Difference between revisions of "Atheism"

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[[File:Atheism.jpg|thumb|alt=atheism|right|226px|[[Paul-Henri Thiry]], Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in [[Europe]].]]
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[[File:Atheism.jpg|thumb|alt=atheism|right|225px|[[Portrait]] of [[Paul-Henri Thiry]], Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in [[Europe]]. ]]
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'''Atheism''', as defined by the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the ''Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the denial of the existence of [[God]].<ref>[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism Stanford Encyclopedia of Philisophy - Atheism and Agnosticism]</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational?] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - Etymology]</ref>  
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In terms of contemporary definitions of '''atheism''', the ''Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary'' [[Definition of atheism|defines atheism]] in two ways: "1) a lack of [[belief]] or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods 2) a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods."<ref>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheism. “Atheism”] (on or bef. 2019). ''The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary'' (unk. place: Merriam-Webster).</ref> ''Lexico.com'' (Oxford University Press) defines atheism as "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods."<ref>Oxford University Press (OUP) (2019). [https://lexico.com/definition/atheism "Atheism"]. ''Lexico.com'' (Oxford, UK: OUP).</ref> See: [[Definition of atheism]]
  
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The atheistic worldview has a variety of effects on individuals and [[society]] at large, and according to the [[University of Cambridge]], historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninists]] to power."<ref name="Marxism-Leninsim">{{cite web|url = http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title =Marxism|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref> Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg, a Soviet physicist, wrote that the "[[Bolshevik]] communists were not merely atheists but, according to [[Lenin]]'s terminology, [[militant atheist]]s."<ref name="Lenin & militant atheism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=ufC9Ar8iuDcC&pg=PA161&dq=The+Bolshevik+communists+were+not+merely+atheists+but,+according+to+Lenin%27s+terminology,+militant+atheists.&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1oFUUdj6PIiK0QGvq4CAAw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=The%20Bolshevik%20communists%20were%20not%20merely%20atheists%20but%2C%20according%20to%20Lenin's%20terminology%2C%20militant%20atheists.&f=false|title =On Superconductivity and Superfluidity: A Scientific Autobiography |author=Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg|publisher = [[Springer Science+Business Media]]|year=2009|quote=The Bolshevik communists were not merely atheists but, according to Lenin's terminology, militant atheists.|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref> However, prior to this, the [[Reign of Terror]] of the [[French Revolution]] established an [[atheist state]], with the official ideology being the [[Cult of Reason]]; during this time thousands of believers were suppressed and executed by the [[guillotine]].<ref name="Guillotine">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=bf3m7IVAa9gC&pg=PA461&dq=France+atheism+guillotine++Christians+executed&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l4lUUaTRBufG0QGe0IHACA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=France%20atheism%20guillotine%20%20Christians%20executed&f=false|title =Christianity|author=James Adair|publisher = JBE Online Books|year=2007|quote=Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes toAlthough the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a ist of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rosseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Teror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.|page=461|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="France">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=9WkBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =Memoirs of the reign of George III. to the session of parliament ending A.D. 1793, Volume 5|page=105|author=William Belsham|publisher = G.G. & J. Robinson|year=1801|quote=Reign of this portentous period, it has been eloquently tenor, and energetically observed, " that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:-in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex ,indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations." It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while "the death dance of democratic revolution" was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, "the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace."|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref><ref name="Reign of Terror">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Tt5rqiCP1p8C&pg=PA57&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West|author=William Kilpatrick|publisher = [[Ignatius Press]]|year=2012|quote=Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring-National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructions. It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, "The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man." Actually this transition happened no "ultimately" but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract "reason" and "liberty" degenearated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. "Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name", said Madam Rolande as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution movements before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of "liberty", "equality", and "reason". As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.|accessdate = 2011–03–15}}</ref>
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Atheism, as defined by the ''[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', the ''[[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the denial of the existence of [[God]].<ref>Multiple references:
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*Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).  
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*[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheism "{{sc|atheism}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary''. "Definition of {{sc|atheism}} '''1 a''': a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods '''b''': a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods [example sentences omitted] Origin and Etymology of {{sc|atheism}} Middle French ''athéisme'', from ''athée'' atheist, from Greek ''atheos'' godless, from ''a-'' + ''theos'' god"; [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god "{{sc|god}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary''. "Definition of {{sc|god}} '''1''' ''capitalized'': the supreme or ultimate reality: such as '''a''': the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe" [definitions 2 and 3 omitted.] Retrieved on April 22, 2018.
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*"Atheism:...a + theos, denying God." Onions, C. T. ''et al.'', ed. (1966). "Atheism". ''Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology'' (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press).
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*Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). [https://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational "Atheism is more rational?"] ''Creation.com''/feedback archive (Brisbane, Queensland, AU: Creation Ministries International). See [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Jonathan Sarfati]].
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*Day, Donn R. (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20140906135211/http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"]. ''The Divine Conspiracy'' website/atheism articles (unk. publisher). Archived at ''Internet Archive'' on September 6, 2014.
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*Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"] ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7.</ref>  [[Paul Edwards (philosopher)|Paul Edwards]], who was a prominent atheist and editor of the ''[[Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', defined an atheist as "a person who maintains that there is no God."<ref name="CRI"/> See also: [[Strong atheism]]
  
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Furthermore, 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>
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Beginning in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing beyond, many [[agnosticism|agnostics]] and atheists have argued that the definition of atheism should be a lack of belief in God or gods.<ref name="CRI">Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"] ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7.</ref><ref name="Divine">Day, Donn R. (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20140906135211/http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"]. ''The Divine Conspiracy'' website/atheism articles (unk. publisher). Archived at ''Internet Archive'' on September 6, 2014.</ref><ref>Craig, William Lane (July 16, 2012). [http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism "The proper definition of atheism"]. ''Reasonable Faith'' website/Media/Reasonable [[faith]] podcast (Dallas TX: Reasonable Faith). See [[William Lane Craig]].</ref><ref>Britain is a less religious country than the United States, and the Oxford-dictionaries-based ''Lexico.com'' offers both the narrow/broad definitions of atheism (as noted in a previous footnote, the ''Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary'', which is a traditional American dictionary, offers a more narrow definition of atheism similar to the definition that major encyclopedias of philosophy use). ''Lexico.com'' and other Oxford dictionaries: "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods". (Oxford University Press [OUP] [2019]. [https://www.lexico.com/definition/atheism "Atheism"]. ''Lexico.com'' [Oxford, UK: OUP].)</ref> See: [[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism#Purpose of attempting to dilute the definition of atheism|Purpose of redefining atheism]] and [[Weak atheism]]
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Atheism has been examined by many disciplines in terms [[Atheism statistics|of its effects]] on individuals and [[Atheism and culture|on societies]] and these effects will be covered below.
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As far as individuals adopting an [[Atheist worldview|atheistic worldview]], atheism has [[causes of atheism|a number of causal factors]] and these will be elaborated on below as well.
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As of March 2025, data compiled by the [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]] indicates that there are 831,000 fewer atheists in the world than a year ago.<ref>
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*[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2025/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2025.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2025, in the Context of 1900–2050] (831,000 fewer atheists in the world than a year ago. See subsequent source)
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*[https://gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/04/StatusofGlobalChristianity20191.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2019, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref> On March 15, 2024, Frontier Partners International reported concerning [[global atheism]]: "Simultaneously, atheism, which once saw a peak around 1970 with 165 million adherents, is on the decline. The current growth trend for atheism is -0.12 percent, with their number falling from 147 million in 2020 to 146 million in 2024."<ref>[https://www.frontierpartners.org/global-christianity-surges Global Christianity surges beyond projections in 2024], LiCAS.news • Mar 15, 2024, Frontiers Partners International, 2024</ref> The world's atheists have a below replacement level of births (See: [[Atheism and fertility rates]]). See also: [[Global atheism statistics]] and [[Desecularization]]
  
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Concerning individuals adopting an atheistic worldview, atheism has a number of causal factors that influence its origination in individuals which will be addressed. In addition, critiques of atheism will be offered and some of the historical events relating to atheism will also be covered. For example, since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the [[evolution|theory of evolution]] which employs [[methodological naturalism]] have been atheists.<ref>
 
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* Dr. Don Batten,[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/737/ A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
 
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* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
 
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</ref>
 
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==Types of atheism==
 
==Types of atheism==
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There are different types of atheism, based on different answers to the following questions:
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''See also:'' [[Schools of atheist thought]] and [[Atheist factions]]
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* What [[God]] or gods does the atheist deny?
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[[File:Diagoras of melos.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|[[Diagoras of Melos]] was an [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] atheist, poet and [[Sophism|Sophist]] of the 5th century BC.
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* Why does the atheist deny?
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* How does the atheist's denial manifest itself?
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See: [[History of Atheism|History of atheism]] ]]
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=== Atheism and Which God or gods? ===
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The [[History of Atheism|history of atheism]] can be dated as early as the 5th century B.C. [[Diagoras of Melos]] was a 5th-century B.C. [[Greek]] atheist, poet and [[Sophism|Sophist]]. Since then many [[schools of atheist thought]] have developed.  
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[[Image:Socrates.jpg|thumb|right|160px|The [[Greece|Greek]] philosopher [[Socrates]]]]
 
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Since atheism is denial of the existence of God or gods, it is important first to identify in which God and/or gods the atheist denies. In ancient times, for example, Christians were accused of being atheists because of their denial of the pagan gods, even though they believed in the ''Christian'' God.<ref>Athenagoras, ''A Plea for the Christians, 2d century A.D.[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/athenagoras-plea.html]</ref> [[Socrates]] was also accused of atheism, although references to God run throughout his recorded statements.<ref>Plato, Apol., 26,c.</ref> Also, [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Baruch Spinoza]] professed belief in "God," but they defined "God" as the cosmos as a whole, and without personality.
 
  
 
===Atheism and why do atheists state they disbelieve?===
 
===Atheism and why do atheists state they disbelieve?===
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Atheists claim there are two main reasons for their denial of the existence of God and/or disbelief in God: the conviction that there is positive evidence or argument that God does not exist ([[Strong atheism]] which is also sometimes called positive atheism), and their claim that theists bear the burden of proof to show that God exists, that they have failed to do so, and that belief is therefore unwarranted ([[Weak atheism]]).
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''See also:'' [[Weak Atheism|Weak atheism]] and [[Strong atheism]]
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Atheists claim there are two main reasons for their denial of the existence of God and/or disbelief in God: the conviction that there is positive evidence or argument that God does not exist ([[strong atheism]], which is also sometimes called positive atheism), and their claim that [[theism|theists]] bear the burden of proof to show that God exists, that they have failed to do so, and that belief is therefore unwarranted ([[Weak Atheism|weak atheism]]).
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As alluded to above, theists and others have posited a number of [[causes of atheism]] and this matter will be further addressed in this article.
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=== Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism ===
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In 1876, [[Charles Bradlaugh]] proposed that atheism does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he endeavored to dilute the traditional definition of atheism.<ref name="Divine"/><ref>
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*Discussion on Atheism: Report of a Public Discussion Between the Rev. Brewin Grant, B.A., and C. Bradlaugh, Esq., Held in South Place Chapel, Finsbury, London, on Tuesday Evenings, Commencing June 22, and Ending July 27, 1875, on the Question, "Is Atheism Or is Christianity the True Secular Gospel, as Tending to the Improvement and Happiness of Mankind in this Life by Human Efforts and Material Means.". Brewin Grant Charles Bradlaugh, January 1, 1890, Anti-liberation Society, page 10-12 [https://books.google.com/books?id=Dwk3yV5MOaAC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=Charles+Bradlaugh+definition+of+atheism&source=bl&ots=JtjIlK7qaJ&sig=E0HjYgfEyKXdEA4zlLAd9m41cQU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEgQ6AEwB2oVChMIrcijucWLyAIVCXA-Ch00NACw#v=onepage&q=Charles%20Bradlaugh%20definition%20of%20atheism&f=false]
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</ref>  As noted above, in the latter portion of the 20th century, the proposition that the definition of atheism be defined as a mere lack of belief in God or gods began to be commonly advanced by agnostics/atheists.<ref name="Divine"/><ref>
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*[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by [[William Lane Craig]]</ref>  It is now common for atheists/agnostics and theists to debate the meaning of the word atheism.<ref name="Divine"/><ref>
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*[http://www.apatheticagnostic.com/articles/meds2/med40/med796.html The Atheism Vs. Agnosticism “Debate”]
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*[http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/atheism Oxford Dictionaries]. Oxford Dictionaries, due to their British influence (Atheism is more popular in Britain than in the United States and many other countries where English is spoken, see: [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]] and [[Secular Europe]] and [[Atheism statistics]]), now offers the definition of atheism to be "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods." which is a departure from its historical meaning before a broader definition of atheism began to be more widely advocated in the latter portion of the 20th century (see: [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"])</ref>
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Critics of a broader definition of atheism as a mere lack of belief often point out that such a definition is contrary to the traditional/historical meaning of the word and that such a definition makes atheism indistinguishable from agnosticism.<ref name="CRI"/><ref name="Divine"/><ref>
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*[http://www.apatheticagnostic.com/articles/meds2/med40/med796.html The Atheism Vs. Agnosticism “Debate”]
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*[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by [[William Lane Craig]]
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*[http://carm.org/cut-atheism Atheism] by Matt Slick
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</ref>
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For more information, please see:
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*[[Definition of atheism]]
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*[[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic|Definitions of atheist and agnostic]]
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=== Some common types of atheism ===
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[[File:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]]'s atheistic regime killed tens of millions of people.
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<br />
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<br />
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See: [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] ]]
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Below are a few common ways that atheism manifests itself:
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'''1.''' [[Militant atheism]], which continues to suppress and oppress religious believers today.
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Topics related to militant atheism:
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* [[Atheism and communism]]
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* [[Atheism and intolerance]]
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* [[New Atheism]]
  
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=== Manifestations of atheism===
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* [[Atheism and dogmatism]]
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Below are three common ways that atheism manifests itself:
 
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* [[Militant atheism]] which continues to suppress and oppress religious believers today (see also: [[Atheism and communism]]).
 
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* [[Philosophy|Philosophical]] atheism - Atheist philosophers assert that God does not exist.
 
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* Practical atheism: atheism of the life - that is, ''living'' as though God does not exist.<ref>Dr. [[Martin Luther King]] in his sermon ''Rediscovering Lost Values'' spoke of "practical atheism".[http://www.globatron.org/truth/rediscovering-lost-values-martin-luther-king-early-sermon]</ref>
 
  
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== Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism ==
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* [[Atheism and open-mindedness]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism]] and [[Definition of atheism]] and [[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic]]
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'''2.''' Philosophical atheism - Atheist philosophers assert that God does not exist. (See also: [[Naturalism (philosophy)|Naturalism]] and [[Materialism]])
  
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[[File:Charles Bradlaugh.jpg|thumb|right|195px|[[Charles Bradlaugh]] ]]
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[[Secular humanism]] is a philosophy that holds that human beings are the most important figures, and that social problems are best solved without the involvement of religious doctrine.
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[[Charles Bradlaugh]], in 1876, proposed that atheism does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he diluted the traditional [[definition of atheism]]. Since 1979, many atheists have followed Bradlaugh's thinking further and stated that atheism is merely a lack of belief in any god.<ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - Etymology]</ref> <ref>[http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/bradlaugh.htm Positive Atheism's Big List of Charles Bradlaugh Quotations]</ref> The motive for such a shift in meaning appears to be to an attempt to shift the burden of proof regarding the existence of God to the [[theism]] side.<ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - Etymology]</ref>
 
  
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In the article, ''Is Atheism Presumptuous''?, atheist [[Jeffery Jay Lowder]], a founder of [[Internet Infidels]] which owns and operates the Secular Web (the Secular Web is a website focused on promoting atheism, [[agnosticism|agnosticism]] and [[Philosophical skepticism|skepticism]] on the internet), states that "I agree (with Copan) that anyone who claims, "God does not exist," must shoulder a burden of proof just as much as anyone who claims, "God exists."<ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - Etymology]</ref>
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The philosophy of [[postmodernism]] is atheistic (see: [[Atheism and postmodernism]]).
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In short, the attempt to redefine atheism is merely an attempt to make no assertions so no facts need be offered.<ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - Etymology]</ref>  The attempt to redefine atheism, however, is not in accordance with the standard definitions of atheism that encyclopedias of philosophy employ which is that atheism is a denial of the existence of God or gods.<ref>[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism Stanford Encyclopedia of Philisophy - Atheism and Agnosticism]</ref><ref name="cw"/><ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - Etymology]</ref>
 
  
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Atheism often relies on asserting fragile assumptions that are contrary to the existing evidence (see also: [[Christian apologetics|Evidence for Christianity]] ).<ref>
+
'''3.''' Atheistic [[Buddhism]] (some schools of Buddhism are [[theism|theistic]])
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*[http://www.examiner.com/x-19682-Atlanta-Church--Culture-Examiner~y2009m8d13-Arguments-Built-upon-Assumptions]
 
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*[http://www.examiner.com/x-19682-Atlanta-Church--Culture-Examiner~y2009m8d10-Atheisms-house-of-cards-Part-3]
 
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*[http://home.earthlink.net/~gbl111/resurrection.htm]
 
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*[http://creation.com]</ref>  In addition, atheists/skeptics do have a tradition of making assumptions that later have proved errant.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html</ref>  Also, prominent atheists, such as [[Charles Darwin]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin] ), have [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism|experienced doubts concerning the validity of atheism]].
 
  
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== Atheism is a religion ==
+
'''4.''' [[Practical atheism]]: atheism of the life - that is, ''living'' as though God does not exist.<ref>Dr. [[Martin Luther King]] in his sermon ''Rediscovering Lost Values'' spoke of "practical atheism".  King, Dr. Martin Luther (1954). [http://www.globatron.org/truth/rediscovering-lost-values-martin-luther-king-early-sermon "Rediscovering lost values"]</ref>
  
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Many of the leaders of the atheist movement, such as the evolutionist and [[weak atheism|weak atheist]]/[[agnosticism|agnostic]] [[Richard Dawkins]], argue for [[agnosticism]]/atheism with a religious fervor.
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'''5.''' Other schools of atheist thought: [[Schools of atheist thought]]
  
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Roderick Ninian Smart, a Scottish writer and professor, defined a seven-part scheme of understanding both religious and secular worldviews<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=14j2UrLCi64C&pg=PA130&lpg=PA130&dq=ninian+smart+narrative&source=bl&ots=Hq3WwG_mVT&sig=j-8FpwSdqohURYodSdcl46erSJY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FgybT6zxIc-_gAe864X6Dg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ninian%20smart%20narrative&f=false Dimensions of the Sacred, page 2]</ref>. These can be understood as narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, ritual and material.
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=== Atheist factions ===
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''See also:'' [[Atheist factions]] and [[Western atheism, schisms and political polarization]] and [[Atheist organizations]]
  
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English Pastor Daniel Smartt defines atheism as a religion, using Ninian Smart's seven dimensions of worldview as a list of criteria. It is not necessary in Smartt's model for every one of these to be present in order for something to be a religion.<ref>[http://www.helium.com/items/1227784-atheism-religion-naturalism-morally-relative "Atheism vs Religion"], Daniel Smartt</ref>. However, it can be argued that all seven are present in the case of atheism.<ref>[http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion Atheism: A religion]</ref><ref>[http://creation.com/atheism Atheism]</ref>
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On July 24, 2020, the atheist [[PZ Myers]] wrote about atheism: "Deep rifts, ongoing fragmentation, and crumbling reputations seems to be the order of the day in atheism."<ref>[https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2020/07/24/i-dont-even-know-whats-going-on-in-atheism-anymore/ I don’t even know what’s going on in atheism anymore] by [[PZ Myers]]</ref> See also: [[Atheist factions]] and [[Atheist organizations and scandals]] and [[Atheist scandals]]
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[[File:Richard Dawkins Stockholm.JPG|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|250px|right|[[Richard Dawkins]] was a central figure in the [[Elevatorgate]] controversy.]]
 +
Jacques Rousseau wrote in the ''Daily Maverick'': "[[Elevatorgate]]..has resulted in three weeks of infighting in the secular community. Some might observe that we indulge in these squabbles fairly frequently."<ref>Rousseau, Jacques (July 13, 2011). [http://dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2011-07-13-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-can-rip-my-soul "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can rip my soul"]. Daily Maverick [South Africa].</ref> An ex-atheist wrote: "As an Atheist for 40 years, I noticed that there is not just a wide variety of [[Schools of atheist thought|Atheist positions]], but there exists an actual battle between certain [[Atheist factions]]."<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/internet-atheism-is-still-hostile.html "The atheist community and internet atheism is still a hostile wasteland"] (April 7, 2013).  Question Evolution Campaign [blog].</ref>  
  
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Please see: [http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion Atheism: A religion]and [http://creation.com/atheism Atheism] and [[Atheism is a religion]].
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==== Atheist infighting ====
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''See also:'' [[Atheist movement]] and [[Atheism and anger]] and [[Atheists and conflict resolution]]  
  
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=== Atheism is a religion and its legal implications relative to the teaching of evolution ===
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[[Blair Scott]] served on the [[American Atheists]] board of directors.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140701062412/http://atheists.org/about-us/board-of-directors "Board of directors"] (July 1, 2014).  American Atheists</ref>  Mr. Scott formerly served as a State Director for the [[American Atheists]] organization in the state of [[Alabama]].  On December 1, 2012, he quit his post as a director of outreach for the American Atheists due to infighting within the American [[atheist movement]].<ref name="Blair Scott">Former 2012 web page at Atheist.org website entitled "An Open Letter from Blair Scott"</ref>
  
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[[Atheism is a religion]] and [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalistic]] notions of origins are religious which has legal implications relative to [[evolution]] being taught in public schools.<ref>http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion</ref><ref>http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_error_summary.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_Error.pdf</ref>
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Mr. Blair wrote: "I have spent the last week mulling over what I want to do at this point in the movement. I’m tired of the in-fighting: at every level. I am especially tired of allowing myself to get sucked into it and engaging in the very behavior that is irritating...me."<ref name="Blair Scott"/>
  
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John Calvert, a lawyer and [[intelligent design]] proponent declared:
+
The atheist Neil Carter wrote: "Friends of mine have noted lately how biting and critical the atheist community can be, not only toward outsiders, but even toward its own members. Has there ever been a subculture more prone to eating its own than this one? I really don’t know."<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godlessindixie/2016/06/12/its-past-time-for-atheism-to-grow-up/ It’s Past Time for Atheism to Grow Up] by Neil Carter</ref>
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{{cquote|The Seventh Judicial Circuit of the Court of Appeals of the [[United States]] held that atheism is a [[religion]]. Therefore, it cannot be promoted by a public school. Currently, public schools are often unwittingly promoting atheism through a dogmatic and uncritical teaching of [[Evolution|materialistic theories of origins]].<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2011/12/effects-of-question-evolution-campaign.html The effects of the Question Evolution! Campaign will be devastating to evolutionary belief and atheism]</ref>}}
 
  
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The atheist philosopher of science [[Michael Ruse]] admitted: "Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."<ref>Ruse, M., How evolution became a religion: creationists correct? National Post, pp. B1,B3,B7 May 13, 2000.</ref> In the their [[Question evolution! campaign]], [[Creation Ministries International]] asks as a part of their 15 questions for evolutionists: "Why is a fundamentally religious idea, a dogmatic belief system that fails to explain the evidence, taught in science classes?...If “you can’t teach religion in science classes”, why is evolution taught?<ref>[http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists]</ref>  
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The atheist [[David Smalley]] said about the atheist movement: "We're eating our own... We’re disintegrating."<ref name="patheos.com">[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dogmadebate/2017/06/reasonably-controversial-regressive-left-killing-atheist-movement/ Reasonably Controversial: How the Regressive Left Is Killing the Atheist Movement] by David Smalley</ref>
  
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[[File:Throat.png|right|165px|thumbnail|A proponent of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] declared that "[[Evolution]] is the air supply of atheism. ..to truly prevail against atheism, cutting off the air supply of atheism is crucial."<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2011/12/cutting-off-air-supply-of-atheism.html Cutting off the air supply of atheism]</ref>]]
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{{See also|Antitheism and antisocial behavior}}
  
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=== Biblical Christianity vs. evangelical atheism ===
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==== Atheist infighting causing fundraising difficulties ====
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[[File:Hemant Mehta at Skepticon 7.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|The [[atheist]] [[Hemant Mehta]] said about raising money from fellow nonbelievers: "Meanwhile, I’ve had one hell of a time convincing people to give to the Foundation Beyond Belief — and I help lead that organization."
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<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/01/08/a-few-thoughts-about-fundraising/ A Few Thoughts About Fundraising]</ref>
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<br />
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<br />
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See also: [[Atheist organizations and fundraising]] and [[Atheism and charity]] ]]
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''See also:'' [[Atheist organizations and fundraising]] and [[Atheist fundraising vs. religious fundraising]] and [[Atheism and charity]]
  
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A proponent of the anti-evolution [[Question evolution! campaign]] by [[Creation Ministries International]] wrote:
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In 2017, the [[atheist activist]] Lee Moore declared about [[American atheism|American atheist]] organizations:
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{{cquote|Atheism is a religion. And atheists, time and time again, take away the religious liberty of [[Christianity|Christians]] in order to promote their false religion. [[Evolution]] is the air supply of atheism. Directly confronting atheism can be useful. But, the best way for Christianity to prevail against secularism is through preventative medicine. Reaching young people with the gospel and discipling them is a first step. Yet to truly prevail against atheism, cutting off the air supply of atheism is crucial.
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{{Cquote|If you look at the major atheist groups right now, like the national groups, the ones that are doing the real activist work... They are not bringing in the kind of donations they used to. Most of them are starved for cash. They're downsizing left and right. Because people aren't just giving like they used to. And I talked to a lot of the major donors out there and they said, "Well, we're kind of tired of seeing the atheist community just fight amongst itself and not really get anything done. We'd rather not give money if we don't think it's going to go somewhere."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvG6LKUbOdk Lee Moore and Steve Shives Talk About the Future of the Atheist Movement]
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- video quote comes 21 minutes and 13 seconds into the video</ref>}}
  
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The grassroots [http://creation.com/question-evolution Question evolution! campaign] can reach countless young people before evolutionists indoctrinate them in high school and college.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2011/12/cutting-off-air-supply-of-atheism.html Cutting off the air supply of atheism]</ref>}}
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==== Eddie Tabash on atheist argumentativeness ====
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]
  
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The [[American atheism|American atheist]] activist [[Eddie Tabash]] said in a speech to the Michigan Atheists State Convention, "Since we are a bit of a cantankerous, opinionated lot...".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ld9Rfw5HUs Atheists Speak Up - Eddie Tabash - Part 2 of 4]</ref>
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==== Angry and bitter demeanor of militant atheists ====
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and anger]] and [[Atheism and forgiveness|Atheism and unforgiveness]]
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 +
On January 1, 2011, [[CNN]] reported:
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{{cquote|People unaffiliated with organized religion, atheists and agnostics also report anger toward God either in the past, or anger focused on a hypothetical image - that is, what they imagined God might be like - said lead study author Julie Exline, Case Western Reserve University psychologist.
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 +
In studies on college students, atheists and agnostics reported more anger at God during their lifetimes than believers.<ref>Landau, Elizabeth (January 1, 2011).  [http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/01/anger-at-god-common-even-among-atheists/ "Anger at God common, even among atheists"].  CNN/The Chart website.</ref>}}
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[[File:Angry atheist.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|An angry atheist speaking to a woman with a Bible in her hand.
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<br />
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<br />
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The Christian philosopher James S. Spiegel says that the path from Christianity to atheism among several of his friends involved moral slippages such as resentment or unforgiveness.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-philosopher-explores-causes-of-atheism-44353/ Christian Philosopher Explores Causes of Atheism]</ref> See:  [[Atheism and forgiveness|Atheism and unforgiveness]]]]
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According to Anthony DeStefano:
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{{cquote|But are (atheists) really dangerous, too?
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 +
You bet they are. The truth is, the atheist position is incapable of supporting any coherent system of morality other than ruthless social Darwinism. That’s why it has caused more deaths, murders and bloodshed than any other belief system in the history of the world.
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Atheists, of course, are always claiming hysterically that Christianity has been responsible for most of the world’s wars, but that’s just another example of atheistic ignorance. The main reasons for war have always been economic gain, territorial gain, civil and revolutionary conflicts.  According to Philip Axelrod’s monumental "Encyclopedia of Wars," only 6.98 percent or all wars from 8000 BC to the present were religious in nature. If you subtract Islamic wars from the equation, only 3.2 percent of wars were due to specifically Christian causes.  That means that over 96 percent of all the wars on this planet were due to worldly reasons.<ref name="Today's atheists">[https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/03/20/todays-atheists-are-bullies-and-are-doing-their-best-to-intimidate-rest-us-into-silence.html Today's atheists are bullies -- and they are doing their best to intimidate the rest of us into silence] at Fox News</ref>}}
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Various studies found that traumatic events in people's lives have a positive correlation with "emotional atheism".<ref>Carter, Joe (January 12, 2011). [http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2011/01/when-atheists-are-angry-at-god "When atheists are angry at God"].  First Things [The Institute on Religion and Public Life] website.</ref>
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The atheist and [[lesbianism|lesbian]] [[Greta Christina]] told the journalist Chris Mooney on the Point of Inquiry podcast, "there isn't one emotion" that affects atheists "but anger is one of the emotions that many of us have ...[it] drives others to participate in the movement."<ref>Mooney, Chris (May 14, 2012).  [http://www.pointofinquiry.org/greta_christina_why_are_you_atheists_so_angry/ "Greta Christina—Why are you atheists so angry?"] [interview of Greta Christina] Point of Inquiry website.</ref>
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 +
Social science research indicates that [[Antitheism|antitheists]] score the highest among atheists when it comes to personality traits such as [[narcissism]], dogmatism, and anger.<ref>Multiple references:
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*[http://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/science-shows-new-atheists-to-be-mean-and-closed-minded/ "Science shows new atheists to be mean and closed-minded"] (July 18, 2013).  Shadow to Light [blog].
 +
*Haidt, Jonathan (March 5, 2014).  [https://evolution-institute.org/article/why-sam-harris-is-unlikely-to-change-his-mind10/  "Why Sam Harris is unlikely to change his mind"]</ref>  Furthermore, they scored lowest when it comes to agreeableness and positive relations with others.<ref>[http://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/science-shows-new-atheists-to-be-mean-and-closed-minded/ "Science shows new atheists to be mean and closed-minded"] (July 18, 2013).  Shadow to Light [blog].</ref>
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For additional information, please see: [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and  [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]] and [[Atheism and forgiveness|Atheism and unforgiveness]] and [[Atheism and bitterness]]
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 +
== Atheism and its retention rate in individuals ==
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and its retention rate in individuals]] and [[Conversion from atheism to Christianity]] and [[Atheism and children]] and [[Desecularization]] and [[Atheism and apathy]]
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[[File:Georgetown 2.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household in the United States remain atheists as adults.<ref name="retention rate">Nazworth, Nap (July 11, 2012). [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"]. christianpost.com.</ref>
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 +
See: [[Atheism and its retention rate in individuals]] ]]
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In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults.<ref name="retention rate"/>  See also: [[Atheism and children]]
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A 2012 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>Harms, William (April 18, 2012). [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".] UChicagoNews.</ref> The Pew Forum reports about [[American atheism|American atheists]]: "Among self-identified atheists and agnostics, the median age is 34, and roughly four-in-ten adults in these categories are between the ages of 18 and 29."<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/chapter-3-demographic-profiles-of-religious-groups/ Chapter 3: Demographic Profiles of Religious Groups], Pew Forum</ref> See also: [[Atheism and immaturity]].
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 +
In addition, in atheistic Communist China, [[Christianity]] is experiencing rapid growth (see: [[Growth of Christianity in China]]).  Also, there was a collapse of atheism in the former [[Soviet Union]] (see: [[Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union]]).
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<br />
 +
<br />
 
See also:  
 
See also:  
  
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*[[Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality]]
+
*[[Desecularization]]
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*[[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates]]
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*[[Decline of the atheist movement]]
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*[[Atheism and deception]]
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*[[Atheism and inspiration]]
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*[[Atheist indoctrination]]
  
