What's the difference between "non religious" and Atheist?

Question

According to the Census Bureau of the United States...there is a difference...
look for yourself...
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/07s0073.xls

I agree with Corrosion AEC!

This question got a lot of answers!

Answer 1

Non religious or agnostic means you believe in God but don't know if any religion is correct. Atheist means you do not believe in any higher power.

Answer 2

Non Religious: A person who has developed their own opinions and beliefs regarding a higher power(s). A person who is spiritual but doesn't classify them self with any particular denomination. A person who has developed their own method of worshiping a higher power(s) that doesn't correlate with any known religious doctrine.

Atheist: as a philosophical view, is the position that either affirms the nonexistence of gods[1] or rejects theism.[2] When defined more broadly, atheism is the absence of belief in deities,[3] alternatively called non theism.[4] Although atheism is often equated with irreligion, some religious philosophies, such as secular theology and some varieties of Theravada Buddhism, also lack belief in a personal god.

Answer 3

Beats me, I guess there could be subtle differences.

Interesting looking at the numbers. In about 10 years:

Christians have dropped by 10% from 86% to 76%

Non religious have almost doubled from 8% to 14%


Looking forward to an atheist president in my lifetime.

Answer 4

I'd say the answer depends on your definition of "religious".

To some people, "religious" could mean "spiritual" and not necessarily having anything to do with God. If that's you're definition, it IS possible to be religious and an Atheist.

If your definition of "religious" is "belongs to one specific religion" and you don't consider Atheism a religion, then I can't think of any difference between the two.

Answer 5

i'm now no longer a scientist yet a mum with an exceedingly grimy son and husband! so a strategies as i'm wakeful there are those extra effective thingies in bio stuff that truly do get themes clean. they are extra effective effective and each and each so generally i'd desire to have some for the hubby's artwork kit or a white wash that needs a solid blast. no rely if as I easily have a three 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous and my brother each and each so in many cases maintains to be and has eczema I ninety 9% use non-bio Fairy or Persil and that they do exceptionally lots as stable a activity with out any irritants (they get poster paint, spaghetti, airborne dirt and dirt and blood out besides!!!), plus they do now no longer fade your outfits like bio ones do. as quickly as you're a pupil do now no longer waste your money on tabs or gels as they are generally a many cases happening length, in case you purchase a extensive Fairy or Persil from Netto or comparable you are able to alter how lots you put in, i do now no longer use as much as a tab as i'm now no longer in a now no longer uncomplicated water section subsequently saving (it is going to inform you on the area of the %. how lots to prepare for water hardness), additionally you are able to in straightforward words located truly in as quickly as you're doing a small rapid wash.

Answer 6

It really is just how one identifies him/herself.

Basically any secular/agnostic person can be classified as a weak atheist- which is nothing more than not believing in spiritual entities.

A non-religious person simply isn't religious. They might still believe in a higher power. Atheists are non-religious.

Answer 7

non religious is somebody who has better things to do with their time than sit around and think about how awesome it is that there is no God.

an atheist thinks that religion is poison and seems to want to argue that there is no God.

The Non-religious guy is having WAY more fun than the Atheist guy is because he doesn't have so much on his mind and has the time to do whatever he wants to.

Answer 8

I would say someone who is non religious was raised w/ religious conviction, but now is sort of agnostic or just not interested. Were as an atheist is believes in science and evolution.

Answer 9

Agnostics are non-religious.

So are atheists.

So are people that were reared in a certain religious tradition but now couldn't care less and so don't take the time to consider their reactions to it.

Answer 10

There's a variety of groups that fall under "non-religious." Agnostics are clearly non-religious. Deists are also generally categorized as non-religious. While they believe in a higher power, they have no religious practice.