RubySoho
Winston
Losing Our Religion
July 6th 2008 09:52
Oh life is bigger. Is bigger than you and...Australia is one of the world’s least religious countries, according to The Religion Monitor, a new international survey that studied the religiosity of the world’s most developed nations.
The Religion Monitor, conducted by the Bertelsman Foundation, surveyed 21,000 people across 22 countries and ranked Australia 17th in religious adherence. According to the survey:
“28% of the Australian population see themselves as not at all religious, with religious practices and beliefs barely featuring in their lives. A similar number classify themselves as deeply religious (25%) whilst 44% of Australians say they consider themselves religious but that religion does not play a central role in their lives.
48% of Australians do not partake in personal prayer, and 52% never or very seldom visit a church, mosque, synagogue or temple for religious reasons. 31% said that they did not believe in God or a divine power or in life after death. Religion scored lower than all other parts of daily life, with 50% of Australians considering religion the least important when compared to family, partners, work/career, leisure time and politics”.
Only the godless heathens in Britain, France, Russia and Germany showed less interest in religion than us Aussies. I don’t know about you but I’m pretty proud of this one, kind of goes some way into making up for the fact that we are taking over the reigns from America as the world’s primary nation of fatties. I think Australia should aim to become the number 22, or number 1 depending how you look at it, on this list by the end of the decade.
Seriously though, I have often thought about why the religious attitudes of Australians and Americans have evolved so differently, given that we share a fairly similar history in being colonised by the British. My personal theory on this is that old habits die hard and the blood of the puritans still flows through the veins of the average American and we, well the whole world knows our dignified beginnings as a nation of convicts. That’s not say that we are untrustworthy or that all the convicts and first settlers were not religious, just that religion has never played a central role in our history.
Another factor could simply be the ratio of people living in small towns to those living in the cities. Although America has, by far, larger cities than Australia, more Americans live in small towns and rural areas whereas the majority of Australians are gathered in the cities. Again these are just my own, personal musings and if anyone has anything interesting to add on these points I'd love to hear them.
Oh and speaking of America they were, not surprisingly, the most religious nation surveyed in The Religion Monitor with 60% classifying themselves as deeply religious and only 11% as not at all religious.
But this is hardly surprising when you consider that 33% of Americans believe in ghosts, 34% believe in UFO’s. 48% believe in ESP (which is, incredibly, actually a drop from 66% as surveyed by Newsweek in 1996), 19% believe in magic spells and 10% of America’s youth think they see dead people.
And the piece de resistance? According to the recently conducted Pew Survey which questioned 36,000 Americans on their religious beliefs 92% of Americans believe in God ‘most’ believe “angels and demons are active in this world” and close to 80% believe that miracles occur today.
I’m totally flabbergasted at the sheer lack of rationality and reason in my fellow man. No wonder Richard Dawkins is fed up. According to one woman interviewed in the Pew Survey, her personal experience of miracles include God curing her of her stuttering and “giving her the resources for her home care business.” Well, I see her point. In a world full of injustice and war, of pestilence and disease, of torture and imprisonment, oppression and repression, starvation and death, where else is God going to direct his energies but to a 62 year old woman from a cushy middle class suburb in Florida? And I suppose it would be unfair of him to play favourites by only intervening in human affairs when it comes to American/Australian/Every Other Nation Of Talentless Gits Idol, and the Grammies.
But before any of my fellow atheists out there get too dejected at the results of this survey, I just want to point out that the Pew Survey found that 21% of those that called themselves atheists also said they believed in God or a “universal spirit”. Either those so-called atheists have no idea what the hell an atheist actually is, or the survey is somewhat of a sham. For the sake of my sanity, I am choosing to believe the latter.
Again not surprisingly, the Pew Survey found that those who prayed and/attended church regularly where most likely to oppose abortion and homosexuality. Oh and 9% of Americans speak in tongues. Every. Single. Week. That’s how they know God is inside them. Of course. Silly me, I thought they were just getting carried away with their own fanaticism and speaking gibberish.
According to Wiki atheists make up only 12-15% of the world’s population, thought Wiki does add that this figure is likely to be inaccurate since so many atheists would be uncomfortable or downright terrified of confessing their true beliefs in countries where non-belief is strongly discouraged or even prohibited. A 2006 survey conducted by the University of Minnesota:
"found atheists to be the most distrusted of minorities, more so than Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians, and other groups. Many of the respondents associated atheism with immorality, including criminal behaviour, extreme materialism, and elitism.[2] However, the same study also reported that, “The researchers also found acceptance or rejection of atheists is related not only to personal religiosity, but also to one’s exposure to diversity, education and political orientation — with more educated, East and West Coast Americans more accepting of atheists than their Midwestern counterparts.”
