2006-11-22 09:21:55 · 9 answers · asked by menschliches.wesen88 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I asked because I think in all industrialized countries , america is the one with the most religious people.
you just have to compare it to europe :)
2006-11-22 09:25:03 · update #1
Certainly your underlying assumption is borne out in statistics.
In the U.S., polls show people self-identifying as atheistic less than half a percent of the time, though as much as 13% say they're non-religious (which I infer means they're IN a religion, but they don't really care about it).
World-wide polls, however, have as much as 10% of the population identifying themselves as atheists and 16% in addition as non-religious. In the U.K. there's even a segment of the population where 40% (!) identified themselves as atheists. (Link to statistics below)
As to why that is... I think most would just chalk it up to the equally nebulous 'societal influence'. And even Americans are hard-pressed to deny it's there, though sometimes you have to phrase the question correctly. The one I like to use is, "What do you think are the chances of an outspoken atheist being elected president?" In a democracy of fair-minded people, you'd think the issue wouldn't be a non-starter. Yet most Americans I speak to rate the likelihood as zero (or less!).
For the record, I can sympathize with how the atheists feel. Polytheists like me don't do much better in America either!
2006-11-22 09:34:25 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Think about it... the US was founded by people seeking religious freedom. The initial settlers were "puritans" and "saints." This heritage has had an impact on this country, for better and for worse, sometimes. There are other countries that also struggle with theological dominance. But, at least in the US, you get to post that question without being killed for it.
2006-11-22 09:26:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not necessarily more religious, it's just that fanatics are given more credibility and pandered to more than in other countries. Part of this is due to our political system. The crackpot element, which has been conditioned to act like a flock of sheep eager to move en masse in any direction their leadership points it, has been cynically manipulated by those who see the advantage of having control of an unthinking, lock-step mob with the ability to vote and cause social disruption. When it serves the political agenda of those who manipulate them, they wind them up like a cheap toy. When they are not of immediate use, they throw them bones to keep them quiet until they are again needed.
In most countries, this lunatic fringe is accepted as what it is and is marginalized not only by society in general, but also by reasonable people of "faith." In the US, these reasonable people have completely abandoned their responsibility (to both their religion and their country) to keep their own house in order.
2006-11-22 10:39:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Freedom. Our ancestors fled Europe in order to worship in freedom and liberty. Our past struggles, our very existence is based upon searching for this freedom of religion.
2006-11-22 09:41:15 · answer #4 · answered by Lives7 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Everyone worships something.
Some worship God.
Some worship money.
Some worship sex.
Some worship status.
Some worship titles.
Some worship idols.
2006-11-22 09:23:23 · answer #5 · answered by Bad Cosmo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why have you limited this to Americans?
Why are so many Iraqis religious?
2006-11-22 09:23:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I agree with Einstien, coudnt have said it better myself.
2006-11-22 09:31:10 · answer #7 · answered by garrett 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why are many Americans so damn annoying?
Who knows!
2006-11-22 09:37:18 · answer #8 · answered by Not_a_toothless_pirate 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
they pretend to be. i don't really think they are religious.
2006-11-22 09:24:26 · answer #9 · answered by noktris 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