1 out of 5 Atheists in the U.S believe in a "higher power"

[Shadow Wolf]

Not American but i have 2 cents to spend.
Define higher power.
Mains electricity potential is certainly more powerful than the electtivity that drives my brain.
Authority wields a higher power, one just cannot contend with french bureaucracy.
Some nations the police have the power to arrest me, even execute me for my beliefs.

That reminds me of when House (the TV show) went to rehab for his pills. He mentioned Andre the Giant as a higher power, lmao.

 

[ChristineM]

1 out of 5 Atheists in the U.S believe in a "higher power"

What does that say about Americans?

A poll in 2011 indicated that 80% of americans asked believe in angels

Poll: Nearly 8 in 10 Americans believe in angels

 

[Shadow Wolf]

A poll in 2011 indicated that 80% of americans asked believe in angels

Poll: Nearly 8 in 10 Americans believe in angels

I'm not surprised. Lots of people claim they have a "guardian angel watching over them."

 

[Altfish]

1 out of 5 Atheists in the U.S believe in a "higher power"

Err, doesn't that mean they are not atheists?

 

[Secret Chief]

Hmm...maybe something like my cousin who insists he is a vegetarian even though he eats white meat & fish. Go figure.

He is not alone.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

I understand that Atheism is not believing in any theism or even anti-theism. Its pretty simple. But the atheists seem to grapple with the fact that some atheists yet believe in a "higher power". That goes against the definition atheism. But this is normal as anything can become an identity statement. But some atheists are fighting to redefine and reinterpret "Higher Power" to defend the tribe. I find it highly contradicting because atheists claim they are not a religion, while they also claim the religious people do just the same thing they are doing.

Thus. Let me ask again.

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

Didn't read the articles (due to time constraint at this moment primarily), but I agree that at face value, this seems a contradiction in terms.

 

[danieldemol]

I wouldn't know, but perhaps they are Buddhist types who believe in karma or something

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Okay, if you google "higher power meaning" you in part get this link:
Higher Power

Now it is wiki, but it describes something some humans actually do. I am a NA, not AA. And yes, also an atheist, who believes in a Higher Power, which is not a god and not standard supernatural.

 

[Erebus]

1 out of 5 Atheists in the U.S believe in a "higher power"

Err, doesn't that mean they are not atheists?

It pretty much entirely comes down to whether or not they think of that higher power as a deity.

Atheism doesn't preclude belief in spirits, demons, ghosts, fairies or just a vague sense that there's some intelligence behind the universe. So long as you don't describe any of them as gods, you can believe in all manner of higher powers and still be an atheist.

From the pew research article:

None of the atheists we surveyed, however, say they believe in “God as described in the Bible.

This is a pretty common stance. Anything other than the Abrahamic concept of God doesn't count as a deity. That gives plenty of wiggle room for an atheist to believe in a higher power.

 

[paarsurrey]

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

I understand that Atheism is not believing in any theism or even anti-theism. Its pretty simple. But the atheists seem to grapple with the fact that some atheists yet believe in a "higher power". That goes against the definition atheism. But this is normal as anything can become an identity statement. But some atheists are fighting to redefine and reinterpret "Higher Power" to defend the tribe. I find it highly contradicting because atheists claim they are not a religion, while they also claim the religious people do just the same thing they are doing.

Thus. Let me ask again.

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

Thanks for sharing it. It is the fact 2 in the Pew Search which is noteworthy:


2 The literal definition of “atheist” is “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods,” according to Merriam-Webster. And the vast majority of U.S. atheists fit this description: 81% say they do not believe in God or a higher power or in a spiritual force of any kind. (Overall, 10% of American adults share this view.) At the same time, roughly one-in-five self-described atheists (18%) say they do believe in some kind of higher power. None of the atheists we surveyed, however, say they believe in “God as described in the Bible.”
10 facts about atheists
I appreciate one for sharing it with us.

Regards

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

...

Reductio ad absurdum in the broad sense.
"Higher Power" means to all humans what it means to me, because I am the correct, proper, true, universal, objective, rational, with evidence and authority person for all cases of understanding including meaning.'
And if you in effect can do it differently, then you really can't, because then you are mistaken, confused, unreasonable, irrational, not really sane and not in the real reality.

In earnest "Higher Power" can mean different things to different humans. That is a fact. How you deal with that, is your problem. How I deal with, how you deal with it, is my problem.

