Religious Beliefs

[johntywino]

Some priest or Bishop or someone on TV this morning said that "the vast majority" of people had religious beliefs ie. believed in a God. I for one do NOT believe, and I was wondering what a poll of your answers would show if the vast majority really DID ?????? John

[David90]

The bishop or priest probably hopes very much that the vast majority of people have religious beliefs, otherwise he's out of a job.

[woofgang]

I think if you include the whole world he's probably right. In Europe maybe he's right. In the UK....not so sure.
Again if you really drill down and count only those people who really really believe in a God or Gods as opposed to those who say when asked on an official form that they are a member of such and such church, I bet in the UK he is WAYYYYY out

[Answerprancer]

Without wanting to use the "A" word - I sit on the fence spiritually speaking - I do perform rituals occasionally and I visit a Buddhist temple when I can.

[123everton]

The 'A' word?
Why not use the 'B' word?
There's nothing wrong with Buddhism, some of my dearest friends are Buddhists.

[Answerprancer]

(I meant agnostic)

[jomifl]

Is a god included in the Bhuddist philosophy ? I think not. Not all rituals are religious either.

[johntywino]

AP I think an awful lot of people are Agnostic...

[Answerprancer]

are you asking me jomofl? if so - I don't know

[ummmm]

I believe in God.

[Ankou]

some of that 'vast majority' might believe in religion but not in god(s).

its a rather bland and flippant statement that can neither be proved or challenged really in my view.

[naomi24]

I don't know what a poll here would show, but I suspect that most people do have some sort of vague belief in God.

[jake-the-peg]

If he's talking world wide then he's definitely right.

If he's talking about the UK then he's wrong, it's a small or moderate majority.

The vast majority however do not support established religion,

http://www.tearfund.o...rchgoing%20report.pdf

Most notably although 67% claim to believe in God only 1 in 4 believe in a personal - God - that is a God that has any interest in humans.

We have not become a nation of athiests but a nation of deists - people find the notion of Spinoza's God attractive. Einstein did too he said:

“I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings.”

I may be wrong - I am hesitant to speak for a whole country - Bit I think you may well find that this is the sort of God most Britains believe in (excluding Northern Ireland which still has a large number of church goers)

[Old_Geezer]

I don't think you have to believe in God to be religious. And again it depends on what you define as "God". And should we put those who think God is a possibility into the believers or non-believers camp ? I suspect this is much a non-issue.

[naomi24]

Actually Jake, I don't believe church attendance figures give an accurate indication of statistics. Most people seem to believe in a personal 'God', they are married in church, they have their children baptised, and their funerals include church services, but apart from those occasions, they never attend church. I think that's pretty normal in this country,

[johntywino]

Well! Theres no answer to that lot! Theres no "for's" or "against's" to add up either.... Thanks all for your views. John.

[Ankou]

hence me post above!
inconclusive!

[naomi24]

Sorry John, didn't realise you were actually trying to count. Put me down as a non-believer.

[jake-the-peg]

Well that piece of research found that only 1 in 4 people believe in a personal God Naomi

So why do you not believe that?

[agardner09]

As an aetheist of almost fifty years I have no need or time for religion in my life.
I think you have to view such subjects against the background of what ordinary folk were expected to believe in times past. Our vastly increased knowledge of our world at least gives us the choice of what we believe. We should be grateful for that.
A recent survey of the population of the rural area in which I live showed that the majority did have some religious belief but less than five percent worshipped in any church. This in a very conservative rural area where I would have expected a lot more people going to church.
I do not welcome anyone trying to convert me to any religion though I do enjoy discussing the subject.
As the comedian Dave Allen used to say at the end of his performances - " may your god go with you". It seems to me that the majority of people who have any interest make up their minds for themselves and choose a god that suits them. It's a personal choice and so it should be.

[society]

I believe God exist.