Post-religion poll finds most 'have spiritual beliefs'

Post by **cronus** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 4:12 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24576115

Post-religion poll finds most 'have spiritual beliefs'

Despite the falling popularity of organised religion, most people in the UK still believe in the power of spiritual forces, research suggests.

A study for the Christian think tank Theos recorded 77% as believing some things could not be explained by science or any other means.

Among the other findings, 8% said they or someone they knew had experienced a miracle, while one-in-four expressed a belief in angels.

ComRes surveyed just over 2,000 people.

"The study appears to confirm that, despite a steady decline in congregations and in formal religious belief, a sense of the spiritual remains strong in Britain," said the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott.

(continued)

Post by **Xamonas Chegwé** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 4:48 am

No shit. It has long been clear that the dominant religion in the UK is best described as...

Well I am pretty sure there's summat, like. Not a god or anyfing, not some old bloke on a cloud or any of that crap but, you know, like an energy, or a force, not like in star wars or owt, but well maybe a bit like that, sort of like crystals and power and stuff. I mean the Indians in America they were more in tune with nature than we are and some of them lived to be like 200 or something - I saw it on Youtube! And I mean there just has to be something, right, or else what are we all here for? Right? I mean, just for Big Brother and the X Factor? I don't THINK so!

Post by **Audley Strange** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 6:57 am

Xamonas Chegwé wrote:No shit. It has long been clear that the dominant religion in the UK is best described as...

Well I am pretty sure there's summat, like. Not a god or anyfing, not some old bloke on a cloud or any of that crap but, you know, like an energy, or a force, not like in star wars or owt, but well maybe a bit like that, sort of like crystals and power and stuff. I mean the Indians in America they were more in tune with nature than we are and some of them lived to be like 200 or something - I saw it on Youtube! And I mean there just has to be something, right, or else what are we all here for? Right? I mean, just for Big Brother and the X Factor? I don't THINK so!

Bingo, most people who describe themselves as spiritual have no fucking idea what the concept even refers to other than if they say "spiritual" they think it makes them look less like a superficial arsehole.

Even the "there's got to be something", well that depends on what "something" means. Usually I think it means "I'm aware I'm going to die and am hoping against hope there is some kind of post mortem existence."

Post by **cronus** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:04 am

Audley Strange wrote:
Xamonas Chegwé wrote:No shit. It has long been clear that the dominant religion in the UK is best described as...

Well I am pretty sure there's summat, like. Not a god or anyfing, not some old bloke on a cloud or any of that crap but, you know, like an energy, or a force, not like in star wars or owt, but well maybe a bit like that, sort of like crystals and power and stuff. I mean the Indians in America they were more in tune with nature than we are and some of them lived to be like 200 or something - I saw it on Youtube! And I mean there just has to be something, right, or else what are we all here for? Right? I mean, just for Big Brother and the X Factor? I don't THINK so!

Bingo, most people who describe themselves as spiritual have no fucking idea what the concept even refers to other than if they say "spiritual" they think it makes them look less like a superficial arsehole.

Even the "there's got to be something", well that depends on what "something" means. Usually I think it means "I'm aware I'm going to die and am hoping against hope there is some kind of post mortem existence."

You won't do that come that dying time?

Post by **Audley Strange** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:13 am

I can't imagine it, but you never know, seems like a horrendous idea to me though.

Post by **cronus** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:17 am

Audley Strange wrote:I can't imagine it, but you never know, seems like a horrendous idea to me though.

There's always the goodluck of a quick painless death crossing the road and being run over by a bus.

Otherwise for the theoretician there is no option but to think about this more as the years drag onwards towards :game over: at the climax.

Post by **JimC** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:53 am

Give me a vague mish-mash of disorganised superstition over a dogmatic religion any day...

Sure, better still would be the cold light of reason, but you take what you can get...

Post by **cronus** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:05 am

JimC wrote:Give me a vague mish-mash of disorganised superstition over a dogmatic religion any day...

Sure, better still would be the cold light of reason, but you take what you can get...

If the simulation hypothesis is correct then death is not the end and the higher order beings which put us in this simulation know everything done and thought....who needs God?

Post by **PsychoSerenity** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:22 am

Scrumple wrote:A study for the Christian think tank Theos recorded 77% as believing some things could not be explained by science or any other means.

And it kind of shows - actual wording from the study: "Do you agree that there are things in life that we simply cannot explain through science or any other means?"

What kind of a question is that? Why start with "Do you agree"? Who's "we"? And it's written in the present tense - certainly there are things that currently cannot be explained - so what? Learn to write an unbiased and unambiguous question if you want to be taken seriously.

Post by **Clinton Huxley** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:28 am

Well, it was commissioned by a Christian think-tank, if that ain't an oxymoron, so they would load the dice, question wise, in their favour.

Post by **cronus** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:30 am

There are plenty of things outside of science and reason - often they occur once.....like you?

http://worldsciencefestival.com/videos/ ... erstanding

Post by **subversive science** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 11:45 am

"Some secularists have concluded from these trends that over recent decades Britain has become more secular, or more sceptical, or more rational," says Theos in its "belief in post-religious Britain" report.

"But the picture is actually very different - more complex and more interesting - than that."

Considering that the number of non-religious, according to the article, have increased, and that non-religious are less likely to be "spiritual," then this conclusion by the authors of the study seems to be unsubstantiated.

Post by **rainbow** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 11:49 am

My spiritual belief is that whisky is better than vodka.

Post by **subversive science** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:08 pm

rainbow wrote:My spiritual belief is that whisky is better than vodka.

We should start a religion.

Post by **cronus** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:10 pm

subversive science wrote:
rainbow wrote:My spiritual belief is that whisky is better than vodka.
We should start a religion.

Not without me you don't.

rationalia.com

Post-religion poll finds most 'have spiritual beliefs'

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