Essay: Atheism: A house divided and in global decline

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Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[1] See: Global Christianity

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

Jacques Rousseau wrote in the Daily Maverick: "Elevatorgate..has resulted in three weeks of infighting in the secular community. Some might observe that we indulge in these squabbles fairly frequently."[2] An ex-atheist wrote: "As an Atheist for 40 years, I noticed that there is not just a wide variety of Atheist positions, but there exists an actual battle between certain Atheist factions."[3]

For more information please see: Atheist factions

Contents

Decline of atheism and the explosive growth of global Christianity

See also: Global atheism and Global Christianity

In 2012, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary reported that globally every day there are 800 less atheists per day, 1,100 less non-religious (agnostic) people per day and 83,000 more people professing to be Christians per day.[4][5]

In 2011, the American Spectator declared concerning research published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research:

“ The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new Muslims every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the West, while religion is thriving in the Global South, where charismatic Christianity is exploding."[6] ”

Decline of atheism in terms of global adherents is expected to accelerate

See also: Global atheism and Atheist Population and Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian

Eric Kaufmann, a professor at Birkbeck, University of London, using a a wealth of demographic studies argues the decline of atheism in terms of its global adherents is an established trend that will persist for the foreseeable future and the decline will accelerate.[7][8][9][10] In addition, Kaufmann argues that religious conservatism has a long term trend of rising and that their influence in the world will significantly increase.[11] Kaufmann is author of the book Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?.[12][13] In the Western World due to immigration and the higher birth rates of religious people, Kaufman writes: "Committed religious populations are growing in the West, and will reverse the march of secularism before 2050."[14]

Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."[15] Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."[16]

Lack of sound leadership

Using academic studies, survey data and other information, supporters of the Question evolution! campaign maintain that there is a lack of sound leadership within the agnostic/atheist and evolutionist communities in dealing with the global decline of atheism and agnosticism.

See:

For more information please see: Atheist population

Atheism and the internet

See also: Atheism and the internet and Atheistic bullying

During the period of 2007 to 2012, the atheist community made a concerted effort to spread atheism through means of the internet. However, leading atheist websites have seen plunges in web traffic during this same period and during the first half of 2012.[17]

For more information please see:

Question evolution! campaign

See also: Question evolution! campaign and Atheists doubting the validity of atheism

Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the theory of evolution which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists.[18] In 2011, a campaign called the Question evolution! campaign was launched by the biblical creation organization Creation Ministries International which is a worldwide "grass-roots movement to challenge the anti-Christian dogma of evolution".[19] The focus of the Question evolution! campaign is on "15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer."[20] The 15 questions posed to evolutionists (and undecided individuals) can be found HERE The campaign will be primarily conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa.[21]

2 million Question evolution! tracts

Logo for the Shockofgod YouTube channel

See also: 2 million Question Evolution! tracts goal of campaign fan

The popular YouTube video producer Shockofgod is an ex-atheist and his channel features many anti-atheism videos. His YouTube videos have cumulatively received millions of views since his YouTube channel's inception.

On September 18, 2011 Shockofgod released a video entitled Evolutionists stumped confused & dumbfounded by 15 questions. [22] In that video, Shockofgod indicated he is going to move forward again and again with the Question evolution! campaign until 1,000,000 Question Evolution! tracts are in people's hands and then continue to move forward until 2,000,000 tracts are in people's hands.[23]

Question evolution! resources

Videos:

Tract:

See also


Essays:

Links

Rise of global Christianity:


Internet evangelism:

Video:

Notes

  1. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  2. ↑ Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can rip my soul
  3. ↑ Atheism Analyzed
  4. ↑ Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents
  5. ↑ Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - Status of Global Missions
  6. ↑ Thriving Christianity
  7. ↑ Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London
  8. ↑ Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?
  9. ↑ Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series
  10. ↑ Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
  11. ↑ [http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]
  12. ↑ Shall the religious inherit the earth by David Kaufmann
  13. ↑ Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London
  14. ↑ Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London
  15. ↑ Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful
  16. ↑ Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful
  17. ↑ Internet atheism: The thrill is gone!
  18. ↑
  19. ↑ Question evolution! campaign
  20. ↑ Question evolution! campaign
  21. ↑ http://creation.com/question-evolution
  22. ↑ Evolutionists stumped confused & dumbfounded by 15 questions
  23. ↑ Evolutionists stumped confused & dumbfounded by 15 questions
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