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Text of the Questionnaire

(Answered by Agnostics and Atheists)

76. If you are now an atheist or an agnostic, which of the following factors do you regard as having contributed most to your present attitude toward religion? (Check no more than two or three most important, or one if you prefer.)

33-71 philosophical considerations, such as logical refutations of theoretical proofs of the existence of God;

30-78 the irreconcilability of a literal interpretation of the Bible with certain established scientific truths, such as the Copernican or Darwinian theories;

44-64 the fact that contemporary science does not appear to require the concept of God to account satisfactorily for natural phenomena;

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16-92 parental influence;

9-99 rebellion against parental influence;

24-83 simple indifference ("The idea of God doesn't affect my life in any way.");

37-70 the existence of undeserved pain and suffering in the world;

28-79 hypocrisy in the church, and immoral behavior among believers;

4-98 specify doctrines of my former religion. specify);

18-8 none of the above; my reasons are as follows.

78. 22-73 Do you think that the content of your ethical views changed from what they had previously been because you became an atheist or agnostic?

79. 19-81 Do you think that your atheism or agnosticism has weakened your ethical ideas and make you take moral arguments less seriously than do believers?

80. 52-48 Would it be fair to say that the opposite has occurred: that your moral concern has grown more intense in the absence of any assurance of God's existence or of an after life?

81. 46-53 Do you regret that you feel compelled to reject religious views, and do you often wish it were possible for you somehow to recover religious faith, even though at the same time it appears impossible?

82. 10-85 Do you feel obliged by your atheism or agnosticism to enlighten others by persuading them to abandon their faith

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