Not atheist, not religious: Typical Briton is a 'fuzzy believer'

Not atheist, not religious: Typical Briton is a 'fuzzy believer'

www.guardian.co.uk

"People cling to the idea of religion as a source of morality," says Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. "There is a general apathy: people don't want to make a fuss."

Many Britons have at best a shallow belief in God: the most recent British Social Attitudes survey found that just a third of the population held firm religious beliefs, with another third deeply sceptical and the final third uncertain.

But far fewer are prepared to go further and describe themselves as openly atheist. It was telling that Nick Clegg caused a stir when he did so soon after becom

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, yet again, more evidence that the UK is NOT a Christian country.

The article is an excellent, and well balanced piece of writing about the state of religion within the UK

We are a nation of 'fuzzy' believers - noone wants to rock the boat, and everyone wants to try and get along.

The only problem with this is, that special interest groups such as religious fundamentalists can get their hooks into education and other public services - and get away with it. We need to rock the boat, to stop these special interest groups from enforcing their convictions upon those who are vulnerable, or just simply don't want them.

Britain needs to become UNFUZZY. And quickly. Religion needs to be stopped.

Parallex.

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm British and not fuzzy at all, I'm an atheist to the core and am not shy about arguing with people about it if it comes up in a conversation,

I'm pretty alarmed at the number of single faith schools that have been popping up in Britain as of late and to me there does seem to be some kind of a resurgence in the number of people I meet that have a strong belief in one god or another.

Britain has a proud tradition of being a collection of heathens, skeptics and confirmed sinners we should cherish it!

This pretty much corroborates what I've been saying for some time, based on the evidence that I've seen:

Most British people aren't religious, but most British people aren't atheists.

There's a clear distinction between not following an organised religion, and being an atheist.

Most of the well-respected polls conducted in the last decade, suggest 50-70% of people believe in God or higher power, and between 15-20% of people are atheist.

These polls also tend to show that over 50% of people do not follow any organised religion.

Originally posted by Parallex
Well, yet again, more evidence that the UK is NOT a Christian country.

Parallex, me old mucker, as I've pointed out before: Britain is a Christian country, because the Head of State is also the head of the Church of England.

The two positions of being the monarch of Britain and the head of the Church of England are inseparable.

Britain is slowly returning to its Pagan roots, just because people don't want a label attached to their belief, does not make them fuzzy.

Everywhere you look you see organised religion fighting between each other, you see clergy messing with Children, telling people to do as they say or be burnt in hell, so people are telling them to shove it were the sun don't shine.

Yet they spend a lot of time telling people Pagans are evil and Satanists, even though Satanism is a made up Christian control effort, just today because of the freak threatening to burn the Quaran people have been shot dead in their own country for protesting against it.

People should be allowed to practice any faith they want without someone telling them they will suffer eternal damnation for not doing it their way, well I say them first, because its those people who seem to me to be breaking al the rules they try and put on everyone else.

No self respecting person would believe any God or Goddess would make them suffer in any was shape or form if they really loved their creation would they?

All the suffering is a Human idea to make people do as their told, while they do what they want when they want, while pointing the finger everywhere other than where it should be pointing.

Originally posted by Sherlock Holmes

Originally posted by Parallex
Well, yet again, more evidence that the UK is NOT a Christian country.

Parallex, me old mucker, as I've pointed out before: Britain is a Christian country, because the Head of State is also the head of the Church of England.

The two positions of being the monarch of Britain and the head of the Church of England are inseparable.

I appreciate you made this point before, but you're WRONG.

Just because a head of state is Christian, does not mean everyone else in the country gets classified as being Christian! Not in a modern democracy anyway.... unless you still think it's 1750? This is a farcical argument used by traditionalists and christians alike.

Your point is an assumption, nothing more.

Parallex.

Non of this really matters in the long term, when each every skeptic and atheist finally learns about the existence of God and the after life at the time of death.

