<p>According to the Census, Americans are 81.1% Christian, 3.9% other religion (including 1.4% Jewish, 0.6% Muslim, and 0.6% Buddist), and 15.0% no religion (including 0.5% atheist and 0.5% agnostic).</p>
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According to the Census, Americans are 81.1% Christian, 3.9% other religion (including 1.4% Jewish, 0.6% Muslim, and 0.6% Buddist), and 15.0% no religion (including 0.5% atheist and 0.5% agnostic).
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</p>
<p>According to the Census, China is 3-4% Christian, 1-2% Buddhist, Taoist or Muslim, and 94-95% atheist. China has 1.3 billion people compared to USA's 296 million. What's your point?</p>
<p>sup-</p>
<p>You clearly have not done as much research as you claim to have done. A lot of Christians don't take the Bible literally. They see at as a bunch of didactic metaphors. You can be Christian and believe in evolution and science.</p>
<p>Have you heard of the Augustinian theodicy? In it he claimed that God created the world and the reason why natural evil flourished was because "Eve" and the "Angels" (i haven't seen one have you?) disobeyed him. Hence the "fall". You cannot take Genesis literally. Its more than probable religion was a set up by a government to control popualtions of people. Have you heard of the cover up of the dead sea scrolls?</p>
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According to the Census, China is 3-4% Christian, 1-2% Buddhist, Taoist or Muslim, and 94-95% atheist. China has 1.3 billion people compared to USA's 296 million. What's your point?
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</p>
<p>My point is that nonreligious people are a minority in the U.S.</p>
<p>im_blue, im not sure what you are trying to prove with ur quotation of the census statistics. yes, christianity is the largest religion in the states, but when u read the actual breakdown of those who "claim to be christians", most of them have never been to church nor have even opened the bible. in recent editions of time magazine and newsweek (which both had a number of special devoted to religion), many studies revealed that millions of americans call themselves christian, yet do not believe. they follow more or less a "moral code", believing in the ethics and morality that comes with christianity, but not the far-fetched, fantasy stories of omnipotent/omniscient beings. according to the christian science monitor, more than half of those who claim to be christian really arent what we would call "religious/christian".</p>
<p>i think religion plays a major role in the lives of those who need religion. religion is more or less a historic concept and when looking at the trend of religion over the course of history, u can predict that religion will die out or become very insignificant in the coming future</p>
<p>thesloc, </p>
<p>Laughing at other people's valid points and rambling about a bunch of incoherent, obscure "facts" as you call them is not going to help you prove anything.......other than the fact that you seem to be an utterly blind, close-minded individual who refuses to fathom anything other than your own precious beliefs.</p>
<p>The thing that bothers me about organized religion is that it robs mankind of any logic or proactive ethic. When someone's particularly risky and life-threatening surgery goes well, people automatically deem this feat of science as a "miracle of God". When a young child is so unfairly robbed of life, people delude themselves by thinking that "it was God's will......or it was meant to be so".....</p>
<p>Whenever humans fail to understand something, they placate themselves by the idea that all is in God's hands, when in fact, pain, death, life, and "so called miracles" are direct consequences of human action, not the will of some cruel and all-mighty being.</p>
<p>Finally, I'm very irritated by the fact that morality is now equated to religion. True morality is based entirely in the real world, not on an invisible code or the threat of eternal hell hanging over your head. The moment faith in God ceases to exist, people become socially conscious. For as long as it has existed, religion has prevented the growth of realism and true morality, morality for the sake of being ethical rather than pleasing your god or getting a reward in the afterlife. "Lack of religion makes people realistic and alive to the needs of morality." </p>
<p>For all those peole out there who have started to pray for my salvation, don't. I cannot be punished by a god I don't believe in.</p>
<p>OoooOoOoOoOooooooOooooO</p>
<p>"OooooOooooOooooooooO"</p>
<p>Can't argue with that one...........</p>
<p>It's so foolish that matter just created it self...Scientists believe in the Big Bang, but can humans being on earth for so little time, be able to draw conclusions about an event that occurred 13 billion years ago? Science claims the existance of atoms; serve me an atom; I'll take mine rare thank you....
Of course; atomic theory,is just a theory...but the existence of God; is this a theory? So in accordance to many atheists and whatnot; Religion is a huge joke and we are stupid; or you're all just geniuses...
I don't think that the existance of God can be proven on an internet message board, but rather within yourself.
So then; what is the point of Christianity? Or any other religion that belives in a singular God?<br>
There has to be a Creator.
There is a Creator.</p>
<p>lol, this doesn't mean I don't belive in "Science", but rather that science is a Given to us by God. There are some passages in the Bible where God gives an individual directions for a medical remedy...without God, there wouldn't be Science; or Medecine. Sure; Science goes far; but the rest is in God's "hands".</p>
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Please, for the love of God, nobody debate thesloc! I tried it already (a few pages back I believe), and not only will it seriously detract from the thread, but it will not accomplish anything! Nobody will get this guy to listen to reason. Case in point: I responded fully and in detail to the exact points he just brought up, and he's still parading them around like they have a prayer or being either true or relevant. He'll also throw way too many BS arguments at you for you to respond to--if you google Duane Gish, his strategy is basically the same. Keep throwing **** at the wall and see if anything sticks (it won't, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to clean it all up without writing a goddamn book). This kid somehow finds a way to write a ton about nothing. Seriously, just ignore anything he says about evolution.
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I have honestly never heard of Duane Gish; I googled it, and I'm craving to read his publications...
