Zone1 Belief in God drops to 81 percent

[Blues Man]

That depends on semantics. Which definition you prefer.

I prefer the strictly correct definition, as indicated by the etymology.

"Not adopting a belief in gods"

Just as "amoral" does not mean asserting that morals do not exist.

Just as "asexual" does not mean asserting sex does not exist.

The definition I use is found in all dictionaries, right next to the one you are using. Yours is the colloquial meaning, mine is the strict definition.

One who does not adopt belief in God's but who also does not assert with confidence that no gods exist is an agnostic atheist.one who asserts that no gods exist is a gnostic atheist.

All agnostics are strictly atheists.

Definition of ATHEIST

a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods : one who subscribes to or advocates atheism… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

How Agnostic Differs From Atheist​

Many people are interested in distinguishing between the words agnostic and atheist. The difference is quite simple: atheist refers to someone who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods, and agnostic refers to someone who doesn’t know whether there is a god, or even if such a thing is knowable. This distinction can be troublesome to remember, but examining the origins of the two words can help.

Agnostic first appeared in 1869, (possibly coined by the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley), and was formed from the Greek agnōstos (meaning "unknown, unknowable"). Atheist came to English from the French athéisme. Although both words share a prefix (which is probably the source of much of the confusion) the main body of each word is quite different. Agnostic shares part of its history with words such as prognosticate and prognosis, words which have something to do with knowledge or knowing something. Atheist shares roots with words such as theology and theism, which generally have something to do with God.

 

[surada]

In the sense of not being certain a God exists, of course that is the correct intellectual choice.

That's why it is called faith. Belief without evidence. Faith is anti intellectual from the start.

The biggest threat to churches is literalism, Dominionism and Dispensationists.

 

[Seymour Flops]

And yet you just claimed that the religious beliefs of the USSR are being touted in this country as the better option.

Seems to me you are fretting

More like gloating that all of the proselytizing of the atheists has come to so little result for so much effort.

Why would I be fretting? The OP is an announcement of defeat for the atheist side, with a rather bitter tone.

 

[Blues Man]

More like gloating that all of the proselytizing of the atheists has come to so little result for so much effort.

Why would I be fretting? The OP is an announcement of defeat for the atheist side, with a rather bitter tone.

No one is touting the Soviet Unions religious doctrine in this country.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Definition of ATHEIST

a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods : one who subscribes to or advocates atheism… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

How Agnostic Differs From Atheist​

Many people are interested in distinguishing between the words agnostic and atheist. The difference is quite simple: atheist refers to someone who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods, and agnostic refers to someone who doesn’t know whether there is a god, or even if such a thing is knowable. This distinction can be troublesome to remember, but examining the origins of the two words can help.

Agnostic first appeared in 1869, (possibly coined by the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley), and was formed from the Greek agnōstos (meaning "unknown, unknowable"). Atheist came to English from the French athéisme. Although both words share a prefix (which is probably the source of much of the confusion) the main body of each word is quite different. Agnostic shares part of its history with words such as prognosticate and prognosis, words which have something to do with knowledge or knowing something. Atheist shares roots with words such as theology and theism, which generally have something to do with God.

Literally the FIRST LINE of the definition. The FIRST.:

"a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods"

Definition of ATHEIST

a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods : one who subscribes to or advocates atheism… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

This is listed as the first definition for a reason: it is the etymologically correct definition.

As you can see, all agnostics fit the strictly correct definition.

Its colloquial meaning has diverged and evolved because of how the word has been used. In other words, people have used it incorrectly so frequently and for so long, that it has taken on a new meaning for many in our modern language that is NOT indicated by its etymology.

Such events can also be reversed.

 

[surada]

More like gloating that all of the proselytizing of the atheists has come to so little result for so much effort.

Why would I be fretting? The OP is an announcement of defeat for the atheist side, with a rather bitter tone.

Only Christians blabber about atheists.

 

[Blues Man]

Literally the FIRST LINE of the definition:

"a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods"

Definition of ATHEIST

a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods : one who subscribes to or advocates atheism… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

This is listed as the first definition for a reason: it is the etymologically correct definition.

