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Number of Theist/Atheist/Agnostic People on boards

  • 24-09-2013 04:44PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,569 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I always wondered about the census result still indicating that Ireland is still a predominantly religious (Catholic) country. There are the arguments that people just stick down a religion based on what they were raised rather than what they actually feel or practice.

    I think it would be interesting to collect the statistics of boards users to compare with the census figures.

    From wikipedia:
    In 2011, 84.2% of the population identified themselves as Roman Catholic, 2.6% less than 5 years earlier, although the number of Catholics increased by 179,889.[1] The second largest Christian denomination, the Church of Ireland (Anglican), declined in membership for most of the twentieth century, but has more recently experienced an increase, as have other small Christian denominations. Other significant Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland.
    I am adding a poll with 3 options for simplicity.

    1. Theist - Meaning, a belief in a higher being
    2. Atheist
    3. Agnostic

    What option best describes your views 430 votes

    Theist
    0% 0 votes
    Atheist
    18% 78 votes
    Agnostic
    81% 352 votes


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Yay!! A jam thread

    I vote rhubarb!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    I'm both an agnostic and an atheist.




    As are most who identify as agnostic.




    Oddly enough all theists are also agnostics but most just can't bring themselves to admit it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,339 ✭✭✭Artful_Badger


    Plenty of people still class themselves as Catholics even though they know its tradition rather than belief. Most young folks dont though. If the census shows a predominantly Catholic country then it could also be because Mammy and Daddy filled out the census before heading off to mass.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 213 ✭✭meemeemee


    Surely many people who are "not religious" don't go as far as to consider themselves either agnostic or atheist.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 36,926 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Seachmall wrote: »
    I'm both an agnostic and an atheist.




    As are most who identify as agnostic.

    I would also fall into this category, so there isn't a button for me to press :pac:


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭FatherLen


    I don't believe in god or the afterlife but I call myself an agnostic...




    ....just incase


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,569 ✭✭✭techdiver


    Plenty of people still class themselves as Catholics even though they know its tradition rather than belief. Most young folks dont though. If the census shows a predominantly Catholic country then it could also be because Mammy and Daddy filled out the census before heading off to mass.

    I agree that many forms were filled out by mammy and daddy, but from my own anecdotal evidence (friends), many of them filled in Catholic even though they don't really believe or attend mass, apart from the usual of Weddings and Funerals.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,150 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    I consider myself "atari jaguar". Unfortunately, not an option in the poll


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 295 ✭✭seanie_c


    What about Astronomy? Studying the cosmos.

    Atheism is dogmatic when it uses dodgy science as evidence to prove a God doesn't exist when there really is no way of knowing right now for certain.

    It just comes down to what you believe.

    But no doubt Atheists will disagree with me . . .;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 6,150 ✭✭✭DoctorEdgeWild


    Bob Dole doesn't need this.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,339 ✭✭✭Artful_Badger


    seanie_c wrote: »
    What about Astronomy? Studying the cosmos.

    Atheism is dogmatic when it uses dodgy science as evidence to prove a God doesn't exist when there really is no way of knowing right now for certain.

    It just comes down to what you believe.

    But no doubt Atheists will disagree with me . . .;)

    Whether or not a being or beings had a hand in the creation of the universe we'll probably never know. But God/Gods and all the teachings associated with them are a human construct of that there is no doubt in my mind.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,312 ✭✭✭Paramite Pie


    Atheist.

    My dad filled out the census for me and my brother. We were annoyed when he admitted he put us down as Catholics. He doesn't even take it very seriously himself.... ugh... parents:pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,182 ✭✭✭Genghiz Cohen


    seanie_c wrote: »
    What about Astronomy? Studying the cosmos.

    Atheism is dogmatic when it uses dodgy science as evidence to prove a God doesn't exist when there really is no way of knowing right now for certain.

    It just comes down to what you believe.

    But no doubt Atheists will disagree with me . . .;)

    Only on your definition of atheist.

    And anyone who says they can prove something ISN'T is deluding themselves.
    You can't prove a negative.

    Agnostic atheist here. Don't believe but don't claim to know.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    seanie_c wrote: »
    But no doubt Atheists will disagree with me . . .;)

    In my experience the vast, vast majority of atheists agree that the existence of God is unknowable.

    That's why the vast, vast majority of them are atheists.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,569 ✭✭✭techdiver


    God damn it (pun intended!).

    Just realised I left a "t" off "Theist" in the thread title!


