Americans are far more religious than adults in other wealthy nations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably because we were founded by especially devout people?

Except we weren’t. Many of the Founding Fathers were more Deist than traditional Christians.

The Founding Fathers didn't "Found" us. They secured our independence. We were founded much earlier than that, by people seeking greater religious freedom.

Geez.

Lol just read your own first sentence. Severe cognitive dissonance distilled to a perfect cordial of oxymoron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably because we were founded by especially devout people?

Except we weren’t. Many of the Founding Fathers were more Deist than traditional Christians.

The Founding Fathers didn't "Found" us. They secured our independence. We were founded much earlier than that, by people seeking greater religious freedom.

Geez.

Which includes freedom from religion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably because we were founded by especially devout people?

Except we weren’t. Many of the Founding Fathers were more Deist than traditional Christians.

The Founding Fathers didn't "Found" us. They secured our independence. We were founded much earlier than that, by people seeking greater religious freedom.

Geez.

Umm …. No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/07/31/americans-are-far-more-religious-than-adults-in-other-wealthy-nations/

In fact, Americans pray more often, are more likely to attend weekly religious services and ascribe higher importance to faith in their lives than adults in other wealthy, Western democracies, such as Canada, Australia and most European states, according to a recent Pew Research Center study.

For instance, more than half of American adults (55%) say they pray daily, compared with 25% in Canada, 18% in Australia and 6% in Great Britain. (The average European country stands at 22%.) Actually, when it comes to their prayer habits, Americans are more like people in many poorer, developing nations – including South Africa (52%), Bangladesh (57%) and Bolivia (56%) – than people in richer countries.

As it turns out, the U.S. is the only country out of 102 examined in the study that has higher-than-average levels of both prayer and wealth.

I wonder why this is??

Many reasons, but I wouldn’t call it divine providence or an example of the inherent moral superiority of Americans. This country has incredible natural advantages, and has its roots in providing a place of freedom for followers of the various Christian denominations not tolerated by the Church of England for one reason or another. Many people came here with the “God gene” intact and bred it over successive generations. We had no problem brutally exploiting people and the land itself to extract maximum gain. We created prosperity gospel and convinced ourselves our capitalistic success was the result of God’s blessing, even though it’s patently ridiculous.

At the time of the Founding, there were significant divisions amongst the various denominations. People fought and died over them in Europe, and they would have here too if the Founders didn’t have the presence of mind to keep “church” (which church?) and the state separate. Up sprang a state religion in its place- the land of God Blessed America, where Jesus wants you to be rich and armed to the teeth, and if you’re not it’s obviously your own fault. The rest of the civilized world has moved on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course we're praying. We're praying we don't die in a mass shooting!

Ouch.

[Anonymous]

I love that we pray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love that we pray.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that we pray.

+1

-1

Makes us look like idiots

[Anonymous]

I'm an American living in the UK. Religion used to be quite important in European nations. Some social scientists argue that Europeans gave up on religion during WWII, believing that the devastation was proof that God did not exist.

Religion also is not a consumer experience here. Americans can find a religious denomination or church that matches their age range, political leanings, doctrine, socioeconomic status etc. An instant community of like-minded people. In Europe, most countries have the state sponsored church and the fringe. The church also provides community and social programs in the US, while the government and families (much closer geographically in Europe) provide that here. The church bazaar (fete) is still a community institution in the UK.

Interestingly, religion is still a big part of the culture here, sometimes in ways that would appall Americans. The Church of England does not allow gay marriage, and requires gay priests to be celibate. The Church is ostensibly funded by donations, but gets a lot of government grant money for church buildings, and its top clergy sit in the House of Lords

UK schools are ostensibly required to have an 'act of daily Christian worship'. Most ignore this, but state-funded schools give out Bibles and allow evangelists to talk to the children. One third of state (publicly funded) schools are religious here, and these government funded schools are allowed to discriminate based on faith and church attendance in admissions. In the Netherlands, two-thirds of public school are religious, and in Ireland, the Catholic Church still controls 90% of public schools. Many people still baptize their kids, despite not being religious. This is true in a lot of European countries.

[Anonymous]

Now you know why this country is so stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably because we were founded by especially devout people?

Devout murderers is who founded this country. Men who intentionally committed genocide to create their world. The men and women of this new world murdered defenseless men, women and children to create their world. We won’t even discuss these so-called religious people’s sanction and use of kidnapping and slave bondage of another group of people. Hip hop hooray for religion.

[Anonymous]

This is true. I’m from Canada and find the Bible thumping on the US so off putting. No one cares about your religion in Canada. Just be and worship who you want or don’t want. We don’t care. Here in the us, it’s brought into everything and it’s like to get elected for office you have to pledge allegiance to the lord or whatever to get elected. It’s very weird and yes the US is much more religious or else in your face about their religion.

[Anonymous]

Canadian again- I know I’ll get flamed for this, but I think the big difference between Canada/US is the amount of evangelicals and extremists. It’s like you only want one kind of religion here and you have to fight that your religion is the one to follow and the only acceptable path.

In Canada I feel that we embrace multiculturalism more than Americans, and with that comes religion - or no religion - no pressure. Generally we don’t give a F if you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, atheist, or whatever. For the most part, we just don’t care. Be who you are. We don’t have pressure about religion or god or whatever.

When I moved to the us I tried going to church because I wanted to feel part of a community, but I just didn’t and couldn’t believe like Americans, if that makes sense. Too many rules. I think in the us you have more family pressure to be a believer, where in Canada no one really cares.

As Trudeau once said, a canadian is a canadian is a canadian. We don’t care what or who you worship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably because we were founded by especially devout people?

Devout murderers is who founded this country. Men who intentionally committed genocide to create their world. The men and women of this new world murdered defenseless men, women and children to create their world. We won’t even discuss these so-called religious people’s sanction and use of kidnapping and slave bondage of another group of people. Hip hop hooray for religion.

It was founded by capitalists trying to make a buck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Canadian again- I know I’ll get flamed for this, but I think the big difference between Canada/US is the amount of evangelicals and extremists. It’s like you only want one kind of religion here and you have to fight that your religion is the one to follow and the only acceptable path.

In Canada I feel that we embrace multiculturalism more than Americans, and with that comes religion - or no religion - no pressure. Generally we don’t give a F if you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, atheist, or whatever. For the most part, we just don’t care. Be who you are. We don’t have pressure about religion or god or whatever.

When I moved to the us I tried going to church because I wanted to feel part of a community, but I just didn’t and couldn’t believe like Americans, if that makes sense. Too many rules. I think in the us you have more family pressure to be a believer, where in Canada no one really cares.

As Trudeau once said, a canadian is a canadian is a canadian. We don’t care what or who you worship.

Yes, the evangelists and extremists are forcing themselves on everyone else against their will. And using unethical methods to position themselves to oppress others.