Changes

According to the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', 2% of the world's population self-identifies as atheist and the average annual global change for atheism from 2000 to 2010 was −0.17%.<ref name="eb-2010">{{cite web|title=Religion: Year in Review 2010: Worldwide Adherents of All Religions|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1731588/Religion-Year-In-Review-2010/298437/Worldwide-Adherents-of-All-Religions|work=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.|accessdate=2013-11-21}}</ref> See: [[Global atheism statistics]]

According to the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', 2% of the world's population self-identifies as atheist and the average annual global change for atheism from 2000 to 2010 was −0.17%.<ref name="eb-2010">{{cite web|title=Religion: Year in Review 2010: Worldwide Adherents of All Religions|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1731588/Religion-Year-In-Review-2010/298437/Worldwide-Adherents-of-All-Religions|work=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.|accessdate=2013-11-21}}</ref> See: [[Global atheism statistics]]

In respect to the atheist population of the world, there have been many studies in regards to the atheist demographics and in regards to the percentage of atheists in various geographic areas.  Concerning the atheist population as a percentage of various countries' populations, specific research on atheists conducted in 2006 [http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 suggests] that the true proportion of atheists is 4% in the United States, 17% in Great Britain and 32% in France.  However, how one defines atheist can skew the results of polls (see: [[Definition of atheism]]). For example, in 2008, the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) reported 1.6% of Americans self-identified as atheists.<ref>http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf</ref>  In 2007, Pew Forum estimated that 1.6% of Americans are atheists.<ref>[http://religions.pewforum.org/reports Pew Forum - 2007 - Key findings on religious belief in America]</ref>

With respect to the atheist [[population]] of the world, there have been many studies regarding the atheist [[demographics]] and the percentage of atheists in various geographic areas.  Concerning the atheist population as a percentage of various countries' populations, specific research on atheists conducted in 2006 [http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 suggests] that the true proportion of atheists is 4% in the United States, 17% in Great Britain and 32% in France.  However, how one defines atheist can skew the results of polls (see: [[Definition of atheism]]). For example, in 2008, the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) reported 1.6% of Americans self-identified as atheists.<ref>http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf</ref>  In 2007, Pew Forum estimated that 1.6% of Americans are atheists.<ref>[http://religions.pewforum.org/reports Pew Forum - 2007 - Key findings on religious belief in America]</ref>

[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|180px|right|In Sweden, 45% of the population indicate that they believe in some sort of ultimate force or great spirit.<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>]]

[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|180px|right|In Sweden, 45% of the population indicate that they believe in some sort of ultimate force or great spirit.<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>]]

The website Science 2.0 reported in 2015 about [[secular Europe]]:

The website Science 2.0 reported in 2015 about [[secular Europe]]:

But no. That same poll also asked respondents whether they believe in some sort of ultimate force or great spirit. “Yes” answers came from 44% in the [[Czech Republic]], 45% in [[Sweden]] and 50% in [[Estonia]].

But no. That same poll also asked respondents whether they believe in some sort of ultimate force or great spirit. “Yes” answers came from 44% in the [[Czech Republic]], 45% in [[Sweden]] and 50% in [[Estonia]].

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>}}

[[File:Belief-god.jpg|thumb|550px|Financial Times (FT)/Harris Poll among adults in 5 countries in 2006]]

[[File:Belief-god.jpg|thumb|550px|Financial Times (FT)/Harris Poll among adults in 5 countries in 2006]]