Changes

In other studies, scheduled to be published online next week in the journal Child Development, we found that even young children show a bias to believe that life events happen for a reason — to “send a sign” or “to teach a lesson.” This belief exists regardless of how much exposure the children have had to religion at home, and even if they’ve had none at all.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html ''Does everything happen for a reason?'']</ref>}}

In other studies, scheduled to be published online next week in the journal Child Development, we found that even young children show a bias to believe that life events happen for a reason — to “send a sign” or “to teach a lesson.” This belief exists regardless of how much exposure the children have had to religion at home, and even if they’ve had none at all.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html ''Does everything happen for a reason?'']</ref>}}

Pew Research reports that 35% of [[American atheism|American atheists]] often think about the meaning and purpose of life.<ref>[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/01/10-facts-about-atheists/ 10 facts about atheists], Pew Research</ref>

Pew Research reports that 35% of [[American atheism|American atheists]] often think about the meaning and purpose of life.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/01/10-facts-about-atheists/ 10 facts about atheists], Pew Research</ref>

As adults, children who attended religious services regularly are 47 percent more likely to have a high sense of mission and purpose.<ref>[https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-help-prevent-your-child-atheist/ How to Help Prevent Your Child from Becoming an Atheist] by Joe Carter</ref>  

As adults, children who attended religious services regularly are 47 percent more likely to have a high sense of mission and purpose.<ref>[https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-help-prevent-your-child-atheist/ How to Help Prevent Your Child from Becoming an Atheist] by Joe Carter</ref>  

== Children see the world as designed ==

== Children see the world as designed ==

Researchers at [[Oxford University]] have reported finding children who, when questioned, express their understanding that there is a Creator, without having had any such teaching from parents or teachers about this matter.<ref>[http://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed Children as designed].</ref>  In [[Japan]], researchers found that Japanese children see the natural world [[Intelligent design|as designed]] and purposeful and believe some kind of intelligent being is behind that purpose.<ref>[http://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed Children as designed].</ref>

Researchers at [[Oxford University]] have reported finding children who, when questioned, express their understanding that there is a Creator, without having had any such teaching from parents or teachers about this matter.<ref>[https://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed Children as designed].</ref>  In [[Japan]], researchers found that Japanese children see the natural world [[Intelligent design|as designed]] and purposeful and believe some kind of intelligent being is behind that purpose.<ref>[https://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed Children as designed].</ref>

== Jean-Paul Sartre and teleological beliefs ==

== Jean-Paul Sartre and teleological beliefs ==