Not that many, actually. The number of pure, self-declared American Atheists hovers around 4%. (CIA, 2004) Another 4% or so are Agnostics, who therefore have left the question to be asked. Everybody else, the other 92%, believes that some kind of a Supreme Being or supernatural entity exists. So there isn't much to "respect" there: upsetting 4% of the people is pretty much ordinary for any opinion a person could wish to assert. And that 4% can easily find something on TV.uwot wrote:Well, I am touched by your solicitude, but many of us have said 'No thanks' in a variety of ways, all of which you fail to respect.
It's not hard for anyone to avoid discussions of God today. They're rarely conducted out in public. You have to go searching for them, or else track some down on the internet.
However, what I have found is this: that people are very upset about God because many have a deep and irritating sense they're on the wrong side of the issue. Like a person with an open wound, they cringe at every touch, and thus are hypersensitive to this issue to a degree that they are not, even in matters like sexuality, finances or politics. Yet they cannot leave it alone.
In contrast, those who have some sort of sincere, deeply-held belief in the Supreme Being are usually more than happy to discuss it. The fear doesn't enter their eyes whenever the topic comes up. And even the Atheists...well, look how many of them want to write books, go on the lecture circuit, post opinions, gather in self-congratulatory groups...and so on. And as for PN, well, they tell me that this is their #1 most popular subject of articles. They want to do fewer of them, but the public is just so darned interested they can't resist putting more in.
The human race cannot get enough of the topic of God.
But you can. However, you choose not to, oddly enough...
So if your answer is really "no thanks," what are you doing here, chiming in now?
