>>>>>I had not heard the 11-18% statistic. I have read that the U.S. is about 75% Christian. To listen to some you would think it's 99.9%.
>>>>
>>>>Of course you hadn't. The extent of non-believing in the US is one of the best kept public secrets.
>>>
>>>I read somewhere that it is estimated that 10% of the population is atheist. Now if 75% are Christian as Mike B reports, and 10% are atheist (or agnostic even), that only leaves 15% for everything else.
>>>
>>>I honestly think that many who profess to belong to a religion are truly agnostic (cannot claim to know (have knowledge) of the existence of God) rather than atheist (lacking a belief in God). I know a few atheists who are agnostic - they simply don't know if God exists or not so they don't believe in God - not necessarily believing that God does not exist or one way or the other.
>>
>>Not sure if I am following you there. Atheists actively believe there is no God. Agnostics don't know.
>>
>>I know which I am -- agnostic. I don't know. People way smarter than me are believers and I don't have any proof to show they are wrong. Maybe they're right. In the long run it would be better if they are.
>
>Not true,unless there are different definitions out there. I have always understood (from atheists no less) that they lack a belief in God not necessarily definitely believe there is NOT a God...

That is simply not the definition. Athiests believe there is not a God. The people you have known must not understand the correct definition of their own beliefs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism