Difference between revisions of "Atheism and obesity"

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(Atheism/theism and general health issues)
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]  
 
''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]  
[[Image:Mayo-clinic-gondaoverview.jpg|thumb|left|190px|The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.<ref>http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf</ref>]]
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[[Image:Mayo-clinic-gondaoverview.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.<ref>http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf</ref>]]
 
There is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that [[theism]] is more conducive to mental and physical health than [[atheism]] <ref>
 
There is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that [[theism]] is more conducive to mental and physical health than [[atheism]] <ref>
 
*[http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice - Mayo Clinic]
 
*[http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice - Mayo Clinic]

Revision as of 20:56, November 8, 2015

The atheist Stephen Fry holding a chocolate birthday cake.

According to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."[1]

Gallup declared concerning the study which measured the degree to which religiosity affects health practices: "Generalized linear model analysis was used to estimate marginal scores all five reported metrics after controlling for age (in years), gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, education (number of years), log of income, and region of the country... Results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey Jan. 2-July 28, 2010, with a random sample of 554,066 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, selected using random-digit-dial sampling."[2]

The Gallup study gives some insight into the above average health habits of the very religious and not necessarily the health habits of atheists. The reason is that the Gallup organization defines a non-religious as a person where "Religion is not an important part of daily life and church/synagogue/mosque attendance occurs seldom or never. This group constitutes 29.7% of the adult population."[3] While many Western atheists are non-religious, not all non-religious people are atheists.

Gallup further declares:

Very religious Americans make healthier choices than their moderately religious and nonreligious counterparts across all four of the Healthy Behavior Index metrics, including smoking, healthy eating, and regular exercise. Smoking is one area of particular differentiation between the very religious and less religious Americans, with the nonreligious 85% more likely to be smokers than those who are very religious.[4]

A 2010 study reported in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion found that for Korean women living in California, religion "may help prevent obesity."[5]

Contents

Studies on religion and self-control

Two of the major risk factors for becoming obese according to the Mayo Clinic are poor dietary choices and inactivity.[6] According to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."[7]

See also: Atheism and gluttony and Atheism and hedonism and Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet

In the journal article Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications, psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on self-control/self-regulation.[8][9] Furthermore, a 2012 Queen's University study published in Psychological Science found that religion replenishes self-control.[10][11] Also, numerous studies indicate that those who engage in regular spiritual practices have lower mortality rates.[12] [13] See also: Atheism and hedonism

Obesity, religion/irreligion, New Atheism and some general causes of obesity

From a medical perspective, an obese person has accumulated enough body fat that it can have a negative effect on their health. If a person's weight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he/she is generally considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight.[14] If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese.[15] The term obese can also used in a more general way to indicate someone who is overweight.[16]

Two of the major risk factors for becoming obese according to the Mayo Clinic are poor dietary choices and inactivity.[17] Most individuals are overweight due to their dietary and exercise habits.[18] See also: Bariatric science

The Bible, atheism, gluttony, sloth and health

See also: Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet

Obesity is positively associated with impulsiveness, lower self-discipline and neuroticism.[19]

The Bible declares that gluttony and sloth are sins.[20][21] On the other hand, atheists engage in denialism concerning the existence of sin and indicate that sin does not exist. For example, the atheist PZ Myers, who possesses excess body weight, denies the validity of the concept of original sin (see also: Atheism and gluttony).[22]

Furthermore, the Bible declares the physical body of Christians to be temples of the Holy Spirit.[23] While there are many atheists who recognize the vast amount of medical data indicating the harmful effects of being overweight, there have been atheists who have engaged in denialism and have very much agreed with the fat acceptance movement (See: Atheism and the fat acceptance movement). Furthermore, atheists have been interviewed by major news outlets and have advocated the fat acceptance movement.[24]

Another example of strongly held religious beliefs affecting behavior in terms of the avoidance of sins and health problems is that religious upbringing and culture affects rates of homosexuality and there are a number of diseases which homosexuals have higher incidences of. For example, homosexuality is rare among Orthodox Jews and even the liberal researcher Alfred Kinsey noted the rarity of homosexuality within the Orthodox Jewish community.[25] Therefore, it is not surprising that many very religious Christians and other religious groups which incorporate healthy beliefs and practices within their religion would leave healthier lives.

Atheism and some causes of obesity: Studies and historical data

Obesity is positively associated with impulsiveness, lower self-discipline and neuroticism.[26] In addition, many people overeat in response to negative emotions such as depression, anger, anxiety and boredom.[27][28][29]

Atheism and negative emotions: Studies and historical data

To see relevant studies and historical data about the atheist population's propensity to display negative emotions such as depression, anger, anxiety and boredom, please see:

Research suggests that irreligiousity is a causal factor for domestic violence.[30] See: Irreligion and domestic violence and Secular Europe and domestic violence

1. Atheism and depression (Cites relevant studies about atheism increasing depression)

2. Atheism and suicide (Atheists have a higher suicide rate than the general public)

3. Militant atheism and anger (Studies and historical information about atheism and anger)

4. Irreligion and domestic violence and Secular Europe and domestic violence (Research indicates that religiosity lowers one's propensity to engage in domestic violence)

5. Militant atheism (Historical information about atheism/violence/intolerance)

6. Atheism and emotional intelligence (Cites relevant studies about atheists having lower emotional intelligence). See also: Atheism and alcoholism

7. Atheism and social intelligence (Cites relevant studies and historical data showing lower interpersonal skills within the atheist population)

8. Atheism and death anxiety (Cites relevant studies and historical data related to atheism/death anxiety and related matters)

9. Atheism and meaninglessness (Cites relevant information from studies and history)

10. Atheism and irrationality (Cites studies on irreligion/irrationality/superstitious beliefs and other relevant information)

11. Atheism, obesity and loneliness (Cites studies and other relevant data)

In January of 2011, CNN reported: "People unaffiliated with organized religion, atheists and agnostics also report anger toward God either in the past, or anger focused on a hypothetical image - that is, what they imagined God might be like - said lead study author Julie Exline, Case Western Reserve University psychologist."[31] Of course, given the irrationality of atheism, it is not surprising that there are atheists who are angry at God who is morally perfect.[32]

A high percentage of the founders and prominent leaders of the militant New Atheism movement have had problems with being overweight and anger may have been a causal factor in some cases (see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight). Certainly anger cannot be ruled in terms of militant atheists, such as New Atheists, having problems with obesity (see: Theories of New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight).

The Apostle Paul defends his preaching (Giovanni Ricco)

Atheism and hedonism

See also: Atheism and hedonism

In addition, Christians have good reasons to believe a hedonist lifestyle is a causal factor of atheism (see: Causes of atheism).[33] The Apostle Paul wrote that in the end times, men would be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:1-4). In May of 2012, the World Health Organization reported that "Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980."[34] In 2008, more than 1.4 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight. Of these, over 200 million men and approximately 300 million women were obese.[35]

For more information, please see: Atheism and hedonism

Atheism/theism and general health issues

See also: Atheism and health and Atheism and suicide

The prestigious Mayo Clinic found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.[36]

There is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism [37] (For more information, please see: Atheism and health and Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism).

The prestigious Mayo Clinic reported the following on December 11, 2001:

In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.

The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.[38]

The Iona Institute reported:

A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.[39][40]
Most individuals are overweight due to their dietary and exercise habits.[41]

In December of 2003, the University of Warwick reported:

Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of Christmas are on the whole likely to be happier.[42]

See also: Atheism and depression and Atheism and suicide and Atheism and alcoholism

Duke University has established the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.[43] The Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health is based in the Center for Aging at Duke and gives opportunities for scholarly trans-disciplinary conversation and the development of collaborative research projects.[44] In respect to the atheism and mental and physical health, the center offers many studies which suggest that theism is more beneficial than atheism.[45]

Irreligion/religion, geography and obesity

China has the largest atheist population in the world.[46] In 2014, the British medical journal Lancet reported that the the Chinese have the second highest obesity rate in the world.[47][48]

A recent study published in the Obesity Reviews journal, found that Chinese teenagers' rate of diabetes was four times that of their American peers.[49] See: Atheistic China and obesity

Atheistic geographic areas and obesity

Atheistic China and obesity

China has the largest atheist population in the world.[50] In 2014, the British medical journal Lancet reported that the the Chinese have the second highest obesity rate in the world.[51][52]

A recent study published in the Obesity Reviews journal, found that Chinese teenagers' rate of diabetes was four times that of their American peers.[53]

For more information, please see: Atheistic China and obesity

Secular Europe and obesity

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported:

Based on the latest estimates in European Union countries, overweight affects 30-70% and obesity affects 10-30% of adults.

Estimates of the number of overweight infants and children in the WHO European Region rose steadily from 1990 to 2008. Over 60% of children who are overweight before puberty will be overweight in early adulthood.[54]

For more information, please see: Secular Europe and obesity

Atheistic Japan and obesity

See: Atheistic Japan and obesity

Rapid growth of global Christianity and the health habits of Christendom

See also: Global Christianity and Atheist population and Atheism and health

Jesus Christ ate a healthy diet as He ate a Mediterranean diet which is a very healthy diet according to medical science (see: Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet).[55][56]

Christianity is the world's largest religion and it has seen tremendous growth over its 2000 year history.[57] In the last fifty years, Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the Western World.[58] In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western World Christians as Western World Christians.[59] In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[60] Of course, a big reason for the explosive growth of Christianity outside the Western World was due to highly religious people propagating the Christian faith and there are now more non-Western World missionaries than Western World missionaries.[61]

African Christians clapping at an open air meeting.

In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[62]

The traditional African diet is healthier than many Western World invividuals' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.[63][64] In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.[65] See: Global atheism and Atheist population

Besides non-Western World individuals often being less sedentary, non-Western World diets are often healthier than the diets Western World people consume and there is significantly less obesity in many non-Western World cultures.[66] For example, the traditional African diet is healthier than many Western World peoples' diets and Africa has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world.[67][68] In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.[69]

Therefore, in recent history Christendom has seen a large influx of very religious people who live healthy lifestyles and have low levels of obesity.

The Reason Rally was billed as the largest secular event in history.[70] When one compares pictures the attendees of the Reason Rally with attendees of the 2014 Cfan Christ For All Nations gospel crusade held in Barundi, Africa, there was a significant higher proportion of attendees of the Reason Rally who were overweight/obese.[71][72][73][74]

At the same time, many pastors in the Western World are indicating that a large segment of Western Christendom is acting like the prosperous, first century Corinthian and Laodicean churches who were undisciplined, ungodly and had a lukewarm commitment to the Christian faith and were commanded to repent (See also: Western ungodliness, prosperity, decadence and obesity).[75] Yet, as noted above, according to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."[76] The troubled Church of Corinth repented of their ungodliness after being corrected by the Apostle Paul.[77][78]

Many nations with a Christian heritage or who are increasingly adopting Christianity are prosperous due to the contributions that Christianity brings to science, technology, economics and a nation's work ethic (see: Christianity and science and Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Atheism and economics).[79]

Jesus Christ worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty years old. Jesus had no electric power tools as carpenters do today, but worked with hand tools made of iron. Then for about three years, Jesus was an itinerant preacher.[80] In addition, Jesus ate a healthy Mediterranean diet.[81][82] Therefore, unlike many overweight Western World atheists today, He very likely maintained a health weight.

Commentary by atheist and feminist Jen McCreight

Jen McCreight, is an atheist and feminist columnist and blogger who has served on the Board of Directors of the Secular Student Alliance and she was also the cofounder and three-year president of Society of Non-Theists at Purdue University.[83][84] She wrote an article on atheism and obesity in 2011 where she indicated a desire to "shed a few pounds".[85] In 2011, a video with Jen McCreight was published as part of the We are Atheism campaign. In this video, she was overweight.[86]

Despite the fact that a strong majority of Christendom lives outside the Western World and is slimmer than many atheists in the Western World, Jen McCreight wrote an article on atheism and obesity where she cherry picked some data relative to some states in the United States with higher obesity rates than other states without mentioning the underlying socioeconomic/cultural factors related to this matter.[87]

Historically, the Western atheist/evolutionist community has often shown socioeconomic/racial/cultural insensitivity and also displayed hypocrisy relative to this matter (See: Western atheism and race and Social Darwinism and Evolutionary racism and Atheism and uncharitableness). Atheists within racial minority populations and within the female population often complain that there is no significant outreach to their communities within the larger atheist community (see also: Atheism and women).[88][89]

Irreligion/religion, recent generations in the United States and obesity

See also: Irreligion/religion, recent generations in the United States and obesity

In the United States at the present time, the greater the degree of irreligiosity in a generation, the higher their obesity rate is. For more information, please see the three articles directly below.

Millennials, irreligion and obesity

See: Millennials, irreligion and obesity

Generation X, irreligion and obesity

See: Generation X, irreligion and obesity

Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity

See: Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity

Sports involvement: Religious faith vs. atheism

See also: Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism and Atheist nerds

Numerous studies report athletes to be more religious than nonathletes.[90]

As noted above, two of the major risk factors for becoming obese according to the Mayo Clinic are poor dietary choices and inactivity.[91] In order to perform at their best, athletes generally must be active and make good dietary choices.