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== Biblical statements concerning atheism ==
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=== Difficulty in participating in atheist community ===
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and loneliness]] and [[Atheism and apathy]] and [[Atheism and motivation]] and [[Internet atheism]]
  
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''see also:'' [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
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According to an international study done by William Bainbridge, atheism is frequent among people whose interpersonal social obligations are weak and is also linked to lower fertility rates in advanced industrial nations (See also: [[Atheism and fertility rates]]).<ref>Bainbridge, William (2005). "[http://www.religjournal.com/pdf/ijrr01002.pdf Atheism]" (PDF). Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. 1 (Article 2): 1–26.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and loneliness]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social skills]]
  
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[[File:Psalmist David2.jpg|thumb|115px|left|The psalmist [[David]] wrote: "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'"]]
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In comparison to many religious groups, which have many meetings/conferences in numerous places in a given day or week that are convenient to attend, atheist meetings and [[atheist conferences]] are sparse. One of the causes of this situation is the apathy of many atheists (see: [[Atheism and apathy]] and [[Atheism and motivation]]).  
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The writers of the [[Bible]] considered the existence of God to be self-evident and [[Moses]] simply wrote: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." ([[Genesis]] 1:1).<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/Home/Area/AnswersBook/existence1.asp</ref>
 
  
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Accordingly, the psalmist [[David]] declared:
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Most [[atheist organizations]] are relatively small in terms of active participants as most atheists are apathetic about organized atheism (see: [[Atheism and apathy]]). An exception is the [[Communist Party of China]], which requires its members be atheists (see: [[Atheism and China]] and [[Atheism and communism]]). At the same time, due to the explosive [[growth of Christianity in China]], there are now more Christians in China than Chinese who belong to the Communist Party of China (see also: [[East Asia and global desecularization]]).<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/in-xi-we-trust-is-china-cracking-down-on-christianity/a-42224752 In Xi we trust - Is China cracking down on Christianity?], DW News</ref>
  
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"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." - [[Psalms]] 14:1 ([[King James Bible|KJV]])
+
In recent times, the number of people attending atheist conferences has grown smaller.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tippling/2017/07/13/10923/ Whoever I Don’t Like Is Ruining the Atheist Movement] by Jeremiah Traeger
 +
*[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dogmadebate/2017/06/reasonably-controversial-regressive-left-killing-atheist-movement/ Reasonably Controversial: How the Regressive Left Is Killing the Atheist Movement] by David Smalley
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*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luT2vQ3ctKU #ReasonRally Crash n burn. Thanks SJWs!] by [[Thunderf00t]]</ref> Atheist [[David Smalley]] wrote: "And we wonder why we’re [[Atheism and politics|losing elections]], [[Atheist fundraising vs. religious fundraising#Atheist organizations and fundraising|losing funding]], and our conferences are getting smaller."<ref name="patheos.com"/> In 2017, the atheist activist Lee Moore said about atheist conferences, "Most conferences are gone now. They're either gone or in some kind of life support form."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvG6LKUbOdk Lee Moore and Steve Shives Talk About the Future of the Atheist Movement], video, quote comes at the 11 minute and 44 seconds point of the video</ref>
  
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The psalmist David also wrote "The heavens declare the glory of God..." - Psalms 19:1
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[[File:Jerry Coyne at The Amazing Meeting - 2013.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|[[Jerry Coyne]] speaking at a 2013 [[Atheist conferences|atheist meeting]] entitled The Amazing Meeting (TAM). TAM is an annual meeting. ]]
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Atheist Francois Tremblay wrote about the difficulty of motivating atheists to engage in activities related to atheism: "One last problem that undermines any propagation of atheism is inspiration. Let's be honest here, "there is no god!" is not a very motivating call for most people." (see also: [[Atheism and inspiration]]).<ref>[http://www.liberator.net/articles/TremblayFrancois/herdingcats.html Herding Cats: Why Atheism Will Lose] by Francois Tremblay</ref>  The atheist [[Jerry Coyne]] said about atheist meetings/conferences, "But to me the speakers and talks have often seemed repetitive: the same crew of jet-set skeptics giving the same talks."<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/are-there-too-many-atheist-meetings/ Are there too many atheist meetings?] by Jerry Coyne</ref>
  
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In his letter to the Romans the [[Apostle Paul]] declared:
+
In an essay entitled ''How the [[Atheist movement|Atheist Movement]] Failed Me'', an [[atheism and women|atheist woman]] noted that participation in the atheist community is often expensive due to the cost of attending [[atheist conferences]] and even local atheist meetings in restaurants and bars challenged her modest budget.<ref>Amanda (August 10, 2012).  [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/08/10/how-the-atheist-movement-failed-me-part-1-cost/ "How the atheist movement failed me–part 1: cost"].  Friendly Atheist blog.</ref>  As a result of the challenges that atheists commonly have in terms of socializing in person, many atheists [[Internet atheism|turn to the internet]] in terms of communicating with other atheists.<ref>Norris, Chuck (May 21, 2007).  [https://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55789 "How to outlaw Christianity (steps 2 & 3)"].  WorldNetDaily. See: [[Chuck Norris]].</ref> Often internet communication between atheists turns contentious (see: [[Atheist factions]]).
  
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"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse..." - [[Romans]] 1:19-20 (NKJV)
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[[Christianity|Christian]] organizations have been significantly more successful than [[atheist organizations]] as far as evangelizing via the internet (see: [[Internet evangelism: Christians vs. atheists]] and [[Internet atheism]]). Beginning sometime between 2008 and 2012, there has been a big decline in [[internet atheism]] in terms of web traffic (See: [[Internet atheism web traffic volume]]).<ref name="questionevolution.blogspot.com">[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/internet-atheism-and-skepticism-thrill.html Internet atheism: The thrill is gone!]</ref>
  
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== Tenuousness of atheism in prominent atheists and in large populations ==
+
For more information, please see: [[Atheism and loneliness]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]] and [[Denials that atheists exist]]
+
=== Abandonment of atheism and communist regimes ===
 +
*[[Growth of Christianity in China]]
 +
*[[Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union]]
 +
*[[Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union#Growth of Protestantism in Russia|Growth of Protestantism/Evangelicalism in Russia]]
  
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[[Image:Sartre1.gif|thumb|150px|right|[[Jean-Paul Sartre]]]]
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== Decline of the atheist movement ==
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Notable professing atheists have had the characteristic of variability and instability when it came to maintaining thoughts in accordance with atheism. For example, [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] was one of the leading proponents of atheism of the 20th Century. Yet Jean-Paul Sartre made this candid confession:
+
''See also:'' [[Decline of the atheist movement]] and [[Morale of the atheist movement]] and [[Desecularization]] and [[Atheist movement]]
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{{cquote|As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I often think rather in this way, for wont of ''being able to think otherwise''.<ref>[http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/apologetics/AP0702W4.htm Is Christianity Alone Fully True and is Jesus Christ Really the Only Way To God? -- Part 4]</ref>}}
 
  
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[[Image:darwin.jpg|thumb|120px|left|[[Charles Darwin]]]]
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[[File:Jacques Berlinerblau.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|In 2011, atheist [[Jacques Berlinerblau]] declared: "The Golden Age of [[Secularism]] has passed."<ref name="chronicle.com">Berlinerblau, Jacques (February 4, 2011).  [http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/obama-at-the-national-prayer-breakfast-raging-christ-fest-secular-wake/31816 "Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast"].  The Chronicle of Higher Education/Brainstorm blog.  Retrieved on May 29, 2015.</ref>]]
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[[Charles Darwin]] wrote in his private notebooks that he was a [[materialism|materialist]], which is a type of atheist. (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin) ]<ref>[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1877 Darwin’s real message: have you missed it?]</ref><ref>American Scientist May 1977:323</ref>
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Numerous atheists have declared that the "[[atheist movement]] is dead" or that it is dying.<ref>
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190208025358/https://freethoughtblogs.com/reasoner/2017/10/21/the-atheism-movement-dead-or-alive/ The “Atheism Movement:” Dead or Alive?], [[Freethought Blogs]]
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*[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/11/seth-andrews-keeps-hearing-reports-of.html Atheist activist Seth Andrews keeps seeing reports on social media and the media that the atheist movement is dying], ''Examining Atheism''
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*[http://examiningatheism.blogspot.com/2017/10/now-that-that-poseur-atheist-aron-ra.html Atheist Aron Ra indicates the atheist movement is dead. Now that that Aron Ra has surrendered....], ''[[Examining Atheism]]''
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*[http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/12/the-day-atheist-movement-died.html The Day the Atheist Movement Died] by Jack Vance at Atheist Revolution
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*[https://twitter.com/jennifurret/status/405391218273554433 Jennifer McCreight on Twitter about the Elevatorgate scandal destroying the atheist movement], [[Jen McCreight]], Twitter
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*[https://freethoughtblogs.com/atrivialknot/2019/03/26/the-ghost-of-atheist-past/ The ghost of atheist past], Freethought Blogs, 2015</ref> See: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]
  
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The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states:
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Before the atheist movement died/declined, various atheists attempted to change the public's perception concerning atheism and atheists, but they were largely unsuccessful (see: [[Attempts to positively rebrand atheism]]).
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{{cquote|In 1885, the Duke of Argyll recounted a conversation he had had with Charles Darwin the year before Darwin's death:
 
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In the course of that conversation I said to Mr. Darwin, with reference to some of his own remarkable works on the Fertilization of [[Orchid]]s, and upon The [[Earthworm]]s, and various other observations he made of the wonderful contrivances for certain purposes in nature — I said it was impossible to look at these without seeing that they were the effect and the expression of Mind. I shall never forget Mr. Darwin's answer. He looked at me very hard and said, “Well, that often comes over me with overwhelming force; but at other times,” and he shook his head vaguely, adding, “it seems to go away. ”(Argyll 1885, 244)<ref>[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html Notes to Teleological Arguments for God's Existence]</ref>}}
 
  
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=== Research on the weakness of individuals' attachment to atheism through secularistic upbringing ===
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At the 2018 [[American Atheists]] convention, the ex-president of the [[American Atheists]] organization [[David Silverman]] declared regarding the [[Morale of the atheist movement|atheist movement being in a demoralized state]]:
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{{Cquote|It is a hard time to be [[Atheist activist|an atheist activist]]. This has affected us. And it has affected our community...
  
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''See also:'' [[Weakness of secularistic upbringing]]
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...it has really affected us. We are suffering a level of [[defeatism]] that I have never seen before...
  
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[[File:Georgetown 2.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an 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>]]
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We feel the loss. And we feel like we have lost. We feel like [[Donald Trump and American atheists|we lost the election]]... We see this cascade of attack coming down at us over and over from all different directions and we feel like it's over. I have heard so many times it makes me sick. It makes me sad. It feels like we lost.  
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In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an 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> Similarly, according to recent research by the Pew 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 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>  A notable example of a person raised in a atheistic household who later became a Christian is William J. Murray.  Mr. Murray is the son of the late atheist [[Madalyn Murray O'Hair]] who founded the organization American Atheists. In 1982, William J. Murray founded the [[Religious Freedom Coalition]].
 
  
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An article published by a [[Question evolution! campaign]] group entitled ''Georgetown University study provides two clues to shrinking atheism faster'' declares:
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The [[Atheism and apathy|apathy that follows]]. It doesn't matter. We can't win anyways. It's useless to fight. This apathy is infecting us. It's hurting us.
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{{cquote|Since atheism has a low retention rate among people raised atheists, one of the best methods of speeding up the [[Decline of atheism|global decline of atheism]] is though evolutionism and atheism inoculation. In other words, let Christians and the general public know about the many problems of atheism and evolutionary ideology and the many problems they cause BEFORE individuals consider becoming atheists ([[Atheism and suicide]], atheism and its [[Atheism and mass murder|history of mass murder]], etc. See: [http://creation.com/atheism Atheism])...
 
  
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Atheism, [[agnosticism]] and [[evolution]]ism do not stand up under critical examination that is why [[Richard Dawkins]], the British Humanist Association and leading evolutionists have recently ducked [[Atheism and cowardice|notable debate offers]]. They know their weak ideologies cannot withstand cross-examination.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/georgetown-university-study-reveals-key.html Georgetown University study provides two clues to shrinking atheism faster]</ref>}}
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And people are reacting to each other now. And so that is [[Atheist factions|causing a division]]. Lots and lots of division in our movement. Hard, bad division... And that has resulted in a splintering and factioning of the movement that I have never seen before and none of us have.
  
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In addition, as noted earlier, in atheistic [[Communism|Communist]] China, Christianity  is experiencing explosive growth.<ref>http://www.millennialstar.org/christianity-exploding-in-china/</ref><ref>http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/2008/August/Christianity-Growing-in-China-/</ref>  On July 3, 2005, the [[New York Times]] reported concerning many countries in the former [[Soviet Union]]: "A return to religion in [[Romania]] and the region's other formerly Communist countries has in many places outrun the speed at which the church can screen and train clergy..."<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/03/international/europe/03romania.html</ref>
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In other words, we're in a bad situation and it's getting worse.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8VYLMYvImc David Silverman - How the Mighty Get Back Up]</ref>}}
  
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== Atheism losing adherents in terms of the global population ==
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In 2017, atheist [[David Smalley]] has indicated that [[leftism|leftist]]/[[progressivism|progressive]] atheists were "killing the atheist movement" through being contentious and divisive (see also: [[Atheist factions]]).<ref name="patheos.com"/>  Former [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[PZ Myers]], who subscribes to progressive politics, says he is no longer a member of the atheist movement.<ref>[https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2017/08/26/get-out-a-message-for-the-atheist-movement/ Get Out! A message for the atheist movement] by PZ Myers</ref>
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[[File:Graph-crash.png|200px|thumbnail|right|The 2004 to 2007 publicity campaign for atheism in the [[Western World]] was not sustainable. The level of public interest in atheism is not coming back in the West and [[global atheism]] is shrinking.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-2004-to-2007-publicity-campaign-for.html The 2004 to 2007 publicity campaign for atheism was not sustainable. Level of public interest is not coming back]</ref> ]]
 
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''See also:'' [[Global atheism]] and [[American atheism]] and [[Atheist Population]] and [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
 
  
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In 2012, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary reported that globally every day there are 800 less atheists per day, 1,100 less non-religious ([[agnosticism|agnostic]]) people per day and 83,000 more people professing to be Christians per day.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/globally-worldviews-of-atheism-and-non.html Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents]</ref><ref>[http://www.gordonconwell.edu/resources/documents/StatusOfGlobalMission.pdf Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - Status of Global Missions]</ref>
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The atheist movement saw a number of setbacks during the latter portion of the 20th century and beyond in terms of historical events/trends (See: [[Causes of desecularization]]).  As a result, it has lost a considerable amount of confidence (see also: [[Decline of the atheist movement]] and [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]).
  
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In 2011, the ''[[American Spectator]]'' citing research published in the ''International Bulletin of Missionary Research'' reported that atheism is on the decline as a whole in terms of adherents .<ref>http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity</ref><ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/globally-worldviews-of-atheism-and-non.html Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents]</ref> 
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Globally, the [[atheist population]] is declining in terms of the percentage of the world's population that are atheists (see: [[Global atheism statistics]]).
  
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The ''American Spectator'' declared:
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==Atheism and Communism ==
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{{cquote|The report estimates about 80,000 new [[Christianity|Christians]] every day, 79,000 new [[Islam|Muslims]] every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the [[Western World|West]], while religion is thriving in the Global South, where [[Charismatic movement|charismatic Christianity]] is exploding."<ref>http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/28/thriving-christianity</ref>}}
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''see also:'' [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Militant atheism]] and [[Atheism and economics]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Atheist cults]] and [[Atheism and Karl Marx]]  
  
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In 2009, the book ''A sceptics guide to atheism'' indicated: "A worldwide poll taken in 1991
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[[Image:Khvhkgfiy.jpg|left|thumbnail|200px|[[Vladimir Lenin]]]]
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put the global figure for atheists at just 4.4% of the population. By 2006 it was estimated that only 2% of the world population were atheists."<ref>[http://www.facingthechallenge.org/scepticsguide.pdf ''A sceptics guide to atheism'', page 4]</ref>
 
  
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In 2012 an article entitled ''Atheism in decline'' by Nigel Tomes declared:
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=== Atheists Karl Marx, Vladmir Lenin and Chou En-lai ===
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{{cquote|The IBMR publishes yearly figures for religions (and non religions) around the globe. Their latest numbers, hot off the press (Jan. 2012) show some interesting trends.
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[[Karl Marx]] said "[Religion] is the opium of the people."  Marx also stated: "[[Communism]] begins from the outset (Owen) with atheism; but atheism is at first far from being communism; indeed, that atheism is still mostly an abstraction."<ref>Mulligan, Martin (1959). [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/comm.htm "Private property and communism"] translation of Marx, Karl (1932), ''Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844'' (Moscow:  Progress Publishers).</ref>
  
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Atheism is in Decline
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[[Vladimir Lenin]] similarly wrote regarding atheism and Communism: "A Marxist must be a [[materialism|materialist]], i.e., an enemy of religion, but a dialectical materialist, i.e., one who treats the struggle against religion not in an abstract way, not on the basis of remote, purely theoretical, never varying preaching, but in a concrete way, on the basis of the [[class struggle]] which is going on in practice and is educating the masses more and better than anything else could."<ref>Rothstein, Andrew and Issacs, Bernard (1973). [http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1909/may/13.htm "The attitude of the worker's party to religion"] translation of Lenin, Vladimir (1909), ''Proletary'', No. 45, May 13 (26), ''Collected Works'', (Moscow: Progress Publishers) vol. 15, pp. 402-13.</ref>
  
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In 1970 atheists (those avowing there is no God) numbered 166 million worldwide; that was almost one-in-twenty—4.5% of the globe’s population. By 2012 atheists’ number is estimated at 137 million. That’s a decline of almost 30 million. Since world population is growing, atheists’ share declined to less than one-in-fifty—under 2% in 2012. Put differently, every 24 hours there are 800 fewer atheists in the world! Atheism is in decline.
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In 1955, the [[China|Chinese]] Communist leader Chou En-lai declared, "We Communists are atheists".<ref>Noebel, David, The Battle for Truth, Harvest House, 2001.</ref> 
  
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Agnosticism is in Decline
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In 2014, the Communist Party of China reaffirmed that members of their party must be atheists.<ref>
 +
*[https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/19567-china-s-communist-party-reaffirms-marxism-maoism-atheism China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism], ''New American'', 2014
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*[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/02/china-communist-party-atheism-zhejiang-ban-religious-members-christianity_n_6599722.html China's Communist Party Bans Believers, Doubles Down On Atheism]</ref>
  
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In 2000 agnostics (those who “don’t know” if there is a God) numbered 666 million, 10.9% of the world’s people. By 2012 agnostic’s number is estimated at 661 million--a decline of 5 million. In relative terms by 2012 agnostics represent less than one tenth (9.4%) of world population. Every 24 hours there are 1,100 less agnostics in the world. Agnostics are also in decline.
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In 2016, the ''International Business Times'' reported:
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{{cquote|A senior Chinese advisor on religious affairs has said the country should promote atheism throughout society, in remarks that appear to reflect a deepening campaign to reinforce traditional Marxist values in China — and could add to concern about official attitudes among believers in the country’s five officially recognized religions.<ref>[http://www.ibtimes.com/senior-chinese-religious-advisor-calls-promotion-atheism-society-2363850 Senior Chinese Religious Advisor Calls For Promotion Of Atheism In Society], ''International Business Times''</ref>}}
  
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Added together these two groups make up a declining share of global population. In 1970 atheists and agnostics accounted for one-in-five (19.2%) of the world’s people. Based on current trends by 2025 they will represent less than one-in-ten (9.7%). Their population share will fall by half in 50+ years.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/globally-worldviews-of-atheism-and-non.html Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents]</ref>}}
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=== Russian Revolution caused the most notable spread of atheism ===
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According to the [[University of Cambridge]], historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 [[Russian Revolution]], which brought the [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninists]] to power."<ref name="Marxism-Leninism">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728215151/http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title=Investigating atheism: Marxism|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate=July 17, 2014}}</ref>  
  
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=== Decline of atheism in terms of global adherents is expected to accelerate ===
+
Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg, a Soviet physicist, wrote that the "[[Bolshevik]] communists were not merely atheists but, according to [[Lenin]]'s terminology, militant atheists."<ref name="Lenin & militant atheism">{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ufC9Ar8iuDcC&pg=PA161&dq=The+Bolshevik+communists+were+not+merely+atheists+but,+according+to+Lenin%27s+terminology,+militant+atheists.&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1oFUUdj6PIiK0QGvq4CAAw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=The%20Bolshevik%20communists%20were%20not%20merely%20atheists%20but%2C%20according%20to%20Lenin's%20terminology%2C%20militant%20atheists.&f=false|title =''On Superconductivity and Superfluidity: A Scientific Autobiography'' |author=Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg|publisher = Springer Science+Business Media|pages=161|year=2009|quote=The Bolshevik communists were not merely atheists but, according to Lenin's terminology, militant atheists.|accessdate = July 17, 2014}}</ref> However, prior to this, the [[Reign of Terror]] of the [[French Revolution]] established a state which was anti-[[Roman Catholicism]]/Christian in nature <ref>Multiple references:
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[[File:Birkbeck College, University of London.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|Eric Kaufmann, a professor at [[Birkbeck College, University of London]], using a a wealth of demographic studies argues the decline of atheism in terms of its global adherents is an established trend that will persist for the foreseeable future and the rate of decline will accelerate.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]</ref><ref>[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]</ref><ref>[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]</ref><ref>[http://fora.tv/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref>]]
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*Tallet, Frank and Atkin, Nicholas (1991). [https://books.google.com/books?id=aL4lsWdd-rAC&dq=&hl=en ''Religion, Society and Politics in France Since 1789''] (London: A & C Black), pp. 1-17. GoogleBooks archive.
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''See also:'' [[Global atheism]] and [[American atheism]] and [[Atheist Population]] and [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
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*Spielvogel, Jackson J. (2006).  [https://books.google.com/books?id=ni4PSpOxb6MC&dq ''Western Civilization: Combined Volume''] (Belmont, CA:  Thomson Wadsworth), p. 549.  GoogleBooks archive.
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*Latreille, A. (2002).  "French Revolution", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'' (2nd ed., Farmington Hills, MI:  Thomson/Gale), vol. 5, pp. 972–973.  ISBN 0-7876-4004-2</ref> (anti-clerical [[deism]] and anti-religious atheism and played a significant role in the French Revolution<ref>Multiple references:
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*Hunt, Lynn and Censer, Jack (2001).  [https://web.archive.org/web/20140905120047/http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap7c.html "War, Terror and Resistence", ch. 7, p. 3].  Liberty, Equality, Fraternity:  Exploring the French Revolution website.  George Mason University website/Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media website.
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*O'Leary, Margaret R. (June 1, 2012). ''Forging Freedom: The Life of Cerf Berr of M Delsheim'' (iUniverse), pp. 1-2.</ref>), with the official ideology being the [[Cult of Reason]]; during this time thousands of believers were suppressed and executed by the [[guillotine]].<ref>Multiple notes:
 +
<!-- Guillotine -->*{{cite web|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=bf3m7IVAa9gC&pg=PA461&dq=France+atheism+guillotine++Christians+executed&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l4lUUaTRBufG0QGe0IHACA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=France%20atheism%20guillotine%20%20Christians%20executed&f=false|title =''Christianity: The eBook''|last=Adair|first=James|publisher = JBE Online Books|year=2007|quote=Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a list of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Terror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.|pages=461|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}
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:
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<!-- France -->*{{cite web|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9WkBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =''Memoirs of the Reign of George III. to the Session of Parliament ending A.D. 1793'', Volume 5|page=105|first=William|last=Belsham|publisher = G.G. & J. Robinson|year=1801|quote=In allusion to the monstrous transactions of this portentous period, it has been eloquently and energetically observed, 'that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:—in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex, in indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations.'
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:"It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while 'the death dance of democratic revolution' was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, 'the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace.'|pages=105–6|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}<!-- Reign of Terror -->
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:
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*{{cite book no ws|title=Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West|first=William|last=Kilpatrick|location=San Francisco, CA|publisher=Ignatius Press|year=2012|url=https://books.google.com?id=Tt5rqiCP1p8C&pg=PA57&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|quote=Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that was nourished by Christianity and the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring—National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructs.
 +
:"It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, 'The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man.' Actually this transition happened not 'ultimately' but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract 'reason' and 'liberty' degenerated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. 'Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name', said Madame Roland as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution moments before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of 'liberty', 'equality', and 'reason'.
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:"As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.|pages=p. 57|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}</ref>
  
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Eric Kaufmann, a professor at Birkbeck, University of London, using a a wealth of demographic studies argues the decline of atheism in terms of its global adherents is an established trend that will persist for the foreseeable future and the rate of decline will accelerate.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]</ref><ref>[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]</ref><ref>[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]</ref><ref>[http://fora.tv/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref> In addition, Kaufmann argues that religious conservatism has a long term trend of rising and that their influence in the world will significantly increase.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First
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=== Atheistic Communism and mass murder ===
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Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Atheist atrocities]]
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London]</ref> Kaufmann is author of the book ''Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?''.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books/about/Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth.html?id=nXVylycU2gQC Shall the religious inherit the earth by David Kaufmann]</ref><ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First
+
[[File:Stalin-Lenin.jpg|right|202px|thumb|The militant atheistic regime of [[Joseph Stalin]] killed tens of millions of people.
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Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of
+
<br />
−
London]</ref> In the [[Western World]] due to immigration and the higher birth rates of religious people, Kaufman writes: "Committed religious populations are growing in the
+
<br />
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West, and will reverse the march of secularism before 2050."<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]</ref>
+
Joseph Stalin is the figure on the right and [[Vladimir Lenin]] is the figure on the left,
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
See: [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] ]]
 +
It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of Communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 and 259,432,000 human lives.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*[http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hpcws/lelivrenoir.htm "''The Black Book of Communism''"].  Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences website:  Cold War Studies. 
 +
*Rummel, R. J. (November 1993).  [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"] University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War
 +
*White, Matthew (February 2011).  [http://necrometrics.com/20c5m.htm "Source list and detailed death tolls for the primary megadeaths of the twentieth century"].  Necrometrics
 +
*Radosh, Ronald (February 2000). [http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2526 "''The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression''"]. First Things [journal] website.</ref> Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.<ref>Rummel, R. J. (November 1993).  [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"]  University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War.</ref> [[Richard Dawkins]] has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities]] and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error. See also: [[Atheism and historical revisionism]]
  
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Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."<ref>[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref> Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."<ref>[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref>
+
Christian apologist Gregory Koukl wrote relative to [[Atheism and Mass Murder|atheism and mass murder]] that "the assertion is that religion has caused most of the killing and bloodshed in the world.
 +
There are people who make accusations and assertions that are empirically false. This is one of them."<ref name="Koukl">Koukl, Gregory (February 20, 2013). [https://www.str.org/articles/the-real-murderers-atheism-or-christianity#.XdaqONVOk2w "The real murderers: atheism or Christianity?"] Stand to Reason.</ref>
 +
Koukl details the number of people killed in various events involving theism and compares them to the much higher tens of millions of people killed under regimes that advocated atheism.<ref name="Koukl" /> As noted earlier, Richard Dawkins has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities]] and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error.
  
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In addition, currently the [[Western World]] population is aging in terms of its demographic makeup, particularly in secular [[Europe]], and it has been found that belief in God grows as a person's death nears.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/18/us-religion-belief-idUSBRE83H05W20120418 Belief in God grows as mortality nears, survey says]</ref><ref>[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2008/03/the-demographic-winter-and-the The Demographic Winter and the Barren Left</ref>
+
Koukl summarized by stating:
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{{cquote|It is true that it's possible that religion can produce evil, and generally when we look closer at the detail it produces evil because the individual people are actually living in a rejection of the tenets of Christianity and a rejection of the God that they are supposed to be following. So it can produce it, but the historical fact is that outright rejection of God and institutionalizing of atheism actually does produce evil on incredible levels. We're talking about tens of millions of people as a result of the rejection of God.<ref name="Koukl" />}}
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For more information please see the article: [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]]
+
 
 +
Theodore Beale notes concerning atheism and mass murder:
 +
{{cquote|Apparently it was just an amazing coincidence that every Communist of historical note publicly declared his atheism … .there have been twenty-eight countries in world history that can be confirmed to have been ruled by regimes with avowed atheists at the helm … These twenty-eight historical regimes have been ruled by eighty-nine atheists, of whom more than half have engaged in democidal acts of the sort committed by Stalin and [[Mao Zedong|Mao]] …
 +
 
 +
The total body count for the ninety years between 1917 and 2007 is approximately 148 million dead at the bloody hands of fifty-two atheists, three times more than all the human beings killed by war, civil war, and individual crime in the entire twentieth century combined.
 +
 
 +
The historical record of collective atheism is thus 182,716 times worse on an annual basis than Christianity’s worst and most infamous misdeed, the Spanish Inquisition. It is not only Stalin and Mao who were so murderously inclined, they were merely the worst of the whole [[Atheism and Hell|Hell]]-bound lot. For every Pol Pot whose infamous name is still spoken with horror today, there was a Mengistu, a Bierut, and a Choibalsan, godless men whose names are now forgotten everywhere but in the lands they once ruled with a red hand.
 +
 
 +
Is a 58 percent chance that an atheist leader will murder a noticeable percentage of the population over which he rules sufficient evidence that atheism does, in fact, provide a systematic influence to do bad things? If that is not deemed to be conclusive, how about the fact that the average atheist crime against humanity is 18.3 million percent worse than the very worst depredation committed by Christians, even though atheists have had less than one-twentieth the number of opportunities with which to commit them. If one considers the statistically significant size of the historical atheist set and contrasts it with the fact that not one in a thousand religious leaders have committed similarly large-scale atrocities, it is impossible to conclude otherwise, even if we do not yet understand exactly why this should be the case. Once might be an accident, even twice could be coincidence, but fifty-two incidents in ninety years reeks of causation!<ref name="marry">Ammi, Ken (June 11, 2009).  [https://creation.com/atheism "Atheism"].  Creation Ministries International.</ref>}}
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[[File:Xi in Maoist outfit.PNG|thumbnail|right|390px|[[Xi Jinping]] is the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China which requires that all their members be atheists.<ref>[https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/19567-china-s-communist-party-reaffirms-marxism-maoism-atheism China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism], New American, 2014</ref>  
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
See: [[China and atheism]] and [[Atheism and communism]] ]]
 +
See also:
 +
 
 +
*[[Militant atheism]]
 +
*[[Atheism and communism]]
 +
*[[Soviet Union and morality]]
 +
*[[Secular left]]
 +
*[[Atheism and politics]]
 +
 
 +
=== Communism and religious oppression ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Communism and religious persecution]] and [[Atheistic communism and torture]] and [[Atheism and forced labor]] and [[China and involuntary organ harvesting]]
 +
 
 +
The atheism in Communist regimes has been and continues to be militant atheism and various acts of repression including the razing of thousands of religious buildings and the killing, imprisoning, and oppression of religious leaders and believers.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Kent, Jo Ling (April 28, 2011). [https://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/china.church.crackdown/index.html?hpt=T2 "Underground Christians fear China crackdown"]. CNN.com
 +
*Yakovlev, Alexander N. (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?visbn=0300103220&id=ChRk43tVxTwC&pg=PA165&lpg=PA165&ots=ICIxg28Jud&dq=a+century+of+violence+in+soviet+russia+the+Russian+Orthodox+clergy&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=C9k9Hr7Vn222WCHf_1iSJOHVsgo#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia''] translated by Austin, Anthony (New Haven: Yale University Press), p. 165. 
 +
*Braga, Fr. Roman (1996). [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/frroman1.aspx "On compromise in the hierarchy during the Communist yoke"].  Orthodox Christian Information Center. 
 +
*Clyne, Meghan (November 16, 2005). [https://www.nysun.com/article/23082?page_no=1 "Korean reds targeting Christians"]. The New York Sun
 +
*Siemon-Netto, Uwe (May 7, 2003). [http://northkoreanchristians.com/chinese-atrocities.html "North Korean and Chinese atrocities against Christians worsen"].  NewsMax.  NorthKoreanChristians.com
 +
*[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 "China sends Bible owners to labor camp"] (November 26, 2003). WorldNetDaily.
 +
*[http://www.epm.org/resources/2003/Jun/12/chinese-police-proudly-record-their-torture-christ/ Chinese Police Proudly Record Their Torture of Christians], By Voice of the Marytrs|June 12, 2003</ref>   
  
