What % of people are actually agnostic or atheist but tell people there religious just to avoid controversy?

Question

I have no idea if there any people like this but I bet there are many. Taking into account how many people are vocal about there minority status as an agnostic or atheist beliefs and how many people only have a circle of friends and family that are religious and would most likely be looked down on for holding a differant view, the number might be up there. If you like this question then also answer the question: At a regular church service of 100, how many closet agnostics/atheists would be present?

Please do not frame your answers with the attitude that I have some kind of agenda or malice. Im just asking for honest opinions.

Answer 1

Well, my husband tends to have this conversation with people quite often.

"What religion are you?"
"Christian." (Or whatever the individual answers).
"But what do you really believe?"
"Uhhh...I don't know." Truly, most do not answer, "I believe all of it."

Most people will label their religion as the one they were brought up in, but only maybe 30% say they truly believe in the label the put upon themselves. We tend to call them "born again Christians".

We do know that, despite what people label themselves, less than half of Americans attend church, and many of them do so only to bring the kids up in the same environment they themselves were brought up in.

Answer 2

This is a good question, but I have no idea how you can find the answer. There are lots of people who can honestly say to themselves that they're atheist or agnostic, but still go along with the popular religion of their community for fear of being ostracized by the community and/or family members. Who knows just how many there are in places run by a theocracy.

Another problem with this is how the number collecting is done. For example, I was raised Catholic, even though I very openly do not identify with that sect any more, and have since become very devout in a completely different religion. However, since there's a record of me being baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, I may for all legal purposes be considered "Catholic" by some polling.

Answer 3

It would be sad for people to feel so threatened by religious people to not tell the truth. But I can understand the reasoning behind it, the government playing a big factor. I for one, do not give a rat's you-know-what at what people think of me being an atheist. I've always been rebelious like that but in a good way. I always try to do what's right and live respectively but I will stand up for myself if someone says something ignorant and rude about who I am. This is who I am and I will not change that to go along with the masses to avoid persecution or controversy.

Answer 4

I was raised Catholic, but never really bought into the whole Bible and God and Creationism and everything that was talked about at Mass and in sunday school. I listened, memorized, took the tests and passed. But I knew I was Agnostic. I started researching and eventually became an Atheist after a few years. I am still friends with a lot of people I went to church with, and about 2/3 of them are now Agnostic or Atheist. I don't know if that helps, but it causes me to wonder what the Catholic Church is doing wrong in persuading people to stay Catholic.

Answer 5

I am sure there are a few. But I would say that it is not a high %. Mostly it would be younger people hiding from parental figures, or still confused about what they think. I think as most people get older they realize that despite what religious people say about agnostic and atheists, they are not devil worshipers or horrible people. They understand that there is nothing wrong with having different beliefs and are more open to sharing there opinion.

Answer 6

In A Nutshell:

"I am a follower of God and His Word. I do NOT wear a label or religious sticker on myself OR my Jeep. Insetad I LIVE IT, and apply it to my life daily, do the best I humanly can to live a good and sinless life. I do sin, we all have and do, but I don't do it intentionally just because I know God forgives. I slip sometimes and sin, but then I ask forgiveness, recieve that forgiveness, and move on."

You can not know who we all are, unless you take us at our word. I could be some fat naked guy at a PC, trying to say I am a preacher. I could be ANYONE in the globe for that matter! Who and what people are is INSIDE of them and what they DO in life, you can not see through a answer and question forum dear. And REMEMBER to an extent, we all wear masks in one or more areas of life at some point in time. And by the posts I have read here, I honestly think that some don't even know who they truly are themselves.

I myself find if I post questions & answers at my level of schooling, people are either confused or call me stupid because they themselves cannot comprehend what I write. So, I write at a high school level so that everyone can understand. I have received flack from other members, telling me I do not have the degrees I do have and went PHYSICALLY to school for [not some on-line ordination or university]. I could care less what they assume, it is their loss if they would rather not be my friend. No one on Yahoo bothers me or makes me try to hide who I really am, because it is simply none of their business who I am. Though you will find that even if you are open and honest about who you truly are, you will get the Ding-Bats that wish to believe something otherwise.

I get private emails from both Christians and Atheists, some Wiccan/Pegan/Neo-Pegan, and more. They do not bash me, nor I them in private emails. I honestly believe that debate on faith and what people claim to be on Yahoo is merely something to get a rise out of the ones on here that are injured by post contents. They simply like to get into debate with someone else.

I say all this because most of the unbelievers I email with tell me they do believe in God to an extent, or that they may say they do not believe in Him on Y/A, but that they are truly undecided. That they say they do not believe because at this point they have not been given proof He is real, however they say they are open to finding out if He is.

Answer 7

I don't go to church, but my dog tags said "protestant" to avoid getting yelled at by my drill instructors.