Statistics relating to religion

[rlrose328]

The Association of Religion Data Archives

Pretty interesting stuff here, all consolidated onto one site.  Disturbing percentages on a lot of areas, though.  

[Will]

People lie, thus statistics lie.

For example, when they say that the US is Christian... it's not devout. The vast majority are lip service Christians. They don't go to church, but they're too lazy to figure shit out for themselves.

[rlrose328]

Yes, I know that... any time man is involved, it cannot be accurate.

But it's interesting nonetheless just for what it is, give or take a few percentage points here and there.

[Will]

Oh, agreed.

[kimmance]

Hi, I'm new to the forum (I've been holed up doing book research for the last 18 months). So, I just thought you guys may be interested in some results of a nationwide online survey that I've been conducting.

I actually found that Christian traditions are on the decline and atheism & agnosticism are increasing. Maybe check it out and let me know what you think...

http://religiarchy.typepad.com/religiar ... hrist.html

[MommaSquid]

Aaaah, shameless self promotion.    Welcome to the forum Kim.  Maybe you'd like to give us a proper intro....?

As Homer Simpson says, "You can use facts to prove anything that's even vaguely true."

[kimmance]

Hey, you called me out MommaSquid! Yes, apparently you got me there! Sorry, I just thought they may be interested in the stats. :oops:

Well, as for an introduction... I was raised by jackals, er, I mean fundamentalist evangelicals who after a stint with the name it and claim it movement landed in Ted Haggard's mega-church in Colorado. (Yes, the now famous church with a recent shooting and their founding pastor ousted for methamphetamine and male prostitute-use.)

I now am now happy and free from religion and would like to share the wealth. Among helping change public opinion about atheism, I'm very interested in also discontinuing the tax-exempt status of religious institutions among other things. My book and my offline-activities often center around stopping the horrid practice of indoctrinating children and further, the way women are viewed in religion as less valuable than men.

Um, and I love chocolate. With a passion. (Trying to lighten it up a bit.) Hope that was a more proper introduction?

I'll paste this over in the introductions area and hopefully make some other new friends...

[tacoma_kyle]

So WADC eh? Sounds intense. Seems like the stats are about as good as they will get, based off your questioning tactics.

[SteveS]

People lie, thus statistics lie.

Good point.  Mark Twain sort of made the quote famous:

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.

Although, I think he attributed the words originally to Benjamin Disraeli.  Either way, its a point well taken!

[wayjust1]

I have heard about the shooting in Colorado,and can't help but wonder what makes them keep coming back????  I am a atheist, because, like many of you I have had religion pushed down my throat or had a something awefull happen in my life, and can not believe that any higher being would want that.  What I am struggling with now is as I study the bible to prove it wrong, it again and again proving to be right.  I have now studied to bible for years trying to disprove it, but it has lurfed me in instead.  The prophaceis fulfilled and what archeology continues to uncover stumps me again and again.  What do yall think???

[kimmance]

I have heard about the shooting in Colorado,and can't help but wonder what makes them keep coming back???? I am a atheist, because, like many of you I have had religion pushed down my throat or had a something awefull happen in my life, and can not believe that any higher being would want that. What I am struggling with now is as I study the bible to prove it wrong, it again and again proving to be right. I have now studied to bible for years trying to disprove it, but it has lurfed me in instead. The prophaceis fulfilled and what archeology continues to uncover stumps me again and again. What do yall think???

Really wanna know what we think? ...Well, I think you're a theist internet troll.  :roll:

[tomday]

I have heard about the shooting in Colorado,and can't help but wonder what makes them keep coming back????  I am a atheist, because, like many of you I have had religion pushed down my throat or had a something awefull happen in my life, and can not believe that any higher being would want that.  What I am struggling with now is as I study the bible to prove it wrong, it again and again proving to be right.  I have now studied to bible for years trying to disprove it, but it has lurfed me in instead.  The prophaceis fulfilled and what archeology continues to uncover stumps me again and again.  What do yall think???

wayjust1, so you are an atheist but you "study the bible to prove it wrong .." and it has 'lurfed' (lured?)you in instead. I suggest that you first study the definition of the word 'atheist' because you sure as hell cannot be one if you are taken in by fairy tales!

[jcm]

I have heard about the shooting in Colorado,and can't help but wonder what makes them keep coming back????  I am a atheist, because, like many of you I have had religion pushed down my throat or had a something awefull happen in my life, and can not believe that any higher being would want that.  What I am struggling with now is as I study the bible to prove it wrong, it again and again proving to be right.  I have now studied to bible for years trying to disprove it, but it has lurfed me in instead.  The prophaceis fulfilled and what archeology continues to uncover stumps me again and again.  What do yall think???

Here is the thing about the bible. The claims that the bible make…are wrong

Example:

Adam was created from dust - wrong
Eve was created from Adam’s rib â€" wrong
The earth was create before the sun â€" wrong
Rainbows didn’t appear until after the great flood â€" wrong
The earth was created in 6 days â€" wrong
Snakes can talk â€" wrong
There was a great earth wide flood â€" wrong
You can eat all flower bearing plants â€" wrong
David battled a giant â€" wrong
The moon creates light â€" wrong
The stars are fixed in the heavens - wrong

Why you would you trust a book with so many problems?

[kimmance]

He, he, nice job jcm

Don't forget:
the sun rotates around the earth
moses & elijah in heaven before jesus died to 'make that possible'

[wayjust1]

Listen, I know atheist call christians hipocritical, but now yall are doin that to me.  It not my fault if all the information that I look up, the stuff we find inacurrate, is does not turn out to be as such.  Oh, and jcm those are good points, most if not all are true, if you translate those stories with any widely accepted bible symbol book.  Another thing, you mentioned noah's arch, and the great flood.  Did you know that the arch has been found??  IN 1904, if I am correct Zar Nicoles the II led an expedition to the mountains of modern day turkey.  He had painting, and documentary of the arch the was preserved for two reasons.  One, it was made out of goffer wood, as the bible points out, and secondly because it was frzen for thousands of years.  Why havent we heard of this?? Because a few years late a communist, atheist government took over, kill Nicoles and his family and destroyed all records of the expedition.  Now we still are not allowed to go there because of there is a military base not far from there and the area is restricted.  I'm not saying I believe this, but I can't seem to disprove anything in it??????????????  HAs anyone else had this problem??