Difference between revisions of "Atheism and inspiration"

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*[[Decline of the secular left]]
 
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== Atheism has no holidays ==
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== Atheism has no holidays. Militant atheists and Christmas ==
  
 
The Jewish comedienne [[Henny Youngman]] quipped: "I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays." <ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/63/79/4779.html] Henny Youngman quote</ref>
 
The Jewish comedienne [[Henny Youngman]] quipped: "I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays." <ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/63/79/4779.html] Henny Youngman quote</ref>

Revision as of 17:32, November 28, 2015

The atheist PZ Myers giving a talk at George Mason University. In June of 2010, PZ Myers commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.[1]

Most atheists do not attend atheist meetings and atheist conferences.

The American Christian Todd Strandberg said of atheism: "The ranks of atheists have always been small... The key problem with atheism is that it lacks a strong 'selling point'".[2] See also: Unattractiveness of atheism and Atheist population

One of the many problems of atheism is its uninterestingness as an intellectual position. As can be seen below, there are a number of factors which causes atheism to be an unrealistic and boring ideology that is a minority position in the world. In the 21st century, atheism is expected to see a global decline in terms of its influence and percentage of adherents in the world (see: Global atheism).

In addition, atheistic cultures often tend to be less vibrant and fulfilling which will also be addressed below.

As a result of the unexciting nature of atheism, most atheists are apathetic when it comes to engaging in atheist activism and participating in atheist meetings/conferences (see: Atheism and apathy). On the other hand, in the United States, a significant amount of atheists attend church services (see: American atheists and church attendance).

Contents

Relevant quotes about the dullness of atheism

See also: Atheism quotes

John Updike

John Updike wrote:

“ Among the repulsions of atheism for me has been its drastic un-interestingness as an intellectual position. Where was the ingenuity, the ambiguity, the humanity...of saying that the universe just happened to happen and that when we're dead we're dead?".[3] ”

The British columnist Giles Coren wrote in The Times:

“ But it’s not the nihilism, the soullessness, the lack of poetry, the moral and physical ugliness, the shallow iconoclasm or the vainglory of atheists that bother me most. It’s the boringness.

Is there anything more boring in the world than an atheist?[4]

”

Atheist Francois Tremblay candidly admitted: "One last problem that undermines any propagation of atheism is inspiration. Let's be honest here, "there is no god!" is not a very motivating call for most people."[5]

Atheism is an emaciated and unnecessarily limiting view of the world

Alister McGrath

The ex-atheists Alister McGrath argues that atheism is an emaciated and unnecessary limiting view of the world and it does not answer the deeper existential questions.[6][7][8] For example, McGrath argues that atheism cannot give a person ultimate meaning and the ultimate purpose of their life (see also: Atheism and meaninglessness and Hopelessness of atheism and Atheism and purpose).[9][10][11]

McGrath also points out the limitations of reason/science in terms of the type of questions that they can answer.[12] [13][14][15] See also: Limitations of science

The ex-atheist C.S. Lewis wrote: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else.”[16] Lewis also wrote: "If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning."

Atheism and loneliness/despair

Atheists have higher suicide rates than theists. See: Atheism and suicide

Atheism and loneliness

See also: Atheism and loneliness

Dr. J. Gordon Melton said about the atheist movement (organized atheism) that atheism is not a movement which tends to create community, but in the last few years there has been some growth of organized atheism.[17] See also: Atheist factions

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: Atheism and emotional intelligence and Atheism and social skills).

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.

Denmark has the highest proportion of single-dwellers in Europe, at 24%.[18] See: Secular Europe and loneliness

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.[19]

”

Atheist nerds and geeky isolation/dysfunction

PZ Myers,

(photo obtained from Flickr, see license agreement)

See also: Atheist nerds and Atheism and social skills

In 2013, the 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.[20] ”

In response, David Klinghoffer at Evolution News and Views wrote:

“ A crisis looms, in Myers's view, because he looks around himself and sees a not very promising basis for a mass movement. He's right. There is indeed a quality of geeky isolation from reality, common sense, and the fullness of life that I see as a motif in atheist and Darwin activism alike.[21] ”

YouTube atheist Dusty Smith says atheist nerds are driving away women from considering the possibility of becoming atheists and this is a very upsetting situation to him.[22] Dusty Smith also stated that the atheist community needs to be more "cool".[23]

A majority of atheists are men - especially in religious countries (see: Atheism and women).

