DU demographic survey #1: Religion

[StraightDope]

This will be the first in a series of polls designed to learn more about our DU community. When all have been completed, I'll post the results, and we'll all have a better idea about the makeup of Democratic Underground!

For this poll, the question is: Do you have a religious affiliation, and if so, what is it?

[StraightDope]

1. I'm a non-Hindu non-Buddhist reincarnationist.

[Jokinomx]

53. I should have read your post before voting...

I am also a reincarnationist...hehehe... I am not smart enough to know if a God exists so I chose agnostic.

O8)

[evilgenius602]

116. god is an abentee landlord

Republican sex scandals, the war, Dancing with the Stars, fundamentalists, hallmark cards, the OJ book...if this is his best work, I'm not impressed. This is not the work of any supreme being I'm willing to follow. I say if he was being evaluated by one of these corporations he's made us all the slave of, he'd have been out on his all powerful ass a long time ago.

[Tony Soprano]

139. I wish someone would reply to post #134

I can't start no thread...

[davidinalameda]

2. Episcopalian

[mike_c]

3. isn't that a christian sect...?

eom

[StraightDope]

4. If I recall correctly, that's the American name for the Church of England.

[and-justice-for-all]

13. They are the ones that...

..Get protested by mainstream xtian asshats because they are "Too Liberal." Episcapalians welcome ANYONE into there congregation and the hatemongers dont like it at all.

[annabanana]

48. yup ~-

Recently ordained an openly gay Bishop, and have recently appointed a woman as our Presiding Bishop here in the US...
(We're driving the fundies nutz)

[davidinalameda]

59. isn't it wonderful!

to be a part of a church that follows Jesus' teachings

[wryter2000]

111. Agnostic raised Episcopalian here

Although I wandered away from faith in a God, I still have great affection for the Episcopal Church. I get Bishop Spong's newsletter. He was one of my very-much-NOT religious husband's favorite writers. I think many of the anti-religious people here would be very surprised at what he has to say.

[JerseygirlCT]

132. Yeah. Ain't it grand? nt

[NMMNG]

84. Indeed

The hatemongers prefer the notion of their little exclusive clubs where the admissions criteria is so narrow that almost nobody actually qualifies. It serves their elitism well.

[Vorta]

7. Episcopalian Buddhist here.

They joke about this in British comedies, but there are more than a few Buddhists in the Anglican communion.

[JerseygirlCT]

19. Serious question from another Episcopalian

How does that tie together for you? I'd love to hear more if you're willing.

[Vorta]

30. Serious answer

In a sense it doesn't, especially when I was "required" to make certain promises at my niece's baptism. I don't jump through hoops with it, the baptism was something _she_ wanted due to peer pressure and my mother probably had something to do with it.

Outside of that, I would refer to Joseph Campbell's thesis that religion is a metaphor for understanding the unknowable. I wasn't attracted to Buddhism, joined up, and then learned about it. Of course I had an idea of what it was about, since there are elements of it in the Human Potential Movement's impact on contemporary interaction and personal awareness. However, in an online discussion at length on spiritual beliefs, someone said that I sounded like a Buddhist and I might look into it. So I did some research, and read lots of materials. At some point it hit me, that I had actually been a Buddhist for some time, I just didn't know what was happening.

Now, how that fits in with being an Episcopalian: I see that as being part of my culture and community, certainly part of my family experience. I won't leave that behind. It really doesn't matter where I practice this or the words I say, it's what's going on inside that matters. I have no cultural ties to Buddhism. I have a habit of saying a Hail Mary when I am stuck in traffic. I am not a Catholic, but when I was a child in Catholic school we did then when we heard an ambulance. I am not asking for intervention by Mary of Nazareth, I am praying that no one will suffer in the accident, and re-channeling the energy I would be inclined to spend on being aggravated at the delay. When I am home I meditate in a more traditional fashion. It works for me.

[JerseygirlCT]

32. What's your take on God?

I know many Buddhists do not believe in a divinity, although some do. Where do you fall on that continuum?

I certainly understand the cultural ties. Though an Episcopalian now, I'll always have my Catholic roots. Culturally, that's a lot of who I am. I just needed more intellectual wiggle room, and a whole lot more respect for women -- thus the Episcopal church!

[Vorta]

42. Zeus

I know many Buddhists do not believe in a divinity, although some do. Where do you fall on that continuum?

Having been raised in a good Christian home with a Christian education, I think of God as a Christian thinks of God- looking a whole lot like Zeus. This is unavoidable and I'm not going to train my mind to see Buddha, since Buddha wasn't a God and reportedly went to some lengths to make that point (like witnesses at his death). I also don't think of Sidhartha Gautama as the last word on any given subject, but a facilitator to a path of understanding and again the metaphor for the unknowable. So in a sense I "believe in God" but not in the literal Christian sense.

I'm not trying to sound like a monk here, but in no logical scenario does it matter if I believe in God. If indeed there is a literal God, a godhead personality in the cosmos who decides who is redeemed, then trying to be a good Buddhist in this life ought to please him.

Now if you are at all familiar with my writings here, then you might be saying, "This guy claims to be a Buddhist?". He's hardheaded, selfish, opinionated, and spends way too much time arguing with people. I'm not a person to sit in a lotus position trying to shut off my mind. I don't believe that that is what Buddhism is about, and if it is then it seems rather wasteful. I do spend a lot of time here, but I don't consider it wasted. I learn a lot here, often through challenge. I'm also a firm believer in the spirtual power of manual labor. I spend a lot of my time doing for other people. This isn't to get sainthood points, it's because it gives me focus and pleasure. It purges bad thoughts and energy. The sainthood points are a bonus. So I am a Buddhist with a Protestant ethic, I suppose.

[JerseygirlCT]

55. Thanks!

I think that old guy with the long white beard thing gets imprinted on us pretty early. I'm always working to get beyond that myself!