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=== Decline of American 1990s secularism ===
+
==== Religious persecution in the Soviet Union ====
 +
''See also:'' [[Soviet atheism]]
  
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For more information please see:
+
The [[persecution of Christians in the USSR|persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union]] was the result of the violently atheist [[Soviet]] government.  In the first five years after the [[October Revolution]], 28 bishops and 1,200 priests were murdered, many on the orders of [[Leon Trotsky]].  When [[Joseph Stalin]] came to power in 1927, he ordered his secret police, under [[Genrikh Yagoda]] to intensify persecution of Christians.  In the next few years, 50,000 clergy were murdered, many were [[torture]]d, including [[crucifixion]].  "Russia turned red with the blood of martyrs", said Father Gleb Yakunin of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].<ref>Ostling, Richard N. (December 4, 1989).  [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,150718,00.html "Cross meets Kremlin: Gorbachev and Pope John Paul II"]. ''Time''. Time magazine website.</ref>  According to Orthodox Church sources, as many as fifty million Orthodox believers may have died in the twentieth century, mainly from persecution by [[Communists]].<ref>Moore, Rev. Fr. Raphael (October 1999). [http://www.serfes.org/printerVersion2.asp?URL=/orthodox/memoryof.htm "In memory of the 50 million victims of the Orthodox Christian Holocaust"], Spiritual Nourishment for the Soul, Serfes, Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios, compiler.</ref>
 +
[[File:China location.png|thumbnail|left|205px|With its large population, China has the largest population of atheists.<ref name=20Zuck>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "Top 20 Countries With Largest Numbers of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)"] (November 28, 2007). ''The Largest Atheist/Agnostic Populations''. Chris & Terri Chapman website (March 19, 2013 or bef.), first publication date at website from archive at Internet Archive.</ref>
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
The religious landscape of China is quickly changing, however, due to the rapid growth of Christianity. See also: [[China and atheism]] and [[Global atheism]] ]]
 +
In addition, in the atheistic and Communist Soviet Union, 44 anti-religious museums were opened and the largest was the 'The Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism' in [[Leningrad]]’s Kazan Cathedral.<ref>Humphrey (December 16, 2008). [http://bedejournal.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-anti-christmas.html "Merry Anti-Christmas!"] Quodlibeta.</ref>  Despite intense effort by the atheistic leaders of the Soviet Union, their efforts were not effective in converting the masses to atheism.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Humphrey (December 16, 2008). [http://bedejournal.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-anti-christmas.html "Merry Anti-Christmas!"] Quodlibeta.
 +
*Froese, Paul (March 2004). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/jssr/2004/00000043/00000001/art00003?crawler=true "Forced secularization in Soviet Russia:  why an atheistic monopoly failed" [abstract&#93;].  ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', vol. 43, 1, pp. 35-50.  Abstract: Ingentaconnect</ref>
  
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* [[American atheism]]
+
====  Religious persecution in Communist China ====
 +
''See also:'' [[China and atheism]]
  
−
* [[Decline of American 1990s secularism]]
+
[[China]] has the world's largest atheist population (see: [[China and atheism]]).<ref>Double reference:
 +
*[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "Top 20 Countries With Largest Numbers of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)"] (November 28, 2007). ''The Largest Atheist/Agnostic Populations''. Chris & Terri Chapman website (March 19, 2013 or bef.), first publication date at website from archive at Internet Archive.
 +
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], ''Washington Post'' By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013</ref>  China is a Communist country. In 1999, the publication [[Christian Century]] reported that "China has persecuted religious believers by means of harassment, prolonged detention, and incarceration in prison or 'reform-through-labor' camps and police closure of places of worship." In 2003, owners of [[Bible]]s in China were sent to prison camps and 125 Chinese churches were closed.<ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 "China sends Bible owners to labor camp"] (November 26, 2003). ''WorldNetDaily''.</ref>  China continues to practice religious oppression today.<ref>[http://www.epm.org/resources/2003/Jun/12/chinese-police-proudly-record-their-torture-christ/ Chinese Police Proudly Record Their Torture of Christians], By Voice of the Martyrs|June 12, 2003</ref> 
  
−
*[[Demographics and the expected decline of American secularism]]
+
The efforts of China's atheist leaders in promoting atheism, however, are increasingly losing their effectiveness and the number of Christians in China is rapidly growing (see: [[Growth of Christianity in China]]).  China's state-sponsored atheism and atheistic indoctrination have been a failure and a 2007 religious survey in China indicated that only 15% of Chinese identified themselves as atheists.<ref>Briggs, David (January 23, 2011).  [http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/01/23/huffington-post-chinas-state-sponsored-atheism-a-failure/ "Huffington Post: China’s state-sponsored atheism a failure" [excerpt&#93;].  National Post website.</ref>
 +
[[File:Martyred in the USSR Poster.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|The above photograph shows the Russian Nikolai Khmara, a new Baptist convert in the [[Soviet Union]], after his arrest by the [[KGB]]. He was tortured to death and his tongue was cut out.<ref>[http://martyredintheussr.com/ Martyred in the USSR]</ref><ref>[http://www.anabaptists.org/books/russians/trs-1.html The Russians' Secret by Peter Hoover with Serguei V. Petrov, Speaking Without a Tongue, Chapter 1 (Pages 1-3)]</ref> ]]
 +
Researchers estimate that tens of thousands of [[Falun Gong]] prisoners in Communist China have been killed to supply a financially lucrative trade in human organs and cadavers, and that these human rights abuses may be an ongoing concern.<ref>[http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/slaughter-mass-killings-organ-harvesting Review of: Ethan Gutmann, “''The Slaughter: Mass Killings, Organ Harvesting and China’s Secret Solution to Its Dissident Problem''”, (Prometheus Books, 2014).]</ref>
  
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=== Prominent atheism websites loss of global market share ===
+
==== Religious persecution in North Korea ====
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[[File:Losing.jpeg|thumbnail|250px|right|The article ''[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/internet-atheism-and-skepticism-thrill.html Internet atheism: The thrill is gone!]'' points out that internet atheism has been in a significant slump since 2008. ]]
 
−
''See also:'' [[Internet atheism]] and [[Atheistic bullying]] and [[Internet atheism and polyamory]]
 
  
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During the period of 2008 to 2012, the [[Atheist Population|atheist community]] made a concerted effort to spread atheism through [[Atheism and the internet|means of the internet]]. However, leading atheist websites have seen plunges in web traffic during this same period and during the first half of 2012.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/internet-atheism-and-skepticism-thrill.html Internet atheism: The thrill is gone!]</ref>  
+
[[North Korea]] is a repressive Communist state and is officially atheistic.<ref>Lee, Sunny (May 12, 2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130521065544/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IE12Dg01.html "God forbid, religion in North Korea?"]  Asia Times Online.  Archived at Internet Archive on May 21, 2013.</ref> The North Korean government practices brutal repression and atrocities against North Korean Christians.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Clyne, Meghan (November 16, 2005). [https://www.nysun.com/article/23082?page_no=1 "Korean reds targeting Christians"]. The New York Sun.
 +
*Siemon-Netto, Uwe (May 7, 2003). [http://northkoreanchristians.com/chinese-atrocities.html "North Korean and Chinese atrocities against Christians worsen"]. NewsMax.  NorthKoreanChristians.com</ref>  Open Doors, an organization based in the United States, has put North Korea at the very top of its list of countries where Christians face significant persecution - for 12 years in a row.<ref>[http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-10-22/repressive-atheist-north-korea-has-surprising-relationship-christian-missionaries Repressive, atheist North Korea has a surprising relationship with Christian missionaries]</ref>
  
−
In May of 2012, it was pointed out by supporters of [[Creation Ministries International]]'s [[Question evolution! campaign]] that from a global internet perspective the public's interest in the views of the [[agnosticism|agnostic]]/[[weak atheism|weak atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] and the atheist [[PZ Myers]] and in atheism are on the decline while interest in [[Jesus]] and [[Christianity]] are on the upswing.<ref>
+
=== Atheistic Communism and torture ===
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/jesus-vs-richard-dawkins-and-pz-myers.html Jesus vs. Richard Dawkins and PZ Myers - Jesus wins!]
+
See: [[Atheistic communism and torture]]
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/jesus-vs-richard-dawkins-and-pz-myers_28.html Round 2: Jesus vs. Richard Dawkins and PZ Myers - Jesus triumphs again! Onward Christian soldiers!]
 
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*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/globally-worldviews-of-atheism-and-non.html Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents]
 
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/internet-atheism-and-skepticism-thrill.html Internet atheism: The thrill is gone!]
 
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/2012-is-shaping-up-to-be-bad-year-for.html 2012 is shaping up to be a BAD year for atheism and evolutionism! Great new charts and developments!]
 
−
</ref>
 
  
−
For more information please see:
+
=== Atheistic Communist regimes and forced labor ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and forced labor]] and [[Atheism and slavery]]
  
−
*[[Internet atheism]]  
+
In atheistic Communist regimes forced labor has often played a significant role in their economies and this practice continues to this day (see: [[Atheism and forced labor]]).<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Caplan, Bryan (2010).  [http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/museum/comfaq.htm "Museum of Communism FAQ version 1.3"]. George Mason University website/Department of Economics/Bryan Caplan/Museum of Communism.
 +
*[https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/13/north-korea-economic-system-built-forced-labor "North Korea: Economic system built on forced labor: New testimonies say even children must work or face detention camps"] (June 13, 2012).  Human Rights Watch website.
 +
*Pattisson, Pete (November 7, 2014).  [https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/07/qatar-north-korean-forced-labour "Qatar’s ambitious future driven on by North Korean ‘forced labour’"].  ''The Guardian'' website/World/Global Development.
 +
*[https://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/red.giant/prisons/wu.essay "Labor camps reinforce China's totalitarian rule"] (1999).  Cnn.com
 +
*[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-01/07/c_132086402.htm "China to reform re-education through labor system"] (January 8, 2013).  Xinhua.</ref>
  
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/internet-atheism-and-skepticism-thrill.html Internet atheism - post 2007 market share loss]
+
== Atheism and the internet ==
  
−
*[[Global atheism]]
+
''See also:'' [[Internet atheism]]
  
−
*[[Decline of atheism]]
+
As noted above, sometime between 2008 and 2012, there has been a big drop in [[internet atheism]] in terms of web traffic (See: [[Internet atheism web traffic volume]]).<ref name="questionevolution.blogspot.com"/><ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=atheism,atheist,agnostic,agnosticism General atheism/agnostic terms - World]</ref>
  
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*[[Atheistic bullying]]
+
In addition, in terms of reach and its ability to influence, internet atheism is ineffectual (See: [[Internet atheism has a small audience and an insignificant influence on the world]]).<ref>[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0008429819854353?journalCode=sira ''Who is Not Afraid of Richard Dawkins? Using Google Trends to Assess the Reach of Influential Atheists across Canadian Secular Groups''] by Maryam Dilmaghani, ''Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses'', First Published December 13, 2019 Research Article
 +
https://doi.org/10.1177/0008429819854353</ref>
  
−
=== Question evolution! campaign ===
+
=== Google Trends: From 2004 to June 2025, the number of worldwide Google searches for the term atheist is significantly down ===
  
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''See also:'' [[Question evolution! campaign]] and [[Atheist Population]]
+
''See also:'' [[Google trends - Global searches for atheism and agnosticism terms]]
−
[[File:Question-Evolution-Campaign.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|The [http://creation.com/question-evolution Question evolution! campaign] by [[Creation Ministries International]] is a worldwide campaign which poses 15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer.<ref>[http://creation.com/question-evolution Question evolution! campaign] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref> The 15 questions posed to evolutionists can be found [http://creation.com/15-questions HERE] ]]
+
<br />
−
As noted above, since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the [[evolution|theory of evolution]] which employs [[methodological naturalism]] have been atheists.<ref>
+
<br />
−
* Dr. Don Batten,[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/737/ A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
+
[[File:Global searches for the term atheism from 2004 to June 7, 2025.png|thumbnail|center|1500px|According to Google Trends, as of June 2025, worldwide Google searches for the term atheist is significantly below its levels in January 2024.]]
−
* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
+
{{Clear}}
−
</ref> In 2011, a campaign called the [[Question evolution! campaign]] was launched by the [[Bible|biblical]] [[creation]] organization [[Creation Ministries International]] which is a worldwide "[[grassroots|grass-roots]] movement to challenge the anti-[[Christianity|Christian]] [[dogma]] of [[evolution]]".<ref>[http://creation.com/question-evolution Question evolution! campaign]</ref>
 
  
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The focus of the Question evolution! campaign is on [http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer.] The campaign will be primarily conducted in the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Europe]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Singapore]] and [[South Africa]].<ref>http://creation.com/question-evolution</ref>
+
== Atheism and politics ==
  
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=== Atheist infighting and factions ===
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and politics]] and [[Atheism and political science]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheist factions]]
+
Historically, atheists have favored the [[leftism|left]] side of the political aisle (see: [[Atheism and politics]]).
  
−
Another factor contributing to the [[decline of atheism|decline of global atheism]] is the lack of unity and the significant amount of infighting in the atheist community.
+
According to the Pew Forum, in the [[United States]]: "About two-thirds of atheists (69%) identify as [[Democrats]] (or lean in that direction), and a majority (56%) call themselves political [[liberal]]s (compared with just one-in-ten who say they are [[conservative]]s)."<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/05/7-facts-about-atheists/ 7 facts about atheists], Pew Forum</ref>
  
−
Jacques Rousseau wrote in the ''Daily Maverick'': "[[Elevatorgate]]..has resulted in three weeks of infighting in the secular community. Some might observe that we indulge in these squabbles fairly frequently."<ref>[http://dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2011-07-13-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-can-rip-my-soul Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can rip my soul]</ref> An ex-atheist wrote: "As an Atheist for 40 years, I noticed that there is not just a wide variety of Atheist positions, but there exists an actual battle between certain [[Atheist factions]]."<ref>[http://www.atheism-analyzed.net/The%20Reasoning%20Atheist.htm Atheism Analyzed]</ref>  
+
In some regions where the [[secular left]] has considerable influence, they [[Decline of the secular left|are losing]] an increasing amount of their power. For example, in [[secular Europe]] right-wing, nationalist parties are growing and in China conservative [[Protestantism]] is growing rapidly (see: [[Growth of Christianity in China]]).<ref>[http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160114/1033149776/europe-rise-of-right-wing-parties-eu-failure.html EU Failures Fuel Rise of Right-Wing Populist Parties in Europe]. Sputnik News, 2016</ref>
  
−
For more information please see: [[Atheist factions]]
+
For more information please see:  
  
−
=== Lack of sound leadership ===
+
*[[Atheism and politics]]
 +
*[[Atheism and authoritarianism]]
 +
*[[Secular left]]
 +
*[[Decline of the secular left]]
 +
*[[Atheism and socialism]]
 +
*[[Secular right]]
 +
*[[Atheism and political science]]
 +
*[[Western atheism, schisms and political polarization]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and leadership]]
+
== Atheism and history ==
 +
[[File: Voroshilov, Molotov, Stalin, with Nikolai Yezhov.jpg|right|225px]]
 +
[[File: The Commissar Vanishes 2.jpg|thumbnail|right|220px|Nikolai Yezhov walking with [[Joseph Stalin]] in the top photo taken in the mid-1930s. Subsequent to his execution in 1940, Yezhov was edited out of the photo by Soviet Union censors.<ref>From the book  The Commissar Vanishes: The Falsification of Photographs and Art in Stalin's Russia by David King</ref> ]]
  
−
Using academic studies, survey data and other information, supporters of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] maintain that there is a lack of sound leadership within the agnostic/atheist and evolutionist communities in dealing with the [[Global atheism|global decline of atheism and agnosticism]].
+
''See also:'' [[History of Atheism|History of atheism]] and [[Atheists and historical illiteracy]] and [[Atheism and historical revisionism]] and [[Atheist indoctrination]]
  
−
See:  
+
The history of atheism: [[History of Atheism|History of atheism]]
  
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/atheism-is-rudderless-and-unseaworthy.html Atheism is rudderless and unseaworthy]
+
=== Atheists and historical illiteracy ===
 +
A common complaint concerning many atheists is their lack of depth when it comes to knowledge of [[history]] and [[historiography]] - particularly in areas such as [[historicity of Jesus|historicity of Jesus Christ]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|atheist mass murders in history]].<ref>Multiple references:
 +
* [https://voxday.net/2014/03/10/the-ignorance-of-cosmos/ "The ignorance of ''Cosmos''"], March 10, 2014.
 +
*Koukl, Gregory (February 20, 2013). [http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5527 "The real murderers:  atheism or Christianity?"] Stand to Reason.</ref>
  
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/evolutionists-atheists-and-agnostics.html Evolutionists, atheists and agnostics: Where is your master plan to reverse your global decline?]
+
For more information, please see:  
  
−
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/thoughtful-and-effective-christian.html Thoughtful and effective Christian evangelism vs. inept atheism evangelism ]
+
*[[Atheists and historical illiteracy]]
 +
*[[Historicity of Jesus|Historicity of Jesus Christ]]
  
−
== Claims of the conditionality and nonconditionality of atheism ==
+
=== Atheists and historical revisionism ===
 +
Atheists commonly engage in [[historical revisionism]] in order to illegitimately distort the historical record (see: [[Atheism and historical revisionism]]).
  
−
See also: [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]] and [[Denials that atheists exist]]
+
=== Religion/irreligion and war ===
  
−
Henry More wrote the following: "In agony or danger, no nature is atheist. The mind that knows not what to fly to, flies to God."<ref>http://www.websters-dictionary-online.org/definition/english/at/atheist.html</ref> Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring "[[There Are No Atheists in Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]."<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,792459,00.html</ref> Chaplain F.W. Lawson of the 302d Machine Gun Battalion, who was wounded twice in wartime, stated "I doubt if there is such a thing as an atheist. At least there isn't in a front line trench."<ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9905EFD91239E13ABC4D51DFB7678383609EDE</ref> On the other hand, the news organization MSNBC featured a story in which atheist veterans claimed that there are atheists in foxholes.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14322117/</ref>
+
''See also:'' [[Irreligion/religion and war]] and [[Atheism and world peace]]
  
−
==Atheism and [[communism]] ==
+
Louise Ridley (assistant news editor at the ''Huffington Post UK''), Theodore Beale and others point out that academic studies and other research consistently challenge the link between religion and war.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Ridley, Louise [assistant news editor, ''Huffington Post'', UK] (November 18, 2014).  [http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/14/religions-war-cause-responsible-evidence_n_6156878.html "Does religion really cause war—and do atheists have something to answer for?"] The Huffington Post, United Kingdom. 
 +
*Day, Vox (August 13, 2012).  [http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheists-abandon-religion-causes-war.html "Atheists abandon 'religion causes war' argument"].  Vox Populi blog. 
 +
*Schumacher, Robin (April 2012).  [http://carm.org/religion-cause-war "The myth that religion is the #1 cause of war"].  Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website.  Edited by Matt Slick. See [[CARM]].
 +
*Price, Tom (2014).  [http://www.bethinking.org/is-religion-harmful/religion-causes-wars "'Religion causes wars'"].  Bethinking.</ref>
  
−
''see also:'' [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Militant atheism]] and [[Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Soviet Union and morality]] and [[Atheism and slavery]]
+
== Atheism and economics ==
 +
*[[Atheism and economics]]
 +
*[[Atheism and sloth|Atheism and economic productivity]]
 +
*[[Atheism and economic prosperity]]
 +
*[[Atheists and income]]
  
−
[[Image:Khvhkgfiy.jpg|left|thumbnail|150px|[[Vladimir Lenin]]]]
+
== Analysis of atheism and common objections to atheism ==
−
[[Karl Marx]] said "[Religion] is the opium of the people".  Marx also stated: "[[Communism]] begins from the outset (Owen) with atheism; but atheism is at first far from being communism; indeed, that atheism is still mostly an abstraction."<ref>http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/comm.htm</ref>  
+
=== Commonly Cited Arguments Against Atheism and For Theism ===
 +
See: [[Arguments for theism and against atheism]]
 +
[[Image:Anselm.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|[[Anselm of Canterbury]]'s  version of the [[ontological argument]] appeared in his work ''Proslogium''.]]
 +
The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the existence of God, are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>
  
−
[[Vladimir Lenin]] similarly wrote regarding atheism and communism: "A Marxist must be a [[materialism|materialist]], i. e., an enemy of religion, but a dialectical materialist, i. e., one who treats the struggle against religion not in an abstract way, not on the basis of remote, purely theoretical, never varying preaching, but in a concrete way, on the basis of the [[class struggle]] which is going on in practice and is educating the masses more and better than anything else could."<ref>http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1909/may/13.htm</ref>
+
In relation to the debate between theism and atheism, theists often criticize atheism as being contrary to persuasive argument and have a number of arguments against atheism (See: [[Arguments for theism and against atheism]]).  
  
−
The atheism in [[communism|communist]] regimes has been and continues to be [[militant atheism]] and various acts of repression including the razing of thousands of religious buildings and the killing, imprisoning, and oppression of religious leaders and believers.<ref>
+
Within Christendom, the discipline of [[Christian apologetics]] has been developed. Christian apologetics is the defense of the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith through logic/evidence based arguments. The word [[apologetics]] comes from the Greek word apologia (from Greek ἀπολογία), which means "speaking in defense".
−
*[http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/china.church.crackdown/index.html?hpt=T2 Underground Christians fear China crackdown]
 
−
*[http://books.google.com/books?visbn=0300103220&id=ChRk43tVxTwC&pg=PA165&lpg=PA165&ots=ICIxg28Jud&dq=a+century+of+violence+in+soviet+russia+the+Russian+Orthodox+clergy&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=C9k9Hr7Vn222WCHf_1iSJOHVsgo#v=onepage&q=&f=false A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia]
 
−
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/frroman1.aspx On Compromise in the Hierarchy During the Communist Yoke]
 
−
*[http://www.nysun.com/article/23082?page_no=1 Korean Reds Targeting Christians]
 
−
*[http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/5/7/120250.shtml North Korean and Chinese Atrocities Against Christians Worsen]
 
−
*[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 China sends Bible owners to labor camp]
 
−
*[http://theworldnow.wordpress.com/tag/around-the-world/asia/china/ China: Christians Tortured While Under Arrest]</ref>  
 
  
−
The [[persecution of Christians in the USSR|persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union]] was the result of the violently atheist [[Soviet]] government.  In the first five years after the [[October Revolution]], 28 bishops and 1,200 priests were murdered, many on the orders of [[Leon Trotsky]].  When [[Joseph Stalin]] came to power in 1927, he ordered his secret police, under [[Genrikh Yagoda]] to intensify persecution of Christians.  In the next few years, 50,000 clergy were murdered, many were [[torture]]d, including [[crucifixion]].  "Russia turned red with the blood of martyrs", said Father Gleb Yakunin of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,150718,00.html</ref>  According to Orthodox Church sources, as many as fifty million Orthodox believers may have died in the twentieth century, mainly from persecution by [[Communists]].<ref>[http://www.serfes.org/printerVersion2.asp?URL=/orthodox/memoryof.htm In Memory Of The 50 Million Victims Of The Orthodox Christian Holocaust by Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes]</ref>
+
[[Arguments for the existence of God]] include:
  
−
In addition, in the atheistic and communist Soviet Union, 44 anti religious museums were opened and the largest was the 'The Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism' in [[Leningrad]]’s Kazan cathedral.<ref>http://bedejournal.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-anti-christmas.html</ref>  Despite intense effort by the atheistic leaders of the Soviet Union, their efforts were not effective in converting the masses to atheism.<ref>http://bedejournal.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-anti-christmas.html</ref><ref>http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/jssr/2004/00000043/00000001/art00003?crawler=true</ref>
+
* [[Teleological argument]]: The universe exhibits overwhelming evidence of deliberate, intelligent, purposeful design, which implies an [[intelligent design]]er. See also: [[Evolution|Arguments against evolution]] and [[Origin of life]]
  
−
[[China]] is a communist country. In 1999, the publication [[Christian Century]] reported that "[[China]] has persecuted religious believers by means of harassment, prolonged detention, and incarceration in prison or `reform-through-labor' camps and police closure of places of worship." In 2003, owners of [[Bible]]s in China were sent to prison camps and 125 Chinese churches were closed.<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818</ref> China continues to practice religious oppression today.<ref>http://theworldnow.wordpress.com/tag/around-the-world/asia/china/</ref>
+
*[[Evidential apologetics]] is an approach in Christian apologetics which emphasizes the use of evidence to demonstrate that God exists and that there is compelling evidence to support Christianity and the Bible.  In addition, there are various arguments that atheists or other unbelievers weigh evidence improperly (see: [[Atheism and evidence]]).  
−
According to ''Asian Economic News'', in 2004 the atheistic and communist government of [[China]] had an internal document which directed the Chinese media to promote atheism, instructed internet media to remove user comments that advocate alternative spiritual views, and called for a ban on publications that disseminate religious material out of step with Marxism or atheism.<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_/ai_n7582025</ref>  The efforts of China's atheist leaders in promoting atheism, however, is increasingly losing its effectiveness and the number of [[Christianity|Christians]] in China is explosively growing.<ref>http://www.millennialstar.org/christianity-exploding-in-china/</ref><ref>http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/2008/August/Christianity-Growing-in-China-/</ref> China's state sponsored atheism and atheistic indoctrination has been a failure and a 2007 religious survey in China indicated that only 15% of Chinese identified themselves as atheists.<ref>http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/01/23/huffington-post-chinas-state-sponsored-atheism-a-failure/</ref>
 
  
−
[[North Korea]] is a repressive communist state and is officially atheistic.<ref>http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IE12Dg01.html</ref> The North Korean government practices brutal repression and atrocities against North Korean [[Christianity|Christians]].<ref>http://www.nysun.com/article/23082?page_no=1</ref><ref>http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/5/7/120250.shtml</ref> 
+
*[[Moral Argument|Moral argument]]. [[Objective morality]] exists. Atheism lacks objective moral standards. Not possessing a coherent basis for [[morality]], atheists are fundamentally [[Moral relativism|incapable]] of having a coherent system of morality (See also: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheist population and immorality]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]] and [[Atheism and lust]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]) .<ref>Multiple references:
−
[[Image:Lysenko.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|[[Trofim Denisovich Lysenko]]]]
+
*Copan, Paul (2008). [http://www.paulcopan.com/articles/pdf/God-naturalism-morality.pdf "God, naturalism, and the foundations of morality"].  ''The Future of Atheism'', ed. Robert Stewart (Minneapolis: Fortress Press), pp. 141-161. PaulCopan.com  
−
It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.<ref>
+
*Williams, Peter S. (2011). [http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god "Can moral objectivism do without God?"]. Bethinking.org
−
*[http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/finalconflict/fcrevb102.html The Black Book of Communism]
+
*Meister, Chad (2010).  [http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ "Atheists and the quest for objective morality"]. ''Christian Research Journal'', vol. 33, no. 2. Christian Research Institute website
−
*[http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hpcws/lelivrenoir.htm The Black Book of Communism]
+
*Slick, Matt (2009).  [http://carm.org/failure-of-atheism-to-account-for-morality "The failure of atheism to account for morality"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website.</ref> Atheism leads to moral and cultural decline (see: [[Atheism and culture]]).  
−
*[http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM HOW MANY DID COMMUNIST REGIMES MURDER? By R.J. Rummel]
 
−
*[http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat1.htm Source List and Detailed Death Tolls for the Twentieth Century Hemoclysm]
 
−
*[http://www.sarasotamagazine.com/blog/template_permalink.asp?id=365 Memory and Ideology]
 
−
*[http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2526 The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression]</ref> Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.<ref>http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM</ref> [[Richard Dawkins]] has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheists atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error]].
 
  
−
The theory of [[Evolution|evolution]] played a prominent role in regards to atheistic communism.<ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3054/</ref><ref>http://creation.com/the-darwinian-foundation-of-communism</ref> Communists, in particular [[Stalinism|Stalinists]], favored a version of [[Lamarckism]] called [[Lysenkoism]] developed by the atheist [[Trofim Denisovich Lysenko]].<ref name="Lysenkoism">http://www.bookrags.com/research/lysenkoism-wog/</ref> Lysenko was made member of the Supreme [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] and head of the Institute of Genetics of the [[Soviet Academy of Sciences]].<ref name="bb">http://www.bartelby.com/65/ly/Lysenko.html</ref> Later Lysenko became President of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences.<ref name="bb"/> Many [[genetics|geneticists]] were imprisoned and executed for their ''bourgeois science'', and agricultural policies based on Lysenkoism that were adopted under Stalin and Mao caused famines and the death of millions.<ref name="Lysenkoism"/>
+
* [[Cosmological argument]]: Every event in our [[universe]] necessarily has a cause. However, it is impossible that there should be an unending chain of causes going back. Therefore, there necessarily must be a cause ''distinct'' from the universe as we know it which is capable of causing all things and is itself uncaused. Atheism denies that that [[First Cause|first cause]] is God. Christians point out that the question "Who created God" is an illogical question.<ref>[https://creation.com/who-created-god Who created God] by Don Batten</ref> See also: [[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]
 +
[[File:Autumn.jpg|200px|right|thumbnail|The [[argument from beauty]] is a commonly used argument for the existence of God. ]]
 +
* Historical arguments for the existence of God (subset of evidential apologetics). For example, arguments stemming from historical accounts such as Christian historical apologetics, [[Christian Legal Apologetics|Christian legal apologetics]] and archaeological evidence such as [[Bible Archaeology|Bible archaeology]]
  
−
Dr. [[Carl Wieland]], Managing Director of [[Creation Ministries International]], published an article entitled ''The blood-stained ‘century of evolution’'' which declared:
+
*[[Argument from beauty]]
−
{{cquote|Communism also took evolution to its logical conclusion. If everything just evolved from ‘natural law,’ then man’s opinion, not God’s Word, determines what is right and wrong. If the working class can take power by armed struggle, then this is ‘right,’ regardless of how many must die to bring in the socialist paradise. Communism’s death toll far outranks the [[Nazis]]’—probably more than 90 million worldwide.3
 
−
[[Image:Carl wieland.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|Dr. [[Carl Wieland]] ]]
 
−
Some have suggested that the bloodthirsty deeds of Stalin were an ‘aberration’ from the revolution’s ideals. However, it was Lenin, the ‘father’ of the [[October Revolution|Russian revolution]], who ‘perfected the science of mass killings,’ and total, merciless brutality as the ultimate method of political control. [[Evolution]] was the chief tool used to brainwash communism’s masses into ‘scientific atheism.’ If everything just evolved, then everything is at the whim of the most powerful, and there is no Maker to whom to be answerable. Hence Stalin’s belief that killing millions of people was no worse than mowing your lawn (grass is our cousin in evolutionary doctrine).
 
  
−
Mao’s reign of terror and lies resulted in the deaths of tens of millions. It is no coincidence that his two favorite books were by the evolutionists Darwin and [[T. H. Huxley|Huxley]]. With millions dying from his forced famine, his physician records that Mao said, ‘We have so many people we can afford to lose a few.’ His successors have since persecuted and killed hundreds of thousands more.<ref>[http://creation.com/the-blood-stained-century-of-evolution The blood-stained ‘century of evolution’]</ref>}}
+
*[[Argument from religious experience]]
  
−
For more information please see: [[Atheism and slavery]]
+
*[[Bible prophecy]]
  
−
==Criticism of atheism==
+
*[[Atheism and presuppositional apologetics]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]] and [[Christian apologetics]]
+
See also:  
  
−
===Commonly Cited Arguments Against Atheism and For Theism ===
+
*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]
−
[[Image:Anselm.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|[[Anselm of Canterbury]]'s  version of the [[ontological argument]] appeared in his work ''Proslogium''.]]
+
*[[Pascal's wager]]
−
In relation to the debate between theism and atheism, theists often criticize atheism as being contrary to persuasive argument and have a number of arguments against atheism. [[Arguments for the existence of God]] include:
 
−
* [[Teleological argument]]: The universe exhibits overwhelming evidence of deliberate, intelligent, purposeful design, which implies an [[intelligent design]]er
 
−
* [[Bible prophecy]]
 
−
* [[Cosmological argument]]: Every event in our [[universe]] necessarily has a cause. However, it is impossible that there should be an unending chain of causes going back. Therefore, there necessarily must be a cause ''distinct'' from the universe as we know it which is capable of causing all things and is itself uncaused. Atheism denies that that [[First Cause|first cause]] is God. The scientific evidence demonstrates that the [http://www.creationencounter.com/space/lawsofscience.php universe is not eternal] and Christians point out that [http://creation.com/who-created-god the question "Who created God" is an illogical question.]
 
