Many Americans Are Saying Goodbye to Religion, but Not Faith

The Pew Poll as quoted above to the tune that many of those polled who said they had no religion or religious affiliation one year, and in the next year were "explaining" that they just hadn't found the right fit, the previous year but had now affiliated with a new church.

I am wondering if the Pew Pollsters asked the following: Did these people really believe in their new religious affiliation? Or had they been intimidated by their families to knuckle under and make life livable for the rest of the family, who felt excessively threatened by the polled person's withdrawal from organized religion? Because family can make your life hell unless you are willing to stand your ground, or absolutely walk away from them. Gone is the freedom you had originally felt when you discovered that Christianity and Judaism are based on a collection of fables, fairy tales and attempts to blame "God" for cruelties that were familiar to them. "Why did you fight the Midianites, Grampa?" "Well, God told us to." Yeah, right!

As one who has read not only the books by Mr. Dennett and Mr. Dawkins, but many other books as well, I know that I could never go back to believing the Christian, nor could I subscribe to the Jewish religion. I have read Rabbi R. D. Gold's "Bondage of the Mind", plus Prof. Bart D. Ehrman's works, and more. There is simply no way I could, after reading these books, go back to Christianity. I cannot see how anyone else who has read, thought about, and considered these books to hold truth, could waffle - except by family intimidation.

Rennyrij of PA 6:22PM August 26, 2010