Britons View Atheists As More Moral Than Believers, Religion More Harmful Than Good

[NeoGreen]

http://churchandstate.org.uk/2018/01/britons-view-atheists-as-more-moral-than-believers-religion-more-harmful-than-good/?fbclid=IwAR26fRU8DJDzz20fbfuDlAWEp2544_jDI2EMpGxJ0fPsHvXTxYUlpLrZ6gU

Britons View Atheists As More Moral Than Believers, Religion More Harmful Than Good

An eye-opening survey conducted in the UK reveals a truth many in the United States will find shocking. When asked if atheists are more or less moral than religious people, our allies across the pond favor atheists.

The British feel those who identify as atheists are more likely to be good people. In fact, 12.5% of Britons believe atheists are more moral, while only 6% say atheists are less moral.

Fewer than a quarter of Britons believe religion is a force for good. On the contrary, over half believe religion does more harm than good. Even 20% of Britons who describe themselves as ‘very religious’ are on record stating religion is harmful to society.

The poll, conducted by Survation for the HuffingtonPost UK’s series Beyond Belief doesn’t address why Britons have come to this conclusion, however faith in God and religion is falling in America as well. Jerome Baggett, a professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California told The San Francisco Business Times why he thinks people are retreating from religion in the United States,...

“Religious institutions themselves have lost their legitimacy in the eyes of many Americans due to sexual and financial scandals, or political overreaching ‘by the so-called Christian right.’”

[lark]

1. I believe they totally get it and most Americans don't.

Churches are used to control and maintain the patriarchal society and their own power, they don't serve the general good. Now, some churches do, I used to work out arrangements when churches wanted to pay for one of their members medical care. I've had friends who lost their house and everything in it and the local churches really came together and helped them, although that was over 20 years ago. Would the jewish Synagogue do that for Catholics these days, don't know?

What to me is emblematic of today's fake christians is Joel Osteen, who lied in order to avoid helping the people in Houston when they were in dire straits. He cared more about having a pristine church than saving people's lives, he is no Christian whatsoever, but one of the drumpf fakes & takers.

[Major Nikon]

4. They are just further advanced into progressivism

If you want to know where the US will be on social change in 10-20 years, look at where Europe is now.

[guillaumeb]

7. Eurpoe is also home to many far right wing nativist parties.

And much misogyny, and Islamophobia, and other "progressive" outbreaks.

[Major Nikon]

9. They are also dealing with a refugee crisis on a scale the US has never seen

Now imagine the result here if the same thing happened.

[NeoGreen]

10. We should embrace this weak association argument between...

... those practicing misogyny, anti-LGBT and Islamophobia, and see how it correlates in the US.

Let's see, Republicans (check), conservatives (check), libertarians (or in other words proto-anarchists who, falsely, believe their property rights will be preserved in their de-regulated utopia) (check) and...oh yes, that's right: fervent believers in poorly preserved and translated bronze age mythologies. Funny how that works.
-off

[guillaumeb]

11. Are you making excuses for far right nativism and prejudice?

Or is this a diversion?

[Major Nikon]

2. God is basically dead in Europe

While many still identify which a religion, the role of organized religion is reduced to only a ceremonial one. So people still get married and buried in churches, but nobody is buying the mythology.

[MineralMan]

3. That's very interesting.

Thanks for posting.

[Act_of_Reparation]

5. Atheists perceived as moral?

Meanwhile, in the United States...

[sinkingfeeling]

6. I tend to agree.

[Duppers]

8. That's what people in Cambridge thought

When we lived there back in the '90s.