I have a rather unitarian and universalist view myself, though happily couched within Episcopal liturgy. I tend (intellectually anyway, mind pictures aside, lol) toward an expansive and inclusive view of God.

I also think sainthood points are overrated as a goal. If we're focusing on what it's doing for us, then we're not really focused on helping someone else. Which sounds like just the opposite of what you're saying, but I don't think it really is.

Anyway, thanks. This has been an interesting exchange -- I love learning new things!

[exlrrp]

89. Self: substantial Episcopalian but only dilettante Buddhist

One thing I enjoy about the Episcopal Faith is the freedom to look at other things like Buddhism, and I have done so, copping enough out of everything to put together a somewhat eclectic mix where Louis Armstrong plays as much of a part as Gautama. Id this right or wrong? I'll find out soon enough.
I meditate regularly, picked that up from Transcendental Meditation, although I no longer do it their way.
I don't have any kind of human-like orientation about God, like the long white beard type, actually prefer to think of God as female if anything. Its about creation ( I am NOT a creationist, believe fully in Darwin. I think evolution is how God Works,although the progresssion from G Washington to G Bush certainly does seem to refute that.)
Yes, I pick my church because of its politics more than its image of God. I wouldn't darken the doors of a place where gays or minorities weren't given their full chance to participate. I want to give to church I agree with. I coud never belong to a conservative oriented church. Never, not ever, I don't care if Jesus was at the front door.

I used to be an atheist but gave it up as too restrictive--cuts you off from the light that all the Great Masters saw. Then I saw the Epitaph For an Atheist: "Aint this a bitch? All dressed up and nowhere to go!" I want to go somewhere after I die. If you know better than me, keep it to yourself.
You don't have to drink the Koolaid to believe in God, the evidence is all around you if you know what to look for

[Vorta]

98. Ego or logic

My sister swears that she doesn't believe in any sort of afterlife. That makes no sense to me, appeals to neither my ego nor logic. Since we don't really know what makes us individuals with personalities, abstract ideas, creativity or even the ability to imagine an afterlife, then how can one state with any certainty that there is no afterlife for our being? It makes much more sense to me that this enegery goes someplace, even if into a pool of collective consciousness where individuality disappears.

That's why the internet appeals to me. Long after I am dead, my BS will live on.

[JerseygirlCT]

131. LOL, love the last line!

And I agree. For me, there's just too much unknown, too much beyond the actual, observed physical world. I need a worldview where creation has power -- I so see God in art and music, in children, in the thousand ways that we seem to transcend this day to day existence.

If I find (or don't) that I've been wrong all along, my life will have been much richer for my beliefs. There's no downside for me.

[greendog]

58. JerseygirlCT, I think you might find this interesting...

...
Robert E. Kennedy, S.J., is an American Catholic priest and a Zen master. Ordained a priest in Japan in 1965, he was installed as a Zen teacher in 1991 and was given the title Roshi or master in 1997. Kennedy teaches theology and Japanese at St. Peter's College in New Jersey and is a practicing psychotherapist in New York City. His books include "Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit" and "Zen Gifts to Christians." Kennedy sits with his Zen students daily at the Morning Star Zendo in Jersey City, NJ.

more: http://www.belief.net/story/99/story_9948_1.html

[JerseygirlCT]

88. Cool! I'll have to check that out -- thank you! nt

[dae]

130. Ditto, I'm good old Catholic-lite also. eom

[LWolf]

5. Other: All of the above, none of the above, plus some extra.

Without an organized system to tell me how to live.

I explore all belief systems, take what I find to be of value, integrate it, make it my own, and move on. No pastor tells me what to think. No book is more sacred than another for me, although I have some that I relate to more than others. All ideas are welcome but this one: that there is only one path, one way, to the divine, and that "truth" only resides with the group claiming that path.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

25. have you no foundation? you are lost...

:sarcasm: I am of similar mind :pals:

[erinlough]

147. A right wing, christian public school teacher

I work with told me he didn't know how kids could make moral decisions if they didn't profess a higher power and he felt justified asking them (in the public school mind you) if they did.

I just stared at him and said that I have morals and strong ones at that and I don't see a need for his "gobbledygook". He was irate and asked me what I thought 80% of the world would think about me calling their belief "gobbledygook"? I told him he made my point, it is I who is in the minority, why should they care, and for that matter, why should he? He retorted that he would never try to proselytize to me, it would be useless. I simply said, "thank you". He then beat a quick retreat.

What you have described is my belief system, boy these modern christians must have shakey faith if they can't tolerate any criticism.

[radfringe]

119. same here

Without an organized system to tell me how to live


does that mean if we congregate in the same area we've organized? :scared: :lol:

[Igel]

6. Judaizing Christian.

Most Christians think of the church I was in as mostly Jewish; Jews think of us as Christian.

[Boston Critic]

8. Here's a hint

If Jesus is part of your religion, you're Christian, not Jewish.

Not making a judgement here, just noting that Jesus has nothing to do with anyone belonging to any stream of contemporary Judaism.

[Igel]

97. That's why the head of the adjective phrase is "Christian".

We considered ourselves Christian as we went to Passover services to mark Jesus' death, and then spent the next day de-leavening our houses so that we could, as Paul said, 'keep the feast' both literally and 'spiritually' (a word I have little regard for, but it's the one most people used). We thought of ourselves as Christians when we fasted on Yom Kippur and went to church on Rosh Hashanah. We thought of ourselves as Christian when we skipped the ham and shrimp in setting the menu, or left work early on Fridays so as to not be caught working on the Sabbath.

But most Christians had a hard time with calling us Christians because we had little in common with their practices: no cross, no Christmas, no Easter. To be honest, I felt more comfortable around my Jewish and atheist friends than around most Christians; most Jews and atheists don't proselytize, Jews could understand my behavior and atheists indifferently lumped it in with all other religious delusions and psychoses. My Campus Crusade for Christ roommate sicced the CCC on me to 'convert' me. Even most Muslims I knew eventually thought of me as more Jewish than Christian.

