View Full Version : U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey; results
Ferre
28-09-2010, 03:43 AM
Atheists Outdo Some Believers in Survey on Religion - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/us/28religion.html?_r=1)
LOL :sqlaugh:
On average, people who took the survey answered half the questions incorrectly, and many flubbed even questions about their own faith.
Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons. The results were the same even after the researchers controlled for factors like age and racial differences.
“Even after all these other factors, including education, are taken into account, atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons still outperform all the other religious groups in our survey,” said Greg Smith, a senior researcher at Pew.
I've always said this and I repeat it again; If most people really knew what their religion is about they would not partake in it.
For a lot of people, religion is about fear, but few realize it.
Fear of what happens to you when you die.
Fear of not fitting in.
Fear of what they might do if they had no faith.
Ferre
28-09-2010, 07:32 AM
Most people don't even realize they are part of a death-cult that worships a torture device and resorts to psychological blackmail to maintain its members base. Most people have such a distorted view on reality, thanks to their religion, that they truly believe their religion is about "love" while in reality it is all about death.
That's the power of generations-long indoctrination and inciting fear, it is the Stockholm syndrome that does that, most religious folks don't realize they are 1- delusional and 2 - suffer from Stockholm syndrome.
Ferre
28-09-2010, 07:58 AM
http://i.imgur.com/SEair.jpg
ewomack
02-10-2010, 04:26 PM
This surprises me as much as the sun rising. Every truly informed religious discussion I've had has taken place in groups of atheists or agnostics. When I talk to purported believers they rarely know a thing. I once asked a fairly fervent Catholic to name the gospels. She couldn't. I could, and I'm 0% Catholic (or even Christian). Religion becomes anthropology for non-believers and a rather unthinking habit for believers, or so my experience has suggested... heavily...
Ferre
03-10-2010, 03:34 AM
Religion becomes anthropology for non-believers and a rather unthinking habit for believers, or so my experience has suggested... heavily...
I think you nailed it.
In my experience as an atheist growing up surrounded by believers (and that's the situation for every single atheist on earth) I became interested in the history of religion in an anthropological manner because I wanted to understand what drives so many people into believing a load of rubbish that even makes them restrict heir own intellectual, artistic and plain human progress.
I wondered why people would embrace an ideology that is both destructive and counterproductive to themselves. I wondered why-on-earth anyone would voluntarily submit their "self" to an imaginary "master", that concept is totally insane to people like me who grew up without it.
That made me study all sorts of religions, and I was not studying them to find a reason to believe, I was studying them to find out why so many people do believe.
And I did find the answers to my questions; It comes down to brainwashing children.
Ferre
03-10-2010, 04:16 AM
Also, Atheists are kind of forced to know the scriptures believers use to argue with them.
See, believers always throw all sort of bible quotes at atheists, believers seem to think that atheists magically convert to their religion when they hear a few magic quotes from their magical book.
So what atheists do is buy their magical book and READ IT, they read it well and learn that there are many "magical quotes" in there that can be used to confuse the believers because they often contradict the assumptions believers have about their own religion, and I use the word assumptions because that's it is; most believers assume that what they know about their religion is all there is to know, and most of them know shit about their own religion.
The best arguments against religion are in the magic book itself, seriously. The best way to make believers doubt their faith is to point them to their own bible, that's why many atheists know the scriptures, those provide the best answers to people that try to convert them, and people try to convert atheists all the time.
Ferre
03-10-2010, 04:18 AM
I personally reject the Abrahamic teachings (Judeo Christian religions) because they are below my ethical, moral and intellectual standards. And I know because I have read them.
Ferre
03-10-2010, 05:28 AM
2iL3ISxSrFM
"happier than pig-worms in a baby's stool" LOL!
...there are many "magical quotes" in there ...
This is my favourite magical quote:
UmvnXKRfdb8
Supposedly from Ezekiel 25:17 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulp_Fiction_%28film%29#Jules.27s_Bible_passage), but probably from the Gospel according to QT.
Muddy
11-10-2010, 12:59 PM
Oh, these (http://www.v7n.com/forums/controversial-social-issues/105787-why-do-you-think-god-exists.html) were the days! I especially got a kick out of 215-248! Who loves ya Strongy! Sorry, I just happened across this old thing, lol! Vee seven en warning BTW. lol!
Muddy
11-10-2010, 01:00 PM
I ended every above sentence with an exclamation mark! Wow!
Oh, these (http://www.v7n.com/forums/controversial-social-issues/105787-why-do-you-think-god-exists.html) were the days! I especially got a kick out of 215-248! Who loves ya Strongy! Sorry, I just happened across this old thing, lol! Vee seven en warning BTW. lol!I'm not going there. How old is the thread?
Strong
11-10-2010, 02:24 PM
Oh, these (http://www.v7n.com/forums/controversial-social-issues/105787-why-do-you-think-god-exists.html) were the days! I especially got a kick out of 215-248! Who loves ya Strongy! Sorry, I just happened across this old thing, lol! Vee seven en warning BTW. lol!
LOL
Strong
11-10-2010, 02:30 PM
I ain't been there for quite some time, but I had to to see what you were on about.
:sqlaugh:
I stand by my words! You were a smart arse, you were trouble, and I was trying to keep you out of it. The politics forum took no prisoners in those days, but I'm of the opinion now you didn't need my help, I just tried to protect the newbies until they pissed me off enough not to care. There were some big sharks in that ocean.
With hindsight do you see the point of my warning now?
