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LINK Religion among Scientists in International Context: A New Study of Scientists in Eight Regions

This is a gold mine, with over 20 thousand scientists surveyed, over 600 interviewed, in eight countries!

It's always amused me that it's generally non-scientists that claim that science and religion are in conflict and non-scientists that claim that most/all scientists are atheist.

As this survey shows, Gould's NOM is in full effect in the scientific realm and in some countries,

" We uncovered that in most of the national contexts studied, scientists are indeed more secular—in terms of beliefs and practices—than those in their respective general populations, although in four of the regional contexts, over half of scientists see themselves as religious. And surprisingly, scientists do not think science is in conflict with religion. Instead, most see religion and science as operating in separate spheres."

TheMiddleWay 8 Apr 5
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8 comments

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Scientist is a broad spectrum, astrophysicist are a long ways from holisy Medical doctors...

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The percentage of respondents is on average about 40%, a believer is far more likely to answer a survey like like this than a non believer who, if they are like me, see it as a pointless waste of time.
So the survey is skewed to start with.
In Muslim countries you are going to get 100% alledged believers because to say otherwise is professional and probably literal suicide.
Again in the USA for many people working for many corporations claiming atheism is likely to ruin your career.
As has been poined out else where here, it is pointless to compare Fundamantalist christians with say Buddists so far as their creation mythology and existence of diety since the belief in the doctrine conote very different degrees of gullibility and the willingness to place the critical faculties on hold.

In short surveys like this are unscientific, pointless and able be swayed to say what ever you want the results to be.

@TheMiddleWay it is a requirement of believers to "spread the word" "to evangelise" "to bring people to god" and to take every opportunity to do so, usually under the self deluded idea that idea that "god" has given them the opportunity to do so.
It is the same mentality that draws believers to join forums like this, feeling it is their duty to "save" unfortunate lost sheep.
I say this in the position of having once been a highly successful Mormon missionary, stake missionary and priest.
Therefore my evidence may be circumstantial, even anecdotal, but it is based on actual practical experience and biblical teachings.
Believers will see being asked to participate in such a survey as a call from the Lord to save souls.

It's not a universal requirement of all religions to proselytize. And even in those that wish to 'spread the word', there's a spectrum of how organized that is. I would guess that LDS missions are close to the top of that.

@ladyprof70 It is a biblical requirement
Commonly known as the Great Commsion
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

@TheMiddleWay

" this presumes that non-believers don't evangelize (they do)"

Possibly THE single most stupid thing ever said to me on this site.
Try looking up the word evangelize, read its meaning and then you will realise just how idiotic that phrase makes you sound.

@TheMiddleWay
Wiktionary ????????

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A simple way for me to view this question is to ask if scientists believe in Genesis. Most will not but a few will claim that they do. If a scientist does not believe in the book of Genesis then god and Jesus as the religious world knows them have been swept right out the door.

@TheMiddleWay Is there a claim that these other gods created everything? If not there are no worries. If the other gods did create all that is we then appear to have regional and tribal gods. How could you believe in them? No scientist believes in a regional tribal god. It just is not logical.
I contend that the Christian god is also a regional tribal god and that without the book of Genesis to explain "sin" there is no reason for Jesus whatsoever. It makes the bible just a collection of flawed stories. Christianity survives because of a talking snake and belief in one helps many to explain the death of Jesus. He had a lot of blood. His blood saved the entire world 🙂

@TheMiddleWay I never said differently. Apparently you do not understand what I am writing. Your words say the same as mine except I'm saying a scientist would not be this dumb. Science has no dealings with tribal and regional gods. The god you believe in depends on what area you grew up in, but science is not concerned with this. Scientists do not believe. Example. An Astrophysicist does not believe in gods.

@TheMiddleWay I'm not going back in time. I'm not buying all that the survey says because believers may be the ones who did the survey. I'm sure college and high school "scientists" are included. I cannot buy a god belief just because my biology teacher says he believes. Lastly and most important. I DO NOT DEBATE. It proves nothing.

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"When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong."I don't know what I may seem to the world, but as to myself, I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me" [Isaac Newton]

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Also scientists grew up, and when this happened in a religious atmosphere, they probably need time. Indoctrination goes deep. And above that, when they work in a professional environment that supports that religion, they will not admit anyway that they don't believe the religious dogma's.

Gert Level 7 Apr 6, 2018
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THat's why government prefers the uneducated ("We LOVE the uneducated!" - Trump), as they are more gullible and easily swayed by repeated lines of propaganda. "Fake news! It's all FAKE news, folks." And is why they HATE public education and prefer privatizing it. NO standards, and NO accountability. Just churning out zombie worker bees. And all payed for by taxpayers! Kind of like the privatrized prison system. It's a gold mine!

"WAR IS PEACE

"FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

"IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH!"

-- George Orwell, "1984"

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Turkey is weird

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About what I would have thought.

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