Judaizing Christian for a while was the going term for a Christian sect that has most of its overt behaviors more Jewish than, say, Catholic or Baptist.

[MrSlayer]

9. Atheist.

Though I do like to toy with worshiping the Greek gods.

[StraightDope]

11. "...toy with worshiping the Greek gods."

:rofl:

I've always said that if I believed in worshipping anything, I'd worship the Sun. Makes more sense to me than anything else, because I KNOW the Sun exists!

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

80. the "sun" of god

The "Son" of God is the "Sun" of God

The reason why all these narratives are so similar, with a godman who is crucified and resurrected, who does miracles and has 12 disciples, is that these stories were based on the movements of the sun through the heavens, an astrotheological development that can be found throughout the planet because the sun and the 12 zodiac signs can be observed around the globe. In other words, Jesus Christ and all the others upon whom this character is predicated are personifications of the sun, and the Gospel fable is merely a rehash of a mythological formula (the "Mythos," as mentioned above) revolving around the movements of the sun through the heavens.68

For instance, many of the world's crucified godmen have their traditional birthday on December 25th ("Christmas"69). This is because the ancients recognized that (from an earthcentric perspective) the sun makes an annual descent southward until December 21st or 22nd, the winter solstice, when it stops moving southerly for three days and then starts to move northward again. During this time, the ancients declared that "God's sun" had "died" for three days and was "born again" on December 25th. The ancients realized quite abundantly that they needed the sun to return every day and that they would be in big trouble if the sun continued to move southward and did not stop and reverse its direction. Thus, these many different cultures celebrated the "sun of God's" birthday on December 25th.70 The following are the characteristics of the "sun of God":

* The sun "dies" for three days on December 22nd, the winter solstice, when it stops in its movement south, to be born again or resurrected on December 25th, when it resumes its movement north.
* In some areas, the calendar originally began in the constellation of Virgo, and the sun would therefore be "born of a Virgin."
* The sun is the "Light of the World."
* The sun "cometh on clouds, and every eye shall see him."
* The sun rising in the morning is the "Savior of mankind."
* The sun wears a corona, "crown of thorns" or halo.71
* The sun "walks on water."
* The sun's "followers," "helpers" or "disciples" are the 12 months and the 12 signs of the zodiac or constellations, through which the sun must pass.
* The sun at 12 noon is in the house or temple of the "Most High"; thus, "he" begins "his Father's work" at "age" 12.
* The sun enters into each sign of the zodiac at 30°; hence, the "Sun of God" begins his ministry at "age" 30.
* The sun is hung on a cross or "crucified," which represents its passing through the equinoxes, the vernal equinox being Easter, at which time it is then resurrected.72

Contrary to popular belief, the ancients were not an ignorant and superstitious lot who actually believed their deities to be literal characters. Indeed, this slanderous propaganda has been part of the conspiracy to make the ancients appear as if they were truly the dark and dumb rabble that was in need of the "light of Jesus."73 The reality is that the ancients were no less advanced in their morals and spiritual practices, and in many cases were far more advanced, than the Christians in their own supposed morality and ideology, which, in its very attempt at historicity, is in actuality a degradation of the ancient Mythos. Indeed, unlike the "superior" Christians, the true intelligentsia amongst the ancients were well aware that their gods were astronomical and atmospheric in nature. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle74 surely knew that Zeus, the sky god father figure who migrated to Greece from India and/or Egypt, was never a real person, despite the fact that the Greeks have designated on Crete both a birth cave and a death cave of Zeus. In addition, all over the world are to be found sites where this god or that allegedly was born, walked, suffered, died, etc., a common and unremarkable occurrence that is not monopolized by, and did not originate with, Christianity.74a

http://www.truthbeknown.com/origins5.htm

[and-justice-for-all]

10. Non-Theistic....Religion Free.....aka: Atheist.

[H2O Man]

12. Other.

All of the above choices, plus numerous others.

[QuestionAll...]

14. I voted 'Other'. I'm not anything, I'm everything. nt

[drb]

15. Everyone who stands for peace instead of war....

...who cares about the sick, the poor and the aged, and who stands for the truth instead of lies, is on God's side. I think a lot of y'all are going to be very pleasantly surprised when you get to the Pearly Gates!!!

:party:

[GoneOffShore]

16. Lapsed Unitarian

[Warren Stupidity]

17. How is that possible?

[H2O Man]

18. And is

relapse possible?

[GoneOffShore]

49. Gave up on the UUA when they dumped on LRY

(Liberal Religious Youth) back in the 70's.

It was the youth wing of the association and way too 'radical' for those Massachusett's UUAers.

[Warren Stupidity]

86. Well I was joking of course.

And if I have to explain the joke it ceases to be even remotely amusing. But, the point was that Unitarians are so lacking in doctrinaire formal religious behavior that 'lapsing' is problematic. When you gave up on the UUA you more or less formed your own individual branch of the church, that was my lame-ass joke. Now you've gone and wrecked it.

[GoneOffShore]

105. Sorry - it was late and I was

Three glasses of wine up.

[GliderGuider]

141. I was LRY in the late '60s. What a fantastic disorganization.

We had a very active LRY group in London Ontario. I had some of the best no-holds-barred discussions of my young life with that bunch of radical freethinkers. When it disbanded, most of us segued straight from LRY to LSD without noticing much of a change...

[elocs]

20. Hey, let's DU this poll!

That way we will know it will be relevant.

[arewenotdemo]

21. Voted "Atheist/Agnostic" considering the conventional Western definition

of "God" and the altogether great hearts and minds in the freethought community.

But I believe in a Universal Consciousness and in the religious/mystical experience in which the individual recognizes that the sense of separateness is an illusion.