−
* [[Ontological argument]]: According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source other than observation of the world — e.g., from reason alone."<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/</ref>
 
−
* Historical arguments for the existence of God. For example, arguments stemming from historical accounts such as [[Christian apologetics|Christian historical apologetics]], [[Christian Legal Apologetics|Christian legal apologetics]] and archaeological evidence such as [[Bible Archaeology|Bible archaeology]];
 
−
* Experiential arguments for the existence of God: Arguments based on personal experience and human intuition. According to philosopher [[Alvin Plantinga]] belief in the existence of God exists is a "properly basic" belief and not based on inference from other beliefs but is rationally justified due to one's circumstances of immediate experience of God.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth01.html</ref>
 
−
*[[Presuppositional Apologetics]]
 
−
*[[Argument from beauty]]<ref>http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/williams-aesthetic.shtml</ref>
 
−
*[http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible scientific foreknowledge]
 
−
* Lack of proof and evidence that atheism is true contrasted with the strong evidence supporting Christianity. A [[Shockofgod|popular YouTube Christian channel]] has flustered the [[Internet atheism|internet atheist community]] by asking atheists what proof and evidence they have that atheism is true.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bBE1bos6JU Shockofgod calls into Atheist Radio show]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKBZoWDfQA4 Shockofgod calls into Atheist radio show - Part 2]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0 The question that is causing atheists to abandon atheism]</ref> Atheism requires blind faith. Atheism is a [[Atheism is a religion|faith based religion]] and it is a [[worldview]] which has no evidential support.
 
−
*[[Atheism website resources|Various Christian apologetic resources focusing on atheism]]
 
 
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
 
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
  
−
===Atheism and mass murder===
+
=== Biblical statements concerning atheism ===
−
[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|202px|thumb|The [[militant atheism|militant atheistic]] regime of [[Joseph Stalin]] killed tens of millions of people.]]
+
''See also:'' [[Bible verses relating to atheism]]
−
:''See articles: [[Atheism and Mass Murder]]'' and [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Atheism and sadism]] and [[Atheism and slavery]]
+
 
−
Christian apologist Gregory Koukl wrote relative to [[Atheism and Mass Murder|atheism and mass murder]] that "the assertion is that religion has caused most of the killing and bloodshed in the world.
+
The writers of the [[Bible]] considered the existence of God to be self-evident and [[Moses]] simply wrote: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." ([[Genesis]] 1:1).<ref>Harr, Ken and Lisle, Dr. Jason (August 9, 2007). [http://www.answersingenesis.org/is-god-real/is-there-really-god/ "Chapter 1: Is there really a God?"] ''The New Answers Book''.  Answers in Genesis.</ref>
−
There are people who make accusations and assertions that are empirically false. This is one of them."<ref name="Koukl">Koukl, Gregory, [http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5527 The Real Murderers: Atheism or Christianity?], 1994</ref>
+
 
−
Koukl details the number of people killed in various events involving theism and compares them to the much higher tens of millions of people killed under regimes which advocated atheism.<ref name="Koukl" /> As noted earlier, [[Richard Dawkins]] has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheists atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error]].
+
Accordingly, the psalmist [[David]] declared:
 +
 
 +
"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." — [[Psalms]] 14:1 ([[King James Bible|KJV]])
 +
 
 +
==Atheism and debate==
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism debates]] and [[Atheism vs. theism]]
 +
[[Image:Bahnsen.jpg‎|thumb|right|150px|Dr. [[Greg Bahnsen]] became known as "the man atheists fear most" due to [[Michael Martin]]'s cancellation of their scheduled debate.<ref name="Pushing the Antithesis">[https://books.google.com/books?id=O1gPpUMzcEQC&pg=PA286&lpg=PA286&dq=%22the+man+atheists+fear+most%22+bahnsen&source=bl&ots=PyGQBd8Xrl&sig=ACfU3U1DpS53GaAc_ZfKLnfD6jrP1gozDQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQqrLRu6vgAhXIqlkKHfuaBcQQ6AEwCHoECAAQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22the%20man%20atheists%20fear%20most%22%20bahnsen&f=false Pushing the Antithesis] on Greg Bahnsen</ref><ref name="Bahsen at the Stein debate">[http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/Bahnsen.htm Bahsen at the Stein debate] by John Frame</ref>]]
 +
As far as [[atheism debates]], the majority of the public debates are [[Atheism vs. Christianity debates]] (although there have been a few [[Atheism vs. Islam debates]]). 
 +
 
 +
Beginning in the latter part of the 20th century, there were a number of notable instances of prominent atheists being reluctant to debate (see: [[Atheism and debate#Notable cases of prominent atheists being reluctant to debate|Notable cases of prominent atheists being reluctant to debate]]).
 +
 
 +
On May 14, 2011, the [[Great Britain|British]] newspaper ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' published a news story entitled ''Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of [[God]]''.<ref name="cowardice">Ross, Tim (May 14, 2011).  [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html "Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God"]. The Daily Telegraph website.  Retrieved July 25, 2014.  See ''[[Daily Telegraph]]''</ref> In ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' article Dr. [[Daniel Came]], a member of the Faculty of [[Philosophy]] at [[Oxford University]] was quoted as writing to fellow atheist Richard Dawkins concerning his refusal to debate Dr. [[William Lane Craig]],  "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."<ref name="cowardice"/>
 +
 
 +
[[Greg Bahnsen]] became known as the "man atheists fear most".<ref name="Pushing the Antithesis"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080102084144/http://mywebpages.comcast.net/webpages54/ap/biobahn.html "A brief biography of Greg Bahnsen"] (2003).  Applied Presuppositionalism website.  Retrieved from January 2, 2008 archive at Internet Archive on May 14, 2015.</ref>
 +
This is because [[Harvard]]-educated [[Michael Martin]] was scheduled to debate Bahnsen but pulled out of the debate at the "eleventh hour".
 +
A [[Press Release Regarding Michael Martin Pulling Out of Martin-Bahnsen Debate|press release at the time]] said that Dr. Martin offered ruses on why he pulled out and didn't want the scheduled debate recorded but the real reason was that "...Michael Martin is afraid that he will be publicly humiliated just as his friend and fellow atheist, Dr. [[Gordon Stein]], was...".
 +
 
 +
In 1990, Michael Martin indicated there was a general [[Atheism and apathy|absence of an atheistic response]] to contemporary work in the [[philosophy]] of religion and in jest he indicated that it was his "cross to bear" to respond to [[theism|theistic]] arguments.<ref>''Open Questions: Diverse Thinkers Discuss God, Religion, and Faith'' by Luís F. Rodrigues, page 201</ref> See also: [[Atheology]] and [[Atheist apologetics]]
 +
 
 +
A majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the naturalistic [[evolution]]ary position since [[World War II]] have been atheists.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Batten, Don (December 1997).  [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/737/ "A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists"]. ''Creation'', vol 20, no. 1, p. 32.  Retrieved from Creation.com [Creation Ministries International] on May 15, 2015.  Don Batten
 +
*Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph. D. (1999).  [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3830 "Chapter 1: Facts and bias"].  ''Refuting Evolution''.  Retrieved from Creation.com [Creation Ministries International] on May 15, 2015.  See [[Jonathan Sarfati]]</ref> After doing poorly in a series of debates in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,  evolutionists are generally reluctant to debate (see: [[Creation vs. evolution debates]]).
 +
 
 +
== Atheism and morality/ethics ==
 +
[[File:PzMyers2.jpg|thumbnail|275px|right|The atheist [[PZ Myers]] declared: "I am so, so tired of hearing about [[atheist scandals]] and scumbaggery."<ref>[https://twitter.com/pzmyers/status/1362874184792039425 "I am so, so tired of hearing about atheist scandals and scumbaggery." - Twitter post]</ref>
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
See also: [[Atheism and morality]] ]]
 +
See also: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheist population and immorality]] and  [[Atheist hypocrisy]] and [[Religion and morality]]
 +
 
 +
=== Objective morality incompatible with atheism ===
 +
 
 +
Under an atheist worldview, there is no logical basis for [[objective morality]] or ultimate meaning and purpose.<ref>
 +
*[https://creation.com/atheism-no-objective-morality Atheism—no objective morality?], [[Creation Ministries International]]
 +
*[http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god Can Moral Objectivism Do Without God?] by Peter S. Williams at Bethinking.org
 +
*[http://www.equip.org/article/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality-2/ Atheists and the Quest for Objective Morality] by Chad Meister at Christian Research Institute
 +
*[http://www.faithdefenders.com/articles/atheism/atheism_absolutes_at.html Atheism and absolutes]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheism and moral relativism]] and [[Atheism and meaninglessness]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and moral relativism ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and moral relativism]] and [[Atheism and morality]]
 +
 
 +
Dr. Phil Fernandes states the following regarding atheism and [[moral relativism]]:
 +
{{cquote|[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzsche]] preached that a group of "supermen" must arise with the courage to create their own values through their "will to power." Nietzsche rejected the "soft" values of Christianity (brotherly love, turning the other cheek, charity, compassion, etc.); he felt they hindered man's creativity and potential....
 +
 
 +
Many other atheists agree with Nietzsche concerning moral relativism. British philosopher [[Bertrand Russell]] (1872-1970) once wrote, "Outside human desires there is no moral standard." [[A. J. Ayer]] believed that moral commands did not result from any objective standard above man. Instead, Ayer stated that moral commands merely express one's [[Subjectivism|subjective]] feelings. When one says that murder is wrong, one is merely saying that he or she feels that murder is wrong. [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], a French [[existentialism|existentialist]], believed that there is no objective meaning to life. Therefore, according to Sartre, man must create his own values.
 +
 
 +
There are many different ways that moral relativists attempt to determine what action should be taken. [[Hedonism]] is probably the most extreme. It declares that whatever brings the most pleasure is right. In other words, if it feels good, do it. If this position is true, then there is no basis from which to judge the actions of [[Adolph Hitler]] as being evil.<ref>Dr. Phil Fernandez, Web article: ''Refuting Moral relativism'', Institute for Bible Defense (Web article is no longer online. Pages 120-121 of the book ''God, Government, and the Road to Tyranny: A Christian View of Government and Morality'' By Phil Fernandes, Eric Purcell and Rorri Wiesinger relates the same thoughts of his former web article.[https://books.google.com/books?id=u6XBuAQAiYUC&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=Nietzsche+preached+that+a+group+of+%22supermen%22+must+arise+with+the+courage+to+create+their+own+values+through+their+%22will+to+power.%22+Nietzsche+rejected+the+%22soft%22+values+of+Christianity+(brotherly+love,+turning+the+other+cheek,+charity,+compassion,+etc.);+he+felt+they+hindered+man%27s+creativity+and+potential.&source=bl&ots=kwDnaTOHqd&sig=0ywArBSb87JFleWRXZRv6DG3ZVo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjty8qqyIzWAhXHg1QKHe8UAVYQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=Nietzsche%20preached%20that%20a%20group%20of%20%22supermen%22%20must%20arise%20with%20the%20courage%20to%20create%20their%20own%20values%20through%20their%20%22will%20to%20power.%22%20Nietzsche%20rejected%20the%20%22soft%22%20values%20of%20Christianity%20(brotherly%20love%2C%20turning%20the%20other%20cheek%2C%20charity%2C%20compassion%2C%20etc.)%3B%20he%20felt%20they%20hindered%20man's%20creativity%20and%20potential.&f=false])</ref>}}
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and various types of immorality ===
 +
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|221px| The perverse and cruel atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] in prison, 18th century line engraving. See: [[Atheism and sadism]] ]]
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and human rights violations]]
 +
*[[Atheism and sexual immorality articles]]
 +
*[[Atheism and violence articles]]
 +
*[[Atheism and deception articles]]
 +
*[[Atheism and unforgiveness articles]]
 +
*[[Atheist mass shooters]]
 +
*[[List of atheist shooters and serial killers]]
 +
*[[Atheist population and immorality|Atheism and various types of immorality]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and sociopathy ===
 +
 
 +
See: [[Atheism and sociopathy]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheist mass shooters and serial killers ===
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheist mass shooters]]
 +
 
 +
*[[List of atheist shooters and serial killers]]
 +
 
 +
=== Study: U.S. public perception of atheist morality ===
 +
In 2014, a University of Kentucky study was published by Will M. Gervais, which was entitled "Everything is permitted? People intuitively judge immorality as representative of atheists", and the study indicated that "even atheist participants viewed immorality as significantly more representative of atheists than of other people."<ref>Gervais, Will M. (April 9, 2014).  "Everything is permitted?  People intuitively judge immorality as representative of atheists". ''PLOS ONE'', {{doi|10.1371/journal.pone.0092302}}.</ref>
 +
 
 +
=== Barna Group studies: Atheism and morality ===
 +
'''Barna Group study on the behavior of atheists vs. evangelical Christians:'''
 +
 
 +
[[Richard Deem]] wrote:
 +
{{Cquote|A random sample of 1003 adults were surveyed in May, 2008 by The Barna Group for their participation in a number of negative behaviors within the previous week. The results showed that there were vast differences in the behaviors of evangelicals compared to agnostics/atheists.
 +
 
 +
These results show that atheists/agnostics participate in morally questionable behaviors to a much greater degree than [[evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]] - an average of nearly five times the frequency!<ref>[http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/atheists_more_immoral.html Atheism Doesn't Lead to Immoral Behavior - Or Does It?] by Richard Deem</ref>}}
 +
 
 +
'''Barna Group study related to atheist beliefs about behaviors:'''
 +
 
 +
The [[Barna Group]] found that atheists and [[agnostics]] in America were more likely, than [[theist]]s in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable:  illegal drug use; excessive drinking; sexual relationships outside of marriage; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; obscene language; gambling; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/bisexuality.<ref>[https://www.barna.com/research/practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard/ Practical outcomes replace biblical principles as the moral standard], Barna Group</ref>
 +
 
 +
Given the [[Homosexuality and health|many diseases]] associated with homosexuality, the [[Bible|biblical]] prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the many example where the Bible exhibited knowledge [http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge that was ahead of its time].  See also: [[Atheism and sexual immorality articles|Atheism and sexual immorality]]
  
−
Koukl summarized by stating:
+
=== Atheism and uncharitableness  ===
−
{{cquote|It is true that it's possible that religion can produce evil, and generally when we look closer at the detail it produces evil because the individual people are actually living in a rejection of the tenets of Christianity and a rejection of the God that they are supposed to be following. So it can produce it, but the historical fact is that outright rejection of God and institutionalizing of atheism actually does produce evil on incredible levels. We're talking about tens of millions of people as a result of the rejection of God.<ref name="Koukl" />}}
+
:''See also: [[Atheism and charity]]'' and [[Atheist organizations and scandals]] and [[Atheism, uncharitableness and depression]]
−
[[Image:Solzhenitsyn.jpg‎|thumb|150px|left|[[Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]]]]
+
[[File:Beggar in Cambodia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Most atheists likely live in [[East Asia]] (see: [[Asian atheism]]).
−
[[Nobel Prize]] winner [[Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]] was asked to account for the great tragedies that occurred under the brutal [[communism|communist]] regime he and fellow citizens suffered under.
+
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
A beggar in [[Cambodia]]. In Cambodia, the vast majority of the population adheres to a nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism.
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref name="Burke Campbell">Multiple references:
 +
*Burke, Daniel, Religion News Service (May 13, 2009). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130310113024/http://www.pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx "Religious people make better citizens, study says"]. Pew Research Forum. Archived on March 10, 2013 by Internet Archive.  Retrieved July 19, 2014.
 +
*Campbell, David and Putnam, Robert (November 14, 2010).  [https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm "Religious people are 'better neighbors'"]. USA Today website.  Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref> ]]
  
−
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote:
+
Concerning the issue of [[Atheism and charity|atheism and uncharitableness]], the evidence indicates that [[per capita]] charitable giving by atheists and agnostics in America is significantly less than by theists, according to a study by the [[Barna Group]]:
−
{{cquote|Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen [[Russia]]: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.''
+
{{cquote|The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500). Even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did atheists and agnostics. In fact, while just 7% of active-faith adults failed to contribute any personal funds in 2006, that compares with 22% among the no-faith adults.<ref>[https://www.barna.com/research/atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians/ "Atheists and agnostics take aim at Christians"] (June 11, 2007).  Barna Update.</ref>}}
  
−
Since then I have spend well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened."<ref>http://www.icr.org/article/stalins-brutal-faith/</ref>}}
+
A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref name ="Burke Campbell"/>  
−
[[File:Vox Day.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Vox Day]] ]]
 
−
In 2008, [[Vox Day]] notes concerning atheism and mass murder:
 
−
{{cquote|Apparently it was just an amazing coincidence that every Communist of historical note publicly declared his atheism … .there have been twenty-eight countries in world history that can be confirmed to have been ruled by regimes with avowed atheists at the helm … These twenty-eight historical regimes have been ruled by eighty-nine atheists, of whom more than half have engaged in democidal acts of the sort committed by Stalin and Mao …
 
  
−
The total body count for the ninety years between 1917 and 2007 is approximately 148 million dead at the bloody hands of fifty-two atheists, three times more than all the human beings killed by war, civil war, and individual crime in the entire twentieth century combined.
+
See also: [[Atheism, social justice and hypocrisy]]
  
−
The historical record of collective atheism is thus 182,716 times worse on an annual basis than Christianity’s worst and most infamous misdeed, the Spanish Inquisition. It is not only Stalin and Mao who were so murderously inclined, they were merely the worst of the whole Hell-bound lot. For every Pol Pot whose infamous name is still spoken with horror today, there was a Mengistu, a Bierut, and a Choibalsan, godless men whose names are now forgotten everywhere but in the lands they once ruled with a red hand.
+
==== Church-state issues emphasis. Charity low priority ====
 +
See also: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]] and [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheism and love]]
  
−
Is a 58 percent chance that an atheist leader will murder a noticeable percentage of the population over which he rules sufficient evidence that atheism does, in fact, provide a systematic influence to do bad things? If that is not deemed to be conclusive, how about the fact that the average atheist crime against humanity is 18.3 million percent worse than the very worst depredation committed by Christians, even though atheists have had less than one-twentieth the number of opportunities with which to commit them. If one considers the statistically significant size of the historical atheist set and contrasts it with the fact that not one in a thousand religious leaders have committed similarly large-scale atrocities, it is impossible to conclude otherwise, even if we do not yet understand exactly why this should be the case. Once might be an accident, even twice could be coincidence, but fifty-two incidents in ninety years reeks of causation!<ref>http://creation.com/atheism</ref>}}
+
In June 2014, the African-American atheist woman [[Sikivu Hutchinson]] wrote in the ''Washington Post'' that atheist organizations generally focus on church-state separation and creationism issues and not the concerns the less affluent African American population faces.<ref name="Hutchinson">Hutchinson, Sikivu (June 16, 2014).  [https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/06/16/blacks-are-even-discriminated-against-by-atheists/ "Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about"].  Washington Post website.</ref> Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations do focus on helping poor African Americans.<ref name="Hutchinson"/>
  
−
See also:
+
==== Atheist nonprofit scandals ====
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheist organizations and scandals]] and  ''[[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science#Embezzlement allegation|Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - Embezzlement allegation]]''
  
−
*[[Militant atheism]]
+
In a 2018 YouTube video entitled ''[[David Silverman]] Ousted as President of [[American Atheists]]'', the atheist YouTube channel Utah Outcasts said in a video about David Silverman and atheist organizations: "Many other people were also like maybe he was embezzling funds because we know people in [[atheist activist]] communities where that kind of sh*t happens. Yes, it was kind of common."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUvX5wTf8TM David Silverman Ousted as President of American Atheists], Utah Atheists, Go to the 3 minute mark in the video</ref>
−
*[[Atheism and slavery]]
 
−
*[[Soviet Union and morality]]
 
  
−
===Atheism and charity ===
+
Two atheist nonprofit scandals that recently received some publicity were the organizations [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science]] and the [[We Are Atheism]] organization.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]
−
:''See also: [[Atheism and charity]]'' and [[Atheism and depression]] and  [[Atheism, uncharitableness and depression]]
+
*[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/an-ungodly-row-dawkins-sues-his-disciple-2115632.html An ungodly row: Dawkins sues his disciple]
−
[[Image:228130875 35181424e3.jpg|thumb|right|250px|According to a study by the [[Barna Group]] regarding charitable giving:"The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500). Even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did atheists and [[agnosticism|agnostics]]."<ref>[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/102-atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians] ''The Barna Update'', 2007.</ref>]]
+
*[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]
−
Concerning the issue of [[Atheism and Uncharitableness|atheism and uncharitableness]], the evidence indicates that per capita charitable giving by atheists and agnostics in America is significantly less than by theists, according to a study by the [[Barna Group]]:
+
*[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/09/15/an-update-on-we-are-atheism/ An Update on We Are Atheism] by Hemant Mehta, September 15, 2015]</ref>  
−
{{cquote|The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500). Even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did atheists and agnostics. In fact, while just 7% of active-faith adults failed to contribute any personal funds in 2006, that compares with 22% among the no-faith adults.<ref>[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/102-atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians] ''The Barna Update'', 2007.</ref>}}
 
  
−
A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref> The study revealed that forty percent of worship service attending Americans volunteer regularly to help the poor and elderly as opposed to 15% of Americans who never attend services.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref> Moreover, religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to volunteer for school and youth programs (36% vs. 15%), a neighborhood or civic group (26% vs. 13%), and for health care (21% vs. 13%).<ref>[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx Religious people make better citizens, study says] by Pew Research Forum, May 13, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm Religious people are 'better neighbors'] by ''USA Today'', 11/14/2010</ref>
+
In addition, David Gorski at Scienceblogs indicated that many atheist/skeptic organizations are poorly run from a financial standpoint.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref>
  
−
Arthur C. Brooks wrote in ''Policy Review'' regarding data collected in the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (SCCBS) (data collected by in 2000 by researchers at universities throughout the United States and the [[Roper Center for Public Opinion Research]]):
+
For more information, please see: [[Atheist organizations and scandals]]
−
{{cquote|The differences in charity between secular and religious people are dramatic. Religious people are 25 percentage points more likely than secularists to donate money (91 percent to 66 percent) and 23 points more likely to volunteer time (67 percent to 44 percent). And, consistent with the findings of other writers, these data show that practicing a religion is more important than the actual religion itself in predicting charitable behavior. For example, among those who attend worship services regularly, 92 percent of Protestants give charitably, compared with 91 percent of Catholics, 91 percent of Jews, and 89 percent from other religions.<ref>Brooks, Arthur C., [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3647/is_200310/ai_n9340592/Religious faith and charitable giving] ''Policy Review'', Oct-Dec 2003, p.2.</ref>}}
 
  
−
ABC News reported the following in respect to atheism:
+
=== Irreligion and domestic violence ===
−
{{cquote|...the single biggest predictor of whether someone will be charitable is their religious participation.  
+
''See also:'' [[Irreligion and domestic violence]] and [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]]
 +
[[Image:Cycle.gif|thumbnail|205px|right|Research suggests that irreligiousity is a causal factor for domestic violence.<ref name="vaw">Ellison, C. G., Trinitapoli, J. A., et al. (November 2007). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17951587 "Race/ethnicity, religious involvement, and domestic violence"] [abstract with link to full article].  ''Violence Against Women'', doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1094-1112.  Abstract from PubMed.gov</ref>]]
 +
The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal ''Violence Against Women'' entitled ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'' indicated:
 +
{{cquote|The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.<ref name="vaw"/>}} 
  
−
Religious people are more likely to give to charity, and when they give, they give more money: four times as much. And Arthur Brooks told me that giving goes beyond their own religious organization:  
+
===== Secular Europe and domestic violence =====
 +
See also: [[Secular Europe and domestic violence]]
  
−
"Actually, the truth is that they're giving to more than their churches," he says. "The religious Americans are more likely to give to every kind of cause and charity, including explicitly non-religious charities."<ref>Stossel, John and Kendall, Kristina [http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=2682730&page=2 Who Gives and Who Doesn't?] ABC News, November 28, 2006</ref>}}
+
=== Atheism and racism ===
  
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Given that atheistic [[evolution|evolutionary]] thinking has engendered [[social darwinism]] and given that [[Atheism and morality|the proponents of atheism have no rational basis for morality in their ideology]], the immoral views that atheists often hold and the low per capita giving of American atheists is not unpredictable.
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and racism]] and [[East Asia, China, atheism and racism]] and [[Western atheism and race]]
  
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[[File:Atheist Prison Population Percentages.jpg|300px|thumb|A [[pie chart]] delineating the percentage of the [[irreligion|irreligious]] in [[prison]] (shown in blue) in the [[United Kingdom]]; data courtesy of The National Archives (UK)]]
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The [[atheist population]] has a significant amount of racism within its midst (see: [[Atheism and racism]]).
  
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=== Irreligious prison population ===
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=== Atheism and empathy ===
  
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''See also:'' [[Irreligious prison population]] and [[Atheist Population]]
+
See: [[Atheism and empathy]]
  
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The [[irreligious prison population]], according to government [[data]] of many sovereign states, as well as that of independent [[Opinion poll|survey]]s, makes up a large percentage of the overall [[prison|prisoner]] demographic. In the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]], according to the 2011 Census, the [[irreligion|irreligious]] make up only "around a quarter of the population."<ref name="Census">{{cite web|url = http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rpt-religion.html|title =Religion in England and Wales 2011: Part of 2011 Census, Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales Release|publisher = Office for National Statistics (UK)|quote=Meanwhile the proportion of the population who reported they have no religion has now reached a quarter of the population.|date=December 11, 2012|accessdate = May 14, 2013}}</ref> However, they are over-represented in the [[prison]] population, forming over 34% of all [[criminal]]s.<ref name="Arcives">{{cite web|url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110220105210/rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hosb1501.pdf|title =Religion in Prisons 1999 and 2000|publisher = The National Archives (UK)|page=8|quote=Prisoners with No religion formed 34% of all untried prisoners and 31% of all convicted prisoners in September 2000.|authors=Farid Guessous, Nick Hooper and Uma Moorthy|accessdate = May 14, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Commons">{{cite web|url = http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn04334.pdf‎|title =Prison Population Statistics|page=10|quote=30% were recorded as having no religion.|publisher=House of Commons Library (UK)|accessdate = May 14, 2013}}</ref> These statistics confirm recent scientific research, which have concluded that "the more involved people are with religious life, the less likely they are to fall into criminal behavior."<ref name="Templeton">{{cite web|last=Dreher|first=Rod|url = http://www.templeton.org/templeton_report/20110629/index.html|title =Is God an Effective Crime Fighter?|publisher = Templeton Report|quote=Research indicates that the more involved people are with religious life, the less likely they are to fall into criminal behavior.|date=June 29, 2011|accessdate = May 14, 2013}}</ref>
+
=== Atheism and pornography ===
 +
[[File:Larry Flynt Wheelchair.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[pornography|pornographer]] [[Larry Flynt]] is an atheist.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Flynt writes, "I have left my religious conversion behind and settled into a comfortable state of atheism": see the epilogue of Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). ''An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast''.  
 +
*"I am not saying he don't believe in God. I am just saying I don't believe in God. That puts me at odds with him." [https://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9701/11/falwell.v.flynt/lkl.00.html "Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell" [transcript&#93;] (January 10, 1996). Larry King Live. Transcript from CNN.com on October 3, 2014.</ref>]
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and pornography]]
  
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===Atheism and immoral views===
+
One of the causes of atheism is a [[hedonism|hedonistic]] lifestyle. See: [[Atheism and hedonism]].
  
−
:''See: [[Atheism and morality]]'' and [[Atheism and bestiality]] and [[Atheism and homosexuality]] and [[Atheism and sadism]] and [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Atheism and slavery]] and [[Atheism and hell]]
+
The infamous [[pornography|pornographers]] [[Hugh Hefner]] and [[Larry Flynt]] was and is (taken separately in the order indicated) both atheists (taken together).<ref>Multiple references:
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[[Image:Powder meth foil small.jpg|thumb|left|255px|The Barna Group found that atheists are more likely to view [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]] as being morally acceptable.<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref> ]]
+
*Gottesdiener, Laura (February 23, 2010). [https://www.salon.com/2013/02/23/10_celebs_you_didnt_know_were_atheists_partner/ "10 celebs you didn't know were atheists"].  Salon. 
−
The [[Barna Group]] found regarding [[Atheism and Morality|atheism and morality]] that those who hold to the worldviews of atheism or agnosticism in America were more likely, than theists in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable: [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]]; excessive drinking; [[fornication|sexual relationships outside of marriage]]; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; [[Profanity|obscene language]]; [[gambling]]; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/[[bisexuality]].<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref> Given the [[Homosexuality and Health|many diseases associated with homosexuality]], the [[Bible|biblical]] prohibition against [[homosexuality]] is quite arguably one of the [http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge many examples where the Bible exhibited knowledge that was ahead of its time].  Although [[Western world|Western]] atheists generally subscribe to the evolutionary paradigm, there is a conflict between the [[evolution|evolutionary paradigm]] and Western atheists often having favorable views toward homosexuality. In 1993, Professor [[Miron Baron]], M.D., the renowned medical researcher and Professor at [[Columbia University]], wrote in [[BMJ]] (British Medical Journal) "...from an evolutionary perspective, [[Homosexuality and genetics|genetically determined homosexuality]] would have become [[extinct]] long ago because of reduced reproduction."<ref>[http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1678219 BMJ. 1993 August 7; 307(6900): 337–338.]</ref> For more information please see: [[Atheism and homosexuality]]
+
*Flynt writes, "I have left my religious conversion behind and settled into a comfortable state of atheism": see the epilogue of Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). ''An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast''.
−
[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|251px| The perverse and cruel atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] in prison, 18th century line engraving.]]
+
*"I am not saying he don't believe in God. I am just saying I don't believe in God. That puts me at odds with him." [https://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9701/11/falwell.v.flynt/lkl.00.html "Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell" [transcript&#93;] (January 10, 1996). Larry King Live. Transcript from CNN.com</ref>
−
The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' declared concerning the atheist and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
 
−
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophic dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of [[population control]]. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>http://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract</ref>}}
 
  
−
[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html</ref> ''[[CBS News]]'' reported: "According to a mail-in survey of nearly 4,000 British doctors, those who were atheist or agnostic were almost twice as willing to take actions designed to hasten the end of life."<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20014770-10391704.html</ref>  
+
In 2003, ''Arena magazine'' magazine listed Flynt as #1 on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list.<ref>[http://www.onenewspage.us/people/ms9j0/Larry-Flynt.htm "Larry Flynt"].  One News Page.</ref> Flynt is paralyzed from the waist down due to injuries sustained from a 1978 assassination attempt by the serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008).  ''An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast'', pp. 170–171.
 +
*[http://www.onenewspage.us/people/ms9j0/Larry-Flynt.htm "Larry Flynt"].  One News Page.</ref>
  
−
In 2007 the Baptist Press reported:
+
==== RationalWiki and web visitor interest in pornography ====
−
{{cquote|...a pollster at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, found that adults who profess a belief in God are significantly more likely than atheists to say that forgiveness, patience, generosity and a concern for others are "very important." In fact, the poll found that on 11 of 12 values, there was a double-digit gap between theists and atheists, with theists more likely to label each value "very important."
 
