Ian, You are an educated, man and you must see, statistical reports in the course of your work. You probably know the math of sample size better that I do. The pew poll, I posted had fair questions and a huge sample size. In the USA a majority of people, as you so wittily put it do keep an imaginary friend.

OTOH, according to the other link I posted about Europe, In the UK, things were a lot closer. Only slightly more slightly more said they believed in God than said they were Atheist.

Keep in mind please that the evidence you present is based on your own observations. Also, keeping in mind that the comparison you made was "people who are rational" vs "those that keep an imaginary friend" While the people who go to church only to slip out to the pub before the service ends, may not be the best Christians, the rational behavior would be to skip church and get a good seat before all the "God botherers" show up.

If the question is are there more Atheists and non-believers and persons who do not self identify with religion than people who believe in specific supernatural entities? (keep an imaginary friend) Then Keith is right in the USA and Europe its about 3 or 4 to 1 in favor of imaginary friend keepers.

If the question is are there more "Rational people" (people who don't really care about religion) than devout religious people (People firmly convince that their imaginary friend is real in the way that you and I are and is listening to their every prayer) in Musket's neighborhood. Then I trust Musket's judgement on that and think that he is right.

Anything between those extremes is subject to discussion, but IMHO not worth getting anyones knickers twisted.

Cheers.