Atheism and depression and suicide

See also: Atheism and suicide and Atheism and depression

The Rev. Dr. Robert Stuart MacArthur was an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for suicide.[24][25][26]

In 2004, the American Journal of Psychiatry reported:

“ Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts and more first-degree relatives who committed suicide than subjects who endorsed a religious affiliation. Unaffiliated subjects were younger, less often married, less often had children, and had less contact with family members. Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide. In terms of clinical characteristics, religiously unaffiliated subjects had more lifetime impulsivity, aggression, and past substance use disorder. No differences in the level of subjective and objective depression, hopelessness, or stressful life events were found.[27][28] ”

For more information, please see:

Irreligion and poor relationships

One's relationships with friends and family is a very important component to adding contentment and joy to life.

Atheism often has a negative effect on relationships, as can be seen in the below articles:

Atheists and suboptimal/dysfunctional sexual lives

On July 24, 2013, CNS News reported, "Atheism is in decline worldwide, with the number of atheists falling from 4.5% of the world’s population in 1970 to 2.0% in 2010 and projected to drop to 1.8% by 2020...". See: Global atheism

See also: Atheism and sexuality

Research indicates that religious women (especially evangelical/low church Protestant women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.[29][30][31] See also: Atheism and women

A social science study also reports that Hispanic men are more sexually satisfied than other ethnic groups in the United States.[32] Hispanics are known for their religiosity. For example, in 2015, BloombergView reported concerning the United States: "According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, only 3 percent of U.S. atheists and agnostics are black, 6 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Asian. Some 82 percent are white. (The relevant figures for the population at large at the time of the survey were 66 percent white, 11 percent black, 15 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian.)"[33] See also: Western atheism and race

In 2011, The Daily Beast conceded in an article entitled Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?, "The devout are actually having better sex than the rest of us."[34]

In the United States, the Republican Party has a large segment of religious conservatives and they are influential within the party.[35] ABC News reported that "More Republicans Satisfied With Sex Lives Than Democrats".[36]

Sub-replacement fertility of atheist populations. High fertility rate of religious conservatives

Eric Kaufmann, a professor at Birkbeck College, University of London, using a a wealth of demographic studies argues the global decline in the number of adherents to atheism is an established trend that will persist for the foreseeable future and the rate of decline will accelerate.[37]

See also: Global atheism and Atheism and marriage and Atheist marriages

As a group, atheists have sub-replacement levels of fertility.[38]

On December 23, 2012, Professor Eric Kaufmann who teaches at Birbeck College, University of London wrote:

“ I argue that 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious.

On the other hand, the secular West and East Asia has very low fertility and a rapidly aging population... In the coming decades, the developed world's demand for workers to pay its pensions and work in its service sector will soar alongside the booming supply of young people in the third world. Ergo, we can expect significant immigration to the secular West which will import religious revival on the back of ethnic change. In addition, those with religious beliefs tend to have higher birth rates than the secular population, with fundamentalists having far larger families. The epicentre of these trends will be in immigration gateway cities like New York (a third white), Amsterdam (half Dutch), Los Angeles (28% white), and London, 45% white British. [39]

”

Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."[40] Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."[41]

In March of 2010, The Telegraph published an article entitled Atheism is doomed: the contraceptive Pill is secularism's cyanide tablet which indicated:

“ Across the western world the fertility rate of religious conservatives far outstrips that of non-believers, so much so that modern liberal secularism is endangered. That, anyway, is the thesis of Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, a fascinating new book by Eric Kaufmann of Birkbeck University, which is published later this month. It may well be one of the most significant books of our era.[42] ”

In addition, women are less likely to become atheists (see: Atheism and women).

Articles related to atheism and sexual dysfunction/immorality

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

Atheists have a reputation for being hedonistic (see: Atheism and hedonism).

Unfortunately for the atheist hedonist, focusing on pleasure-seeking does not deliver the optimal pleasure and happiness in the long run or even in the short run and instead just delivers emptiness.[43]

Below are a number of articles related to atheism and sexual dysfunction/immorality:

Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism

See also: Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism

Numerous studies report that athletes to be more religious than non-athletes.[44]

Many people are sports fans and find sporting events to be exciting. Sports events often fill large stadiums.

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.[45]

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). According to Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, and Storch (2001), four reasons may explain why religion interacts with athletic performance. First, athletes may identify with religious beliefs for direction and humility. Second, athletes may turn to religion to gain a sense of optimism and security, benefiting from such beliefs following a disappointing athletic performance. Third, religion can be used for emotional and psychological support in stressful circumstances like the uncertainty of athletic competition, which can cause athletes an overwhelming amount of anxiety. Religious beliefs can offer the internal strength to persevere through the stress. Fourth, religion “provides a cognitive framework conducive to the relief of anxiety associated with competition” (Storch et al., 2001, p. 347). This framework allows relief from fear and anxiety on the basis of the athlete’s understanding (i.e., belief) that a supreme being is in complete control of the situation. For example, athletes may rely on religious faith to place a poor athletic performance in perspective...

