# Just how religious is the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580 "2011-07-19T14:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/101 "2011-07-20T22:48:02Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Almost no one on national TV attends church regularly apart from the Simpsons… > > To be sure, there are essentially no declared atheists in pop culture either. I think there are more avowed atheists on American TV (Bones and House come immediately to mind) than there are regular church-goers (The Simpsons). ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/102 "2011-07-21T00:16:50Z")
> [@Dr. Strangelove](#): > > [COLOR=black]Maybe that’s what you believe, but I don’t think that’s consistent with the poll. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]I am an atheist, and that is not what I believe. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]The relevant Gallup answer was “Humans evolved, with God guiding”. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]That answer [/COLOR][COLOR=black]allows does not but require continuous intervention by God. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]It is the only choice that [/COLOR][COLOR=black]virtually any non-fundamentalist Christian could [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]possibly make. [/COLOR] > [@Dr. Strangelove](#): > > [COLOR=black]I could maybe buy that argument if the poll question dealt with the origin of life–ok, fine, maybe God had a hand in lining up some lipid molecules to form the first cell wall, or tweaked the nucleic acid concentrations in a tidal pool. Science doesn’t have good answers for this yet at the moment. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]This is another possibility not requiring continuous intervention. [/COLOR] > [@Dr. Strangelove](#): > > [COLOR=black]No, the question was specifically whether humans developed from earlier species through the process of evolution. Unless you believe that humans are somehow fundamentally different from other animals, you can’t say that there was some new stopping point requiring a touch of divine intervention. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]I think our phenomenal intelligence provides a strong case for human[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]exceptionalism. [/COLOR][COLOR=black]Aside possibly from the Neanderthal, who have apparently[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]interbred with humans and [/COLOR][COLOR=black]may therefore after all be a human species, [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]no other animals come remotely close to us [/COLOR][COLOR=black]in mental ability. [/COLOR] > [@Dr. Strangelove](#): > > [COLOR=black]No–the doubters are advocating active meddling, like humans breeding dogs and horses. This belief essentially means they don’t accept the fundamental principle that natural selection leads to large changes over time. [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]Consistent with but not required by the poll.[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]I would have preferred at least one more possible choice of answers [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]in order to provide [/COLOR][COLOR=black]a better idea of how many degrees of intervention [/COLOR] [COLOR=black]different people believe in.[/COLOR] ---
**Author:** ![momosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@momosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/momosa)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/103 "2012-12-05T20:58:38Z")
I believe in me, myself & I…not some fairy-tale in the sky…that usually shuts the bible thumpers up around me when they get on their high horses. I did marry a catholic girl, been married 20 years and I was raised what I would describe as “psychotically Lutheran” but i have had zero belief in any such nonsense for 25 years or so. I love my catholic wife dearly and I think I would score higher on the morals report card than most any religious folks I know so I guess I do feel like I am somewhat of a misfit toy & not the average American that seems to just want to be told what to believe. Definitely political office is a place where folks have the need to convince the masses of their strong sense of religion, even if they are lying thieves that cheat on their wives. ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/104 "2012-12-06T01:20:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > From [_The Next American Nation,_](http://www.amazon.com/NEXT-AMERICAN-NATION-Nationalism-Revolution/dp/0684825031) by [Michael Lind:](http://www.newamerica.net/people/michael_lind) > > In a poll taken in 1924 in Muncie, Indiana, 94 percent of high school students agreed that “Christianity is the one true religion and all peoples should be converted to it.” By the late 1970s, merely 38 percent of respondents in a later poll in Muncie agreed that Christianity was the only true faith. Two-thirds of the respondents in a 1991 poll agreed that Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists “pray to the same God.” I just want to point out that the 1924 statement and the 1991 statement don’t contradict each other. It’s perfectly possible to believe that while Christianity is the only religion which correctly worships the one true God, there exist other, false, religions, which incorrectly worship the one true God. ---
**Author:** ![missyzilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9a28c/32.png) [@missyzilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyzilly)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/105 "2012-12-06T06:15:58Z")
> [@Who\_me\_1](#): > > I’d say the US is pretty religious. I’m not scared of saying that I’m an atheist, but some people think, “If you don’t believe in God, what DO you believe in?”. They can’t understand that you don’t have to believe in anything. I believe in God and I do not tell anyone unless im close to them. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/106 "2012-12-06T07:42:51Z")
> [@missyzilly](#): > > I believe in God and I do not tell anyone unless im close to them. In this country, at this point in time, why are you afraid to tell others you believe in God? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/107 "2012-12-06T14:40:38Z")
Where did she say she was afraid? Many of us prefer to keep our beliefs private. I don’t tell people that I am a Vikings fan unless they ask either. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/108 "2012-12-06T15:12:00Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Where did she say she was afraid? Many of us prefer to keep our beliefs private. I don’t tell people that I am a Vikings fan unless they ask either. You are correct. If that is what you meant, **missyzilly** , I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/109 "2012-12-06T15:15:22Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Where did she say she was afraid? In the title of her post. “ **Im scared!** ” implies that she’s afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/110 "2012-12-06T15:58:02Z")
Okay. I’ll butt out then. Don’t see titles of posts in Tapatalk. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/111 "2012-12-06T16:19:26Z")
