United States
Main article: Irreligion in the United States
According to a 2011 Gallup poll, more than 9 in 10 Americans say "yes" when asked the basic question "Do you believe in God?"; this is down only slightly from the 1940s, when Gallup first asked this question. However, when given the choice to express uncertainties, the percentage of belief in God drops into the 70% to 80% range. When Americans are given the option of saying they believe in a universal spirit or higher power instead of in "God," about 12% choose the former.[41]
A 2004 BBC poll showed the number of people in the U.S. who don't believe in a god to be about 9–10%.[21] A 2008 Gallup poll showed that a smaller 6% of the U.S. population believed that no god or universal spirit exists.[42] The most recent ARIS report, released March 9, 2009, found in 2008, 34.2 million Americans (15.0%) claim no religion, of which 1.6% explicitly describes itself as atheist (0.7%) or agnostic (0.9%), nearly double the previous 2001 ARIS survey figure of 0.9%.[43] The highest occurrence of "nones", according to the 2008 ARIS report, reside in Vermont, with 34% surveyed.[44] According to the Pew Forum, less than 2% of the U.S. population describes itself as atheist.[45]
Overall, Americans who profess no religion or self-identify as atheist or agnostic are more likely to be white or Asian and less likely to be black or Hispanic, as compared to the general adult population in U.S.[46] Men are more likely to be atheists and less religious than women.[47] 55 percent of atheists in America are under age 35, while 30 percent are 50 and over (compared to 37 percent of the total population). As a group, agnostics are older than atheists, though still younger than the general population.[46][46][48]
A 2012 study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reports that just 6% of the US population are atheists even though the number of religiously unaffiliated has grown from 15% to just under 20%.[12]
Fri Nov 28, 2014, 02:45 AM
Star Member Prophet 451 (9,352 posts)
DU religion survey
Last edited Fri Nov 28, 2014, 03:20 PM - Edit history (2)
Pretty simple, just check the one that applies to you.
EDIT: Yes, I know it doesn't include Muslim. It was there earlier but a couple of people were offended that I didn't include an option for Hindu. I couldn't remove any of the others because people had already picked them so I removed Muslim as that hadn't had anyone click on it and replaced it with Hindu. It's not intended as a slight, it's just that there's only 10 slots.
367 votes, 8 passes | Time left: Unlimited
Atheist151 (41%)
Agnostic61 (17%)
Christian78 (21%)
Jewish5 (1%)
Hindu1 (0%)
Sikh2 (1%)
Buddhist15 (4%)
Reconstructionist (attempting to rebuild a previously lost faith, i.e. Aesir)1 (0%)
Neo-Pagan6 (2%)
Other47 (13%)
8 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
There are many that belong to the Church of Global Warming. Why weren't they included? Those damn deniers just ruin everything.
I noticed there was no Order of the Imperial Bureauracy, no Knights of Barack, nor any sign of a Royal Order of Democratics.
Response to hifiguy (Reply #154)Fri Nov 28, 2014, 01:17 PM
Star Member Prophet 451 (9,372 posts)
165. I find voodoo fascinating
There's something that appeals to me on a primal, aesthetic level but it's really difficult to find decent info on the faith.
Apparently, Marian Robinson (President Obama's 72-year old mother-in-law) has been practicing Santeria (a/k/a voodoo) in the White House due to her failing health.
"Marian invited an old friend from Chicago to visit her at the White House, and she performed a Santeria ceremony in the residence. When Michelle saw this woman, a voodoo priestess she recognized her from when her father was sick, she had a fit. When she told the president about it, he blew up and said, ‘No voodoo in the White House. Absolutely. I don’t care what you call it.’http://charlenecleoeiben.blogspot.com/2012/11/voodoo-in-white-house-obamas-mother-in.html
Barry's mother-in-law, Marian Robinson might make a good source for information on the faith: She's been practicing it right under all of our noses, in our beloved White House.http://charlenecleoeiben.blogspot.com/2012/11/voodoo-in-white-house-obamas-mother-in.html
Response to hifiguy (Reply #154)Fri Nov 28, 2014, 01:17 PM
Star Member Prophet 451 (9,372 posts)
165. I find voodoo fascinating
There's something that appeals to me on a primal, aesthetic level but it's really difficult to find decent info on the faith.