Religion can be an important aspect in athletes’ lives and may serve a protective function against psychological distress and maladaptive behaviors such as substance use or aggression (Storch, Roberti, Bravata, & Storch, 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.[46]

”

Atheism and sports performance

Besides lacking the aforementioned benefits that religion bestows on athletes, atheists have higher rates of depression and suicide than the religious (see: Atheism and health and Atheism and depression and Atheism and suicide). This suggests that atheism is detrimental to sports performance.

Moral inferiority of atheism

See also: Atheism and morality and Moral failures of the atheist population

In response to the question, "Why is incest wrong?", the atheist Lawrence Krauss said, "It's not clear to me that it is wrong."[47] See: Atheism and incest

Not possessing a religious basis for morality, which can provide a legitimate basis for objective morality, atheists are fundamentally incapable of having a coherent system of morality.[48]

For example, atheists have been the biggest mass murderers in history (see: Atheism and mass murder). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to atheistic communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.[49]

The Barna Group found that atheists and agnostics in America were more likely, than theists in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable: illegal drug use; excessive drinking; sexual relationships outside of marriage; abortion; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; obscene language; gambling; pornography and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in homosexuality/bisexuality.[50] Given the many diseases associated with homosexuality, the biblical prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the many examples where the Bible exhibited knowledge that was ahead of its time.

See also:

Atheism, competition in the world of ideas and academic freedom

Many people are avid readers and find the world of ideas to be exciting. In addition, competition in the world of ideas often has a refining effect.

Historically and presently, most atheists lean politically left (See: Atheism and politics).

Richard Dawkins
The Oxford University Professor Daniel Came wrote to the New Atheist Richard Dawkins:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost apologist for Christian theism is a glaring omission on your CV and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."[51]

Theodore Beale wrote about secular leftists and leftists in general:

“ Regardless of whether it is...Richard Dawkins, PZ Myers, or the vast and corpulent mass of feminists, the Left has an observable tendency to shun debate. They assert many different reasons for doing so, but the truth is always revealed by their seemingly contradictory willingness to debate the incompetent and the overmatched....

One of the things that has been interesting to observe over time is the way that the heated attacks on me, both in public and via email, have all but disappeared even though my overall readership has never been larger. Why is this? My theory is this is because most of my critics, be they atheists, feminists, evolutionists, or free traders, have learned they simply cannot win in a direct confrontation. They can't openly criticize my ideas because they have learned, much to their surprise, that they cannot adequately defend their own.

As Aristotle pointed out more than two thousand years ago, even at the rhetorical level, the side more closely approximates the truth will tend to win out, because it is easier to argue when your arguments are based on truth rather than falsehood. Events will always ultimately prove the arguments of the global warmers, the godless, the female supremacists, the socialists, the Keynesians, and the monetarists to be false because their ideas are false. This is why a good memory is one of the most lethal weapons against them and why it is so easy to win debates against them, as given enough time, they are going to contradict themselves.

Why? Because they have no choice. Being false, their positions have to be dynamic, which means they can never hope for any significant degree of consistency. This is why ex post facto revision and double-talk are the hallmarks of the Left, and is why the first thing Leftists do when they are in a position of power is to erase history and attempt to silence any voices capable of calling attention to their fictions and contradictions.[52]

”

See also:

Secular education in the West

See also: Atheist indoctrination

Dennis Prager

Jewish columnist Dennis Prager has stated that a causal factor of atheism is the "secular indoctrination of a generation."[53] Prager stated that "From elementary school through graduate school, only one way of looking at the world – the secular – is presented. The typical individual in the Western world receives as secular an indoctrination as the typical European received a religious one in the Middle Ages."[54]

Study on discrimination in hiring religious conservatives in academia

In 2013, an study found that academia was less likely to hire evangelical Christians due to discriminatory attitudes.[55] See also: Atheism and intolerance

Secular education and low development of critical thinking skills

Many countries/areas in the Western World have high youth unemployment.

