Map of Agnosticism in US by State

Map of agnostic percentage status by state in the USA, courtesy of Gallup and The Atlantic magazine. Lots of interesting comments...

Predictable AND very fascinating. Thanks for posting.

I don't get out of commie-pinko-peace mongering-liberal-intellectual-Zionist-heathen New England, much.

But I did just return from TX, where I saw several "Christian Restaurants". What's in a Christian Restaurant? Next time I'll visit one and educate myself.

And, aren't all restaurants in TX or more accurately, MS, Christian? (except of course, maybe a couple of the Thai and Chinese joints)

I was surprised how light Utah was; the full numbers say that it's the most extreme state in the nation, with 7% less "Moderately Religious Americans" (14%) then any other state, and half that of Mississippi (29%) which has about as many "Very Religious Americans".

>2 Sandydog1: What's in a Christian Restaurant?

People. Eating food.

When I lived in Texas, I only patronized heathen restaurants. There were plenty in Austin.

A heathen restaurant in Texas would be a restaurant that doesn't serve steak.

Interesting. But I, for one, sure don't think that "nonreligious" = "agnostic."

>6 theoria:

Or BBQ?

>7 Meredy:

Good point. I'm defintiely nonreligious and NOT agnostic. But in Uhmerica, you've got to lump all those tiny minorities, together.

8: Yes--it's about the labels, though, and what they do to perception. Apparently the question people answered was "religious, somewhat religious, or non-religious?" The article is what appears to have equated nonreligious with agnostic. And it's a false equation that creates a very misleading impression.

I would expect that a Venn diagram would have the two circles overlapping, representing a portion of the responders who are both nonreligious and agnostic. And there'd be two areas outside the overlap, with nonreligious but not agnostic (e.g., atheists) on one side and not nonreligious (i.e., religious) but agnostic (e.g., practicing members of religious communities who themselves lack conviction) on the other.

a Christian Restaurant

キリストンカフェ. (More images.)

What's in a christian restaurant?

Loaves and fishes? Since they only have to buy a handful of each for every 5000 customers at least it would be cheap to run.

As others have pointed out my problem with this would be the Atlantic's definition of all non-religious people as agnostic. I do hope atheist (and other non-agnostic) readers of the publication wrote to complain.

Again, I'm reminded why I'm glad I don't live in America.

4>

I would expect a 'Christian Restaurant' to serve christians served in a variety of ways.

But I wouldn't patronise one - I bet its simply offal.

> 12

Why not lionize Christians, eh?

I'd a assume a 'Christian restaurant' was one serving a Host of food.

Christian restaurants serve a large variety of pies. Meat pies, pumpkin pies, rhubarb pies...they're very pious.

>15 weener: Okay, we're only in March and we've had the worst pun of the year. Or, is it the best pun of the year.

>14 EricJT: May be close, too. >13 paradoxosalpha:? >12 CliffordDorset:? Etc...

Perhaps it's something in heathen sacramental wine.

As for the pie pun, I think both best and worst.

You know, my structured temperament, my anterior cingulate cortex, can't really wrap around some of these concepts. I was in the southern USA recently and saw a huge prayer center, complete with school facilities and a "creation playground" for the little ones.

In some other parts of the world, kids play in plain ol' playgrounds, or discovery centers, or science centers.

Sigh...

> 17

It's their insane way of circling the wagons. Reality has a liberal bias. It's scary out there. If the blacks, gays, socialists or Mexicans don't get you them A-rab Mus-lims will.

I assume you mean to be linking to the map of internet searches? That's not it.

11 "Again, I'm reminded why I'm glad I don't live in America."

I am curious. Do Europeans laugh at Americans and their hyper-religiousity? During the Bush years, I was embarrassed...ashamed to say I was an American when I was in Australia. My wife often said she was Canadian to avoid the pointed questions. So many of us are embarrassed with the anti-climate change, creationism and obession with guns and gays.

Obama has given me hope, although he has also disappointed me.

>20 Jesse_wiedinmyer:

That's exactly what I tried to post, Jesse.

I need to get more sleep.

#21 I'm sorry but I'm afraid we do. The general view of America and religion is that the country is full of crazy creationists. Doubtless Americans have similar stereotypes of Europeans. I'd also like to add that most of us realise that is a stereoptype and no less racist than believing all black men make great athletes. I think (or trust) we also realise it is always the extremists who make the news and so we hear much less about those normal, average Americans who more closely resemble the ones we actually meet.

#21 Yes - Booksloth's right. Though many of us are perhaps modifying our views when we watch the progress of equal marriage state by state.

The general view of America and religion is that the country is full of crazy creationists. Doubtless Americans have similar stereotypes of Europeans

Oh, definitely. You're largely rational sane people who don't go apeshit over evolution or "totalitarian" ideas like public sector health care.

Doubtless Americans have similar stereotypes of Europeans

You all drink wine instead of beer. Unless you're German.

>26 southernbooklady: or Belgian, or Dutch. Eastern Europeans all drink some sort of locally-distilled hooch and Scandinavians drink something distilled from elk piss.

About forty to forty-five per cent of Americans drink Kool-Aid.

If you know what I mean.

So, uh huh, we Americans are majority sane.

America! Fuck Yeah!

I don't think Europeans laugh at Americans in general, Brits certainly don't in my experience. There is an amused recognition that "things are different over there" from both sides on a lot of topics.

Anyone small-minded enough to think that one creationist museum and one weird churchy lot that placards gays funerals stands for 300 million peoples viewpoint needs their head examined!

I don't get your guns thing though, I really don't. Bullets in walmart is a massive massive WTAF to me.

The oatmeal has a mildly amusing US/ UK how we sound to each other that I can't link to as I'm in work at the moment and it's a banned site!

>29 C4RO: Anyone small-minded enough to think that one creationist museum and one weird churchy lot that placards gays funerals stands for 300 million peoples viewpoint needs their head examined!

If they could find them under the fuzzy hats.

I think those black-dyed beaver lids are just as bad-ass as Stetsons!

or the lesser known, JW Brooks:

http://www.jwbrookscustomhats.com/

>29 C4RO: That one creationist museum and anti-gay protest church are approx 300 million times louder and every other museum and church in America combined, hence why they get so much attention.

Statistically interesting:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-r-stone/life-in-the-most-religiou_b_54947...

>21 PedrBran: I am curious. Do Europeans laugh at Americans and their hyper-religiousity?

I don't think "laugh" is quite where it's at. I think most of us see you as we were ourselves, perhaps 100 years ago where religion is concerned.

"Britain has been shaped for the better by many
pre-Christian, non-Christian, and post-Christian forces. We are a
plural society with citizens with a range of perspectives, and we
are a largely non-religious society." Terry Pratchett 2014

>35 white-van-man: The people believe because their leaders appear to believe

If you're talking about leaders elected to civil government, no, not at all. The latest polls put the confidence in Congress great deal/quite a lot at 7%, and very little/none at 57%. Americans consider politicians a bunch of liars and don't get a damn what they believe. Religion in the US is much more endemic.

>37 white-van-man: What sort of turnout are the elections getting?

What does that have to do with anything at all?

confidence in polls great deal/quite a lot at 7%, and very little/none at 57%.

It's amazing what you can prove if you just dismiss all evidence against it.