What is my religion?

[Brotherpug]

I had a staff attitude survey to complete today. I was confused by one of the questions. If you were asked 'What is your religion' and you were given options of various religions, 'Atheist' or 'none' what would your answer be? I generally assume that I'm an Atheist because I have no religion, therefore the option is redundant. What do you think? It seems they are classifying Atheism as a religion, do you think I should try to educate my employer about my lack of belief?

[placebo messiah]

where you are supposed to write in your religion, put "meh"

[christ-on-a-stick]

Or "heh?"

I'd say none or N/A. Or Rastafarian or something.

[perfessor]

I'd say none or N/A. Or Rastafarian or something.
Pastafarian.

[christ-on-a-stick]

Pastafarian.

Hehe. My mistake.

[Harumi]

It's easier for the Chinese in some ways. The ending character for sleep sounds the same as the word for religion. So if someone asks you what religion (jiao) you are, I just answer "shui jiao" (sleep).

It makes them laugh, and pretty much lets them know I don't have a belief.

[Alethias]

I've done all of the ones I list below:
Humanist
Naturalist
Pizza
None of the above
All of the aboveI quit doing Naturalist because some people confuse that with Naturist, which means Nudist. It gets too cold here much of the year to be a naturist.

ETA: I think i'm gonna start putting down 'Infidel' as my religion.

[JamesABrown]

"Neo-existential Zoroastrianism with a smattering of Eastern Russian Orthodox Catholicism to keep things spicy, although on rainy days I'm just an agnostic."

[Matty]

"Classifying atheism as a religion is like classifying bald as a hair colour" could be a good thing to write in there if you have space.

[Bright Life]

TL to SL

[Berthold]

So it doesn't have an official name in the USA? In Austria, where it is part of the personal data*, the phrase means "without religious denomination".

ETA: *It's not in the passport, though. Could otherwise cause trouble in certain countries.

[xxx]

This clearly is one of the great philosophical questions of our time. I'd say none. Atheist can be conceived to mean that you beleive a god(s) exists but you chose to ignore it.

[smellincoffee]

"Classifying atheism as a religion is like classifying bald as a hair colour" could be a good thing to write in there if you have space.

Not really; bald people still retain their eyebrows, and eyebrows are usually the same color as the hair (used) to be. Besides, people who are completely bald are rare. Most people just have a bald spot -- and the rest of their hair does have color, even if it's grey. ;) I didn't like that saying even when I was fundi.

I would've written "Humanism" or "Not Religious". Humanism isn't really a religion, but it serves the same function in giving hope, purpose, and a positive identidy.

[Revolutionary]

Technically, none is the correct response. But there are people who believe in god(s) who don't really have a religion in the traditional sense, and choosing atheist would distinguish you from those people.

Really, the question should be re-worded to ask what religious identification you prefer so that atheism is classified as a religion. Of course, that's out of your hands.

[Lord of the Fries]

It's easier for the Chinese in some ways. The ending character for sleep sounds the same as the word for religion. So if someone asks you what religion (jiao) you are, I just answer "shui jiao" (sleep).

It makes them laugh, and pretty much lets them know I don't have a belief.

Yeah, but if you're a foreigner they think you said you were a dumpling.

[Steve Schlicht]

I had a staff attitude survey to complete today. I was confused by one of the questions. If you were asked 'What is your religion' and you were given options of various religions, 'Atheist' or 'none' what would your answer be? I generally assume that I'm an Atheist because I have no religion, therefore the option is redundant. What do you think? It seems they are classifying Atheism as a religion, do you think I should try to educate my employer about my lack of belief?

I did and it seems to have worked out fine.

I don't believe in any of the defined God(s)ess(es) so far purported by adherents and find the word unnecessary to explain the natural and perpetual universe in plain view.

I would say that there is no generic being beyond the known universe called God up to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt...while being unable to, in any way, absolutely falsify such a proposition just as I wouldn't any other imagined creature which are without empirically quantifiable elements.

As for the survey, I would circle both atheist and none.

What else was on the survey?

Steve

[Worldtraveller]

I'm curious about the purposes and location of this 'staff survey'.

Normally, that kind of question is not something an employer is allowed to ask, as far as I know. (Or more technically, they can ask, but you are under no abligation to answer).

If my employer asked that question, the answer they would get is 'none of your damn business'. :D

Cheers,
Lane

[Harumi]

Yeah, but if you're a foreigner they think you said you were a dumpling.

:rolling: :rolling:

Has this ever actually happened before?

[crazyfingers]

I had a staff attitude survey to complete today. I was confused by one of the questions. If you were asked 'What is your religion' and you were given options of various religions, 'Atheist' or 'none' what would your answer be? I generally assume that I'm an Atheist because I have no religion, therefore the option is redundant. What do you think? It seems they are classifying Atheism as a religion, do you think I should try to educate my employer about my lack of belief?

In the US they aren't supposed to ask that question. I guess it's different in the UK?

