Number of American atheists doubled since 2007, but more still believe in witches or UFOs

[Playinghardball]

About one-fourth of Americans say they’re not religious at all, a figure that has nearly doubled in six years, but that is still fewer than the number of people who believe in witches and alien spacecraft.

A new Harris Poll found that 74 percent of U.S. adults believe in God, but that percentage has dropped from 82 percent who claimed religious faith in previous polls conducted over the past eight years.

Absolute certainty in God’s existence dropped to 54 percent, nine percentage points fewer than in 2003, and just 19 percent of those polled described themselves as very religious.

Four in 10 respondents said they were somewhat religious, down from 49 percent in 2007, while 23 percent of Americans claimed no religious faith at all, up from 12 percent in 2007

more at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/18/number-of-american-atheists-doubled-since-2007-but-more-still-believe-in-witches-or-ufos/

[napkinz]

1. I'm afraid to go to sleep

[Old Codger]

2. I believe

That the real numbers are way higher than that. The comparison only says that there are more than are willing to admit to believing in witches and UFOs than are willing to admit to atheism .....

[X_Digger]

7. Agreed. Depending on where you live..

.. and whether such an admission could have impacts on your standing in the community or job prospects, you might not be inclined to proclaim it to a random pollster.

[el_bryanto]

10. So many Atheists are basically cowards?

A random pollster they don't know calls them up and they chicken out?

Bryant

[X_Digger]

21. Are people who adhere to their local social norms 'cowards'?

My, that's.. a novel way of interpreting my response, now isn't it?

[el_bryanto]

22. Well they are atheists but they aren't willing to admit it, right?

Because they are worried they will suffer some societal problems based on getting a random phone-call from a pollster?

How would their neighbors know exactly that they talked to a Pollster? "Ah you are a good God fearing Christian? I just talked to your neighbor and she said she was an atheist - what do you think about that?"

Bryant

[X_Digger]

33. If they're used to hiding their beliefs due to social pressure, then the fact that it's a random..

.. pollster may not matter.

It's a phenomenon well-documented in sociology, and covers social norms around religion, race, gender attitudes, and race to name a few. People tend to say what their social norms expect them to.

An example would be random polling done in southern states during the civil rights area that on its face would show a lack of racist attitudes, in direct opposition to the experiences of minorities in those same places.

[el_bryanto]

42. Still seems cowardly to me

I'm a Mormon - that's not a popular religion around DU and I've taken some grief over it both here and in real life. But I don't hide it.

I think it's wishful thinking - like imagining that there are a lot of people out there who would flock to the polls if we put up someone like Bernie Sanders who was a real alternative to republicans instead someone like Obama who is basically a left leaning corpratist.

Not that we shouldn't put up Bernie Sanders - I think he could a great candidate, I just think don't think that him entering the race will automatically increase voter turnout by a huge amount.

Bryant

[liberal_at_heart]

44. just because you feel comfortable telling people you are Mormon doesn't mean others feel

comfortable telling people they are atheist. Try not to judge others' experiences on yours. Everybody's experiences are different and so are their choices. oh, and by the way I don't care if it is wishful thinking. I will be voting for politicians like Sanders. These things become self fulfilling prophecies. People say populist candidates can't win so people believe it and don't vote for them. I chose to believe that if enough of us vote for these politicians they will win. Populist candidates are winning at the local level. Congress has a 9% approval rating. There is plenty of room for populist candidates to win. If I'm going to contribute to a self fulfilling prophesy it is going to be the one where I am one more vote for the populists. If enough of us vote for populists then populists will win.

[X_Digger]

48. Well isn't that special! n/t

[Dawson Leery]

3. The "nones" are on par with the "Christian" Right.

There at 50-54 million in each group. We need to organize the "nones" into a political power block to promote progressive policies.