  
−
The survey by sociologist and pollster Reginald Bibby examined the beliefs of 1,600 Canadians, 82 percent who said they believed in "God or a higher power" and 18 percent who said they did not.<ref>http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=26675</ref>}}
+
See: [[RationalWiki and web visitor interest in pornography]]
  
−
Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] states the following concerning the comments of debater Dr. [[Kai Nielson]] who advocates atheism:
+
==== Atheism and child pornography ====
−
{{cquote|He doesn’t really defend his point there, but he says, "I have a reason why we should be moral." He says, "It’s in our self-interest to be moral." I was really surprised to hear that coming from him. That sort of purely self-interested motivation for morality is, I think, fatal to the atheistic position because for someone who is sufficiently powerful not to be worried about what others do, self-interest can only lead to a sort of self-aggrandizing hedonism. It leads to the kind of life of a Marcos, a Papa Doc Duvalier, a Mbbutu, and so forth. Self-interest will never be able to justify an ethic of compassion. And so I think that was a fatal admission on Dr. Nielsen’s part for the atheistic worldview.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/craig-nielsen5.html</ref>}}
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and child pornography]]
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[[Image:998086u.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|An essay by the [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] Dr. James Spiegel describes [[Bertrand Russell]] as a "misogynistic and a serial adulterer; a chronic seducer of women, especially very young women, even in his old age."<ref>http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80</ref>]]
 
−
Dr. Phil Fernandes states the following regarding atheism and [[Moral relativism|moral relativism]]:
 
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{{cquote|[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzsche]] preached that a group of "supermen" must arise with the courage to create their own values through their "will to power." Nietzsche rejected the "soft" values of [[Christianity]] (brotherly love, turning the other cheek, charity, compassion, etc.); he felt they hindered man's creativity and potential....
 
  
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Many other atheists agree with Nietzsche concerning moral relativism. British philosopher [[Bertrand Russell]] (1872-1970) once wrote, "Outside human desires there is no moral standard." [[A. J. Ayer]] believed that moral commands did not result from any objective standard above man. Instead, Ayer stated that moral commands merely express one's subjective feelings. When one says that murder is wrong, one is merely saying that he or she feels that murder is wrong. [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], a French [[existentialism|existentialist]], believed that there is no objective meaning to life. Therefore, according to Sartre, man must create his own values.
+
In 2005 [[Denmark]] was ranked the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 43 - 80% of Danes are agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref> 
  
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There are many different ways that moral relativists attempt to determine what action should be taken. [[Hedonism]] is probably the most extreme. It declares that whatever brings the most pleasure is right. In other words, if it feels good, do it. If this position is true, then there is no basis from which to judge the actions of [[Adolph Hitler]] as being evil.<ref>http://instituteofbiblicaldefense.com/1997/05/refuting-moral-relativism/</ref>}}
+
The 2003 book entitled ''Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem '' written by authors Rahel Nardos; Mary K. Radpour; William S. Hatcher and Michael L. Penn, declared:
 +
{{cquote|The largest source of commercial child pornography is Denmark. Denmark became the world's leading producer of child pornography when, in 1969, it removed all restrictions on the production and sale of any type of pornographic material. "The result," notes Tim Tate, "was a short-lived explosion in adult pornography, and the birth of commercial child pornography. ....by 1979 when Denmark finally banned the production and sale of child pornography it had already become such a financial success on the international market that it has proven to be nearly impossible to bring its spread under control.<ref>Nardos, Rahel, et. al. (2003).  ''Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem'', p. 59.</ref>}}
  
−
[[Evolution|Evolutionist]] and [[weak atheism|weak atheist]]/agnostic [[Richard Dawkins]] stated in an interview: “What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref> The interviewer wrote, regarding the Hitler comment, "I was stupefied. He had readily conceded that his own [[philosophy|philosophical]] position did not offer a rational basis for moral judgments. His intellectual honesty was refreshing, if somewhat disturbing on this point."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref>  
+
Suzanne Ost, in her 2009 book ''Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses'' published by Cambridge University Press, wrote about the child pornography created by Denmark/Holland during this period: "Taylor and Quayle note that the material produced during this period still constitutes the largest part of child pornography that is currently available, having been transferred into digital format and uploaded onto the internet."<ref>''Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses'' by Suzanne Ost, Cambridge University Press, page 29, 2009</ref>
  
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An essay by the Christian apologist Dr. James Spiegel examines the morality of some well known atheists.  Dr. Speigel describes Bertrand Russell as a "misogynistic and a serial adulterer; a chronic seducer of women, especially very young women, even in his old age."<ref>http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80</ref>  Spiegel refers to the atheist [[Karl Marx]] as a "fiercely anti-semitic; egocentric, slothful, and lecherous; exploitive of friends and unfaithful to his wife; sired an illegitimate son, whom he refused to acknowledge."<ref>http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80</ref>  In addition, Spiegel refers to atheist Jean-Paul Sartre in the following manner: "in his old age Jean-Paul Sartre—notorious for his sexual escapades with female students, often procured by his colleague and lover Simone de Beauvoir."<ref>http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80</ref>
+
=== Atheism, pedophilia and NAMBLA ===
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[[Image:Harry Hay.jpg|thumbnail|150px|Many consider atheist [[Harry Hay]] to be the founder of the American [[homosexuality|homosexual]] movement.]]
+
[[Image:Harry Hay.jpg|thumb|150px|Many consider atheist [[Harry Hay]] to be the founder of the American homosexual movement.]]
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Given that atheistic [[evolution|evolutionary]] thinking has engendered [[social darwinism]] and given that [[Atheism and morality|the proponents of atheism have no rational basis for morality in their ideology]], the immoral views that atheists often hold and [[Atheism and Uncharitableness|the low per capita giving of American atheists]] is not unpredictable.
 
  
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==== Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA ====
+
''see also:'' [[Atheism, pedophilia and NAMBLA]] and [[Teenage homosexuality]]
  
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''see also:'' [[Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA]] and [[Teenage homosexuality]] and [[Homosexuality and pederasty]]  
+
The [[North American Man/Boy Love Association]] (NAMBLA) was founded in December 1978 and is an activist homosexuality and [[pedophilia]]/pederasty coalition group.
  
−
Some of the well known atheist advocates of the [[North American Man-Boy Love Association]] (NAMBLA) are:
+
Some of the well known atheist advocates of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) are:
  
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1. The atheist and [[homosexuality|homosexual]] [[David Thorstad]] was a founding member of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).<ref>http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/100822</ref>  
+
1. The atheist and homosexual [[David Thorstad]] was a founding member of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).<ref>Abbott, Matt C. (August 22, 2010).  [http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/100822 "The mind of a pederast"]. RenewAmerica.</ref>  
  
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2. '''[[Harry Hay]]''' (1912 - 2002) was an [[liberal]] advocate of [[statutory rape]] and the widely acknowledged founder and progenitor of the  activist [[homosexual agenda]] in the [[United States]]. Hay joined the [[Communist Party of the United States]] (CPUSA) in 1934. <ref>''The Boston Phoenix'', [http://bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/documents/02511115.htm The real Harry Hay], Michael Bronski, October 31 - November 7, 2002. </ref>  Harry Hay was an atheist.<ref>http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ss_politics0010_01_07.asp</ref> He was a vociferous advocate of man/boy love. <ref>The American Spectator Special Report, [http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10450 When Nancy Met Harry], Jeffrey Lord, 10/5/2006.</ref><ref>http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ss_politics0010_01_07.asp</ref> In 1986, Hay marched in a [[homosexual|gay]] parade wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words "[[NAMBLA]] walks with me."<ref>http://www.mega.nu/ampp/baldwin_pedophilia_homosexuality.pdf</ref>
+
2. '''[[Harry Hay]]''' (1912 - 2002) was an [[liberal]] advocate of [[statutory rape]] and the widely acknowledged founder and progenitor of the  activist [[homosexual agenda]] in the [[United States]]. Hay joined the [[Communist Party of the United States]] (CPUSA) in 1934.<ref>Bronski, Michael (October 31, 2002).  [http://bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/documents/02511115.htm "The real Harry Hay"].  The Phoenix.com.</ref>  Harry Hay was an atheist.<ref>Kincaid, Cliff, Accuracy in Media (January 7, 2010). [http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ss_politics0010_01_07.asp "Twisted: administration's 'safe schools czar' and the North American Man-Boy Love Association"].  WorldTribune.com.</ref> He was a vociferous advocate of man/boy love.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Lord, Jeffrey (October 5, 2006).  [http://spectator.org/articles/46366/when-nancy-met-harry "Special report:  when Nancy met Harry"].  The American Spectator website.
 +
*Kincaid, Cliff, Accuracy in Media (January 7, 2010). [http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ss_politics0010_01_07.asp "Twisted: administration's 'safe schools czar' and the North American Man-Boy Love Association"].  WorldTribune.com.</ref> In 1986, Hay marched in a [[homosexual|gay]] parade wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words "[[NAMBLA]] walks with me."<ref>Baldwin, Hon. Steve (2002). [http://www.mega.nu/ampp/baldwin_pedophilia_homosexuality.pdf "Child molestation and the homosexual movement"]. ''Regent University Law Review'', vol. 14, pp. 267-282. The Architecture of Modern Political Power</ref>
  
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3. The writer [[Samuel R. Delaney]] is an atheist and a [[homosexuality|homosexual]].<ref>Samuel R. Delaney, ''About writing: seven essays, four letters, and five interviews'', page 36</ref><ref>http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-literary-criticism/delany-samuel-r</ref> Delaney said he was a supporter of NAMBLA.<ref>Delany, Samuel R.; Freedman, Carl (2009). Conversations with Samuel R. Delany. Univ. Press of Mississippi, page 143</ref>
+
3. The writer [[Samuel R. Delany]] is an atheist and a homosexual.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Delany, Samuel R. (2006).  ''About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, and Five Interviews'' (Middletown: Wesleyan), p. 36.
 +
*[http://www.enotes.com/topics/samuel-r-delany/critical-essays/delany-samuel-r-vol-141#critical-essays-delany-samuel-r-vol-141-introduction "Introduction"] (2001).  ''Contemporary Literary Criticism'', ed. Hunter, Jeffrey W., vol. 141 (Gale Cengage).  eNotes.com</ref> Delaney said he was a supporter of NAMBLA.<ref>Freedman, Carl (2009). ''Conversations with Samuel R. Delany'' (Jackson: Univ. Press of Mississippi), p. 143.</ref>
  
 
See also: [[Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"]] and [[John Maynard Keynes and pederasty]]
 
See also: [[Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"]] and [[John Maynard Keynes and pederasty]]
−
==== Atheism and bestiality ====
 
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and bestiality]]
+
=== Atheism and slavery/forced labor ===
 +
*[[Atheism and slavery]]
 +
*[[Atheism and forced labor]]
 +
 
 +
=== Dietary practices of atheists. Eating of dogs, cats, horses and babies/children ===
 +
 
 +
See: [[Dietary practices of atheists]] (Dietary habits of various irreligious regions)
 +
 
 +
==== Atheists and the eating of babies/children ====
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheists eat babies meme#Atheistic China and baby eating|Communist China and baby eating]]
 +
*[[Atheists eat babies meme|Atheists and the eating of babies/children]] ([[China]], [[Soviet Union]], [[North Korea]] and other issues)
 +
 
 +
===== Major news organizations reporting on China baby flesh powder scandal =====
 +
 
 +
*[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/chinese-made-infant-flesh-capsules-seized-korea/story?id=16296176 Chinese-Made Infant Flesh Capsules Seized in S. Korea], ''ABC News''
 +
 
 +
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/chinese-cannibalism-infant-flesh-outrages-world/ Chinese cannibalism of infant flesh outrages the world], ''Washington Times''
 +
 
 +
*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140702/South-Korea-customs-officials-thousands-pills-filled-powdered-human-baby-flesh.html Thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh discovered by customs officials in South Korea], ''The Daily Mail''
  
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[[Bestiality]] is the act of engaging in sexual relations with an animal. The [[atheist]] philosopher Peter Singer defends the practice [[bestiality]] (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]]).  Despite holding these views the liberal and pro-[[evolution]] academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview]</ref><ref>[http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]</ref>
+
*[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/05/horrifyingly-ground-baby-pills-are-real-thing/328490/ Horrifyingly, Ground Baby Pills Are a Real Thing] by Alexander Abad-Santos, ''The Atlantic''
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[[File:Peter-Singer.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|The [[atheist]] philosopher [[Peter Singer]] defends the practice of [[bestiality]] (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]]).  Despite holding these immoral views the [[liberal]] and pro-[[evolution]] academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>
 
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*[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview - Creation Ministries International]
 
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*[http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]
 
−
*[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref> See: [[Atheism and bestiality]] ]]
 
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The Bible says that bestiality is a perversion and, under the [[Old Testament]] [[Pentateuch|Jewish Law]], punishable by death (Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 27:21). The atheistic worldview does not lend itself to the establishment of morality within society and individuals (see: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheism and deception]]).
 
  
−
The [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] and author Michael Caputo writes:
+
=== Immorality of prominent atheists ===
−
{{cquote|Although bestiality is not openly supported by well known [[Militant atheism|Militant Atheist]] sites, support for it is inherent in their insistence that decisions of a sexual nature should be left up to the individual adults to determine. God disagrees.<ref>[http://atheismexposed.tripod.com/god_bible-bestiality.htm GOD, THE BIBLE AND BESTIALITY]</ref>}}
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships]]
 +
[[File:JAMES RANDI.jpg|thumbnail|170px|left|[[James Randi]] ]]
 +
[[James Randi]] is a leader within the atheist community. Brian Thompson, former James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Outreach Coordinator, wrote:
 +
{{cquote|But I no longer identify with this community of benevolent know-it-alls, because not all of them are the best folks in the world. In fact, a good percentage of the top ten worst humans I’ve ever met are prominent members of the skeptics’ club. They’re dishonest, mean-spirited, narcissistic, [[misogyny|misogynistic]]. Pick a personality flaw, and I can probably point you to someone who epitomizes it. And that person has probably had a speaking slot at a major skeptical conference.
  
−
==== British atheist Christopher Hitchens on bestiality ====
+
I grew particularly disgusted with the boys’ club attitude I saw among skeptical leaders and luminaries. The kind of attitude that’s dismissive of women, sexually predatory, and downright gross. When I first started going to skeptical conferences as a fresh-faced know-it-all, I started hearing things about people I once admired. Then I started seeing things myself. Then I got a job with the JREF, and the pattern continued.<ref>Myers, P. Z. (March 31, 2014).  [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/03/31/when-will-this-situation-improve/ "When will this situation improve?"] Pharyngula.</ref>}}
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and bestiality]] and [[Bestiality and Britain]] and [[Christopher Hitchens on bestiality]]
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See also:
  
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At the end of the [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[William Lane Craig]] vs. atheist [[Christopher Hitchens]] debate there was a audience question and answer period.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FofDChlSILU VIDEO]  The first audience member to ask a question twice asked [[Christopher Hitchens]] to label bestiality as an immoral act, but he refused to do so.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FofDChlSILU Christopher Hitchens vs William Lane Craig - Does God Exist Debate]</ref> Dr. Craig said the question posed to Hitchens was a good one and it helped illustrate that atheism cannot offer objective moral standards (see: [[Atheism and morality]]).<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FofDChlSILU Christopher Hitchens vs William Lane Craig - Does God Exist Debate] </ref>
+
*[[Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships]]
 +
*[[Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce and polyamory]]
 +
*[[Atheist conferences#Atheist events and inappropriate sexually related activities|Atheist conferences and inappropriate sexual activity]]
  
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==== Additional information on atheism and bestiality ====
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=== Atheism and rape ===
 +
*[[Atheism and rape]]
 +
*[[Mass rape during the occupation of Germany|Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army]]
  
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For additional information please see:
+
=== Atheism and abortion ===
 +
The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' wrote this about the atheist and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
 +
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his ''La Philosophie dans le boudoir'', in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of [[population control]]. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>Farr, A. D. (1980).  [https://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract "The Marquis de Sade and induced abortion"].  ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 6, pp. 7-10.  Journal of Medical Ethics website</ref>}}
  
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*[[Atheism and bestiality]]
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[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>Egnor, Michael (November 30, 2010).  [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html "P. Z. Myers on abortion"].  Evolution News and Views.</ref> ''[[CBS News]]'' reported: "According to a mail-in survey of nearly 4,000 British doctors, those who were atheist or agnostic were almost twice as willing to take actions designed to hasten the end of life."<ref>Katz, Neil (August 26, 2010).  [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-atheist-doctors-twice-as-likely-to-pull-plug/ "Study: atheist doctors twice as likely to pull plug"]. CBSNews.com.</ref>
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[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|280px|right|[[Sweden]] is among the most atheistic countries in the world.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of Atheists / Agnostics(Zuckerman, 2005)]</ref> In recent years, [[Atheism and bestiality|bestiality]] has been on the rise in Sweden.<ref>[http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/1950/50/5050406 ''Bestiality on the Rise in Sexually Libertine Sweden'']</ref><ref>[http://pub.nettavisen.no/nettavisen/english/article177749.ece Swedes have more and more animal sex]</ref> ]]
 
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*[[Evolutionary belief and bestiality]]
 
  
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*[[PZ Myers on bestiality]]
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=== Atheism and profanity ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and profanity]] and [[Atheism and culture]]
  
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*[http://conservativetriumphs.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheism-religion-of-degenerates.html Atheism: A religion of degenerates]
+
Studies indicate that atheists engage in more [[profanity]] than Christians/theists and are more likely to believe that obscene language is acceptable to engage in.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*[https://www.barna.org/component/content/article/5-barna-update/45-barna-update-sp-657/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard#.VwcQ8jEn_7Y  "Practical outcomes replace biblical principles as the moral standard"] (September 10, 2001).  Barna Update.
 +
*Jay, Timothy and Janschewitz, Kristin (May/June 2012).  [http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2012/may-june-12/the-science-of-swearing.html "The Science of Swearing"].  ''Observer'', vol. 25, no. 5. The Association for Psychological Science website.
 +
*Ritter, Ryan S., Preston, J. L. et al. (June 18, 2013). [http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/06/18/1948550613492345.full.pdf+html "Happy tweets: Christians are happier, more socially connected, and less analytical than atheists on Twitter" [abstract&#93;].  ''Social Psychological and Personality Science'', 1948550613492345.  Abstract: Sage Journals Subscription required for full article.</ref>
 +
Use of profanity by individuals is negatively correlated with conscientiousness and agreeableness.<ref>Jay, Timothy and Janschewitz, Kristin (May/June 2012).  [http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2012/may-june-12/the-science-of-swearing.html "The Science of Swearing"].  ''Observer'', vol. 25, no. 5. The Association for Psychological Science website</ref>
  
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*[[Bestiality and Britain|Godless Britain and bestiality]]
+
For more information, please see: [[Atheism and profanity]]
  
−
*[[Bestiality and Sweden]]
+
=== Irreligion and crime/prison population ===
 +
*[[Religion and crime reduction]]
 +
*[[Irreligious prison population]]
  
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*[[Denmark, Sweden, evolutionary belief and bestiality|Sweden, Denmark, evolutionary belief and bestiality]]
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=== Atheism and psychopathy ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and psychopathy]]
 +
[[File:Jeffrey Dahmer Milwaukee Police 1991 mugshot.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|The [[serial killer]] [[Jeffrey Dahmer]] engaged in [[cannibalism]]. He was an atheist while he committed these acts.<ref>[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1sv4ky_serial-killer-jeffrey-dahmer-blames-atheism-and-evolution-belief-for-murders_news Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer blames Atheism and Evolution belief for Murders]</ref> See: [[Atheism and cannibalism]] ]]
 +
A [[psychopath]] is someone with an anti-social [[personality disorder]] characterized by [[violent]], [[perverted]] or immoral behavior often leading to [[criminal]]ity. Psychopaths have little or no concern for other people. Some psychopaths equate [[love]] with sexual arousal.<ref>{{cite book |title=Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us |author=Robert D. Hare |publisher=Guilford Press |place=New York and London |year=2011 |pages=52 |isbn=978-16062-35782 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1606235788}}</ref>
  
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*[[Christopher Hitchens on bestiality]]
+
A 2016 study relating to atheism and psychopathy published in ''Plus One'' indicates:
 +
{{Cquote|Similarly, a survey of 312 college students examining the relationship between Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (RSWB) and ‘dark triad’ personality traits found that “RSWB was confirmed to be negatively correlated with these negative aspects of personality, in particular with subclinical psychopathy.”
  
−
*[[Skeptic Skatje Myers' comments on bestiality]] (Daughter of atheist [[PZ Myers]])
+
...moral concern is associated with a spiritual worldview.<ref>[http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0149989 Why Do You Believe in God? Relationships between Religious Belief, Analytic Thinking, Mentalizing and Moral Concern] by Anthony Ian Jack , Jared Parker Friedman, Richard Eleftherios Boyatzis, Scott Nolan Taylor, ''Plus One'', March 23, 2016</ref>}}
  
−
*[[Wikipedia on bestiality]]
+
According to the 2014 journal article ''Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in everyday life: results from a large community survey'' published in the journal ''Frontiers of Psychology''  lack of belief in [[God]] is positively associated with [[psychopath]]y.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4106400/ Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in everyday life: results from a large community survey] by Scott O. Lilienfeld, Robert D. Latzman, Ashley L. Watts, Sarah F. Smith, and Kevin Dutton, ''Frontiers of Psychology'', 2014</ref>
  
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*[[Joseph Stalin's ape-men experiments]]
+
=== Atheism and theft crimes ===
  
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*[[Netherlands and bestiality|Atheistic Netherlands and bestiality]]
+
*[[Atheism and stealing|Atheism and theft crimes]]
 +
*[[Irreligion and car theft]]
 +
*[[Secular Europe and pickpocketing]]
 +
*[[Atheist organizations and scandals]]
  
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*[[Washington state and bestiality]]
+
=== Atheism and infanticide ===
 +
[[Infanticide]] is the practice of killing very young children. An infant is a child too young to speak.<ref>MedicineNet.com http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3966.</ref>
 +
[[File:Chow chow.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Each year thousands of [[dog]]s are stolen in atheist, communist controlled mainland [[China]] and as many as 20 million dogs are killed in China to satisfy the dog meat industry.<ref>[https://www.unilad.co.uk/featured/stop-pet-dogs-stolen-for-meat/ The Chinese Government Must Stop Pet Dogs Being Stolen For Meat] by JERRY GADIANO, Unilad website</ref> For more information, please see: [[Atheists and dog meat eating]]
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
According to ''ABC News'', gruesome techniques are used in Chinese dog slaughterhouses.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjbWQAASPcs Chinese Dog Meat Festival | Undercover Cameras Reveal Brutality Chinese Dog Meat Festival | Undercover Cameras Reveal Brutality], ABC News, YouTube</ref>  Brutal beatings of dogs are occurring in the Chinese dog meat trade during the slaughtering process.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjbWQAASPcs Chinese Dog Meat Festival | Undercover Cameras Reveal Brutality Chinese Dog Meat Festival | Undercover Cameras Reveal Brutality], ABC News, YouTube</ref> See: [[Atheism and animal abuse]]
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
[[China]] has the world's largest atheist population.<ref>Double references:
 +
*[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "Top 20 Countries With Largest Numbers of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)"] (November 28, 2007). ''The Largest Atheist/Agnostic Populations''. Chris & Terri Chapman website (March 19, 2013 or bef.), first publication date at website from archive at Internet Archive.
 +
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], ''Washington Post'' By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey May 23, 2013</ref> It also has [[state atheism]] (See: [[China and atheism]]).
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
Most atheists in the world are [[East Asia]]n (see: [[Asian atheism]]).]]
 +
Below is an article on atheism and infanticide:
  
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==== Atheism and rape ====
+
*[[Atheism and infanticide]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Atheism and women]]
+
=== Atheism and bestiality ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and bestiality]]
  
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Atheism offers no condemnation of [[rape]] and it provides no [[moral]] basis a society to attempt to prevent and deter rape. As noted earlier, Western atheists often assert there are no absolutes in morality and argue for [[moral relativism]].
+
=== Atheism and cannibalism ===
  
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Commenting on Western atheism and rape, the [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[True Free Thinker|Mariano Grinbank]] wrote:
+
See: [[Atheism and cannibalism]]
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{{cquote|When considering any and every atheist condemnation of any action whatsoever it is of primary importance to keep in mind that they are expressing personal opinions about the act(s) they are condemning. They are merely telling you their personal preferences in the form of morality borrowed from the Judeo-Christian worldview. They are piling unfounded assertion, upon unfounded assertion, upon unfounded assertion, and building a tel of arguments from outrage, arguments from personal incredulity, arguments for embarrassment, etc.<ref>http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/atheism-bible-rape-evilbiblecom-and-dan-barker-part-1-6</ref>}}
 
  
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Christian apologist Kyle Butt wrote: "In fact, in my debate with [[Dan Barker]], Barker admitted that fact, and stated that under certain circumstances, rape would be a moral obligation (Butt and Barker, 2009)"<ref>http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2333</ref> (see: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vPW4aZ0BUI Atheist Dan Barker Says Child Rape Could Be Moral]).
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=== Atheism and animal abuse ===
  
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[[TheAmazingAtheist]] is [[YouTube]]'s most subscribed to YouTube channel produced by an atheist and as of August of 2012 it had over 300,000 subscribers. In 2012, he viciously told a rape victim "you deserved it" and told her that her rapist "deserved a medal". He also told her that she should try to relive the rape in her mind.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/messianic-jewish-in-national/atheist-victimizes-rape-victim Atheist victimizes rape victim]</ref>
+
See: [[Atheism and animal abuse]] (Brutal dog/cat meat trades, etc.)
  
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=== Atheist Rebecca Watson and post Elevatorgate claim concerning harassment ===
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=== Atheism and veganism ===
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[[File:Rebecca-watson.jpg|thumbnail|140px|[[Rebecca Watson]] ]]
 
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Atheism and women]] and [[New Atheism]]
 
  
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Post [[Elevatorgate]] controversy, at an atheist convention, [[Rebecca Watson]] claimed:
+
See: [[Atheism and veganism]]
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{{cquote|Hundreds of atheists have informed me that either they wanted to rape me, someone should rape me so that I will loosen up or that no one would ever rape me because I am so ugly".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1mLHdTsmPc PZ Myers and the Art of Shameless Dishonesty]</ref>}}
 
  
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In addition, Watson declared: "It get regular rape threats. I get regular rape and murder threats".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96FtpDLi_Vw FreeThoughtBlogs and PZ Myers]</ref>
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=== Atheism and hypocrisy ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheist hypocrisy]]
  
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See also:  
+
In order to attempt to justify their atheism, atheists often engage in [[Hypocrisy|hypocritical]] argumentation.  In addition, atheists often engage in hypocritical behavior. Please see: [[Atheist hypocrisy]]
  
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* [[Atheism and women]]
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=== Atheism and social justice ===
 +
See: [[Atheism and social justice]]
  
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* [[Women's views of Richard Dawkins]]
+
=== Atheism and care of the environment ===
  
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* [[Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins]]
+
See: [[Atheism and the environment|Atheism and care of the environment]]
  
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* [[New Atheism]]
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=== Atheism and other moral issues ===
 +
For more information please see:  [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]]
  
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==== Atheist leaders and immoral relationships ====
+
=== Earlier definitions of atheism ===
 +
Dictionaries point out that previous/archaic meanings of the word atheism are: ungodliness. wickedness, immorality<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130509103942/http://www.positiveatheism.org/mail/eml9779.htm Dictionary Says 'Atheism' Means 'Immorality'!?]</ref><ref>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheism Definition of atheism - Merriam-Webster dictionary]</ref>
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheist leaders and immoral relationships]] and [[Internet atheism and polyamory]]
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== Atheism and philosophy topics ==
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[[File:PzMyers2.jpg|thumbnail|251px|right|PZ Myers
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[[File:Cerebellum.jpg|right|thumb|240px|If [[Naturalism (philosophy)|philosophical naturalism]] were true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for reason for the human brain would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces.
 +
<ref>
 +
*[http://creationevolutiondesign.blogspot.com/2006/09/cs-lewis-argument-from-reason.html C.S. Lewis' argument from reason]
 +
*[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/11/cs_lewis_and_th079541.html C.S. Lewis and the Argument from Reason] by Jay W. Richards, November 25, 2013
 +
*[http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-6-number-6/cs-lewis-and-materialism C.S. Lewis and Materialism] by John G. West
 +
*[http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=8669 C.S. Lewis On The Validity of Reasoning]
 +
*[http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2012/04/cs-lewis-on-rationality-and-materialism.html C.S. Lewis on Rationality and Materialism ]
 +
*[http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2008/08/naturalisms-hot.html Naturalism's Hot Water]
 +
</ref>
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
<br />
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<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/ Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en  license agreement])</small> ]]
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See: [[Atheism and reason]] and [[Atheism and the brain]] ]]
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On June 14, 2012, an article entitled ''Atheist leaders and immoral relationships'' published by an advocate of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] declared:
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=== Atheism and naturalism ===
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{{cquote|The website ''Submitted to a Candid World'' is written by an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and the website was praised by the prominent atheist [[PZ Myers]] in the past.
 
  
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On April 20, 2012 an article appeared in ''Submitted to a Candid World'' which declared:
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and naturalism]]
  
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'Several of my close friends — coincidentally, all extremely intelligent, math/science oriented, and leaders in the freethought/rationality/atheist communities — find themselves practicing and promoting an arrangement they term “[[polyamory]].” Essentially, this describes a post-jealousy, highly rationalized state where participants date each other, and several others simultaneously...
+
Scientific naturalism proposes that only explanations which can be scientifically tested are valid, yet this proposition cannot be scientifically tested. Therefore, scientific naturalism is self-refuting.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU_K_a7fW1A William Lane Craig on Scientific Naturalism] by Dr. [[William Lane Craig]]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and incoherency]]
  
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In the ideal polyamorous relationship, one man is seriously “dating” several women, each of whom is in turn dating several men.'<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/06/atheism-and-unstable-relationships.html Atheist leaders and immoral relationships]</ref>}}
+
=== Atheism and issues relating to knowledge acquisition ===
  
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The article ''Atheist leaders and immoral relationships'' further declares:
+
*[[Atheism and knowledge]]
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{{cquote|Several leaders of the "freethought"/atheist community are practicing and promoting polyamory. This is not going to help the poor reputation that atheism already has among the public. The [[Mormon]]s promoted [[bigamy]] for a while and later retracted their position due to the public outrage.
 