Hmmm.
And what is atheism exactly? Well, according to American philosopher Sam Harris:
"Atheism is not a philosophy; it is not even a view of the world; it is simply a refusal to deny the obvious. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which the obvious is overlooked as a matter of principle. The obvious must be observed and re-observed and argued for. This is a thankless job. It carries with it an aura of petulance and insensitivity. It is, moreover, a job that the atheist does not want.
It is worth noting that no one ever need identify himself as a non-astrologer or a non-alchemist. Consequently, we do not have words for people who deny the validity of these pseudo-disciplines. Likewise, “atheism” is a term that should not even exist. Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make when in the presence of religious dogma. The atheist is merely a person who believes that the 260 million Americans (eighty-seven percent of the population) who claim to “never doubt the existence of God” should be obliged to present evidence for his existence -- and, indeed, for his benevolence, given the relentless destruction of innocent human beings we witness in the world each day. Only the atheist appreciates just how uncanny our situation is: most of us believe in a God that is every bit as specious as the gods of Mount Olympus; no person, whatever his or her qualifications, can seek public office in the United States without pretending to be certain that such a God exists; and much of what passes for public policy in our country conforms to religious taboos and superstitions appropriate to a medieval theocracy. Our circumstance is abject, indefensible, and terrifying. It would be hilarious if the stakes were not so high."
You tell 'em Sam. One day, they may even start to listen...
And now, just because I think Michael Stipe is one of the sexiest SOB’s I ever did see and I will use any excuse to partake in his sexy goodness, here is REM at the height of their musical powers. I’m right behind you boys, right behind you.
Oh and bonus points to anyone who can tell me whose eccentric dancing style Michael Stipe is imitating in this video clip.
-Ruby
The Religion Monitor, conducted by the Bertelsman Foundation, surveyed 21,000 people across 22 countries and ranked Australia 17th in religious adherence. According to the survey:
“28% of the Australian population see themselves as not at all religious, with religious practices and beliefs barely featuring in their lives. A similar number classify themselves as deeply religious (25%) whilst 44% of Australians say they consider themselves religious but that religion does not play a central role in their lives.
48% of Australians do not partake in personal prayer, and 52% never or very seldom visit a church, mosque, synagogue or temple for religious reasons. 31% said that they did not believe in God or a divine power or in life after death. Religion scored lower than all other parts of daily life, with 50% of Australians considering religion the least important when compared to family, partners, work/career, leisure time and politics”.
Only the godless heathens in Britain, France, Russia and Germany showed less interest in religion than us Aussies. I don’t know about you but I’m pretty proud of this one, kind of goes some way into making up for the fact that we are taking over the reigns from America as the world’s primary nation of fatties. I think Australia should aim to become the number 22, or number 1 depending how you look at it, on this list by the end of the decade.
Seriously though, I have often thought about why the religious attitudes of Australians and Americans have evolved so differently, given that we share a fairly similar history in being colonised by the British. My personal theory on this is that old habits die hard and the blood of the puritans still flows through the veins of the average American and we, well the whole world knows our dignified beginnings as a nation of convicts. That’s not say that we are untrustworthy or that all the convicts and first settlers were not religious, just that religion has never played a central role in our history.
Another factor could simply be the ratio of people living in small towns to those living in the cities. Although America has, by far, larger cities than Australia, more Americans live in small towns and rural areas whereas the majority of Australians are gathered in the cities. Again these are just my own, personal musings and if anyone has anything interesting to add on these points I'd love to hear them.
Oh and speaking of America they were, not surprisingly, the most religious nation surveyed in The Religion Monitor with 60% classifying themselves as deeply religious and only 11% as not at all religious.
But this is hardly surprising when you consider that 33% of Americans believe in ghosts, 34% believe in UFO’s. 48% believe in ESP (which is, incredibly, actually a drop from 66% as surveyed by Newsweek in 1996), 19% believe in magic spells and 10% of America’s youth think they see dead people.
And the piece de resistance? According to the recently conducted Pew Survey which questioned 36,000 Americans on their religious beliefs 92% of Americans believe in God ‘most’ believe “angels and demons are active in this world” and close to 80% believe that miracles occur today.
