Half the British think that religion is harmful, according to a poll, in the Times news papper
Offline http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2368534.ece
EARLY half the British think that religion is harmful, according to a poll carried out by YouGov. Yet more than half also believe in God “or something”.
The YouGov poll commissioned by John Humphrys, the broadcaster and writer, found that 42% of the 2,200 people taking part considered religion had a harmful effect.
“One reason might be the publicity attracted by a handful of mad mullahs and their hate-filled rhetoric,” writes Humphrys in his new book, In God We Doubt, an extract of which appears in today’s Sunday Times News Review.
Only 16% of those polled called themselves atheists; 28% believed in God; 26% believed in “something” but were not sure what; and 9% regarded themselves as agnostics - like Humphrys himself, who had a religious upbringing in Wales but calls himself a “doubter”.
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More evidence Western Europe is much more rational than the US.
So half of them believe in a god, and the other half think that the first half are dangerous...
Sounds like the UK is gonna be an interesting place to live in the coming years.
As a Brit this really scares me 50% of Brits do NOT think religion is dangerous.
Most Brits believe in 'something' usually their football team (proper football not american rubbish)
Watford FC!!!That's not surprising actually considering the political instablity in Ireland.
While in the States 67% wouldn't vote for an Atheist:
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/03/31/poll_finds_most_in_us_believe_in_god/4567/
What's the fallacy where alot of people believe it so it must be right?
Argument by popularity? I think that's it, everyone I know calls it that.
Yeah
Argumentum ad popularum, I think, is the proper name.
There are a couple of similar fallacies:
Argumentum ad numerum: this is the probability version of popularum. This is essentially "It's more likely if more people believe it."
Argumentum ad antiquitatem: Since it's been this way for a long time, it's true.
Interestingly, there's another one that's relevant to this discussion. The Red Herring. This is where someone introduces something into the conversation that has not previously been introduced, for the purpose of diverting from the actual issue.
For instance, someone might begin arguing against the conclusion that religion must be wrong since lots of Brits believe it is, when the OP had not actually stated that conclusion, nor given any indication that he was going to!
[edit: proving to myself once again that memory is the first thing to go... after doing the actual research, I've discovered that it's Argumentum ad populum]
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
P.S. I know you weren't intentionally doing a red herring, wave. At least I don't think you were. I was just introducing it since your statement could easily deflect the whole conversation, and readers might well think that's what the discussion had been about.
Just hambydammit being a bit pedantic. Pay it no mind.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Forgive my skepticism, but I don't think wave jumped the gun on that.
Did you even read my follow up post?
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Actually its 2000 years of catholics and protestants killing each other.
When I did British history it went along the lines of
Catholics in power,they burn prots as heretics
Prots in power then burn Catholics as heretics
Just about every school kid is aware the 'state' religion the Church of England was created so Henry VIII could get a divorce without Rome.
So its not suprising we are cynical about it
You said pay it no mind >__>
You do realize Ireland is demanding independance right?
Seriously, don't get me started on stuff like this.I second that. Seriously, don't get him started.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Strange I remember Ireland was independent?
At the risk of derailing this thread to a fellow heathen atheist, WTF are you calling rubbish? "Whats with all the pads" crap soccer fans gripe about. As skinny as soccer players are even with pads on, I doubt very seriously they could handle hit after hit after hit after hit from someone like Larence Taylor or Ray Lois. And I doubt they could tackle the likes of John Riggins(in his prime). Pads dont make whimp.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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Yes proper football, meaning Australian Rules Football.
Just kidding. Over here that's what football means. For a long time I was irritated by people calling soccer football until I realised that it probably had that name long before the silly game played down under and since Australian Rules relies heavily on the use of the hands soccer probably has more claim to the term football.
Oh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!