  
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Of course, atheist leaders engaging in and promoting practices such as polyamory is one of the many reasons why atheism has such a bad reputation in the world.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/06/atheism-and-unstable-relationships.html Atheist leaders and immoral relationships]</ref>}}
+
*[[Atheism and epistemology]]
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 +
*[[Atheism and reason]]
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and evidence]]
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and logic]]
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and logical fallacies]]
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 +
*[[Atheism and critical thinking]]
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 +
*[[Atheism and meaninglessness]]
 +
 
 +
=== Why atheism is irrational ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and irrationality]] and [[Irreligion and superstition]]
 +
 
 +
A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that [[Atheism and irrationality|atheism is irrational]].<ref name="athdef"/> In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.<ref name="inconsist"/>  For example, the atheistic worldview cannot account for the laws of [[logic]].<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Lisle, Dr. Jason (October 10, 2007).  [https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/atheism/atheism-an-irrational-worldview/ "Atheism: An irrational worldview"]. AnswersinGenesis. 
 +
*Slick, Matt (2010).  [http://carm.org/christian-worldview-atheist-worldview-and-logic "The Christian worldview, the atheist worldview, and logic"].  Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry.
 +
*Petersen, Jason (2013).  [https://web.archive.org/web/20160807221254/http://answersforhope.org/can-atheism-coherently-explain-the-laws-of-logic/ "Can atheism coherently explain the laws of logic?"] Answers for Hope. 
 +
*Audio of a formal 1985 debate between Christian Greg Bahnsen and skeptic Gordon Stein at the University of California, Irvine on the question "Does God exist?"  See Dr. [[Greg Bahnsen]]
 +
**[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1hSx2evTGM "Greg Bahnsen vs. Gordon Stein:  The Great Debate (FULL)"] (May 19, 2011).  YouTube video, 2:10:44, posted by Argin Gerigorian. 
 +
**Andy (December 5, 2006).  [http://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2006/12/05/greg-bahnsen-vs-gordon-stein-the-great-debate/ "Greg Bahnsen vs Gordon Stein mp3"].  The Domain for Truth.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and critical thinking]]
 +
 
 +
The atheist worldview cannot explain the existence of [[consciousness]] either and the [[theism|theistic]] worldview can offer a reasonable explanation.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Piippo, John (March 20, 2012).  [http://www.johnpiippo.com/2012/03/argument-from-consciousness-for.html "The argument from consciousness for the existence of God"].  John Piippo.
 +
*Piippo, John (April 14, 2014).  [http://www.johnpiippo.com/2014/04/one-of-atheisms-irresolvable-problems.html "Consciousness:  One of atheism's irresolvable problems"].  John Piippo.</ref> 
 +
[[File:113320508 2b86fdb94a.jpg|thumb|201px|right|A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that [[Atheism and irrationality|atheism is irrational]].<ref name="athdef">Multiple references:
 +
*Slick, Matt (2010).  [http://carm.org/cut-atheism "Atheism"].  Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry. 
 +
*Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"].  ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7. Internet Christian Library
 +
*Gilson, Tom (March 21, 2012).  [http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2012/03/21/atheists-dont-own-reason/10924 "Atheists don’t own reason"].  FaithStreet/On Faith. 
 +
*McInerny, Professor Ralph (1985).  [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html "Why the burden of proof is on the atheist"].  ''Truth Journal'', vol. 1. LeadershipU
 +
*Platinga, Alvin (1991).  [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth02.html "Theism, atheism, and rationality"]. ''Truth Journal'', vol. 3.  LeadershipU. See [[Alvin Plantinga]].
 +
*Day, Vox (2008). [http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf ''The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens''](Dallas TX:  Benbella Books). ISBN 1933771364; ISBN 978-1933771366.</ref> In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.<ref name="inconsist">Multiple references:
 +
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4K_WZpIkM4 "William Lane Craig on scientific naturalism"] (January 12, 2008).  YouTube video, 9:55, posted by Drcraigvideos
 +
*[http://vimeo.com/102663614 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 1"] (August 5, 2014).  Vimeo video, 8:10, posted by Jefferson Drexler.
 +
*[http://vimeo.com/103277405 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism with J.P. Moreland, part 2"] (August 12, 2014).  Vimeo video, 7:43, posted by Jefferson Drexler. 
 +
*[http://vimeo.com/103865278 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 3"] (August 19, 2014).  Vimeo video, 7:21, posted by Jefferson Drexler. 
 +
*[http://vimeo.com/105068126 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 4"] (September 2, 2014).  Vimeo video, 6:40, posted by Jefferson Drexler.
 +
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6cTlDn4PiU "The incoherence of atheism - Ravi Zacharias"] (February 5, 2013).  YouTube video, 51:59, posted by Christianity Reason and Science. 
 +
*Cooper, Jordan (August 31, 2012).  [http://justandsinner.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-incoherence-of-atheism.html "The incoherence of atheism"].  Just and Sinner blog. 
 +
*Randy (November 12, 2012).  [http://ephesians4-15.blogspot.com/2012/11/more-on-inconsistent-atheists.html "More on inconsistent atheists"].  Speak the Truth in Love. 
 +
*Geisler, Norman and McCoy, Daniel J. (June 2014).  ''The Atheist's Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs'' (Ada, MI:  Baker Publishing Group).  See [[Norman Geisler]]</ref>]]
 +
 
 +
For more information, please see:
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and irrationality]]
 +
*[[Atheism and logic]]
 +
*[[Atheism and incoherency]]
 +
*[[Irreligion and superstition]]
 +
*[[Atheism and groupthink]]
 +
*[[Atheism and epistemology]]
 +
*[[Atheism and postmodernism]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and reason ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and reason]] and [[Atheists and unreasonableness]]
 +
 
 +
If [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]] is true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for [[reason]] for the human [[brain]] would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces.
 +
<ref name="C.S. Lewis' argument from reason">*[http://creationevolutiondesign.blogspot.com/2006/09/cs-lewis-argument-from-reason.html C.S. Lewis' argument from reason]
 +
*[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/11/cs_lewis_and_th079541.html C.S. Lewis and the Argument from Reason] by Jay W. Richards, November 25, 2013
 +
*[http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-6-number-6/cs-lewis-and-materialism C.S. Lewis and Materialism] by John G. West
 +
*[http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=8669 C.S. Lewis On The Validity of Reasoning]
 +
*[http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2008/08/naturalisms-hot.html Naturalism's Hot Water]</ref>  Therefore, believing in naturalism is self-defeating.
 +
 
 +
In short, atheism/naturalism and reason are incompatible.<ref name="C.S. Lewis' argument from reason"/>
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and personhood ===
 +
 
 +
See: [[Atheism and personhood]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and the problem of consciousness ===
 +
 
 +
See: [[Atheism and consciousness]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and free will ===
 +
 
 +
See: [[Atheism and free will]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and human worth ===
 +
 
 +
See: [[Atheism and human worth]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and evidence ===
 +
See: [[Atheism and evidence]]
 +
 
 +
=== Logical fallacies that atheists commonly commit ===
 +
List of logical fallacies that atheists commonly commit: [[Atheism and logical fallacies]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and meaninglessness ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and meaninglessness]] and [[Atheism and the meaning of life]] and [[Nihilism]] and [[Absurdism]] and [[Existentialism]]
 +
 
 +
Under an atheistic worldview, there is no objective meaning or purpose in life.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Anderson, James (July 16, 2013).  [http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/can-life-have-meaning-without-god "Can life have meaning without God?"] The Gospel Coalition.  "Atheism’s universe is meaningless and valueless". J.W. Wartick—"Always Have a Reason" [blog
 +
*Galloway, Katie (December 23, 2013).  [http://www.bethinking.org/atheism/reclaiming-reason-from-atheism "Reclaiming reason from atheism".]  Bethinking.  ["Why atheism?"]
 +
*Sirrahc (April 19, 2012).  [http://aviewfromtheright.com/2012/04/19/heat-death-and-atheist-inconsistency-or-isnt-it-ironic/ "Heat death and atheist inconsistency (or, isn’t it ironic?)"].  A View from the Right
 +
*Shramek, Dustin (2009).  [http://www.oocities.org/athens/delphi/8449/atheism.html "Atheism and death: Why the atheist must face death with despair"].  Contend for the Faith [archive].  Archive
 +
*Brake, Aaron (2013).  [http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/apathy-atheism-and-the-absurdity-of-life-without-god/ "Apathy, atheism, and the absurdity of life without God"].  Pleaseconvinceme. 
 +
*Prayson, Daniel (December 16, 2010).  [http://withalliamgod.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/the-meaningless-life-of-atheism/ "The meaningless life of atheism"].  With All I Am.</ref>  Through [[Jesus Christ]], Christianity offers objective meaning and purpose to life.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Slick, Matt (2012).  [http://carm.org/meaning-of-life "What does the Bible say about the meaning/purpose of life?"].  Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website
 +
*[Under a Christian worldview] [http://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_MeaningLife.htm "What is the purpose and meaning of life?"] (2009).  Christian Bible Reference Site.</ref>
 +
 
 +
For more information, please see: [[Atheism and meaninglessness]] and [[Atheism and the meaning of life]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheists/agnostics and ultimate purpose ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and purpose]] and [[Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism]] and [[Atheism and beliefs]]
 +
 
 +
One of the most popular arguments for God's existence is the [[teleological argument]]. Derived from the Greek word ''telos'', which refers to purpose or end, this argument hinges on the idea that the world gives evidence of being designed, and concludes that a divine designer must be posited to account for the orderly world we encounter.
 +
 
 +
Academic research and historical data indicate that a significant portion of atheists/agnostics often see their lives and the world as being the product of purposeful design (see: [[Atheism and purpose]]).<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Banerjee, Konika and Bloom, Paul (October 17, 2014).  [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html "Does everything happen for a reason?"]  The New York Times website
 +
*Catchpoole, David (July 16, 2009 [GMT+10]).  [https://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed "Children see the world as designed"].  Creation.com.  See [[Creation Ministries International]].
 +
*Atheist [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] made the candid confession: "As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I often think rather in this way, for want of being able to think otherwise." Source: Turner, Dean (1991). [https://books.google.com/books?id=BGU7LZ2bQ4cC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=As+for+me,+I+don%E2%80%99t+see+myself+as+so+much+dust+that+has+appeared+in+the+world+but+as+a+being+that+was+expected,+prefigured,+called+forth.+In+short,+as+a+being+that+could,+it+seems,+come+only+from+a+creator;+and+this+idea+of+a+creating+hand+that+created+me+refers+me+back+to+God.&source=bl&ots=die9xMUdsB&sig=3dAJOK34aBalYieFKcJLdGpwFjY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NXhqVMSmHMexyASUyYKIBw&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=As%20for%20me%2C%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20see%20myself%20as%20so%20much%20dust%20that%20has%20appeared%20in%20the%20world%20but%20as%20a%20being%20that%20was%20expected%2C%20prefigured%2C%20called%20forth.%20In%20short%2C%20as%20a%20being%20that%20could%2C%20it%20seems%2C%20come%20only%20from%20a%20creator%3B%20and%20this%20idea%20of%20a%20creating%20hand%20that%20created%20me%20refers%20me%20back%20to%20God.&f=false ''Escape from God: The Use of Religion and Philosophy to Evade Responsibility''] (Pasadena, California:  Hope Publishing House), p. 109. GoogleBooks archive.
 +
*The ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' declares about the agnostic/[[weak atheism|weak atheist]] Charles Darwin: "In 1885, the Duke of Argyll recounted a conversation he had had with Charles Darwin the year before Darwin's death: 'In the course of that conversation I said to Mr. Darwin, with reference to some of his own remarkable works on the Fertilization of [[Orchid]]s, and upon The [[Earthworm]]s, and various other observations he made of the wonderful contrivances for certain purposes in nature — I said it was impossible to look at these without seeing that they were the effect and the expression of Mind. I shall never forget Mr. Darwin's answer. He looked at me very hard and said, "Well, that often comes over me with overwhelming force; but at other times," and he shook his head vaguely, adding, "it seems to go away."' (Argyll 1885, 244)"
 +
**[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html "Notes to 'Teleological arguments for God's existence'"] [article revised removing reference in January 2015].
 +
**The Duke of Argyll (1885).  [https://books.google.com/books?id=CskhAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22good+words%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fs24VKGOMpDnsATg_4HYDQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22it%20seems%20to%20go%20away%22&f=false "What is science?"] ''Good Words'' [United Kingdom], vol. 26, p. 244. GoogleBooks archive
 +
</ref>  
 +
 
 +
See also:
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and evil/suffering ===
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and the Problem of Evil|Atheism and the problem of evil]]
 +
 
 +
*[[Atheism and suffering]]
 +
=== Arrogance of atheism/atheists ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and arrogance]] and [[Atheism and narcissism]] and [[Atheism and deception]]
 +
 
 +
One of the common and well-founded charges against atheists is their arrogance and presumptuousness.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"].  ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7.  Internet Christian Library
 +
*Copan, Paul (April 6, 2009).  [http://www.equip.org/articles/the-presumptuousness-of-atheism/ "The presumptuousness of atheism"].  Christian Research Institute.
 +
*Cupp, S. E. (December 29, 2010).  [http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/arrogance-atheists-batter-believers-religion-smug-certainty-article-1.469613 "The arrogance of the atheists: They batter believers in religion with smug certainty"].  ''New York Daily News''.  See atheist commentator [[S.E. Cupp]]
 +
*O'Neill, Brendan (August 14, 2013).  [http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brendanoneill2/100230985/how-atheists-became-the-most-colossally-smug-and-annoying-people-on-the-planet/ "How atheists became the most colossally smug and annoying people on the planet"].  The Telegraph website/Brendan O'Neill [blog].  [atheist author] 
 +
*Delzell, Dan (October 17, 2011).  [http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-anger-fuels-atheistic-arrogance-58281/ "How anger fuels atheistic arrogance"].  Christian Post website.
 +
*[http://atheismexposed.tripod.com/atheist_arrogance.htm "Militant atheist arrogance and pride"] (2007).  Militant Atheism Exposed.</ref>
 +
 
 +
==== Why atheism is an arrogant ideology  ====
 +
''See also:'' [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Arguments against atheism]] and [[Atheism and arrogance]]
 +
[[File:Old Nietzsche, 1899.JPG|thumbnail|220px|right|[[Friedrich Nietzsche]] wrote: "But now God is dead. You superior men, this God was your greatest danger. Only since he is in the grave, have you risen again. Only now comes the great noontide; only now the superior man will be – Lord!".<ref>[http://atheismexposed.tripod.com/atheist_arrogance.htm Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, In Michael Curtis (Ed.) The Great Political Theories, Vol. 2 (New York: Avon Books, 1962, PP. 261-262). Cited in, Christopher, J.R., G.G, Wittet, Modern Western Civilization. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1991, Pages 232, 233]</ref>
 +
<br /><br />
  
−
For more information please see: [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/06/atheism-and-unstable-relationships.html Atheist leaders and immoral relationships]
 
  
−
===Atheism and miracles===
 
−
[[Image:Billcraig_czvx.jpg‎‎|thumb|150px|Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] ]]
 
−
:''See main article: [[Atheism and Miracles]]''
 
−
In relation to [[Atheism and Miracles|atheism and miracles]], modern scholars are divided on the issue of whether or not [[David Hume]] was an atheist.<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume-religion/#10</ref> With that caveat in mind, Hume is well known for arguing that it is always more probable that the testimony of a miracle is false than that the miracle occurred.<ref>[http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/creation-providence.html Creation, Providence, and Miracle]</ref> Christian apologists [[William Lane Craig]], [[Norman Geisler]], [[C.S. Lewis]], [[JP Holding]], and others have shown the inadequacy and unreasonableness of Hume's position regarding miracles.<ref>
 
−
*[http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/creation-providence.html Creation, Providence, and Miracle - William Lane Craig]
 
−
*[http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/miracles.html Miracles - William Lane Craig]
 
−
*[http://www.galaxie.com/article/6706 A Jurisprudential Analysis Of Hume’s ‘In Principal’ Argument Against Miracles - Paul K. Hoffman]
 
−
*[http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth19.html Miracles and Modern Scientific Thought - Norman Geisler]
 
−
*[http://books.google.com/books/about/Miracles.html?id=tH8di3qQDhEC Miracles - C.S. Lewis]
 
−
*[http://www.tektonics.org/gk/hume01.html David Hume: A Critique - JP Holding]
 
−
*[http://www.comereason.org/phil_qstn/phi060.asp Are Miracles Logically Impossible? - Come Reason Ministries]
 
−
</ref>
 
  
−
===Atheism and questions of origins===
 
−
:''See main article: [[Atheism and Evolution]]''
 
−
[[Creationism|Creationist]] scientists state that the [[First Law of Thermodynamics|first law of thermodynamics]] and the [[Second Law of Thermodynamics|second law of thermodynamics]] argue against an eternal universe or a universe created by natural processes and argue for a universe created by [[God]].<ref>http://godevidences.net/space/lawsofscience.php</ref><ref>http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2329</ref><ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/AstroPhysicalSciences14.html</ref> A majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs [[methodological naturalism]] since [[World War II]] have had the worldview of atheism.<ref>Dr. Don Batten, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/737/ A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32
 
−
December 1997.</ref><ref>[[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]</ref> [[Creation science|Creation scientists]] assert that the theory of [[Evolution|evolution]] is an inadequate explanation for the variety of life forms on earth.<ref>http://www.icr.org/home/resources/resources_tracts_scientificcaseagainstevolution/</ref> In addition, the current [[origin of life|naturalistic explanations for the origin of life are inadequate]].  The theory of evolution [[Social effects of the theory of evolution|has had a number of negative social effects]].
 
  
−
==Atheism and mental and physical health==
 
  
−
:''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Atheism and alcohol abuse]]
 
  
−
The is considerable amount of [[science|scientific]] evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism and some of the more significant findings are given below <ref>
 
−
*[http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice - Mayo Clinic]
 
−
*[http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/publications/latest.html Research on Spirituality, Theology and Health - Duke University]
 
−
*[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/rel_mort_meta.pdf McCullogh ME, Larson DB, Hoyt WT. et al. (2000). Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. Health Psychology. 19, 3. 211-222]
 
−
*[http://www.religiouspractice.ie/Religious_practice-2.pdf The psycho-social benefits of religious practice by Ona Institute]
 
−
*[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf Religion, Self-Regulation, and Self-Control: Associations, Explanations, and Implications]
 
−
*[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/05/990517064323.htm Research Shows Religion Plays A Major Role In Health, Longevity - Science Daily, 1999]
 
−
*[http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303 Religious Affiliation and Suicide Attempt - The American Journal of Psychiatry]
 
−
*[http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html Psychology researcher says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism - Scienceblog and University of Warwick]
 
−
</ref> (For more information please see: [[Atheism and health]]).
 
  
−
=== Mayo Clinic, university studies, and other research ===
 
−
[[Image:Mayo-clinic-gondaoverview.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] found that that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.<ref>http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf</ref>]]
 
−
The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] reported the following on December 11, 2001:
 
−
{{cquote|In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.
 
  
−
The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.<ref>http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/76/12/1225.full.pdf</ref>}}
+
The picture of Nietzsche above was taken in 1899. Nietzsche died in 1900. See: [[Atheism and arrogance]] ]]
 +
Atheists [[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism|lack proof and evidence]] that God does not exist and ignore the [[Christian apologetics websites|clear and abundant proof and evidence]] that He does exist.  The philosopher [[Mortimer Adler]] pointed out that atheism asserts an unreasonable [[universal negative]] that is self-defeating.<ref name="defensive">Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"].  ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7. Internet Christian Library</ref>
  
−
The [[Iona Institute]] reported:
+
Contrary to the mistaken notion of individuals who are inexperienced in [[logic]]/philosophy, there are plenty of cases where universal negatives [[Universal negative|can be proven]].<ref>[https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/must-the-atheist-be-omniscient/ Must the Atheist Be Omniscient?] by Dr. William Lane Craig</ref> However, atheists' universal negative claim that God does not exist is not a reasonable universal negative claim.<ref name="defensive"/>
−
{{cquote|A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.<ref>[http://www.religiouspractice.ie/Religious_practice-2.pdf The psycho-social benefits of religious practice by Iona Institute]</ref><ref>[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/rel_mort_meta.pdf McCullogh ME, Larson DB, Hoyt WT. et al. (2000). Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review. Health Psychology. 19, 3. 211-222]</ref>}}
 
  
−
In December of 2003, the University of Warwick reported:
+
Atheists have also given themselves pretentious monikers such as [[freethinker]], rationalist and "bright". See also: [[Brights Movement]] and [[Atheism and intelligence]]
−
{{cquote|Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of [[Christmas]] are on the whole likely to be happier.<ref>http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html</ref>}}
 
  
−
[[Duke University]] has established the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.<ref>http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/</ref> The Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health is based in the Center for Aging at Duke and gives opportunities for scholarly trans-disciplinary conversation and the development of collaborative research projects.<ref>http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/about/</ref> In respect to the atheism and mental and physical health, the center offers many studies which suggest that theism is more beneficial than atheism.<ref>http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/publications/latest.html</ref>
+
In addition, historically militant atheists have commonly endeavored to limit the religious freedom of others while imposing their errant, atheistic ideology on others. See also: [[Atheism and intolerance]]
−
[[Image:Nietzsche.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Currently, there is an ongoing debate on whether  [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]'s insanity  was caused purely through disease or whether his atheistic/[[nihilism|nihilistic]] philosophical outlook on life was the cause.]]
 
−
The Christian group [[Teen Challenge]] reported:
 
−
{{Cquote|Teen Challenge claims of a 70% cure rate for the drug addicts graduating from their program attracted the attention of the U.S. Federal Government in 1973. Most secular drug rehabilitation programs only experienced a cure rate of 1-15% of their graduates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the first year of this study to evaluate the long term results of the Teen Challenge program.<ref>http://www.acadc.org/page/page/2495014.htm</ref>}}
 
  
−
Teen Challenge has a number of studies that indicate the high effectiveness of their drug treatment program compared to other programs.<ref>http://www.acadc.org/page/page/2495014.htm</ref> Studies indicate that consumers of secular counseling [[psychology]] programs show hardly any benefit at all for [[alcoholism]] (see also: [[Ineffectivness of counseling psychology|Ineffectiveness of secular counseling psychology]]).<ref>[http://www.spring.org.uk/2005/07/psychological-treatments-for-alcoholism.php]</ref><ref>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/5/75/abstract</ref> The [[Apostle Paul]] in a letter to the church of [[Corinth]] indicated that [[Christianity|Christians]] were able to overcome being drunkards through the power of [[Jesus Christ]] (I Corinthians 6:9-11). The website ''The Berean Call'' has a number of articles on various false claims and unbiblical notions that many practioners of counseling psychology promote.<ref>http://www.thebereancall.org/topic/psychology</ref>
+
==== Atheists and lack of open-mindedness ====
  
−
Currently, there is an ongoing debate on whether  [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]'s insanity  was caused purely through disease or whether his atheistic/[[nihilism|nihilistic]] philosophical outlook on life was the cause.<ref>
+
Research indicates that atheists are less open-minded (see: [[Atheism and open-mindedness]]).
−
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17881977]
 
−
*[http://www.ukapologetics.net/truthaboutnietzsche.html]
 
−
*[http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/hutchison/070307]
 
−
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17087793?dopt=Abstract]
 
−
*[http://www.leonardsax.com/Nietzsche.pdf]
 
−
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=x4qDrNKVC5gC&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=Ren%C3%A9+Girard+nietzsche+and+madness&source=bl&ots=DQFLJpqjJd&sig=mXNq_6J6_qTciP2vW-FHojwBn20&hl=en&ei=hv99Sp0Y2YG2B8Ogsf4B&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false]</ref>
 
−
<ref name="hkbu">http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/top/top19</ref>
 
  
−
An article published on the Hong Kong Baptist University declares:
+
See:
−
{{cquote|Trying to explain what caused his insanity can only be a matter of speculation. Some people believe it was the result of a physical illness. Others interpret his suffering as that of a true prophet, almost as if he were accepting the punishment on behalf of those who could not see mankind's tendency towards self-destruction so clearly. Still others regard his final fate as a natural outcome of his philosophical outlook.<ref name="hkbu">http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ppp/top/top19</ref>}}
 
  
−
The Russian-born psychoanalyst and writer Lou Andreas-Salomé, who had a brief and tempestuous affair with Nietzsche, believed that Nietzsche's philosophy can be viewed as a reflection of his psychology and that his madness was the result of his philosophizing.<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Nietzsche-Lou-Salome/dp/0252070356</ref>  In addition, the French historian René Girard asserted that Nietzsche's philosophy led to his insanity.<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=x4qDrNKVC5gC&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=Ren%C3%A9+Girard+nietzsche+and+madness&source=bl&ots=DQFLJpqjJd&sig=mXNq_6J6_qTciP2vW-FHojwBn20&hl=en&ei=hv99Sp0Y2YG2B8Ogsf4B&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false</ref>
+
*[[Atheism and open-mindedness]]
  
−
===Atheism and suicide===
+
*[[Atheism and dogmatism]]
  
−
:''See also:'' [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism, gender and suicide]] and [[Atheism, marriage and suicide]]
+
*[[New Atheism, dogmatism and Jonathon Haidt's study]]
  
−
Although there are recent studies relating to [[Atheism and suicide|atheism being a causal factor for suicide for some individuals]], an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for [[suicide]] was the Reverend Dr. [[Robert Stuart MacArthur]].<ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref><ref>http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303</ref><ref name="nytimes">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction]</ref> In 1894, the [[NY Times]] stated the following in relation to atheism and suicide:
+
== Atheism and religion ==
−
{{cquote|Dr. Martin urged that a great cause of suicide was atheism. It was, he said, a remarkable fact that where atheism prevailed most, there suicides were most numerous. In [[Paris]], a recent census showed one suicide to every 2,700 of the population. After the publication of Paine's "Age of Reason" suicides increased.<ref name="nytimes">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction]</ref>}}
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=== Atheism is a religion ===
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[[Image:Desperation_man.jpg‎ |thumb|right|200px|Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman stated concerning suicide rates: "this is the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations."]]
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''See also:'' [[Atheism is a religion]] and [[Atheist cults]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]
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The same NY Times article quotes the Reverend Dr. MacArthur describing suicide in the following manner:
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[[File:Sanderson Jones.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|The [[British atheism|British atheist]] Sanderson Jones is a founder of the [[Sunday Assembly]] "atheist church" movement.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/atheist-church-split_n_4550456.html Atheist Church Split: Sunday Assembly And Godless Revival's 'Denominational Chasm'], Huffington Post, 2014</ref>]]
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{{cquote|It is mean and not manly; it is dastardly and not daring. A man who involves his innocent wife and children in financial disaster and disgrace and takes his life and leaves them to bear the burden he was unwilling to bear, is a coward.<ref name="nytimes">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF NY Times, September 17, 1894, ATHEISM A CAUSE OF SUICIDE.; Dr. MacArthur Preaches on the Sin and Cowardice of Self-Destruction]</ref>}}
 
  
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In 2004, the ''American Journal of Psychiatry'' reported the following:  
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See: [[Atheism is a religion]]
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{{cquote|Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts and more first-degree relatives who committed suicide than subjects who endorsed a religious affiliation. Unaffiliated subjects were younger, less often married, less often had children, and had less contact with family members. Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide. In terms of clinical characteristics, religiously unaffiliated subjects had more lifetime impulsivity, aggression, and past substance use disorder. No differences in the level of subjective and objective depression, hopelessness, or stressful life events were found.<ref>http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/12/2303</ref>}}
 
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[[Image:World Health Organization logo.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The emblem of the [[World Health Organization]]. ]]
 
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The website Adherents.com reported the following in respect to atheism and suicide:
 
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{{cquote|Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman compiled country-by-country survey, polling and census numbers relating to atheism, agnosticism, disbelief in God and people who state they are non-religious or have no religious preference. These data were published in the chapter titled "Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns" in The Cambridge Companion to Atheism, ed. by Michael Martin, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK (2005). In examining various indicators of societal health, Zuckerman concludes about suicide:
 
  
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"Concerning suicide rates, this is the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations. According to the 2003 [[World Health Organization]]'s report on international male suicides rates (which compared 100 countries), of the top ten nations with the highest male suicide rates, all but one (Sri Lanka) are strongly irreligious nations with high levels of atheism. It is interesting to note, however, that of the top remaining nine nations leading the world in male suicide rates, all are former Soviet/Communist nations, such as Belarus, Ukraine, and Latvia. Of the bottom ten nations with the lowest male suicide rates, all are highly religious nations with statistically insignificant levels of organic atheism."<ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref>}}
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[[Atheism is a religion]].<ref name="Atheismisareligion">Multiple references:
 +
*[https://creation.com/atheism-a-religion Is Atheism a religion?] by Daniel Smartt, Published: 4 May 2010(GMT+10)
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*Hodge, Bodie; Patterson, Roger (2016). ''[https://assets.answersingenesis.org/doc/prod/etc/sample/10-2-476_sample.pdf ''World Religions and Cults Vol. 3'']. Master Books. 29–44. ISBN: 978-0-89051-970-7.
 +
*Hodge, Bodie; Ham, Ken (February 20, 2017). [https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/atheism/atheism-is-religion/ Atheism Is Religion]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved March 27, 2018.</ref>  And many of the leaders of the atheist movement, such as the evolutionist and [[New Atheism|new atheist]]/agnostic Richard Dawkins, argue for agnosticism/atheism with a religious fervor.
 +
 +
In addition, although many atheists deny that atheism is a worldview, atheists commonly share a [[Atheism and beliefs|number of beliefs]] such as [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]], belief in evolution and [[Origin of life|abiogenesis]].<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Slick, Matt (October 2011).  [http://carm.org/atheism-worldview "Is atheism a worldview?"]  Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website.  See [[CARM]]
 +
*Hearn, Brian F. (December 31, 2009).  [http://www.apologetics.net/post/Atheism-a-worldview.aspx "Atheism a worldview?"]  Apologetics.net.
 +
*Hearn, Brian F. (May 2, 2012).  [http://www.apologetics.net/post/Atheism-is-a-worldview-%28II%29.aspx "Atheism is a worldview II"].  Apologetics.net.
 +
*Bannister, Andy (October 14, 2013).  [http://www.rzim.eu/the-scandanavian-sceptic-or-why-atheism-is-a-belief-system "The Scandanavian sceptic (or why atheism is a belief system)"].  Ravi Zacharias International Ministries website.  See [[Ravi Zacharias]]</ref>
  
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[[Australia]]n online opinion writer and lecturer in ethics and philosophy at several [[Melbourne]] [[theology|theological]] colleges, Bill Muehlenberg, in his essay ''The Unbearable Heaviness of Being (In a World Without God)'' states the following:
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Roderick Ninian Smart, a Scottish writer and professor, defined a seven-part scheme of understanding both religious and secular worldviews<ref>Smart, Ninian (1996).  [https://books.google.com/books?id=14j2UrLCi64C&pg=PA130&lpg=PA130&dq=ninian+smart+narrative&source=bl&ots=Hq3WwG_mVT&sig=j-8FpwSdqohURYodSdcl46erSJY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FgybT6zxIc-_gAe864X6Dg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ninian%20smart%20narrative&f=false ''Dimensions of the Sacred'' [preview&#93;] (Oakland, CA: University of California Press).  Preview: GoogleBooks</ref> These can be understood as narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, ritual and material.
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{{cquote|Announcing, and believing, that God is dead has consequences. And it is we who suffer the most for it. We cannot bear the whole universe on our shoulders. We were not meant to. We must let God be God. Only then can men be men. Only then can we find the way forward to be possible, and the burdens not insurmountable.<ref>http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2008/05/26/the-unbearable-heaviness-of-being-in-a-world-without-god/</ref>}}
 
  
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==== Atheism, uncharitableness and suicide ====
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English Pastor Daniel Smartt defines atheism as a religion, using Ninian Smart's seven dimensions of worldview as a list of criteria. It is not necessary in Smartt's model for every one of these to be present in order for something to be a religion.<ref>Smartt, Daniel (November 6, 2008).  [https://archive.is/L3cY5 "Atheism religion naturalism morally relative"].  Archive of SpiritualLiving360°.</ref> However, it can be argued that all seven are present in the case of atheism.<ref name="Atheismisareligion"/>
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<ref>*Ammi, Ken (June 11, 2009).  [https://creation.com/atheism "Atheism"].  Creation Ministries International.</ref>
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and depression]] and  [[Atheism, uncharitableness and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]  
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In 2013, a trend of atheist services began and atheist services were reported in the ''[[New York Times]]'', ''[[The Blaze]]'' and other major news outlets.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Thier, Dave (June 23, 2013). [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/us/in-the-bible-belt-offering-atheists-a-spiritual-home.html?_r=0 "In the Bible belt offering atheists a spiritual home"].  Nytimes.com
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*Hallowell, Billy (April 17, 2013).  [https://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/17/atheist-sunday-morning-worship-services-are-on-the-rise/ "Bizarre trend: atheist Sunday morning ‘worship’ services are on the rise (minus God, of course)"] TheBlaze. 
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*Ortberg, Mallory (January 5, 2013).  [http://gawker.com/5973377/londons-first-atheist-church-opens-tomorrow "London's first atheist church opens tomorrow".] Gawker.</ref>
  
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A number of studies have confirmed that there is an inverse relationship to doing volunteer work and depression.<ref>http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/caring/caring-and-happiness-reviews/</ref> The [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] has a higher suicide rate than the general population. (see: [[Atheism and suicide]]).
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See also:  
  
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==== Ex-Christians, self-esteem and suicide ====
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*[[Atheism is a religion]]
 +
*[[Atheist indoctrination]]
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*[[Atheist cults]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Ex-Christians, self-esteem and suicide]] and [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and self-esteem]] and [[Richard Dawkins and Jesse Kilgore]] and [[Ex-atheists]]  
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=== Atheist cults ===
 +
See: [[Atheist cults]]
  
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There are preliminary studies indicating that individuals who reject [[Christianity]] in Western cultures have lower self-esteem than the Christian population.<ref>http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-of-christianity-and-self.html</ref><ref>http://atheistwatch.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheists-and-self-esteem-part-2.html</ref> There are studies indicating that lower self-esteem is associated with suicidality.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21190929</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602903</ref>
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[[File:2384975035 230a0eac30.jpg|thumb|right|170px|The [[Wall Street Journal]] reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to [[superstition]], tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians."<ref name="online.wsj.com">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>]]
  
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==== Atheism, gender, marriage and suicide ====
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=== Atheism and spirituality ===
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*[[Atheism and spirituality]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and depression]]
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=== Irreligion and superstition ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Irreligion and superstition]]
  
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Please see: [[Atheism, gender and suicide]] and [[Atheism, marriage and suicide]]
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In September 2008, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported:
 +
{{cquote|The reality is that the New Atheist campaign, by discouraging [[religion]], won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass [[superstition]]. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith—it's what the empirical data tell us.
  
