Atheist vs Active Faith

[High EGT]

Pulled this off a news site that makes some statistical and demographic distictions between Atheists and Active Faith. Interesting if not controversal.

Atheists and agnostics are distinct demographically from the active-faith segment. The no-faith audience is younger, and more likely to be male and unmarried. They also earn more and are more likely to be college graduates…
One of the most significant differences between active-faith and no-faith Americans is the cultural disengagement and sense of independence exhibited by atheists and agnostics in many areas of life. They are less likely than active-faith Americans to be registered to vote (78% versus 89%), to volunteer to help a non-church-related non-profit (20% versus 30%), to describe themselves as “active in the community” (41% versus 68%), and to personally help or serve a homeless or poor person (41% versus 61%). They are also more likely to be registered to vote as an independent or with a non-mainstream political party.
One of the outcomes of this profile - and one of the least favorable points of comparison for atheist and agnostic adults - is the paltry amount of money they donate to charitable causes. The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500).
We’re 9% of the overall population — but 14% of 23-41-year-olds and 19% of 18-22-year-olds. And contrary to popular wisdom, those numbers don’t appear to decline significantly as people age. They’ve held relatively constant over the past 15 years.

 

[This_person]

Pulled this off a news site that makes some statistical and demographic distictions between Atheists and Active Faith. Interesting if not controversal.

It is interesting. Statistically, I think they either missed the point, or I missed theirs when they said: "And contrary to popular wisdom, those numbers don’t appear to decline significantly as people age. They’ve held relatively constant over the past 15 years." If the ratio remains the same, then the popular wisdom would be right, that as a person ages they are less likely to be faithless.

One that I found interesting is that it implies the average number of people who say they vote is in the upper 70's or lower 80's for percentage. Kind of makes the rest of the survey questionable.

By the way, where did you see this?

 

[High EGT]

It is interesting. Statistically, I think they either missed the point, or I missed theirs when they said: "And contrary to popular wisdom, those numbers don’t appear to decline significantly as people age. They’ve held relatively constant over the past 15 years." If the ratio remains the same, then the popular wisdom would be right, that as a person ages they are less likely to be faithless.

My take is a little different in that this study asserts that regardless of age your beliefs will not change as you grow older. There has always been an assertion that as we grow older we tend to become more faith oriented. I guess because as we grow old and move closer to our demise most tend to want to play the odds in Gods favor just in case there is a after life. Call it an alternative life insurance. However this study would suggest otherwise and makes an interesting finding.

One that I found interesting is that it implies the average number of people who say they vote is in the upper 70's or lower 80's for percentage. Kind of makes the rest of the survey questionable.

I'm making no claims to the studies accuracy and can only fall back on personal experience as well as media. The survey simply suggest that
belief or none belief in God impact how people interact or engage beyond there personal lives. As for votors only 79% of the countries Atheist vote verses 89% of the countries Faith base I can only conclude those numbers came from the last election coupled with the last census done. From personal experience I can support that faith based individuals contribute more money then say aitheist simply because there exposed more often to programs mostly thru their churches. Beyond that you can agree or disagree but as a man of some faith the survey does enforces some personal beliefs I have always held to be true.

By the way, where did you see this?

http://hotair.com/

 

[This_person]

Do you think the study could have been skewed? Especially when the study uses ambiguous phrases were like "active in the community", meaning those who donate or work with charitable organizations as a criteria, and an example of one is the Salvation Army (an evangelical organization).

More from the article



This is the result of the Barna Study, their About us page is interesting



Wonder how reliable you'd take a 2nd Amendment study by Michael Moore?

Is your middle name Hyman?

I'm not sure why you are so threatened by this article, but....

I'm making no claims to the studies accuracy...

It's being brought up for simple discussion, with a link to the source so that people can make their own minds up about bias. With over 4,000 phone surveys over 2 years, it's kind of a long study, so the accuracy is limited, at best. The source certainly calls into question the exact percentages. But, it's an interesting piece of work, and I would really like to see an unbiased study with the same topic and types of questions. Vrai talked about her Zogby poll questions being skewed as well, so it's hard to find any survey with accuracy. It's just interesting to read what 4,000 people plus had to say.

 

[This_person]

Got tired of asking JPC pointless questions? (because he will never answer them)

Actually, yes. He's pointless. I actually thought I could help him if I just showed him.... never mind. Yes.

Asking if a pollster with Christian slant (from his own page) could have skewed a poll of Atheist vs Faithers, is simple deduction, nothing more. Once again would you trust Michael Moore if he posted a 2nd Amendment poll?

Nope, but I'd be interested to see how he could spin the results, just as a curiousity.

And Polling 3,000 Faithers versus 1,000 Atheists, is skewing a poll. No different than Polling 3,000 Democrats vs 1000 Republicans about the 2000 election. You wouldnt accept the results of that poll, would you?

Not if they reported it as "75% of people think...." If they said "Democrats responded with... Republicans responded with...." I might. Just might. They cold called randomly over 4000 people. Those people reported their status.

Hotair, isnt the source, (thats just where HighEGT read about it) the source of the poll was the Barna Study group. Its not a perception of being threatened, its questioning the results.

I went to the HotAir story, and followed their link to the study.

I'm not saying the study is unbiased, it certainly is. I find few studies unbiased anymore. I'm just saying attacking the poster (it kinda read that way, anyway) isn't productive. The study, with it's flaws included, was pretty interesting. One needs to read it with a grain of salt, just like an 'NBC poll", or any of the others.

