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Religious Affiliation, If Any - A Poll (1 Viewer)

Which One Closest Describes You

  • Atheist

  • Agnostic

  • Buddhist

  • Christian

  • Hindu

  • Jewish

  • Muslim

  • Unaffiliated / Don't Know / Don't care

  • Other


Results are only viewable after voting.

Joe Bryant

Guide
Staff member
We've had plenty of good discussions here about how people feel about faith and religion and I know we have a wide spectrum of folks.

Thought a poll might be helpful to get an idea on where the FFA is with this.

I know all these answers won't cover every situation, but which one is closest to where you are?

And for Christian, assume that is Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, Orthodox Christian, Messianic Jewish etc.

And if none of these work for you, please vote "Other"

It hopefully goes without saying but I'll say anyway - zero judgement on any answer. This is about understanding.
 
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I'm only posting this because I'm curious if it can be done. Is it possible to edit the poll to fix one of the answers?
It's Atheist, not Athiest.
 
Agnostic is probably accurate, lean towards atheist, but went with “Unaffiliated / Don't Know / Don't care” because I’m way beyond the point where I’m even remotely interested in exploring it anymore.
Yeah that’s what I went with, I would have answered None/Not Religious if that was a choice

I don’t typically claim Atheist, because I feel that tag is more for people who are actively anti-religion / trying to disprove the existence of god. Not saying that’s always the case, but more-so how i interpret it
 
I personally view the Bible as a sort of children's fairy tale.

I think all religion was invented by man for two reasons: to keep people in line, and to make themselves feel better about what happens when they die.

I honestly can't fathom how people can believe any of it. I'm not judging or criticizing anyone that does. Obviously a lot of people do.

And for a lot of people, it's a great thing. And some overall good obviously is derived from it for the world.

But I just don't get it. At all. I don't understand how someone can believe.

And of course given how many horrible things have happened (and continue to happen) in the name of almost all religions, it actually makes me angry if I really think about it.

I'm not out crusading against it or anything. And I have plenty of friends that consider themselves christians. Fine. I don't care as long as you're not trying to impose your will on me.

Not trying to convince anyone of anything. Not trying to crap on anyone's beliefs. I'm just sharing mine. Honestly.
 
Early in the poll, but interested in J's or anyone else's opinion why the results of a group of middle age men skew so non- religious relative to most other polls.
 
I don't belive in god but I don't care if you do and don't give it much thought after that so, unaffiliated.
 
I try and want to be Christian. But so much of it doesn’t make sense that it’s become more of a lifestyle than a firmly held belief.
 
Agnostic, somewhat of a hopeful agnostic in that I would like to have faith but it just hasn't happened.
I try to live my life by philosophical Taoism and study it regularly. I have no interest in Taoism as a religion though.
 
Voted other as unaffiliated/don’t know/don’t care are all distinct.

Believe in a higher power. Averse to organized religion.
 
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Early in the poll, but interested in J's or anyone else's opinion why the results of a group of middle age men skew so non- religious relative to most other polls.
Obviously just my opinion and I do not base this is significant independent research, but I assume the following factors contribute:

- We live in a time where information is far more widespread via the internet so it's easier to be exposed to other religions and critical thinking so many probably have seen and been influenced by other thoughts than what they learned from their parents, school, local community when they were younger;
- By middle age, most men are probably not beholden to their parents' influence anymore;
- By middle age, one has likely seem some pretty bad stuff that may make it more challenging to believe in a higher power;
- Probably not as significant, but we are on a football board and football happens on the main church day. So, we probably get a lesser percentage of churchgoers than there are.
 
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Obviously none of my business and I truly don't expect nor am requesting anybody to share if they'd prefer not to, but I am genuinely curious at the "other" answers as Joe covered most major religions and most non-belief options in the poll.

Do we have some Taoists? Wiccans? FLDS? Mennonites?

ETA: So as I don't seem hypocritical by not specifying my belief, I'm a Catholic/Christian turned Atheist.
 
Voted other as unaffiliated/don’t know/don’t care are all distinct.

Believe in a higher power. Averse to organized religion.

Obviously none of my business and I truly don't expect nor am requesting anybody to share if they'd prefer not to, but I am genuinely curious at the "other" answers as Joe covered most major religions and most non-belief options in the poll.

Do we have some Taoists? Wiccans? FLDS? Mennonites?

ETA: So as I don't seem hypocritical by not specifying my belief, I'm a Catholic/Christian turned Atheist.
 
I personally view the Bible as a sort of children's fairy tale.

I think all religion was invented by man for two reasons: to keep people in line, and to make themselves feel better about what happens when they die.

