Many Paths Poll

[crowTrobot 2]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25334489

[HollywoodAFD 0]

I gotta say... not shocking news.It's like saying..."This just in: Most Americans are over-weight"wow.

[crowTrobot 2]

I gotta say... not shocking news.It's like saying..."This just in: Most Americans are over-weight"wow.

not shocking news no, but does confirm that most christians don't take their belief seriously.what's disturbing is that many christians apparently believe that someone who believes in a false god would be saved, but an atheist would not be. how messed up is that?

[Southern Buddhist 1]

I like the line that it "shows a level of humility" about their beliefs that could benefit everyone involved. I'd like to think that's the explanation.Oh, and another headline on the same page noted that Ted Haggard has left the "restoration" program that was supposed to make him straight again. Left it three years early (out of a five-year hitch) and cut all ties to the church. Who didn't see that coming?

[crowTrobot 2]

I like the line that it "shows a level of humility" about their beliefs that could benefit everyone involved. I'd like to think that's the explanation.

i don't think humility has much to do with it. it's more that most traditional religious beliefs are archaic and by modern social standards are actually immoral, and most christians are smart enough to at least subconsciously have a sense of that. so what they choose to believe ends up being a mish-mash of their own personally derived non-biblical common sense and whatever is left of traditional biblical belief that still fits with it.

[Balloon guy 158]

Or it could be a bad poll with leading questions, or a pollster that doesn't understand you can be a Baptist and still think Roman Catholics go to heaven.But this line was a gem:Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it.Maybe the pollsters should clarify what an athiest means

[brvheart 1,751]

The transformation of the word was pretty complete quite a while ago...I'd say at least ten years, since that was when I first encountered the crazy sects of christianity, and I only remember the word 'evangelical' being used. So, for the sake of my own edification, what's the difference?Nothing?

I agree with SB on this one, BG summed it up well. If you look at the article and then Randy's experience, you see in both cases they were trying to have and/or force an experience instead of actually caring or even thinking about God or the Bible. It's really really sad. It's almost a Christian version of New Agey stuff.

not shocking news no, but does confirm that most christians don't take their belief seriously.what's disturbing is that many christians apparently believe that someone who believes in a false god would be saved, but an atheist would not be. how messed up is that?

This poll confirms nothing, but at the same time it's already obvious that most "christians" don't take their belief seriously. The Christians on this board have been saying that for years.

Or it could be a bad poll with leading questions, or a pollster that doesn't understand you can be a Baptist and still think that SOME Roman Catholics and/or Baptists COULD go to heaven.But this line was a gem:Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it.Maybe the pollsters should clarify what an athiest means

fyp

[crowTrobot 2]

Or it could be a bad poll with leading questions, or a pollster that doesn't understand you can be a Baptist and still think Roman Catholics go to heaven.

except the poll included jews and muslims, as well as evangelicals and catholics (and atheists). if they're asking every group the same questions they would have to be pretty general and generic, and thus non-leading. open to interpretation by the askee obviously, but if you ask a christian if "many religions" lead to god most of them are going to assume you're talking about non-christian faiths rather than other christian denominations. yes they should have included the exact questions asked to clarify that.

[crowTrobot 2]

This poll confirms nothing

it confirms the majority of religious people don't take exclusionary dogmatic religious beliefs nearly as seriously as they have traditionally. that may be stating the obvious, but it certainly can't hurt from a social harmony standpoint to have it confirmed in a public poll.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

Or it could be a bad poll with leading questions, or a pollster that doesn't understand you can be a Baptist and still think Roman Catholics go to heaven.But this line was a gem:Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it.Maybe the pollsters should clarify what an athiest means

I thought this also but didn't want to spend time researching the details.LOL... priceless..."21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it"

[HollywoodAFD 0]

*Opening myself up for attacks*... not unusual but here goes.I'm not flaming you Crow... this is a serious thread.Perhaps if you spent as much time searching for your own peace through any god or without a god as you do trying to constantly post "na-na-na-boo-boo" comments about how bad the Christian religion is... you might find what you are looking for. I'm not sure why you are so consumed with what other people believe. I'm a Christian and even though Paul taught that we should spread the word and gain followers, I really don't care what anyone believes. I don't know if you really believe that Christians claim to live 100% by the "word" or if you just like stirring up the pot or what your intentions are...in life, not just this forum. It just seems to me that you are spending more time shooting holes in 1 belief than you are searching for something that you can believe in. I could be wrong.Honestly... I hope you find whatever it is that you are looking for.Feel free to pile on me now.

[crowTrobot 2]

*Opening myself up for attacks*... not unusual but here goes.I'm not flaming you Crow... this is a serious thread.Perhaps if you spent as much time searching for your own peace through any god or without a god as you do trying to constantly post "na-na-na-boo-boo" comments about how bad the Christian religion is... you might find what you are looking for. I'm not sure why you are so consumed with what other people believe. I'm a Christian and even though Paul taught that we should spread the word and gain followers, I really don't care what anyone believes. I don't know if you really believe that Christians claim to live 100% by the "word" or if you just like stirring up the pot or what your intentions are...in life, not just this forum. It just seems to me that you are spending more time shooting holes in 1 belief than you are searching for something that you can believe in. I could be wrong.Honestly... I hope you find whatever it is that you are looking for.Feel free to pile on me now.

why would i need to search for something to believe in?i posted this because i think it's good news that the majority of religious people here are moving away from exclusionary fundamentalism. that is all.