I suppose that makes me a natural pantheist.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

22. Was brought up with

Roman Catholic schooling. At 16, my dad said I no longer needed to abide by his religion and said I was old enough to define my own beliefs. After looking at many different theologies, I could not accept all the compulsory edicts mandated by any one religion. I believe in a supreme being, and I believe we progress through many differing levels of spirituality -- both on Earth -- and then through further life progressions (other worlds/environs) towards attainment of a pure spiritual energy. Maybe too much info? :P

[stillcool]

23. Another 'Other'

a reformed Catholic, with a deep-seeded dislike for all organized religion...and, anything or one that tells me what 'I' believe.

[Lugnut]

112. That defines my religion as well

I've been grasping for a way to explain it.

[stillcool]

126. the only thing the 'religious-right'

has done for me, is to remove God from my vocabulary. I do pray...to something...and at one time called it God, now I call it 'hey'.

[Crowdance]

24. Taoism and Confucianism are very different things.

Taoism is about revealing and aligning one's self with the Source of all things; the manifestation of this can be entirely different from person to person. Confucianism is a defined ethic which prescribes behavior based on one's place in the family and society in order to promote peace and harmony; individual expressions are not encouraged or accounted for.

You'd need to separate (at least) those two if you wish an accurate accounting.

[StraightDope]

31. Point taken.

I used wikipedia's list of major world religions as a guide. Chalk that mistake up to my ignorance of the differences between the two.

[immoderate]

26. Jewish atheist.

I didn't vote. You decide where it goes.

Atheists can't be Jewish? You should only go in good health!

--IMM

[StraightDope]

29. Judaism as an ethnicity is very different from Judaism as a religious practice.

As far as I'm concerned, you're an atheist. Nothing wrong with that.

[immoderate]

67. I call it a tribal identity.

Interestingly, I think the rabbi who bar mitzvahed me had a similar point of view. If this is strictly about theistic religion, then you're right, I'm an atheist. But the next time they round up the Jews, I'm sure I won't be overlooked.

--IMM

[mondo joe]

43. I know an older Israeli who always says "I am an atheist - but a JEWISH atheist!"

Sometimes I say I'm a Catholic Atheist.

[Bucky]

45. That makes sense, actually, since Judaism is as much about observing the Law as believing in God

And subtle distinctions between those positions won't protect you from a drunk antisemetic soccer mob in France.

[mondo joe]

47. Also - since I call myself a Catholic Atheist - my notion is that you can't shake

off the culture in which you were raised - even if you do not hold all the beliefs.

[On the Road]

50. Well, That Would Make Me a Presbyterian Atheist

Never thought of using that description.

[Lilith Velkor]

54. I'd be an Atheist Pagan

The thought of being ethnically an atheist amuses me.

[immoderate]

69. It's a little different for Christians.

Though far be it from me to deny how you identify yourself. Judaism developed as the culture of a tribal group. Christianity came along when there were large empires, and developed to accommodate a variety of cultures. It adapts to cultures that already have language, customs, traditions. It adopts local deities as saints, inducts mythologies into its pantheon of characters, and "Christianizes" celebrations and rituals, such as Christmas and Easter, which were originally Pagan holidays.

--IMM

[Sapphocrat]

27. Other.

No affiliation. I cherry-pick fromm Hinduism and Buddhism, without believing in any of their gods.

[CatholicEdHead]

28. Catholic

Of course a liberal one at that ;)

[demosincebirth]

68. Ditto

[YOY]

96. Still Catholic, but jaded and Agnostic about many things the church says/does

Then again, if you can't be critical of your own religion then what can you be critical of?

[IronLionZion]

176. really? I never would have guessed!

:P

libertarian Catholic Buddhist here. My faith is Catholic, my politics is libertarian, and my philosophy is Buddhist if that makes any sense.

[Matariki]

33. Other - Hermeticist & Vodouisant

[malaise]

34. Athiest for decades

I believe in the laws of nature.

[mirandapriestly]

35. I'm a Unitarian which is sort of

"all of the above" and "none of the above"

[Bucky]

41. I can top that. I'm a Unitarian Universalist. I can't even commit to "other/see below"

And why the hell isn't Pastafarian on this survey?

[Crunchy Frog]

36. No religious affiliation

but don't consider myselft to be atheist or agnostic.

[Auntie Bush]

72. Same here!

Although I've become more of a Spiritualist in the last few years.

[shirlden]

37. Deist

Just like a good many of our founding fathers.

:patriot:

[StraightDope]

38. Word...

Isn't deism an offshoot of Xianity?

[SeanQ]

123. Same here

attending a UU church.

[AspenRose]

39. Liberal Christian of the United Methodist/Wesleyan tradition.

John Edwards and Hillary Clinton share this with me.

Bunnypants claims to be a Methodist too, but he really doesn't epitomize the Wesleyan tradition of Peace and Social Justice very well.

[kineneb]

61. voted Buddhist, play services for U. Methodists

baptized UM as a child, and sang in the children's choir. Never could "get" the personal god stuff, or believe that Jesus died for my sins. However, his lessons on how to live are quite close to the teachings of Buddhism. It all comes down to "Do no harm."

I like the UM church for its surprisingly liberal stands on social justice and the environment. No hellfire and brimstone sermons; just lots of stuff on caring for others. Also, lots of good music (important to me as a professional musician).

[Catchawave]

40. Non-practicing Catholic

Or as my mother would call it "heathen". So I voted Christian?

I should do better in the age, state and married with children categories :D

Nice project, I look forward to the results :toast:

[Bucky]

44. So mom doesn't buy the "I'm so good I don't have to practice anymore" excuse?

I tried a variation on that when my daughter announced she was a practicing lesbian. I told her being a lesbian is okay, but she can't practice until she finishes cleaning her room.

[Catchawave]

51. My mother went to her grave never forgiving me

for leaving The Church. I think your daughter is luckier :)

[Generic Brad]

168. I was kicked out of my family for much the same reason

All those years I was tolerant of their intolerance didn't matter. Push came to shove and I was urged to annul my marriage and rejoin the church so I might have one last chance at salvation in purgatory.