The Sports Journal is a monthly refereed journal published by the United States Sports Academy. A journal article appeared in the Sports Journal entitled Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions. The article was submitted by Nathan T. Bell, Scott R. Johnson, and Jeffrey C. Petersen from Ball State University.[92]

An excerpt from the abstract of the journal article Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions declares:

Numerous studies report athletes to be more religious than nonathletes (Fischer, 1997; Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, & Storch, 2001; Storch et al., 2004)...

Viewers of sporting events can frequently observe athletes pointing to the sky, engaging in team prayer on the court or field, and glorifying God following athletic competitions.[93]

See also:

Atheism, alcoholism and obesity

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe, "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.[94]

See also: Atheism and alcoholism

Heavy drinking and obesity

Research indicates that heavy drinking may contribute to obesity. For example, a study found that frequent, light drinkers (3 to 7 drinking days per week, 1 drink per drinking day) had lower BMIs than infrequent, but heavier drinkers.[95]

Atheists, atheistic cultures and excess alcohol usage

Atheists and atheistic cultures often have significant problems with excess alcohol usage (For more information please see: Atheism and alcoholism).

Secular Europe:

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe, "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.[96]


Australia:

An Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) report indicated that 20% of Australians drink at levels putting them at risk of lifetime harm.[97]

For more information, please see: Godless Australia and alcoholism


Alcoholism was a serious social problem in the former atheistic Soviet Union.[98] Between 1940 and 1980, this atheist state had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.[99]

Asian countries:


Atheism, alcoholism and anger

Atheism, alcoholism and anger


History of communism:

Alcoholism was a serious social problem in the former atheistic Soviet Union.[100] Between 1940 and 1980, this atheist state had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.[101]


Irreligion, alcoholism and various generations in the United States


Recent generations in the United States:

Internet atheism and obesity

The 20% of overweight people who are able to achieve permanent weight loss typically report doing it through engaging in high levels of physical activity, eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet, eating breakfast regularly, self-monitoring weight, and maintaining a consistent eating pattern across weekdays and weekends.[102]

Overweight individuals may need to decrease their computer and internet usage.[103]

See also: Internet atheism

In an essay entitled How the Atheist Movement Failed Me, an atheist woman noted that participation in the atheist community is often expensive due to the cost of attending atheist conferences and even local atheist meetings in restaurants and bars challenged her modest budget.[104] As a result of the challenges that atheists often have in terms of socializing with each other in person, many atheists turn to the internet in terms of communicating with other atheists.[105] Recently, a few atheist churches have sprung up, but CNN reported that there are questions on whether this movement can last due to an internal schism within the movement (See also: Atheist factions).[106] CNN also poses the question: "Is disbelief enough to keep a Sunday gathering together?".[107]

In 2009, an Australian university study was done concerning the association between leisure time internet and computer use with being overweight/obese and also sedentary.[108] The study concluded: "These findings suggest that, apart from nutritional and physical activity interventions, it may also be necessary to decrease time spent in sedentary behaviors, such as leisure-time Internet and computer use, in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity."[109]

In 2013, the prominent atheist PZ Myers declared:

If we're going to expand our base and we're going to draw in more people to recognize the virtues of living in a secular world, we need to appeal to more than just that geek and nerd subset of the population. We need to have a wider base. ...I seriously believe that we're on the cusp of a crisis. We're not there yet but it's looming in front of us. Will we adapt and thrive and change the world? Or will we remain an avocation for a prosperous and largely irrelevant subset of the population? Will we become something more than a scattered society of internet nerds? That's what we have to do.[110]

Internet nerds are typically less active in sports. As noted above, atheists are not as active in sports as theists. And inactivity is a major risk factor for obesity.

American Atheists organization

Jamila Bey

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

See also: American Atheists and obesity and Atheist hypocrisy

Madalyn Murray O'Hair was the founder of the American Atheists organization and she was overweight.[111] One of the last pictures taken of Madalyn Murray O'Hair features her standing before a cake as can be seen HERE.

On December 28, 2010, the pictures of the members of the American Atheists organization's board of directors showed a significant portion of its members having excess body weight. Members of the American Atheists board of directors who were overweight as of December 28, 2010 included: Richard Andrews, Blair Scott, Monty Gaither, and Ann Zindler. A picture of an overweight Richard Andrews can be found HERE. Pictures of an overweight Blair Scott can be found HERE and HERE. A picture of an overweight Monty Gaither can be found HERE. A picture of an overweight Ann Zindler can be found HERE.

On August 11. 2013, a new overweight member of their board of directors was listed - namely, Jamila Bey.[112] A video of an overweight Jamila Bey can be seen HERE.

Research suggests that extra pounds and large waists undermine perceptions of leadership ability.[113]

Pictures of an overweight PZ Myers

PZ Myers

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

See also: Evolutionists and excess weight and Internet atheism and obesity and Overweight atheists and academia

PZ Myers is an atheist and evolutionist activist in the creation-evolution controversy, contributing to The Panda's Thumb and Pharyngula blogs. Myers is also an associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM)[114]

2009 pictures of a significantly overweight PZ Myers can be found HERE and HERE and HERE. A 2010 picture taken in Australia shows PZ Myers drinking ale/beer and he had excess weight in his abdominal area.[115] In 2010, PZ Myers had health problems related to his heart.[116] In addition, medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[117]

Given PZ Myers' biological training and the wide dissemination of the harmful health effects of being overweight in terms of cardiovascular health and brain function, it is unfortunate that preventative medicine was not used in greater measure in terms of his health.[118][119][120] See: Bariatric science

PZ Myers' inattention to diligently implementing the recommendations of nutritional science, exercise science and medical science is not entirely surprising given his vehement advocacy of evolutionary pseudoscience. There have been a number of notable evolutionists who have been overweight. On June 1, 2011, Myers posted a picture of himself and others on his blog and Myers appeared to no longer have issues with being overweight.[121] However, on February 13, 2013, a video was posted to YouTube entitled, Is church harmful? and Myers appeared to have put on weight subsequent to his June 1, 2011 picture.[122]

PZ Myers is a leader within the New Atheism movement. A significant amount of leaders within the New Atheism movement have problems with being overweight (see: New Atheism leadership's problems with excess weight).

Picture of PZ Myers with some of his young overweight fans

See also: Overweight atheist PZ Myers posing with some young overweight fans

In 2011, Vox Day had an individual complain about the notion that the atheist community has a problem with obesity. As a result, on May 19, 2011, Vox Day released a blog post entitled Mailvox: now, who said atheists are fat? where 80% of the people taking a picture with PZ Myers were overweight and PZ Myers was overweight in the picture as well as can be seen HERE.[123] The picture was originally posted on PZ Myer's blog Pharyngula by Myers on May 16, 2011 and an online argument quickly ensued concerning the appearance of the photograph's participants.[124]

During his visit to the Creation Museum, PZ Myers had noticeably greater difficulty than others climbing on and off a dinosaur model due to the fact that he was overweight and out of shape.VIDEO

PZ Myers' visit to the Creation Museum

In August 2009, PZ Myers led a group of over 300 atheist and agnostic students on a tour of the Creation Museum.[125] During the visit, Myers had noticeably greater difficulty than others climbing on and off a dinosaur model due to the fact that he was overweight and out of shape.VIDEO

Ironic speech at the 2010 Global Atheist Convention

See also: Atheism and brain function

At the 2010 Global atheist Convention, an overweight PZ Myers likened belief in God to a brain infection plus made the blanket statement that religion makes people stupid and/or do stupid stupid things.[126] As noted above, according to medical science, being overweight causes brain impairment.[127]

PZ Myers in Toronto

A 2008 picture of an overweight PZ Myers meeting with people associated with the Center for Inquiry in Toronto can be found HERE

Please also see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight

Picture of an overweight atheist Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens was a leader in the New Atheism movement. A picture of an overweight Christopher Hitchens can be found HERE (see also: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight).

Hitchen's heavy drinking and chain-smoking and esophageal cancer

Christopher Hitchens was known for having a history of heavy drinking and chain-smoking.[128][129] Christopher Hitchens was being treated for esophageal cancer likely caused by drinking and smoking up until his death on December 15, 2011.[130][131] Despite his esophageal cancer, when asked by interviewer Charlie Rose if in retrospect he would have engaged in heavy drinking and smoking knowing his present cancer condition, Hitchens said he think he would have done things the same.[132]

Hitchen's excess weight and increased risk of esophageal cancer

As noted above, Hitchens also had problems with being overweight during his life (see also: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight).[133] According to the National Cancer Institute, "obesity is associated with increased risks of cancers of the esophagus."[134]

Daniel Dennett - atheist philosopher

Daniel Dennett is an atheist philosopher and he is considered a leader in the New Atheism movement. A June 10, 2009 picture of an overweight Daniel Dennet can be found HERE In the late 1990s, Dennet had coronary artery bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass surgery reroutes blood around clogged arteries to enhance blood flow and oxygen to the heart).[135][136] In 2003, a a video at Ted was published featuring an overweight Daniel Dennett. In 2013, a video embedded on a The Raw Story article featured an overweight Daniel Dennett.

Also, given that being overweight causes brain impairment and that Daniel Dennet has had issues with being overweight, it is ironic that Dennet's book Consciousness Explained is beloved by those who deny God in favor of a pseudoscientific naturalist philosophy of the mind.[137]

Nate Phelps spoke at the 2009 American Atheists convention.[138] Nate is currently the Executive Director of the Center for Inquiry Canada.[139]

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement), Title: Nate Phelps AAC00 (a very brave man)

Victor J. Stenger

Victor J. Stenger (born 1935) is an American physicist, author and outspoken atheist. Victor Stenger is a leader within the New Atheism movement. A picture of an overweight Victor J. Stenger can be found HERE

New Atheism's leadership and problems with being overweight

See also: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight and Atheist hypocrisy

The term New Atheism which first appeared in the November 2006 edition of Wired magazine, is frequently applied to a series of six best-selling books by five authors that appeared in the period between 2004–2008. These authors include Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, Victor J. Stenger and Christopher Hitchens.[140] 3 out of 5 of these leaders of the New Atheism movement have had issues with being overweight as can be seen HERE and HERE and HERE. PZ Myers is also a leader within the New Atheism movement and as noted earlier, Myers has had problems with being overweight. As of August 2013, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris have not publicly commented on the significant problems the New Atheism leadership has experienced in terms of overweight members.

The ex-atheist Richard Dawkins has publicly indicated that he is an agnostic (see: Richard Dawkins and agnosticism). Since Dawkins is an an agnostic and not an atheist, this would mean that 3 out of 4 of the atheist founders of the New Atheism movement had excess weight issues. At a 75% of individuals overweight population, this would make the atheist founders of the New Atheist movement one of the most overweight populations in world history in terms of the percentage of people overweight.[141][142]

Hippocrates was an early advocate of the health benefits of exercise and also nutrition (see also: Nutritional science).[143] On the other hand, PZ Myers and a significant amount of other New Atheists leaders, seem to have demonstrated a lack of a full appreciation of the importance of nutritional science, exercise science and the latest findings of medical science (see: New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight}.

There are a number of plausible explanations concerning the significant problems the New Atheism leadership has had with excess weight.

Richard Leakey

See also: Evolutionists and excess weight

Richard Leakey is an anthropologist, evolutionist and atheist.[144] A 2008 picture of an overweight Richard Leakey can be found HERE. Other pictures of an overweight Leakey can be found HERE and HERE and HERE. In October 2010, he appeared to have a healthy weight.[145] However, a May 2012 picture of Leakey featured HERE in the USA Today had a picture of him where he was once more overweight.

Ed Brayton

See also: Evolutionists and excess weight and Atheism and the suppression of science

Ed Brayton is an atheist blogger at freethoughtblogs.com. His blog Dispatches from the Culture Wars is a prominently featured blog at freethoughtblogs.com. He is also the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of the pro-evolution blog The Panda's Thumb.

Pictures of an overweight Ed Brayton can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

On January 2, 2013, Brayton indicated he had a medical emergency which caused him to require having open heart surgery.[146]

A video of an overweight Ed Brayton at the Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District trail can be HERE. A video of the overweight American atheist Ed Brayton mocking the fit Christian martial artist Chuck Norris can be found HERE. According to Chuck Norris, most obesity in America is the result of hedonism (see: Chuck Norris on the topic of obesity). Other videos of an overweight Ed Brayton can be found HERE and HERE.

George R. R. Martin

George R.R. Martin declared in 2011: "You would consider me an atheist or agnostic. I find religion and spirituality fascinating. I would like to believe this isn't the end and there's something more, but I can't convince the rational part of me that makes any sense whatsoever."[147]

(Wikimedia Commons photo: Martin photo, see license agreement)

George R.R. Martin is a novelist and short story writer in the genres of fantasy, horror stories and science fiction. In addition, he is a screenwriter and television producer.

