4/26    Washington Post / ABC News poll
        How important is religion in your everyday life:
        The most important thing in your life; extremely important, but not
        the most important thing, very important, somewhat important, or not
        important at all?
        Most important: 21%             Somewhat:       22%
        Extremely impt: 20%             Not at all:     10%
        Very important: 26%             No opinion:     -
        \_ See I'm atheist but if I wasn't I'd have to think religion should
           be the most important thing. If you really believe it then what
           could be more important? And if you don't believe it why is it
           important at all?
           \_ Religion doesn't put the food on the table.  Religion doesn't
              keep you from getting mugged.
              \_ That's the point... if you believe it, it DOES put food on
                 the mugged blah blah and if it doesn't, then it doesn't
                 matter. With religion, you're "set for eternity" and whether
                 you got your cheerios this morning doesn't matter. For
                 Christians, the cosmic omnipotent master of the universe
                 is personally watching out for ya. How can true believers
                 not be in supreme awe of that?
                 \_ You clearly don't understand non-fundamentalist
                    Christianity.
                 \_ The faith gradient is much more gradual than you think.
           \_ I used to think there were a lot of people who weren't really
              sure about whether there's a god or not, but they apply benefit
              of the doubt.  They don't think too much about it, but think the
              framework is beneficial to raising kids / the society at large
              (kids as well as people need structure, and religion is a
              convenient one to use).  These are the "religion is somewhat
              pre-existing structure!).  These are the "religion is somewhat
              important to me" people, I guess.
              \_ as if God can't figure out that people don't have faith...
                 \_ Satan will have them all!1$!666
                    \-has anybody heard people called the US the "most
                      religious country" ... that is just so on it's ipso
                    \-has anybody heard people call the US the "most
                      religious country" ... that is just so off it's ipso
                      facto absurd and irritating (it seems to imply usa most
                      moral). this includes some bright and otherwise somewhat
                      moral). this includes bright and otherwise somewhat
                      \_ Religious != moral.  -John
                      credible people saying this (google for "most religious
                      country", united states). i wonder if they really
                      believe this ... more relig than SA, mexico, iran,
                      nepal, india, pakistan?
                      \_ No, it just implies that the US is the most pious
                         and perhaps the most hypocritical.
                         \_ "Jesse, honey, you really shouldn't be using
                            words that you don't know the meaning of."
                            \_ I can assure you that my knowledge of the
                               English language is superior to yours. Go
                               look up the multiple meanings for the word
                               pious and realize why you should check
                               the dictionary before making a fool of
                               yourself.
                               \_ Perhaps you should take your 'superior'
                                  command of the language and look up the
                                  word 'troll', fool; as in 'you got trolled,
                                  but were too intent on proving your
                                  intellect to a skeptical audience that you
                                  didn't notice'.
                                  \_ Methinks the troll is too proud of
                                     his ability to troll. Trolling requires
                                     no ability, just mendacity.
                                  \_ Trolling is not something to be proud of.
                                     \_ Why in god's name would you think it
                                        is?