And lest I be misunderstood -- I am not accusing Catholics of being intolerant in general. My family excommunicated me, not the Church.

[arewenotdemo]

115. lol

[dalaigh lllama]

46. Other

I'm a Unitarian Universalist wannabe. There's not a congregation in our area, but I plan on joining the UU when we relocate. I like 'em because they don't have a creed; they pretty much think all the world religions and philosophies have wisdom to impart.

[arewenotdemo]

57. I went to a couple UU services

The second time the female minister attempted to show that the Bible story of Sodom did not condemn homosexuality.

I was left cold at the apparent need, in the 21st century, to reconcile the ancient text of sordid fairy tales with what should be obvious to anyone with a brain.

[dalaigh lllama]

65. Ah, but you may have been

employing a part of your brain that had not yet been utilized by others in the congregation. ;)

Some folks have no trouble seeing the obvious when presented with the facts; others need to be gently weaned from their traditionally held misperceptions (a.k.a. prejudices).

[troubleinwinter]

52. 'Other', but I prefer

not to "describe", as I regard it as private and personal.

[queenbdem87]

56. Believe in a higher power....not necessarily god...and I'm not religious.

[dannofoot]

60. How, or what I worship...

...is none of your damn business, and I can't possibly see how this information will be of any use in learning about "our DU community."

Care to explain exactly how the obviously limited responses you will get from this poll will benefit the DU community?

[Mr_Spock]

62. 45% of DUers are Atheist/Agnostic?

Kind of shocking to me actually.

I answer Christian even though there is no church that seems to give a damn what Jesus had to say. I also don't believe in the mythical old man in the sky, though I do believe in a unifying power that holds mankind together - I consider that my god. The arrogant and weak make this power into an image that looks like themselves and pretend it has a bad temper. I guess UU would be good for me if there were more choices there.

I also don't believe in Hell. I was highly impressed by an NPR repeat story this afternoon about Carlton Pearson.

After Pearson asserted that he had received an epiphany from God, he stated that he doubted the concept of hell as it has been traditionally taught. This caused many in his evangelical congregation to leave. Pearson began to call his doctrine—a variation on universal reconciliation—the Gospel of Inclusion.

Amazing how fast the evangelicals turned this guy into a heretic because he decided that Hell was on earth. Stupid ignorant evangelicals.

[troubleinwinter]

71. How in the world would you conclude that 45% of DUers are Atheist/Agnostic?

45% of the fraction of DUers who see the thread or care at all to click the pointless poll seemingly are. Pretty meaningless.

[Leopolds Ghost]

160. I thought Bush was come to preach Hell on earth. They did not turn away from him ;-)

"My parishioners, I have decided that Hell is other people."

Pope John Paul II decreed that Hell was a state of mind, or the absence of God, not an actual place.

[EdwardM]

63. I hate religion.

but I will keep my opinions to myself.

[The Straight Story]

70. That's ok, religion probably hates you too ;-)

[Blackthorn]

64. Is it possible to hunt down one of the billion times this quesiton has been asked before?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

66. atheist/agnostic

Secular humanist atheist Unitarian Universalist. Only church I can stand, since there is no creedal test but they do have a statement of principles.

We worship the Giver of Life = The Coffeepot.

[HeeBGBz]

73. The Force is with me

Other than that, I take bits and pieces of truth from all religions and use what seems right in my heart. Buddhist, Christian, Shaman, roll of the dice, whatever.

[FreeState]

74. Mormon Buddhist

Born and raised Mormon (socially a mormon still - but not a believing Mormon.)

[Ediacara]

75. Strong Agnostic/Weak Atheist

with a generally Taoist philosophical outlook

[Neshanic]

76. Methodist Cult of the Miracle Whip.

[uppityperson]

77. Secular humanist

[OneBlueSky]

78. I'm a disciple of Woody Guthrie's approach to religion . . .

while being admitted to a hospital, Woody was being asked a bunch of questions by an admitting clerk, one of which was "Religion?" . . .

to which Woody replied "All" . . .

"Oh, Mr. Guthrie," said the clerk, obviously taken aback . . . "I can't put 'All' on the form! . . .

"Then just put 'None,' says Woody . . .

I always liked that . . . :)

[petgoat]

79. Other-- "Yes" nt

[clyrc]

81. Former Southern Baptist, Agnostic UU

I voted Agnostic, though.

[philly_bob]

82. Ethical Humanism

A religion that includes atheists, agnostics, deists and theists. That is, it takes no position on the existence or nonexistence of God; in actual fact, a majority are atheists & agnostics. The focus is on making life better in the here and now through community and ethical relationships with others.

[eridani]

83. Zen Druid avatar of Eris, goddess of quantum indeterminacy n/t

[Pooka Fey]

85. Semi-practicing "pick & choose" non-papal Catholic Reincarnationist

with a strong affinity for solitary Celtic Pagan/Druid rituals and Mysticism. I picked Christian/Catholic, because that was the foundation. You can take the girl out of the Catholic church, but you can't take the Catholic church out of the girl. I've stopped fighting it, now I add to it.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

87. Atheist and Agnostic are not the same and should not be combined. nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

94. They also aren't a religious affiliation.

I'm not sure if this is a question about religious affiliation or religious beliefs. There is a big difference between spiritual paths and organizational membership. How is an Atheist who is a signed and voting member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation to answer?

[muriel_volestrangler]

90. "a better idea about the makeup of" ... those who reply to religion polls on DU

is what you're going to get. Unless the total number of votes gets up to several thousand, it won't be a significant proportion of active DU members; and without that, you just get a few hundred (10% of the active DUers?) who are interested in a survey about religion.

[StraightDope]

118. Do you have a better idea?

[muriel_volestrangler]

149. Don't worry about getting the demographics of DU?

After all, it's a constantly changing membership, and I'm not sure what we're meant to do with the information anyway. But the point is that no DU poll has ever come up with anything other than a 'fun' result. It's not something you can use for later.

