Most churchgoers show up because they have been conditioned to, and for the social club. They don't really believe, they just admire the Emperor's new clothes because everyone else is doing so.

I think every church has its doubters. Most go along with the crowd to feel as if they belong.

As animals we evolved in groups for safety. We are instinctually driven to gatherinto groups. Having a place in a group gives us a sense of security and sfety. As society evolved we just now need to feel liek we belong. Not belonging to a group generally makes most peopel feel insecure.

So, a lot of what brings people to religion is about belonging to a group, having a place in that group and feeling you have people who you can rely on.

I think there are some who simply don't believe at all, but attend church anyways, just ofr the above reasons.

I don't feel comfortable guessing at percentages.

Well one metric for strength or scrupulousness of Christian observances would be that on a worldwide basis last I looked, only 17% of self-identified Christians are evangelicals. This would be the group that would hold the most doctrinaire, rigid, literal beliefs in the teachings of scripture, including the need to be in regular church attendance simply because god commands it.

It is easy in a group like this where probably most of us came out of some form of evangelicalism, as I did, to assume that most Christians have that kind of closely-held, all-in sort of belief. That most Christians guilt each other for missing a Sunday service.

The reality is that most do not.

Indeed, I'd be unsurprised to find that more than half of Christians are so-called "Christmas and Easter, wed and dead" sorts of attendees, or at most, occasionally attend more often than that for the atmosphere or the social opportunities. A smaller number are probably only "cultural Christians", who identify as Christian as opposed to Islam or something else, but have virtually no personal observance.

It's just that those liberal (or liberally defined) sorts of Christians aren't much of a problem for unbelievers and in fact are generally fairly tolerant of us or at least have a respectful, live and let live approach to things ... it's only the authoritarian asshat type of Christian that accosts us and tells us we're evil, hellbound harpies. The other 83% of Christians we actually have a fair bit of common cause with, really. I would in fact say that most religious people don't hold a truly meaningful belief in a deity that actually impacts the conduct of their day to day existence. It's just a vague notion floating around in their heads, supported by a vague taboo against thinking thoughts contrary to it ... but it doesn't much extend beyond their personal space.

I would say the more fundamental the church the higher the rate of true believers. They don't know squat about their holy book but most are too lazy to examine evidence and church is the easy way out.

Doubtful. Most telling is how many religious folk have little idea what is and is not in their holy books. It's especially fun when they run to their tomes only to find you as an atheist are more familiar with it.

Far more likely is that religion is a nice bit of tribalism. It gives rhythm and security and familiarity and identity. It allows one to belong with minimal thought or effort.

depends on which way they are looking