What are the spiritual/theistic leanings of your friends?

Pace2008

This thread here struck a bit of a chord with me, and prompted me to create this thread.

Which of the poll options would best describe the religious/spiritual inclinations, or lack thereof, of your closer peers?*

The majority of mine would probably be best labelled as spiritualists, or possibly deists. Their sentiments echo those of the poster in the linked thread: “Life can’t just end like that,” “There must be something more,“ etc. For the most part, they are not magical thinkers; their beliefs are intrinsically linked with death, life thereafter, and the related concept of a soul.

Some would have some vague belief in a deistic creator-type entity, but not in a personal, anthropomorphic, Abrahamic-type God. Off the top of my head, none would describe themselves as Christian, and nearly all would be anti-Catholic to some degree of other.

I think this is quite representative of the youth in general in modern Ireland, and imo it’s a positive shift from what we were a few decades ago – I’d say most atheists would have little problem with these sort of quiet, personal beliefs.

*I’m aware that atheism is merely the lack of belief in a deity, and one can hold spiritual beliefs and still be classed an atheist, but for the purpose of the poll the atheist/agnostic option describes materialistic types with no solid belief in an afterlife or supernatural entities.

The Mad Hatter

I can't vote because I have more than one friend. :P

Honestly, all of the above, but probably more atheists and agnostic atheists than anything else.

Pushtrak

I'd say in a state of flux would describe my friends. They have their issues with religion, and at times go with a non-belief, but at other times, seem to go with there being a god. Basically, as a means to justify things that happen in their daily lives, or as something to wonder why things turn out the way they do.

It isn't surprising this on again, off again thing they have with religion as the non belief doesn't stem from anything in the way it does for me. It is clear in talking about it, that they haven't really considered much stuff in depth. The problem of evil is about as deep as they'll go.

Pace2008

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I can't vote because I have more than one friend. :P

Honestly, all of the above, but probably more atheists and agnostic atheists than anything else.

The poll option states that the question applies to the majority of your friends.

Oh, and could a mod please remove one of the redundant instances of "spiritual" in the thread title?

PDN

Pace2008 wrote: »

The poll option states that the question applies to the majority of your friends.

But what if he only has two friends?

Um, I don't know how to vote really. Jewish, atheist, christian, etc... there are some I don't think I'd know about either since I don't generally ask

Pace2008

bluewolf wrote: »

Um, I don't know how to vote really. Jewish, atheist, christian, etc... there are some I don't think I'd know about either since I don't generally ask

Should edit the thread title to match the poll:

What are the spiritual/theistic leanings of the majority of your friends

magicbastarder

Pace2008 wrote: »

The poll option states that the question applies to the majority of your friends.

i do not have a majority of friends who could be put in one box. i'd say about 40% atheist, 40% don't give it any thought/lapsed, and 20% christian.

Black Swan

Diverse

Pace2008

Pace2008 wrote: »

Should edit the thread title to match the poll:

I know you said majority, and I'm saying I haven't a clue.

Galvasean

PDN wrote: »

But what if he only has two friends?

Whichever one is taller.

Hard to say. I'm friends with a lot of atheists, but also a lot of very lapsed Catholics who would strike me more as deists or agnostics if you had to guess what they were based on what they say/how they behave.
Very few of my friends would describe themselves as being devoutly Christian. As far as I'm aware none of my close friends are Muslim, Hindu or of any non-Abrahamic religions. I have one friend who describes himself as "a Jewish atheist".

fuzztone

All atheist bar one girl who claims to be Christian despite her failure to adhere to practically all religious requests.

Pace2008

Galvasean wrote: »

I have one friend who describes himself as "a Jewish atheist".

More than any other group, Jews are regarded by themselves and others as an ethnic group as much as a religious one. I know Baddiel identifies himself as such, and I’m sure I’ve heard of others doing the same.

At times I’ve tentatively described myself as ethnically or culturally Catholic, but I’m reluctant to do so these days in an attempt to halt the self-perpetuating cycle that keeps us a “Catholic Nation.”

Dades

I think it's interesting that I, and others here it seems, don't have much of a clue.

I know one or two of my best mates have some sort of faith (legacy of a RC upbringing) but amongst the greater collective I have no idea what they believe/don't believe.

