Belief in God in U.S. Dips to 81%, a New Low

[Anonymous]

I don't know if it's truly a good thing. I am not Catholic of Christian, I do not go to Church and am strongly anti organized religion. However, I think there's a great benefit to having faith. I would like my kids to believe in something whether God or nature or Christ or whatever. I am uneasy with what organized religion teaches us, it's a crutch and not meaningful when gospel is preached. However I also secretly wish I could have the kind of faith true believers do. Life is hard and we need something to help get us through, the beauty of grace is not just powerful but important. I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore. To me, blind clinging to religion is as bad as not believing it's more than just yourself who is meaningful. It's a fine line to hold, a rare person who is sincerely faithful, but I've met many who are and I find it regretful that as a society, there's less people who identify with the value of having a faith. I think it's bad when it's all religion but by the sand token no religion at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe 81 is correct. That seems incredibly high to me.

What’s more likely, Gallup is bad at polling or your perspective is warped due to you living in a bubble

Gallup bad at polling for sure.

You can’t just keep making things up and asserting them as cite-free facts. Oh wait, you are still doing that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's truly a good thing. I am not Catholic of Christian, I do not go to Church and am strongly anti organized religion. However, I think there's a great benefit to having faith. I would like my kids to believe in something whether God or nature or Christ or whatever. I am uneasy with what organized religion teaches us, it's a crutch and not meaningful when gospel is preached. However I also secretly wish I could have the kind of faith true believers do. Life is hard and we need something to help get us through, the beauty of grace is not just powerful but important. I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore. To me, blind clinging to religion is as bad as not believing it's more than just yourself who is meaningful. It's a fine line to hold, a rare person who is sincerely faithful, but I've met many who are and I find it regretful that as a society, there's less people who identify with the value of having a faith. I think it's bad when it's all religion but by the sand token no religion at all.

Pp says, "Life is hard and we need something to help get us through" So we should just make up something?
and
"I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore." Don't worry -- Lots of people believe all sorts of things for which there is no evidence. Also, lots of people believe in worthwhile ideas.

I agree, that there can be a benefit to "having faith" but there seem to be more downsides to it and at some point, it seems a little crazy to believe in certain invisible supernatural beings (e.g., God, Jesus) and not others (Santa Claus, gremlins)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe 81 is correct. That seems incredibly high to me.

people are reluctant to tell a pollster they don't really believe in God.
Most respondents have very weak views on this subject anyway, but most will just say "yes" even if they don't really care one way or the other.

Cite for any of this, please

it's an opinion.

It’s not an opinion, it’s a claim of fact.

[Anonymous]

I think most people believe in God, but there are infinite theories about who/what God is. People disagree on the details, but most believe that their life is not just a random quirk of nature but part of a plan. Faith gives life meaning.

[Anonymous]

So the sum of all politicians, (mostly) whites, and less educated equals to 81% of population. That seems pretty high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx

This is logical to me, and I believe religion does far more harm than good, so I view this as a positive development.

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts are that belief in religion will be replaced by other beliefs because humans have a need to believe in something bigger than themselves in order to feel like life isn’t just a pointless sequence of random events that end in nothing. I worry it’ll be horrible conspiracies like Qanon.

I am a mostly non-religious Jew, if that matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the sum of all politicians, (mostly) whites, and less educated equals to 81% of population. That seems pretty high.

More fact-free opinions presented as fact. Lots of Blacks are religious. Lots of educated people (like me) are religious, unless you lumped Blacks in with the uneducated (in which case, take a hike). Your “math” just doesn’t work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx

This is logical to me, and I believe religion does far more harm than good, so I view this as a positive development.

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts are that belief in religion will be replaced by other beliefs because humans have a need to believe in something bigger than themselves in order to feel like life isn’t just a pointless sequence of random events that end in nothing. I worry it’ll be horrible conspiracies like Qanon.

I am a mostly non-religious Jew, if that matters.

