Posted by Amanda on January 03, 1997 at 10:31:23:
In Reply to: US Belief in God posted by David on January 03, 1997 at 09:13:46:
: I read an article in the London Times recently (I am British) about belief in God. I was staggered to find that 93% of Americans believe in a "God of some sort". Why does the most technologically advanced country on earth have one of the highest beliefs in God? I would be interested to get native Americans' thoughts, especially skeptics. Is it because of religious education at school? Is it because of the nauseating propensity of US sports stars (and other icons) to put their successes down to God? Or something totally different?
I don't think the percentage is that high but yes, it is very high. From the research I've been doing I have found that the majority of people who believe in the fundamental conception of God have little or no knowledge of science, have been terrificaly influenced by a church run way of life, believe that the "good" in the world is due to the doctrines of religion in the supernatural, cannot conceive at all how it might be possible that we arrived here through a series of "accidents" or chance governed by the laws of the Universe and luck had something to do with that as well. Ignorance and fear of the unknown are the two major reasons why people choose to believe in God and all that goes with it. Because media has such an enormous influence on American soceity and because the theists have cleverly used this medium to their advantage - they have a huge following. Education also - especially in primary years - is one sided and conditons the vulnerable mind of our youth to sway in the direction of God. There is a high rate of illiteracy also which adds to it. The reasons are many.