When asked about his religious views, Martin replied: "I suppose I'm a lapsed Catholic. You would consider me an atheist or agnostic. I find religion and spirituality fascinating. I would like to believe this isn't the end and there's something more, but I can't convince the rational part of me that makes any sense whatsoever."[148]

Pictures of overweight George R. R. Martin can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

Martin's anger at fans who are speculating about his health and his future time of death

In 2014, The Guardian reported that George Martin became angry about some of his fans speculating about his health and the time of his future death. The fans were concerned that he will not finish his lengthy fantasy series before he dies.[149] In response, in 2014 Martin published a picture in The Guardian which featured him giving those fans a profane gesture using his middle finger (see also: Atheism and profanity).[150]

Niles Eldridge

See also: Evolutionists and excess weight

Niles Eldredge is an American paleontologist, author, and curator in the Department of Invertebrates at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.[151][152] Eldridge and fellow paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould (who was an overweight agnostic) developed the Theory of Punctuated Equilibrium.[153]

Niles Eldredge is an atheist. [154] A picture of overweight Niles Eldridge can be found HERE.

Steven Novella

Steven Novella at a 2013 skeptics conference.

(photo obtained from Flickr, see: License agreement)

Steven Novella is a clinical neurologist and assistant professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. In addition, he is a medical advisor to the organization Quackwatch, serves as an associate editor of the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, and he is the executive editor of the blog Science-Based Medicine.

Novella is a prominent atheist/skeptic who co-founded the New England Skeptical Society and he serves as their president. The organization's podcast, The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, is popular within the skeptical movement. He also participated in the pro-evolution campaign called Project Steve and was one of the first 200 people to contribute the project as a signer.

There are several pictures posted on the internet of Novella where he exhibits possessing excess weight. For example, in 2011 at TAM9 (a global conference of skeptics), a picture was taken of Steven Novella where he is bending over a table and his excess abdominal weight appears to be hanging over his belt as can be seen HERE and HERE. Other pictures where Novella appears to have excess weight can be seen HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

Brian Dunning

Brian Dunning is an atheist/agnostic/skeptic, author, podcaster and owner of the website Skeptoid. On July 9, 2012, Dunning wrote: "However, in fairness, 6’1″ and 190 lbs does put me at the bottom end of the “Overweight” range on BMI calculators..".[155]

Larry Moran

See also: Evolutionists and excess weight and Atheism and the suppression of science

Larry Moran serves as a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. His blog Sandwalk is described as "Strolling with a skeptical biochemist". Moran is an atheist.[156] Pictures of an overweight Larry Moran can be found HERE and HERE.

YouTube atheism

See also: Internet atheism

Chuck Norris endorses the Total Gym exercise system.[157]

In 2007, WorldNetDaily featured a column by the Christian Chuck Norris which declared:

Atheists are making a concerted effort to win the youth of America and the world. Hundreds of websites and blogs on the Internet seek to convince and convert adolescents, endeavoring to remove any residue of theism from their minds and hearts by packaging atheism as the choice of a new generation. While you think your kids are innocently surfing the Web, secular progressives are intentionally preying on their innocence and naivete.

What's preposterous is that atheists are now advertising and soliciting on websites particularly created for teens.

YouTube, the most popular video site on the Net for young people, is one of their primary avenues for passing off their secularist propaganda.[158]

Atheism internet outreach efforts, however, have been be very ineffective.

TheAmazingAtheist

As of August of 2012, the most popular YouTube channel run by an atheist is TheAmazingAtheist YouTube channel which has over 300,000 subscribers. TheAmazingAtheist YouTube channel is produced by an overweight atheist.[159] In one video, TheAmazingAtheist exclaimed "Why am I so fat?"[160]

On August 12, 2012, an article entitled Atheism: A religion of degenerates declared:

TheAmazingAtheists was caught on videotape doing something very perverse and unusual with chocolate syrup, coffee and a banana! The embarrassing episode was dubbed BananaGate. One of the last things TheAmazingAtheist needs in his residence is chocolate syrup given the abundant amount of flab which hangs over his belt... This is another example of atheism being a religion of foolish and depraved clowns.[161]
The article entitled Atheism: A religion of degenerates said of YouTube video creator TheAmazingAtheist and his recent scandal involving chocolate syrup, coffee and a banana: "One of the last things TheAmazingAtheist needs in his residence is chocolate syrup given the abundant amount of flab which hangs over his belt..."[162]

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

HappieCabbie

As of September of 2011, the atheist who produces the YouTube channel HappieCabbie, which has over 28,000 subscribers, is also overweight.[163]

InfidelAvenger

InfidelAvenger is a YouTube atheist. A video of an overweight InfidelAvenger can be found HERE and HERE.

Greta Christina

Greta Christina is a popular atheist blogger at freethoughtblogs.com. In addition, she is a atheist speaker and author. A 2007 picture of an overweight Greta Christiana can be found HERE. She is in a same-sex marriage with a woman named Ingrid.[164] For years Greta Christina was very much in agreement with the "fact acceptance movement", however, her ardor for the movement became more limited after a serious knee problem prompted her to lose her excess weight.[165] For more information please see: Atheist Greta Christina and the fat acceptance movement

See also: Lesbianism and obesity and Homosexuality and obesity

Bruce Gerencser

Bruce Gerencser is an atheist blogger who runs the blog The Way Forward.[166] A picture of an overweight Bruce Gerencser can be found HERE.

Video/pictures of an overweight atheist activist Michael Nugent

Michael Nugent is chairperson of the atheist group Atheist Ireland[167] A picture of an overweight Michael Nugent can be found HERE.

Stephanie Zvan

Stephanie Zvan is an atheist who has served as the Associate President for Minnesota Atheist and has written for Freethoughtblogs.com at their blog Almost Diamonds.[168] A picture of an overweight Stephanie Zvan can be found HERE.

Picture of an overweight Taslima Nasreen

The atheist Taslima Nasrin is an author who is known for her feminist and anti-Islamic views.[169][170] Ms. Nasreen has been divorced three times.[171] A picture of an overweight Taslima Nasreen can be found here: HERE

Matt Dillahunty - a host of atheist TV show

Matt Dillahunty

Stephen Fry

The atheist Stephen Fry is a English screenwriter, author, playwright, comedian, and film director.[172] A picture of an overweight Stephen Fry can be found HERE and HERE In 2009, the Mail Online reported that Stephen Fry went from being "appallingly corpulent" to having a weight where he can "at last bear to look at himself in the mirror again".[173] However, in March of 2011, Stephen Fry appeared to be once again overweight.[174]

Also, in a January 30, 2012 interview with Charlie Rose, Mr. Fry also had excess weight.[175] In his interview with Charlie Rose, Mr. Fry said that as a young man he hated exercise and sports.[176] Besides being an atheist, Mr. Fry is a homosexual.[177] Traditionally, players in male core sports teams (e.g., football, baseball, basketball,and/or soccer) are more likely to have unfavorable views of homosexuality.[178] See: Homosexuality and obesity and Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism

A National Public Radio reviewer of one of atheist Penn Jillette's books found the book "showy and assaultive" in terms of its use of profanity.[179] See: Atheism and profanity

Picture of an overweight illusionist and comedian Penn Jillette

See also: Conservapedia's reply to atheist Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette (born 1955) is an American illusionist, comedian, juggler, musician and writer. Penn Jillette is a weak atheist which is a form of agnostic.[180][181] See: Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism

A picture of an overweight Penn Jillette can be found HERE and HERE and HERE.

In September of 2011, the overweight weak atheist/agnostic Penn Jillette said agnostics were "sloppy" in their thinking.[182]

AronRa

AronRa is an atheist activist and vlogger. He is also an ardent evolutionist and vocal critic of creationism. AronRa is also the Texas State Director of American Atheists.

In 2012, a blog post appeared on Freethoughtblogs via atheist Zinnia Jones' blog in which AronRa had excess weight issues.[183] The picture can be found HERE. In 2014, a video entitled Aronra on faith appeared on YouTube in which AronRa appeared to have excess weight.

Skepchick writers who have had excess weight challenges

Elyse Anders founded the Women Thinking Free Foundation which has been described as a "science and critical thinking organization focusing on women and women's issues".[184]

See also: Skepchick and Skepchick writers who have excess weight challenges and Atheism and women and Atheism and health

According to Skepchick, "Skepchick is a group of women (and one deserving guy) who write about science, skepticism, feminism, atheism, secularism, and pseudoscience".[185] Yet despite medical science evidence indicating the health risks of excess weight, Skepchick has writers who are overweight (see sections below). See also: Atheist hypocrisy

Elyse Anders

Elyse Anders founded the Women Thinking Free Foundation which has been described as a "science and critical thinking organization focusing on women and women's issues".[186] She also led the Hug Me! I'm Vaccinated campaign which was a vaccine advocacy project. She is a podcaster and is a writer for Shepchick.[187] A 2011 picture of an overweight Elyse Anders can be found HERE. In March of 2013, Anders announced that she "lost a bunch of weight".[188]

Amy Davis Roth - writer at Skepchick

Amy Davis Roth is an atheist who writes for Skepchick.[189][190] Pictures of an overweight Amy Davis Roth can be found HERE and HERE.

Heina Dadabhoy - writer at Skepchick

Heina Dadabhoy is an atheist who writes for Skepchick.[191][192] Pictures of an overweight Heina Dadabhoy can be found HERE and HERE She has written several blog post sympathetic to the ideas of the "fat acceptance" movement.[193] For more information please see: Atheism and the fat acceptance movement

Nikki Massey

Nikki Massey is an atheist and she serves on the board of directors for Secular Woman, Inc. In addition, she is a part-time blogger and abortion activist.[194][195] A picture of an overweight Nikki Massey at SkepchickCon can be found HERE and HERE In addition, a picture of Nikki Massey can be found HERE.

Robert M. Price

Robert M. Price is an American atheist, theologian and professor. He teaches biblical criticism at the Center for Inquiry.[196] In addition, he sits on the advisory board of the Secular Student alliance. Price is also a fellow of the Jesus Seminar.

Pictures of an overweight Robert M. Price can be found HERE and HERE.

Randy Henderson

Randy Henderson was head of the Iowa Atheist and Freethinkers organization as of April 23, 2011.[197]

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

Randy Henderson was head of the Iowa Atheist and Freethinkers organization as of April 23, 2011.[198] A picture of an overweight Randy Henderson can be found HERE.

Tom Leykis

Tom Leykis is an atheist and American talk radio personality known for hosting the nationally syndicated The Tom Leykis Show from 1994 to 2009, and April 2012 to the present via (internet streamcast/podcast).[199] Pictures of an overweight Tom Leykis can be found HERE and HERE and HERE

Nate Phelps

Nate Phelps is an atheist.[200][201] Nate is currently the Executive Director of the Center for Inquiry Canada.[202] Pictures of an overweight Nate Phelps can be found HERE and HERE.

Maryam Nazamie

The atheist Maryam Nazamie has had issues with being overweight as can be seen HERE and HERE and HERE.

Shelly Mountjoy

As a student at George Mason University, Shelley Mountjoy founded the Secular Student Alliance at George Mason University and served as its President.[203][204] She is an atheist who won an atheist scholarship awarded by the American Atheists organization.[205]

A 2010 picture of an overweight Shelly Mountjoy can be found HERE. She also appeared in a video where she introduced PZ Myers who presented a lecture on science education.[206] In addition, the Washington Post reported that on July 4, 2010, an atheist Independence Day celebration was hosted at Shelly Mountjoy's parents' house which had a "food table, a drink table and a literature table" (Shelly Mounjoy's parents are Roman Catholic and they were not home for the party).[207]

Sarah Morehead

atheism
Paul-Henri Thiry was an early advocate of atheism in Europe.

According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Thiry "used his great wealth to throw the dinner parties for which he is famous."[208]

Sarah Morehead is an atheist and the Executive Director of Recovering from Religion.[209] A picture of an overweight Sarah Morehead can be found HERE.

Dan Fincke

Dr. Dan Fincke is an atheist who served as an adjunct assistant philosophy professor at Hofstra University, City College of New York (CUNY), and Hunter College (CUNY). In 2014, he ceased engaging in adjunct teaching and focused mainly on offering his own online classes and other philosophical services.[210][211] Fincke is also the main writer for the website Camels With Hammers. Pictures of an overweight Dan Fincke can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

Photo of an overweight Steve Wozniak (atheist/agnostic)

Steve Wozniak - co-founder of Apple Computer.[212] Wozniak wrote: "I am also atheist or agnostic (I don't even know the difference)."[213]

Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman is a software freedom activist and also a computer programmer. Stallman wrote that he was "an atheist".[214] Pictures of an overweight Richard Stallman can be found HERE and HERE and HERE

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was an American author, biochemistry professor st Boston University and an atheist . A picture of an overweight Isaac Asimov can be found HERE. Asimov had "a heart attack in 1977, and triple bypass surgery in 1983."[215] In 1992, the New York Times reported: "He died of heart and kidney failure, said his brother, Stanley."[216]

Cryonics is a pseudoscience that tries to extend life or achieve immortality in a non-theistic way after a person is legally dead (Cryonic procedures are performed shortly after a person's death).[217][218] According to The Cryonics Society, Asimov said of cryonics, "Though no one can quantify the probability of cryonics working, I estimate it is at least 90%..."[219] See: Atheism and cryonics

Gordon Stein

Dr. Gordon Stein (April 30, 1941 – August 27, 1996) was an American author, physiologist and atheist activist. One of the things Dr. Stein is known for is his debate with the Christian apologist Dr. Greg Bahnsen - a debate he is widely recognized to have done poorly in.[220][221][222]

A picture of an overweight Gordon Stein can be found HERE and HERE.

atheism
Kim Il Sung was a communist dictator and an obese atheist who died of a heart attack.[223]

(Source of photo of portrait can be found here, see: license agreement)

Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was an overweight Chinese communist leader. On September 2, 1976, he had a serious heart attack and he died on September 9, 1976 in his sleep. Mao had been in a poor health for many years previous to his death.[224]

Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un is an overweight atheist communist dictator. [225][226]

In 2014, Free North Korea Radio reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is getting fatter which is leading to rumors that he is suffering from stress and symptoms of heart disease.[227]

Kim II Sung

The North Korean communist dictator Kim Il Sung was an obese atheist who died of a heart attack.[228]

Kim Jong-il

Kim Jong-il was an overweight atheist North Korean communist dictator.[229] Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack. [230]

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev [231][232]

Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Brezhnev was a communist dictator in the former Soviet Union and a picture of an overweight Leonid Brezhnev can be found HERE. Brezhnev had a "stroke in March 1982 and died of a heart attack in November".[233]

Georgy Malenkov

Georgy Malenkov - Soviet Union politician[234]

George Melly

In an article entitled George Melly's battle with cancer and dementia, the Daily Mail reported that Melly "smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day since his teens."[235]

(photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, Description: George Melly, singing and smoking, Date: 1978-02-00, source: Own work, User: p.g. Champion see: license agreement)

Song writer and singer George Melly was an atheist.[236] A picture of an overweight George Melly smoking a cigarette can be found HERE.