NP
But how would you describe countries like Japan- the overwhelming majority is not into a particular faith or religion, yet objectively they seem to be a functioning, civilized society with moral people for the most part. My theory is that the bolded is true "people need to believe in something bigger than themselves to find meaning in life" only if you have been taught so since early childhood. As any parent knows, children are extremely gullible and will start to believe in literally anything if adults around them say it often enough. Try to spread the idea of an almighty God to functioning adults who have never heard of such thing and already have other pre-formed thoughts about life and meaning. The results will be drastically different compared to bringing children to church regularly and teaching them about how 'someone' is actually behind the design of the universe and gives all life meaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yet somehow the other 19% is trying to call the shots and destroy this country

Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the sum of all politicians, (mostly) whites, and less educated equals to 81% of population. That seems pretty high.

More fact-free opinions presented as fact. Lots of Blacks are religious. Lots of educated people (like me) are religious, unless you lumped Blacks in with the uneducated (in which case, take a hike). Your “math” just doesn’t work.

ha ha but we came to the same conclusion. it doesn't look right! how about that bud?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the sum of all politicians, (mostly) whites, and less educated equals to 81% of population. That seems pretty high.

More fact-free opinions presented as fact. Lots of Blacks are religious. Lots of educated people (like me) are religious, unless you lumped Blacks in with the uneducated (in which case, take a hike). Your “math” just doesn’t work.

ha ha but we came to the same conclusion. it doesn't look right! how about that bud?

Huh? You misunderstood. I think 81% looks right. I don’t think your random number generator for various groups (whites, politicians, and less educated) is either complete or accurate. Stop making stuff up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's truly a good thing. I am not Catholic of Christian, I do not go to Church and am strongly anti organized religion. However, I think there's a great benefit to having faith. I would like my kids to believe in something whether God or nature or Christ or whatever. I am uneasy with what organized religion teaches us, it's a crutch and not meaningful when gospel is preached. However I also secretly wish I could have the kind of faith true believers do. Life is hard and we need something to help get us through, the beauty of grace is not just powerful but important. I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore. To me, blind clinging to religion is as bad as not believing it's more than just yourself who is meaningful. It's a fine line to hold, a rare person who is sincerely faithful, but I've met many who are and I find it regretful that as a society, there's less people who identify with the value of having a faith. I think it's bad when it's all religion but by the sand token no religion at all.

Pp says, "Life is hard and we need something to help get us through" So we should just make up something?
and
"I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore." Don't worry -- Lots of people believe all sorts of things for which there is no evidence. Also, lots of people believe in worthwhile ideas.

I agree, that there can be a benefit to "having faith" but there seem to be more downsides to it and at some point, it seems a little crazy to believe in certain invisible supernatural beings (e.g., God, Jesus) and not others (Santa Claus, gremlins)

Santa Claus was a real person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's truly a good thing. I am not Catholic of Christian, I do not go to Church and am strongly anti organized religion. However, I think there's a great benefit to having faith. I would like my kids to believe in something whether God or nature or Christ or whatever. I am uneasy with what organized religion teaches us, it's a crutch and not meaningful when gospel is preached. However I also secretly wish I could have the kind of faith true believers do. Life is hard and we need something to help get us through, the beauty of grace is not just powerful but important. I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore. To me, blind clinging to religion is as bad as not believing it's more than just yourself who is meaningful. It's a fine line to hold, a rare person who is sincerely faithful, but I've met many who are and I find it regretful that as a society, there's less people who identify with the value of having a faith. I think it's bad when it's all religion but by the sand token no religion at all.

Pp says, "Life is hard and we need something to help get us through" So we should just make up something?
and
"I'm a bit sad that the world is now so practical and mundane to suggest that nobody believes in anything anymore." Don't worry -- Lots of people believe all sorts of things for which there is no evidence. Also, lots of people believe in worthwhile ideas.

I agree, that there can be a benefit to "having faith" but there seem to be more downsides to it and at some point, it seems a little crazy to believe in certain invisible supernatural beings (e.g., God, Jesus) and not others (Santa Claus, gremlins)

Santa Claus was a real person.

He wasnt a jolly fat man who brought Christian children whose parents can afford gifts presents every year.,

[Anonymous]

The hate regarding all religion on this thread makes me sad.