox Judaism or Maya-something Buddhism. I've studied them a bit. Any system which helps people to develop consciences and care about others and appreciate life is fine by me.

[GliderGuider]

105. Other: A tasty stew

of Deep Ecology, pantheism, Taoism and Zen Buddhism with some shamanic seasoning and a side order of depth psychology.

No interventionist gods in sight, but lashings of sacred sauce on everything.

[woo me with science]

106. Ceiling cat. nt

[Warren Stupidity]

107. I'm a Buddhist Atheist, plus I love me the FSM. Where is my category?

[shanti]

109. Rastafarian

;)

[amb123]

111. Pagan/Wicca, Universal Life Church and . . .

Church of the SubGenius - F**k 'em if they can't take a joke!

EYIYIYIYIYI!

O8)

[and-justice-for-all]

116. Sorry, but the first two options are NOT religions...thanks. nt

[MissMarple]

Sorry, double post. my laptop is becoming schizoid, or perhaps it is merely possessed.

[MissMarple]

117. Deist, culturally Christian. Too much dogma gives me a headache and a strong sense of ennui.

[Blue_In_AK]

119. Raised Protestant,

pretty agnostic at this point. I believe that Jesus was a real person who existed a couple thousand years ago and apparently taught some eternal truths that are shared by the world's other major religions. I personally don't believe he was divine except to the extent that we all are. I positively do NOT believe that he died for our sins.

[MrSlayer]

123. Satanist.

Which is actually just humanism with fun rituals.

[knitter4democracy]

124. Eastern Orthodox Christian. *sigh*

We're always either "other" or "Christian other" even though we're a third of the faith, population-wise. Humph.

[elshiva]

125. ATHEIST!

[Mumble]

127. Closet atheist

I'm too afraid to tell my priest the truth. He may condemn me to hell.

[Iggo]

130. So, has anything changed?

[LWolf]

131. Other.

Spiritual eclectic, with an extreme avoidance of organized religion of any kind.

[Wizard777]

132. The first of all the monotheistic religions. Mazdaism AKA Zoroastrianism AKA Other

:eyes: No respect. I tell ya, we get no respect. :P

[inna]

133. proudly atheist.

and wow, i'm pleasantly surprised and even astounded by 34% atheists on the DU! it's probably 6 times higher than in general population in this country.

[Lost-in-FL]

134. ATHEISM IS NOT RELIGION! ATHEISM IS NOT RELIGION! ATHEISM IS NOT RELIGION!

ATHEISM IS A POSITION AND NOT A RELIGION!!!

Atheism, broadly defined, it is the absence of belief in the existence of any gods. Christians insist that atheism means the denial of the existence of any gods; the absence of belief in any gods is, for some strange reason, often ignored. At best it might be mistakenly referred to as agnosticism, which is actually the position that knowledge of gods is not possible. Dictionaries and other specialized references make it clear, though, that atheism can have a much broader definition.