There's reasonably good data on religion for most of the world's population. Obviously not everyone has been asked or can practicably be asked, but that's why we invented statistics.

However, 4.5 billion is certainly way too high. According to Wikipedia citing Encyclopedia Britannica, only 2.3% of the world's population identifies as atheist, while 11.9% are 'non-religious'. Thus, a rough figure for the number of people who "manage to live without 'God'" is between 150 and 800 million. Perhaps the figure can rise substantially higher if CoderMan intended to include believers in polytheistic religions.

Indeed, and if we agree that self identification as atheist or non-religious equals "manages to live without God". I would not, for the following reason: Just as an atheist would argue that a believer is delusional and therefore living without God, a believer would say that an atheist depends on God whether or not they think they do. So really, it's just a matter of belief either way with no chance of proof.

Hi,

I think I can manage without God... For us Buddhists ( the vast majority of Japanese ppl is Buddhist ) God is within ouserlves, is within our strength, since we are part of the Cosmos, we inherit the Force within...

I think it is not a religion... it is a Philosophy, since the teachings of Buddha ( an indian Prince named Gauptama Siddharta ) are a source of wisdom and he was not God, he was an elightened and wise human being.

Therefore... I think Buddhists should be called Atheists...

@mostlyharmless: Well there you're just arguing over the exact meaning of "manages to live without God". If cormack had meant either of the things you say, then the figure would either have been the entire world population, or zero. Since he gave a figure of some of the world's population, it's clear he had neither of your statements in mind. And since it was cormack who first used the phrase, I feel we should go by what he appears to mean by it - at least until he himself clarifies.

Good point