A new Gallup survey released today finds that four decades after the "God Is Dead" controversy was first noted, Americans retain a strong belief in a higher power. Some 94% think God exists.
Only 5% feel God "does not exist" -- and even most of them "are not sure" of that. Exactly 1% are certain there is no God.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Gallup: Poll Finds Americans' Belief in God Remains Strong
9 comments:
Atheism in America is a naughty word. I bet many are atheists without knowing it or wanting to admit it.
I mean really, this will not last. One day America will be as secular as Europe. Church attendance in America is actually on decline despite population growth.
It's just a shame the whole muslim vs american christian thing happened in the last 4 years. Doesn't help the speed for a future secular world (which will happen one day).
Hmmm, I wonder how they phrased the question? If it was a straight "do you believe in God" then the poll is worthless, since what "God" means is a highly personal thing.
Even athiests often concede, under social pressure, that a "higher power" exists, rationalizing that the higher power could be entirely composed of impersonal forces. This is a very different "god" than what Falwell would describe.
This is one of my pet peeve questions, along with others along the same liens such as "do you believe in the soul?". My answer is always "it depends." The problem is that to properly and completely answer the question involves a great deal of semantic negotiation to make sure everyone means the same thing.
My answer to the "God question" generally goes something like "Please define 'God.'"
My answer to the "God question" generally goes something like "Please define 'God.'"
Well, theologians have been trying for millenia without much success. I doubt Joe Believer would have much success where the pros failed. Ergo, when most people say they "believe in God," I suspect what they really mean is that they subscribe in a loose way to some obsolete, received, second- or third-hand dogma ABOUT God. (Of course, this could just be the sin of spiritual pride on my part, crypto-Hindu-closet-Catholic that I am.)
weevee: voszo ("Voszo the Alien Clown?")
I'm not asking for a *precise* definition, mind you. Asking for someone's definition of God is basically just a way of determining whether one's perception of "God" is of the old-man-in-the-sky variety or of a more nebulous (and more interesting, to me) sort.
Personally, I think there could very well be some sort of "higher power," although I'd be most surprised to discover it's anthropomorphic. I'm guessing we don't even have a vocabulary with which to properly describe it.
A vastly intelligent being responsible for creating the known universe.
From what Ive read of the latest brand of string theory (in the mags they print for rubes like me) it should be possible to create your own universe. If you have enough energy and know how you should be able to build your own universe, built to your own specs.
Why couldnt 'God' just be a incredibly tech advanced being playing around with his pocket universe? Any sufficiently advanced tech is no different from magic and all that. I like this idea most because it pisses off both the priest and the athiest while at the same time working within their dogma. A compassionate yet judgemental creator being that works within logic and science.
There was a short novel called Calculating God. In it a collection of alien races about a hundred or two in advance of us makes contact. The twist is that their scientific outlook not only makes room for God but says that science and faith are naturally in harmony.
The protagonist is an athiest. He and his new alien companion have an ongoing debate about the whole thing. Not fundie at all, in fact the only real bad guys in it are ignorant bible thumping hillbillies that attack the museum that the protag works in. Good little read.
Remember, the solution that ticks the most people off is often the right one.
I really, really enjoyed "Calculating God." Robert J. Sawyer is a good writer.
I just put it on my list. Re:
Why couldnt 'God' just be a incredibly tech advanced being playing around with his pocket universe? Any sufficiently advanced tech is no different from magic and all that.
Try Olaf Stapleton's Star Maker next (if you haven't already). It's a (real) oldie but goodie and basically my "Bible" when it comes to this sort of creator-god, even including a couple of botched universes before "he" managed to get this one (sort of) right.
Really? Well, Bear, Starmaker, along with Last and First Men, are the two most influential SF novels written, IMO. Just about everything that's been written since they were first published owes something to Stapleton's creations, which are really two of the best SF efforts I've ever seen. Really, they are the foundations for modern SF, and I always have - always - a copy around the house in case I fell the need to re-read. Which is about every three years, actually.
Well, I guess you ain't all that dumb, are ya? After all, you often agree with me .... ;-)
As for God. SOMETHING made this universe from nothing. And anything which can create a star from nothing is God enough for me. Personally, I subscribe to the Hindu/Buddhist cosmology which basically posits a creator which sets up the rules, sits back and watches.
Or, in other words, we're TV!