See this for who the "Nones" are.

http://prospect.org/article/rise-%E2%80%9Cnones%E2%80%9D

[Bandit]

4. Heaven and Earth are two distinct places. Earth is terrestrial and Heaven is not

So any being that dwells in Heaven (God and the Angels) are by definition extra-terrestrial. The Bible says God needs mechanical devices to travel in as stated in Ezekial.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. ^^^^Thread winner^^^

[K lib]

5. Evolution Belief

"Republicans are less likely (36 percent) than Democrats (52 percent) and independents (51 percent) to believe in evolution."

that a very sad number for Democrats to be just barely over 50 percent although i think that is because two demographics African Americans and Latinos tend to be more religious. America still has not gotten over 50 percent belief in Evolution which is really sad coming up on 2014. Otherwise good news in with the ever decreasing grip religion has on our country.

[Arugula Latte]

6. One of the key ramifications of the Internet has been

to give a mass forum for people to compare notes on religion and conclude that they too see that Emperor is quite starkers-level nekkid.

[Octafish]

8. Yeah. As if the government would ever lie about UFOs.

Thomas Mantell, Felix E. Moncla, Jr. and Robert L. Wilson were three U.S. government employees who lost their lives chasing something that does not exist. In Australia, Frederick Valentich was in their junior civil air patrol and just disappeared while talking about something that does not exist with air traffic control.

[Logical]

13. LOL, for FFS, you think aliens have visited earth also? Are you just fucking with us? Nt

[zappaman]

14. Well...

[Logical]

16. Lol! I will use that! nt

[Octafish]

17. From 2004: Know your BFEE: A Crime Line of Treason

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2748315

What were you doing in 2004, zappaman?

[pintobean]

31. Touring

[zappaman]

38. Whoa...

I remember them!
Had this record...

[pintobean]

45. I had this one.

Canadians sure did rock, back in the day.

[SidDithers]

46. What a strange coincidence...

I asked my wife for a solar powered laser beam guitar for Christmas this year.

Sid

[zappaman]

35. What was I doing it 2004?

Working to elect John Kerry and Democrats locally and statewide.
What were you doing?
Posting on the internet?

[SidDithers]

24. And boom goes the dynamite...

another winner there, zap.

Sid

[Octafish]

15. Did you hear any of those names before today?

If not, it's a good bet you don't know what you're talking about.

[Logical]

18. Lol....ok.....

Please link to your strongest proof/paper/study/incident that aliens have visited earth and I will read it. I am serious because I really want it to be true!

I have heard of Philip Klass! Met him actually.

[Octafish]

19. Really, when was that?

Did you meet Dr. Donald Menzel, too?

As for helping you, no. You go look it up.

[Logical]

25. Lol, you have nothing, I get it. I always ask that question to see if people...

Just believe or have some evidence. It should be easy, even for you, to have one fucking link to some UFO proof you respect. But no! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

[Octafish]

37. You know why I don't want to help you?

Because you phrased your question exactly the way you phrased it previously on DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2388204

And even with Klass' book under your belt, I don't see where you've added anything since.

[Logical]

39. GREAT, if that the case you most think proves it, I will....

Read and research it, then provide my feedback! Thanks for the link!

[Logical]

28. Talked to Klass in Miami, he signed his alien abduction book......

And wrote "if you sleep with this book under your bed, you will never be abducted" and he was RIGHT!

[Octafish]

30. I'm happy for you.

You must know a lot from reading one book, then.

[Logical]

43. I have read more than enough to know that there might be aliens, but none....

Have visited earth. Even Hynek said most sightings were BS.

But I will use your above story as your proof example and research it!

[Octafish]

49. If you know who Hynek is, you might enjoy reading Vallee.

He says he'd be disappointed to learn whatever is behind the phenomenon were "simply" interstellar or intergalactic travelers.

[Logical]

50. I would love aliens to visit earth. I hope they do in my lifetime. Or at least a radio signal. nt

[zappaman]

34. Proof that it works!

You lucky guy!

[zappaman]

20. Asking for links to back it up?

Really?

