mostly

Any attempts to tie honesty and sincerity to a label/stereotype in misguided.

there are an awful lot of christians, for example, who are not sincere. there are even more, though, who are sincere but ignorant of their own religion. then there are the super-delusional who are sincere, ignorant of their own religion, ignorant of pretty much everything else in the world, and determined to convince everyone else that they are the sole keepers of the truth. they're absolutely sincere. they're the most frightening.

g

No, I don't. Some theists are as honest as politicians. I most of them to be 2 faced.

I live in Northern Ireland still a very religious place , still pretty much divided especially at parade times - I have never had a god and nobody seems to care enough about English people to bother about what we think or dis/believe in. We are in a minority and don't count which is nice.

I have met some people here who have been very beautiful and very religious and others who are not, so I think it depends upon the temperament of the person and their personal values more than the actual religiosity. I have met in the past beautiful nuns and horrible ones and vice versa with protestants - I don't know that there is a rule about it - seems to me people are just how they come.

I knew a number of people in college who seriously questioned their religion, many of whom became agnostic. However, once they got married and began raising a family, most became religious again...at least on the surface. They couldn't bring themselves to raise an agnostic/atheist family in this society. Too dangerous. Too much persecution. They often used the excuse that they would raise their children "Christian", or whatever, and then let them decide for themselves when they became adults. So, their children became thoroughly indoctrinated in a religion that their parents only half-heartedly believed in, at best. I suspect this cycle repeats itself endlessly.

Most theists don't think about the why, so most are honest as far as it goes but as the belief is an unchallenged veneer then the honesty is just as deep/shallow.

The ideas of sheep (i.e. flock) is probably the most accurate part of the bible

If professed christian shakes your hand in a business deal, be sure to have your other hand on your wallet. I worked for some christian broadcasters, all thieves in the name of the lord. They can think of a million reasons why they don't have to pay what they owe you. I went to collect from a christian broadcaster in Huntington, WV, they "prayed to the lord for guidance" and he told them only to pay 2/3 of the amount owed. Honest, you decide!

Excellent. . Indeed spot on and well said

I think they believe, but it is difficult to see sincerity in people who believe outrageous nonsense without question.

No.

For the most part I do.

Most of the Christians that I was raised around I would call very sincere, but I would consider the sect of Christianity I was raised in atypical. Similar to Mormons, JWs and Minonites in many ways, actually, specifically in how they consider themselves and any who follow the same beliefs to be the only “true” Christians. In their own way they are counter to modern Christian culture - extreme fundamentalists that focus far more on the words of the Bible (Greek lexicons, dictionaries, etc are a must-have) than on spirituality. While I was a part of that group I would have said that I was far more religious than spiritual - which made the transition away from religion both abrupt and simple.

Looking back it’s actually a very intriguing splinter of Christianity - they have no overarching structure, with each congregation being wholly autonomous, bound together only in doctrine. Wikipedia has a very good article on the sect - Churches of Christ.

Anyway, I would consider the group as a whole quite sincere. There’s not much of a power structure that can be exploited - though it does happen on a local level - and they opt out of the general benefits of the broad, inclusive Christian culture of the US. As such they constantly feel at odds with the world around them, even in the Bible Belt, fostering a community full of people obsessed with their own “righteousness” - ever cognizant of how they are right and everyone else is wrong.

It's really hard to say. Without being a mind reader and without knowing how many actually really live what they preach and teach... some really are. I have known some who really do walk their talk. Others, not so much. Usually those who don't practice what they are preaching clearly are not. I think sometimes they get on a power trip, want to be seen as part of something bigger and do what they do thinking they are really involved. In all honesty it seems like a bad game of chinese whispers to me. I'd honestly like to see those particular types rounded up, sat down and tested on their knowledge of their chosen religion.

Most religious people are sincere and honest, they just have twisted beliefs about their faith. One of the most honest persons I’ve ever done business with and whom I’ve done millions of dollars in business with was a devout Baptist.

As a New Thought Seminary student I believe that most Traditional Christian Ministers are insincere about what they teach in their own church. They are studying the same books I am, yet their conclusions are completely different, and entirely illogical. Granted, their education is far more structured toward their particular denominational beliefs, but when you know that the Jesus Passion story is entirely plagiarized from Psalm 22, how can they reach the conclusion that Jesus' Passion Story is literal history? That's only one example. As far as the congregants are concerned, I don't think most of them care about their churches specific beliefs or are at least these beliefs are far down on their priority list.

As with most categories of people, some are and some are not.

The same could probably be said of atheists. Some are generally honest and sincere in their lack of belief in any deity. However, there are likely those who claim to be atheist but are identifying themselves as such only because they think it's "trendy" or because someone they are particularly attracted to is atheist.

I believe, for example, that my sisters are sincere in their beliefs, one of them in particular. They are all very much believers in the Christian god, and it has taken many years to get them to stop trying to pull me back into the fold. I also know that it is possible for someone who does not truly believe to go through the motions -- as that was me during the period when I began to doubt. Those doubts blossomed into full-fledged atheism, but when the transition first started, many years ago, I still acted as though I was "all in" when it came to the rituals of the church.

Yes, I think most of them are sincere. I suspect a great many haven't thought deeply about whether their deity of preference is real or not, or why it just so happens that the religion they identify with happens to also be the religion that is culturally dominant in their society.

People want to fit in, they want to be morally good, and they want to know there's forgiveness if they fall short of their own moral ideals from time to time. Religion offers these things, plus the waffles at the fundraising breakfasts can be really tasty, so you can see the appeal. We agnostics know that forgiveness comes from those we've wronged and it has to be earned, and we also hopefully have figured out how to make our own waffles, but that doesn't mean that religious people are bad or insincere for wanting them too.

And they avoid dealing with the theology in a deep, intellectually rigorous way for the same reasons that they avoid thinking too much about why they should buy life insurance.

For those who make more outlandish claims like miracles (faith healing is a common one in this genre), speaking in tongues, or personal interactions with the supernatural, yeah, those I kind of question.

What claims? Do no harm?

Until that moment were they are committed to a war on religion... then the glove come off. And then again I could be very wrong but Nature dictates that enemies end often enough pretty similar in nature. he, he, ha, he. My Humble Take.

Be hard to say that they have justified true belief, or even to not notice the Hypocracy. If being honest is just trying to be true to one's beliefs, and sincerity is honestly believing them?

I have definitely met people; acquaintances to historical folks that are earnest in their beliefs... in god/s. I do consider that much of the teachings of Judaeo-Christianity are of worth as well, though I eschew beliefs in heaven, resurrection, angels...

Generally honest? In the time of Trump (FUBAR is what I call him)? NO!

Well I thought I was sincere. Most of the time I was. After years in Christianity I became very bitter with non-believers,gays, other religions, and so-called lukewarm Christians. The reason was all of the personal sacrifices I made to be "On Fire" for god. Like celibacy, church up to six days a week, tithing, no movies or tv, fear of backsliding or going to hell, guilt condemnation etc. I hated the fact that while I'm doing all of this everyone else gets to enjoy their life.

No.