Survey: Americans don't know much about religion

[gallo]

Survey: Americans don't know much about religion
But atheists actually know more than Protestants and Catholics, Pew Forum finds

After having read what christians on internet forums have to say for a number of years, this doesn't surprise me at all. One person commented that atheists have probably spent more time thinking about religion than protestants and catholics.

Notice that the poll also revealed a correlation with education. The more educated a person is, the more they tend to know about religion. I wonder if that is related to the negative correlation between creationism and education (i.e., the more educated a person is, the less likely that person is to be a creationist.)?

[Peter]

It's hardly surprising that the more you know about religion the more likely you are to reject it as the utter bullshit that it is. Ignorance, on the other hand, is religions friend and explains why religion constantly fights against science which provides real explanations instead of invoking magic. Magic will never be an answer for anything.

[Maryjane]

One person commented that atheists have probably spent more time thinking about religion than protestants and catholics.

The absurdity of it and the hypocritical ways of people who consider themselves christians, that much is true.

[NoJingoLingo]

It's hardly surprising that the more you know about religion the more likely you are to reject it as the utter bullshit that it is. Ignorance, on the other hand, is religions friend and explains why religion constantly fights against science which provides real explanations instead of invoking magic. Magic will never be an answer for anything.

Except for Chris Angel, now that shit is MAGIC!!

[Angry Citizen]

Tell me something I don't know. I may not have come to my atheism after a decade of careful introspection, but I know many did.

[Grogybear]

I noticed this when I was at school. There were very few who knew more about christianity in my Religion class (mandatory in most irish schools, sigh) than I.

I think part of it is education but also that atheists have to defend themselves and become acquainted with arguments that do the job.

[RickSp]

Religion requires faith not knowledge. Often the second is antithetical to the first. I know it was in my case.

[Cephus]

If more people knew more about religion, there would be far fewer religious people. The reason atheists tend to know more about religion than the religious is because the more you know, the sillier it becomes. Knowledge, logic and reason is the religion killer.

[Grogybear]

Ah yes.. good points. Although sometimes you are left wondering what exactly is it that religious people have faith in, given that some of them don't know all that much about their creed.

[barts]

For most people, certainly not all, their religion was a matter of orchestrated early childhood indoctrination--brainwashing, in effect--not careful consideration. A component of this indoctrination is the discouragement of questioning dogma; unquestioning acceptance is the rule. Few atheists came to their beliefs through systemic indoctrination, even those born into atheistic families. In most atheistic families questioning and investigation is encouraged.

Because of the pervasiveness of religion, atheists find themselves thinking seriously about religion and their atheistic views. Few atheists accept their views uncritically. And, most have genuinely explored religion but found it wanting, even absurd, after careful consideration.

Also, atheists, unlike most religious people, are forced by religious people to defend their views. Most religious people defer to other religious people, but not to atheists. Atheists by their very presence are an affront to religious people because they implicitly, even if not overtly, are a rejection of religious beliefs--something that is deeply personal to the religious.

It's not surprising then that atheists tend to be better informed about religion than the religious.

[Kolten]

For most people, certainly not all, their religion was a matter of orchestrated early childhood indoctrination--brainwashing, in effect--not careful consideration.

Very well put.

[brendand]

Religion is much like Software Licensing agreements.

Most people just scroll down to the bottom without reading and hit agree.