Gonna answer your questions for the three areas of the country in which I have lived: **Atlanta, GA** > [@](#): > > Are people frightened to say they are atheists? Not at all, but it’s unusual to find open atheists. > [@](#): > > Is it only certain areas where caution is required? Define “caution”. In fear of _physical_ retaliation? Of course not. Social impact? Yes, there could be some. > [@](#): > > If you say you don’t believe in God what would happen to you? Nothing. > [@](#): > > Is almost everyone around you a believer? Yes, mostly Baptists, but being a large city, you can find multiple places of worship for any and all denominations and religions. > [@](#): > > How many people do you know who don’t believe in evolution? Probably more than I realize, but then, I don’t think it’s something to be “believed” in. Being Catholic, it’s not really an issue as the theory is accepted by the Church. > [@](#): > > How many people do you know who believe there are angels walking on the Earth? Again, probably more than I realize. > [@](#): > > If you applied for a job and were asked about your religion would you be happy to say you have none? You would never be asked that question, other than a small business setting where the rules are more easily skated. **Knoxville, TN** > [@](#): > > Are people frightened to say they are atheists? Not at all, but it’s unusual. Knoxville was far more religious and provincial than ATL or San Antonio. > [@](#): > > Is it only certain areas where caution is required? Define “caution”. In fear of _physical_ retaliation? Of course not. Social impact? Yes, there was more of a divide between the Catholics and Baptists than in Atlanta. > [@](#): > > If you say you don’t believe in God what would happen to you? Nothing. But you’d be more likely to get in an argument than in Atlanta. > [@](#): > > Is almost everyone around you a believer? Damn straight. Knoxville also has a large Catholic community, so it’s not all Baptist-oriented culture. > [@](#): > > How many people do you know who don’t believe in evolution? A lot more than in Atlanta. (Gonna skip the last two questions as my answer is the same for all 3 cities) **San Antonio, TX** > [@](#): > > Are people frightened to say they are atheists? People here are so laid-back it’s hard to get them to say anything other than “Manana”. 😉 Seriously, no. > [@](#): > > Is it only certain areas where caution is required? Less so than in the other two locations. > [@](#): > > If you say you don’t believe in God what would happen to you? Nothing. Few people would care. > [@](#): > > Is almost everyone around you a believer? Yes. San Antonio is a very Catholic city. > [@](#): > > How many people do you know who don’t believe in evolution? Again, it’s accepted doctrine for the RCC, so, technically, few people _don’t_ believe in evolution. Whether or not they accept it… that’s another matter. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/112 "2012-12-06T16:58:25Z")
Note that this thread is a zombie - something we can all believe in. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/113 "2012-12-06T17:10:15Z")
It largely depends on the circles you run in. I live in the South and it rarely comes up in public. There does seem to be an assumption that you are Christian. But I’ve never had any problems other that someone trying to proselytize when they find out. They are easy to deal with by asking a few earnest questions. Usually they’ll just say that they will pray for me. I thank them and let it go at that. For very many religion is for Sunday and almost nonexistent the rest of the week. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/114 "2012-12-06T17:13:20Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Strangelove] I could maybe buy that argument if the poll question dealt with the origin of life–ok, fine, maybe God had a hand in lining up some lipid molecules to form the first cell wall, or tweaked the nucleic acid concentrations in a tidal pool. Science doesn’t have good answers for this yet at the moment. [/QUOTE] You should look into Emergence Theory. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/115 "2012-12-06T17:16:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Getting an accurate picture of religious attitudes in the US is difficult, because like sex, when you ask people about it, their answers tend to reflect something other than reality. Well-said. Every poll I’ve ever seen says that 40% of all Americans go to church at least once a week, but I don’t believe that for a second. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/116 "2012-12-06T21:45:30Z")
> [@Glazer](#): > > You should look into Emergence Theory. I took a quick skim of some material–it’s interesting. It seems that it’s possible not just to evolve life, but to evolve the conditions necessary to evolve life. There may have been a long period in which the chemical environments themselves competed in the richness of their structure. The origin of life becomes much easier if the environment is “fine tuned” to start with. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/117 "2012-12-06T22:04:39Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Where did she say she was afraid? “ **Im scared!** ” is the title of her post. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/118 "2012-12-07T01:50:17Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > “ **Im scared!** ” is the title of her post. I get that now. As I said before, you don’t see titles when you use the iPhone Tapatalk reader. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/119 "2012-12-07T03:18:47Z")
Ibn Warraq writes: \> Every poll I’ve ever seen says that 40% of all Americans go to church at least \> once a week, but I don’t believe that for a second. As I said in a previous post in this thread, there has now been research done that shows that this is wildly wrong as a true estimate of how many Americans actually attend a house of worship in a given week. For a long time scholars of American religious demographics accepted the polls that asked Americans if they had attended a church (I’ll use “church” for a generic house of worship henceforth) in the previous week. They consistently got results from those polls that said that in any given week, 40% of Americans attended church. Finally someone decided to actually measure the number of Americans in church. They found that Americans tend to overestimate how often they go to church by a factor of at least 2. The number of Americans who attended church in a given week is thus less than 20%. Americans lie like crazy about their religious habits. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580/120 "2012-12-07T14:33:21Z")
Is it safe, then to draw these conclusions: Americans are a bit more religious (measured by % of believers, or % of church attendees) than other western countries. Americans _talk_ about their religion much more than other western countries. American politicians talk much much _much_ more about religion than politicians in other western countries, and profess to virtually 100% theism. If you’re not a politician: prejudice against non-believers is subtle at worst. Violence is non-existent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-how-religious-is-the-us/589580.md?page=7)