On April 17, 2007, the Daily Mail reported that George Melly was battling cancer and dementia.[237]

In addition, the Daily Mail reported:

The first hint of problems came seven years ago, when George was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is nearly always caused by smoking - George has smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day since his teens.

The condition restricts airflow to the lungs, and the lack of oxygen in the bloodstream means there is not enough blood getting to the organs - most importantly the heart.

George ignored instructions to give up smoking but was put on a vast regime of medication, including diuretics to combat fluid build-up.[238]

Dara Ó Briain

Dara Ó Briain is an Irish comedian and he is an atheist.[239] A 2008 picture of an overweight Dara Ó Briain can be found HERE

Picture of an overweight atheist writer Carol Ann Duffy

Carol Ann Duffy, CBE,(born 1955) is a Scottish poet and playwright. Carol Ann Duffy is an atheist.[240] A picture of an overweight Ms. Duffy can be found HERE

Edmund White

Edmund White is a author, literary critic, homosexual and an atheist.[241][242] Photos of an overweight Edmund White can be found HERE and HERE.

Picture of an overweight atheist economist Walter Block

Walter Block is an atheist economist. A picture of an overweight Walter Block can be found HERE.

Amanda Scott

Amanda Scott was awarded "Atheist Activist of the Year" by the American Atheists organization at their 2015 national convention in Memphis, Tennessee.[243] Pictures of Amanda Scott with excess weight can be found HERE and HERE and HERE.

Atheist author Sir Kingsley William Amis

Sir Kingsley William Amis, CBE (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English writer, critic and teacher. Amis was also an atheist.[244] Kingsley Amis was a serial adulterer and drunkard.[245] Sir Kingsley Amis wrote in a memoir: "Now and then I become conscious of having the reputation of being one of the great drinkers, if not one of the great drunks, of our time".[246] A picture of an overweight Sir Kingsley Amis can be found HERE

Overweight atheist origin of life researcher Aleksandr Oparin

Atheist origin of life researcher Aleksandr Oparin

See also: Evolutionists and excess weight

A picture of overweight atheist origin of life researcher Aleksandr Oparin can be found HERE. A biography of Oparin declares: "Ill health dogged Oparin in his final years, and his death in 1980 was probably the result of a heart attack."[247]

Feminist and atheist Rosika Schwimmer

Rosika Schwimmer (1877–1948) was a Hungarian-born feminist and pacifist. Rosika Schwimmer was an atheist.[248] A picture of an overweight Rosika Schwimmer can be found HERE

Marquis de Sade experienced grotesque obesity during his life

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade experienced grotesque obesity during his life.[249] The French atheist Marquis de Sade wrote sadomasochistic novels which featured rape, bestiality and necrophilia (see Atheism and bestiality).

Beth Ditto is a singer who is a lesbian and an atheist.[250][251]

See picture source and license agreement

Paul-Henri Thiry

Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in Europe and he was overweight. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Thiry "used his great wealth to throw the dinner parties for which he is famous."[252]

Artwork of an overweight Paul-Henri Thiry can be found HERE

Beth Ditto

Beth Ditto is a singer. She is also a lesbian and an atheist.[253][254] A 2007 picture of an overweight Beth Ditto is available HERE.

Michigan State University overweight, atheist professor incident

On October 1, 2012, an overweight, atheist Michigan State University professor stripped naked except for his socks during one of his university classes, declared there was no God, screamed, shouted an obscenity, slammed his hands against the window and pressed his face to the window and then was taken away by police.[255][256] See also: Atheism and health

Millennials, irreligion and obesity

See also: Millennials, irreligion and obesity

The Pew Research Center defines "adult Millennials" as those who are 18 to 33 years old, born between 1981–1996.[257]

Maria Kang, a non-profit organization founder, model and fitness enthusiast, who is a millenial, posted a viral picture on the internet of her and her three young children with the message "What's your excuse?".[258][259]

Kang says on her website, "I am passionate about my faith, my family and my fitness."[260]

In 2010, the Pew Research Forum reported concerning the millennial generation:

By some key measures, Americans ages 18 to 29 are considerably less religious than older Americans...

Compared with their elders today, young people are much less likely to affiliate with any religious tradition or to identify themselves as part of a Christian denomination. Fully one-in-four adults under age 30 (25%) are unaffiliated, describing their religion as “atheist,” “agnostic” or “nothing in particular.” This compares with less than one-fifth of people in their 30s (19%), 15% of those in their 40s, 14% of those in their 50s and 10% or less among those 60 and older. About two-thirds of young people (68%) say they are members of a Christian denomination and 43% describe themselves as Protestants, compared with 81% of adults ages 30 and older who associate with Christian faiths and 53% who are Protestants.[261]

Commenting on the issue of millennials and obesity, Futurecast wrote in 2009:

Gen Y, defined as young adults 18-29, are less active and more obese than earlier generations.

“The proportion of young adults 18–29 years of age who were obese more than tripled from 8% in 1971–1974 to 24% in 2003–2004.”

“Nearly two-thirds of young adults did not have regular leisure-time physical activity and three-quarters did not report strength-training at least twice a week.”[262]

Generation X, irreligion and obesity

See also: Generation X, irreligion and obesity

Generation X is made up of individuals born between 1966 to 1980.

Using data from the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), Barry A. Kosmin & Juhem Navarro-Rivera reported:

Generation X became more secular and also less Christian (85% in 1990 v. 75% in 2008) as it aged and grew in size. However, the proportion of the cohort identifying with Other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions hardly changed. So the secularizing change mainly occurred at the expense of Catholic self-identification which fell from 33% in 1990 to 26% in 2008.[263]

In 2014, Bloomberg News reported about Generation X and obesity:

People born from 1966 to 1980, known as Generation X, are fatter and twice as likely to have diabetes as Baby Boomers were at the same age, according to an Australian study that predicts younger generations will be sicker and costlier to care for in old age.[264]

Generation X in America, obese atheists and education

See also: Religion and education and Obese atheists and academia

In 2014, Philip Schwadel, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, declared that it’s the least-educated members of Generation X who are “most likely to leave religion".[265] See: Religion and education

In the United States, religion is positively correlated to education; a scholarly study published in an academic journal titled the Review of Religious Research demonstrated that increased education is correlated with belief in God and that "education positively affects religious participation, devotional activities, and emphasizing the importance of religion in daily life."[266][267][268][269] Furthermore, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that higher levels of education is positively correlated with lower rates of obesity.[270]

Researchers at Bowling Green State University found that obesity/excess weight negatively affects one's ability to be accepted into graduate schools. [271]

As noted above, having a lower socioeconomic status, which of course includes education, is positively correlated with obesity.[272]

Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity

See also: Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity

The baby boom generation was born between the years 1946 and 1964.

In 2011, the Pew research foundation reported concerning the United States:

Younger generations also are significantly less likely than older ones to affiliate with a religious tradition. This pattern began in the 1970s when 13% of Baby Boomers were unaffiliated with any particular religion, according to the General Social Survey. That compared with just 6% among the Silent generation and 3% among the Greatest generation.[273]

On February 5, 2013, Business Insider wrote an article entitled Baby Boomers Are Fatter And Lazier Than Their Parents' Generation in which cited statistics indicating that the baby boomer generation has greater problems with obesity that the previous generation and is also a generation which is less physically active. [274]

The Silent Generation was born from 1925 until 1942. They preceded the baby boom generation.

Atheism, homosexuality and obesity

See also: Homosexuality and obesity and Lesbianism and obesity

The Bible declares homosexuality to be a sin (see: Homosexuality and the Bible).

The journalist Peter LaBarbera wrote: "Anyone who has researched the subject of homosexuality knows that many of the most staunch advocates of homosexuality are those who hold a decidedly secular outlook."[275] The Bible is against homosexuality (see: Homosexuality and the Bible). See also: Homosexuality and Religious Liberty

Peter LaBarbera also declared:

The National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys are given to high schoolers, and the Centers for Disease Control looked at the data from 2001 to 2009 in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and the cities of Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, San Francisco and San Diego, locales where the schools permitted questions about homosexual identity/behavior, which isn’t always the case in less “progressive” areas.

Teens who called themselves “gay, lesbian or bisexual,” or who were unsure, as well as those who didn’t use those labels but had sexual contact only with same-sex people or with both sexes, were found to be more likely than heterosexually identified students to engage in seven out of the 10 risk behavior categories. These were: 1) behaviors that contribute to violence; 2) behaviors related to attempted suicide; 3) tobacco use; 4) alcohol use; 5) other drug use; 6) sexual behaviors; and 7) weight management. (emphasis added)[276]

See also: Homosexuality and health and Homosexual Couples and Domestic Violence and Homosexuality and murders and Homosexuality and Illegal Drug Use and Mental Health and Homosexuality and Homosexuality and smoking and Homosexuality Statistics

Lesbianism and obesity

See also: Lesbianism and obesity and Homosexuality and obesity and Atheism and marriage

Lesbians have significantly higher rates of obesity.[277]

In 2013, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that 75% of American lesbians are obese.[278] In April of 2007, the American Journal of Public Health analyzed data from 2002 National Survey of Family Growth and the data suggested that American lesbian women were 2.69 times more likely to be overweight and 2.47 times more likely to be obese than all other female sexual orientation groups. [279] The abstract for this study indicated that "lesbians are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality linked to overweight and obesity." [279]

Chubby subculture among male homosexuals

See also: Homosexuality and obesity and Atheism and marriage

Within the male homosexuality community, there is a subculture of overweight/obese homosexuals which is called the chubby culture (an overweight male homosexual within this subculture is called a "chub").[280]

Atheism, homosexuality, sin and obesity

Since the Bible declares gluttony and homosexuality to be sins, no doubt there are obese people and/or homosexuals who reject Christianity, despite the abundant evidence for Christianity, and decide to become or remain atheists rather than repent and become Christians.

Atheists and the fat acceptance movement

See also: Atheism and the fat acceptance movement and Atheism and the suppression of science

As noted above, while there are many atheists who accept the vast amount of medical data indicating the harmful effects of being overweight, there have been atheists who have engaged in denialism and have very much agreed with the fat acceptance movement. Furthermore, as noted above, atheists have been interviewed by major news organizations and advocated the fat acceptance movement.[281]

Greta Christina

Picture of Greta Christina in 2007.

(photo from Flickr, see: license agreement)

For years, the prominent atheist, lesbian and feminist Greta Christina was involved in the fat acceptance movement and largely dismissed the abundant medical science data indicating the negative health effects of being overweight. Her fat acceptance beliefs were altered though when she had a serious knee problem which prompted her to lose her excess weight.[282]

Within the feminist movement, there a branch of feminism called fat feminism.[283] The lesbian population in the Western World has a significantly higher rate of obesity (see: Lesbianism and obesity).

Today, Christina has a more limited agreement with the fat acceptance movement, but still considers herself apart of it.[284]

Greta Christina wrote in 2010:

And while I have huge disagreements with the fat acceptance movement -- especially with its more extreme denialist edges -- I still think many of its ideas are important, and perceptive, and entirely fair. I have serious disagreements with FA, but I am still very much shaped by it, and I would like to think of myself as an ally of the movement, and even as a member of it.

It's just that they don't feel the same way about me.[285]

Skepchick writer and feminist Heina Dadabhoy

Skepchick writer and feminist Heina Dadabhoy has written about "fat phobia", fat-hating and also wrote about a television episode "What I did like was seeing a bad fatty positively represented on mainstream-enough television".[286] She has written a number of fat acceptance blog posts.[287]

Website Fierce, Freethinking Fatties

A prominent atheist fat acceptance website is the website Fierce, Freethinking Fatties and the representatives of the website have been featured by major news outlets such as the BBC, NBC, Village Voice, China International Radio and the Huffington Post.[288][289]

Atheism, politics and the fat acceptance movement

Since the majority of atheists are on the left side of the political spectrum (see: Atheism and politics), politically left leaning atheists (such as feminists) who subscribe to fat acceptance movement ideology typically subscribe to the fat acceptance movement's identity politics type complaints of "thin privilege".[290][291][292] Rather than take responsibility for their health choices, they would rather wallow in self-pity and play the victim (As noted above, most individuals are overweight due to their dietary and exercise habits[293]).

