Poll: do you believe in God?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God? no
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? no
3. Do you participate in organized religion? no
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? n/a
5. Which religion?n/a
6. How often do you pray? never
7. How often do you attend religious services? rarely- the occasional funeral mass, wedding, or baptism
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now?I was a devout Catholic until 21 years old.
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? I give them as much information as I can about various religions when the topic comes up. We have a lot of conversations about what different people believe and how they act on those beliefs. But they don't attend any services aside from the ceremonies listed above.
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? n/a

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? yes
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? It really depends. I don't enjoy discussing my beliefs with people who raise the subject in order to air their disapproval or want to convert me. Other than that I'm fine with it.
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Probably not. I avoid phone polls. But if I got sucked into one I would be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God? No.
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? No.
3. Do you participate in organized religion? No.
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? Was raised Christian. I like the aspects about charity and being kind to others.
5. Which religion? Episcopalian.
6. How often do you pray? Never.
7. How often do you attend religious services? Never.
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? Did not go to church very often. Was read Bible stories as a child, and they were scary. (Abraham sacrificing his son).
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? None. Trust in science and kindness.
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Spirituality is important, but it's tied to nature/universe, not God.

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? It's fine.
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes, I don't live in the south.
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes.

[Anonymous]

1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? Yes
3. Do you participate in organized religion? No
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? Yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? Daily/several times per day
7. How often do you attend religious services? Not often
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? Atheist family
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? Christians
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Very important

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes, but I don't answer phone polls most of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

1. Do you believe in God? no
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? no
3. Do you participate in organized religion? Not unless you count churches that let me do work with them.
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion?
5. Which religion?
6. How often do you pray?
7. How often do you attend religious services? Never
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now?Raised evangelical/ fundamentalist Christian.
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? I let her go to Sunday school at a non-militant church with her grandmother, but never made her go. Her choices on religion are her own.
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? meh

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes, but I have no negative feelings about other people's religion, provided they're not the far extreme variety.
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes

Religion is fascinating. I've studied it for years. I believe my lack of emotion on this topic allows me to discuss it freely with others who hold different beliefs. I do not have patience for proselytizing. I will be defensive, and sometimes rude about it. I don't go around telling people their belief system is wrong. I expect the same courtesy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God?
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand?
3. Do you participate in organized religion?
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion?
5. Which religion?
6. How often do you pray?
7. How often do you attend religious services?
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now?
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion?
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you?

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM?
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family?
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll?

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. Yes!
5. Unitarian Universalist.
6. Frequently, but I go through phases. Sometimes more than others.
7. Infrequently (like, never). I live overseas where UU is not a thing. I try to go to Christian services but it just doesn't resonate.
8. I wasn't. My parents are thoroughly secular. My mother would take me to services for Christmas/Waster, but that was it.
9. They're very small, but we read bible-based books and prescribe to a humanitarian approach to life. Essentially, I hope to raise my children to have values, morals, and ethics.
10. Very.

A/B/C: Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? No.... "just" God
3. Do you participate in organized religion? yes
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? daily, at least
7. How often do you attend religious services? weekly
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? yes and yes
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? yes
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes of course
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? No.... "just" God
3. Do you participate in organized religion? yes
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? daily, at least
7. How often do you attend religious services? weekly
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? yes and yes
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? yes
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes of course
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes

to #10, " How important is your religion/spirituality to you?" you answered: "Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!"

Could you expand upon that some. What do you see as the difference between religion and spirituality and religion and why is spirituality nonsense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? No.... "just" God
3. Do you participate in organized religion? yes
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? daily, at least
7. How often do you attend religious services? weekly
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? yes and yes
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? yes
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes of course
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes

to #10, " How important is your religion/spirituality to you?" you answered: "Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!"

Could you expand upon that some. What do you see as the difference between religion and spirituality and religion and why is spirituality nonsense?

I'm happy to, with the caveat that this is only my point of view and the way that I interpret the meaning of the words "religion" and "spirituality."

To me, "religion," in the broadest sense, defines our relationship with God. It is about communion with Him, worshiping Him, following Him. It is recognizing that there is a defined system of faith and a set of beliefs and truths, that are established by man through his relationship to God over many thousands of years. It is me choosing to follow a path walked by millions before me who have also known these truths, with all of the obligations and eternal peace and joy that come with that. It is me realizing that there are things bigger and truer than myself, and attaching my life to them.

"Spirituality," on the other hand, is a complete mish mash of whatever the person speaking about it wants it to be. It is an (ultimately fruitless) attempt to find truth within one's self, to find salvation or meaning within one's self. It's an acceptance of anything that anyone says is "true for them," which is the complete opposite of God's teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? No.... "just" God
3. Do you participate in organized religion? yes
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? daily, at least
7. How often do you attend religious services? weekly
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? yes and yes
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? yes
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes of course
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes

to #10, " How important is your religion/spirituality to you?" you answered: "Religion is extremely important. "Spirituality" is nonsense!"

