Latest poll by Pew Forum

[Moksha]

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published some updated information on religious beliefs of Americans:

The study detailed Americans' deep and broad religiosity, finding that 92 percent believe in God or a universal spirit -- including one in five of those who call themselves atheists. More than half of Americans polled pray at least once a day.

But Americans aren't rigid about their beliefs. Most of those studied -- even many of the most religiously conservative -- have a remarkably nonexclusive attitude toward other faiths. Seventy percent of those affiliated with a religion believe that many religions can lead to eternal salvation. And only about one-quarter of those surveyed believe there is only one way to interpret their religion's teachings.

"Even though Americans tend to take religion quite seriously and are a highly religious people, there is a certain degree of openness and a lack of dogmatism in their approach to faith and the teachings of their faith," said Gregory Smith, a research fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

A belief in God or a higher spirit is pervasive. Even Americans who describe themselves as atheist or agnostic have a robust sense of a higher power: Twenty-one percent of those who describe themselves as atheists expressed a belief in God or a universal spirit, and more than half of those who call themselves agnostic expressed a similar conviction.

Most Americans Believe in Higher Power, Poll Finds

[Elphaba]

Twenty-one percent of those who describe themselves as atheists expressed a belief in God or a universal spirit. . .

Atheists do not believe in any god. Those who self-identified as atheists for this survey do not understand what atheism is.

I also question that 92 percent of Americans believe in God. The atheist population is between about 14 and 17 percent of Americans.

Perhaps those idiotic twenty-one percent skewed the numbers.

This is concerning to me, as people look to the Pew Report for accurate information. A survey that comes up with these numbers cannot be correct.

Elphaba

[Palerider]

Atheists do not believe in any god. Those who self-identified as atheists for this survey do not understand what atheism is.

I also question that 92 percent of Americans believe in God. The atheist population is between about 14 and 17 percent of Americans.

Perhaps those idiotic twenty-one percent skewed the numbers.

This is concerning to me, as people look to the Pew Report for accurate information. A survey that comes up with these numbers cannot be correct.

Elphaba

If you are an atheist how many holidays do you get????

[Moksha]

Elf, I wonder if the idea of a higher power is catching on with people? Wouldn't the soft atheists like to believe in some unifying ideal underlying the Universe? If so, perhaps this is a reflection of that wish.

[Elphaba]

If you are an atheist how many holidays do you get????

All of them, and I take them too! Every single one!

As a matter of fact, the next time a major holiday comes up, I'm going to come visit you! How about Thanksgiving?

(I bet I just scared the heck out of you!)

Elphaba

[Elphaba]

Elf, I wonder if the idea of a higher power is catching on with people? Wouldn't the soft atheists like to believe in some unifying ideal underlying the Universe? If so, perhaps this is a reflection of that wish.

Perhaps. However, IMO, a soft atheist is really an agnostic, and not a true atheist.

I believe human beings began searching for a higher power the minute the species could comprehend one. Everyone would like to believe there is more than this life, and that they are not alone. Believing in God provides this.

So, no, I don't think people wanting to find a higher power is anything new. In fact, I believe that, from an evolutionary viewpoint, people created gods that best reflected their individual cultures. And as people's cognitive abilities grew, their respective gods evolved as well.

As far as the Pew Survey, if I am right that people who are really agnostic self-identified as atheists, that would explain the screwy numbers.

Elphaba

[MarginOfError]

I'm not convinced this shows a culture of faith. In fact, I see more evidence of a culture of ignorance. What kind of an atheist believes in God?

I'd be interested in seeing what their variances for these estimates are. Seems kind of odd.

[MrNirom]

What kind of an atheist believes in God?

Can't people change their mind? Maybe... find God? You never know what the stresser was.. but it does happen. :)

[Tough Grits]

Perhaps. However, IMO, a soft atheist is really an agnostic, and not a true atheist.

I believe human beings began searching for a higher power the minute the species could comprehend one. Everyone would like to believe there is more than this life, and that they are not alone. Believing in God provides this.

So, no, I don't think people wanting to find a higher power is anything new. In fact, I believe that, from an evolutionary viewpoint, people created gods that best reflected their individual cultures. And as people's cognitive abilities grew, their respective gods evolved as well.

As far as the Pew Survey, if I am right that people who are really agnostic self-identified as atheists, that would explain the screwy numbers.

Elphaba

I agree. Without pulling out my dictionary, I thought an atheist believes that there was absolutely NO God, while an agnostic could not be certain that there was a God, or that there was not a God.

Go back as far as you can in written history, and there is religion of some form.

Which to us only makes sense, as Adam and Eve, being the first humans, taught the gospel to their children. It stands to reason that as their descendants multiplied and spread out upon the earth that they would carry that seed of faith, even though it often became distorted and these descendants, as Elphaba said, "created gods that best reflected their individual cultures."

[Palerider]

All of them, and I take them too! Every single one!

As a matter of fact, the next time a major holiday comes up, I'm going to come visit you! How about Thanksgiving?

(I bet I just scared the heck out of you!)

Elphaba

come on over and you can offer the blessing on the meal....

[Elphaba]

come on over and you can offer the blessing on the meal....

Can I give thanks to the Great White Buffalo in the Sky? If not, you get to say the blessing, but I get to eat what you have been kind enough to bless.

In other words, it's a date!

Elphie

[prisonchaplain]

Atheists do not believe in any god. Those who self-identified as atheists for this survey do not understand what atheism is.

I also question that 92 percent of Americans believe in God. The atheist population is between about 14 and 17 percent of Americans.

Perhaps those idiotic twenty-one percent skewed the numbers.

This is concerning to me, as people look to the Pew Report for accurate information. A survey that comes up with these numbers cannot be correct.

Elphaba

Could be that the 21% skewed the #s, but I've been hearing that 92% figure for decades. It may be wrong, but it fits what I've encountered. Almost everyone I've met believes in a higher power, but many are not that interested in going much deeper. Perhaps 14-17% of Americans are atheist/agnostic...but I'm guessing the % of thorough-going atheists is well under 10%.

And, the overall theme, that Americans are widely religious, but for a large number, the depth of religiosity can be measured in single-digit inches, is a finding that has been "news" for over a century.

[VisionOfLehi]

I think the point of pointing out that 21% of self-claimed atheists actually believe there's some sort of higher power was simply to point out that claims of atheism are not accurate. Do other studies on atheism ask if they believe in a higher power, or do they simply ask what the people consider themselves religiously?

I can see that 92% being entirely accurate. You have to keep in mind that a God, or universal spirit, includes Pagan gods, "Mother Nature" or a goddess, unknown higher force, "karma" (to put it very ignorantly) etc.

Elph: From what I've read, the 2001 survey indicates that about 14 percent don't affiliate themselves with any religion at all. This includes agnostics and atheist and humanists and other such groups, all lumped into one.

The Pew forum's poll, which I just checked out, reflects this:

Unaffiliated

16.1%

• Atheist

  1.6%

• Agnostic

  2.4%

• Nothing in particular

  12.1%