[ms liberty]

91. Other: Non denominational reincarnationalist...

Grew up Baptist, married in a Methodist church, sometimes attend Lutheran services (my FIL is a lutheran minister with a PHD in theology - and a great guy).

I'm a reincarnationalist because I've always been one - literally from as early as I can remember, about age 2 or 3, I have known and believed.

[Pacifist Patriot]

92. Unitarian Universalist

[New Earth]

93. why is there never an option for just 'spiritual'

i refuse to go under 'atheist/agnostic' because i am NOT EITHER, nor am i religious. so i went under 'other', mine being spiritual...a combination of beliefs without a specific 'practice'.

[Pacifist Patriot]

95. I think a better question about "religious affiliation"

would have been to simply ask if we are members of a religious organization or not. If yes, to follow up by asking to which denomination we belong. But I'm in a keep-it-simple frame of mind today.

[bonito]

99. Other, when I accepted everything at that very moment

I became none of them, sounds weird but that was how it was, and not just for religion, for everything.

[Laurab]

100. Other - recovering Catholic or something like that

I was brought up Catholic but now believe in a loving, kind God instead of a punishing one. I don't like any kind of organized religion, but pray every night and have a strong belief in God. Just a kinder, gentler God, who has a sense of humor, and accepts and loves everyone.

[movie_girl99]

101. i consider myself to be Agnostic n/t

[OnionPatch]

102. I consider myself a Christian but

I answered "other" because I am not, in any sense of the word, a "mainstream" Christian. There is one church that comes closest to my views and it is the Church of Religious Science and although most or many of their teachings are based on Christ's teachings, I'm sure the Christian Coalition has us on the "heretic" list. I read their magazine (Science of Mind) and have read many of the books they recommend, but I don't really go to service very often. Sunday mornings are not a time when I feel very inspired. :shrug:

[ProfessorGAC]

103. I Am Nothing

And, i'm not being obtuse. I'm not even agnostic or atheist. I do not care. An atheist has to actively reject the notion of God. An agnostic has to be willing to see proof, but will withhold judgment or belief until said proof is delivered.

I'm neither of those. I simply don't care one way or the other. If someone could prove there was no god, i wouldn't care any less or more than now. If someone proved there was a god, i would say the same. ("Good for you for proving there is a God. Now how about those Bears and let's go play golf.")

This is an issue over which is expend ZERO intellectual energy. I just do the best i can, with no payoff required or expected.

So, i honestly consider myself to be abjectly disinterested in the whole subject. Not very religious, is it?
The Professor

[nolabels]

110. Organized religion is mostly a scam

If these religious folks would spend more time doing whatever they do with their own religion and lot less time trying to get into other peoples business the world could be a lot better place for all of us to live in.

[Mabus]

104. I follow the Red Road

I attend the Sun Dance, participate in lodges and otherwise practice the beliefs handed down to me by my mother.

[Jack Rabbit]

106. Other: Unitarian Universalist

!!

[mcg]

108. Unitarian Universalist should be a choice,

I answered Christian but I'm more of a Unitarian Universalist, I didn't want to reply Other.

[mcg]

109. and I doubt the results of this poll will be accurate.nt

[jeffrey_X]

107. Former christian turned agnostic, moving towards athiest.

eom

[Turn CO Blue]

113. I'm with you...

Former radical born-again, turned rabid bible-thumper, turned backslider, turned fundie-despiser, turned agnostic, turned skeptic, moving towards athiest or Dawkins term of "bright".

[ironflange]

114. Atheist / Agnostic

But, just in case, I AM an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church. It wasn't worth five bucks for a fancy title, though.

[GliderGuider]

124. Cool. I'm a ULC minister too

Though in Canada that and $1.00 buys you a cup of coffee.

My first "marriage" was also performed by a ULC minister. For me it serves as the perfect barometer for the social acceptability of the holder. You're now on my Saturnalia-card list.

[Mythsaje]

171. Yeah, me too...

I've performed three--or is it four?--marriages over the past ten years.

Thank whoever it wasn't more. I do it if someone asks, but I don't volunteer. :D

[Taxloss]

117. 200th vote for atheist/agnostic, woo.

Why neat ordinals in base 10 should be so appealing is beyond me.

Yes, atheist, very much so. Existentialist, actually, not even one of those warm and fuzzy humanists.

[GliderGuider]

120. 3rd generation atheist here.

My family now has four generations of flat-out atheists, from my maternal grandparents and both my parents, through both my sisters and me, to my two nieces. No namby-pamby milquetoast agnosticism for us, we tend to be what are known as strong atheists. My parents co-founded a local Unitarian fellowship in the late '50s, but have drifted away since the place got overrun with mystical/spiritual types. I was a Unitarian for the first 16 years of my life, but for the last 40 I have been "aggressively unaffiliated".

[judaspriestess]

121. I chose christian

because I believe in Christ. I am a spiritual person and do not follow any organized religion. I was raised catholic but we can toss that shit out the window. I also believe in the saints and what they represent, that is definitely from my Hispanic catholic upbringing. I cannot let go of my faith in Jesus and the saints, especially St. Michael

[wulfwolf]

122. ....

I was raised strictly Cahtolic, but I know follow the Spiritism doctrine/philosophy.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritism


~L

[mandyky]

125. Other - for awhile I was calling myself Christian again

I am a new age something, after spending time with some born agains recently I won't say I am a Christian anymore, although that is the religion I know the best. I know that is a God and I ain't it, but the Bible isn't my holy book, and I have a major resentment about organized religion in general (esp in the US).

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

127. If there was a God, why would *HE* care what we believe or don't.

There are an estimated 10000000000000000000000 (1 billion to the 10th power) stars in the universe. More than all the grains of sand on earth.