Could you expand upon that some. What do you see as the difference between religion and spirituality and religion and why is spirituality nonsense?

I'm happy to, with the caveat that this is only my point of view and the way that I interpret the meaning of the words "religion" and "spirituality."

To me, "religion," in the broadest sense, defines our relationship with God. It is about communion with Him, worshiping Him, following Him. It is recognizing that there is a defined system of faith and a set of beliefs and truths, that are established by man through his relationship to God over many thousands of years. It is me choosing to follow a path walked by millions before me who have also known these truths, with all of the obligations and eternal peace and joy that come with that. It is me realizing that there are things bigger and truer than myself, and attaching my life to them.

"Spirituality," on the other hand, is a complete mish mash of whatever the person speaking about it wants it to be. It is an (ultimately fruitless) attempt to find truth within one's self, to find salvation or meaning within one's self. It's an acceptance of anything that anyone says is "true for them," which is the complete opposite of God's teaching.

Thanks -- that's pretty clear, and the caveat is appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? Yes
3. Do you participate in organized religion? No
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? Yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? Daily/several times per day
7. How often do you attend religious services? Not often
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? Atheist family
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? Christians
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Very important

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes, but I don't answer phone polls most of the time.

PP, if you're around, I'd like to hear more about your religious journey. You were raised by atheists and you are now a devout Christian. What happened?

I'm curious because I was a Christian for many years, am now atheist, am raising my child without religion, but I wonder sometimes if he'll find religion on his own when he's older. (He's only a toddler now.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Do you believe in God? Yes
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? Yes
3. Do you participate in organized religion? No
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? Yes
5. Which religion? Christian
6. How often do you pray? Daily/several times per day
7. How often do you attend religious services? Not often
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? Atheist family
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? Christians
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? Very important

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Yes
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? Yes, but I don't answer phone polls most of the time.

PP, if you're around, I'd like to hear more about your religious journey. You were raised by atheists and you are now a devout Christian. What happened?

I'm curious because I was a Christian for many years, am now atheist, am raising my child without religion, but I wonder sometimes if he'll find religion on his own when he's older. (He's only a toddler now.)

NP. God will make repeated attempts to find him throughout his life, PP. We can only hope and pray that he receives and accepts them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I don't believe in God or any kind of "intelligent designer." At the very most, I might be persuaded that there is some kind of energy force that we're all a part of but it's not intelligent in the way that we normally think of that word nor does it have the other human characteristics that organized religion insists on attributing to God.

I'd like to believe. God to me is like Santa Clause. It's a nice story and I wish it was true but I just don't think it is.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No I don't believe in God or any kind of "intelligent designer." At the very most, I might be persuaded that there is some kind of energy force that we're all a part of but it's not intelligent in the way that we normally think of that word nor does it have the other human characteristics that organized religion insists on attributing to God.

I'd like to believe. God to me is like Santa Clause. It's a nice story and I wish it was true but I just don't think it is.

+1

Then you really haven't done much searching, have you? Be honest! This is an extremely lazy point of view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No I don't believe in God or any kind of "intelligent designer." At the very most, I might be persuaded that there is some kind of energy force that we're all a part of but it's not intelligent in the way that we normally think of that word nor does it have the other human characteristics that organized religion insists on attributing to God.

I'd like to believe. God to me is like Santa Clause. It's a nice story and I wish it was true but I just don't think it is.

+1

Then you really haven't done much searching, have you? Be honest! This is an extremely lazy point of view.

Be honest -- you don't know how much searching pp has done - and who's to say that searching will lead to god. It can lead in the opposite direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some people aren't comfortable sharing their beliefs about God so current polls may be inaccurate.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58f67e31e4b0de5bac41d3eb

So let's do a little informal poll to see who we have here in DCUMland.

1. Do you believe in God?
2. Do you believe in a "higher power" or intelligent force at hand? No
3. Do you participate in organized religion? Rarely
4. Do you believe most of the tenets of your religion? For the most part yes
5. Which religion? Judaism.
6. How often do you pray? Never unless I an in synagogue.
7. How often do you attend religious services? Only on High Holy days.
8. How were you brought up in religion? Same religion as now? Yes
9. How are you bringing up your children wrt religion? Send child to Jewish School on Sundays unless he has a chess tournament.
10. How important is your religion/spirituality to you? It is not.

Some questions about sharing that information with others:
A. Were you comfortable responding to these questions on DCUM? Sure.
B. Are you comfortable discussing your true personal beliefs with friends and family? Yes.
C. Would you share your true personal beliefs to a stranger on a telephone poll? I suppose.