I’m totally flabbergasted at the sheer lack of rationality and reason in my fellow man. No wonder Richard Dawkins is fed up. According to one woman interviewed in the Pew Survey, her personal experience of miracles include God curing her of her stuttering and “giving her the resources for her home care business.” Well, I see her point. In a world full of injustice and war, of pestilence and disease, of torture and imprisonment, oppression and repression, starvation and death, where else is God going to direct his energies but to a 62 year old woman from a cushy middle class suburb in Florida? And I suppose it would be unfair of him to play favourites by only intervening in human affairs when it comes to American/Australian/Every Other Nation Of Talentless Gits Idol, and the Grammies.
But before any of my fellow atheists out there get too dejected at the results of this survey, I just want to point out that the Pew Survey found that 21% of those that called themselves atheists also said they believed in God or a “universal spirit”. Either those so-called atheists have no idea what the hell an atheist actually is, or the survey is somewhat of a sham. For the sake of my sanity, I am choosing to believe the latter.
Again not surprisingly, the Pew Survey found that those who prayed and/attended church regularly where most likely to oppose abortion and homosexuality. Oh and 9% of Americans speak in tongues. Every. Single. Week. That’s how they know God is inside them. Of course. Silly me, I thought they were just getting carried away with their own fanaticism and speaking gibberish.
According to Wiki atheists make up only 12-15% of the world’s population, thought Wiki does add that this figure is likely to be inaccurate since so many atheists would be uncomfortable or downright terrified of confessing their true beliefs in countries where non-belief is strongly discouraged or even prohibited. A 2006 survey conducted by the University of Minnesota:
"found atheists to be the most distrusted of minorities, more so than Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians, and other groups. Many of the respondents associated atheism with immorality, including criminal behaviour, extreme materialism, and elitism.[2] However, the same study also reported that, “The researchers also found acceptance or rejection of atheists is related not only to personal religiosity, but also to one’s exposure to diversity, education and political orientation — with more educated, East and West Coast Americans more accepting of atheists than their Midwestern counterparts.”
Hmmm.
And what is atheism exactly? Well, according to American philosopher Sam Harris:
"Atheism is not a philosophy; it is not even a view of the world; it is simply a refusal to deny the obvious. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which the obvious is overlooked as a matter of principle. The obvious must be observed and re-observed and argued for. This is a thankless job. It carries with it an aura of petulance and insensitivity. It is, moreover, a job that the atheist does not want.
It is worth noting that no one ever need identify himself as a non-astrologer or a non-alchemist. Consequently, we do not have words for people who deny the validity of these pseudo-disciplines. Likewise, “atheism” is a term that should not even exist. Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make when in the presence of religious dogma. The atheist is merely a person who believes that the 260 million Americans (eighty-seven percent of the population) who claim to “never doubt the existence of God” should be obliged to present evidence for his existence -- and, indeed, for his benevolence, given the relentless destruction of innocent human beings we witness in the world each day. Only the atheist appreciates just how uncanny our situation is: most of us believe in a God that is every bit as specious as the gods of Mount Olympus; no person, whatever his or her qualifications, can seek public office in the United States without pretending to be certain that such a God exists; and much of what passes for public policy in our country conforms to religious taboos and superstitions appropriate to a medieval theocracy. Our circumstance is abject, indefensible, and terrifying. It would be hilarious if the stakes were not so high."
You tell 'em Sam. One day, they may even start to listen...
And now, just because I think Michael Stipe is one of the sexiest SOB’s I ever did see and I will use any excuse to partake in his sexy goodness, here is REM at the height of their musical powers. I’m right behind you boys, right behind you.
Oh and bonus points to anyone who can tell me whose eccentric dancing style Michael Stipe is imitating in this video clip.
-Ruby
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Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i knew a third of Australians are not religious but i didnt realise superstition was still so common in America
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
they really are a little scary those stats, in regards to the USA, I mean to say. Aussies I am not surprised at all.
The Yanks however, have this HUGE Christian following, yet they are leaders in the world when it comes to organized violence on a global scale.. really does not make much sense but, then I remembered the telly evangelists.. who just preach hate and gorge on greed!!