  • Posts: 25,909 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    seanie_c wrote: »
    Atheism is dogmatic when it uses dodgy science as evidence to prove a God doesn't exist when there really is no way of knowing right now for certain.

    No.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,420 ✭✭✭✭Galwayguy35


    Seachmall wrote: »
    Oddly enough all theists are also agnostics but most just can't bring themselves to admit it.

    A mind reader as well are you, able to tell what other people think...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 960 ✭✭✭cletus van damme


    How can one be atheist AND agnostic?

    my understanding is that one believes in something but the other believes in nothing (in terms of higher powers )

    i seek enlightenment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    techdiver wrote: »
    God damn it (pun intended!).

    Just realised I left a "t" off "Theist" in the thread title!

    You can edit it by double clicking the surrounding box on the main forum listing.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 295 ✭✭seanie_c


    Whether or not a being or beings had a hand in the creation of the universe we'll probably never know. But God/Gods and all the teachings associated with them are a human construct of that there is no doubt in my mind.

    I agree.

    Certainly not implying I believe in the bible, Qur'an, Torah, Talmud or any other religious mumbo jumbo text.

    But I don't accept Atheists explanation for the creation of Universe either as it's just more of the same.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    How can one be atheist AND agnostic?

    my understanding is that one believes in something but the other believes in nothing (in terms of higher powers )

    i seek enlightenment.

    Gnosticism deals with knowledge.

    Theism deals with belief.

    It's possible to believe something without having absolute knowledge of it.


    I, for example, believe there is nobody alive that is genetically identical to me but without examining the genes of every living person I can never know that.


    Likewise, I believe there is no sentient creator but confess I have no evidence of it.

    My belief is the result of applying logic and reason, but not, unfortunately, the result of analysing empirical evidence.

    seanie_c wrote: »
    But I don't accept Atheists explanation for the creation of Universe either as it's just more of the same.
    You say "Atheists" but I think you mean "Scientists". Y'know, the folk that collect and analyse evidence to reach conclusions (i.e. it's not just more of the same).


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,339 ✭✭✭Artful_Badger


    seanie_c wrote: »
    I agree.

    Certainly not implying I believe in the bible, Qur'an, Torah, Talmud or any other religious mumbo jumbo text.

    But I don't accept Atheists explanation for the creation of Universe either as it's just more of the same.

    Atheists dont have an explanation I dont think. I dont anyway. I just go along with current scientific knowledge which as far as I'm aware can tell us what likely happened from the big bang on. What caused the big bang or existed before it if anything though is anyone's guess and I have never heard anyone speak of what caused it as fact other than those attributing it to God.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 295 ✭✭seanie_c


    No.

    No what? Please don't start talking about the 'Big Bang'

    It's just really annoying to hear someone tell me how the universe was created using dodgy science. I feel like I'm back in primary school listening to a teacher read the book of Genesis.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,172 ✭✭✭Ghost Buster


    seanie_c wrote: »
    What about Astronomy? Studying the cosmos.

    Atheism is dogmatic when it uses dodgy science as evidence to prove a God doesn't exist when there really is no way of knowing right now for certain.

    It just comes down to what you believe.

    But no doubt Atheists will disagree with me . . .;)

    Not all atheists give a fiddlers about science much (Me)
    But I do know enough science to know its impossible to prove a non existence so Im guessing the science geek atheists also know this.
    Now you know this to.
    So is this bit over now?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,466 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    Funny enough I was just filling out a form for the Coombe hospital which asked religion and the options included 'Atheist' and 'None'?:confused:


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,172 ✭✭✭Ghost Buster


    seanie_c wrote: »
    I agree.

    Certainly not implying I believe in the bible, Qur'an, Torah, Talmud or any other religious mumbo jumbo text.

    But I don't accept Atheists explanation for the creation of Universe either as it's just more of the same.

    They dont have one. They simply dont believe in gods.....
    Atheists and scientists are different......


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    A mind reader as well are you, able to tell what other people think...

    I don't need to be a mind reader to know that people don't know the unknowable.


    A theist can tell me they "know" that there is a god but I'll just conclude that they don't know what knowledge is.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,735 ✭✭✭Duckworth_Luas


    Ush1 wrote: »
    Funny enough I was just filling out a form for the Coombe hospital which asked religion and the options included 'Atheist' and 'None'?:confused:
    My aunt, Sister Carmencita, is a none! :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,971 ✭✭✭Holsten


    Agnostic/Atheist/Don't care... whatever.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,295 ✭✭✭✭Duggy747


    I don't believe in anything which also counts in me not believing it's not butter.


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