When Americans Say They Believe in God, What Do They Mean?

[SGOS]

But wasn't that show also fiction?  Just asking...

No, it was based on true life experiences, which was one of the things my friend enthusiastically pointed out.  There are no coincidences, and the fact that the stories were true/embellished only added evidence that his perception was correct.  The interesting part for me was that even when you dress up interesting chains of events with the truth claim, you still run into a fallacy.

There are 5 billion people in the world and each one has thousands of experiences in a week.  Statistically there will be enough people with stories to tell about one "miraculous" chain of experiences that seemed like there had to be a divine pattern, enough to make a TV series anyway.

Billions of people experiencing millions of events mathematically works out to one huge shit load of random events.  You don't need to search very far to find chains that resemble a superficial pattern.  Reasonable people would just chalk it up to someone having a extraordinarily good day/week/year.  I've had them, you've had them, everybody has because everyone encounters degrees of good fortune during their lives.  And the absurdly mundane takes on the appearance of the divine.

[Cavebear]

You need more atheist friends. Do  do you think would happen if you stood on a sidewalk holding a sign that said "I'm an atheist, are you?  With a friend to push back on idiots?

[SGOS]

You need more atheist friends. Do  do you think would happen if you stood on a sidewalk holding a sign that said "I'm an atheist, are you?  With a friend to push back on idiots?

After I identified as an atheist, I felt kind of alone.  But then I took an inventory, and I realized I had several atheist friends, some that I never realized because we had just never talked about it.  This helps underscore that atheism is not a special belief, but more like NOT collecting stamps

[Cavebear]

After I identified as an atheist, I felt kind of alone.  But then I took an inventory, and I realized I had several atheist friends, some that I never realized because we had just never talked about it.  This helps underscore that atheism is not a special belief, but more like NOT collecting stamps

SCORE!

Um, yes, that makes sense.  I have learned that many more people are basically "atheist" than let on. 

[Unbeliever]

Yeah, many people don't really believe in God, they believe in belief.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I met two dozen atheists the second week I was in this area. I went to Meetup.com and looked for like-minded groups in this area.

[Cavebear]

Yeah, many people don't really believe in God, they believe in belief.

Couldn't get that link, but I know what you mean.  I have friends who admit that they only go to Church on Sunday because they think they "should" rather than they want to for any reason.  They go because their neighbors or family does.  And you have to wonder if the friends and family are doing it for the same sad reasons.  Maybe they should just all talk to each other and stop.  Right?

[Baruch]

In the US, the church is one main area of socializing outside of work, relatives and friends.  It is a source of community, that political meetings do no achieve.  Of course church involves conformity, and politics involves dispute.

[Cavebear]

I met two dozen atheists the second week I was in this area. I went to Meetup.com and looked for like-minded groups in this area.

Thanks for the meetup.com/  I'm checking it out.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Thanks for the meetup.com/  I'm checking it out.

Those numbers are for  St. Louis. YMMV

[Unbeliever]

Couldn't get that link, but I know what you mean.  I have friends who admit that they only go to Church on Sunday because they think they "should" rather than they want to for any reason.  They go because their neighbors or family does.  And you have to wonder if the friends and family are doing it for the same sad reasons.  Maybe they should just all talk to each other and stop.  Right?

I don't know what's wrong with the link, but this one seems to work:

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Belief_in_belief


They're all afraid to talk about their religious apathy to each other, since each thinks the other is on fire for God, and they're afraid of being ostracized. So to avoid ostracism they turn into ostriches and hide their heads from themselves.

[Baruch]

I don't know what's wrong with the link, but this one seems to work:

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Belief_in_belief


They're all afraid to talk about their religious apathy to each other, since each thinks the other is on fire for God, and they're afraid of being ostracized. So to avoid ostracism they turn into ostriches and hide their heads from themselves.

Human caterpillar strikes again ;-((  Sounds like something from the irrational.org wiki.  See it is turtles all the way down ... belief_in_belief_in_belief ... on it does, proving the Halting problem is insoluble.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I don't know what's wrong with the link, but this one seems to work:

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Belief_in_belief


They're all afraid to talk about their religious apathy to each other, since each thinks the other is on fire for God, and they're afraid of being ostracized. So to avoid ostracism they turn into ostriches and hide their heads from themselves.

They say the things they're expected to say. It ends there for so very many of them. But the nuts take it and run with it

[Cavebear]

I'm not afraid to talk to the cult-visitors about religion.  I just ask them to prove their originator actually existed.  That usually confuses them enough. 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm not afraid to talk to the cult-visitors about religion.  I just ask them to prove their originator actually existed.  That usually confuses them enough. 

"Millions of cults, but YOURS is the right one. Arrogant much?"