Evolutionists who have had problems with being overweight

Erasmus Darwin grew to be so corpulent that a semi-circle had to be cut out of his dining table to accommodate his girth at meal times.[294]

See also: Professor PZ Myers fails his applied biology course - satire and Atheist hypocrisy

As noted above, since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists or agnostics.[295]

Also, as far as the history of Darwinism, the agnostic Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of Charles Darwin, is believed to have influenced Charles Darwin as far as the development of his evolutionary beliefs.[296][297] As far as Erasmus Darwin's eating habits, "His love of food (particularly fruits, sugar, cream and butter) was matched by his dislike of exercise, and by the age of 46 he had grown so corpulent that a semi-circle had to be cut out of his dining table to accommodate his girth at meal times."[298]

A list of evolutionists who who have had problems with being overweight and/or obese can be found here:

Evolutionists who have had problems with being overweight and/or obese

As alluded to earlier, given the pseudoscientific nature of the evolutionary paradigm, it not surprising that overweight and obese prominent evolutionists have ignored or taken lightly the recommendations of medical science in terms of the harmful effects of being overweight (see also: Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality).

Creation Ministries International points out that some evolutionists unreasonably claim that human evolution supposedly has contributed to obesity.[299]

Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism

See also: Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism and Atheism and health and Atheism and depression

As noted earlier, many people overeat in response to negative emotions such as depression, anger, anxiety and boredom (see also: Atheism and depression).[300] In addition, obesity is positively associated with neuroticism, impulsiveness, and lower self-discipline.[301][302][303][304]

The Mayo Clinic found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health and mental outcomes.[305]

(photo obtained from Wikimedia Commons, see: license agreement)

Concerning atheism and mental and physical health, as noted earlier, there is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism.

As noted previously, the Mayo Clinic reported the following on December 11, 2001:

In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.

The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.[306]

In December of 2003, the University of Warwick reported:

Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of Christmas are on the whole likely to be happier.[307]
Atheists have higher rates of suicide than the general population. Please see: Atheism and suicide

Duke University has established the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.[308] The Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health is based in the Center for Aging at Duke and gives opportunities for scholarly trans-disciplinary conversation and the development of collaborative research projects.[309] In respect to the atheism and mental and physical health, the center offers many studies which suggest that theism is more beneficial than atheism.[310]

Atheism, obesity and self-esteem

See also: Atheism and self-esteem and Atheism, obesity and self-esteem and Atheism and depression and Atheism and suicide and Atheism, uncharitableness and depression

There are preliminary studies indicating that individuals who reject Christianity in Western cultures have lower self-esteem than the Christian population.[311][312] In addition, obese individuals can have lower self-esteem related to their obesity.[313] In the United States, obese people are often stereotyped as being "lazy, lacking self-discipline and being mentally slow".[314] In March of 2011, USA News and World Report declared that an Arizona State University study suggests that fat stigma has gone global.[315] In addition, parts of the world that once viewed being overweight favorably now hold negative views concerning having extra pounds and also hold negative views concerning overweight individuals.[316] Poor self-esteem has been linked to an increase in suicide attempts and atheists have higher rates of suicide than the general population.[317][318][319] Obese atheists likely have higher rates of suicide than the general public.

Atheistic China and obesity - Additional information

Obesity is growing at an alarming rate in China. More than a quarter of the adult population, or roughly 350 million people, is overweight or obese.[320]

See also: China and obesity

As noted above, China has the world's largest atheist population.[321][322] As noted above, in 2014, it was reported that China's obesity rate has skyrocketed in the last 30 years and the Chinese now have the second highest obesity rate in the world.[323][324]

As indicated above, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2014 that China had approximately 300 million overweight people.[325] In 2014, the British medical journal Lancet analyzed weight trends in 188 countries and reported that more than 28% of Chinese adult men and 27% of the country’s adult women are now overweight or obese.[326]

As mentioned above, according to a 2012 report by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of obese children in China has reached 120 million.[327] A recent study published in the Obesity Reviews journal, found that Chinese teenagers' rate of diabetes was four times that of their American peers.[328] Due to their past one-child policy, which had exceptions, China now has a lot of over-pampered and over-fed children.[329]

Matthew Crabbe, co-author of "Fat China: How Expanding Waistlines are Changing a Nation" declared that China's surging rate of obesity is "a ticking bomb" underneath the country's future economic growth and healthcare system.[330]

In 2014, The Economist declared in an article entitled Chubby little emperors:

MORE than 2,000 years ago “Huangdi Neijing”, a classic Chinese medical text, identified obesity as a disease caused by eating too much “fatty meats and polished grains”. Until a generation ago such a diet was an extravagance beyond imagination for all but the elite. But the Chinese waistline has since expanded, and at an alarming rate.

More than a quarter of the adult population, or roughly 350m people, is overweight or obese (more than 60m squeeze into the latter camp). That is at least twice as many as are under-nourished. With rising incomes and more diverse diets, Chinese people are consuming much more fatty food and fizzy drinks. Meals now contain more than twice as much oil and meats as in the 1980s.

This is producing a health calamity, both in heart disease (which now accounts for over a third of deaths) and in a less-noticed explosion of diabetes, which is closely linked to obesity. The prevalence of diabetes has grown more than tenfold during the past three decades. According to a recent national survey, 11.6% of Chinese adults are diabetic, a share almost as high as in America, whose obesity rate is much greater.

With a catastrophic famine still in living memory, it is little surprise that Chinese people have developed a taste for foods rich in fats and sugars.[331]

China and Western style food restaurants and China has rapidly become the largest beer market

In China, there is a growing amount of westernized style food establishments that can be found in most reasonably size cities.[332] In addition, China has rapidly become the largest market for beer.[333]

All you can eat buffets in China

All you can eat buffets in China are called 自助餐 (zi zhu can). They typically have Western food as well as Chinese food and are found in large cities such Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Qingdao, etc.[334]

In the Grand View Mall Guangzhou, China they have a place called Las Vegas Buffet. In Guangzhou, they also have several Brazilian meat buffets where they come patrons tables and slice meat of a skewer (This also includes an all you can eat buffet).[335]

Secular Europe and obesity - Additional information

In May of 2014, the British paper The Mirror reported that according to the British medical journal Lancet, British girls are the most overweight girls in Western Europe.[336]

See also: Secular Europe and obesity and Secular Europe

From a global perspective, Europe is more secular than the rest of the world although it does have a considerable amount of religious immigrants who have higher birth rates (see: Atheist population and Global atheism).

As noted above, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported:

Based on the latest estimates in European Union countries, overweight affects 30-70% and obesity affects 10-30% of adults.

Estimates of the number of overweight infants and children in the WHO European Region rose steadily from 1990 to 2008. Over 60% of children who are overweight before puberty will be overweight in early adulthood.[337]

United Kingdom and obesity

See also: United Kingdom and obesity

Britain is the birthplace of Darwinism. Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists or agnostics.[338] A Eurobarometer poll in 2010 reported that 37% of UK citizens "believed there is a God", 33% believe there is "some sort of spirit or life force" and 25% answered "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".[339]

On May 28, 2014, The Guardian reported on that the United Kingdom is among worst in Western Europe as far as the level of overweight and obese people.[340] In 2014, in the UK, 67% of men and 57% of women were either overweight or obese.[341] In May of 2014, the British paper The Mirror reported that according to the British medical journal Lancet, British girls are the most overweight girls in Western Europe.[342] In Britain, 29.2% of girls under the age of 20 are classed as excessively heavy with just over 8% meeting the clinical definition of obesity.[343] See also: Evolutionists who have had problems with being overweight

UK, alcohol usage and obesity

On July 29, 2014, The Independent reported:

The UK is full of heavy drinkers with bad eating habits who are ignorant, intolerant and too nationalistic – so it’s just as well that we are also very polite.

It might sound like a stereotypical list of national traits, but these are the views of more than 5,000 young adults from five different countries who were asked to give their opinion on modern Britain by the British Council.[344]

The UK website Alcohol Concern reports:

More than 9 million people in England drink more than the recommended daily limits

In England, in 2012 there were 6,490 alcohol-related deaths, a 19% increase compared to 2001

Alcohol is 10% of the UK burden of disease and death, making alcohol one of the three biggest lifestyle risk factors for disease and death in the UK, after smoking and obesity.

An estimated 7.5 million people are unaware of the damage their drinking could be causing

In the UK in 2012-13, there were 1,008,850 hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption where an alcohol-related disease, injury or condition was the primary reason for hospital admission or a secondary diagnosis[345]

As noted above, excessive drinking can lead to weight gain (see: Atheism and alcoholism).

Atheistic Japan and obesity

See also: Atheistic Japan and obesity

Using a system of punitive measures and state mandated counseling for overweight individuals, atheistic Japan has lowered its obesity rate to 3.5%.[346][347][348] As a means of comparison, according to the CIA World Factbook, in 2008 theistic Ethiopia and Bangladesh had an obesity rate of 1.1%.[349]

Sumo wrestling
Sumo wrestling ceremony in Japan

Sumo is a traditional Japanese style of wrestling that has existed in Japan for over 2,000 years.[350] As a professional sport, sumo wrestling does not exist outside of Japan. Because of its long history in Japan, sumo wrestling is often referred to as Japan's national sport.[351] It is not officially Japan's national sport, however.[352] The cultural research of Helen Gremillion of Indiana University in Bloomington indicates that sumo wrestlers are a reflection of Japanese ideals in terms of tradition.[353]

Sumo wrestlers are usually very large, appearing overweight to the point of obesity. They train to gain weight.[354] Sumo wrestlers eat large amounts of food each day and drink large amounts of beer with their meals.[355][356]

On September 27, 2008, Japan Today declared:

Not only is the life expectancy of sumo wrestlers 10 years less than the average population, they also suffer higher incidences of kidney and liver problems. Wrestlers are also subject to hormonal imbalances, signaled by serious weight problems and voice changes. While much of this may be the result of the unusual diet and harsh training, many of the same symptoms are also present in steroid abusers.[357]

Atheism, obesity and loneliness

See also: Atheism, obesity and loneliness

Obesity and loneliness

Loneliness has been linked to numerous physical and mental health problems.[358][359]

One of the emotional problems that is positively associated with obesity is loneliness.[360]

Atheism and loneliness

Compared to religious cultures where an extended family and a sense of community prevails, secular countries are often lonelier societies. In addition, numerous studies and other data indicate that atheists often have lower emotional intelligence and lower social skills (see: Atheiam and emotional intelligence and Atheiam and social skills).

For more information, please see:

Indian anthropologist's commentary on lonelineness in atheistic Denmark

The Indian anthropologist Prakash Reddy found Denmark to be a neat and tidy, cozy little society, stiff, rigid and seemingly full of practical, down-to-earth but lonely people, isolated from each other and lacking much sense of religion.

Compared to the teeming villages of India, a Danish hamlet seemed deserted and closed. To an Indian, accustomed to constant close contact in an extended family and community, Danish life was cold if not nonexistent.[361]

In 1993, Reuters reported:

Indian anthropologist Prakash Reddy has turned the tables on Western colleagues who put Third World cultures under the microscope.

Reddy, of Sri Venkateswara University at Tirupati in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, spent four months in the village of Hvilsager--population 104--on Denmark's Jutland peninsula.

His study, published in book form in English under the title "Danes are like that!" expresses dismay at the loneliness he found and the hope that India would not have to pay the same price for prosperity.

"The most fundamental question that should bother every social scientist in the East is: Is there no way of achieving development without sacrificing the human values and the way of life cherished by homo sapiens?" he asked....

Reddy said he found a neat and tidy, cozy little society, stiff, rigid and seemingly full of practical, down-to-earth but lonely people, isolated from each other and lacking much sense of religion.

Compared to the teeming villages of India, the Danish hamlet seemed deserted and closed. To an Indian, accustomed to constant close contact in an extended family and community, Danish life was cold if not nonexistent, Reddy said.

"Coming from an Indian village, I was used to seeing people in the streets . . . but here in Denmark not a single soul was sighted and, except for the sound of a passing automobile, absolute silence prevailed," Reddy wrote.[362]

Atheism, autism and obesity

See: Atheism, autism and obesity

Atheism, intelligence and obesity

See also: Atheism, intelligence and obesity and Obesity and its negative impact on intelligence

Obesity has a negative impact on intelligence (see: Obesity and its negative impact on intelligence).