In addition, college is clearly not delivering the goods in terms of intellectual development for a large percentage of its students. An American study found that forty-five percent of students achieved no significant improvement in their critical thinking, reasoning or writing skills during their first two years of college. After four years, 36 percent displayed no significant increases in these so-called "higher order" thinking skills.[56] Students, particularly those who made poor curriculum choices, are increasingly angry that college does not adequately prepare them for the marketplace and leaves them with a pile of debt.[57]

Atheism/Christianity, scientific discovery and the historical record

See also: Christianity and science

In his essay Of Atheism Sir Francis Bacon wrote: "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran (Koran), than that this universal frame is without a mind."[58]

A notable fact in relation to Christianity and science is that the birth of modern science occurred in the geographic area of Christianized Europe.[59] Christians awed by the grandeur of God's creative work have long striven to understand His creativity through scientific study.

Sociologist Rodney Stark investigated the individuals who made the most significant scientific contributions between 1543 and 1680 A.D., the time of the Scientific Revolution. In Stark's list of 52 top scientific contributors,[60] only one (Edmund Halley) was a skeptic and another (Paracelsus) was a pantheist. The other 50 were Christians, 30 of whom could be characterized as being devout Christians.[60] Stark believes that the Enlightenment was a ploy by "militant atheists" to claim credit for the rise of science[61].

In False conflict: Christianity is not only compatible with Science - it created it. Stark writes:

“ Recent historical research has debunked the idea of a "Dark Ages" after the "fall" of Rome. In fact, this was an era of profound and rapid technological progress, by the end of which Europe had surpassed the rest of the world. Moreover, the so-called "Scientific Revolution" of the sixteenth century was a result of developments begun by religious scholars starting in the eleventh century. In my own academic research I have asked why these religious scholastics were interested in science at all. Why did science develop in Europe at this time? Why did it not develop anywhere else? I find answers to those questions in unique features of Christian theology.

Even in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the leading scientific figures were overwhelmingly devout Christians who believed it their duty to comprehend God's handiwork. My studies show that the "Enlightenment" was conceived initially as a propaganda ploy by militant atheists attempting to claim credit for the rise of science. The falsehood that science required the defeat of religion was proclaimed by self-appointed cheerleaders like Voltaire, Diderot, and Gibbon, who themselves played no part in the scientific enterprise......[62]

”

Atheism and the suppression of science

There are a number of examples where atheism has resulted in the suppression of science, pseudoscience and superstition as can be seen the articles below:

Many find evolutionary indoctrination to be boring and want alternatives

Johns Hopkins University Press reported in 2014: "Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames."

Picture above was taken at Johns Hopkins University

Many members of the public find evolutionary indoctrination material to be boring/uninformative and want to see alternatives offered in educational systems (see: How stale and boring is evolutionary indoctrination? Is the public fooled or are they suspicious?).

Also, according to Google trends, interest in evolutionary ideas is dropping (see: Google trends - Atheism/agnosticism/evolutionary terms).

On the other hand, global creationism is experiencing significant growth. Johns Hopkins University Press reported in 2014: "Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames."[63]

Advanced countries of the United States/Switzerland and belief in biblical creation

The United States, a country known for its religiosity and many proponents of biblical creation, is a world leader in science and patent origination. Switzerland, a country which has one of the highest rates of creationism in Europe in terms of its population, is one of the most prosperous and productive/competitive economies in Europe.[64]

Atheism, arrogance and self-centeredness

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: "But now God is dead. You superior men, this God was your greatest danger. Only since he is in the grave, have you risen again. Only now comes the great noontide; only now the superior man will be – Lord!"

The picture of Nietzsche above was taken in 1899. Nietzsche died in 1900.

Showing concern for others often makes people more interesting to others, while self-centeredness is off-putting.

Atheists have earned a reputation for arrogance, selfishness and narcissism as can be seen in the articles below:

Intelligence trends: Secular countries and religious countries

See also: Atheism and intelligence and Atheism and the brain

In many secular countries intelligence is falling, while in many religious countries intelligence is increasing (See: Intelligence trends in religious countries and secular countries).

Brain researchers and social scientists have conducted a number of studies focusing on the differences between atheists and the religious (see: Atheism and the brain).

Atheism has a lower degree of cultural diversity than Christianity

See also: Western atheism and race and Atheist population

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.[65]

Many people find cultural diversity/novelty interesting. Travel is often said to broaden the mind.

The current atheist population mostly resides in East Asia (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia primarily among whites.[66] See: Western atheism and race

In China, which has the world's largest atheist population, Christianity is seeing rapid growth (see: Growth of Christianity in China).

In 2015, BloombergView reported concerning the United States:

“ According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, only 3 percent of U.S. atheists and agnostics are black, 6 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Asian. Some 82 percent are white. (The relevant figures for the population at large at the time of the survey were 66 percent white, 11 percent black, 15 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian.)

