This just in, the U.S. is really fucking religious.
A new report has supported substantial anecdotal evidence on my part that the United States is among the most theist countries in the world. It’s way ahead (or behind from my point of view) the majority of Europe. It’s also troublesome that I live in a country where 60% of its population thinks they are gnostic theists, even though I just spent the last post pointing out that no one can really be gnostic of such matters.
I don’t find anything in the survey too surprising. For instance, it shows that people become more religious with age. This is likely due to the coinvent fact that with a deity comes an afterlife, an idea appealing to those contemplating their mortality. However, I have a few questions about the surveying methods. The U.S. reportedly has a 3% population that “don’t believe in God,” yet 4.4% claim to “not believe in God and never have.” The additional requirement of “never have” should make the 3% necessarily lower, correct? Or do I suck at statistics?
I little inaccuracy aside, it would be hard to get the most telling tidbit of the survey wrong. Year after year, atheism is on the rise. It’s a slow and steady rise, but the hare of lore knows that such a rise can win the race. Eventually, I predict a tipping point where the rise of atheism will escalate rapidly. At some point, believing the minority mythology as truth will just seem silly.
This tipping point won’t likely happen in our lifetime, so I’m not taking any bets. If you are reading this in the distant, secular future, just remember, I told ya so.
Interesting survey. I am pretty sure I have seen some that set the U.S. average at closer to 9% atheist, but do not remember where. I will look for it. I hope it wasn't in my imagination.
ReplyDeleteI also think that there will be a tipping point, but I hope it is in my lifetime. I think that the younger generations (people aged 30 or under) are far more accepting of science, in the sense that I do not see them buying creationism as much. I also think that they are far more accepting in social issues, such as same-sex marriage. As time goes on, my hope is that things like this will lead them to question religion and god. I hope to see that tipping point sometime before I expire...I am only 40, so here's hoping...