[Octafish]

23. You are so much like Frank Zappa not.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022386270#post16

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1135262

[zappaman]

29. Yup

Pretty sure he didn't think Oswald may have been a hero.
Seriously, who on earth would think that besides conservatives???

oh...right.

"As for Oswald, I don't know if he was a hero in all this or not."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2232672

Pretty sure he didn't believe in aliens visiting earth either.

So yeah we are kind of alike.
Thanks for pointing it out, old friend!

[Octafish]

41. Got it: The fact Oswald never had a chance to defend himself in court doesn't mean much to you.

Nor the fact he likely wasn't the person or persons shooting in Dealey Plaza, based on the testimony of a police officer and the TSBD manager who found him drinking a Coke about a minute after the shooting on the second floor lunchroom.

Almost forgot: How many times did you talk to Frank Zappa? Two times or three? You've said both.

[Logical]

26. I know, it was worth a try. I feel silly now! nt

[zappaman]

32. Of course you do!

There is nothing in your journal!!!

[zappaman]

9. The nazis knew what was up...

Esoteric Hitlerism

As with any internet discussion, it all eventually turns to a discussion of Nazism. And alien conspiracy theories are no exception, with my favorite of the weird extraterrestrial conspiracies, Esoteric Hitlerism.

Spearheaded by Miguel Serrano, Esoteric Hitlerists believe that the Aryan race is descended from an alien species of the highest order. Finding evidence in the story of the Nephilim in the bible, Serrano believes that an ancient alien civilization came to Earth to enlighten man. They bred with ancient earthlings, and the Aryan race are the only race alive that maintains any of the purity in their blood of these lofty ancestors. Serrano taught that the alien gods were hiding, with Adolf Hitler, in an icy underground fortress, from which they will one day emerge with fleets of spacecraft to usher in the Fourth Reich.

http://io9.com/5692584/6-real+life-alien-conspiracy-theories-even-more-unbelievable-than-fiction

[sakabatou]

11. The belief in something that may be out there

Is more plausible than disbelieving in things to most.

[Logical]

12. I will pray for you Atheists.....

It won't do shit, but I will pray anyway!

[liberal_at_heart]

27. I understand that atheists are glad to see their demographic grow because then they will get

better representation, but who the hell cares how many people believe in witches or UFO's? Some atheists are no better than religious people in that they can't wait for the opportunity to oppress other people's views. Just believe or don't believe what you want and leave everybody else the hell alone.

[Arugula Latte]

40. "leave everybody else the hell alone" -- aim that one at religious people.

This "atheists are no better than zealots" line being pushed on DU recently is such B.S. You can't compare the two. There is a non-stop onslaught of religious propaganda showering down on Americans 24/7. Atheists hardly have a whisper of a voice in this country.

[Politicalboi]

36. Witches? WTF?

UFO's I can see, but witches? I believe more in UFO's than a "God". I doubt we're alone. But a "God" to pray to, and devote my life to, is IMO ridiculous.

[mother earth]

51. WTF? One must "believe" in witches or UFO's, there's no acknowledgement that there are

indeed "Unidentified" flying objects, or that there are indeed, wiccans? Shall we now poll whether Buddhists are real, or Plumbers? Perhaps it's just a bad choice of semantics or contrasts?

While we are on the subject, I think it's quite revealing that atheists seem to have no tolerance for those who do have any kind of religious beliefs, it's like their own private war is being waged. Shall we take a poll on whether atheism is tolerant? Or is it just a "driveby shooting" mentality of those who would have us believe they are in possession of a higher mindset? Frankly, when atheists stop acting like the Christians who are hell bent on our salvation, they might actually prove a leg up, until then it is merely arrogance, and that is said for both extremist sides since the feat of tolerance is equally unattainable in both paradigms.

Who cares that numbers have doubled? Hate crimes and gun killings are on the upswing too, oh my, is this proof of godly proportions?

Now flame away all ye Christians and atheists.

[sagat]

52. Americans gonna stupid.

At least acceptance of evolution is up.