Citing data from the General Social Survey (GSS), Vox Day writes: "..the two most common types of atheists are the High Church atheists with +2SD IQs (128+) and Low Church atheists with -2SD IQs (65-72). Note that the Low Church atheists actually outnumber the High Church atheists, 22.9 to 17.2 percent."[363] (click on the graph above to enlarge)

Social scientists define atheism in various ways which makes determining the number of atheists in the United States more difficult to determine.[364] See also: Definition of atheism and Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism and Definitions of atheist and agnostic

Atheism, as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and other philosophy reference works, is the denial of the existence of God.[365]

In his article How Many Americans are Atheists? Fewer than You Might Think, Bradley Wright wrote:

Another quality measure is offered by the General Social Survey, probably the best-known, most rigorous social survey out there. It gives respondents a series of statements about their beliefs in God, and it asks which come closest to what they believe. The 2010 survey found that:

• 3% of Americans “don’t believe in God.” • (Another 6% reported that they “don’t know whether there is a God and don’t believe there is any way to find out,” i.e., agnostics.)[366]

The General Social Survey (GSS) is the "largest project funded by the Sociology Program of the National Science Foundation. Except for the U.S. Census, the GSS is the most frequently analyzed source of information in the social sciences."[367]

Citing data from the General Social Survey, Vox Day writes about atheist intelligence quotient (IQ) scores:

"..the two most common types of atheists are the High Church atheists with +2SD IQs (128+) and Low Church atheists with -2SD IQs (65-72). Note that the Low Church atheists actually outnumber the High Church atheists, 22.9 to 17.2 percent...

Now, the statistically naive might look at this chart, note that the +2SD theists only account for 3.5 percent of the theistic population, and assume that this means there are more highly intelligent atheists than highly intelligent theists. This is not the case. As it happens, there are 11.4x more +2SD theists who either know God exists or believe God exists despite having the occasional doubt than there are +2SD atheists who don't believe God exists.[368]

In a 2010 article, Vox Day writes:

Never forget that the smarter and more knowledgeable act put on by many atheists is inevitably nothing more than that, an act, and one that has absolutely no basis in empirical reality except for a three-point average advantage in IQ which is almost surely a statistical artifact of their insignificant numbers and self-selected identification.[369]

Furthermore, on January 15, 2014, Vox Day wrote:

This amused me while playing around with the GSS. Of the dumbest strata of college graduates, nearly half, 46 percent, are atheists. That's twice as many as all types of theists combined. We finally have an explanation for the Richard Dawkins fans.[370]

Within various countries, standardized intelligence test (IQ) scores related to the issue of atheists/agnostics vs. theists intelligence scores yield conflicting results.[371] As noted above, part of the problem is that social scientists use variant definitions of atheism.[372]

However, within individuals, families and societies irreligion/religion can have an effect on intelligence - especially over time (See: Atheism and intelligence).

For more information please see: Atheism and intelligence

Low intelligence atheists and obesity

"Low Church atheists" (low intelligence atheists), of which there are more of than "High Church atheists" (atheists with high intelligence) according to the General Social Survey data, may be more vulnerable to being obese/overweight. CBS News reports that research suggests that "men who score low on IQ tests in adolescence are more likely to be overweight in middle age".[373] Compounding this matter is the fact that medical studies indicate that excess weight impairs brain function (see also: Health effects of obesity)[374]

Atheism, obesity and the theory of multiple intelligences

See also: Atheism and the theory of multiple intelligences and Bariatric science

Howard Gardner at Harvard University has identified various distinct intelligences: interpersonal, intrapersonal, visual–spatial, verbal–linguistic, logical–mathematical, musical–rhythmic, bodily–kinesthetic, and naturalistic.[375] Gardner later suggested that moral intelligence may merit being included in his multiple intelligence model.[376] See also: Atheism and the theory of multiple intelligences

Two of the major risk factors for becoming obese according to the Mayo Clinic are poor dietary choices and inactivity.[377] Most individuals are overweight due to their dietary and exercise habits.[378]

Obesity is positively associated with impulsiveness, lower self-discipline and neuroticism.[379] In addition, many people overeat in response to negative emotions such as depression, anger, anxiety and boredom.[380][381][382]

Emotional/intrapersonal intelligence is important in terms of human performance in the intellectual realm. For example, the social scientists Andrea L. Duckworth and Martin Seligman found that higher degrees of self-discipline better predict higher academic grades than IQ scores do among adolescents.[383] See also: Atheism and intelligence

Atheists commonly have lower emotional intelligence/interpersonal intelligence and social intelligence as can be seen in the social science data, historical data and other data given in the articles directly below:

Atheism, obesity, secular countries and falling rates of intelligence

See also: Atheism, obesity, secular countries and falling rates of intelligence and Intelligence trends in religious countries and secular countries

Sweden is one of the most atheistic countries in the world.[384] In Sweden, phenotypic intelligence is now declining.[385]

As noted above, obesity is a significant problem in many atheistic countries (see: Secular Europe and obesity and China and obesity). And as noted above, medical studies indicate that excess weight impairs brain function (see also: Health effects of obesity)[386]

According to the World Health Organization:

Obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. Its prevalence has tripled in many countries of the WHO European Region since the 1980s, and the numbers of those affected continue to rise at an alarming rate.[387]

To a certain extent intelligence is heritable and the link between higher IQ individuals having fewer kids is known as dysgenic fertility.[388]

In his paper, The Rise and Fall of the World's IQ, Thomas Hally wrote:

In many areas phenotypic intelligence has been increasing (the Flynn Effect) while genotypic intelligence is decreasing due to the negative association between intelligence and that which is known as ³dysgenic fertility´. Gains of as much as 7.5 IQ points in phenotypic intelligence are much greater than the 0.43 IQ points per generation in the world-wide genotypic IQ that had been estimated for the period 1950-2000. The situation in the industrially developed world appears to follow the lead of the United States and a handful of other developed nations in so far as the phenotypic IQ has been increasing at a greater rate as a result of environmental improvements.

In Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain and Australia phenotypic intelligence has stabilized and now is declining.[389]

In godless Denmark, phenotypic intelligence is now declining.[390]

In 2012, it was reported that Norway was the eighth most godless country on earth.[391]

Sweden is one of the most atheistic countries in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 46 - 85% of Swedes were agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.[392] In 2012, it was reported to be the 4rth most godless place on earth.[393] Sweden also has the 3rd highest rate of belief in evolution as far as Western World nations.[394] See also: Sexual immorality and Sweden

Denmark has the highest rate of belief in evolution in the Western World.[395] In addition, in 2005 Denmark was ranked the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 43 - 80% of Danes are agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.[396]

According to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and an article on Belief.net, Britain (which was the fountainhead of Darwinism) has become one of the most godless places on earth.[397] In 2012, Great Britain was reported to be the sixth most godless country on earth.[398]

Post World War II, Australia has become a highly secularized country.[399]

Atheism, obesity and hypocrisy

See also: Atheist hypocrisy

Atheist often champion mainstream medicine and disparage osteopathy, integrative medicine, chiropractic healthcare and other alternative medicine approaches.[400][401] Yet despite medical science having an vast amount of evidence pointing out the many health risks of excess weight and medical science, exercise science, and nutritional science having many effective measures to lose weight, there are a significant number of Western World atheists who are obese or have excess weight.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines biology as "a branch of knowledge that deals with organisms and vital processes."[402] One of the most basic vital processes relating to human biology is eating. Given that overweight atheists typically champion evolutionary pseudoscience, it is not surprising that many have not mastered regulating their daily food intake.

For more information on atheist hypocrisy, please see: Atheist hypocrisy

File:2404429188 ea8f1fc48b.jpg
In the United States, studies indicate significantly more women find atheism unappealing and that the marriage rate for the atheist population is significantly lower than the general population.[403]

In addition, leading atheist websites in the English speaking world receive significantly less web traffic from women according to major web traffic tracking companies.[404]

Atheism, gender, obesity and marriageability

See also: Atheism and marriage and Atheism and women and Atheism, marriage and suicide

Atheism and rates of marriage in the United States

Christian apologist Michael Caputo wrote:

Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews. According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics.[405]

Vox Day declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and agnostics don’t get married."[406]

Obese atheists and marriageability

See also: Atheism and marriage and Atheism and women and Obese atheists and marriageability and Irreligion and domestic violence

According to the abstract for a paper presented at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association: "Obese individuals have fewer dating opportunities, marry later and marry less desirable partners."[407]

Studies indicate that atheists are a minority in the population. Studies also indicate that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves.[408][409] In addition, the Bible teaches Christians not to marry a non-Christian (The Bible also teaches a believer to stay married to a non-believer if you are already married).[410] Also, interfaith marriages often have greater marital friction and interfaith marriages historically have had higher rates of divorce.[411] Therefore, it would not be surprising if obese atheists find it more difficult to find marriage partners and if atheist/theist marriages also have increased marital friction and higher rates of divorce since these two worldviews are so different.

Obese male atheists and marriageability

File:NY-style cheesecake.jpg
Given the significant number of prominent atheists who have weight issues and given the evidence indicating that atheism is a causal factor for obesity, a contributor to Shockofgod's blog quipped that cheesecake is an excellent symbol for atheism. [412] See also: Atheism symbols

See also: Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women and Atheism and marriage and Atheism and social outcasts

Survey data and website tracking data of prominent atheists' websites indicate that in the Western World, atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women.[413][414][415] Studies also indicate that atheists are a minority in the population.

In September 26, 2008, The Telegraph reported concerning the English population:

The proportion of adults in England who are an unhealthy size has soared over the past 15 years with one in four now seriously overweight.

There have always been more obese women than men but the gap between the genders has now been cancelled out.

In addition, the number of overweight women has fallen in recent years while the number of morbidly obese men is rising sharply.[416]

Given that atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women, obesity reduces one's marriageability, atheists are a minority in the population and that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves as noted above; this would suggest that obese male atheists may find it more difficult to find prospective female partners for marriage. And of course, militant atheism might make matters even more difficult.

Atheism, obesity, objective beauty, design and atheists misusing their bodies

Individuals who belong to the Abrahamic faiths see the beauty in nature as the handiwork of God (see: Argument from beauty).

Individuals who belong to the Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) see the beauty in nature as the handiwork of God (see: Argument from beauty). Just as a painting requires a painter, nature's beauty demands a Creator.

Traditionally, in monotheistic cultures, well-proportioned bodies have been considered the most beautiful. Furthermore, these theistic cultures accept the idea of sin - such as the sins of gluttony and sloth which can detract from external beauty.

The Bible acknowledges that an individual can possess both external and inner beauty. For example, Sarah, who who was Abraham's wife, was said to have both inner and external beauty.[417][418]

Unlike many very religious monotheists, atheists reject: the existence of objective beauty (objective beauty exists and beauty is not merely subjective[419]); that gluttony and sloth are sins and that humans were intelligently designed.[420] Therefore, they are more likely to attempt to rationalize away the unsightly excess weight that has accumulated on their bodies that detracts from their physical appearance and causes their bodies to operate less efficiently than they were designed to function.[421][422][423]

Atheism and a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the human body

See also: Atheism and a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the human body

Michelangelo's Creation of Adam

Christians and other theists have produced great works of art such as statues and paintings that depicted the beauty of the human body. The Bible teaches that God formed the first man and woman and that his original creation was "very good".[424] See: Christian art and Christian paintings

The psalmist David wrote: "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple."(Psalm 27:4). The fall of man caused death, disease and suffering to enter into the world. The Bible also declares that Sarah, Abraham's wife, had both inner and outer beauty.[425] The Song of Solomon features two lovers who tell each other how beautiful they are.

On the other hand, as noted above, a significant amount of atheists lack an appreciation for the importance of maintaining good health and for keeping up a presentable appearance unencumbered by excess weight. Please see: Atheism and a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the human body

See also:

Atheism has a poor track record in terms of creating art/music

See also: Atheism and art/music

Despite atheism being around since at least ancient Greece, there has not been a strong tradition of creating musical and artistic works related to atheism. Musical/artistic talent can be enhanced through practice and the atheist creed of "there is no God" is not an inspiring creed that produces a significant amount of music/art. For example, despite Wikipedia being founded by an atheist and an agnostic, there are no articles specifically devoted to the topics of atheist music or atheist art at Wikipedia, but Wikipedia does have articles devoted specifically to Christian art and Christian music.

For more information please see: Atheism and art/music

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade in prison, 18th century line engraving. See: Atheism and sadism

Atheism and misuses of the body

See also: Atheism and moral intelligence

Articles related to atheism and sexual immorality

Atheism and suicide

Obese atheists in theistic societies and social censure

In many theistic societies, atheists are held in low esteem (see: Views on atheists and Atheism and social outcasts). For example, Dr. Sam Harris, a founder of the New Atheism movement, is well aware of the stigma surrounding atheism and has advocated that atheists no longer call themselves atheists.[426] In fact, Dr. Harris has said concerning the label of atheist, "It's right next to child molester as a designation."[427]

In addition to facing social ostracism for being an atheist, obese atheists often face the added social censure related to their obesity. For example, the Journal of Health Psychology reported in a study entitled A daily diary assessment of female weight stigmatization that overweight women experience an average of three fat-shaming moments every day.[428]

Global obesity epidemic and irreligiosity

See also: Global decline of atheism

Since the world is becoming more religious at an increasing rate and there is data pointing to irreligiousity being a causal factor for obesity, this may help reduce the rate of increase of the global obesity epidemic (Decline of atheism and Global atheism).

Vox Day on atheism, obesity and prosperity

See also: Causes of atheism and Global decline of atheism and Western ungodliness, prosperity, decadence and obesity

On June 3, 2014, Vox Day wrote in an article entitled The inevitable decline of atheism which declared:

A more important factor is that times of wealth and peace have always been a counter-indicator of religious belief. The rich and fat seldom believe they have any need for God, and they deeply resent any divinely inspired restrictions on their descent into decadence. At the end of the longest period of peace and economic expansion in the history of the West, it should be no surprise at all that we have an obese, decadent, depraved, diseased population that fears no God.

