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→Causes of atheism
10. '''State churches:''' Rates of atheism are much higher in countries with a state sanctioned religion (such as many European countries), and lower in states without a sanctioned religion (such as the United States). Some argue this is because state churches become bloated, corrupt, and/or out of touch with the religious intuitions of the population, while churches independent of the state are leaner and more adaptable. It is important to distinguish "state-sanctioned churches," where participation is voluntary, from "state-mandated churches" (such as Saudi Arabia) with much lower atheism rates because publicly admitted atheism is punishable by death.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118434936941966055.html?mod=googlenews_wsj</ref>
10. '''State churches:''' Rates of atheism are much higher in countries with a state sanctioned religion (such as many European countries), and lower in states without a sanctioned religion (such as the United States). Some argue this is because state churches become bloated, corrupt, and/or out of touch with the religious intuitions of the population, while churches independent of the state are leaner and more adaptable. It is important to distinguish "state-sanctioned churches," where participation is voluntary, from "state-mandated churches" (such as Saudi Arabia) with much lower atheism rates because publicly admitted atheism is punishable by death.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118434936941966055.html?mod=googlenews_wsj</ref>
11. '''Decline of family in a culture''' - Mary Eberstadt, a research fellow at [[Stanford University]]’s [[Hoover Institution]], found the decline of [[family values]] leads to a rise in secularization.<ref>[http://www.rightwingnews.com/interviews/an-interview-with-mary-eberstadt-on-her-new-book-how-the-west-really-lost-god-a-new-theory-of-secularization/ An Interview With Mary Eberstadt On Her New Book “How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization]</ref>
12. '''[[Socialism]]''' <ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/does-atheism-thrive-on-economic.html Does atheism thrive on economic prosperity? Does religion prosper when people are desperate and ignorant?]</ref>
13. '''Self-deception'''<ref>[http://creation.com/atheism Atheism - Satanic deception and self-deception]</ref>
14. '''[[Satan|Satanic]] deception''' <ref>[http://creation.com/atheism Atheism - Satanic deception and self-deception]</ref> (''see also'': [[Atheism and satanic deception]] )
In addition, [[Judaism|Jewish]] columnist [[Dennis Prager]] has stated that a causal factor of atheism is the "secular indoctrination of a generation."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=43734</ref> 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|Western world]] receives as secular an indoctrination as the typical European received a religious one in the [[Middle Ages]]." <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=4373</ref> In addition, in communist countries (such as the former Soviet Union) atheistic indoctrination occurred in the educational system through such venues as schools, atheist museums, and clubs (see also: [[Militant atheism]]).<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=BGJtDwJ7aPwC&pg=PA325&lpg=PA325&dq=atheistic+upbringing+and+atheism&source=bl&ots=eQlq1dZfMj&sig=Xm__18YZpV5L0O8VVzgAc9YiSCc&hl=en&ei=yOy1S76CGcWAlAedg5FR&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=atheistic%20upbringing%20and%20atheism&f=false Marxist-Leninist 'Scientific Atheism' and the Study of Religion and Atheism By James Thrower, page 325]</ref><ref>[http://www.lituanus.org/1963/63_1_01.htm Communism's Struggle with Religion in Lithuania]</ref> Atheists and secularists rarely point out that universities such as [[Harvard]], [[Princeton]], [[Oxford]], [[Cambridge]], and many others were founded by Christians.<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v2/n3/harvard-yale-princeton-oxford-once-christian</ref><ref>http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/Educate/history_part3.htm</ref>
15. '''Poor relationship with father:''' Some argue that a troubled/non-existent relationship with a father may influence one of the causes of atheism.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth12.html</ref> Dr. Paul Vitz wrote a book entitled ''Faith of the Fatherless'' in which he points out that after studying the lives of more than a dozen leading atheists he found that a large majority of them had a father who was present but weak, present but abusive, or absent.<ref>Vitz, Paul, [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt The Psychology of Atheism], September 24, 1997 (lecture notes taken by an audience member).</ref><ref>Anders, Kerby, [http://www.probe.org/content/view/36/91/ Atheists and Their Fathers] (Probe Ministries)</ref> Dr. Vitz also examined the lives of prominent theists who were contemporaneous to their atheist counterparts and from the same culture and in every instance these prominent theists had a good relationship with his father.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref> Dr. Vitz has also stated other common factors he observed in the leading atheists he profiled: they were all intelligent and arrogant.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/vitz.txt</ref>
16. '''Division in religion''': According to Sir [[Francis Bacon]], atheism is caused by "divisions in religion, if they be many; for any one main division addeth zeal to both sides, but many divisions introduce atheism."<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/3/1/16.html Francis Bacon, Of atheism - essay]</ref>
