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Previous studies have demonstrated a much higher degree of religiosity in the US compared with most of Europe and the current survey, perhaps unsurprisingly, supports this finding.
“Half of Americans deem religion very important in their lives; fewer than a quarter in Spain (22%), Germany (21%), Britain (17%) and France (13%) share this view.
Moreover, Americans are far more inclined than Western Europeans to say it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values; 53% say this is the case in the U.S., compared with just one-third in Germany, 20% in Britain, 19% in Spain and 15% in France.”
Of particular interest, however, is the demographic breakdown of the US results. For instance the results reveals major differences in US attitudes to religion based on gender (women are much more likely than men , 59% vs 41%, to consider religion as being very important, as are older compared to younger individuals (57% vs 41%).
Great News: Religiosity drops in America « Why Evolution Is True
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Thanks for the great comments and votes on my last seed. In case you missed it:
Islamic cleric bans women from touching bananas, cucumbers for sexual resemblance - Jihad Watch
I now know I'm not the only fan of Jihad Watch....Thanks
Religion is the U.S. has been on the decline for several years. Growing stronger daily. Even in the Muslim world, we have reason to believe, skepticism and doubt is seeping in. One reason is with modern communication, criticism of religion can no longer be silenced or easily ignored.
- 1 vote
#1 - Thu Dec 8, 2011 6:04 PM ESTYou know me KD. I would look at the results of this survey differently than you would. But, that being said, I think the article is well written. From my own experience, I would say that the figures may be a bit high. That would be optimistic or pessimistic depending upon one's perspective.
- 1 vote
#2 - Thu Dec 8, 2011 7:28 PM EST
The shift of US religious opinion towards a more secular outlook is mirrored in the gradual change in the answer to the question “Should homosexuality be accepted?” The current result for the US population (60% saying that homosexuality should be accepted) shows a 9% increase since the 2002 survey, albeit still remaining far below the European levels, which vary from 81% in Britain to 91% in Spain.
I think this is the best news I've read all day. Thanks KD!
I had this argument a few days ago where I told someone religion is showing cracks and dropping in the industrialized world. They responded by saying it isn't overall because third world countries are still rising.
The important thing being that more Americans are embracing secularism, which will have a huge impact on laws there, especially ones that discriminate against minorities. That's something to be happy about. I think it's a direct result of the Internet.
Thanks for making my night, bro.
- 5 votes
#3 - Thu Dec 8, 2011 8:13 PM ESTKD (and Grisham) -
Even more good news on Jerry's website, just after the article your posted.
http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/more-cause-for-celebration-evolution-acceptance-on-the-uptick/
- 4 votes
#4 - Fri Dec 9, 2011 12:58 AM ESTInteresting to see in the results that among the more highly educated (ie: those with a college degree) people are more apt to understand that you do not have to conjure up a fictitious deity to be moral.
The rest of the results are not surprising, but it's still disturbing that we are so far behind the rest of the world in giving up our indoctrinal myths.
- 3 votes
#5 - Fri Dec 9, 2011 2:07 PM ESTIn spite of the goof news, we have this -
http://ncse.com/news/2011/12/county-school-superintendent-blasts-evolution-006992
County school superintendent blasts evolution
The superintendent of the school system in Hart County, Kentucky, is complaining about the emphasis on evolution in the state's new end-of-course test for biology, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader (December 13, 2011). ...
- 1 vote
#6 - Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:02 PM ESTThanks JackOL your contributions are greatly appreciated.
Evolution is also a great subject. What we need is a time machine to settle the questions. I am guessing the mechanics that started life on Earth are still hard at work here and perhaps elsewhere, less we all die.
I would not be offended if people disagree..
"The totalitarian, to me, is the enemy - the one that's absolute, the one that wants control over the inside of your head, not just your actions and your taxes. And the origins of that are theocratic, obviously. The beginning of that is the idea that there is a supreme leader, or infallible pope, or a chief rabbi, or whatever, who can ventriloquise the divine and tell us what to do." ~ Christopher Hitchens
- 1 vote
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