Nonbelievers, 40 million strong? Could be.

[curiosityandthecat]

Check it out.

According to the latest American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) of more than 54,000 adults, between 2001 and 2008 the number willing to identify themselves as atheist and agnostic has gone from under 2 million to 3.6 million. Small numbers compared to the whole, of course, but most notably it’s a rise of 85% of those willing to describe themselves as living without God during the years of our most overtly religious presidency!

Even more newsworthy, when the widely-scorned labels “atheist” and “agnostic” are replaced with specifics about beliefs (“There is no such thing” as God, “There is no way to know,” or “I’m not sure,” and added to those who refused to answer) it turns out that over eighteen percent of Americans do not profess belief in a God or a higher power.

According to ARIS, then, there could be as many as 40 million adult nonbelievers in the United States!

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/religionandtheology/1381/40_million_nonbelievers_in_america_the_secret_is_almost_out/

It's okay. You can do your happy dance. No one will mind.  

(Okay, sure, it's a statistic we're familiar with, but the fact that it's being put out there is nice, you know?)

[VanReal]

That doesn't surprise me a bit.  When asked "are you an atheist" people may want to say no, especially if they don't know any others, but "do you believe in God" is a little easier to answer and not feeling like you are one of them atheists  

I think there are a lot of people that are nonbelievers that would not dare say so.  My boyfriend is one of them, I know he doesn't believe but he won't say it, not even to me....I think it's the fear his mom may have telepathy, ha!

[newblueradio]

Many de-converts like myself are so psychologically tainted that even the word "atheist" leaves a bitter taste in our mouths.  That's the problem with childhood indoctrination, change comes too hard and at the cost of one's sense of self value.  Because of this, I wouldn't be surprised if the true numbers were far closer to 50%.

[oldschooldoc]

Now if we could only reach the level of Godlessness that Sweden and Norway enjoy! This is a great step for us, a shift in the right direction I might say. I just want people to open their eyes and minds. If they read half the books I've read about religion and indoctrination they may realize that they have been brainwashed their entire lives!

[VietnamVet-BRIGHT]

Now if we could only reach the level of Godlessness that Sweden and Norway

We are trending in that direction and there is no reason that we should not get close to that level of irreligiosity in the next several decades.

Of course, in this country unlike Sweden and Norway, all children from 5 y/o up (K-12) are forced to publicly attest in a solemn ritual led by their teacher role model in every public school that this is "one nation under God" each and every day (about 200 times per year ... works out to over 1100 times by the end of 5th grade) ... the profound indoctrinating effect and concomitant validation of this Abrahamic ideation associated with this government sponsored religious promotion may significantly temper the rejection of this  Abrahamic superstition.  


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[RamseyRam]

Well now I hope they know how the rest of us feel. At least we don't go around on horseback slitting the throats of people who refuse to reject their god.

...the profound indoctrinating effect and concomitant validation of this Abrahamic ideation associated with this government sponsored religious promotion may significantly temper the rejection of this Abrahamic superstition.

Vietnam uses big words XD In my school, we're not forced to say it but we do have to at least stand while the pledge is being said, and back when I actually said it as well, I just left out "under God," realizing what an outdated and unneeded phrase it was. I also hope that it gets officially cut from the pledge.

[karadan]

Many de-converts like myself are so psychologically tainted that even the word "atheist" leaves a bitter taste in our mouths.  That's the problem with childhood indoctrination, change comes too hard and at the cost of one's sense of self value.  Because of this, I wouldn't be surprised if the true numbers were far closer to 50%.

I'm still so surprised when i see the word 'atheist' being used like a swear word by religious people. I do a lot of angry fist-shaking when on youtube

[pinkocommie]

I'm still so surprised when i see the word 'atheist' being used like a swear word by religious people. I do a lot of angry fist-shaking when on youtube

I know, every time I hear atheist used like that I feel like I've been smacked across the face for no reason.