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NBC poll about religion in America...not specifically Buddhist in nature
vinlyn
Colorado...for now Veteran
Very general, but some interesting poll numbers about religion in America.
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In our country 27 % believe in the Christian God and 23 % in a god outside the religions. The rest have no specific religion belief at all / the other religious groups are very small.
In my county we have such an eclectic mix of religions and traditions, I don't think statistics can ever give a clear, consistent and accurate account, at all, ever.
Don't fool yourselves.
The everyday evidence says that money & power is the first god of choice followed by whatever belief system allows folks to be comfortable about that choice.
That's 1,500 of approximately 319 million Americans chose to offer an opinion. Does that qualify as a "survey?"
Sorry, but as someone interested in such issues, this approach strikes me as flimsy ... and that's being polite.
That's the way polling works, @Genkaku. The only real question is how accurately they set up the demographics.
I find it interesting they do the polls. Isn't the information in the census a bit more wide-reaching? Of course, no one is required to answer those. But I bet a lot more than 1500 people do. I don't put much weight on them in any case, like 90% of people I know who proclaim a religion don't put it into practice whatsoever.
@gengaku is sometimes too polite about his compatriots.
They have religion in America? When did this happen? I was unaware they even know what religion is.
I was very surprised at this assertion, as there seems only evidence of money making scams (praise the Lawd), Oprah does New Age, Cults 'r US and 'in Cod we trist' and other cloth/flag worshipping superstition. I am so glad America has found religion, well overdue. We can only hope the benefits will filter down to the celeb and political brainwashed.
As someone living in a largely secular easter bunny based society that is heavily influenced by North America, I am hopeful their new found religion will have a profound effect.
@lobster we ritualistically eat quarter pounder with cheese and launch fire works for God.
Yeah, it's quite the place to wear T shirts that say "God is Dead" or "Have You Kissed an Atheist Today?".
The other night, I was at work where another nurse and I each watch two brothers with medical complications overnight so their parents can actually SLEEP a few nights a week. We were blathering about something, and she suddenly said "Now I believe in God, don't get me wrong . . ." and went on but I wasn't listening because I couldn't figure out why she felt the need to say that to me. I wasn't wearing a cross, and I surely had dropped at least one F bomb by then. Neither of which are biblical evidence of believing in God, but I had to realize it is often THAT iffy to be a non Theist/Buddhist. At least to admit it around these here parts.
The Pew Research Center is a very good source of 'statistics' regarding faith and belief, and who ascribes to what. It is international as well. It's interesting enough you could lose an hour of valuable time just leafing through the pages on the religious breakdown (pun intended in some but not all ways) in America.
For the same reason people always begin currently-risque discussions with "Well I'm not racist, don't get me wrong but...."
When we were out shopping the other day, I found they sell chocolate Easter crosses, intended for eating of course. That seemed a bit...odd. Religion in the US is a strange, strange thing. There is a constant undercurrent of Christianity insisting on it's foundational roots and pushing to put more in place and others pushing back. Its interesting to watch. The city we used to live in has been fighting over the city hall having the 10 commandments on the front lawn. The local freethinkers/atheist group wants to put up their own monument, but the city then passed a law that no further monuments could be put up...but the 10 commandments would stand. Which of course isn't legal, but the group is out of money to fight and the appeals court refused to hear it. They insist it has nothing to do with Christianity (LOL, nevermind it says "I am the lord thy God" on it) but are obviously afraid of anything else that might challenge those commandments. Which is just funny
A couple years ago when my state was going through the legal gay marriage battle, our local church spent a small fortune on the campaign against it...while a family of their church lived in a tent in the woods after their house burned down.
I agree with you, in certain part of the states people used religion to pushed their own agenda, and do the total opposite of their preaching...
And guess what happens in predominantly Buddhist countries.
The 1500 American people who answered the questions, most answered they believe in god and think there is a heaven.
your lead in is....
'Not specifically Buddhist in nature'
'Interersting poll numbers'
WTF?
Your a hard guy to get, sometimes.
You will note if you go through the video that it does speak about things like meditation and contemplation. Further, I put it is "Faith & Religion", not specifically a Buddhist section of the forum.
Seems to have a strong theist focus - or is that inevitable in America?
Although dropping from 82% to 74%, it's still a huge percentage of Americans who believe in God. In Thailand it would have a strong Buddhist focus. It's the culture.
74% may say they believe in God, but church attendances are falling, I believe.
Some snippets....
Where I live more people worship at supermarkets than church on a Sunday morning.
Yes, very true. But belief in any belief system does not require attendance at services.
Hurrah for secularisation!
I think there are a lot of people (based on conversations I've had and nothing more) who feel the need to say they believe something. They aren't comfortable saying "Well, I grew up Christian but I'm not sure what I believe..." So they just revert to whatever their childhood brought and consider themselves Christians who believe in God and Heaven even if they aren't sure they do. I have one friend who changes how she talks about her beliefs based on who she is talking to. These are the people that I know who don't go to church, don't remotely participate in anything to do with their proclaimed belief set but feel a need to belong to something.
while a family of their church lived in a tent in the woods after their house burned down.
Well at least they had a tent to live in. In my day that would have been luxury.
( salute to Lobster:))
Yes but we live in Minnesota where the temps in the winter can be -40F. Eventually the community pulled together enough resources to help them out. But nothing came from their church while the church focused on spending many thousands of dollars to try to keep gay people from marrying. Priorities.
I've met a lot of people who it seems have never thought this through properly. Probably they were brought up to believe in God, and probably they still hold on to some of that belief, but are not really clear about what they believe.