They will learn better soon enough. Both history and the Bible are very clear concerning the eventual fate of such societies.[429]

See also: Atheism and economics

Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet

Christ And The Rich Young Ruler by Heinrich Hofmann (1824–1911), 1889.

See also: Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Mediterranean diet/Mosaic diet

In addition to the Mosaic diet, Jesus Christ ate a Mediterranean diet.[430]

The Mayo Clinic describes the Mediterranean diet thusly:

If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps even a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

Most healthy diets include fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, and limit unhealthy fats. While these parts of a healthy diet remain tried-and-true, subtle variations or differences in proportions of certain foods may make a difference in your risk of heart disease.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, an analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer, as well as a reduced incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases...

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

  • Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
  • Replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil
  • Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
  • Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
  • Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
  • Drinking red wine in moderation (optional)

The diet also recognizes the importance of being physically active, and enjoying meals with family and friends.[431]

In terms of physical activity, Jesus Christ worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty years old. Jesus had no electric power tools as carpenters do today, but worked with hand tools made of iron. Then for about three years, Jesus was an itinerant preacher.[432]

Mosaic diet is a healthy diet in terms of weight management

For a large segment of their lives, the apostles of Jesus not only ate a Mediterranean diet, but ate according to the Mosaic dietary laws. The Mosaic dietary laws are in accordance with a healthy lifestyle in terms of weight management as evidenced by the fact that one looks at the pictures of modern Orthodox Jews, most have a healthy body weight (See: Google image search of the term "Orthodox Jews").

Jesus and the Mediterranean diet

The Christian Chuck Norris wrote in his article entitled Chuck Norris asks, 'What would Jesus eat?':

In his excellent book “What Would Jesus Eat?” Dr. Don Colbert does a great job of explaining what the Master would have eaten and drank during his day.

Colbert told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “I thought I’d go back to the training manual – the Bible – and see what Jesus ate. Lo and behold, Jesus ate the healthiest diet ever developed, the Mediterranean diet.”[433]

Physical and mental health related problems associated with obesity

See also: Atheism and health and Health risks linked to obesity

Some of the medical conditions associated with obesity include: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, arthritis, cancer, sleep apnea, reproductive problems in women and varicose veins.[434] According to the National Cancer Institute, "obesity is associated with increased risks of cancers of the esophagus, breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), colon and rectum, kidney, pancreas, thyroid, gallbladder, and possibly other cancer types."[435] In addition, medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[436]

Medical science research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.[437]

According to the Mayo Clinic some of the symptoms associated with obesity can include:

  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Snoring
  • Sleep apnea
  • Pain in your back or joints
  • Excessive sweating
  • Always feeling hot
  • Rashes or infection in folds of your skin
  • Feeling out of breath with minor exertion
  • Daytime sleepiness or fatigue

Sleep problems have a negative impact on mental performance. Adequate sleep, on the other hand, improves processes such as memory, attentional ability, alertness, mental insight and creativity.[439] See also: Obesity and its negative impact on intelligence

Other problems associated with obesity include:

  • Negative effects on lung function/respiratory disease: According to Harvard University's School of Public Health: "Excess weight impairs respiratory function via mechanical and metabolic pathways. The accumulation of abdominal fat, for example, may limit the descent of the diaphragm, and in turn, lung expansion, while the accumulation of visceral fat can reduce the flexibility of the chest wall, sap respiratory muscle strength, and narrow airways in the lungs. Cytokines generated by the low-grade inflammatory state that accompanies obesity may also impede lung function."[440]
  • Feet/ankles problems: According to Stuart D. Miller, M.D.: "It is important for the public to know that obesity isn't just an aesthetic issue, but a contributing cause of musculoskeletal health problems, specifically with the feet and ankles."[444]
  • Lower levels of balance recovery and increased risk of falls: In her thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, entitled A modeling investigation of obesity and balance recovery, Sara Louise Matrangola writes in the abstract: "Obesity is associated with an increased risk of falls and subsequent injury. Previous studies have shown weight loss and strength training to be beneficial to balance, but knowing which is more beneficial will allow researchers to design interventions to maximize the benefits in terms of balance and reducing risk of falls."[445]
  • Increased morbidity risk.[446]

Obesity and its negative impact on intelligence

See also: Obesity and its negative impact on intelligence and Atheism and intelligence

On October 15, 2006, The Telegraph reported in an article entitled The greater your weight, the lower your IQ, say scientists:

It is bad for your blood pressure, knocks years off your life and is a strain on your heart. Now scientists have discovered that gaining weight lowers your intelligence.

The findings follow last week's government figures that show Britain as the "fat man" of Europe, with nearly a quarter of adults and more than 14 per cent of children under 16 classified as obese.

The new five-year study of more than 2,200 adults claims to have found a link between obesity and the decline in a person's cognitive function. The research, conducted by French scientists, which is published in this month's Neurology journal, involved men and women aged between 32 and 62 taking four mental ability tests that were then repeated five years later.

The researchers found that people with a Body Mass Index – a measure of body fat – of 20 or less could recall 56 per cent of words in a vocabulary test, while those who were obese, with a BMI of 30 or higher, could remember only 44 per cent.[447]

Obesity and increases in cancer risk

The South China Morning Post reported that according the British medical journal Lancet:

Each five kg/m {+2} increase in BMI was clearly linked with higher risk of cancers of the uterus (62 per cent increase), gallbladder (31 per cent), kidney (25 per cent), cervix (10 per cent), thyroid (9 per cent), and leukemia (9 per cent)," said the statement. Higher BMI also increased the risk of cancer of the liver (19 per cent), colon (10 per cent), ovaries (9 per cent) and breast (5 per cent), although the effect on these types was influenced by other factors."[448]

According to Cancer Risk UK, "More than one in three people in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime".[449]

Increased morbidity risk

On September 2, 2014, the New York Times wrote concerning Britain:

In high-income countries, excess weight is the third-leading risk factor in death. The importance of addressing this was brought home again last month with the publication of a new study and editorial, also in The Lancet. The work looked at 22 different cancers in Britain and their association with body mass index (B.M.I.), a simple but more effective measure of obesity than weight alone. The conclusions of the study, which involved a whopping 5.24 million people, were both notable and not entirely unexpected: When adjusted for factors like age and smoking, a higher B.M.I. was associated with a large increase in risk of cancers of the uterus, kidney, gallbladder, and liver, and smaller risk increases for at least six other types of cancer.[450]

Irreligion and undisciplined pseudoscientific thinking

The Wall Street Journal reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians."[451]

For more information please see: Irreligion and superstition and Atheism and morality and Atheist hypocrisy

Science through the disciplines of nutritional science, exercise science and medical science provides a wealth of information on how to avoid obesity and how to achieve a healthy weight. Also, as noted earlier, obesity is positively associated with impulsiveness, lower self-discipline and neuroticism.[452] Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, many people overeat in response to negative emotions such as depression, anger, anxiety and boredom.[453][454][455] In addition, no doubt some godless people have difficulty resisting the sins/temptations of gluttony and sloth. As far as prevailing over temptation, the Bible teaches that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5: 23).

In September of 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported:

The reality is that the New Atheist campaign, by discouraging religion, won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass superstition. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith -- it's what the empirical data tell us.

"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that traditional Christian religion greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of astrology. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians....

This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine Skeptical Inquirer that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.[456]

The notions of extraterrestrial life and UFOlogy are fast growing pseudoscientific religions perpetuated and/or aided by evolutionists, atheists, liberals and other promoters of quackery.[457][458] However, the ideologies of UFOlogy, extraterrestrial life, exobiology, evolution and abiogenesis are anti-biblical ideas which are not supported by sound science. [459][460] Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists.[461]

The agnostic and liberal Carl Sagan, an avid smoker of marijuana who claimed that marijuana gave him scientific insights, was a prominent peddler of extraterrestial life, evolution and other pseudoscientific nonsense.

No doubt pseudoscientific and superstitious thinking in many cases is partly due to a lack of self-discipline as rigorous scientific and logical thinking requires disciplined thought..[462]

Irreligious/atheistic France and the Soviet Union and UFOlogy

Astronomer Dr. Hugh Ross states that ninety-nine percent of what people have told him were UFOs, experienced astronomers can identify as a star, cluster, or other object in the night sky. The 1 percent of sightings, which he calls residual UFOs, have attracted his attention. [463] According to Dr. Ross very few astronomers have seen "residual UFOs".[463]

The following Toledo Blade newspaper excerpt[463] summarizes Dr. Ross's findings:

In 1969, however, Dr. Ross met two astronomers who were having regular UFO encounters. Both also happened to be involved in occult activity.

Upon investigation, Dr. Ross consistently found a connection between occult involvement and residual UFO encounters. For example, he said, countries with a high degree of occult activity such as Russia during the Soviet era, France, and certain parts of Brazil also had high percentages of UFO encounters. During Russia's Soviet period when every expression of religion except occult activity had been outlawed, he said, “Russians were seeing UFOs at five to eight times the rate Americans were.

Christian and Library of Congress researcher's explanations of reports of UFOs

Christian apologists who reject naturalistic explanations of life such as the theory of evolution argue that difficult to explain UFOs are spiritual in nature and not amenable to naturalistic explanation.[464] Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International wrote a book entitled Alien Intrusion which gives a biblical Christian perspective on the unscientific notions of extraterrestial life and UFUlogy.[465]

Lynn Cato, senior bibliographer for the library of Congress, created a 1600 entry on UFO bibliography for the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research. After a two year investigation, in which she reviewed thousands of documents, Catoe stated:

A large part of the available UFO literature...deals with subjects like mental telepathy, automatic writing and invisible entities...poltergeist manifestations and 'possession'....Many of the UFO reports now being published in the popular press recount alleged incidents that are strikingly similar to demonic possession and psychic phenomenon which have long been known to theologians and parapsychologists.[466][467]

Prominent UFO researcher John Keel concurred. After surveying the literature on demonology Keel declared:[467]

The manifestations and occurrences described in this imposing literature are similar if not entirely identical to the UFO phenomenon itself.

Implications of explosive growth of global Christianity plus health benefits of religious practice

see also: Atheist population and Atheism and health

In 2011, the American Spectator citing research published in the International Bulletin of Missionary Research reported that atheism is on the decline as a whole in terms of adherents.[468]

The American Spectator declared:

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."[469]

For more information please see: Atheism and health

The Apostle Paul on the sin of gluttony

"One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.'" - Apostle Paul, (Titus 1:12 NASB)

"Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." - Apostle Paul, (Philippians 3:19 KJV)

Chuck Norris on the topic of obesity

See also: Chuck Norris on the topic of obesity

Chuck Norris signing a T-shirt for a soldier in the United States Marine Corps. [470]

In April of 2011, the conservative Christian Chuck Norris wrote:

The problems with being overweight and obese go far beyond looks. They affect our mentality, mobility and can lead to a number of physical diseases and ailments...

It's true that genetics, environment, socio-economic status, metabolism and behavior can be contributors to these ailments. But the fact is most Americans are overweight and obese because they eat poorly and don't exercise. Most of our foods are super high in fats, sugars and salt. And, compared to other countries, we eat much larger portions. We live to eat – most other cultures eat to live.

The primary reason obesity statistics and these subsequent illnesses are so high is that our culture is entrenched in hedonism, which means we are all about pleasure. We go where we feel like going. We do what we feel like doing. We watch what we feel like watching. And we eat what we feel like eating. And God help the soul who tells us to do otherwise...

... We think doing what we feel like doing is power and freedom, when really it's just carrying out what our flesh craves. True freedom is being able to look straight in the eye of what you feel like doing (even if it's wrong) and possessing the power to say no. Eating what we want isn't liberty – that's tyranny. Eating what is right is freedom – that's victory over oppression. And triumph over the tummy should be our next battle. Fighting for a better America includes fighting for a healthier, fitter, combat-ready you. (That is why my new cultural warrior book, "Black Belt Patriotism," contains an entire chapter on helping you win the consumption war and not just the culture wars.[471]

Overcoming obesity with the aid of Christian faith

See also: Overcoming obesity with the aid of Christian faith and Ex-homosexuals and Atheism and morality

Although effective diets, exercise, or medical interventions can rid a person of excess weight, often merely having effective methods available to lose weight is not enough - very frequently, it takes self-discipline as well.