It's colloquial meaning has diverged and evolved because of how the word has been used. Such events can also be reversed.

Denying the existence of god which is EXACTLY what I said in my first post that you disagreed with.

Make up your mind.

Atheists say gods do not exist. PERIOD.

Agnostics by definition are not atheists because they do not deny the existence of gods but say that the proof is unknown or unknowable.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Denying the existence of god which is EXACTLY what I said in my first post that you disagreed with.

Oops, that's a logical error.

Not believing in the existence of gods is NOT equivalent to believing gods certainly do not exist.

Just as "amoral" does not mean asserting morals do not exist.

Just as "asexual" does not mean asserting sex does not exist.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Atheists say gods do not exist. PERIOD.

Wrong. I gave you the etymology. I pointed out how that is wrong by the very dictionary you tried to cite. By the very first, given definition in that exact dictionary. Oh... and all other respectable dictionaries, too.

What you claim is only correct if one adheres to the bastardized, colloquial definition. Which you are free to do.

But be aware that you are clinging to what is basically a made up word that exists only because we used it incorrectly for so long.

 

[Seymour Flops]

Only Christians blabber about atheists.

Oh, I'll talk about how they have been losing at every turn for the last hundred years. That's not fretting, though.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Oh, I'll talk about how they have been losing at every turn for the last hundred years. That's not fretting, though.

Haha, I am quite sure that list would be embarrassingly wrong and stupid.

 

[JustAGuy1]

The biggest threat to churches is literalism, Dominionism and Dispensationists.

No, take away literalism and you have no belief in God at all. You are a perfect example.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

No, take away literalism and you have no belief in God at all. You are a perfect example.

Well that's hilariously false. You can easily discard some or all of the hilariously false myths and dogma in the Bible and still believe in God.

In fact, that very thing is what the western reformation -- by superior, secular ideas -- was and is.

 

[BreezeWood]

No matter how hard they try, as the OP's poll shows.


Yes, and they have always been in the minority.

only in response to the desert religions oppression and persecution of everyone that does not follow their religious scriptures, dogmas - uninterrupted from their beginning till the present - and their greatest fear, not being in charge.

choice alone for them is intolerable -

as flops avatar is used to illicit their own gratification they impose to control the lives of others. by force.

 

[JustAGuy1]

I attribute the change to Closet Atheism

People grow up in church, their families and friends belong, they enjoy the social network of their congregation.
If they begin to question their faith, they keep it to themselves to not be driven from that social construct

I think the sharp rise in atheism is a willingness to abandon that church and a societal acceptance of atheism

Nope, wholly expected

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Yes, indeed. It is being groomed out of them.
God called it. Narrow road and all...

No, it's where most people end up, if they are NOT groomed and brainwashed as children by the various cults.

 

[BreezeWood]

Literally the FIRST LINE of the definition. The FIRST.:

"a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods"

Definition of ATHEIST

a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods : one who subscribes to or advocates atheism… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

This is listed as the first definition for a reason: it is the etymologically correct definition.

As you can see, all agnostics fit the strictly correct definition.

Its colloquial meaning has diverged and evolved because of how the word has been used. In other words, people have used it incorrectly so frequently and for so long, that it has taken on a new meaning for many in our modern language that is NOT indicated by its etymology.

Such events can also be reversed.

that's a response to the desert religions - have at it ...

that is not true of the metaphysical - as physiology is a metaphysical substance that has a unique spiritual content that is not native to planet earth and is therefor a heavenly combined being -

that not even ff knows from where it arrives from.

 

[rightwinger]

Nope, wholly expected

2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

You do realize how useless that argument is with an atheist?

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

that not even ff knows from where it arrives from.

Because it is made up nonsense. I can just make up where it derives from. And nobody could ever prove me wrong..

I say it comes from the 8th dimension, from unicorn society.

 

[surada]

No, take away literalism and you have no belief in God at all. You are a perfect example.

Literalism is lazy. It's canned. You don't have to study scripture. It's also new.... since 1830. It appeals to people who reject education.. especially religious education.