...Craig Keener, in his huge review of claims of miracles in a wide variety of cultures, concludes that routine rejection of the possibility of the supernatural represents an impulse that is deeply Eurocentric.[67]

”

The atheist Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson declared “If mainstream freethought and humanism continue to reflect the narrow cultural interests of white elites who have disposable income to go to conferences then the secular movement is destined to remain marginal and insular.”[68]

The atheist community has not had significant outreach to racial minorities within the Western World whereas Christians have done this (particularly among the poor).[69] See also: Atheism and uncharitableness

Lack of significant global outreach by Western World atheists

The Christian relief organization Feed My Starving Children has a distribution partner in Malawi, Africa. In recent years, Christianity has seen a rapid growth in Africa.[70]

In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[71]

Western World atheists have not engaged in a significant amount of global outreach.

See also: Global atheism and Global Christianity and Christian evangelism and Atheism and apathy

The former Soviet Union had a worldwide expansionist policy as far as spreading atheistic communism.[72] The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to a spike in religious affiliation, both in Russia and in Eastern Europe.[73]

The atheist population in the Western World has not had significant outreaches to spread atheism outside the Western World. Historically, Christians have made great evangelism efforts to reach every people group across the earth. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[74] Doing overseas evangelism/outreaches, often requires significant hardships/persecution and Western atheists have been unwilling to endure such hardships in order to spread atheistic ideology (see: Atheism and hedonism).

The current atheist population mostly resides in East Asia (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia among whites.[75] See: Global atheism

In the United States, atheists are in the minority (See: Atheist Population). And in the United States and Canada, the general population looks very unfavorably on atheists (see: Views on atheists). In the United States/Canada, atheists are generally white.

Christianity has a high degree of cultural diversity

Christianity, in terms of its geographic distribution, is the most globally diverse religion.[76] (see: Global Christianity). In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[77]

The Bible has been translated into 518 languages and 2,798 languages have at least some portion of the Bible.[78] In addition, the Christian community is far more evangelistic than the atheist community and Christian missionaries are throughout the world.

Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists and agnostics (see also: Causes of evolutionary belief).[79] Charles Darwin's evolutionary book The Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life has been translated into 35 languages. [80]

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

See also: Atheism and art/music and Argument from beauty

Stain glass depiction of the Apostle John

Ritualistic atheists find beauty in certain religious traditions, symbols or rituals.[81] See also: American atheists and church attendance

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.

The Christian Post reported:

“ In a new study of the various types of nonbelievers, researchers from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga say "one of the most interesting and unexpected" types they examined is the "ritual" atheist or agnostic, who finds some value in religious teachings and practices.

Those who fall into this category, according to the researchers, are nonbelievers who may have a philosophical appreciation for certain religious teachings, who like being part of a community, who want to stay in touch with their ethnic identity or who simply find beauty in certain religious traditions, symbols or rituals.

"The implication of this particular typology is that you could be sitting next to somebody in church right now who may, in fact, not buy into the theology that the rest of the congregation buys into," said principal researcher Christopher F. Silver in an interview with The Christian Post.[82]

”

Atheism and alcoholism/drug addiction

See also: Atheism and alcoholism

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.[83]

Individuals who have empty and unfulfulling lives often turn to alcohol and illegal drugs to deaden the emotional pain.

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

For example, as far as 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.[83]

Atheism and illegal drug use

See also: Atheism and drug addiction


Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.[84][85][86]

According to Science Daily:

“ Young Swiss men who say that they believe in God are less likely to smoke cigarettes or pot or take ecstasy pills than Swiss men of the same age group who describe themselves as atheists. Belief is a protective factor against addictive behaviour. This is the conclusion reached by a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.[87] ”

Additional statistics on religion/irreligion and drug use

Religion has "enormous potential for lowering the risk of substance abuse among teens and adults," according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.[88]

The Christian Post reported:

“ Religion has "enormous potential for lowering the risk of substance abuse among teens and adults," according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. They report that adults and teens who consider religion to be very important and who attend religious services weekly or more often are "far less likely to smoke, drink or use illicit drugs." In addition, those battling addiction who attend spiritually-based support programs as part of their treatment "are more likely to maintain sobriety."

By contrast, adults who never attend religious services are "almost seven times likelier to drink, three times likelier to smoke, more than five times likelier to have used an illicit drug other than marijuana, almost seven times likelier to binge drink and almost eight times likelier to use marijuana" than adults who attend religious services at least once a week.