[crowTrobot 2]

LOL... priceless..."21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it"

obviously that has to be a function of whatever the specific questions were - it's likely they weren't specific enough about the definition of atheism, and a minority of "atheists" are talking about irreligious theism or deism. not a big deal.

[HollywoodAFD 0]

why would i need to search for something to believe in?i posted this because i think it's good news that the majority of religious people here are moving away from exclusionary fundamentalism. that is all.

Because, IMO, it appears that is what you are doing.Could be wrong... doubt it... but it's possible.

[Balloon guy 158]

obviously that has to be a function of whatever the specific questions were - it's likely they weren't specific enough about the definition of atheism, and a minority of "atheists" are talking about irreligious theism or deism. not a big deal.

i think it's good news that the majority of atheist people here are moving away from exclusionary atheism. that is all. 1 in 5, with your small numbers I would be more worried about your side according to this poll.

[CaneBrain 95]

i think it's good news that the majority of atheist people here are moving away from exclusionary atheism. that is all. 1 in 5, with your small numbers I would be more worried about your side according to this poll.

as much of a hard time as I give you and Lois and Brvheart......I believe in god. I guess that would make me an irreligious theist or whatever.god = good religion = not so good.thats my take anyway and I think it will become a more and more popular viewpoint with some time.

[Balloon guy 158]

as much of a hard time as I give you and Lois and Brvheart......I believe in god. I guess that would make me an irreligious theist or whatever.god = good religion = not so good.thats my take anyway and I think it will become a more and more popular viewpoint with some time.

I once heard religion defined as 'Man trying to appease an angry God'Most Christians I know think the same as you about religion.The Bible says: 'Pure and undefiled religion is this, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.'and throughout the New Testament, Jesus only got angry with one group of people. the religious leaders. Not the whores, the cheats, the people that killed Him, etc. Just the people claiming they represented God.

[crowTrobot 2]

i think it's good news that the majority of atheist people here are moving away from exclusionary atheism. that is all.

atheism isn't a "side". it's not a claim to truth. it's nothing more than lack of belief. obviously lack of belief isn't exclusionary - there's nothing there to be excluded from.

1 in 5, with your small numbers I would be more worried about your side according to this poll.

i won't lose any sleep over people being confused about semantics.

[Balloon guy 158]

atheism isn't a "side". it's not a claim to truth. it's nothing more than lack of belief. obviously lack of belief isn't exclusionary - there's nothing there to be excluded from.

So you guys don't claim to be right?You don't claim that yours is a side?But you spout off world wide polls where your 'side' is gaining ground?Gaining ground about not being anything?Either you are mixing up the definition of atheist with anarchist, or you are schizophrenic.

[crowTrobot 2]

So you guys don't claim to be right?

the only thing most atheists claim is that there is no objective evidence that god (any version) exists. they don't claim that god can't or doesn't exist. you should know that by now.

You don't claim that yours is a side?

no. simple lack of belief in something does not constitute a side in the sense you are talking about. obviously you and i are on the same "side" when it comes to thor, zeus, vishnu, the FSM, the easter bunny, money growing on trees, or the sun revolving around the earth.

But you spout off world wide polls where your 'side' is gaining ground?

i point out when polls show that less and less people are taking devisive archaic religious superstition literally.

Either you are mixing up the definition of atheist with anarchist, or you are schizophrenic.

or you're using a constrained definition of atheism that most people don't use.

[brvheart 1,751]

as much of a hard time as I give you and Lois and Brvheart......I believe in god. I guess that would make me an irreligious theist or whatever.god = good religion = not so good.thats my take anyway and I think it will become a more and more popular viewpoint with some time.

Lois, BG and I already agree with you.

[brvheart 1,751]

I once heard religion defined as 'Man trying to appease an angry God'Most Christians I know think the same as you about religion.The Bible says: 'Pure and undefiled religion is this, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.'and throughout the New Testament, Jesus only got angry with one group of people. the religious leaders. Not the whores, the cheats, the people that killed Him, etc. Just the people claiming they represented God.

yes.

the only thing most atheists claim is that there is no objective evidence that god (any version) exists. they don't claim that god can't or doesn't exist. you should know that by now.no. simple lack of belief in something does not constitute a side in the sense you are talking about. obviously you and i are on the same "side" when it comes to thor, zeus, vishnu, the FSM, the easter bunny, money growing on trees, or the sun revolving around the earth.i point out when polls show that less and less people are taking devisive archaic religious superstition literally.or you're using a constrained definition of atheism that most people don't use.

[CaneBrain 95]

I once heard religion defined as 'Man trying to appease an angry God'Most Christians I know think the same as you about religion.The Bible says: 'Pure and undefiled religion is this, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.'and throughout the New Testament, Jesus only got angry with one group of people. the religious leaders. Not the whores, the cheats, the people that killed Him, etc. Just the people claiming they represented God.

amen to that. who wants some Manischevitz?

[HollywoodAFD 0]

amen to that. who wants some Manischevitz?

I'll take some...extra cheese and mustard.

[Loismustdie 0]

why would i need to search for something to believe in?i posted this because i think it's good news that the majority of religious people here are moving away from exclusionary fundamentalism. that is all.

No, you think it's good news that religion is a mess of unbelief and lack of doctrine, which we have been saying for about 3 years. I don't think it really matters what a poll says if at judgment day god is himself exclusionary.