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[[File:Stephen-Fry.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|[[Stephen Fry]] is an [[atheist]] and a [[homosexual]].]]
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"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that [[Conservative Christianity|traditional Christian religion]] greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of [[astrology]]. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians...."<ref name="paranormal">Hemingway, Molly Ziegler (September 19, 2008). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html "Look who's irrational now"].  The Wall Street Journal website.</ref>}}
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[[File:Loc of United States.png|thumbnail|175px|right|According to Pew Forum, [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Protestant]] churches in America grew by 2 million from 2007 to 2014.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/2015/05/why-conservative-churches-are-still-growing/ Why conservative churches are still growing]</ref>  See: [[Atheism vs. Christianity]] ]]
  
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=== Atheism and obesity ===
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=== Atheism and the occult ===
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Atheism and health]]
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See: [[Atheism and the occult]]
  
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According to the [[Gallup Organization]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>  For more information please [[Atheism and obesity]]
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=== Atheism vs. Abrahamic religions and religion ===
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*[[Atheism vs. Christianity]]
 +
*[[Atheism vs. religion]]
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*[[Atheism vs. Judaism]]
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*[[Atheism vs. theism]]
  
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Gallup  declared concerning the study which measured the degree to which religiosity affects health practices: "[[Generalized linear model]] analysis was used to estimate marginal scores all five reported metrics after controlling for age (in years), gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, education (number of years), log of income, and region of the country... Results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey Jan. 2-July 28, 2010, with a random sample of 554,066 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, selected using random-digit-dial sampling."<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx</ref>
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=== Atheism vs. Islam ===
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:''See main article: [[Atheism vs. Islam]]''
  
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Please see:
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=== Atheism and miracles ===
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:''See main article: [[Atheism and Miracles]]''
  
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* [[Atheism and obesity]]  
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In relation to [[Atheism and Miracles|atheism and miracles]], modern scholars are divided on the issue of whether or not [[David Hume]] was an atheist.<ref>Russell, Paul (February 11, 2013). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume-religion/#10 "Hume on religion"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
 +
</ref> With that caveat in mind, Hume is well known for arguing that it is always more probable that the testimony of a miracle is false than that the miracle occurred.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Lennox, John (2009).  [http://www.bethinking.org/are-miracles-possible/the-question-of-miracles-the-contemporary-influence-of-hume "The question of miracles: the contemporary influence of Hume"].  BeThinking.
 +
*Craig, Dr. William Lane (1986).  [http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/miracles.html "The problem of miracles: a historical and philosophical perspective"].  ''Gospel Perspectives'', vol 6, ed. by David Wenham and Craig Blomberg (Sheffield, England: JSOT Press), pp. 9-40.  LeadershipU</ref>  Christian apologists [[William Lane Craig]], [[Norman Geisler]], [[C.S. Lewis]], [[JP Holding]], and others have shown the inadequacy and unreasonableness of Hume's position regarding miracles.<ref>Multiple references:
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*Lennox, John (2009).  [http://www.bethinking.org/are-miracles-possible/the-question-of-miracles-the-contemporary-influence-of-hume "The question of miracles: the contemporary influence of Hume"].  BeThinking. 
 +
*Craig, Dr. William Lane (1986).  [http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/miracles.html "The problem of miracles: a historical and philosophical perspective"].  ''Gospel Perspectives'', vol 6, ed. by David Wenham and Craig Blomberg (Sheffield, England: JSOT Press), pp. 9-40.  LeadershipU
 +
*Hoffman, Paul K. (Spring 1999).  [http://www.galaxie.com/article/caj02-1-03?highlight=hoffmanA "A jurisprudential analysis of Hume’s ‘in principal’ argument against miracles" [excerpt&#93;].  ''Christian Apologetics Journal'', 2:1, p. 2.  Galaxie Software.  Subscription required for full article.
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*Geisler, Professor Norman (1985).  [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth19.html "Miracles and modern scientific thought"].  ''Truth Journal'', vol. 1.  LeadershipU
 +
*Lewis, C. S. (1960).  [https://books.google.com/books/about/Miracles.html?id=tH8di3qQDhEC ''Miracles''] (New York:  HarperCollins).  Abstract: Google Books
 +
*Holding, J. P. [http://www.tektonics.org/gk/hume01.html "David Hume: a critique"].  Tekton Apologetics.
 +
*Esposito, Lenny (2002).  [http://www.comereason.org/phil_qstn/phi060.asp "Are miracles logically impossible?"] Come Reason Ministries.</ref>
  
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* [[Atheism and health]]
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The ''Christian Post'' reporter Stoyan Zaimov wrote: "Double-blind prayer experiments: where people pray for others with terminal illness. [[Gary Habermas|Habermas]] admitted that most such experiments have not worked, but the three that he knows of that have indeed worked were cases of orthodox-Christians praying for the sick."<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-apologist-10-reasons-for-the-fall-of-atheism-106531/ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism] by Stoyan Zaimov,'' Christian Post'', October 14, 2013</ref>
  
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*[[Psychology, obesity, religiosity and atheism]]
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==== Atheists who believe in life after death ====
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and the supernatural]]
  
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*[[New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight|New Atheism and obesity]]
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A survey involving 15,738 individuals found that 32 percent of Americans who identified themselves as agnostics and atheists believe in an afterlife of some kind.<ref>[http://www.theskepticsguide.org/one-third-of-atheists-agnostics-believe-in-an-afterlife Survey: 32% of Atheists & Agnostics Believe in an Afterlife], Skepticsguide.com</ref><ref>[http://relationshipsinamerica.com/religion/do-people-still-believe-in-life-after-death Do people still believe in life after death?], Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture Study</ref>
  
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*[[Atheism, obesity and self-esteem]]  
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== Atheism and death ==
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[[File:Atheism and death.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|According to a study performed in the United States by researchers Wink and Scott, very religious people fear death the least.<ref>Multiple references:
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140330091500/http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050628_deathfearfrm.htm "Fear of death: Worst if you’re a little religious?"] (July 13, 2005).  World Science.
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*Wink, P. L. and Scott, J. A. (July 2005).  [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15980288 "Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? Findings from a longitudinal study" [abstract&#93;].  ''The Journals of Gerontology, series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences'', vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 207-14. PubMed.gov</ref>] See: [[Atheism and death]]
  
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*[[Homosexuality and obesity]]
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and death]] and [[Atheist funerals]] and [[Atheism and Hell]]  
  
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=== Atheism and alcohol abuse ===
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''Science Daily'' reported that ''Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God''.<ref name="Otago">University of Otago [New Zealand] (April 2, 2012).  [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094322.htm "Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God"].  ScienceDaily.</ref> In a ''Psychology Today'' article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.<ref name="Heflick">Heflick, Nathan A. (May 25, 2012).  [http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-big-questions/201205/atheists-death-and-belief-in-god "Atheists, death and belief in God: The effects of death reminders on atheists' supernatural beliefs"].  Psychology Today website.</ref> Under stress, the brain's processing works in a way that prefers unconscious thinking.<ref>Multiple references:
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*Ruhr University Bochum (August 9, 2012). [http://aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pm2012/pm00263.html.en "Learn to forecast the weather after stress"].  aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de. 
 +
*Gregoire, Carolyn (July 31, 2013).  [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/learn-under-stress-brain_n_3678222.html "How the brain learns successfully, even under stress"].  The Huffington Post.</ref>
  
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcohol abuse]]
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A United States study and a [[Taiwan]]ese study indicated that the irreligious fear death more than the very religious.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140330091500/http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050628_deathfearfrm.htm "Fear of death: Worst if you’re a little religious?"] (July 13, 2005).  World Science.
 +
*Wink, Paul. and Scott, Julia. (July 2005).  [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15980288 "Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? Findings from a longitudinal study"].  ''The Journals of Gerontology. Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences'', vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 207-14. PubMed.gov.
 +
*Wen, Ya-hui. (December 2010). [http://www.hraljournal.com/Page/4%20Ya-Hui%20Wen.pdf "Religiosity and death anxiety"]. ''The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning'', vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 31-37. The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning website.</ref>
  
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As noted above, the [[Barna Group]] found that atheists and [[agnostics]] in America were more likely, than [[theist]]s in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable:  [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]] and '''excessive drinking;''' <ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref>
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==== Atheists and belief in life after death ====
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and life after death]] and [[Atheists and supernatural beliefs]]
  
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==== Binge drinking and brain damage ====
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A significant percentage of atheists believe in life after death (see: [[Atheism and life after death]]).<ref>[http://www.theskepticsguide.org/one-third-of-atheists-agnostics-believe-in-an-afterlife Survey: 32% of Atheists & Agnostics Believe in an Afterlife]</ref>
  
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A 2012 study suggests that a habit of binge drink risks serious brain damage including increasing memory loss later in adulthood.<ref>http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/binge/a/aa000818a.htm</ref><ref>http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20121022/koob.html</ref>
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For additional information, please see:  
  
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==== Atheism, binge drinking and suicide ====
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* [[Atheism and cryonics]]
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*[[Atheism and transhumanism]]
  
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Binge drinking is a potent risk factor for suicide.<ref>O'Connell, H; Lawlor, BA (October–December 2005). "Recent alcohol intake and suicidality--a neuropsychological perspective". Irish journal of medical science 174 (4): 51–4</ref> As noted above, atheists have a [[Atheism and suicide|higher suicide rate]] than the general population.
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==== Atheism and Hell ====
 +
''See also:''  [[Atheism and Hell]]
  
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==== Soviet Union and alcoholism ====
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The journalist and [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Peter Hitchens]], who is the brother of the late atheist [[Christopher Hitchens]], said upon seeing an art exhibit of [[Michelangelo]]'s painting ''The Last Judgment'' he came to the realization that he might be judged which startled him.<ref name="PH">[http://vimeo.com/10354237 "Peter Hitchens author interview—The rage against God"] [interview of Peter Hitchens] (March 22, 2010).  Vimeo video, 8:38, posted by Gorilla Poet Productions.</ref> This started a train of thought within Peter Hitchens that eventually led him to become a [[Christian]].<ref name="PH"/>
  
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Alcoholism was a serious social problem in the former atheistic Soviet Union.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>
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== Atheism and science ==
 +
[[Image:Newton.jpg|alt=atheism quotes|right|thumbnail|200px|[[Isaac Newton]] wrote: "I have a fundamental belief in the [[Bible]] as the Word of [[God]], written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily. Opposition to godliness is atheism in profession and idolatry in practice. Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind that it never had many professors." See also: [[Atheism Quotes|Atheism quotes]] ]]
  
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== Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism ==
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and science]]
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[[File:2010 World Cup.jpg|right|300px|thumbnail|Numerous studies report that athletes to be more religious than non-athletes.<ref>[http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/strength-religious-faith-athletes-and-nonathletes-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'']</ref>]]
 
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''See also:'' [[Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism ]]
 
  
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''The [[Sport]]s Journal'' is a monthly refereed journal published by the United States Sports Academy.
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=== Atheism and the suppression of science ===
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A journal article appeared in the Sports Journal entitled ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions''. The article was submitted by Nathan T. Bell, Scott R. Johnson, and Jeffrey C. Petersen from Ball State University.<ref>[http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/strength-religious-faith-athletes-and-nonathletes-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'']</ref>
+
See: [[Atheism and the suppression of science]]
  
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An excerpt from the abstract of the journal article ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'' declares:
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=== Atheism and the social sciences ===
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{{cquote|Numerous studies report athletes to be more religious than nonathletes (Fischer, 1997; Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, & Storch, 2001; Storch et al., 2004). According to Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, and Storch (2001), four reasons may explain why religion interacts with athletic performance. First, athletes may identify with religious beliefs for direction and humility. Second, athletes may turn to religion to gain a sense of optimism and security, benefiting from such beliefs following a disappointing athletic performance. Third, religion can be used for emotional and psychological support in stressful circumstances like the uncertainty of athletic competition, which can cause athletes an overwhelming amount of anxiety. Religious beliefs can offer the internal strength to persevere through the stress. Fourth, religion “provides a cognitive framework conducive to the relief of anxiety associated with competition” (Storch et al., 2001, p. 347). This framework allows relief from fear and anxiety on the basis of the athlete’s understanding (i.e., belief) that a supreme being is in complete control of the situation. For example, athletes may rely on religious faith to place a poor athletic performance in perspective...
+
See: [[Atheism and the social sciences]]
  
−
Religion can be an important aspect in athletes’ lives and may serve a protective function against psychological distress and maladaptive behaviors such as substance use or aggression (Storch, Roberti, Bravata, & Storch, 2004). Viewers of sporting events can frequently observe athletes pointing to the sky, engaging in team prayer on the court or field, and glorifying God following athletic competitions.<ref>[http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/strength-religious-faith-athletes-and-nonathletes-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'']</ref>}}
+
=== Atheism and the foundation of modern science ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Christianity and science]]
  
−
=== Atheism and sports performance ===
+
The birth of modern [[science]] occurred in Christianized Europe.<ref>Bumbulis, Michael, Ph. D. (November 24, 1996). [http://www.ldolphin.org/bumbulis/#anchor5343749 "Christianity and the birth of science; The evidence; Clue #1. The founders/fathers of modern science were shaped by a culture that was predominantly Christian."]  Lambert Dolphin's Library.  Archived at Internet Archive on July 20, 2014.</ref>
  
−
Besides lacking the aforementioned benefits that religion bestows on athletes, atheists have higher rates of depression and suicide than the religious (see: [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]). This suggests that atheism is a detriment to sports performance.
+
[[Sociology|Sociologist]] [[Rodney Stark]] investigated the individuals who made the most significant scientific contributions between 1543 and 1680 A.D., the time of the [[Scientific Revolution]].
 +
In Stark's list of 52 top scientific contributors,<ref name="Origins">Williams, Alex (August 2004).  [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1581/ "The biblical origins of science; a review of ''For The Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-hunts and the End of Slavery'' by Rodney Stark"], ''Journal of Creation'', vol. 18:2, pp. 49–52.</ref> only one ([[Edmund Halley]]) was a skeptic and another ([[Paracelsus]]) was a [[pantheism|pantheist]].
 +
The other 50 were Christians, 30 of whom could be characterized as being devout Christians.<ref name="Origins" />
  
−
== Atheism and women ==
+
Sir [[Francis Bacon]], sometimes referred to as "the Father of Modern Science", wrote in his essay entitled ''Of Atheism'': "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the [[Talmud]], and the [[Koran|Alcoran]], than that this universal frame is without a mind."<ref name="bacon">Bacon, Francis (1601).  [http://www.authorama.com/essays-of-francis-bacon-17.html ''The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral, of Francis Ld. Verulam Viscount St. Albans''; "Of atheism"]. Authorama.</ref>
  
−
''see also:'' [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God]]
+
=== Atheism and environmental science ===
  
−
[[File:2404429188 ea8f1fc48b.jpg|thumbnail|right|255px|Studies and web traffic data appear to indicate that women in the [[Western World]] tend to be more religious than men.<ref>http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/reports/NONES_08.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html</ref> ]]
+
See: [[Atheism and the environment|Atheism and environmental science]]
  
−
=== Recent studies ===
+
===Atheism and questions of origins===
 +
:''See articles: [[Atheism and Evolution]]'' and [[Evolution as a secular origins myth]]
 +
[[Creationism|Creationist]] scientists state that the [[First Law of Thermodynamics|first law of thermodynamics]] and the [[Second Law of Thermodynamics|second law of thermodynamics]] argue against an eternal universe or a universe created by natural processes and argue for a universe created by [[God]].<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Hergenrather, John (2004).  [http://www.creationencounter.com/space/lawsofscience.php "Evidences for God from space:  can laws of science explain the origin of the universe?"]  Creation Encounter.
 +
*Thompson, Bert (2003).  [http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=12&article=310 "So long, eternal universe; 'Hello beginning, hello end!'"]  Apologetics Press. 
 +
*Brown, Dr. Walt (2008).  [http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/AstroPhysicalSciences14.html "Chapter 2: astronomical and physical sciences", p. 53.]  ''In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood'', 8th ed. The Center for Scientific Creation.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]
  
−
==== Surveys by country ====
+
A majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs [[methodological naturalism]] since [[World War II]] have had the worldview of atheism/agnosticism.<ref>
 +
* Dr. Don Batten, [https://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
 +
* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
 +
</ref>  [[Creation science|Creation scientists]] assert that the theory of evolution is an inadequate explanation for the variety of life forms on earth.<ref>Morris, Henry M., PhD. (January 2001). [https://www.icr.org/home/resources/resources_tracts_scientificcaseagainstevolution/ "The scientific case against evolution"].  Institute for Creation Research.</ref> The theory of evolution [[Social effects of the theory of evolution|has had a number of negative social effects]].
  
−
In November of 2010, ''Discover Magazine'' published survey results published by the World Values Survey which showed significant differences between the percentage of men and women who are atheists for various countries.<ref>[http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/11/sex-differences-in-global-atheism-part-n/ Sex differences in global atheism, part N]</ref>
+
In addition, the current naturalistic explanations for the [[origin of life]] are inadequate.<ref>[https://creation.com/origin-of-life Origin of life] by Dr. Don Batten</ref>
  
−
==== United States surveys ====
+
=== Atheism and scientific community ===
 +
*[[Atheism and science]]
 +
*[[Scientists and belief in the existence of God]]
 +
*[[Atheism and the origin of the universe|Atheist scientists and the origin of the universe]]
 +
*[[Atheists and the National Academy of Sciences]]
  
−
A 2008 study by Trinity College found that women are significantly more religious than men in America.<ref>http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/reports/NONES_08.pdf</ref>  In 2007, the Pew Research Center found that American women were more religious than American men.<ref>http://www.livescience.com/culture/090227-religion-men-women.html</ref>
+
=== Atheism and scientific fraud and speculation ===
 +
*[[Atheism and deception|Atheism and scientific fraud and speculation]]
  
−
=== Atheist PZ Myers commentary concerning atheist meetings ===
+
=== Atheism and food science ===
  
−
In June of 2010, the atheist [[PZ Myers]] commented that atheist meetings tend to be significantly more attended by males.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/06/the_woman_problem.php</ref>
+
*[[Atheism and food science]]
  
−
==== Large atheist group survey and atheist meetings ====
+
=== Atheism and culinary science ===
  
−
In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
+
*[[Atheism and culinary science]]
−
{{cquote|From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement - [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]], [[Christopher Hitchens]] and [[Daniel Dennett]] -- are all white men.
 
  
−
But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.
+
=== RationalWiki's flouting of nutritional science ===
  
−
Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php</ref>}}
+
*[[Rational Media Board of Director and RationalWiki Moderater User: Spud and ultra-processed/unhealthy/junk food]]
  
−
=== 2010 New York Times description of atheist meeting attendees ===
+
==Atheism and mental and physical health==
 +
:''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and life expectancy]] and [[Atheism and alcoholism]] and [[Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts]]
  
−
In 2010, an atheists' meeting was organized in the [[United States]] concerning the future direction of the atheist movement and 370 people attended. The ''[[New York Times]]'' described the attendees as "The largely white and male crowd — imagine a [[Star Trek]] convention, but older...". <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html New York Times, October 15, 2010]</ref>
+
The is considerable amount of [[science|scientific]] evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism and some of the more significant findings are given below <ref>Multiple references:
 +
*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3671693/ Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications] by Harold G. Koenig, ISRN Psychiatry. 2012; 2012: 278730.
 +
*Mueller, Dr. Paul S. et al. (December 2001). [http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2811%2962799-7/fulltext "Religious involvement, spirituality, and medicine: implications for clinical practice"]. ''Mayo Clinic Proceedings'' vol. 76:12, pp. 1225-1235.  Mayo Clinic Proceedings website
 +
*[http://www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu/index.php/research/research-library "Research library"].  Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.
 +
*McCullough, Michael E. et al. (2000).  [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/rel_mort_meta.pdf "Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review"].  ''Health Psychology''. vol. 19:3. pp. 211-222.  University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website
 +
*Casey, Professor Patricia (April 3, 2009).  [http://www.ionainstitute.ie/the-benefits-of-religious-practise/  "The psycho-social benefits of religious practise" [executive summary&#93;].  Iona Institute for Religion and Society [Ireland] website. 
 +
*McCullough, Michael E. and Willoughby, Brian L. B. (2009).  [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"]. ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135: 1, pp. 69–93.  University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website
 +
*University of Colorado at Boulder (May 17, 1999).  [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/05/990517064323.htm "Research shows religion plays a major role in health, longevity"].  ScienceDaily. 
 +
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004).  [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract&#93;]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8.  Abstract: National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med
 +
*University of Warwick (December 2003).  [http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html "Psychology researcher [Dr. Stephen Joseph&#93; says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism"].  Scienceblog.
 +
</ref> For more information please see: [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and life expectancy]]
  
−
=== Prominent general atheist websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women ===
+
=== Mayo Clinic and other studies ===
−
The website run by the organization American Atheist has significantly less women trafficking their website according to Alexa and Quantcast.<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/atheists.org</ref><ref>http://www.quantcast.com/atheists.org</ref> The [[Internet Infidels]] website has significantly less woman trafficking their website according to [[Alexa]] and Quantcast.<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/infidels.org</ref><ref>http://www.quantcast.com/infidels.org</ref> The British Website New Humanist Magazine receives significantly less traffic from women according to Alexa and Quantcast.<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/newhumanist.org.uk</ref><ref>http://www.quantcast.com/newhumanist.org.uk</ref>  Atheist Ireland also has significantly less women trafficking their website according to Alexa (there is no web traffic data from Quantcast).<ref>http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/atheist.ie</ref>
+
[[Image:Mayo-clinic-gondaoverview.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health and mental health outcomes.<ref name="Mueller">Mueller, Dr. Paul S. et al. (December 2001). [https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)62799-7/abstract "Religious involvement, spirituality, and medicine: implications for clinical practice"]. ''Mayo Clinic Proceedings'' vol. 76:12, pp. 1225-1235. Mayo Clinic Proceedings website</ref> See: [[Atheism and health]] ]]
 +
The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] reported the following on December 11, 2001:
 +
{{cquote|In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.
  
−
=== New Atheism websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women ===
+
The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.<ref name="Mueller"/>}}
  
−
The four most prominent writers of the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] movement are Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett. Like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris has his own website. According to the website tracking firms [[Alexa]] and Quantcast women frequent the website of Samharris.org and richarddawkins.net significantly less than men.<ref>
+
The [[Iona Institute]] reported:
−
*[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/samharris.org]
+
{{cquote|A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.<ref>Multiple references:
−
*[http://www.quantcast.com/samharris.org]
+
*Casey, Professor Patricia (April 3, 2009).  [http://www.ionainstitute.ie/the-benefits-of-religious-practise/ "The psycho-social benefits of religious practise" [executive summary&#93;]. Iona Institute for Religion and Society [Ireland] website.
−
*[http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/richarddawkins.net]
+
*McCullough, Michael E. et al. (2000).  [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/rel_mort_meta.pdf "Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review"].  ''Health Psychology''. vol. 19:3. pp. 211-222. University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website</ref>}}
−
*[http://www.quantcast.com/richarddawkins.net#demographics]</ref>
 
  
−
=== Atheist PZ Myers says atheists are largely a population of internet nerds and geeks ===
+
=== Atheists and negative emotions/thoughts ===
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheist nerds]] and [[Internet atheism]] and [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheism and women]]  
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and emotional problems]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence]] and [[Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts]]
  
−
In 2013, the atheist [[PZ Myers]] declared:
+
[[Emotional intelligence]] "refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions."<ref>[http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/emotionalintell.htm Emotional intelligence]</ref> Research indicates that religiosity is positively associated with ability in emotional intelligence.<ref>[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-016-0335-3 Divine Emotions: On the Link Between Emotional Intelligence and Religious Belief], ''Journal of Religion and Health'', December 2017, Volume 56, Issue 6, pp 1998–2009</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4733549/ THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WITH RELIGIOUS COPING AND GENERAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS] by Masoumeh Bagheri Nesami, Amir Hossein Goudarzian, Houman Zarei, Pedram Esameili, Milad Dehghan Pour, and Hesam Mirani, ''Materia Sociomedica''. 2015 Dec; 27(6): 412–416. doi: 10.5455/msm.2015.27.412-416</ref><ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222857921_Religiosity_and_perceived_emotional_intelligence_among_Christians Religiosity and perceived emotional intelligence among Christians], Personality and Individual Differences 41(3):479-490 · August 2006, DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2006.01.016</ref> See also: [[Atheism and emotional problems]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence]] and [[Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts]]
−
{{cquote|If we're going to expand our base and we're going to draw in more people to recognize the virtues of living in a secular world, we need to appeal to more than just that geek and [[nerd]] subset of the population. We need to have a wider base. ...I seriously believe that we're on the cusp of a crisis. We're not there yet but it's looming in front of us. Will we adapt and thrive and change the world? Or will we remain an avocation for a prosperous and largely irrelevant subset of the population? Will we become something more than a scattered society of internet nerds? That's what we have to do.<ref>[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/04/in_seattle_pz_m070861.html in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency]</ref>}}
 
  
−
In response, ''Evolution News and Views'' wrote:
+
===Atheism and suicide===
−
{{cquote|A crisis looms, in Myers's view, because he looks around himself and sees a not very promising basis for a mass movement. He's right. There is indeed a quality of geeky isolation from reality, common sense, and the fullness of life that I see as a motif in atheist and Darwin activism alike.<ref>[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/04/in_seattle_pz_m070861.html in Seattle, PZ Myers Reflects Candidly on His Constituency]</ref>}}
+
:''See also:''  [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Hopelessness of atheism]] and [[Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism]]
  
−
==== Summary  ====
+
Although there are recent studies relating to [[Atheism and suicide|atheism being a causal factor for suicide for some individuals]], an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for [[suicide]] was the Reverend Dr. [[Robert Stuart MacArthur]].<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004).  [http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [summary&#93;]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8.  Summary: Adherents.com. Website contains link to article at American Journal of Psychiatry website.
 +
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract&#93;]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8.  Abstract: National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med
 +
*[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF "Atheism a cause of suicide; Dr. MacArthur preaches on the sin and cowardice of self-destruction"] (September 17, 1894).  ''New York Times'', p. 2.</ref> In 1894, the [[NY Times|''New York Times'']] stated the following in relation to atheism and suicide:
 +
{{cquote|Dr. Martin urged that a great cause of suicide was atheism. It was, he said, a remarkable fact that where atheism prevailed most, there suicides were most numerous. In [[Paris]], a recent census showed one suicide to every 2,700 of the population. After the publication of Paine's "Age of Reason" suicides increased.<ref name="nytimes">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF "Atheism a cause of suicide; Dr. MacArthur preaches on the sin and cowardice of self-destruction"] (September 17, 1894).  ''New York Times'', p. 2.</ref>}}
 +
[[Image:Desperation man.jpg‎|thumb|left|200px|Atheists have higher suicide rates. See: [[Atheism and suicide]] ]]
  
−
The above data suggest that atheism in general and the New Atheism movement is significantly less appealing to women in the [[Western World]].
+
The website Adherents.com reported the following in respect to atheism and suicide:
 +
{{cquote|Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman compiled country-by-country survey, polling and census numbers relating to atheism, agnosticism, disbelief in God and people who state they are non-religious or have no religious preference...In examining various indicators of societal health, Zuckerman concludes about suicide:
  
−
=== Atheism and sexism  ===
+
"...According to the 2003 World Health Organization's report on international male suicides rates (which compared 100 countries), of the top ten nations with the highest male suicide rates, all but one (Sri Lanka) are strongly irreligious nations with high levels of atheism."<ref>http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html</ref>}}
−
[[File:Atheist Dan Barker.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Dan Barker]] ]]
 
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Western atheism and race]]
 
  
−
Writing on the [[sexism]] within the atheist community, atheist Victoria Bekiempis wrote in a ''Guardian'' article entitled ''Why the [[New Atheism]] is a boys' club'': 
+
Concerning [[atheism and depression]], a University of Michigan study involving 19,775 individuals found that religious people are less likely than atheists to suffer [[depression]] when they are lonely.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6136603/Lonely-religious-people-depressed-God-friend.html Lonely religious people are less depressed than atheists because they see God as a friend replacement, study finds], ''Daily Mail'', 2018</ref>  
−
{{cquote|Annie Laurie Gaylor, who founded the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] with her mother, Anne Nicol Gaylor, in 1978, sums it up succinctly: “One word — sexism.” Gaylor’s husband, [[Dan Barker]], who helms the organization along with her, is usually the one invited to speaking engagements, despite her longer tenure as the organization’s leader and her numerous books on atheism.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/sep/26/new-atheism-boys-club Why the [[New Atheism]] is a boys' club]</ref>}}
 
  
 
For more information please see:  
 
For more information please see:  
  
−
*[[Atheism and rape]]
+
*[[Atheism and suicide]]
 +
*[[Atheism and loneliness]]
 +
*[[Hopelessness of atheism]]
 +
 
 +
=== Atheism and mental illness ===
 +
[[File:Angry atheist.jpg|thumbnail|right|240px|An angry atheist speaking to a woman with a Bible in her hand.
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
The Christian philosopher James S. Spiegel says the path from Christianity to atheism among several of his friends involved moral slippage such as resentment or unforgiveness.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-philosopher-explores-causes-of-atheism-44353/ Christian Philosopher Explores Causes of Atheism]</ref>
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
See: [[Atheism and anger]] and [[Atheism and forgiveness|Atheism and unforgiveness]] ]]
 +
See also: [[Atheism and mental illness]]
 +
 
 +
The abstract for the journal article ''Health and Well-Being Among the Non-religious: Atheists, Agnostics, and No Preference Compared with Religious Group Members'' published in the ''Journal of Religion and Health'' indicates: "On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference."<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26743877 ''Health and Well-Being Among the Non-religious: Atheists, Agnostics, and No Preference Compared with Religious Group Members''] by Hayward RD, Krause N, Ironson G, Hill PC, Emmons R., ''Journal of Religion and Health'', 2016 Jun;55(3):1024-1037. doi: 10.1007/s10943-015-0179-2.</ref>
 +
 
 +
''Global News'' reported:
 +
{{Cquote|Children who are raised with [[religion|religious]] or [[spirituality|spiritual]] beliefs tend to have better mental health into their adulthood, a new study from the [[Harvard]] T.H. Chan School of Public Health found.
 +
 
 +
According to the study’s findings, people who attended weekly religious services or [[Prayer|prayed]] or [[Meditation|meditated]] daily in their childhood reported greater life satisfaction in their 20s. People who grew up in a religious household also reported fewer symptoms of depression and lower rates of [[Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder|post-traumatic stress disorder]].<ref>[https://globalnews.ca/news/4468745/religion-children-mental-health/ Religion can help improve children’s mental health, new study finds], ''Global News'', 2018</ref>}}
  
−
*[[Elevatorgate]]
+
=== Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts ===
  
−
== Atheism and marriageability ==
+
*[[Atheism and emotional problems]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God]]
+
*[[Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts]]
  
−
Studies indicate that [[Atheist_Population|atheists are a minority in the population]]. Studies also indicate that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves.<ref>http://www.physorg.com/news199509031.html</ref><ref>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/6188</ref>  In addition, the Bible teaches Christians not to marry a non-Christian (The Bible also teaches a believer to stay married to a non-believer if you are already married).<ref>http://www.gotquestions.org/household-salvation.html</ref> Also, interfaith marriages often have greater marital friction and interfaith marriages historically have had higher rates of divorce.<ref>http://blogs.chron.com/believeitornot/2010/06/interfaith_marriages_more_like_1.html</ref> Therefore, it would not be surprising if atheist/theist marriages also have increased marital friction and higher rates of divorce since these two worldviews are so different.
+
*[[Atheism and anger]]
  
−
Given that [[Atheism and women|atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women]], atheists are a minority in the population and that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves; this would suggest that male atheists may find it more difficult to find prospective female partners for marriage.  And of course, [[militant atheism]] might make matters even more difficult.
+
*[[Atheism and anxiety]]
  
−
=== Atheism and rates of marriage in the United States ===
+
*[[Atheism and death anxiety]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and women]]
+
=== Irreligion and recovery from illnesses ===
  
−
Christian apologist Michael Caputo wrote:
+
See: [[Irreligion and recovery from illnesses]]
−
{{cquote|Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews... According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics.<ref>http://creation.com/atheism</ref>}}
 
  
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[[Vox Day]] declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] don’t get married."<ref>http://creation.com/atheism</ref>
+
[[File:Europe pol 2004.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|According to the [[World Health Organization]]'s (WHO) regional office in Europe, "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.<ref name=whoalc>[http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/alcohol-use/data-and-statistics "Data and statistics"] (September 2014 or bef.).  Health topics/Disease prevention/Alcohol use.  World Health Organization (WHO)/Regional office for Europe</ref>]]
  
−
=== Obese atheists and marriageability ===
+
=== Atheism and alcoholism ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcoholism]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]]
+
At least 100 studies suggests religion has a positive effect on preventing alcohol-related problems, researchers Christopher Ellison, Jennifer Barrett and Benjamin Moulton noted in an article in the ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'' on “Gender, Marital Status, and Alcohol Behavior: The Neglected Role of Religion.”<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-briggs/charlie-sheen-circus-and-_b_836934.html The Doubled-Edged Sword of Religion and Alcoholism]</ref>
  
−
As indicated earlier, atheists have significantly lower rates of marriage in the United States. According to the abstract for a paper presented at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association: "Obese individuals have fewer dating opportunities, marry later and marry less desirable partners."<ref>http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/0/9/0/5/p109057_index.html</ref> For more information please see: [[Atheism and obesity]]
+
Atheists and atheistic cultures often have significant problems with excess alcohol usage (For more information please see: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]).
  
