There are four gods in the US

[Warpy]

This is a very thought provoking study, no matter where you are on the believer/unbeliever spectrum:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-09-11-religion-survey_x.htm

The United States calls itself one nation under God, but Americans don't all have the same image of the Almighty in mind.

A new survey of religion in the USA finds four very different images of God — from a wrathful deity thundering at sinful humanity to a distant power uninvolved in mankind's affairs.

Forget denominational brands or doctrines or even once-salient terms like "Religious Right." Even the oft-used "Evangelical" appears to be losing ground.

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There is much, much more in the article, fasinating reading all the way around.

[El Supremo]

1. There is only one God!

And it is money.

[Random_Australian]

2. Speak for yourself, it may be the God of some, but not all.

I bow to no God, money included.

[El Supremo]

3. I didn't think I needed the 'sarcasm icon'. n/m

[Random_Australian]

5. Whoops! Sorry!

[struggle4progress]

4. (1) TV (2) Cars (3) Fast Food and (4) the Right to Dump in a Landfill

[neebob]

6. That is interesting

I'm surprised there's not a fifth type, a combination of #1 and 2 who's both loving and vengeful. That would be the Mo-god that I grew up with. I suppose he could qualify for #2 with the standard-setting, but I think he deserves his own category. I'm wondering if they didn't have enough Mormons in their sample.

[kwassa]

7. Authoritarian and Critical seem to be somewhat similar views of God

the only difference is that the Critical are less worried or hopeful about God intervening. Critical still has this very judgemental view of God, they just believe he is around less.

This study is an interesting first start, but I would like to see even more subtle questioning.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. I think this is like saying "there are four sides to a circle":

Many different people have difference conceptions of God, clearly, but the number four is clearly entirely arbitrary.