I can't belive you're so upset about my opinion/view in the existance of God...you need to get out and get some hunny's, this is just the internet. You're right; I'm a kid, a kid that's 15yrs old. So nothing matters; especially on the internet.</p>
<p><em>it's like people are trying to battle me</em></p>
<p>How is science given to us by God? Scientific advancements occur not because God has taught scientist some "secret formula" but rather through the hard work and trial/errors of scientist. Furthermore, if there is a God, why would he create a subject that contradicts what He says? God says he created plants, humans, and all other living organisms. Yet science proves otherwise. </p>
<p>And thesloc, you seem skeptical about the existence of an atom. The atomic theory is not a mere belief (as is Christianity), but rather a theory that has been PROVEN. I find it amusing that you choose not to believe in the existence of an atom, but whole-heartedly believe that there is a God. Science claims the existence of atoms because we have PROVEN their existence, but can you or any other Christian prove the existence of God? Have you seen God? Have you any other way of showing that God exists besides through the use of the Bible (which is nothing more than a book based on witnesses of miracles). </p>
<p>I also find it amusing that you claim it's "foolish that matter just created it self," yet it is not foolish at all that God created the world and everything around us in a week? Also, according to the Bible GOD created the trees out of nothing, as well as snakes, plants, and even LIGHT. So far I haven't read a single posts that shows God is anything more than a BELIEF. A belief based on NO PROOF WHATSOEVER.</p>
<p>sup: it's called an argument from personal incredulity ("i find it difficult to believe that such a thing could occur...") and it is invalid by default.</p>
<p>gdwilner: i'm beginning to think you're right.</p>
<p>Where to begin? Oh, I know. From the topic of this thread. Yes I believe in God, no I don't go to church.</p>
<p>Now since everyone else seems to like going off topic:</p>
<p>Theory-n- an established explanation accounting for known facts or phenomena.</p>
<p>Yes, in a sense, God is a theory. Unlike that use, in which you'd be more correct to say conjecture or hypothesis.</p>
<p>Here's a nice little idea brought up by one of my history teachers.</p>
<p>Is God all powerful? Many say yes. The problem is, He can't make a boulder too heavy for him to move.</p>
<p>In closing, let's stick with simple "Yes, I believe in God," or "No."</p>
<p>agnostic here...i lean towards believing in an uncomprehendable "first" force though...</p>
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How is science given to us by God? Scientific advancements occur not because God has taught scientist some "secret formula" but rather through the hard work and trial/errors of scientist. Furthermore, if there is a God, why would he create a subject that contradicts what He says? God says he created plants, humans, and all other living organisms. Yet science proves otherwise.
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In the beggining God created the heavens and the Earth, before the beggining there was NOTHING, God is almighty powerful; with just saying light, light occured thus, and so did everything else, God jumpstarted our planet...definately not evolution. What does evolution say about humans? What, we are descendants of the primate? How does science explain the Creation of Plants?Animals? Do you have evidence to support this? How did the atom, just create itself? How did the Big Bang occur? What was before the "Big Bang", of course, God created the Universe at the same time he created the Earth, (he created the heavens and the Earth], he created time, what does Science say about time? Of course; he didn't create "stuff" that contradicts him, we jump to conclusions.</p>
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And thesloc, you seem skeptical about the existence of an atom. The atomic theory is not a mere belief (as is Christianity), but rather a theory that has been PROVEN. I find it amusing that you choose not to believe in the existence of an atom, but whole-heartedly believe that there is a God. Science claims the existence of atoms because we have PROVEN their existence, but can you or any other Christian prove the existence of God? Have you seen God? Have you any other way of showing that God exists besides through the use of the Bible (which is nothing more than a book based on witnesses of miracles).
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So the Atomic theory has been proven by the Atomic Bomb, true that, but no one really knows how the atom bomb works, it just does. Yeah, the Atomic Theory is just a theory, I'm not saying don't belive it fully, but rather ridiculous. You tell me why it's still a theory, rather than a proven fact.
Can we see God? No, absolutely not. If God suddenly showed his face to us; what would then become of non believers? What would happen? There wouldn't be a need for faith, that's for sure. </p>
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[quote]
I also find it amusing that you claim it's "foolish that matter just created it self," yet it is not foolish at all that God created the world and everything around us in a week? Also, according to the Bible GOD created the trees out of nothing, as well as snakes, plants, and even LIGHT. So far I haven't read a single posts that shows God is anything more than a BELIEF. A belief based on NO PROOF WHATSOEVER.
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How is it foolish that a supreme being created all? So can you say that computer programs will become beings in the future, can they than say it's foolish that we created them? Does the Bible say directly that the Earth was created in exactly one week? No, because a 24hr day was nonexistant. I think of the term "days" as a period of time, rather than 24 hours. So God is a belief eh? Surely; you read the entire Bible to say such comment...You can only proof the existance of life, by the belief of God. The question is: Prove that there is no God.</p>
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Is God all powerful? Many say yes. The problem is, He can't make a boulder too heavy for him to move.
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It makes me wonder what is your imaginary Biblical figure of God is. On that note, people automatically assume that God is this hippie in pristine white robes, and a beard which looks like grey candyfloss, gloating in the heavens above. I don't know about you guys, but surely God is a Divine Power rather than the biblical imagery figure of a human male, which has been conceived in the trivial, faltering minds of an elite creation that has only been accredited limited knowledge.</p>
<p>It might be nice, you know, to stop this whole argument, since it's been going on for ages outside of this page.</p>
<p>Nothing's going to change, everyone's going to keep their beliefs</p>
<p>No one is trying to make anyone belive anything...God exists; and that is all there is to it.</p>