Besetting sins such as gluttony, sloth, homosexuality and drug addiction can certainly be more effectively conquered with the assistance of Christian faith and self-discipline. And of course, in the area of weight loss, through diet and exercise well. Peter LaBarbera is the President of Americans for Truth which is an organization which counters the homosexual agenda. Peter LaBarbera declared concerning Christian ex-homosexuals who reported being transformed by the power of God:

Another factor from my experience as a close observer of the “ex-gay” phenomenon is that many former homosexuals do not linger in “reparative therapy” programs, or participate in them at all. They attribute their dramatic and (relatively) rapid transformation to the power of God, and likely would not show up in a study of this kind. In fact, these “unstudied” overcomers would appear to be the most successful ex-homosexuals because they’ve moved on with their lives — as “reborn” Christians move on after overcoming any besetting sin.[472]

In 1980 a study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and eleven men participated in a study about men overcoming homosexuality. The American Journal of Psychiatry stated that eleven homosexual men became heterosexuals "without explicit treatment and/or long-term psychotherapy" through their participation in a Pentecostal church.[473]

See also

Obese atheists and overweight atheists comedy and satire

See also

Articles related the health sciences, health related information and medical history:

Other related articles:

Replies to specific atheists:

Penn Jilltette:

Penn Jillette, comedy/satire

Penn Jillette, video:

PZ Myers:

PZ Myers, comedy/satire

External links

Negative effects of being overweight/obese:

Weight loss resources and tips:

Strength training and cardio exercise:

How much exercise is needed to lose weight and importance of one day of rest per week:

Documentary on weight loss:

Notes

  1. http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx
  2. http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx
  3. http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx
  4. http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx
  5. Can religion help prevent obesity? Religious messages and the prevalence of being overweight or obese among Korean women in California. J Sci Study Relig. 2010;49(3):536-49. Ayers JW1, Hofstetter CR, Irvin VL, Song Y, Park HR, Paik HY, Hovell MF.
  6. Causes of obesity
  7. http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx
  8. Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications
  9. Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications
  10. Religion Replenishes Self-Control, Psychological Science, June 2012 vol. 23 no. 6 635-642, Kevin Rounding, Albert Lee, Jill A. Jacobson and Li-Jun Ji at Queen’s University
  11. Study finds religion helps us gain self-control
  12. Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. McCullough ME, Hoyt WT, Larson DB, Koenig HG, Thoresen C., Health Psychol. 2000 May;19(3):211-22.
  13. The role of spirituality in health care, roc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2001 October; 14(4): 352–357.
  14. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/obesity/
  15. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obesity?show=0&t=1293887890
  16. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obesity/DS00314/DSECTION=causes
  17. http://www.gotquestions.org/gluttony-sin.html
  18. Sloth - Open Bible
  19. Who Cares?, PZ Myer at the Pharyngula, October 25, 2014
  20. http://carm.org/christianity/sermons/1-corinthians-619-20-your-body-his-temple
  21. Fierce, Freethinking Fatties - Press
  22. http://www.mygenes.co.nz/PDFs/Ch6.pdf
  23. Emotion and eating in binge eating disorder and obesity, European Eating Disorders Review. 2011 Sep-Oct;19(5):426-37. doi: 10.1002/erv.1066. Epub 2010 Dec 20. Zeeck A1, Stelzer N, Linster HW, Joos A, Hartmann A.
  24. What does food mean to you?, Obesitypsychiatry.com
  25. Validation of the emotional eating scale adapted for use in children and adolescents (EES-C), International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2007 Apr;40(3):232-40. Tanofsky-Kraff M1, Theim KR, Yanovski SZ, Bassett AM, Burns NP, Ranzenhofer LM, Glasofer DR, Yanovski JA
  26. doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259 Violence Against Women, Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence, November 2007 vol. 13 no. 11 1094-1112
  27. http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/01/anger-at-god-common-even-among-atheists/
  28. http://www.godisforus.com/information/worldview/god/perfection.htm
  29. Why do atheists hate God?
  30. World Health Organization - obesity fact sheet
  31. World Health Organization - obesity fact sheet
  32. http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf
  33. McCullogh ME, Larson DB, Hoyt WT. et al. (2000). Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. Health Psychology. 19, 3. 211-222
  34. http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf
  35. The psycho-social benefits of religious practice by Iona Institute
  36. McCullogh ME, Larson DB, Hoyt WT. et al. (2000). Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. Health Psychology. 19, 3. 211-222
  37. Psychology researcher says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism - Scienceblog and University of Warwick
  38. http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/
  39. http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/about/
  40. Research on Spirituality, Theology and Health - Duke University
  41. As Obesity Rises, Chinese Kids Are Almost as Fat as Americans, Wall Street Journal Chinarealtime, May 29, 2014
  42. Chubby China: Nation of 300 Million Overweight People
  43. Obesity is a growing concern in China By Pang Li, China.org.cn, September 14, 2012
  44. As Obesity Rises, Chinese Kids Are Almost as Fat as Americans, Wall Street Journal Chinarealtime, May 29, 2014
  45. Chubby China: Nation of 300 Million Overweight People
  46. Obesity is a growing concern in China By Pang Li, China.org.cn, September 14, 2012
  47. World Health Organization - Regional Office for Europe - The challenge of obesity - quick statistics
  48. Chuck Norris asks, 'What would Jesus eat?': Discovers Christ ate 'healthiest diet ever developed' by Chuck Norris, Published: 03/29/2013 at 9:59 PM
  49. Mediterranean diet by Mayo Clinic
  50. 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INCREASE
  51. Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  52. Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  53. http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077
  54. Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  55. World's fattest countries
  56. Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets, Today's Nutrition
  57. The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa
  58. World's fattest countries
  59. Traditional African diets are healthier than Western diets, Today's Nutrition
  60. The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa
  61. Is mocking religion enough? Harris, Dawkins and the future of atheist/secular politics by Richard Cimino and Christopher Smith, Salon magazine
  62. Rain soaked crowd at the Reason Rally, Digital Journal, photographer: Sean Fraser, date: 3/24/2012
  63. Reason Rally: 30k godless undeterred by rain, Examiner, March 25, 2012
  64. Ed Brayton at the Reason Rally[1]
  65. CfaN Burundi, Africa gospel crusade… part 2
  66. http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx
  67. 1 Corinthians: The Troubled Church
  68. 2 Corinthians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline
  69. The Protestant Work Ethic: Alive & Well…In China
  70. One Solitary Life by Grahame Pockette
  71. Chuck Norris asks, 'What would Jesus eat?'
  72. Mediterranean diet by Mayo Clinic
  73. About Jen McCreight
  74. Women in Secularism
  75. Those fatty McFatFat atheists! by Jen McCreight
  76. Jen McCreight - We Are Atheism
  77. Why Atheists Have a Serious Problem With Women
  78. Are Women Afraid Of Atheism?
  79. Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  80. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obesity/DS00314/DSECTION=causes
  81. Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  82. Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  83. World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe - Alcohol usage of Europe
  84. Breslow et al. Drinking Patterns and Body Mass Index in Never Smokers: National Health Interview Survey, 1997–2001. Am J Epidemiol 2005;161:368–376.
  85. World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe - Alcohol usage of Europe
  86. One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report By Jane Mower, Updated 19 Nov 2013, 7:28pm
  87. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818
  88. Alcoholism in the Soviet Union
  89. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818
  90. Alcoholism in the Soviet Union
  91. Long-term weight loss maintenance, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005 July; 82(1 Suppl):222S-225S.
  92. http://www.jmir.org/2009/3/e28/
  93. How the Atheist Movement Failed Me – Part 1: Cost
  94. How to outlaw Christianity by Chuck Norris
  95. After a schism, a question: Can atheist churches last? By Katie Engelhart, special to CNNJanuary 4th, 2014
  96. After a schism, a question: Can atheist churches last? By Katie Engelhart, special to CNNJanuary 4th, 2014
  97. http://www.jmir.org/2009/3/e28/
  98. http://www.jmir.org/2009/3/e28/
  99. in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency
  100. http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-light/229583104/
  101. American Atheists Board of Directors
  102. Want to Be CEO? What's Your BMI?
  103. The Mad Scientist City Pages, Volume 26 - Issue 1303, November 23, 2005 Cover story
  104. http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/
  105. http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/08/thats_not_a_heart_its_a_flaili.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+scienceblogs%2Fpharyngula+%28Pharyngula%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
  106. http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/41/18/25.1.full
  107. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/25/as-waistlines-widen-brains-shrink.html
  108. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21121834
  109. http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/06/the_final_tally_on_the_camp_qu.php
  110. Is church harmful? - Michael & Rhonda Jones, PZ Myers, Published on Feb 10, 2013 by YouTube account kaine diatheke
  111. MailVox: Who said atheists are fat?.
  112. At least you can see a hint of what you missed
  113. "Creation Museum: Is This How World Began?" (ABC News)
  114. PZ Myers - Global Atheist Convention 2010
  115. http://www.counterpunch.org/mccarthy02212003.html
  116. Christopher Hitchens: Despite Cancer, I'd Drink & Smoke Again
  117. http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/07/video-extended-interview-hitchens-on-cancer-and-atheism/
  118. Why did Hitchens continue to smoke & drink during treatment? -CTV News
  119. Christopher Hitchens: Despite Cancer, I'd Drink & Smoke Again
  120. Picture of an overweight Christopher Hitchens smoking a cigarette
  121. National Institute of Health - Obesity and Cancer Risk
  122. http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/dennett06/dennett06_index.html
  123. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4484
  124. http://lifewithoutfaith.com/?p=183
  125. Huffington Post, May 2012
  126. http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/battle.html
  127. Fattest Countries in the World
  128. The History Of Obesity Timeline
  129. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/pe/exs190web/exs190history.htm
  130. Richard Leakey(1983). One Life: An Autobiography (p. 38)
  131. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Leakey.jpg
  132. I’m Back, Now Help Ed Brayton!
  133. James Hibberd. "EW interview: George R.R. Martin talks 'A Dance With Dragons'", Entertainment Weekly, July 12, 2011. 
  134. James Hibberd. "EW interview: George R.R. Martin talks 'A Dance With Dragons'", Entertainment Weekly, July 12, 2011. 
  135. George RR Martin gives impatient readers the finger by Alison Flood, The Guardian, Thursday 10 July 2014 07.18 EDT
  136. George RR Martin gives impatient readers the finger by Alison Flood, The Guardain, Thursday 10 July 2014 07.18 EDT
  137. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761596369/Niles_Eldredge.html
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  139. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761596369/Niles_Eldredge.html
  140. Ultra-Darwinism and Creation’s Sabbath: An Interview with Conor Cunningham, Part I by Conor Cunningham & Eric Austin Lee on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
  141. Skeptoid’s Conservapedia Page
  142. Larry Moran and "Nice, Friendly, Ignored, and Denigrated Atheists" by Michael Egnor August 14, 2008 8:00 AM
  143. http://www.totalgymdirect.com/
  144. http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55789
  145. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2WLulSQvYU
  146. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2WLulSQvYU
  147. Atheism: A religion of degenerates
  148. Atheism: A religion of degenerates
  149. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y3_hrijrHY
  150. http://gretachristina.com/personal.html
  151. Caught Between Fat and Thin: When a Fat Acceptance Advocate Takes Off the Pounds by Greta Christina
  152. Klout profile - Bruce Gerencser
  153. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcNmqGo4jg8
  154. Improving the image of atheist - YouTube video
  155. http://taslimanasrin.com/
  156. http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/articles/taslima-nasrin-writer-trial
  157. http://www.drishtikone.com/node/9364
  158. http://www.thegoodatheist.net/2009/06/08/i-love-you-stephen-fry/
  159. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1194024/STEPHEN-FRY-How-I-lost-stones-just-months.html
  160. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/stephen_fry_backs_tiny_norfolk_theatre_1_842092
  161. January 30, 2012 CBS Stephen Fry interview with Charlie Rose
  162. January 30, 2012 CBS Stephen Fry interview with Charlie Rose
  163. January 30, 2012 CBS Stephen Fry interview with Charlie Rose
  164. Please Note: There is a difference between disliking the perverse practice of homosexuality and fearing it. A distinction which liberal academics pretend doesn't exist - Exploring the relationship between homophobia and participation in core sports for high school students Osborne, D ; Wagner, W, 2007
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  166. Penn Jillette - National Public Radio
  167. The Course of Reason: I Expose Penn Jillette’s Logic Trick, Center for Inquiry
  168. Penn Jillete, San Francisco Chronicle, September 4, 2011, Penn Jillette on the Joys of atheism
  169. On Giving My First Speech by Zinnia Jones, November 5, 2012
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  171. About Skepchick
  172. Bio of Elyse Anders, North Secular Texas Convention website
  173. Bio of Elyse Anders
  174. Don’t tell me to love my body by Elyse Anders
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  176. Amy Davis Roth
  177. Heina Dadabhoy articles at Skepchick
  178. Heina Dadabhoy
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  180. Nick Massey bio at Secular Woman, Inc.
  181. Secular Woman Welcomes Niki Massey. Secular Woman Inc. website - September 16, 2014
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  184. Randy Henderson - Flickr
  185. Tom Leykis - Atheist of the week
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  189. Shelly Mountjoy
  190. SSA Summit Day One: Service, Collaboration, and Lessons from Queers, April 28, 2010
  191. Shelley Mountjoy Wins American Atheists Scholarship
  192. PZ Myers - Science Education: Caught in the Middle in the War Between Science and Religion
  193. Atheists gather for a holiday they can believe in: Independence Day
  194. Paul-Henri Thiry - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  195. Sarah Morehead - Executive Director of Recovering from Religion
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  197. Dan Fincke - My deconversion
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  306. Chubby China: Nation of 300 Million Overweight People
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  310. Obesity is a growing concern in China By Pang Li, China.org.cn, September 14, 2012
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  324. British girls are FATTEST in western Europe claims alarming new research by The Lancet, Mirror, Ben Burrows, May 29, 2014 10:52
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