 

[High EGT]

Most atheists and agnostics (56%) agree with the idea that radical Christianity is just as threatening in America as is radical Islam (Thats because both Faiths have their Radical Element, the difference is one is "excused" and the other is explained by Christians as the "norm")

Can you define todays Radical Christianity so I can understand the correlationmade between that and Radical Islam? This is not the first time on this forum the assertion made that the two faiths are equal in threats against the US and the world however I'v not heard or seen any reports of acts against America equal to atrocities commited by radical Islam so its difficult to wrap my head around this perception as legit.

Christians have difficulty handling change, admitting when they are uncertain of something, and responding effectively to divergent perspectives. These characteristics make the new challenges facing Christianity even more daunting."

Change in general is difficult for most people regardless so I am suspect of the questions used to determine that Christians have more difficulty accepting change. Buzz words like Secular Progressives and Traditionalist used today to discribe personal values in this country are largly defined along this faith based line.

 

[High EGT]

As for elements of Radical Christianity, Koresh, Milosevic, McVeigh, Abortion Bombers (the old standby), Revistionist Historians who portray the Founding Fathers as Christian, Faithers who think the Earth is 6,000 years old ( ), pedophile Priests (and now reports are coming out that its not just Catholic ones, other denominations have the same problem) Hitler

You missed my point. Yes we can find individual acts against humanity or hyprocracy from all sorts of beliefs and faiths and Christianity is by far not innocent but again I cannot see where term "Radical" for both Isam and Christianity are one in the same as an equal threat to America. Try this on for a comparison. Lets just assume over our Goverments history over the last 60 years that Radical Christians have held key political positions within our nations defense and even held launch keys to this nations nuclear arsonal then it stands to reason that we should have all blown ourselves back to the stone age if we assume that Radical Islam is no different since most political analist agree that Radical Islam (Iran) will most certainly use them against us and Israel if given the opportunity in the name of Alha. The example is stark but notes the radical differences between these two faiths.

 

[Midnightrider]

You missed my point. Yes we can find individual acts against humanity or hyprocracy from all sorts of beliefs and faiths and Christianity is by far not innocent but again I cannot see where term "Radical" for both Isam and Christianity are one in the same as an equal threat to America. Try this on for a comparison. Lets just assume over our Goverments history over the last 60 years that Radical Christians have held key political positions within our nations defense and even held launch keys to this nations nuclear arsonal then it stands to reason that we should have all blown ourselves back to the stone age if we assume that Radical Islam is no different since most political analist agree that Radical Islam (Iran) will most certainly use them against us and Israel if given the opportunity in the name of Alha. The example is stark but notes the radical differences between these two faiths.

where do you get this S? How do you figure we have had radical christains in charge? Fact of the matter is that radical christians are jsut as much a threat to our way of life as are radical muslims. Radicals are radicals, its doesn't matter the religion.....

 

[High EGT]

where do you get this S? How do you figure we have had radical christains in charge? Fact of the matter is that radical christians are jsut as much a threat to our way of life as are radical muslims. Radicals are radicals, its doesn't matter the religion.....

Well I did go on a limb that since this country is largly Christian in faith that the odds are that we’ve had radical Christians in positions of key power but you got my attention so give me examples that support your belief. Oh ya dont include lone acts by a disillusioned individual(s) since Radical Isalm is a highly organized and Political element with thousands if not millions under a single banner or title bent on the distruction of all the unfaithful including you and me.

 

[Midnightrider]

Well I did go on a limb that since this country is largly Christian in faith that the odds are that we’ve had radical Christians in positions of key power but you got my attention so give me examples that support your belief. Oh ya dont include lone acts by a disillusioned individual(s) since Radical Isalm is a highly organized and Political element with thousands if not millions under a single banner or title bent on the distruction of all the unfaithful including you and me.

we are sorry, but you dont get to make the rules aout who is and who is not a radical.

I said the radical christians are just as dangerous to our way of life, they want to limit our freedoms, especially religious freedoms, and encourage hate and discontent.

YOU CAN NOT RUN A COUNTRY BY A BOOK OF RELIGION!!!

 

[tirdun]

They are less likely than active-faith Americans to be registered to vote (78% versus 89%)

Could this be related to the age issue? Since they've described the group as "younger" and in 2004

Those between the ages of 18 and 24 had the lowest, with 47 percent reported going to the polls.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052501965.html

As for the charity:

to volunteer to help a non-church-related non-profit (20% versus 30%), to describe themselves as “active in the community” (41% versus 68%), and to personally help or serve a homeless or poor person (41% versus 61%).

I would again wonder if this is tied to the average age of the group.

 

[High EGT]

we are sorry, but you dont get to make the rules aout who is and who is not a radical.

I said the radical christians are just as dangerous to our way of life, they want to limit our freedoms, especially religious freedoms, and encourage hate and discontent.

YOU CAN NOT RUN A COUNTRY BY A BOOK OF RELIGION!!!

No problem. I'm well aware that ideology can have a strong influence on how one perceives the world and trying to turn yours at a differnt angle by asking thought provoking questions is obviously time wasted.
See you at the lighter forums....

 

[Patch]

we are sorry, but you dont get to make the rules aout who is and who is not a radical.

I said the radical christians are just as dangerous to our way of life, they want to limit our freedoms, especially religious freedoms, and encourage hate and discontent.

YOU CAN NOT RUN A COUNTRY BY A BOOK OF RELIGION!!!

Aye matey, but people who believed in "The Book" gave us hospitals, our legal system, and our current form of government. This country isn't perfect, but it's the best one in the world that I know of.

 

[Midnightrider]

Aye matey, but people who believed in "The Book" gave us hospitals, our legal system, and our current form of government. This country isn't perfect, but it's the best one in the world that I know of.

and people who believe in other books have given the same things to their countrys, besides, we all just copied most of that stuff from the greeks and romans anyway.

 

[brendar buhl]

and people who believe in other books have given the same things to their countrys, besides, we all just copied most of that stuff from the greeks and romans anyway.

All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?