Difference between Theists in Europe and America?

[SIGScienceISGod]

Is there a difference?

 

[SIGScienceISGod]

I think there is, so many superstitions and such in America cause many American theists to be delusional and ignorant to many facts and beliefs of their own religion.

 

[ebbixx]

Is there a difference?

Care to be a little more specific?

I'd tend to think the Americans are a little more entertaining and feel free from much need to make sense much of the time, but I'm sure that's partly because I grew up in America and have seen a much wider range of its Theist variations.

There are, after all, American Theists who are relatively rational on most matters and are quite non-literal about their beliefs. They just haven't managed to take either of the major political parties hostage. Nor are they the ones with the cojones to try and brand Hitler a leftist or a byproduct of political correctness.

 

[Netheralian]

After nearly 2 years in the Netherlands I have yet to meet a creationist and the general theists don't seem to care (in 2 years no one has mentioned God to me - unless it is in reference to some thing Gert Wilders has said about the Muslims). It is both refreshing and a little boring. The theistic dutch in general, seem quite happy to have their own personal beliefs that they entirely keep to themselves.

 

[nasher168]

From what I have heard about America, there seems to be a massive difference.
Here in the UK, hardly anyone believes the story of Genesis to be true. I have never met one, at any rate. There are virtually no people proclaiming nonsense about the "rapture" either. Again, I have never met a single one. Atheism isn't seen as such a big thing, either. Most people don't care if you're an atheist.
Churchgoing is also much lower here. My town houses about 13,000 residents, but there are only enough churches for about 500 people.
Also, Baptist people are virtually unheard of. Most people are either Unitarian, Methodist or Church of England. These are all much, much milder than Baptism and the Vicars are generally very nice, decent, understanding people. I went to a christening a couple of years ago and the vicar said that those of us who did not believe were not expected to pray, but if we could just say "Amen" he would be grateful. From what I have heard, most Baptist Pastors would not welcome non-christians into the church, and they certainly wouldn't acknowledge their presence. This may be partially due to the fact that there are a lot more non-religious folk here than in the US (you only have 10% atheism or something like that, I would estimate about 30% in my local area, and 60% at school).

So yes, there is a very large difference, at least in the UK and Sweden (and the Netherlands, according to Netheralian).

 

[Deleted member 499]

Just to second nasher's account of the UK. I personally knew nothing about anyone believing the genesis creation story word for word until my attention was drawn to American creationists. My brother was once shouted at in the street for being an atheist and there are church signs around outside some churches with slogans such as "If you give the devil and inch he'll soon become your ruler". There is also apparently a creationist museum in Portsmouth but it's nothing like on the same scale as you seem to get in the U.S. I think on the whole people are less aggressive about their religious beliefs here and possibly subscribe to more moderate versions.

 

[Sando]

Finland in general isn't very religious, but unfortunately I happen to live in the bible belt. There's quite a lot of baptists, mormons, jehovas witnesses, "regular" lutherans and the worst of them all...

Laestadians!

Damn, they are annoying! If you haven't heard of them, which I assume you haven't since it's quite a small branch, let me tell you about them. They frown heavily upon any sort of birth control, don't wish for people to get educated and instead want everyone to start families (with members of the same church of course) and get as many children as possible which often leads to families of 15+ children, women usually don't work until they are 55+ as they have to take care of the children, they are not allowed to watch tv (or the internet or radio in some places), interpret the bible literally... and loads of other reasons.

Then again there seem to be a load of people here that don't believe in a specific god but believes there is something grander in the universe. Not necessarily a god or something that created it all or that cares in any way, so I guess you could call them vague deists. Most people under 30 without a religious upbringing seem to be atheists or other kinds of non-believers though, which is great.

 

[Durakken]

As far as I can tell...

America smacked some sense into the UK a few hundred years ago
America took so much damage from the fight it became retarded...

UK Atheists also have a cool accent when they talk which makes them sound more intelligent...

I look like a serial killer, sound like a Bishounen...Who would listen to that ^.^

 

[nasher168]

My brother was once shouted at in the street for being an atheist

???!!???!
How did they know? People don't care enough to go spreading it around, do they? Or did they know him?

churches with slogans such as "If you give the devil and inch he'll soon become your ruler".

I've only ever seem stuff like "One Church, one Lord, Jesus Christ! Worship him here!" I have never, ever seen a sign quite like that.

There is also apparently a creationist museum in Portsmouth

Really? Ouch. That sucks.

 

[SIGScienceISGod]

Yes, in America the general believer is pretty devout and open, trying to spread and influence belief.

 

[Deleted member 499]

???!!???!
How did they know? People don't care enough to go spreading it around, do they? Or did they know him?

I never got the full story about that from him to be honest. From what I gather it was some American guy who'd set up a religious advertising stand and he basically called my brother over and asked him if he'd found Jesus. The answer pissed him off.

I've only ever seem stuff like "One Church, one Lord, Jesus Christ! Worship him here!" I have never, ever seen a sign quite like that.

That's the most common one, but yes there was a sign up outside a church in Warwick which had the devil slogan on it.

Really? Ouch. That sucks.

Apparrently so. I only just found it out today, it was in a BBC article entitled "who goes to a creationist museum" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8032641.stm

And Britain has its own creationist museum, in Portsmouth, Hampshire. But its size and popularity is dwarfed by that of its Kentucky counterpart. The former claims 50,000 visitors in nine years, compared with the latter's 700,000 in less than two.

 

[PJDesseyn]

Well, there are a few people who believe in Creationism, here in Belgium. Not necessarily Young-Earth-Creationism, but at least Creationism. However, the vast majority only believe on a superficial level, because they were raised to believe so. They might believe in God and in some parts, but not really quite that big. There are of course the Jehovah's Witnesses...but no radical right-wing fundamentalist evangelicals as far as I've seen.

But then again, we had Enlightenment in Europe, while other parts of the world haven't...we've been through that period of ignorance already...lets just hope it doesn't return.

 

[Master_Ghost_Knight]

In Europe, not even the Pope believes in creationism. (the guy who is supousedly one in a long line of sucessors at the head of the church sense Peter the Desciple of Jesus for which all Christianity factions are derived from)

 

[GoodKat]

I'll put it this way, in America we had a president a few years ago that said that atheists cannot be patriots, and shouldn't be citizens.