I honestly can't fathom how people can believe any of it. I'm not judging or criticizing anyone that does. Obviously a lot of people do.

And for a lot of people, it's a great thing. And some overall good obviously is derived from it for the world.

But I just don't get it. At all. I don't understand how someone can believe.

And of course given how many horrible things have happened (and continue to happen) in the name of almost all religions, it actually makes me angry if I really think about it.

I'm not out crusading against it or anything. And I have plenty of friends that consider themselves christians. Fine. I don't care as long as you're not trying to impose your will on me.

Not trying to convince anyone of anything. Not trying to crap on anyone's beliefs. I'm just sharing mine. Honestly.
1. People have been told to believe all their lives and their loved ones believe. So, for some, it's the same as the sun rising or the sky being blue.
2. The prospect of death is objectively scary, and it can be even scarier to think that we just cease to exist. So, there's comfort in the idea of something like Heaven.
3. Probably more rare, but I think some people do truly believe that they've experienced miracles (as opposed to just a very fortunate event) that can only be explained by the existence of God.
4. Similarly, the notion of a God and the gift H/he can give you later helps one process through a bad life event.

I don't believe myself, but I can understand how some do as I once did.
 
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Voted other as unaffiliated/don’t know/don’t care are all distinct.

Believe in a higher power. Averse to organized religion.

Obviously none of my business and I truly don't expect nor am requesting anybody to share if they'd prefer not to, but I am genuinely curious at the "other" answers as Joe covered most major religions and most non-belief options in the poll.

Do we have some Taoists? Wiccans? FLDS? Mennonites?

ETA: So as I don't seem hypocritical by not specifying my belief, I'm a Catholic/Christian turned Atheist.
So like a Deist? I suppose since you firmly believe you are not agnostic.
 
Unaffiliated is best description, but don’t want to be grouped with “don’t know/don’t care” (sounds agnostic).

Judeo/christian foundation

Jesuit hs
Dominican college
Jesuit graduate school
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.
 
Early in the poll, but interested in J's or anyone else's opinion why the results of a group of middle age men skew so non- religious relative to most other polls.

That's a good question. And I I honestly am not very familiar with other polls.

I'd guess this group being mostly comfortable with one another and also anonymous makes a difference in they can be more honest.

But anyone's opinion there is certainly as good or better than mine.
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
I think he means that parents indoctrinate their children to believe in a God that, in the eyes of a non-believer, does not exist. If I remember correctly, baptism is the ceremony a Christian participates in when they make the decision to accept Jesus as their lord and savior (or something like that). A child, or a baby can’t make this most personal commitment to Jesus, so the parents make the decision for them, thereby indoctrinating the child into Christianity.
 
May need to change my vote

ag·nos·tic ag-ˈnä-stik
əg-

Synonyms of agnostic
1
: a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (such as God) is unknown and probably unknowable
broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god

2
: a person who is unwilling to commit to an opinion about something
political agnostics

Where do I fall if I don't discount a God, but my opinion leans heavily towards this be a simulation or some other species kid's ant farm?

Ultimately I don't think it's "unknowable" as we continue to advance. Also I could see myself committing to a belief in God if those currently in charge of God (meaning majority of church leaders) didn't spend so much of their time presenting evidence likely based on fable.

Old link but the best i could quickly find.


Over half of pastors said they had “major concerns” about the idea that God used evolution. The main reasons for that concern were that the idea “undermines the authority of Scripture”

This sentence above which i clipped from the article is a major hang up for me.
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
I think he means that parents indoctrinate their children to believe in a God that, in the eyes of a non-believer, does not exist. If I remember correctly, baptism is the ceremony a Christian participates in when they make the decision to accept Jesus as their lord and savior (or something like that). A child, or a baby can’t make this most personal commitment to Jesus, so the parents make the decision for them, thereby indoctrinating the child into Christianity.
I raise my children to share my values.

You indoctrinate your children into your religion.

Same statement, different framing.
 
Early in the poll, but interested in J's or anyone else's opinion why the results of a group of middle age men skew so non- religious relative to most other polls.
It’s less about age and gender than income and level of education, imo.

I voted atheist, and agree largely with @BeTheMatch. Except I don’t get angry about those who choose religion, or proselytize, but am happy society is becoming more secular with time.

ETA Atheists tend to be white males under the age of 50. 30% have incomes greater than $100K, and 42% have college degrees or higher. Pew survey
 
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Just chiming in with my requisite need to say atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive. I'm an agnostic atheist which means I don't have a god, nor do I believe it's knowable if there is one.

ETA - I find most people who label themselves agnostics are really agnostic atheists. They either don't know it or don't like the perception.
 
