Agnostic Domination
Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a study that revealed that at least 44 percent of Americans have switched from the religion that they were raised as to a new religion. The study also found that only 4 percent of Americans self-identify as atheists or agnostics.
We do not have a control to compare this 44 percent with. Is 44 percent a lot or a little? Still, I would guess that this percentage is more than other countries where other religious options are heavily deterred either legally or socially. In the West, people can switch faiths with little or no consequence. One’s friends and parents may care and alienate one for switching faiths, but for the most part, there is religious tolerance and, thus, tolerance for switching. Most importantly, economic survival is fairly independent of religion in the West, which allows people, for the most part, to switch freely.
It is interesting that in an environment of religious freedom, people switch faiths often. It shows that the basic nature of humanity is uncertainty with religion. I would bet that even the people who are still part of their birth religion have beliefs that do not really match up with the official doctrine. The probable situation is that, in fact, most people are agnostic. People probably have their own ideas on the universe, which change from time to time.
Additionally, spirtual fickleness doesn’t seem to be a modern phenomenon. New cults and religions swept through the ancient world all the time. The very existence of laws than ban certain religions shows that populations were prone to conversion.
Yet, even though it is clear that people are unsure of what the universe holds, few are willing to admit it (less than 1 in 25). I suppose this is because people enjoy being part of groups. Additionally, with so many religions existing, every belief is claimed. A person, over time, can show uncertainty, but at any given moment, they occupy the territory of a religion.
We do not have a control to compare this 44 percent with. Is 44 percent a lot or a little? Still, I would guess that this percentage is more than other countries where other religious options are heavily deterred either legally or socially. In the West, people can switch faiths with little or no consequence. One’s friends and parents may care and alienate one for switching faiths, but for the most part, there is religious tolerance and, thus, tolerance for switching. Most importantly, economic survival is fairly independent of religion in the West, which allows people, for the most part, to switch freely.
It is interesting that in an environment of religious freedom, people switch faiths often. It shows that the basic nature of humanity is uncertainty with religion. I would bet that even the people who are still part of their birth religion have beliefs that do not really match up with the official doctrine. The probable situation is that, in fact, most people are agnostic. People probably have their own ideas on the universe, which change from time to time.
Additionally, spirtual fickleness doesn’t seem to be a modern phenomenon. New cults and religions swept through the ancient world all the time. The very existence of laws than ban certain religions shows that populations were prone to conversion.
Yet, even though it is clear that people are unsure of what the universe holds, few are willing to admit it (less than 1 in 25). I suppose this is because people enjoy being part of groups. Additionally, with so many religions existing, every belief is claimed. A person, over time, can show uncertainty, but at any given moment, they occupy the territory of a religion.
posted by American Dilettante at
5:19 PM
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