Silent no More: The Rise of the New Atheists

[Jagella]

I read some very good news in the April 2018 Scientific American. Michael Shermer writes in his Skeptic column "that 23 percent of all Americans have forsaken religion all together." The 23 percent figure is based on a 2013 Harris Poll and corroborated by a 2015 Pew Research Center poll. It is a "dramatic increase" from 2007 when only 16 percent of polled Americans said they were affiliated with no religion.

Why these poll results are so important to me is that the real good news is that America has a chance to lead the world with a new sense of social responsibility. We atheists can succeed where religionists have failed. As religion and superstition decline; science, critical thinking, and true morality can increase. We can level the playing field for all Americans granting everybody a chance to make something out of themselves. Let's leave religion and all its "bad fruit" behind forever!

Our efforts to turn the tables on Christianity appear to be working. Do you agree?

[Jagella]

[Replying to post 2 by Divine Insight]

The way I see it, Christianity and other Abrahamic religions, are simply collapsing under the weight of their own hypocrisy and obviously false dogmas and doctrines.

Atheism is on the rise because of this natural collapse of these indefensible ancient religious myths.

Science, education, and common sense, are no doubt playing a major role in the collapse of these ancient superstitious religions, but I don't see these things a being the cause of the collapse.

I agree with you to some degree. Religion can often be its worst enemy, but I think that the hard work atheists like you and I have done has had a positive impact on the struggle to uphold justice and truth. The history of religion is full of religion hurting itself, but it really wasn't until modern times until the cracks in the wall started showing. The rise of science and secularism deserves credit for that.

And the internet deserves much credit too. Now there is far more freedom for people to speak their minds on religion. As freedom of speech increases, religion has a much weaker hold on people's minds. All these alternatives are tough competition for dogma.

[William]

[Replying to post 5 by Divine Insight]

Christians were murderers, atheists are not.

Lets se now.

Christians are people and atheists are people, but Christians were murderers and atheists are not.

Since you say Christians were murderers can we assume you don't think they are now?

Also how is it that it makes any differences what anyone calls themselves as to whether they are or could be murderers?

[/quote]

[Jagella]

Why these poll results are so important to me is that the real good news is that America has a chance to lead the world with a new sense of social responsibility. We atheists can succeed where religionists have failed.

Perhaps you can expand this comment.

Religious leaders have made a mess of the world. Much of the problem lies with the pseudo-morality they preach. Religious commands have led to degradation of the disabled, second-class citizenship for women and minorities, and many wars and persecutions. We atheists need to take care we don't follow religion down the same road. We need a "new" secular morality that truly inspires people to live in harmony with each other.

What are you thinking of here in terms of social responsibility?

We need more women, racial minorities, and the disabled living in and participating in the mainstream of society. We should all be allowed freedom and opportunity to live our lives the best way we can free of unnecessary prejudices. Atheists should adopt attitudes that favor these social advancements, and as we grow in numbers, we need to use our growing influence to make sure society advances this way.

[historia]

The way I see it, Christianity and other Abrahamic religions, are simply collapsing under the weight of their own hypocrisy and obviously false dogmas and doctrines.

Atheism is on the rise because of this natural collapse of these indefensible ancient religious myths.

Except that a greater proportion of the world's population today adhere to the abrahamic faiths than at any time in history, and are projected to comprise an even larger percentage of the world's population by 2050. It's hard to describe that as "collapsing."

[Divine Insight]

[Replying to post 5 by Divine Insight]

Christians were murderers, atheists are not.

Lets se now.

Christians are people and atheists are people, but Christians were murderers and atheists are not.

Since you say Christians were murderers can we assume you don't think they are now?

Also how is it that it makes any differences what anyone calls themselves as to whether they are or could be murderers?

The original post that I had responded to was suggesting that history is repeating itself. So my comments were related to the historical fact that many Christians (led by Christian leaders) did indeed kill actual people for not embracing Christianity.

