Twice as many atheists in U.S. as Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined?

[rug]

"There are more atheists in the country right now than Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined and doubled." -David Silverman on Friday, February 17th, 2012 in a story on TV website

Published: Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.

David Silverman, president of American Atheists, was interviewed recently by a Washington, D.C., television station about plans for a March 24 Reason Rally on the Washington Mall.

"There are more atheists in the country right now than Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists combined and doubled," said Silverman. "That's a lot of people."

The statement piqued our interest in light of the rancorous debate over the prayer banner at Cranston High School West.

http://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2012/feb/26/david-silverman/american-atheists-president-david-silverman-says-t/

[no_hypocrisy]

1. You wouldn't know it as most of us are politically disenfranchised

and separated into our groups of atheists, freethinkers, humanists, ethical culturalists, secularists, rationalists, etc. United, we could be a force like the religionists.

[geckosfeet]

2. Which is sort of what Silverman appears to be trying to do. Lump everyone

who claims to be "unaffiliated" and does not profess to have a specific religious belief (agnostics etc.) into the atheist category.

I say nice try, but that is stretching the meaning of atheism. Watering it down as it were.

[dmallind]

4. Agnosticism is not a position on belief. The difference is he's using

the correct definition of atheism. Answering the question "do you believe a god or a number of gods exist?" with "no" is the only requirement. The most recent figure I can find for those is 8%, which is indeed more than those populations doubled. There are far fewer Muslims and religious Jews in the US than people believe.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Wow! Look at all the holidays they lose.