So let me explain (this quiz is a bit North American and some of the things do not make sense to us even though I know they do make sense in a North American context): First off, answering something else "to make a point" is in my way of thinking plain rude. I simply reply with Merry Xmas, Happy New Year or Happy Holidays depending on what the context is and what the person first told me. No one would wish me Happy Yule/Hannukah or what else here in Europe and if they did (here's my answer to that question which wasn't amongst the options) I'd simply say "Oh I do not celebrate [name of holiday] but if that's what you celebrate, then happy [name of holiday] to you too!". I do not believe in God but I do not deny the existence of God nor do I try to disconvince people of its existence. Maybe there's God but even if God exists, then he too must obbey to the Laws of Physics. Probably God doesn't exist outside the human mind. God exists in the minds of those who need him just like the set of assumptions scientists require to create a theory exist in their minds. I do identify with Christianity in the sense that even if you were not brought up within a religious family like I wasn't, you still have a general context/cultural context which is based on several issues religion included. So I tend to relate better to Dutch people who have a Catholic background than to Dutch people who have a Reformed background - the way I deal with money, for instance, is similar to the way Catholic Dutch relate with money and conversely it clashes with the way Reformed (Calvinist) Dutch do. Of course I tend to relate even better to the Dutch who do not believe in anything. Jesus was a man, not the son of God and Mary could not possibly have been a virgin. Jesus was, according to the Bible, a man with a set of values which can be considered as good by many people. These however aren't any ideal of living and I do not agree with a lot of his values. Last, I put up a Xmas tree because it's a v old European tradition and I connect it more to its pagan value than to its Christian value. Presents are just an excuse. We barely think about other people we care about throught the year and Xmas becomes an excuse to care more about others at least once a year. Also, if everyone does it, then it becomes kind of sad not to participate and be merry. :)
It's just that while I do not believe in God, I do not deny the possibility of its existence. Next to I deny the existence you have /do not believe in God. That's why I chose that one. Then I chose non-Theism because I admit its existence, ie., I admit I might be wrong and God might exist afterall. I'm not sure. I'm a scientist we are trained to deal with working hypothesis and with uncertainty as well as not taking things for granted (dogmas).
"While I do not believe in God, I do not deny the possibility of its existence" is the exact definition of non-theism in this poll. So you've given support for that but none for your position that you also deny the existence of God and believe that God does not exist.
I thought about putting in a disclaimer that people should go by only the definitions in the poll and not by what term they use for themselves (since it doesn't ask about outword actions at all, anyway) but I figured no one would be so obnoxious as to try to skew my poll results that way.
First off, answering something else "to make a point" is in my way of thinking plain rude. I simply reply with Merry Xmas, Happy New Year or Happy Holidays depending on what the context is and what the person first told me. No one would wish me Happy Yule/Hannukah or what else here in Europe and if they did (here's my answer to that question which wasn't amongst the options) I'd simply say "Oh I do not celebrate [name of holiday] but if that's what you celebrate, then happy [name of holiday] to you too!".
I do not believe in God but I do not deny the existence of God nor do I try to disconvince people of its existence. Maybe there's God but even if God exists, then he too must obbey to the Laws of Physics. Probably God doesn't exist outside the human mind. God exists in the minds of those who need him just like the set of assumptions scientists require to create a theory exist in their minds.
I do identify with Christianity in the sense that even if you were not brought up within a religious family like I wasn't, you still have a general context/cultural context which is based on several issues religion included. So I tend to relate better to Dutch people who have a Catholic background than to Dutch people who have a Reformed background - the way I deal with money, for instance, is similar to the way Catholic Dutch relate with money and conversely it clashes with the way Reformed (Calvinist) Dutch do. Of course I tend to relate even better to the Dutch who do not believe in anything.
Jesus was a man, not the son of God and Mary could not possibly have been a virgin. Jesus was, according to the Bible, a man with a set of values which can be considered as good by many people. These however aren't any ideal of living and I do not agree with a lot of his values.
Last, I put up a Xmas tree because it's a v old European tradition and I connect it more to its pagan value than to its Christian value.
Presents are just an excuse. We barely think about other people we care about throught the year and Xmas becomes an excuse to care more about others at least once a year. Also, if everyone does it, then it becomes kind of sad not to participate and be merry. :)
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[she thinks I'm mad]
It's just that while I do not believe in God, I do not deny the possibility of its existence. Next to I deny the existence you have /do not believe in God. That's why I chose that one. Then I chose non-Theism because I admit its existence, ie., I admit I might be wrong and God might exist afterall.
I'm not sure. I'm a scientist we are trained to deal with working hypothesis and with uncertainty as well as not taking things for granted (dogmas).
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I thought about putting in a disclaimer that people should go by only the definitions in the poll and not by what term they use for themselves (since it doesn't ask about outword actions at all, anyway) but I figured no one would be so obnoxious as to try to skew my poll results that way.
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