Research also indicates that teenagers who are involved in religious activities are half as likely to have substance abuse problems as those who are not. In addition, spirituality has been found to help teens overcome genetic tendencies for alcoholism, social pressure, and a family history of abuse.[89]

”

Many atheists find the history of atheism uninteresting and unsatisfactory

It is very common for atheists to have little interest in the history of atheism and history as a whole (see: Atheism and historical illiteracy).

Many secular leftists find the history of atheism unsatisfactory in terms of societal progress and social justice and engage in historical revisionism (see: Atheism and historical revisionism and Atheism and social justice).

Also, unlike Christianity which has experienced several major dramatic revivals and accompanying societal improvements, there have been no atheist revivals (see: Religion and crime reduction and Atheism vs. Christian revival and Christian apologetics).

Atheism and problems with retention and global growth

In 2012, a Georgetown University study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults.[90]

The unrealistic and uninteresting worldview of atheism is currently facing a challenge in terms of retaining adherents and growth. In the 21st century, particularly in the latter half of the century, atheism is not expected to be an up and coming worldview in terms of adherents as can be seen in the articles below.

Additional unfavorable characteristics of atheism

Atheist population and problems with retention/growth

Atheism offers no exciting ultimate future for individuals or mankind

Atheism offers no exciting ultimate future for individuals or mankind.

On March 8, 2013, Damon Linker wrote in The Week:

“ If atheism is true, it is far from being good news. Learning that we're alone in the universe, that no one hears or answers our prayers, that humanity is entirely the product of random events, that we have no more intrinsic dignity than non-human and even non-animate clumps of matter, that we face certain annihilation in death, that our sufferings are ultimately pointless, that our lives and loves do not at all matter in a larger sense, that those who commit horrific evils and elude human punishment get away with their crimes scot free — all of this (and much more) is utterly tragic.[91] ”
Bertrand Russell

Although Bertrand Russell was an agnostic, he had favorable views of atheism.[92] Bertrand Russell wrote in 1903 about entropy and the universe:

“ That man is the product of causes that had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve individual life beyond the grave; that all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins- all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand.

"Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding dispair, can the soul's habitation henceforth be safely built." [93]

”

In a letter to Lowes Dickinson, Bertrand Russell wrote:

“ We stand on the shores of an ocean, crying to the night and the emptiness; sometimes a voice answers out of the darkness. But it is a voice of one drowning; and in a moment the silence returns” (Bertrand Russell, Autobiography, p. 287 as quoted by Leroy Koopman, “Famous Atheists Give Their Testimonies,” Moody Monthly, Nov. 1975, p. 124.) [94] ”

See:

Atheism has no life changing and dramatic miracles. Naturalism is self-refuting

Atheism offers no life changing and dramatic miracles. In addition, naturalism is an unreasonable and self-refuting worldview.

Modern miracles and the evidence and arguments for the miracuious

Gary Habermas has discussed the issue of double-blind prayer experiments where people pray for others with terminal illness. Habermas admitted that most such experiments have not worked, but also pointed out that the three that he knows of that have indeed worked were cases of Bible believing Christians praying for the sick.[95]

Habermas also discussed documentations of miracle claims and referred to thousands of cases around the world of documented miracles, including those where medical doctors witness prayer healing people with severe physical disabilities.[96]

Christian apologists have compiled a number of strong argument for the existence of the miraculous (See: Atheism and miracles and Evidence for Christianity).

Naturalism is an unreasonable and self-refuting worldview

4 part series by Dr. J.P. Moreland on the philosophy of scientific naturalism

New Atheism has no intellectual depth and it is dying

Richard Dawkins

New Atheism has a reputation for shallow arguments. A frequent occurrence is that the works of new atheists often betray an amateurish knowledge of philosophy/religion.[97] For example, atheist philosopher Dr. Michael Ruse declared concerning new atheist Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion: "The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist."[98] Vox Day's book The Irrational atheist found multiple errors in reasoning and factual errors when it came to the works of new atheist authors.[99] See also: Atheism and irrationality

New Atheism is also abrasive/aggressive which has worn thin over time in terms of public relations.

See:

Secular leftism, groupthink, repression and decline

Secular leftism enforces conformity/groupthink though indoctrination and repression. And it is currently facing decline.

see:

Decline of the secular left

Atheism has no holidays. Militant atheists and Christmas

The Jewish comedienne Henny Youngman quipped: "I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays." [100]

Atheism and economic stagnation. Protestant work ethic and economic growth

Harvard University historian Niall Ferguson declared: "Through a mixture of hard work and thrift the Protestant societies of the North and West Atlantic achieved the most rapid economic growth in history." (See: Protestant work ethic and capitalism).[101]

China has the world's largest atheist population.[102][103][104] However, in the latter part of the 20th century and throughout the 21st century, China has seen a rapid growth of biblical Christianity within their nation, increased economic development and a leap in intelligence scores.[105][106] See also: Intelligence trends in religious countries and secular countries

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union has significant economic/political problems which lead to its collapse.[107]

Economic and societal deterioration in secular Europe

Euro banknotes

See also: Secular Europe

The Eurozone crisis is an ongoing economic crisis which has been negatively affecting Eurozone countries since late 2009. It consists of a sovereign debt crisis, a banking crisis and an economic growth and competitiveness crisis.

