Changes

{{cquote|Cults had no great power to brainwash, as indicated by their embarrassingly poor retention rates. Most recruits stuck around for a year or two before drifting away, either gravitating to a new group or returning to normal life. This revolving-door effect makes solid statistics hard to come by, but the work of scholars such as J. Gordon Melton suggests that all sects combined were influencing a few hundred thousand people at any given time.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443686004577634230036422926 How We Became Obsessed With Cults] by Philip Jenkins, Wall Street Journal</ref>}}

{{cquote|Cults had no great power to brainwash, as indicated by their embarrassingly poor retention rates. Most recruits stuck around for a year or two before drifting away, either gravitating to a new group or returning to normal life. This revolving-door effect makes solid statistics hard to come by, but the work of scholars such as J. Gordon Melton suggests that all sects combined were influencing a few hundred thousand people at any given time.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443686004577634230036422926 How We Became Obsessed With Cults] by Philip Jenkins, Wall Street Journal</ref>}}

In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that in the United States only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an [[Atheism|atheist]] household remain atheists as adults.<ref>[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]</ref> According to Dr. Mark Gray, "of those raised as atheists, 30% are now affiliated with a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denomination, 10% are Catholic, 2% are Jewish, 1% are Mormon, and 1% are Pagan."<ref>[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]</ref>

In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that in the United States only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an [[Atheism|atheist]] household remain atheists as adults.<ref>[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]</ref> According to Dr. Mark Gray, "of those raised as atheists, 30% are now affiliated with a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denomination, 10% are Catholic, 2% are Jewish, 1% are Mormon, and 1% are Pagan."<ref>[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]</ref>  See also: [[Atheism and poor relationships with parents]]

 

Similarly, according to recent research by the Pew Research Forum on Religion and Public Life, in the United States, a majority of those surveyed who were raised in atheist or [[agnosticism|agnostic]] households, or where there was [[Nones|no specific religious attachment]], later chose to join a religious faith.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/defectors-to-faith-mark-a-growing-trend/story-e6frg7ko-1225710667095</ref><ref>http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1204/religion-changes-affiliations-survey</ref>  See also: [[Atheism and poor relationships with parents]]

In 2012, a study by the General Social Survey of the social science research organization NORC at the University of Chicago found that belief in God rises with age, even in atheistic nations <ref>[http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/04/18/belief-god-rises-age-even-atheist-nations Belief in God rises with age, even in atheist nations]</ref> (For more information, please see: [[Atheism and immaturity]]).

In 2012, a study by the General Social Survey of the social science research organization NORC at the University of Chicago found that belief in God rises with age, even in atheistic nations <ref>[http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/04/18/belief-god-rises-age-even-atheist-nations Belief in God rises with age, even in atheist nations]</ref> (For more information, please see: [[Atheism and immaturity]]).

See: [[Atheism and its retention rate in individuals#Abandonment of atheism in atheistic communist countries|Abandonment of atheism in atheistic communist countries]]

See: [[Atheism and its retention rate in individuals#Abandonment of atheism in atheistic communist countries|Abandonment of atheism in atheistic communist countries]]

== Atheism is an emaciated and unnecessarily limiting view of the world ==

== Atheism is an emaciated and unnecessarily limiting view of the world ==