Question About Religion? Ask an Atheist.

[Smackie Chan]

Not terribly surprising, really.

If you want to know about God, you might want to talk to an atheist.

Heresy? Perhaps. But a survey that measured Americans' knowledge of religion found that atheists and agnostics knew more, on average, than followers of most major faiths. In fact, the gaps in knowledge among some of the faithful may give new meaning to the term "blind faith."

A majority of Protestants, for instance, couldn't identify Martin Luther as the driving force behind the Protestant Reformation, according to the survey, released Tuesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Four in 10 Catholics misunderstood the meaning of their church's central ritual, incorrectly saying that the bread and wine used in Holy Communion are intended to merely symbolize the body and blood of Christ, not actually become them.

Atheists and agnostics -- those who believe there is no God or who aren't sure -- were more likely to answer the survey's questions correctly. Jews and Mormons ranked just below them in the survey's measurement of religious knowledge -- so close as to be statistically tied.

So why would an atheist know more about religion than a Christian?

American atheists and agnostics tend to be people who grew up in a religious tradition and consciously gave it up, often after a great deal of reflection and study, said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum.

"These are people who thought a lot about religion," he said. "They're not indifferent. They care about it."

Atheists and agnostics also tend to be relatively well educated, and the survey found, not surprisingly, that the most knowledgeable people were also the best educated. However, it said that atheists and agnostics also outperformed believers who had a similar level of education.

The groups at the top of the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey were followed, in order, by white evangelical Protestants, white Catholics, white mainline Protestants, people who were unaffiliated with any faith (but not atheist or agnostic), black Protestants and Latino Catholics.

[poptart]

So why would an atheist know more about religion than a Christian?

American atheists and agnostics tend to be people who grew up in a religious tradition and consciously gave it up, often after a great deal of reflection and study, said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum.

"These are people who thought a lot about religion," he said. "They're not indifferent. They care about it."

This is true.

It's often possible to have more interesting discussion about the Bible with an atheist or an agnostic than with a Christian - many of whom are pitifully ignorant about what they supposedly believe in.

It's also true, however, that many atheists and agnostics have some very strange misconceptions about the Bible.

If you want to know about God, you might want to talk to an atheist.

I would disagree with this point - because of the wording of it.

It's my view that an atheist has not met God, so he has never "known" Him.

[Smackie Chan]

It's my view that an atheist has not met God, so he has never "known" Him.

But Christians have? How'd that meeting go?

[poptart]

Christians have, yes.

The meetings are great.
They are on-going and daily.


Matthew 28:20
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

[Goober McTuber]

Baptists are not supposed to have sex standing up, as God might think they are dancing.

[R-Jack]

It's my view that an atheist has not met God, so he has never "known" Him.

But Christians have? How'd that meeting go?

They're great. John of Patmos brings punch and pie.

[Mikey]

I thought this was going to be a Smackie Chan Q&A thread.

Really disappointed here.

[Smackie Chan]

Smackie, just what Is the meaning of life? As it relates to music of course.

Good...starting off with an easy one. The answer, my child, is "Life Is a Rock, But the Radio Rolled Me." I realize the the "meaning" for which you asked is not easily discerned from this answer, but you know us musical mystics - we speak in lyrical ambiguity.

[Ana Ng]

The meetings are great.
They are on-going and daily.

Anything yet on that big reduction in the price of beer?

[Wolfman]

U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey---umm OK. I'd like to ask someone who did this survey a few questions. The first one would be what is the source of your funding. Then I'd like to get into sampling methods and such. These studies are usually done with an agenda in mind. I wouldn't be surprised if this study fit that model. Even if it is all on the up and up (which I doubt) my response to their conclusions would be--so what ? Am I supposed to give a shit about what some person does not believe ? Spare me.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

The meetings are great.
They are on-going and daily.

Are there refreshments?

[mvscal]

The meetings are great.
They are on-going and daily.

Are there refreshments?

Of course. Punch, cookies and young boys.

[poptart]

The meetings are great.
They are on-going and daily.

Are there refreshments?

Yes.


Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God

- Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3