Malari

I think they are either atheists or cultural christians, by which I mean they are not regular church-goers, but have some sort of idea that there may be a god, but I've never really pushed them on it.

philologos

Mix between Atheist, Agnostic, and Christian for the most part.

Ickle Magoo

For the majority, I have no idea. I know some are atheist/agnotics...I suspect due to discussion we've had that some others are too, one is a born again christian and a few more are a buhddist/humanist/spiritual but not religious types - otherwise, don't know & if it's so not in my face that I don't know, I don't really care, either.

mikhail

Dades wrote: »

I think it's interesting that I, and others here it seems, don't have much of a clue.

I know one or two of my best mates have some sort of faith (legacy of a RC upbringing) but amongst the greater collective I have no idea what they believe/don't believe.

I'm similar. Of my closest friends, I know several are atheists, about as many are Roman Catholic to some degree. I don't know to exactly what degree because I, contrary to the atheist stereotype, don't discuss religion with them. It just doesn't come up.

GLaDOS

The majority don't care and if you asked would give a vauge answer. Decent few agnostic/atheists, one or two Catholic. So em... I'm not sure.

ChocolateSauce

I've got two main groups of people I associate with, one of which revolves around the alternative music scene, the other revolves around science, largely UCD science but also people from other colleges and pro-science groups. The latter is overwhelmingly atheist, the former overwhelmingly agnostic boardering on atheist.

I don't think I've ever in my life met someone in at a rock concert/bar/event or in the science building who declared themselves Christian. The closest in either was some non-specific belief in a supernatural explaination for the universe. Actually a few weeks ago I was discussing a similar issue with my 3 best friends, and after a whole day of thinking on it, we realised that between us we only knew two people our age who called themselves Catholic (this must be out of a pool of 200 people or more, though I appreciate that we do tend to frequent the most godless part of any society). The figure for people calling themselves Christian was only marginally higher.

Of the people I consider friends, they're all atheists. Interestingly, all my militant atheist friends are scientists and none of my non-scientist friends are. I didn't do that on purpose, although I wonder if it merely coincidence or was it something I did without realising?

PeterIanStaker

Mostly atheists, know a few lapsed christians as well as some semi - practicing RC's who'd be slightly older.

Canis Lupus

Well in London it's predominantly atheist although a smattering of muslim/hindu/sikhism.

In Ireland (rural Kerry) it's RCC or at least a 'there must be something' which seems to involve going to church once a week on a Sunday.

And who says place of birth bears no relation on belief eh?

rainbow kirby

Virtually all atheist/agnostic, with a few pagans.

Dave!

Wishy-washy spiritualist "where did it all come from?" philosophy, with friendly leanings towards Catholicism (unless you push them on the lunatic claims)

Only a couple of my mates (that I know of) are atheists

virmilitaris

I assume most of my friends from Ireland are Catholic. Some acquaintances on my travels could be Shinto as I know many Japanese, some may be Buddhist or members of Christian denominations but I really don't know. Sometimes ones religion may come up by accident of the topic of conversation but it's forgotten as quickly as it's mentioned.

The best way to have it, is it not ?

I tend to avoid conversations regarding politics and religion as much as possible. Although exceptional times such as these have forced my hand a bit. Thank you Fianna Fail.

Beruthiel

It's not a conversation I ever bring up so I really don't have a clue. I feel it's a can of worms I'd rather not open.

Truley

One Buddist, a Chinese friend who was born into a buddist culture and follows the principles of Buddhism.

Many 'Buddists,' Irish people who don't really know much about it but put it on their facebook page because it makes them appear really eclectic and new-agey becauce they're so spiritual maan :P

DazMarz

An atheist myself, with most of my friends being in the same category.

Some of us were fairly obviously baptised into various Christian denominations (I'm allegedly a Catholic...:P) but we are simply to lazy to get ourselves excommunicated or whatever. And we also, for various reasons, no longer believe in spirituality, god nor anything else of that ilk.

To quote an old joke, I'm friends with plenty of atheists; some of them are Catholic atheists, some of them are Protestant atheists............;):rolleyes:

robby^5

The majority of the people I'd call friends would be atheist or agnostic. The ones that do believe in a god are generally deist or catholic in name only.