While both President Obama and his Republicans challengers continue to engage in faith-based politics, a recent poll shows Americans faith in organized religion at an all-time low. Nevertheless, attacks on atheists and agnostics and secularists appear at an all-time high in the West (here and here).
Ironically, while confidence in our politicians are also at an all time low, they have reached out to churches to help push the faithful to the polls.
The new Gallup poll shows only 44 percent of people expressing a “great deal” of confidence in organized religion — down from the 1970s when 68 percent of Americans had a high degree of confidence.
Not surprisingly, Catholics show the sharpest decline. Yet other polls still show atheists trusted as much as rapists. Recent scandals appear to have lowered the respect and trust of religion just as those numbers are failing for political institutions.
We have also seen a decline in actual faith figures around the world with rising numbers of atheists and agnostics.
Source: MSNBC
Blouise,
There is still lightning. And now there’s rain.
“With regard to my sense of humor, where is yours?” (Matt Johnson)
Geeze … I thought I had explained that when I wrote “An agnostic invoking the name of God is sooo Protagoras.” (sigh), Oh well, I guess you had to be there …
I just heard lightning in Wisconsin. Right now. I think the rains are coming.
Blouise,
I don’t even know who Protagoras is. Do appreciate your apology for spelling my name wrong. At the end.
With regard to my sense of humor, where is yours?
I am anti-organ.
Matt Johnson,
My sincere apologies for the typo in spelling your name … and for assuming you had a sense of humor. An agnostic invoking the name of God is sooo Protagoras. But never mind … my error on both counts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protagoras
Blouise, I’m not a philosopher. Figure it out for yourself.
You spelled my name wrong in your last post.
“I’m agnostic. And speaking against the State is your God given right” (Matt Johnston)
Protagoras, is that you?
Religion is mythology. It is basically a social institution for people who need a crutch. I’m agnostic. And speaking against the State is your God given right, as long as you don’t say anything threatening.
I am an atheist (Wow, we have advanced from “cannibal” to “rapist,” way to go guys!!!)
Personally what I think is that religion gives people comfort and trust that there is order and ultimately justice in the world. Never mind if it is false or full of laughably illogical contradictions or that there is overwhelming evidence of that. For many people it is too comforting to believe in the magic and too terrifying to reject it.
Rejecting organized religion is what we should expect from being bathed in news from around the world every waking minute.
I believe that will create some converts to agnosticism and atheism, and allow some people inclined toward disbelief the freedom to declare themselves, but for the most part I think the magic is just too alluring, and if organized religion is just a phase humanity went through, humanity will re-embrace disorganized religion and the general tolerance of the early Romans (they let subjects speak, believe and practice as they pleased, but if they acted or spoke against the State they were summarily executed).
I have noticed that “faith” has been transferred from religious institutions to political parties, with all that faith entails. It makes sense that Obamney would be courting their voters in this manner.
I don’t remember people letting political institutions dictate their morality in the way I see now. Political candidates are using the language and trappings of religion not just to gain religious followers but, IMO, to replace religion with their own cults of personality. It is working.
In history, we have seen this conversion of religion into the cult of a leader many times. It has always been a disaster. Emperors ended up with their own religious cults in Rome. I see this is what is happening in the US. It is scary.
I have always advocated that they get rid of their organs.
It could stand to fall further such that magic-thinking is no longer thrust upon our shared public policy.
Organized religion another name for entitlements……not necessarily enlightenment……
This poll may be right. In desperation “religious”
Leaders who have lost the trust of their followers are looking to government to enforce their religious beliefs through laws that are nothing less than the establishment of religion and because their members no longer want to fund their excesses they are grabbing every cent of tax dollars they can while flaunting the law. It is time for the rest of us to say no more.
The reemergence of Enlightenment? One can hope.
Sadly I expect many of those who have lost faith in organized religions are praying for it to be restored. >.<
Thank Dog!
I hate to be picky, but it is GALLUP, as you have in the text, not GALLOP as you have in the title. Do not trust polls or spell checkers. If however you want to contract for a inexpensive poll, Andy Gallup’s Opinion is available and there is no margin of error.