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Multichoice questionnaires asking for religion

Solus

Graduate Poster
S
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
1,722
Nitpicky again today! Silly online dating sites usually do this I’ve noticed. The options given for religion are usually Atheist, agnostic, christain ect.. Obviously I don’t need to note what’s wrong with this picture. An atheist by definition does not believe in any religion. I just find it humorous that atheism is listed as a religion. I’m forced to answer “other” myself on multichoice questionare of religion. Devil is in the details. Too nitpicky on my days off I need to read a book and go outside! :)
 
idk if they're actually saying it's a religion...i think they might be just putting it on there since it relates well to the question, and they feel like they should probably have that option on there...or maybe they thought none wasn't specific enough and that if they put none then atheists might not have the same opportunity to express what they believe in to others before they try and hook up with them or whatever.
 
BJQ87 said:
then atheists might not have the same opportunity to express what they believe in to others before they try and hook up with them or whatever.
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The point of atheism is an absence of belief. As an atheist, I wouldn't ever be trying to 'express what I believe in' in this context, as I don't 'believe' in anything that belongs in a religion section of a questionnaire.

'None' is the sensible and accurate option. I refer you to the quote in this week's commentary about atheism being a religion in the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby.
 
It's an opinion about religion, though, in the same way that not collecting stamps is a tacit comment on philately.
 
Dr Adequate said:
It's an opinion about religion, though, in the same way that not collecting stamps is a tacit comment on philately.
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Philately will get you everywhere...

The analogy would be tighter if there was a specific word for not collecting stamps.

If anyone cares to coin one...?
 
Yeah, "none" should be the appropriate option. Though you wouldn't be able to differentiate agnostics from atheists from spiritual "but not religious" persons.

/I always check Catholic anyway, at least until the Pope excommunicates me...
 
FSM. It's all the FSM, invisible pink unicorns notwithstanding. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise.
 
Is abstinence considered a part of one's sexual orientation? Yes, atheism should be considered a religious "option" ... especially if you wish to know where a person stands on the matter of religion.
 
Dear Lord, please tell me what further horrors I am to face on this day when I agree with Iacchus.
 
I'd prefer a list of gods, and you can check off "believe" or "do not believe" for each of them. If you really want to know where they stand on religion.
 
Iacchus said:
Is abstinence considered a part of one's sexual orientation? Yes, atheism should be considered a religious "option" ... especially if you wish to know where a person stands on the matter of religion.
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I think it could be phrased in a better way, e.g., "No religious affiliation," although the term "Atheist" could indicate the same as "None of the above."
 
I know what the OP is getting at, but I think that the question is more along the lines of "Where do you stand on religion?" If you put "other", people are just going to think you're a weirdo, and the atheist you're looking for may overlook you based on your response.

Just pick "atheist" and be done with it, IMO.
 
"None" isn't the same as "None of the above" or "other" though.

"None" is stating that you do not have a religion. If you put atheism in a list of religions, then firstly you are calling it a religion, which it's not, and secondly you are asking atheists to name it as their religion, which is silly.
 
tkingdoll said:
"None" isn't the same as "None of the above" or "other" though.

"None" is stating that you do not have a religion. If you put atheism in a list of religions, then firstly you are calling it a religion, which it's not, and secondly you are asking atheists to name it as their religion, which is silly.
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Then don't read the question as "What is your religion?" but rather "Which of the following describes your religious beliefs?"

Atheism may not be a religion, but it is an accurate description of the religious beliefs of an atheist, is it not?
 
Loon said:
Then don't read the question as "What is your religion?" but rather "Which of the following describes your religious beliefs?"

Atheism may not be a religion, but it is an accurate description of the religious beliefs of an atheist, is it not?
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No, it's a description of my lack of them.
 
OK. I'll bite. How would you phrase the question if you were building a dating site?
 
Loon said:
OK. I'll bite. How would you phrase the question if you were building a dating site?
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Hmm. There are several options I think.

Under the heading Religion, I would want to see:

A list of religions, plus the options 'none' (for atheists and agnostics), 'no preference' (for those who don't know/care), 'none of the above' (perhaps with a 'please specifiy' text box in case it's satanism or something).

If it was to be a list of religious philosophies, or attitudes towards religion (in which atheism would properly belong), it would have to be something like:

Atheist
Agnostic
Believer in single deity
Believer in multiple deities

etc

If the question is 'Religion?' then the atheists answer is 'none'. If you ask an atheist what their religion is, they will tell you they don't have one. They won't say 'my religion is atheism'.

But, to take you literally, If I were building a dating site, I wouldn't have a list at all, I'd have 'soft' personality questions like "is religion important to you?" and "do you believe in an afterlife?"
 
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