Causes of Europe's economic decline:

On October 3, 2014, L’Agence France-Presse reported:

In 2014, Sweden's new Social Democrat prime minister Stefan Loefven said, "Sweden is in a serious situation -- unemployment has become entrenched at high levels, school results have collapsed and the welfare system has major shortcomings".[108]
“ Sweden's new Social Democrat prime minister Stefan Loefven unveiled what he called a "feminist" government including Green Party ministers for the first time in the Nordic country.

"The Swedish people voted for a change of government and a new political direction. A new government comprised of the Social Democrats and the Green Party is ready to take up the task," Loefven said in his inaugural speech to parliament.

"Sweden's new government is a feminist government," he said.

Half his cabinet is female, including Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson and Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem, a former EU commissioner.

Green Party leaders Aasa Romson and Gustav Fridolin were appointed ministers for the environment and education, respectively, and the party will also control Sweden's overseas aid agency Sida and the consumer affairs ministry.

He repeated election pledges to create jobs, recruit more teachers and increase the compulsory school age from 16 to 18.

"Sweden is in a serious situation -- unemployment has become entrenched at high levels, school results have collapsed and the welfare system has major shortcomings," he said.[109]

”

Reports of Britain's societal decline

References

  1. ↑ Myers, P.Z. (June 29, 2010). "The woman problem". Pharyngula [blog].
  2. ↑ Atheism: The cult of death
  3. ↑ Updike, John (1989). Self-Consciousness: Memoirs (New York, NY: Knopf), ch. 4.
  4. ↑ I don’t believe it – they’re doing atheism at GCSE by Niles Coren
  5. ↑ Herding Cats: Why Atheism Will Lose
  6. ↑ Facing the Canon with Alister McGrath
  7. ↑ Why faith makes sense: Developing a Christian mind - Alister McGrath
  8. ↑ Clear Voices 2014 - Alister McGrath - C. S. Lewis’s Vision of the Christianity
  9. ↑ Facing the Canon with Alister McGrath
  10. ↑ Why faith makes sense: Developing a Christian mind - Alister McGrath
  11. ↑ Clear Voices 2014 - Alister McGrath - C. S. Lewis’s Vision of the Christianity
  12. ↑ Faith and the limits of science by Alister McGrath
  13. ↑ Facing the Canon with Alister McGrath
  14. ↑ Why faith makes sense: Developing a Christian mind - Alister McGrath
  15. ↑ Clear Voices 2014 - Alister McGrath - C. S. Lewis’s Vision of the Christianity
  16. ↑ Christianity makes sense of the world, C.S. Lewis Institute
  17. ↑ Baylor ISR- J. Gordon Melton - End of Religion? (May 5, 2015)
  18. ↑ Is Modern life making us more lonely, BBC, 8 April 2013
  19. ↑ India Anthropologist Finds Denmark Wanting : Research: He laments the loneliness and lack of human values in remote village and asks if prosperity can be achieved without such sacrifices, LA Times archives, June 20, 1993|CHRISTOPHER FOLLETT | REUTERS
  20. ↑ in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency
  21. ↑ in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency
  22. ↑ Atheism needs women
  23. ↑ Atheism needs women
  24. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  25. ↑ Religious Affiliation and Suicide Attempt, American Journal of Psychiatry
  26. ↑ NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction
  27. ↑ Religious affiliation and suicide attempts
  28. ↑ Religious affiliation and suicide attempts
  29. ↑ The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115
  30. ↑ Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us? by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008
  31. ↑ Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun, Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri
  32. ↑ The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 114
  33. ↑ The Atheism Gap By Stephen L. Carter, BloombergView, Mar 27, 2015 4:26 PM EDT
  34. ↑ Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us? by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008
  35. ↑ How Many Highly Religious Conservative Republicans Are There?, Gallup Organization statistics
  36. ↑ More Republicans Satisfied With Sex Lives Than Democrats, ABC News
  37. ↑
  38. ↑
  39. ↑ 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious, Tuesday, April 30, 2013
  40. ↑ Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful
  41. ↑ Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful
  42. ↑ Atheism is doomed: the contraceptive Pill is secularism's cyanide tablet, The Telegraph, By Ed West. Last updated: March 15th, 2010
  43. ↑ Clear Voices 2014 - Alister McGrath - C. S. Lewis’s Vision of the Christianity
  44. ↑ Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  45. ↑ Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  46. ↑ Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  47. ↑ Lawrence Krauss on incest
  48. ↑ Paul Copan
  49. ↑ Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). "How many did communist regimes murder?" University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  50. ↑ http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard
