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So then we do the math: the number of citizens who believe in the existence of some sort of deity-like presence, called God or The Force or something else, is actually 60% in Estonia, 63% in Sweden, and 68% in Estonia, according to the exact same survey. They are certainly not all churchgoers. But contrary to conventional wisdom, in all three countries, atheists were a minority, and the dominant groups were the middle grounders – people whose beliefs are hard to define except for one thing: they don’t think of themselves as atheists.<ref>[http://www.science20.com/writer_on_the_edge/blog/atheism_peaks_while_spiritual_groups_move_toward_convergence-156528 Atheism Peaks, While Spiritual Groups Move Toward Convergence], Science 2.0 website</ref>}}

So then we do the math: the number of citizens who believe in the existence of some sort of deity-like presence, called God or The Force or something else, is actually 60% in Estonia, 63% in Sweden, and 68% in Estonia, according to the exact same survey. They are certainly not all churchgoers. But contrary to conventional wisdom, in all three countries, atheists were a minority, and the dominant groups were the middle grounders – people whose beliefs are hard to define except for one thing: they don’t think of themselves as atheists.<ref>[http://www.science20.com/writer_on_the_edge/blog/atheism_peaks_while_spiritual_groups_move_toward_convergence-156528 Atheism Peaks, While Spiritual Groups Move Toward Convergence], Science 2.0 website</ref>}}

=== European countries with high levels of atheism/agnosticism ===

==== European countries with high levels of atheism/agnosticism ====

''See also:'' [[Secular Europe]]

''See also:'' [[Secular Europe]]

From a historical perspective, the [[Czech Republic|Czechs]] have been characterised as "tolerant and even indifferent towards religion".<ref>Richard Felix Staar, ''Communist regimes in Eastern Europe'', Issue 269, p. 90</ref> According to the 2011 census,  34.2% of the Czech population declared they had no religion, 10.3% was [[Roman Catholic]] and 10.2% followed other forms of religion both denominational and nondenominational. Furthermore, 45.2% of the population did not answer the question about religion.<ref>Richard Felix Staar, Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Issue 269, p. 90</ref> From 1991 to 2001 and further to 2011 the adherence to Roman Catholicism decreased from 39.0% to 26.8% and then subsequently to 10.3%.<ref name="1921-2001censuses">{{cite web|url=http://www.czso.cz/csu/2008edicniplan.nsf/engt/24003E05ED/$File/4032080119.pdf|title=Population by denomination and sex: as measured by 1921, 1930, 1950, 1991 and 2001 censuses|language=Czech and English|accessdate=2010-03-09|publisher=Czech Statistical Office}}</ref>

From a historical perspective, the [[Czech Republic|Czechs]] have been characterised as "tolerant and even indifferent towards religion".<ref>Richard Felix Staar, ''Communist regimes in Eastern Europe'', Issue 269, p. 90</ref> According to the 2011 census,  34.2% of the Czech population declared they had no religion, 10.3% was [[Roman Catholic]] and 10.2% followed other forms of religion both denominational and nondenominational. Furthermore, 45.2% of the population did not answer the question about religion.<ref>Richard Felix Staar, Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Issue 269, p. 90</ref> From 1991 to 2001 and further to 2011 the adherence to Roman Catholicism decreased from 39.0% to 26.8% and then subsequently to 10.3%.<ref name="1921-2001censuses">{{cite web|url=http://www.czso.cz/csu/2008edicniplan.nsf/engt/24003E05ED/$File/4032080119.pdf|title=Population by denomination and sex: as measured by 1921, 1930, 1950, 1991 and 2001 censuses|language=Czech and English|accessdate=2010-03-09|publisher=Czech Statistical Office}}</ref>

==== Countries with high levels of atheism and domestic violence ====

===== Countries with high levels of atheism and domestic violence =====

''See also:'' [[Secular Europe and domestic violence]] and [[Sweden and domestic violence]]

''See also:'' [[Secular Europe and domestic violence]] and [[Sweden and domestic violence]]