Just chiming in with my requisite need to say atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive. I'm an agnostic atheist which means I don't have a god, nor do I believe it's knowable if there is one.

ETA - I find most people who label themselves agnostics are really agnostic atheists. They either don't know it or don't like the perception.

For sure. I knew wouldn't have enough options to cover every available answer. Thanks for adding.
 
Early in the poll, but interested in J's or anyone else's opinion why the results of a group of middle age men skew so non- religious relative to most other polls.
I'd guess education is one factor. There's a negative correlation between education and religiosity in the US.
 
I voted agnostic since I think that does describe me and my personal beliefs but I also don't really care that much.

I think all religion was invented by man for two reasons: to keep people in line, and to make themselves feel better about what happens when they die.
I think the second part is fairly accurate and religion has definitely been used as a cudgel but I think the origins are much more benign. I think it was just a...way of understanding things that they (the ancients) didn't understand. Religion was around long before Christianity/Islam/Judaism. If you want to make the argument that the more modern mainstream religions have a power component to them then yeah I think that's pretty fair.
 
Just chiming in with my requisite need to say atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive. I'm an agnostic atheist which means I don't have a god, nor do I believe it's knowable if there is one.

ETA - I find most people who label themselves agnostics are really agnostic atheists. They either don't know it or don't like the perception.
Yeah, agnosticism is sometimes used as a cop-out to avoid the stigma of being atheist imo. And technically, we can never really “know” there isn’t a higher power.
 
I voted agnostic since I think that does describe me and my personal beliefs but I also don't really care that much.

I think all religion was invented by man for two reasons: to keep people in line, and to make themselves feel better about what happens when they die.
I think the second part is fairly accurate and religion has definitely been used as a cudgel but I think the origins are much more benign. I think it was just a...way of understanding things that they (the ancients) didn't understand. Religion was around long before Christianity/Islam/Judaism. If you want to make the argument that the more modern mainstream religions have a power component to them then yeah I think that's pretty fair.
I don't think the comment was restricted to the three Abrahamic religions.

The idea of a supreme being(s) have existed in most civilizations to both explain the unexplainable, and to also imply consequences for pleasing/displeasing said deity.
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
I think it means he's an anabaptist. Makes sense to me, if you go for baptism.
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
I think it means he's an anabaptist. Makes sense to me, if you go for baptism.
I wonder if there is some confusion over a catholic baptism - typically done on the very young, "to wash away that original sin" and other baptisms that are more a symbol of adopting a particular faith (voluntarily).

If so, I would add that the Catholic faith has a separate sacrament that coincides with the later. Confirmation is typically done in the teenage years, after a year-long class, where the person is "re-baptised" into the faith, but does so knowingly and voluntarily - albeit, if you grew up in a Catholic family, not sure how voluntary it was...
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
I think it means he's an anabaptist. Makes sense to me, if you go for baptism.
I wonder if there is some confusion over a catholic baptism - typically done on the very young, "to wash away that original sin" and other baptisms that are more a symbol of adopting a particular faith (voluntarily).

If so, I would add that the Catholic faith has a separate sacrament that coincides with the later. Confirmation is typically done in the teenage years, after a year-long class, where the person is "re-baptised" into the faith, but does so knowingly and voluntarily - albeit, if you grew up in a Catholic family, not sure how voluntary it was...
No confusion here. But my Catholic friend had confirmation when she was seven or eight. I have a photo of her in her dress.

(Anabaptism was a heresy back in the day.)
 
Raised as a Southern Baptist, became atheist as I got older and weighed the evidence.

I get why most become and remain religious - others have articulated the reasons well. What I don't get is how baptism of minor children remains a part of modern religion. It's a big strike against organized religion in general IMO.

Thanks @tommyGunZ Can you elaborate on what you mean on the minor children baptism and why you feel it's such a strike?
I think it means he's an anabaptist. Makes sense to me, if you go for baptism.
I wonder if there is some confusion over a catholic baptism - typically done on the very young, "to wash away that original sin" and other baptisms that are more a symbol of adopting a particular faith (voluntarily).

If so, I would add that the Catholic faith has a separate sacrament that coincides with the later. Confirmation is typically done in the teenage years, after a year-long class, where the person is "re-baptised" into the faith, but does so knowingly and voluntarily - albeit, if you grew up in a Catholic family, not sure how voluntary it was...
No confusion here. But my Catholic friend had confirmation when she was seven or eight. I have a photo of her in her dress.

(Anabaptism was a heresy back in the day.)
I think that is first communion. Confirmation is near the end of High School.
 

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