FOUR CATEGORIES OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF
In reference to religious belief, I see four categories:
1. The atheists who have no religious beliefs
2. The true believers whos religious beliefs are the core of their lives
3. The cultural believers (who represent the bulk of the population) are those who:
- follow the religion they inherited through no effort of their own,
- have probably never seriously examined,
- and possibly even privately doubt but are afraid of the risk of not believing (Pascal's wager),
- but ultimately hope is true.
4. The opportunists are people who may or not believe in their religion but use it for some ulterior motive as in the case of a number of leaders. For example; Napoleon, Hitler, and I suspect the occasional evangelist or politician of today.
With the exception of the occasional opportunist, most of the cultural believers are sincere but not necessarily committed to their beliefs. Their salvation lies in additional education.