You figure there is place in the afterlife where a bunch of us gather around the "about to be deceased: skeptic just so we can see the reaction on their soul face when they realize that they continue on in the after life. Oh man that look has to be priceless.

But to be back on topic, yeah most Brits that I know are skeptics or atheists. And then when I get into debates with them and crush them intellectually they start to question they're own doubt.

Heres an excellent piece of Britishness, Atheism, shouting and making a confused girl cry while not wearing a shirt

link

Originally posted by Parallex
I appreciate you made this point before, but you're WRONG.

Just because a head of state is Christian, does not mean everyone else in the country gets classified as being Christian! Not in a modern democracy anyway.... unless you still think it's 1750? This is a farcical argument used by traditionalists and christians alike.

Your point is an assumption, nothing more.

Parallex.

Yes, it *does* mean that Britain is a Christian country. It doesn't mean that everyone living here is Christian though.
Personally, I wish it were 1750, but thats just me.

Another religion thread....gotta love 'em.

I'd hazard a guess and say, tongue in cheek, that most Brits probably wouldn't give a genuine answer to a question about religion, for fear of offending a believer, being prosecuted under a 'diversity' law and basically having their life ruined for disagreeing with someone with faith. "It ain't worth it"

reply to post by Parallex




I remember seeing a poll before and it said something like 71% of Brits were not religious/ didn't follow a religion.

I think It's fantastic that I live in a country where the majority of people don't go around criticizing others for not being religious and we don't have loads of god channels and God isn't plastered all over the place.


Whether we're fuzzy believers or we just don't care..... It's all good.

reply to post by Emphursis


As long as there is a head of state whom is at the head of the church of england, then the UK is a christian country. If and when charles comes to the throne, will that change?

After all he just does not want to be the defender of the prodestant faith, he wants to be defender all Faiths. If that does happen, then the UK does not qualify as a christian country.

Maybe it is about time the citizens in the UK start to rock the boat, with regards to so called religious institutions using thier influences in politics, education etc. It is going to continue to occur until it is too late.

Mind you here is a thought, One does think, it is too late for the UK1. Someone prove to me that one is wrong.

reply to post by DSSONE


That is because we are soo Politically Correct in this country no one wants to rock the boat, If you do speak out, you are classed as either a Bigot or a Racist!

Originally posted by davespanners
Heres an excellent piece of Britishness, Atheism, shouting and making a confused girl cry while not wearing a shirt

link

edit on 10-9-2010 by davespanners because: (no reason given)

Thanks for that, I'm not a fan of John McCrirrick but he did well there. He was making the woman realise that she'd been brainwashed, she started to wake up to the fact, to question her beliefs like everyone should whether you're a believer or not, and that's why she started to cry.

I find it kinda of Ironic, a certain Religion, condemms Homosexuality, Calls Homosexuality a SIN, but that religion, blesses a Gay Mass, in London. Hello Double Standards. Just shows how Apathetic the UK is towards religion as a whole.

reply to post by Hawkwind.




I agree.... I can't stand John McCririck..... he's a sexist prick..... BUT.... He's right on in what he's saying to this woman.

He wasn't even nasty to her?

Originally posted by Laurauk
reply to post by DSSONE

 

That is because we are soo Politically Correct in this country no one wants to rock the boat, If you do speak out, you are classed as either a Bigot or a Racist!

Indeed Laurauk. It's all about the vocal minority in the UK. Stuff the majority.

reply to post by Parallex


I entirely agree with your thoughts on this. While others might shrug, there are organized groups that do have opinions and will use the "let's all get along to get along" sensibilities to move their agendas through with ease.

There is a huge difference between tolerance of other people's convictions, and a complete lack of any convictions whatsoever. A population of people who have no convictions, and no core belief system, also have no direction. And that's both sad and dangerous.

reply to post by blupblup


My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw this on Big Brother, It's so unusual to see a strongly argued Atheist view point on the TV outside of the occasional Richard Dawkins documentary. I just wish he had put a shirt on while he was saying it

I love the bit where he says "If you had been born in South America you would be an Aztec"