Do they have a spot for "Jedi"? I hear lots of Brits are writing that in on surveys these days.

Anway, the question being worded "What is your religion" I'd likely cross out the question and write that it doesn't apply.

[phrog]

Way back when I was drafted the form asked the question for my dog tags. I wrote down NONE but my tags came back NO PREF. It pissed me off and I requested they get 'em corrected. They said they couldn't put NONE. I conviently lost my tags when I got to Germany and filled out the paperwork again. this time I put : NONE NOT NO PREF. MY TAGS SHOULD READ NONE! I was shocked but pleased when they came back NONE. Most of the guys didn't believe me when I told them I was Atheist and were surprized when I showed 'em my tags. On a side note, years later I found out they had the wrong blood type on the tags.

[Shazz55]

In the US they aren't supposed to ask that question. I guess it's different in the UK?

Do they have a spot for "Jedi"? I hear lots of Brits are writing that in on surveys these days.

Anway, the question being worded "What is your religion" I'd likely cross out the question and write that it doesn't apply.

I heard that if enough people write Jedi as their religion come census time it becomes recognized as one.

[Brotherpug]

I'm curious about the purposes and location of this 'staff survey'.

Normally, that kind of question is not something an employer is allowed to ask, as far as I know. (Or more technically, they can ask, but you are under no abligation to answer).

If my employer asked that question, the answer they would get is 'none of your damn business'. :D

Cheers,
Lane

The survey is supposedly anonymous. It was online on the company's intranet, I don't really know why questions about ethnic origin, disability, sexuality (one of the options was asexual!), religion were in there, but they were. Other questions included (along the lines of) do you have confidence in senior management? and "do you feel that your remuneration is acceptible for the job you do?". As if anyone in their right mind would answer "yes" to that last one. Goodness knows how the answers affect their future decision making, I suppose it gives them the opportunity to look warm and fluffy "Hey we always consult our employees on the direction we are taking".

[Don Alhambra]

I heard that if enough people write Jedi as their religion come census time it becomes recognized as one.

Sadly not true (http://www.snopes.com/religion/jedi.htm), even though I didn't know that at the time I wrote it on the census. :)

[GenesisNemesis]

I'd just say no religion.

[Berthold]

:rolling: :rolling:

Has this ever actually happened before?
I suppose he was referring to jiao ji, sometimes spelled khou thiye.

[dancer_rnb]

:rolling: :rolling:

Has this ever actually happened before?

I am a jelly donut _ President Kennedy :devil3:

[Johann_Kaspar]

Sadly not true (http://www.snopes.com/religion/jedi.htm), even though I didn't know that at the time I wrote it on the census. :)From the link provided:The situation for hopeful Jedis in Australia is even more forbidding than it is in the U.K. Not only won't marking "Jedi" in the appropriate box gain official recognition for a non-existent religion, but the head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics census program, John Struik, has stated that anyone who falsely provides information on a census faces a $1,000 fine.Wow! Did it happen? I would recommend boycotting such census...

Forgot to add: doesn't in the bible god punish David for conducting a census...?! So one religion could forbide to take part in one...

[QueenOfBlasphemy]

In the US they aren't supposed to ask that question. I guess it's different in the UK?

Do they have a spot for "Jedi"? I hear lots of Brits are writing that in on surveys these days.

Anway, the question being worded "What is your religion" I'd likely cross out the question and write that it doesn't apply.

I live in New Zealand, and during the 2001 census I remember my cousin (who was at uni at the time) telling me about how all the uni students were writing "jedi" as their religion, because if enough people put it down then it became an official religion. Not too sure if it worked though.

[Ninasgrandpa]

Q. What is your religion?
A. None.

Easy

[Izmir Stinger]

Q. What is your religion?
A. None.

Easy

What color is the hair on your head?
A)Brown
B)Blonde
C)Red
D)Black
E)Grey
F)White
G)Bald
H)no hair

Do you think this one is easy to answer for someone who is completely bald?

[Dentarthurdent]

From the link provided:

John Struik, has stated that anyone who falsely provides information on a census faces a $1,000 fine.

How would they go about proving that people were lying? If I say I'm a Jedi then, dammit, I'm a Jedi! Lots of people who've never stepped foot in a church claim to be Christians. Are they lying too?

[BigJim]

I had a staff attitude survey to complete today. I was confused by one of the questions. If you were asked 'What is your religion' and you were given options of various religions, 'Atheist' or 'none' what would your answer be?

I assume that certain people feel stigmatized by marking 'Atheist' (even though it literally means "without belief in god/gods") so the option 'none' was provided.

[Ninasgrandpa]

I assume that certain people feel stigmatized by marking 'Atheist' (even though it literally means "without belief in god/gods") so the option 'none' was provided.

No. The option 'none' is provided for those who have no religion (which is, I would expect, almost all atheists). The option 'Atheist' is for those whose religion is atheism (which is, I expect very few people indeed).

[ninewands]

Write in answer: Jedi Knight