You wouldn't believe how much happier I am away from there now! :sqbiggrin:
Strong
11-10-2010, 02:31 PM
I was finding Atom's discussion quite interesting too!
Strong
11-10-2010, 02:33 PM
The rubber chicken metaphor in the torture thread is my favourite, that guy was winding me up so much! I was a bad boy from time to time.
Strong
11-10-2010, 02:35 PM
I'm not going there. How old is the thread?
It started in November 2008. The posts Muddy pointed at were around mid December.
I was finding Atom's discussion quite interesting too!Well it must be an old thread then. I'm not going there so I guess I won't know what you're referring to. That's ok, it's probably not the best idea to be linking to old threads there. People change etc..
It started in November 2008. The posts Muddy pointed at were around mid December.Ok, thanks.
For example, I think I still considered myself a Christian back then.
I don't know, it's hard to remember just when, but I know that there have been some significant changes in my life since just a few years ago.
I remember a phase at v7 where it seemed several people were bringing up other peoples old posts and using them as ammunition in debates of character. What a friggin mess that was.
Heck, there's posts that I made yesterday where I can today honestly say that I am not that guy anymore, let alone a year or two ago. lol!
oops, past 3:30, I missed my manna break again. I'm still munching on that 2000+ year old pile, every time I halve it it doubles, and still sweet as honey. What more could a guy ask for.
I played with heavy metals as a child.
Mercury for one. I have an excuse for my illicit behavioral deficiencies.
And if Muddy changes guy to gay in post #25, it'll be banzai down the next available elevator shaft.
Which reminds me, I think I was supposed to spell phase faze. Oh well.
Muddy
11-10-2010, 05:36 PM
I ain't been there for quite some time, but I had to to see what you were on about.
:sqlaugh:
I stand by my words! You were a smart arse, you were trouble, and I was trying to keep you out of it. The politics forum took no prisoners in those days, but I'm of the opinion now you didn't need my help, I just tried to protect the newbies until they pissed me off enough not to care. There were some big sharks in that ocean.
With hindsight do you see the point of my warning now?
You wouldn't believe how much happier I am away from there now! :sqbiggrin:
Yeah, it was right about then that I knew you'd make a great friend.
Muddy
11-10-2010, 05:38 PM
And if Muddy changes guy to gay in post #25, it'll be banzai down the next available elevator shaft.
LOL!
There's a 6 hour documentary starting in an hour on PBS called Religion In America, it's a 3 part series where they'll show 2 hr. parts for the next three nights at 8pm EST.
I guess that means if you're in the east, it just started eight min. ago.
All three PBS feeds are out at the moment here, it's been black for the last twenty min. or so, I hope it doesn't stay that way too long, the other day it was off a whole day.
Damn, it's been 16 hours and my PBS feeds are still absent. I will not discount this as being the work of Satan.
j/k. I sure hope the sun gets done spotting soon, or w/e the hell it's doing lol.
I'll be damned, it just returned a minute ago, it's a weak signal though.
This is a brand new documentary. I missed the first 2 hrs last night obviously. I'll have to catch it in a repeat or on the net I guess.
I watched part two last night. It basically just showed that most of America and it's leaders were crazy i.e. believed in god. Frankly I think it more sound to worship the sun, which of course isn't sound at all.
That they were (and are) crazy is my perspective, that wasn't a consensus of the documentary, they just laid out some facts and the conclusion is mine.
In the country's defense I'd just like to say that we're not really crazy, we're just not sound.
lol
I think that religion by it's very nature must be built on a lie. This cannot be good.
I mean, at least the sun isn't a lie, I'll give those sun worshipers that much.
People in general apparently have just not stepped outside of themselves far enough to realize the error of religion. I have a feeling that when it does happen though, it will turn around quickly, I know it doesn't seem it now as I think it's just starting really.
The concept of religion is so ridiculous actually that I can hardly believe that the world hasn't snapped out of it yet.
Looking at your thread title, Ferre, and wondering if the words "religious" and "knowledge" ever belong in the same sentence.
I think it's probably like Ferre was saying, it's probably been hanging on because the kids are brainwashed, inadvertently or not, when they're young.
I don't know, it just seems to me that a chasm in the brain is formed early on by religion that is not so easy to fill. Actually I think that knowledge is probably the best fill material but if you think about it, that actually requires effort, especially in this day and age of mediawash, so I see why the change isn't happening more quickly if that's the case.
We're handed our knowledge by media these days it seems, too easy, real knowledge requires effort.
Ferre
13-10-2010, 12:32 PM
Related to the article (to that other place Muddy mentioned too btw);
JlGZxJTZAK0
Strong
13-10-2010, 12:49 PM
:sqwink:
wildafri
01-12-2010, 03:14 AM
Most people don't even realize they are part of a death-cult that worships a torture device and resorts to psychological blackmail to maintain its members base. Most people have such a distorted view on reality, thanks to their religion, that they truly believe their religion is about "love" while in reality it is all about death.
That's the power of generations-long indoctrination and inciting fear, it is the Stockholm syndrome that does that, most religious folks don't realize they are 1- delusional and 2 - suffer from Stockholm syndrome.
You took words right out of my mouth...
Welcome to BTW, wildafri.
Strong
01-12-2010, 12:11 PM
Indeed! Welcome Wildafri. :sqbiggrin:
Are you actually in Africa, if so where abouts?
Muddy
01-12-2010, 03:10 PM
Here's another SOB (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/01/televangelist-says-he-cheated-on-wife-2/?iref=NS1) who wouldn't have fessed if not forced.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.1 Copyright © 2013 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.