According to recent surveys, 83 percent of Americans claim to belong to a religious denomination, 40 percent claim to attend services nearly every week or more, and 58 percent claim to pray at least weekly.
A majority of Americans report that religion plays a "very important" role in their lives, a high proportion among
developed nations (Wikipedia).
Other studies show that 16-18 per cent of Americans are unaffiliated which includes non-believers and people with no affiliation. This is the fastest growing segment in religious surveys.
During the French revolution the Catholic church, also referred to as the Second Estate, was attacked. Church property was seized and many priests were executed. Many French became atheists and other became deists. Deists believe in God but not organized religion. Theists believe in organized religion.
It would be safe to assume that most of the 40 per cent of Americans who attend church nearly every week are theists.
But what about the other 40 per cent cent who claim to belong to a religious denomination but don't go to church. Are they theist or deist? Many of these folks probably claim the denomination of their parents although they no longer go to church.
The non-believer community should not be confrontational with deists or as far that matter people who are theists who attend progressive churches. Many of these people like the social life that a church offers but take the religious dogma with a grain of salt.
The people who are suggesting there is a war against Christmas and we need under God on our coins and in the pledge are Evangelical and fundamentalist theists.
Many of these people are intolerant other religions such as Islam and Judaism, intolerant of the LGBT, people, intolerant of other races, nationalities and cultures, and want women to fulfill stereotypical roles.
These are the people who need to be confronted by non-believers.
Should there be a war against Christmas?
Absolutely! But choose this war carefully.
If the holiday was called Mohamedmas or Mosesmas, Christians would not be happy. We need Christ out of the holiday season because the US is a secular nation and the holidays are for everyone, not just the right wing theists.
Wikipedia sources:
Robert D. Putnam and David E Campbell, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (2010) ch