We are all, including you and I, in effect variations of nature and nurture. What that means to you, may not be what that means to me.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Thanks for sharing it. It is the fact 2 in the Pew Search which is noteworthy:


2 The literal definition of “atheist” is “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods,” according to Merriam-Webster. And the vast majority of U.S. atheists fit this description: 81% say they do not believe in God or a higher power or in a spiritual force of any kind. (Overall, 10% of American adults share this view.) At the same time, roughly one-in-five self-described atheists (18%) say they do believe in some kind of higher power. None of the atheists we surveyed, however, say they believe in “God as described in the Bible.”
10 facts about atheists
I appreciate one for sharing it with us.

Regards

No, there is no one definition of "atheist". Just as there is no one definition of "definition".

 

[viole]

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

I understand that Atheism is not believing in any theism or even anti-theism. Its pretty simple. But the atheists seem to grapple with the fact that some atheists yet believe in a "higher power". That goes against the definition atheism. But this is normal as anything can become an identity statement. But some atheists are fighting to redefine and reinterpret "Higher Power" to defend the tribe. I find it highly contradicting because atheists claim they are not a religion, while they also claim the religious people do just the same thing they are doing.

Thus. Let me ask again.

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

maybe the tax department?

ciao

- viole

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

maybe the tax department?

ciao

- viole

Well, there are 1 thing, you can't avoid as a modern human: Taxes. In the end that allows for more effective warfare, but that is another topic.

 

[HonestJoe]

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

In this context, it means whatever the individuals answering the surveys think it means. The problem is that they won't all be answering based on the same definition (hence some of the confusing results).

There is a general issue with definitions, interstation's and socio-political implications of various terms and labels in this area (and others) and a lot of normal people are actually fairly ignorant of them (we're all weird outliers here ). That makes these kind of surveys difficult to accurately run and analyse.

I'm not sure it's possible to get anything beyond very general and imperfect impressions of what any given population actually believes. You can only really know on an individual basis, by asking a person to explain and describe in some detail. Before they're asked, many people probably don't even give the question a lot of thought and may well give significantly different answers depending on time, place and circumstances.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

In this context, it means whatever the individuals answering the surveys think it means. The problem is that they won't all be answering based on the same definition (hence some of the confusing results).

There is a general issue with definitions, interstation's and socio-political implications of various terms and labels in this area (and others) and a lot of normal people are actually fairly ignorant of them (we're all weird outliers here ). That makes these kind of surveys difficult to accurately run and analyse.

I'm not sure it's possible to get anything beyond very general and imperfect impressions of what any given population actually believes. You can only really know on an individual basis, by asking a person to explain and describe in some detail. Before they're asked, many people probably don't even give the question a lot of thought and may well give significantly different answers depending on time, place and circumstances.

It is like asking for the one true and universal meaning of life, the universe and all the rest. 42 is a good an answer as any other answer.

 

[SalixIncendium]

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

I understand that Atheism is not believing in any theism or even anti-theism. Its pretty simple. But the atheists seem to grapple with the fact that some atheists yet believe in a "higher power". That goes against the definition atheism. But this is normal as anything can become an identity statement. But some atheists are fighting to redefine and reinterpret "Higher Power" to defend the tribe. I find it highly contradicting because atheists claim they are not a religion, while they also claim the religious people do just the same thing they are doing.

Thus. Let me ask again.

What does "Higher Power" mean in these two articles?

1. 10 facts about atheists
2. Americans' beliefs about the nature of God

I'm aware of atheists that believe in the Tao (or some variant thereof). Would that be considered a "higher power" for the purposes of this thread?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I'm aware of atheists that believe in the Tao (or some variant thereof). Would that be considered a "higher power" for the purposes of this thread?

To me, yes. But that is just me.

 

[Colt]

Atheist seem to have a faint, generic concept of what God would be as the basis for their objection to God concepts held by religions. When pressed that concept is a "higher power". Its common to encounter self described Atheists in 12 step programs who believe in a "higher power". In fact they have a very vibrant spiritual life while objecting to Gods with names etc.

 

[Revoltingest]

Anyone else watch the show, "American Gods"?
In it these "new gods" & "old gods" are powerful beings,
but not ones who create our world. (In fact, humans
create them.) These would fill the bill of "higher power",
but not actually gods.