# The SDMB Religosity Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288 "2010-04-07T16:26:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/1 "2010-04-07T16:26:06Z")
Quite simply, what’s your level of faith? I’m under the impression that vast majority of SDMB members are serious atheists. Is that really the case? (FWIW, I consider myself a “theistic agnostic” with a healthy dose of doubt. I still attend occasional religious services; once a month or so.) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/2 "2010-04-07T16:31:18Z")
I’m a polite atheist. Meaning I see no point in needlessly taunting/insulting/mocking/otherwise confronting believers; I make no claims to having all the answers, and I really wish some of the aggressive, militant atheists…including some on this very board…would both grow and shut the hell up. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/3 "2010-04-07T16:44:47Z")
Strong atheist, though I remain Hindy culturally. But generally you’ll never know form my mouth. I don’t talk about it unless asked directly, and I never debate religion. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/4 "2010-04-07T16:49:04Z")
Strong atheist. I’m very quiet about it in my personal life, although I’ve no doubt said some marginally insulting things here. I don’t hold any grudge towards any organized religion; they’re all equally invalid in my opinion, but folks should be left alone to decide for themselves: that’s all. If religion gives you something that is missing in your life, then all the power to you. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/5 "2010-04-07T16:49:28Z")
Staunch atheist, though like **Anaamika** , you won’t ever know unless you ask me directly. ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/6 "2010-04-07T16:53:51Z")
Agnostic theist. My running joke on the subject is that I’m an agnostic pagan - I’m not sure if there are MANY gods. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/7 "2010-04-07T16:54:49Z")
I’m not sure what the difference between “atheist” and “firm atheist” is. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/8 "2010-04-07T16:58:14Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I’m not sure what the difference between “atheist” and “firm atheist” is. I don’t presume to speak for the OP, but I’ve always understood it as: Atheist: I don’t believe in god(s). Firm Atheist: I believe there is/are no god(s). ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/9 "2010-04-07T16:58:15Z")
EDIT: What Dante said. [This guy](http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd11/GilRuiz1/bumper_stickers_02.jpg) would be a firm atheist, but not firm atheists would be that militant. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/10 "2010-04-07T17:01:16Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > I don’t presume to speak for the OP, but I’ve always understood it as: > > Atheist: I don’t believe in god(s). > Firm Atheist: I believe there is/are no god(s). I’ve heard this before and I still think it’s bull. Those two things are one in the same and any argument to the contrary is semantics. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/11 "2010-04-07T17:02:02Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’m a polite atheist. Meaning I see no point in needlessly taunting/insulting/mocking/otherwise confronting believers; I make no claims to having all the answers, and I really wish some of the aggressive, militant atheists…including some on this very board…would both grow and shut the hell up. For every Christian that you politely leave to their own beliefs, I am going to smack two of them upside the head with the Atheism Manifesto. That will teach you to be all reasonable and shit. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/12 "2010-04-07T17:03:26Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > I don’t presume to speak for the OP, but I’ve always understood it as: > > Atheist: I don’t believe in god(s). > Firm Atheist: I believe there is/are no god(s). I’d put it the other way around, I think. Well, actually, I’d put it as “I believe there are no gods” vs. “I know there are no gods”. That kind of thing. \*\*Elmwood’s \*\*definition doesn’t fit me if that’s firm atheism - I enjoy exchanging Christmas gifts, will buy Easter Candy and will even say Amen if someone else is saying grace. Participating in cultural traditions doesn’t at all affect or even reflect my views, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/13 "2010-04-07T17:03:55Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I’ve heard this before and I still think it’s bull. Those two things are one in the same and any argument to the contrary is semantics. I agree. I voted for firm atheist, because I don’t believe there are gods, but I still don’t see the difference. I try not to be an asshole about it, though. I don’t go around the internet shrieking that teaching your children that there’s a god is child abuse, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/14 "2010-04-07T17:06:12Z")
I put down firm atheist, however I thought it meant atheist with a chubby. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/15 "2010-04-07T17:07:21Z")
I’m not precisely sure how to answer: I’m certainly not a fundamentalist, but the “mainstream” is someone who mostly only goes to church on Christmas and Easter, which doesn’t describe me either. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/16 "2010-04-07T17:08:39Z")
Where is a mild buddhist supposed to go? Theist? Agnostic? As long as it’s not with \*\*kayaker \*\*and his chubby. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/17 "2010-04-07T17:09:04Z")
[QUOTE=TellMeI’mNotCrazy;12313577 \*\*Elmwood’s \*\*definition doesn’t fit me if that’s firm atheism - I enjoy exchanging Christmas gifts, will buy Easter Candy and will even say Amen if someone else is saying grace. Participating in cultural traditions doesn’t at all affect or even reflect my views, IMHO.[/QUOTE] I do Christmas gifts because family/friends/coworkers are into it. Generally will try to leave the room before prayers happen, but if I can’t do so gracefully, I’ll stand silent and respectfully while other people pray. I don’t say amen. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/18 "2010-04-07T17:13:45Z")
I say agnostic to give the christians hope. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/19 "2010-04-07T17:18:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m not precisely sure how to answer: I’m certainly not a fundamentalist, but the “mainstream” is someone who mostly only goes to church on Christmas and Easter, which doesn’t describe me either. This. Although right now I’m waffling between “Mainstream” and “Deist” (I like the sound of that, but it may set off alarm bells with my Christian (non-Doper) friends (including the wife) “Oh noes! He’s wandering away from The Faith! He doesn’t consider himself a Christian!” :rolleyes:) I can see myself checking off any of the first three. If there was a "Hey, **elmwood** , learn how to make a poll, will ya! You forgot about … " option, as is the tradition here, I’d probably click it, though. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288/20 "2010-04-07T17:21:51Z")
Firm atheist, but a practicing Jew. Go figure. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-religosity-poll/535288.md?page=2)