So the blood on the hands of "Christians" is historic.

Whether any modern day "Christians" should be blamed for that is an entirely different question. But that wasn't what I was responding to. I was responding to the suggestion that history is repeating itself.

So your question is taken entirely out of context and has nothing at all to do with what I was originally responding to.

I might also add that this appears to be a hallmark of your behavior to continually try to distort things that other people say into things that they had never even remotely implied.

I am not accusing any modern day Christians of being murderers, nor am I implying that no atheist could commit murder.

However, I think it's crystal clear that organized atheists have never been accused of mass murdering Christians. But historically organized Christians have been recognized to have mass murdered non-Christians. In fact, there are even historical records of organized Christians mass murdering other organized Christians simply because they disagree with their religious views on what the religion should be.

So historically Christians have been guilty of mass murdering even other Christians. But clearly those were during periods of history where people were highly tribal and barbaric.

But to claim that modern day atheists are "history repeating itself" in an attempt to imply that now atheists are going to start mass murdering Christians is, quite frankly, absurd.

In fact, in today's world we are far more likely to see Republicans and Democrats facing off in a bloody civil war.

[William]

[Replying to post 15 by Divine Insight]

I am not accusing any modern day Christians of being murderers, nor am I implying that no atheist could commit murder.

So in that, the OP theme is rather ridiculous as it isn't really a matter of what individual humans call themselves, atheism isn't anything which can save the world.

I do wonder how you claim atheists do not murder - or rather 'atheism' cannot be connected with murder.

"hello there! - I am an atheist! As such I cannot murder because I lack belief in GODs'."


yeah...right....lacking belief in GODs = non murderous...

[William]

The way I see it, Christianity and other Abrahamic religions, are simply collapsing under the weight of their own hypocrisy and obviously false dogmas and doctrines.

Atheism is on the rise because of this natural collapse of these indefensible ancient religious myths.

Except that a greater proportion of the world's population today adhere to the abrahamic faiths than at any time in history, and are projected to comprise an even larger percentage of the world's population by 2050. It's hard to describe that as "collapsing."

Perhaps then, if the stats are accurate - the OP is more a case of wishful thinking?

If the stats are correct it does not surprise me. What does the world have to offer the average individual?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by Jagella]

I would like to see this poll because "leaving religion" does NOT mean becoming an atheist. Many many people that believe in God no longer associate with an organized religion. I've no doubt that atheism is growing but it is probably misleading to use this poll to indicate to what extent.

The Jehovah's Witness religion continues in it historic growth unabaited.

JW

[Willum]

[Replying to post 18 by JehovahsWitness]

Debates in this very forum have left proponents of religion with premises they are completely unable to answer.
This isn't atypical of other forums, or discussions, where, when confronted by obvious paradox or plain conflicts with reality, religious proponents must abandon their argument (and thus God), answer by cherry-picking, or answer with non-sequitur evasions, usually vague Bible verses.*

This should be an indicator to even the most vehement believer - even to themselves - that the religion they practice is not real.

It is certainly occurring world-wide.

* = Which, in a normal debate, would signal the loss.

[Jagella]

[Replying to post 1 by Jagella]

I would like to see this poll because "leaving religion" does NOT mean becoming an atheist. Many many people that believe in God no longer associate with an organized religion. I've no doubt that atheism is growing but it is probably misleading to use this poll to indicate to what extent.

According to Michael Shermer, the figure reflects the number of people who have "forsaken religion altogether." He cites a January 2018 issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. In the article "How Many Atheists Are There?" psychologists performed an analysis of poll data. The result was that with 93 percent certainty between 17 and 35 percent of Americans are atheists and "the most credible estimate" is 26 percent.

The Jehovah's Witness religion continues in it historic growth unabaited.

Some of the smaller, fringe cults of Christianity might be growing. According to Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who are Jehovah's Witnesses increased from 0.7 percent in 2007 to 0.8 percent in 2018. That's growth but very modest growth.