What kind of "God" would spend his time fretting about the doings, thoughts, beliefs, of every individual of one species on a speck of a planet circling a speck of a star in a mediocre galaxy stuck somewhere between billions of other other galaxies in a universe which may well be one of trillions of other universes?

Not to mention that the universe is between 8-11 billion years old and we've been around, in our present form, have been screwing things up for between 200-250,000 years. What was "God" doing for the previous 8 or 10 billion years before he started fretting about our sex lives and telling the preachers to ask us for dough?

The only thing that makes us believe that there is some deity watching our every move, reading our minds, listening to our conversations, and keeping tally of all that, is our massive egos that tells us that we are somehow special.

[Leopolds Ghost]

164. You should turn that question around, though.

If you are so insignificant, why suppose that you or I have some independent existence? That is the height of human egotism, IMO.

Either your thoughts have value or your thoughts do not exist at all as concrete separate notions, in which case your mind is not separable from one indivisible thing.

This train of thought is backed up by modern mathematicians: e.g. the crystalline time theory (what reason do you have to suppose that time flows and you did not just wink into existence on the basis of the same initial conditions laid down supposedly some time in the "past"?)

Both theists and non-theists should stop preaching the gospel of modernism, materialism, and logical positivism. Given that the cutting edge of science and epistemology first began to dismiss the limits of modernism, and critique the limits of pure reason, decades ago. What do you call a materialist who has had a hemispherectomy?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

180. What to do? What to do?

"Chop wood and carry water." - Zen saying

I've never heard of Crystalline time theory. I looked it up on google and remain baffled. So, I'll just go about my life and leave the "God" stuff to God or the scientists or whoever wishes to concern himself with such questions.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

128. Atheist

[Odin2005]

129. Atheist

[knitter4democracy]

133. Thank you for not polling on all the different types of Christians.

Hubby and I are Eastern Orthodox Christians, and we're always left out of polls. Thanks for not doing that.

[Tony Soprano]

134. Hello?

This topic gives me a perfect opportunity to ask a question. My town is erecting a nativity on the courthouse square. As a Christian I have no standing (reasonable standing) to object but I am against the establismhment of state religion. On behalf of the jews, muslims, witches, atheists, etc, what could be done?

[GliderGuider]

142. Start here to get some background on the issue

Government Nativity Displays

You can write an LLTE or write the town council directly. It might be more effective to engage a lawyer to write a "cease and desist" letter to them on your behalf, quoting the relevant portions of Supreme Court decisions. When they ignore that, you may or may not want to proceed to a lawsuit - it depends on how deep your feelings run, how exposed it might make you feel, and how much support you could expect from your family, friends and community.

[Tony Soprano]

151. Thanks for the reply......

....unfortunately I am in a redneck town in red state, Alabama. But I aspire to move some day to British Columbia (noticed your avatar) :)

[StraightDope]

146. Call the ACLU.

[Tony Soprano]

152. thanks to you , too.

n/t

[Leopolds Ghost]

167. If you have no reasonable standing to object then the system of law itself has been corrupted.

Since Christians, not atheists for the most part,
signed off on the 1st Amendment, they should have
standing to object when it is violated, no?

Any American should have standing to try a violation of basic Constitutional rights. Either the nativity scene is a violation or it is not. It begs the question to assert that the complainant must be injured by a Bill of Rights violation.

Maybe I'm naive, mybe the standing requirement is to protect the courts from frivolous lawsuits.

But defining who has standing seems to beg the question, does it not?

It's like saying a Gitmo detainee has no standing under the law he is appealing.

[GliderGuider]

135. So I guess Ann Coulter was right about us after all

Buncha Godless Liberals.
Good on ya. :toast:

[Tony Soprano]

136. So are ya...

Aussie or Canuck?

[GliderGuider]

137. I'm Canuck, but the Aussies have all the good sayings.

When a Canadian is excited about something he says, "Not bad."
When he's absolutely ecstatic about something he says, "Not bad at all."

Not much colloquial excitement in something like that...

[Tony Soprano]

138. Don't forget "Eh?"

at the end of each sentence. My best pal lives in Vancouver. I work for an Aussie. I'm fluent in both toungues, haha...

[GliderGuider]

140. Fair dinkum

:+

[Tony Soprano]

144. G'Day

there , "Sheila"

[ComerPerro]

189. well, she's right that we aren't all true-believer Christians.

But I've met a good deal of Christians who could just as easily be described as godless.

[hfojvt]

195. I cannot give credence to this type of poll

suppose there are 5,000 active DUers. So far this poll has 713 votes. That means 86% of DU is not voting and the poll only tells you accurately about the 14%. Would the same percentages hold for the larger group? 14% is probably a large enough selection for accurate polling, if the 14% was selected at random.
This selection method however, does not give you a random sample. It gives you a sample of the people who see and answer the poll.
Then, of course, there is the question whether DU is representative of either liberals or Democrats.

[oxbow]

143. oxbowist

that is to say, I'm deeply religious but don't believe that anybody else's religion can tell me how to live MY life. Spirituality is a matter between you and God, and I have benefitted tremendously from walking my own path when it comes to that :)

[Tony Soprano]

145. Religion

is for people who don't want to go to hell. Spirituality is for those who have already been there.

[Beam Me Up]

148. Other: But I prefer not to say.

Essotericist can be like that, you know.

[eleny]

150. Nuttin' honey

[DireStrike]

153. I noticed you don't have an option for Discordians

Not like we would vote in your poll anyway.

[Tony Soprano]

154. I'm a dyslexic catholic

every night I pray to Dog....

[happydreams]

155. Unreal! If this place is nearly 50% atheist/agnostic

and the country is only 5% WTF?

[mcg]

178. This poll measures only those who respond to the poll,

so the result is affected by the desire to respond. What percent of those registered have responded?

[ComerPerro]

190. most people, quite honestly, are afraid to admit that they aren't religious

or even if they aren't religious and know it, they will lie and say they are.