Then, it all makes sense!!
cheers
fog
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
It's the angels and miracles thing that really cracks me up.
fog, well i think that America's attitude to its military and the way is thinks it has a right to intervene in pretty much every corner of the globe can be traced to its Christianity. I really think they believe God has granted them this status as leader of the free world. crazy.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
Also, I am an Atheist who "believes" in UFOs. By that I mean I have seen one, with my father there too. All I know for sure is that it was flying, and I couldn't identify it (or it's style of flight) As a rational person, I don't offer an explanation beyond that. I do, however, think it is highly unlikely that there isn't life on other planets, just from the sheer volume of potential in the vast universe. But I will wait for science to prove it - I dare say it will come long before proof of God.
And on a humor note - "Losing my religion" is the only song I know that you can change just one word and the song works in an entirely new context. Sure, you can rewrite a song Wierd Al style, but I can't think of any other that just needs one word. Sing the song through, but every time it says "religion" say "erection."
Oh, as for Aussies being less religious - congrats! You will find you are happier and healthier without it. Portland, Oregon, is the least-churched city in America. And although I live on the edge with a damn mega-church nearby, it is still reflected in the metro area as a whole.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
About the UFO's, yeah its true that any unidentifiable object can be called that but I think that statistic reflects the amount that believe its an alien aircraft.
Hey, I'm not discounting that alien life forms are a distinct possibility, I just think the whole idea of random, secretive visits from other planets is hilarious.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Hey, no-one has been able to tell me who Stipe is emulating in the video.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
nah its gotta be someone else bi-sexual . . . hmmm bill oreilly?
oh i know! jesse james?
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
It's a woman and she is also a singer. i don't know if she is bi.
jesse james? as in the legend of jesse james?
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
tell me he doesnt remind you of brad pitt acting all crazy in the assassination of jesse james?
haha or maybe im getting delerious?
well at least im trying!
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Oh well, since no-one wants to play my silly game, it's Sinead O'Conner. She does a silly dance like that in the clip for The Emperor's New Clothes. great song by the way. Before your time Morgan.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
now take michael stipe and say out loud 3 trillion zeros times sinead o'conner equals a fuck load of pissed off pro-choice activists
i think her clip was a tad before my time
but interestingly both stipe and oconner are outspoken pro-choicers . . . and i presume they can both read and add without magnifying everything to the power of ten
now look at this 3000000000000000000000
and say it out loud
and then look at this 45
and tell me that i shouldnt have been aborted for thinking i can get away with this argument
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
yeah, the Sinead clip was from 1990. Stipe did actually say he was imitating her in this video. He thinks she rocks. She's gone a bit god-bothery in her middle age, but she's still her own woman.
tell me i shouldn't have been aborted, hahahaha.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
so what if you have to risk getting shot by a pro-lifer, abortion is so much fun!
i think margaret sanger is cryogenically frozen and still making all the decisions to exterminate our dwindling global population via birth control . . . pay no attention to the frosty woman behind the curtain!
damn science!
30000000000000000000000000000 00000000 dead babies EVERY DAY!
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
I mean 3 billion abortions is only what, 30 abortions per woman? That's reasonable. Everyone knows how much us whores love to spread our legs just so we can have the fun of getting abortions every couple of months. And it's so much cheaper than being on the Pill you know?
In fact it's time all us women came clean. We don't even like having sex. We just want to get pregnant so we can kill our babies.
Ah okay, seems we have gotten rather off topic here huh? Sorry to anyone else who may be wondering what the hell we are on about. It's 2.30 am and I really should be in bed.
dwindling global population...ha.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
PS - it's always good to hear some women find the "folically challenged" sexy!
Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
The Inner Saintdom
Comment by Winston
Small Thoughts on Big Questions
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
ignore the ignorant! My sis lives in San Diego and is married to a Yank, and she has two boys, one of whom is about to make me a Great Uncle... I need a wheelchair...
As for Ruby not believing in alien craft flying about, well true, I do not have proof of that aspect of the phenomena, however, I have seen two of them at close range, with an independant witness each time, and there is no doubt that something major is being covered up!
No doubts about that at all, but as to who, or what is actually involved, that remains to be seen. (I know journo cameramen who have filmed them close up too, and pilots who have watched them float alongside them during flight!)
But hey, if the Mayans are right, we are all about to kiss our arses goodbye anyway!!
Vote for a huge Orbelean party on 21st-22nd December 2012,
the KISS YER ARSE GOODBYE PARTY!!!
YAHHOOO!!!
cheers and lets hope they got their calender all wrong...
fog
Comment by Postmodern Critic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Hey, can I ask where you got those statistics?
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
The link is in the first paragraph, in pink lettering.