  51. ↑ Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God, The Daily Telegraph, May 14, 2011
  52. ↑ The distaste for debate, Theodore Beale
  53. ↑ How atheism is being sold in America
  54. ↑ How atheism is being sold in America
  55. ↑ Suspicions Confirmed: Academia Shutting Out Conservative Professors
  56. ↑ Study of college education and critical thinking skills
  57. ↑ Forbes - Higher education bubble
  58. ↑ Bacon, Francis, Of Atheism
  59. ↑ http://www.ldolphin.org/bumbulis/#anchor5343749
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 Williams, Alex,The biblical origins of science, Journal of Creation 18(2):49–52, August 2004.
  61. ↑ http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3274629/False-conflict-Christianity-is-not.html
  62. ↑ http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3274629/False-conflict-Christianity-is-not.html
  63. ↑ Creationism spreading in Europe
  64. ↑ Switzerland, a beacon of European creationism, has the world's most competitive economy
  65. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  66. ↑ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live, By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey, Washington Post, May 23, 2013
  67. ↑ The Atheism Gap By Stephen L. Carter, BloombergView, Mar 27, 2015 4:26 PM EDT
  68. ↑ Atheism’s white male problem: A movement needs a moral cause beyond glamorizing disbelief by CJ Werleman, Salon, October 4, 2014
  69. ↑ Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about by Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson, Washington Post June 16, 2014
  70. ↑ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa
  71. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  72. ↑ America Coming to Terms: The Vietnam Legacy By Nguyen Anh Tuan, page 82
  73. ↑ [Global Study: Atheists in Decline, Only 1.8% of World Population by 2020] by Michael W. Chapman, CNS News, July 24, 2013 - 2:18 PM
  74. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  75. ↑ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live, By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey, Washington Post, May 23, 2013
  76. ↑
  77. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  78. ↑ Bible translations
  79. ↑
  80. ↑ Darwin in translation
  81. ↑ Researchers: 'Ritual' Atheists and Agnostics Could Be Sitting Next to You in Church
  82. ↑ Researchers: 'Ritual' Atheists and Agnostics Could Be Sitting Next to You in Church
  83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 "Data and statistics" (September 2014 or bef.). Health topics/Disease prevention/Alcohol use. World Health Organization (WHO)/Regional office for Europe
  84. ↑ Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists, Christian Post, By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am
  85. ↑ Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists, Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]
  86. ↑ Multiple references:
  87. ↑ Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists, Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]
  88. ↑ Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists, Christian Post, By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am
  89. ↑ Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists, Christian Post, By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am
  90. ↑ http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-atheists-have-lowest-retention-rate-compared-to-religious-groups-78029/ Study: Atheists Have Lowest 'Retention Rate' Compared to Religious Groups
  91. ↑ Where are the honest atheists?
  92. ↑ Russell, Bertrand (1947) "Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?"[1] Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.
  93. ↑ Entropy and heat death
  94. ↑ Atheism and the despair of hope
  95. ↑ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism By Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post Reporter
  96. ↑ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism By Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post Reporter
  97. ↑ The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Philosophy of Religion edited by Graham Oppy, Chapter 4, New Atheist Approaches to Religion by Trent Dougherty and Logan Paul Cage, page 52, see: Google books excerpt
  98. ↑ http://www.alternet.org/media/47052?page=entire
  99. ↑ Excellent refutation of ‘new atheists’ flawed by heterodox open theism, A review of The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens by Vox Day, Benbella Books, Dallas, TX, 2008, reviewed by Lita Cosner
  100. ↑ [2] Henny Youngman quote
  101. ↑ The Protestant Work Ethic: Alive & Well…In China By Hugh Whelchel on September 24, 2012
  102. ↑ Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)
  103. ↑ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live, Washington Post By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013
  104. ↑ Cracks in the atheist edifice, The Economist, November 1, 2014
  105. ↑
  106. ↑ Are human beings becoming smarter, BBC, March 2, 2015
  107. ↑ Soviet collapse
  108. ↑ New 'feminist' government with a Green tinge in Sweden
  109. ↑ New 'feminist' government with a Green tinge in Sweden
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