Here in the UK the Church of England is still nominally the established Church, and has a certain amount of influence in government. Moreover, the Queen is officially 'Defender of the Faith'. Despite all that, hardly anyone goes to church and most people are atheists in all but name. By contrast, the US is a nominally secular country, with (officially at least) separation of church and state, but seems to be still quite highly religious.
Can anyone explain why this is?
2006-11-13 06:51:50 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Some fascinating theories here... Thanks guys :-)
2006-11-13 08:28:15 · update #1
Strange, I was thinking the same thing myself earlier.
I think America is perceived as being more religious by us brits, whether it is or not I do not know, but certainly I am aware that being atheist on this site is very much looked down upon, whereas where I live in the uk athiesm is accepted and is the majority culture.
But I am not aware of the percentage split between the US and the UK on here.
2006-11-13 07:11:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That a really good question. The best that I can figure is that people who have a religion and have someone telling them their religion tend to make their own beliefs whereas people in America tend to try to find something that helps them feel safe and content and I think it would probably be the same way if we have a state church too. It know in Utah where the population is predominantly Mormon, you could even consider that Utah's Sate Religion, people who aren't LDS rebel against it like crazy and there they are atheists in all but name too. Maybe in the United States we need religion a little more but I think the thing that really matter is spirituality, if you have a relationship with something more powerful and bigger than you can imagine.
2006-11-13 06:56:48 · answer #2 · answered by snowbaby 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There may be several factors. The first is obviously the more sophisticated sense of humor developed by the British - many of us are convinced the proportion of atheists is higher in the Anglican hierarchy than in the English population as a whole. The second has to be the deep anti-intellectual cultural trends that reign supreme in large parts (but not all) of the U.S.
2006-11-13 07:05:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Americans tend to be religious by reading their Bibles, not by attending some big empty church that looks beautiful but is useless. Those who read their Bibles and believe them become "on fire" with the Holy Spirit, something decidedly lacking in UK churches. (Evangelism isn't a big thing in the UK.) Therefore, we have a tendency to be more religious than the English. We vote our consciences. Therefore, the expression of the people becomes more manifest.
2006-11-13 07:03:22 · answer #4 · answered by FUNdie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The conservatism of much religion in the US probably has something to do with the fact that it's a nation of immigrants and the various communities saw preserving religion as a means of preserving their own identities. In Britain it has been under constant assault from intellectuals since Darwin and Bertrand Russell to Dawkins etc. It has just wilted under the pressure.
2006-11-13 07:14:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our country is only 250 years old. It was influenced by Puritans and puritanical ways. It has not had enough time to die out.
P.S. this country was not founded upon Christian beliefs, as stated above. A large number of our forefathers were not Christians, but Deists. They were determined to make a country for all, or no, religions...as a person saw fit for himself.
2006-11-13 07:05:16 · answer #6 · answered by Shossi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Colonial America had very strong religious roots, and although as a nation was founded by intellectual Deists, those roots linger on.
Rural population bases, distance from other cultures, nationalism, and provincialism all played their parts.
2006-11-13 06:57:15 · answer #7 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would not categorize the US as highly religious. The US is very diverse in religious beliefs, Christian fundamentalism is very politically active in the US but by no means are they the majority of US population.
2006-11-13 06:56:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
that's amazingly secular, many Israelis seen themselves Israeli, with a Jewish historic past. yet maximum, experience faith is silly because of the fact the conflict in the middle east isn't in accordance with land, yet in general by ability of religion. Even ant-semitism in u . s . by ability of christians is in accordance with faith, not probably on the 'zionists'. because of the fact they comprehend there is not any such situation. I truthfully have in no way considered an evil zionist. I truthfully have not regularly occurring a Jew that is familiar with an evil zionist. And any israeli permit you to comprehend that they don't comprehend what an evil zionist is. I bear in innovations somebody saying a shaggy dog tale to an Israeli concerning the concept Jews have enormous noses and he grew to become into perplexed. He did not comprehend what that quite ability. comparable situation is going for Ashkenazi and Sephardic, because of the fact there is not any such situation in Israel. all of us is Israeli, and the favourite public have ashkenazi and sephardic backgrounds. that's only in u . s . that syrian, iranian and russian jews hate one yet another.
2016-10-22 00:44:46 · answer #9 · answered by turrill 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, because the religious folk need something to fight for.
Once the country becomes a religious being (i.e. starts placing "god's" laws in place of real laws), it may die down.
They won't have anything to talk about anymore!!!
2006-11-13 06:54:49 · answer #10 · answered by Heck if I know! 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