17. '''Ignorance.''' Atheism is [[Proportion|indirectly proportional]] to education; a scholarly study published in an academic journal titled the ''Review of Religious Research'' demonstrated that increased education is correlated with belief in God and that "education positively affects religious participation, devotional activities, and emphasizing the importance of religion in daily life."<ref>{{cite book|url=http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13644-011-0007-4|quote=education positively affects religious participation, devotional activities, and emphasizing the importance of religion in daily life; (3) education positively affects switching religious affiliations, particularly to a mainline Protestant denomination, but not disaffiliation; (4) education is positively associated with questioning the role of religion in secular society but not with support for curbing the public opinions of religious leaders; and (5) the effects of education on religious beliefs and participation vary across religious traditions. Education does influence Americans’ religious beliefs and activities, but the effects of education on religion are complex.|title=The Effects of Education on Americans’ Religious Practices, Beliefs, and Affiliations|last=Schwadel|first=Philip|year=2011|journal=Review of Religious Research|volume=53|issue=2|doi=10.1007/s13644-011-0007-4|}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Study: More educated tend to be more religious, by some measures|author=Jim Kavanagh|date=11 August 2011|publisher=[[CNN]]|url=http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/11/study-more-educated-tend-to-be-more-religious-by-some-measures/|quote=“With more years of education, you aren’t relatively more likely to say, ‘I don’t believe in God,’” he said. “But you are relatively more likely to say, ‘I believe in a higher power.’”}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The more education people receive, the more religious they become?|date=12 August 2011|publisher=[[Daily Mail]]|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025166/The-education-people-receive-religious-become.html|quote=By analyzing data from a large national survey, sociologist Philip Schwadel of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that people tend to become more religious - by certain definitions - as they further their education. The survey also qualified what concept of God or a 'higher power' individuals held, as well as whether they had any doubts. Mr Schwadel said that: 'With more years of education, you aren’t relatively more likely to say, "I don’t believe in God," but you are relatively more likely to say, "I believe in a higher power."'}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=More is More When it Comes to Education and Religion, Study Says|date=13 August 2011|publisher=[[Christian Post]]|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/who-is-more-religious-53865/|quote=Sociologist Philip Schwadel from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) studied this phenomenon. He discovered that people today tend to become more religious as they further their education.}}</ref> Sir Francis Bacon wrote: "A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion." <ref>http://www.notable-quotes.com/a/atheism_quotes.html</ref>
18. '''Indoctrination and ease of life''': Francis Bacon argued that atheism was partly caused by:"Learned times, specially with peace and prosperity; for troubles and adversities do more bow men’s minds to religion."<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/3/1/16.html Francis Bacon, Of atheism - essay]</ref>
In addition, [[Judaism|Jewish]] columnist [[Dennis Prager]] has stated that a causal factor of atheism is the "secular indoctrination of a generation."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=43734</ref> 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|Western world]] receives as secular an indoctrination as the typical European received a religious one in the [[Middle Ages]]." <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=4373</ref> [[Dinesh D'Souza]] has pointed out that atheists have focused considerable efforts on the public schools in order to indoctrinate young people into atheistic beliefs.<ref>[http://townhall.com/columnists/dineshdsouza/2007/10/22/the_atheist_indoctrination_project/page/full The atheist indoctrination project]</ref> In addition, in communist countries (such as the former Soviet Union) atheistic indoctrination occurred in the educational system through such venues as schools, atheist museums, and clubs (see also: [[Militant atheism]]).<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=BGJtDwJ7aPwC&pg=PA325&lpg=PA325&dq=atheistic+upbringing+and+atheism&source=bl&ots=eQlq1dZfMj&sig=Xm__18YZpV5L0O8VVzgAc9YiSCc&hl=en&ei=yOy1S76CGcWAlAedg5FR&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=atheistic%20upbringing%20and%20atheism&f=false Marxist-Leninist 'Scientific Atheism' and the Study of Religion and Atheism By James Thrower, page 325]</ref><ref>[http://www.lituanus.org/1963/63_1_01.htm Communism's Struggle with Religion in Lithuania]</ref> Atheists and secularists rarely point out that universities such as [[Harvard]], [[Princeton]], [[Oxford]], [[Cambridge]], and many others were founded by Christians.<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v2/n3/harvard-yale-princeton-oxford-once-christian</ref><ref>http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/Educate/history_part3.htm</ref>
See also: [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/does-atheism-thrive-on-economic.html Does atheism thrive on economic prosperity and religion prosper when people are desperate and ignorant?]
See also: [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/does-atheism-thrive-on-economic.html Does atheism thrive on economic prosperity and religion prosper when people are desperate and ignorant?]
19. '''Lack of bonafide education/knowledge:''' Although atheistic indoctrination may increase atheism and atheistic beliefs, as noted above, atheism has been found to be [[Proportion|inversely proportional]] to education. See: [[Atheism and education]].
20. '''Negative experiences with [[theism|theists]]'''
21. '''[[Scientism]]:''' ''Science has in many ways become a new god''.<ref>[http://creation.com/the-religion-of-scientism-m-shallis The religion of scientism]</ref><ref>[http://www.saintsandsceptics.org/dawkins-dilbert-and-the-illogical-scientists/ Dawkins, Dilbert and the Illogical Scientists]</ref><ref>[http://www.religiontoday.com/news/exposing-the-religion-of-scientism-11598780.html Exposing the religion of scientism]</ref>
==Atheism and the existence of evil==
==Atheism and the existence of evil==