50%+ of the population are athiest, technically.

[styley]

My reason for thinking this is that they have never thought enough about their beliefs to know what they believe. Also they don't fear God's wrath by their actions, generally.

[naomi24]

Hello Styley, ........they have never thought enough about their beliefs to know what they believe. That's a valid point - but I think it can also be applied to some people of religion, who often simply believe what they're told they ought to believe, and don't take the time or trouble to investigate for themselves. I wonder how many so-called Christians have actually read the whole of the bible?

Many people who aren't outwardly religious have a sneaking belief in a God, but that stems from culture rather than being an informed choice. They marry in church, have their children baptised, and hold funeral services in church, and those are the only times they ever set foot in a church. As for fear of God's wrath, I don't think people fear it in everyday life - but some fear it when they're nearing the end of their life - again as a result of cultural influences.

[Theland]

I agree with you that most people do not examine their own beliefs, and if they did they might be surprised to discover that they don't actually believe in anything, or that given a bit of focus, they discover something within themselves that demands more attention, ie a belief in God.
In my experience, most people are too materialistic to hold any belief, and on those occasions where the subject of spirituality arises, they are likely to read the stars, go to or discuss spiritualism, ghosts etc, but these take second place to Benidorm, Beer and Bingo.

[Theland]

In the first line of previous post, for "most," read, "some."

[Myriad2112]

How you you not think enough about your beliefs?
you can choose either to believe, or not or like me never really know - I consider myself an agnostic.

[naomi24]

Myriad, good question, but unless we study the biblical God's history, we are unable to make a truly informed choice. We can only be guided (or misguided) by what others tell us.

[Teddio]

Can a person be an atheist by default?, ie. passive rather than active? A person brought up with no knowledge of God, very difficult in the modern world I know, would be unable to deny the existence of God. Is such a person "technically" an atheist?

[Myriad2112]

I disagree Naomi,
I can no more belive what a book tells me than what another person does.

[bensmum]

I would tend to agree with teddio here. I don't think someone can be either a theist or an atheist without knowing what it is they do or don't believe in. There are certainly a lot of people out there who profess to have no particular religion or to have not considered their beliefs but I don't know that that would make them athesits.

[Theland]

Wizard - What, as my judge, would you allow me to possess? The privelege of providing for my family maybe? Thank you in advance.

[naomi24]

Myriad, then I sincerely congratulate you. You have a mind of your own - and that I applaud.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Every newborn is an atheist, Teddio. How could it be otherwise?

[bensmum]

That's seeing things in black and white and I prefer to think there has to be a grey area. Surely you make the choice to be a theist or an atheist and a newborn does not have the capacity to make that choice.

[styley]

bensmum, were children are concerned it's never a choice, they are pigeonholed into their parents belief system. It is a hard thing to break from.

[styley]

Getting back to naomi's point at the top there. Yeah that's what I meant. Most people who would think of themselves as catholic/protestant etc. simply do so as they've been brought up and told that they are in school and at home. I feel a lot of people have never just stopped and thought to themselves, even for just ten minutes; Right, I'm here on earth, living away at my life, and somewhere there's a big guy watching me. I just can't believe that if they did, most wouldn't realise how silly that sounds.

[Theland]

Since you have a fixation on my T.V. I must tell you that the amount of material goods that I own exclusively in this world amounts to very little indeed.
The house and what is in it are shared by my family and as soon as I have ever had any money, it is gone in a jiffy meeting their needs.
I do not own a car, and not been on a holiday for twenty eight years, although we managed to get the kids taken on holiday many times.
I have tried to be charitable to anybody who crosses my path, and send, when I can, donations to good causes, most notably in Israel, EFRAT being one of my favourites.
Could I do more? Certainly, and I'll work on just how I can.
That answer won't suit you I know.