[rep the dems]

156. Episcopalian. n/t

[IndyOp]

157. Religion? Yes. Some. No affiliation. (n/t)

[ellenfl]

158. looks like the a's have it. (sorry) eom

[nicknameless]

159. Spiritual, but no religious affiliation. (n/t)

[OhioChick]

161. Catholic n/t

[NoodleyAppendage]

162. Reasonist.

I'm less "anti-religion" and more "pro-reason"

J

[rep the dems]

163. The atheist/agnostics are winning this one by about as much as

the Democrats did on 11/7!

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

166. Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.

For the sake this poll, I'll accept the term "atheist", but it is often misunderstood as "believing there is/are no God/Gods" instead of "not believing there is/are a God/Gods".

There's a big difference in belief vs. disbelief.

I find "non-theist" to be a closer definition for my view on this topic. I don't collect stamps.

[intheflow]

165. Other: Unitarian Universalist

I define my personal beliefs as deist/taoist/pagan, and my spiritual practice is best described as social activism. Those beliefs and practices come together under the UU umbrella. What else could I be? :hi:

[Mythsaje]

169. Pantheist/Humanist

with Taoist influences...

:)

Or, in other words..."Other."

[BlueStorm]

170. I am studying Haitian Vodou right now

though it's a bit hard to do so when you don't have anyone to fellowship with so I am learning on my own.

I really consider myself more of an eccletic though. I study and incorporate things into my spirituality and worldview.

Blue

[Autonomy]

172. Other: non-religious but spiritual n/t

[Hissyspit]

173. kix

[never cry wolf]

174. Atheist and Agnostic are quite different

I am agnostic. I believe in a higher power or force but not in organized religion.

[Lurking Dem]

175. Wow.

There are more pagans than Jews. Kinda cool.

I wonder what that SiteThatShallNotBeLinked (insert mathematical symbol here) thinks of that since they claim Jews are running DU?

The All Powerful 23! :evilgrin:

[ironflange]

177. Atheists for Jesus

http://www.atheists-for-jesus.com/index.php

Really interesting and thought-provoking stuff. Give it a look.

[Selatius]

179. I'm a Deist. I don't know if there are others on this board.

I don't believe in holy texts or anybody claiming to be a prophet or messiah. Jesus was not the "son of God," and he did not have divine powers. He was a radical rabbi who challenged one too many powerful people for the sake of the poor and the dispossessed and paid the price for it, and this is assuming he was a real historical figure in the past. The Holy Trinity is a pagan construc, and it is something I reject as well as the idea of centralized religious authority determining who is and is not "worthy."

[mcg]

183. I'm close to being a Deist.

I believe that there is more than the physical world, but I'm no kind of expert on what's going on, I'm not that smart.

[MikeH]

185. I am also a Deist

I answered Atheist/Agnostic in the poll; I consider myself to be just on the believing side of agnostic. I discovered web sites about Deism about a year ago, and what they say matches closely with what I have currently come to believe.

I used to be a Christian, but found that Christianity, and supposedly having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, did not help me to deal with any source of pain, frustration, or unhappiness in my life.

I also have very serious problems with some things attributed to God in the Bible. I agree with the thinking of the deists that any alleged revelation of God is, at the very best, second-hand, or hearsay.

However I, personally, have problems with believing that our reasoning ability, our sense of beauty, truth, goodness, right and wrong, and our highest aspirations, are not rooted in something (or someone) higher than ourselves and the purely natural universe. For that reason I cannot be an atheist.

So a Deist is what I am, almost by default. Of course my thinking is subject to change and re-evaluation, but that is where I am now.

[Ronnie]

181. Whatever is true, is true.

What a person believes does not change that.

[MikeH]

187. I fully agree with that, and take comfort in that

Whatever is true, is true.

What a person believes does not change that.

I take comfort in that whatever is true about God or life after death is not changed by what I, or anybody else, think or believe. (Unlike the outcome of an election!)

I can have my hypotheses, or working guesses about what is true, and subject to re-evaluation and new information. I am in no hurry to have absolute certainty, and I can take comfort in that.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

182. kick

:kick:

[Lasher]

184. Comparison with national average

Here are the DU results of this survey compared with 0.4%national averages, which are shown below in parenthesis:

Christian 28% (79.8%)
Jewish 4% (1.4%)
Muslim 1% (0.6%)
Buddhist 4% (0.5%)
Hindu 1% (0.4%)
Atheist/Agnostic 47% (15%)

Very interesting. Why so many Atheist/Agnostic and so few Christian?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States#Religious_affiliation

[SoCalDem]

186. We are "Golden-Ruleists".. n/t

[marmar]

188. I believe in God, but I don't claim a denomination or a particular faith...

My theory is that people of all faiths believe in the same God, even if they don't think so.......

I like these. When's the next demo-survey? :think: Race, gender, sexual orientation, geographical location...I love stats!

[ComerPerro]

191. you could say deist or agnostic

[liberalsoldier5]

192. Proud Christian- Catholic to be specific.

And NO, they're not two different things like some bigoted old timers might say.

[everythingsxen]

193. Deist

I believe in God. That pretty much sums up my belief system. I also believe in reincarnation.

Actually my beliefs are something of a hybrid between all the main religions, plus a little Buddhism, Confucism, Taoism and some good old fashioned polytheism just for kicks.

I should write a book, it would be faster.

[GreenZoneLT]

194. Secular humanist/UU

I'd be an atheist except they're too orthodox and dogmatic (I mean, how do you KNOW there's no God?). And I don't think I can describe myself as agnostic, since I don't know what a gnostic believes, or particularly care.

I like church, but the only UU church that's near me is a) too God-centered and b) too stuck up about being smart and liberal.

[Wonk]

196. Let's not hold our breaths waiting for StraightDope to post his results....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=user_profiles&u_id=181374

[newyawker99]

197. locking.....

Flamebait