Do you believe in god?...as defined by one of the major religions, and not some abstract 'quantum mechanical-sense' or whatever.

[Dantes 0]

I know that religion is always a sensitive topic, so lets keep this civil --- as in accordance with the sky-faring ladies and gentlemen that we all are.

My hypothesis is that the skydiving community at-large is less religious than the general population.

I intend to strengthen my hypothesis through the rigorous statistical analysis of an informal poll on a skydiving discussion forum.

Update:

From my reading, the best numbers for the US seem to come from a 2011 Gallup study. It indicated that 90% of Americans believe in god. This number declines to 70-80% when the participants were given the option to express uncertainty, such as belief in a universal spirit or higher power.

For the EU: According to a 2010 Eurostat Eurobarometer poll, 51% of European Union citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 26% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 20% that "they do not believe there is a spirit, God, nor life force". Results were widely varied between different countries.

[quade 3]

Dantes

My hypothesis is that the skydiving community at-large is less religious than the general population.

I doubt that's true to any real statistical significance.

Quote

I intend to strengthen my hypothesis through the rigorous statistical analysis of an informal poll on a skydiving discussion forum.

Um, good luck with that. You may have had a chance somewhere else, but this particular forum is not indicative of the rest of the skydiving community.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Dantes 0]

I'm just messing around

[airdvr 198]

Quote

You may have had a chance somewhere else, but this particular forum is not indicative of the rest of the skydiving community.

Good thing too

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[cvfd1399 0]

Can't believe he took your "research" line seriously.

[BIGUN 1,068]

I like vanilla ice cream - not chocolate; not a swirl. Just vanilla.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Dantes 0]

Duly noted. I'll plug that into the ice cream coefficient.

[quade 3]

cvfd1399

Can't believe he took your "research" line seriously.

Do you have any idea how many people have come to this web site over the years doing research for various school projects?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[cvfd1399 0]

Yea I've been here since 2003, I guess I could just hear the sarcasm in his voice when he typed this with the smiley and all. Have a good day:)

Quote

I intend to strengthen my hypothesis through the rigorous statistical analysis of an informal poll on a skydiving discussion forum. :)

[champu 1]

quade

Do you have any idea how many people have come to this web site over the years doing research for various school projects?

It's time I came clean. I didn't actually write my Masters Thesis on the psychological implications of how people draw stickmen.

[RonD1120 58]

Ephesians 2: 1-10, pretty much explains most skydivers that is, those who do not believe in Christ and those who do.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[quade 3]

RonD1120

Ephesians 2: 1-10, pretty much explains most skydivers that is, those who do not believe in Christ and those who do.

But he's not asking about that. He's asking whether you believe it is a metaphor or do you believe it literally.

I can easily believe in doing good works and there being a metaphorical god who is really just all of mankind's collective wisdom, who will judge me for the terrible or good things I do. (This, btw, is something even an atheist could do.)

OR

I can believe it's not simply a metaphor, but there is a real God who literally created the universe regardless of which of the various creation stories a person might subscribe to. (Which is something an atheist could not do.)

Nothing really changes in the way I might behave in either case. However, ONLY ONE is the way things really are.

Which do you believe? Is there a real God such as described in the Bible and elsewhere or simply a metaphorical god?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[turtlespeed 212]

You can say THAT again . . .

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[muff528 3]

turtlespeed

You can say THAT again . . .

I think those posts were from 2 quades from parallel, but slightly different, universes. Each probably has or has not its own god or not. I expect there will soon be gazillions of posts from other alternate quades. Maybe not. (I wonder if they each have to register an account on dizzy, or if 1 will do.)

[stayhigh 2]

Does Unicorn count as a god?

I believe in Unicorns. That's right, UnicornS. There are many of them out there in space. Ever continuing clashing of horns to create space particles to create life.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[turtlespeed 212]

stayhigh

Does Unicorn count as a god?

I believe in Unicorns. That's right, UnicornS. There are many of them out there in space. Ever continuing clashing of horns to create space particles to create life.

Unicorns don't exist. you have to watch all the way through.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[champu 1]

muff528

***You can say THAT again . . .

I think those posts were from 2 quades from parallel, but slightly different, universes.

That's one spin on it.

[davjohns 1]

I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[turtlespeed 212]

davjohns

I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.

What about AGW?

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[airdvr 198]

People, what have you done?
Locked him in his golden cage, golden cage
Made him bend to your religion
Him resurrected from the grave, from the grave

He is the God of nothing
If that's all that you can see
You are the God of everything
He's inside you and me

So lean upon him gently
And don't call on him to save you
From your social graces
And the sins you used to waive, you used to waive

From the bloody church of England
In chains of history
Requests your earthly presence
At the vicarage for tea

And the graven image you know who
With his plastic crucifix, he's got him fixed
Confuses me as to who and where and why?
As to how he gets his kicks, he gets his kicks

Confessing to the endless sin
The endless whining sounds
You'll be praying till next Thursday
To all the gods that you can count

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[normiss 622]

No, and no for that matter too.

[rifleman 61]

No - I'm a Jedi, I believe in the interconnectivity of all things. I am part of the universe and the universe is part of me.

Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation

[grue 1]

No.

I'm willing to change my mind if presented with actual scientific evidence to the contrary to an extent that it becomes the logical conclusion.

That said, if there is "a god" I believe it is either not all-powerful, or is a sadistic piece of shit.

cavete terrae.

[winsor 187]

grue

No.

I'm willing to change my mind if presented with actual scientific evidence to the contrary to an extent that it becomes the logical conclusion.

That said, if there is "a god" I believe it is either not all-powerful, or is a sadistic piece of shit.

"Do you realize that God spelled backwards is Dog?"

"Just push the car."

[devildog 0]

I find it strange that people believe if there's a god that this life proves said god is sadistic. He/she is actually pretty tame if you come to think about it. If god is powerful enough to create everything, s/he's kinda weak sauce on the whole "I'm gonna make you suffer!" department. There's plenty of people in the world not suffering, even ones that don't curse him/her daily. And the ones that are suffering, if you *really* think about it from an academic standpoint, barely have scratched the surface of what could be. Not to take away from anyone's suffering, but if you're really talking about an omnipotent being wanting to make people go through "hell" I doubt we could even come close to fathoming what unlimited, negative power could do in regard to torturing someone. So I'd say that at worst this life would point to a god/gods that are distant and hands off than actually sadistic.

You stop breathing for a few minutes and everyone jumps to conclusions.