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=== Obese male atheists and marriageability ===
+
For example, as far as secular Europe, according to the [[World Health Organization]]'s (WHO) regional office in Europe, "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.<ref name=whoalc/>
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]]
+
=== Atheism and illegal drug use and drug addition ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and drug addiction]]
  
−
Given that atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women, obesity reduces one's marriageability, atheists are a minority in the population and that people tend to marry people with similar values or who resemble their parents or themselves as noted above; this would suggest that obese male atheists may find it more difficult to find prospective female partners for marriage. And of course, [[militant atheism]] might make matters even more difficult. For more information please see [[Atheism and obesity]]
+
Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/believers-consume-fewer-drugs-than-atheists-106266/ Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists], ''Christian Post'', By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am</ref><ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003093041.htm Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists], Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]</ref><ref>Multiple references:
 +
*McCullough, Michael E. and Willoughby, Brian L. B. (January 2009).  [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"] ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135, no. 1, pp. 69-93. Retrieved from University of Miami department of psychology website on September 10, 2014.
 +
*Alternate source of abstract: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054 "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications" [abstract&#93;].   Retrieved from PubMed.gov on September 10, 2014.</ref>
  
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== New Atheism movement and contention between atheist men and women ==
+
According to ''Science Daily'': "Young [[Switzerland|Swiss]] men who say that they believe in [[God]] are less likely to smoke cigarettes or pot or take ecstasy pills than Swiss men of the same age group who describe themselves as atheists. Belief is a protective factor against addictive behaviour. This is the conclusion reached by a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.<ref>Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung [Swiss National Science Foundation] (October 3, 2013).  [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003093041.htm "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists"].  Science Daily website/Science News.</ref>
−
[[Image:5712dawkins.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|200px|right|[[Richard Dawkins]] ]]
 
  
−
''See also: [[Abrasiveness of Richard Dawkins]]'' and [[Atheist factions]]
+
=== Atheism and loneliness ===
  
−
Within the militant [[New Atheism]] movement, there appears to be a significant amount of contention between men and women with complaints from women that there is a significant amount of misogny within the atheist community and its leadership is too heavily populated with men.<ref>http://atheism-analyzed.blogspot.com/2011/07/dawkins-drives-skepchick-into-feminism.html</ref><ref>http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2010/11/01/will-new-atheism-make-room-for-women/</ref> This may partly explain why Western atheism is less appealing to Western women (see: [[Atheism and women|Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women]]).  In addition, the significant amount of contention between men and women may apply to Western atheism as a whole (see: [[Atheist factions]]).
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and loneliness]]
 +
[[File:Depressed man.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Secular societies commonly have significant levels of loneliness.
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
See: [[Atheism and loneliness]] ]]
 +
Loneliness has been linked to many physical and mental health problems.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Gammon, Katherine (March 2, 2012).  [http://www.livescience.com/18800-loneliness-health-problems.html "Why loneliness can be deadly"].  Live Science website.
 +
*Booth, Robert (October 12, 2014).  "Number of severely lonely men over 50 set to rise to 1m in 15 years", ''The Guardian''.</ref>
  
−
== Western atheism and race ==
+
Compared to deeply religious cultures where an extended family and a sense of community often exists, secular countries [[Secular countries and loneliness|are often lonelier societies]]. In addition, numerous studies and other data indicate that atheists often have lower [[emotional intelligence]] and lower social skills (see: [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social skills]]).
  
−
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]]
+
For more information, please see:
  
−
As note earlier, an atheists' meeting was organized in the [[United States]] concerning the future direction of the atheist movement and 370 people attended. The conference, sponsored by the Council for Secular Humanism, drew members from all the major atheist organizations in the United States. The ''[[New York Times]]'' described the attendees as "The largely white and male crowd — imagine a [[Star Trek]] convention, but older..."<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html</ref>  According to the Quantcast data, white males appear to be the group of individuals who are most receptive to Richard Dawkins' and atheist [[Sam Harris]]' message.<ref>http://www.quantcast.com/richarddawkins.net#demographics</ref><ref>http://www.quantcast.com/samharris.org</ref> These findings,combined with the aforementioned data indicating that [[Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women|atheism is significantly less appealing to women]], suggests that atheist movement in the [[Western world]] and [[New Atheism]] movement are significantly more appealing to white males.
+
*[[Atheism and loneliness]]
  
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=== Atheism and evolutionary racism ===
+
=== Atheism and obesity ===
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[[File:Ota Benga at Bronx Zoo.jpg|thumbnail|right|255px|An [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref>http://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo</ref>]]
 
−
''See also:''  [[Atheism and evolutionary racism]] and [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]
 
  
−
Since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the [[evolution|evolutionary position]] which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists.<ref>
+
See: [[Atheism and obesity]]
−
* Dr. Don Batten, [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
 
−
* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
 
−
</ref> The errant and ill founded writings of atheist [[Charles Darwin]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin) ]<ref>
 
−
* http://www.creation.com/content/view/1877
 
−
* Barrett, Paul H. ''Darwin on Man'' 1974:276
 
−
* ''American Scientist'' May 1977:323
 
−
</ref>, which became very influential in the late 19th century, provided a pretext for racism. [[Evolutionary racism]] refers to a [[racist]] philosophy based on [[Charles Darwin]]'s [[Evolution|evolutionary theory]].  It assumes that men have continually evolved, and thus some races are more evolved than others.  It replaces [[Christian]] [[morality]] with the [[atheistic]] "survival of the fittest" ideology of [[Social Darwinism]].
 
  
−
Charles Darwin wrote in his work  ''[[The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex]]'':
+
=== Atheism and cancer ===
−
{{cquote|At some future period not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous apes...will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest Allies will then be wider, for it will intervene between man in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as the baboon, instead of as now between the Negro or Australian and the gorilla.<ref>http://www.aim.org/wls/90/</ref><ref name="DoM6">[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext00/dscmn10.txt The Descent of Man], chapter VI</ref>}}
 
  
−
An example of evolutionary racism is when an [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref>http://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo</ref> In addition, evolutionary racism was directed at [[Michelle Obama]].<ref>http://creation.com/obama-racism-row</ref>
+
See: [[Atheism and cancer]]
  
−
The atheist [[Ernst Haeckel]] was a virulent evolutionary racist.  The [[agnostic]] and staunch evolutionist [[Stephen Gould]] admitted the following:
+
=== Atheist and higher levels of harmful genetic mutations ===
−
{{cquote|[[Ernst Haeckel|Haeckel]] was the chief apostle of evolution in [[Germany]].... His evolutionary racism; his call to the [[German]] people for racial purity and unflinching devotion to a "just" state; his belief that harsh, inexorable laws of evolution ruled human civilization and nature alike, conferring upon favored races the right to dominate others; the irrational [[mysticism]] that had always stood in strange communion with his brave words about objective science - all contributed to the rise of [[Nazism]]. - Stephen J. Gould, "Ontogeny and Phylogeny," Belknap Press: Cambridge MA, 1977, pp.77-78).<ref>http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/social.html</ref>}}
+
''See also:'' [[Atheists and genetic mutations]]
−
[[File:StephenGould.jpg|thumb|right|[[Stephen Jay Gould]] ]]
 
−
As noted earlier, when asked in an interview, "If we do not acknowledge some sort of external [standard], what is to prevent us from saying that the [[Muslim]] [extremists] aren’t right?", [[Richard Dawkins]] replied, "What’s to prevent us from saying [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question, but whatever [defines morality], it’s not the [[Bible]]. If it was, we’d be stoning people for breaking the [[Sabbath]]."<ref name=Hitler>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref>
 
  
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The interviewer wrote in response, "I was stupefied. He had readily conceded that his own [[philosophy|philosophical]] position [[Atheism and morality|did not offer a rational basis for moral judgments.]] His intellectual honesty was refreshing, if somewhat disturbing on this point."<ref name=Hitler />
+
There is research which suggests that the atheist population has higher levels of harmful genetic [[mutations]] (see: [[Atheists and genetic mutations]]).<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/religion-healthy-atheism-mutant-genes-756984 RELIGIOUS PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER, LONGER LIVES—WHILE ATHEISTS COLLECT MUTANT GENES], Newsweek, 2017</ref><ref>[Atheists are more likely to be left handed, study finds], ''The Telegraph'', 2017</ref>
  
−
Evolutionary racism still exist today.  For example, [[evolutionary racism]] was recently directed at [[Michelle Obama]].<ref>http://creation.com/obama-racism-row</ref> The historic taint of white evolutionary racism within the white atheist community no doubt has been a factor which has hindered the adoption of atheism in the Western World among racial minorities. Leading [[creation science]] organizations such as [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Answers in Genesis]] and the [[Institute for Creation Research]] commonly point out the evolutionary racism that has existed within the evolutionary community.<ref>http://creation.com/racism-questions-and-answers</ref><ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/racism</ref><ref>http://www.icr.org/article/evolution-modern-racism/</ref><ref>http://www.icr.org/article/ascent-racism/</ref>
+
=== Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism ===
  
−
[[Thomas Sowell]] wrote:
+
''See also:'' [[Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism]] and [[Irreligion and unsportsmanlike conduct]] and [[Atheism and obesity]]
−
{{cquote|While [[slavery]] was common to all civilizations, as well as to peoples considered uncivilized, only one civilization developed a moral revulsion against it, very late in hits history…not even the leading moralists in  other civilizations rejected slavery  at all…. Moreover, within [[Western civilization]], the principle impetus for the abolition of slavery came first from very [[conservative]] religious activists – people who  would today be called ‘the religious right.’…this story is not ‘[[politically correct]]’ in today’s terms. Hence it is ignored, as if it never happened.”<ref>Sowell, Thomas (2005) The real history of slavery. In Black Rednecks and White Liberals. San Francisco, CA: Encounter Books</ref>}}
+
[[File:Basketball.jpg|right|200px|thumbnail|Numerous studies report that athletes to be more religious than non-athletes.<ref>[http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/strength-religious-faith-athletes-and-nonathletes-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'']</ref>]]
 +
''The [[Sport]]s Journal'' is a monthly refereed journal published by the United States Sports Academy.
 +
A journal article appeared in the Sports Journal entitled ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions''. The article was submitted by Nathan T. Bell, Scott R. Johnson, and Jeffrey C. Petersen from Ball State University.<ref name="thesportjournal.org">[http://thesportjournal.org/article/strength-of-religious-faith-of-athletes-and-nonathletes-at-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions/ ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'']</ref>
 +
An excerpt from the abstract of the journal article ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'' declares:
 +
{{cquote|Numerous studies report athletes to be more religious than nonathletes (Fischer, 1997; Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, & Storch, 2001; Storch et al., 2004). According to Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, and Storch (2001), four reasons may explain why religion interacts with athletic performance.<ref name="thesportjournal.org">[http://thesportjournal.org/article/strength-of-religious-faith-of-athletes-and-nonathletes-at-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions/ ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'']</ref>}}
  
−
The Christian abolitionist [[William Wilberforce]] was the father of [[Samuel Wilberforce]], Bishop of [[Oxford]] who took part in the famous [[creation]] vs. [[evolution]] with evolutionist [[T. H. Huxley]] in 1860.  In the [[United States]], the black church has been a major force in advancing the cause of racial equality.
+
{{See also|Atheism and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence}}
  
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=== Creativity Movement ===
+
=== Atheism and mental toughness ===
  
−
''See also:'' [[Creativity Movement]]
+
See: [[Atheism and mental toughness]]
  
−
The '''[[Creativity Movement]]''', formerly known as the ''World Church Of The Creator'', is an atheistic [[white supremacist]] organization.<ref name="Ideology">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=RonIunZ521sC&pg=PA247&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=u_OOTaGaM6Xi0gHJztygCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q&f=false|title =Contemporary voices of white nationalism in America|publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]|quote=World Church of the Creator, an organization that espouses an atheistic and white supremacist religious philosophy known as Creativity.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref><ref name="Atheistic">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=HB1wyFPRGm4C&pg=PA23&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=Re-OTfbHHuuD0QHOycm1Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=atheistic&f=false|title =The new white nationalism in America: its challenge to integration|publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]|quote=For instance, Ben Klassen, founder of the atheistic World Church of the Creator and the author of ''The White Man's Bible'', discusses Christianity extensively in his writings and denounces religion that has brought untold horror into the world and divided the white race.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref><ref name="Atheism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=rBgn3xB75ZcC&pg=PA493&dq=competing+atheistic+white+racist+movement&hl=en&ei=5uWOTeSkCamw0QH7m92bCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=competing%20atheistic%20white%20racist%20movement&f=false|title =The World's Religions: Continuities and Transformations|publisher = [[Taylor & Francis]]|quote=A competing atheistic or panthestic white racist movement also appeared, which included the Church of the Creator/ Creativity (Gardell 2003: 129–134).|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref> The movement has denounced [[Christianity]],<ref name="Atheistic">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=HB1wyFPRGm4C&pg=PA23&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=Re-OTfbHHuuD0QHOycm1Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=atheistic&f=false|title =The new white nationalism in America: its challenge to integration|publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]|quote=For instance, Ben Klassen, founder of the atheistic World Church of the Creator and the author of ''The White Man's Bible, discusses Christianity extensively in his writings and denounces religion that has brought untold horror into the world and divided the white race.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref> as it purports to promote [[Agape|love]] for all of mankind.<ref name="Ludwig Feuerbach">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=GTEKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA266&dq=christianity+love+for+mankind&hl=en&ei=CFSbTbyAJcrUgQekjsCSBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=christianity%20love%20for%20mankind&f=false|title =The Essence of Christianity |author=Ludwig Feuerbach|publisher = John Chapman|quote=Christ loved men: he wished to bless and unite them all without distinction of sex, age, rank or nationality. Christ is the love of mankind to itself embodied in an image–in accordance with the nature of religion as we have developed it–or contemplated as a person, but a person who (we mean, of course, as a religious object) has only the significance of an image, who is only ideal. For this reason love is pronounced to be the characteristic mark of the disciples.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref> It denounces religion for bringing horror into the world by dividing the white race.<ref name="Atheistic">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=HB1wyFPRGm4C&pg=PA23&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=Re-OTfbHHuuD0QHOycm1Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=atheistic&f=false|title =The new white nationalism in America: its challenge to integration|publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]|quote=For instance, Ben Klassen, founder of the atheistic World Church of the Creator and the author of ''The White Man's Bible'', discusses Christianity extensively in his writings and denounces religion that has brought untold horror into the world and divided the white race.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref>
+
=== Atheists, aging populations and cancer/Alzheimer's disease ===
  
−
==Atheism and deception==
+
*[[Atheism and cancer]]
−
[[Image:CharlesDarwin.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Charles Darwin]]]]
 
−
''For more information please see'': [[Atheism and deception]] and [[Irreligion and superstition]]
 
  
−
As alluded to earlier, prior to [[Charles Darwin]] publishing his [[evolution|evolutionist]] work ''On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life'', Darwin wrote in his private notebooks that he was a [[materialism|materialist]], which is a type of atheist.<ref name="amscientist">
+
*[[Atheism and Alzheimer's disease]]
−
* http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1877
 
−
* Barrett, Paul H. ''Darwin on Man'' 1974:276
 
−
* ''American Scientist'' May 1977:323
 
−
</ref> Charles Darwin’s casual mentioning of a ‘creator’ in earlier editions of The Origin of Species appears to have been a merely a [[deceit|deceitful]] ploy to downplay the implications of his [[materialism|materialistic]] theory. <ref name="amscientist">http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1877</ref> 
 
  
−
German scientist [[Ernst Haeckel]] was a very influential proponent of the evolutionary position and Haeckel was an advocate of atheism.<ref name="nytimes2">http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03EFDD123EE033A2575AC0A9659C946697D6CF</ref>  Ernst Haeckel attempted to portray himself as an ethical proponent of atheism, however, history shows he was a deceitful individual.<ref>[http://www.creationism.org/caesar/haeckel.htm "Another Evolution Fraud Exposed"] - Creationism.org, INVESTIGATING GENESIS SERIES.</ref><ref name="nytimes2">http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03EFDD123EE033A2575AC0A9659C946697D6CF</ref><ref>http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=1180</ref>
+
=== Atheism and veganism ===
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<ref name="fakest">http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/survivalOfTheFakest.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/survivalOfTheFakest.pdf</ref>
 
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The March 9, 1907 edition of the NY Times refers to Ernst Haeckel as the "celebrated Darwinian and founder of the Association for the Propagation of Ethical Atheism."<ref name="nytimes2">http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03EFDD123EE033A2575AC0A9659C946697D6CF</ref>
 
  
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Noted evolutionist [[Stephen Gould]] wrote the following regarding Ernst Haeckel's work in a March 2000 issue of ''Natural History'':
+
See: [[Atheism and veganism]]
−
{{cquote|"Haeckel’s forceful, eminently comprehensible, if not always accurate, books appeared in all major languages and surely exerted more influence than the works of any other scientist, including Darwin…in convincing people throughout the world about the validity of evolution... Haeckel had exaggerated the similarities [between embryos of different species] by idealizations and omissions. He also, in some cases — in a procedure that can only be called fraudulent — simply copied the same figure over and over again.…Haeckel’s drawings never fooled expert embryologists, who recognized his fudgings right from the start. Haeckel’s drawings, despite their noted inaccuracies, entered into the most impenetrable and permanent of all quasi-scientific literatures: standard student textbooks of biology... Once ensconced in textbooks, misinformation becomes cocooned and effectively permanent, because…textbooks copy from previous texts.... [W]e do, I think, have the right to be both astonished and ashamed by the century of mindless recycling that has led to the persistence of these drawings in a large number, if not a majority, of modern textbooks!"<ref name="haeckel">[http://www.creationism.org/caesar/haeckel.htm "Another Evolution Fraud Exposed"] - Creationism.org, INVESTIGATING GENESIS SERIES.</ref>}}
 
  
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Stephen Gould continues by quoting Michael Richardson of the St. George’s Hospital Medical School in London, who stated: "I know of at least fifty recent biology texts which use the drawings uncritically".<ref name="haeckel" />
+
=== Atheism in medicine ===
−
[[Image:Intelligent design.jpg‎|alt= Intelligent design|thumbnail|300px|right|[[Intelligent design]] theorists contend that the core feature of life consists of information processing systems that cannot be fully explained as being the result of unintelligent causes alone. ]]
 
−
[[Intelligent design]] theorist [[Michael Behe]] exposed the fraudulent nature of Haeckel's embryos in a [[NY Times]] article.<ref name="fakest">http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/survivalOfTheFakest.pdf</ref>  It appears as if Stephen Gould was irritated that the fraud was exposed in manner that publicly embarrassed the evolutionary community - namely though a high profile NY Times article.<ref name="fakest">http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/survivalOfTheFakest.pdf</ref>
 
  
−
In addition, many of [[Social effects of the theory of evolution|the ideas that Haeckel supported had a number of negative social effects]]. 
+
See: [[Atheism in medicine]]
−
===Modern proponents of atheism and deception===
 
−
As mentioned previously, a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs [[methodological naturalism]] since [[World War II]] have had the worldview of atheism.<ref>Dr. Don Batten, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/737/ A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32
 
−
December 1997.</ref><ref>[[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]</ref> The continued use of deceitfulness has continued by modern evolutionists.  In recent times, evolutionists have tried to convince the public of the supposed validity of the evolutionary position by frequently using the term "overwhelming evidence" or similar terms in relation to the alleged existence of evidence that supports their position.<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2006/0612school-year.asp</ref>
 
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For example, Richard Dawkins, a prominent advocate of atheism and the evolutionary position, claimed in an interview with journalist Bill Moyers that there is "massive evidence" for the theory of evolution.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript349_full.html</ref> However, the scientific literature certainly contains material which illustrates the deceitfulness of stating there is "overwhelming evidence" to support the [[evolution]]ary position which is a commonly cited aspect of Western world atheism.  For example, in January 2000 scientist Simon Conway Morris declared:
 
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{{cquote|When discussing organic evolution the only point of agreement seems to be: "It happened." Thereafter, there is little consensus, which at first sight must seem rather odd. -(Simon Conway Morris, [palaeontologist, Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University, UK], "Evolution: Bringing Molecules into the Fold," Cell, Vol. 100, pp.1-11, January 7, 2000, p.11)<ref>
 
−
* [http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/mechns01.html Stephen E. Jones, Creation/Evolution Quotes: Mechanisms #1]
 
−
* Simon Conway Morris, [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WSN-4195FC1-1&_user=681891&_coverDate=01%2F07%2F2000&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000037419&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=681891&md5=1806889a6d57f9282db2e4c04d32e8f7 Evolution: Bringing Molecules into the Fold," Cell, Vol. 100, pp.1-11, January 7, 2000, p.11]</ref>}}
 
−
[[Image:Jonathansafarti.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Jonathan Sarfati]]]]
 
−
Dr. [[Jonathan Sarfati]] states the following in relation to the diluted definition of the word "[[evolution]]":
 
−
{{cquote|...many evolutionary propagandists are guilty of the deceitful practice of equivocation, that is, switching the meaning of a single word (evolution) part way through an argument. A common tactic, ‘bait-and-switch,’ is simply to produce examples of change over time, call this ‘evolution,’ then imply that the GTE [General Theory of Evolution] is thereby proven or even essential, and [[creation]] disproved. The PBS ''Evolution'' series and the ''[[Scientific American]]'' article are full of examples of this fallacy.<ref>[[Jonathan Sarfati]],Ph.D., F.M. [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3262/ ''Refuting Evolution 2'', Chapter 1, Argument: Creationism is religion, not science]</ref>}}
 
  
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==Evolutionary paradigm - degree of public support==
+
== Atheism and intelligence ==
 +
[[File:Cerebellum.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Brain researchers have conducted a number of studies focusing on the differences between atheists and the religious. See: [[Atheism and the brain]] ]]
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and intelligence]] and [[Atheism and the theory of multiple intelligences|Atheism and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences]] and [[Causes of atheism]]
  
−
In 2010, the Gallup organization reported that 40% of Americans believe in [[young earth creationism]].<ref>http://www.gallup.com/poll/145286/Four-Americans-Believe-Strict-Creationism.aspx</ref> In January 2006, the [[BBC]] reported concerning [[Britain]]:
+
Within various countries, standardized [[intelligence testing|intelligence test]] (IQ) scores related to the issue of atheists/agnostics vs. theists intelligence scores yield conflicting results.<ref>
−
{{cquote|Just under half of Britons accept the theory of evolution as the best description for the development of life, according to an opinion poll.
+
*[http://www.doxa.ws/other/smarter.html "Who is smarter; are atheists smarter than Christians?  An examination of studies"] (2007).  Doxa: Christian Thought in the 21st Century.  Retrieved on October 29, 2014.
 +
*[http://www.randalolson.com/2014/08/24/the-myth-of-the-smarter-atheist/ The myth of the smarter Atheist] by Randy Olson, Posted on August 24, 2014</ref>  Part of the problem is that social scientists use variant definitions of atheism.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
*Briggs, Dr. William M. (2013).  [http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-higher-iqs/ "Do atheists really have higher IQs than believers?"]  Strange Notions.  Retrieved on October 29, 2014.
 +
*Wright, Bradley (January 26, 2012).  [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/blackwhiteandgray/2012/01/how-many-americans-are-atheists-fewer-than-you-might-think/ "How many Americans are atheists? Fewer than you might think"].  Black, White and Gray.  Retrieved on October 29, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Atheism, intelligence and the General Social Survey]]
  
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Furthermore, more than 40% of those questioned believe that [[creationism]] or intelligent design (ID) should be taught in school science lessons.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4648598.stm</ref>}}
+
However, within individuals, families and societies irreligion/religion can have an effect on intelligence - especially over time (See: [[Atheism and intelligence]]).  
  
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[[Image:2384975035_230a0eac30.jpg‎‎|thumb|right|170px|The [[Wall Street Journal]] reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to [[superstition]], tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians."<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>]]
+
For more information, please see:
  
−
== Irreligion and superstition==
+
*[[Intelligence trends in religious countries and secular countries]]
 +
*[[Atheism and the theory of multiple intelligences]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Theory of Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality]] and
+
=== Atheism, intelligence and open-mindedness ===
  
−
In September of 2008, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported:
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and open-mindedness]] and [[Atheism and dogmatism]] and [[Atheism and intolerance]] and [[Atheism and groupthink]]
−
{{cquote|The reality is that the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] campaign, by discouraging [[religion]], won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass [[superstition]]. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith -- it's what the empirical data tell us.
 
  
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"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that [[Conservative Christianity|traditional Christian religion]] greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of [[astrology]]. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians....
+
Highly intelligent people tend to be open-minded and have intellectual curiosity.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/eleven-common-traits-of-highly-intelligent-people-a7480246.html Eleven common traits of highly intelligent people] by Shana Lebowicz, The Independent, Friday 16 December 2016 18:24</ref>
  
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This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine Skeptical Inquirer that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>}}
+
Research indicates that atheists are less open-minded (see: [[Atheism and open-mindedness]]).
  
−
=== Evolution, irreligion, extraterrestial life, UFOlogy and other pseudoscience ===
+
=== Study on emotional intelligence and religiosity ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]]
  
−
''For more information please see:'' [[Irreligion and superstition]]
+
A 2004 study by Ellen Paek examined the extent to which religious orientation/behavior and found significant positive correlations were found between level of religious commitment and an individual's perceived [[emotional intelligence]].<ref>''Journal of Organizational Behavior'', Paek, Ellen (2006). "[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886906000961 Religiosity and perceived emotional intelligence among Christians". Personality and Individual Differences] (International Society for the Study of Individual Differences) 41 (3): 479–490</ref> See also: [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]  
  
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The notions of [[extraterrestrial life]] and [[UFO|UFOlogy]] are fast growing [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] [[religion]]s which are perpetuated and/or aided by the ideologies of evolutionists, atheists, [[liberal]]s and other promoters of quackery.<ref>http://creation.com/ufology-scientific-religion</ref><ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/Irreligion_and_superstition</ref><ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref> However, the ideologies of [[extraterrestrial life]], [[UFO|UFOlogy]], [[exobiology]], evolution and [[Origin of Life|abiogenesis]] are anti-[[Bible|biblical]] ideas which are not supported by sound [[science]].<ref>http://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets</ref><ref>http://creation.com/origin-of-life-questions-and-answers</ref>  
+
According to the prominent brain researcher Antonio Damasio and other brain researchers, emotions play a critical role in high-level cognition and allow individuals to make better decisions.<ref>
 +
*[http://intentionalworkplace.com/2012/03/15/how-emotion-shapes-decision-making/ How emotion affects decision making], The Intentional Workplace
 +
*[http://people.hss.caltech.edu/~steve/bechara.pdf The role of emotion in decision-making: Evidence from neurological patients with orbitofrontal damage], Antoine Becharam, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
 +
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wup_K2WN0I When Emotions Make Better Decisions - Antonio Damasio] - short video
 +
*[https://news.usc.edu/29569/Antonio-and-Hanna-Damasio-Receive-Honorary-Degrees/ News item about Professor Antonio Damasio], University of Southern California
 +
</ref>
  
−
The [[liberal]] and [[agnosticism|agnostic]] [[Carl Sagan]], an avid smoker of [[marijuana]] who claimed that marijuana gave him scientific insights, was a prominent peddler of extraterrestial life, evolution and other pseudoscientific nonsense. Sagan's agnosticism and avid marijuana smoking no doubt helped inspire Sagan's [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] fantasy that evolution was a "fact".<ref>http://www.creationdefense.org/57.htm</ref><ref>http://cosmologytalk.tribe.net/thread/7e25b81c-2529-44c6-b388-f926c2475e6a</ref>
+
=== Brain studies of atheists ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and the brain]] and [[Religiosity and larger frontal lobes]]
  
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No doubt pseudoscientific and superstitious thinking in many cases is partly due to a lack of [[Self-control|self-discipline]] as rigorous scientific and logical thinking requires disciplined thought<ref>[http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/summary/102/6/855 Of Scientific Thought]</ref>
+
Brain researchers have conducted a number of studies focusing on the differences between atheists and the religious (see: [[Atheism and the brain]] and [[Religiosity and larger frontal lobes]]).
  
−
=== Irreligious/atheistic France and the Soviet Union and UFOlogy ===
+
==== Atheists and dopamine levels in the brain ====
  
−
''See also:'' [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Christianity and UFOs]]
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and motivation]]  
  
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On January 4, 2003, it was reported in the newspaper the ''Toledo Blade'' concerning the irreligious countries of the former Soviet Union and France that "in countries with a high degree of occult activity such as Russia during the Soviet era, France, and certain parts of Brazil also had high percentages of UFO encounters. During Russia's Soviet period when every expression of religion except occult activity had been outlawed, he said, “Russians were seeing UFOs at five to eight times the rate Americans were."<ref name=Blade>Tarjanyi, Judy. "[http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?SearchID=73122266402007&Avis=TO&Dato=20030104&Kategori=NEWS10&Lopenr=101040052&Ref=AR Astronomer links UFOs to Occultism]." ''The Toledo Blade'', January 4, 2003. Retrieved November 3, 2007.</ref>  
+
According to ''Scientific American'': "Research also suggests that a religious brain exhibits higher levels of [[dopamine]], a hormone associated with increased attention and motivation."<ref>[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/askthebrains/ Ask the Brains, Scientific American, Dec 23, 2011]</ref> See: [[Atheism and motivation]]
−
 
−
[[Christian apologetics|Christian apologists]] who reject naturalistic explanations of life such as the [[theory of evolution]] argue that difficult to explain UFOs are spiritual in nature and not amenable to naturalistic explanation.<ref>
 
−
*[http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4217643/k.5903/UFOs_and_Alien_Beings.htm UFOs and Alien Beings]
 
−
*[http://www.letusreason.org/NAM25.htm A UFO 2nd coming]
 
−
*[http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/lifemars.html Are We Alone in the Universe?]
 
−
*[http://www.creation.com/content/view/2995/ Alien Life/UFO Questions and Answers UFO Questions and Answers]
 
−
*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/alien.asp Alien Life/UFO Questions and Answers UFO Questions and Answers]</ref>
 
  
−
=== Library of Congress researcher's findings on UFOs ===
+
=== Atheism and the problem of consciousness ===
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and satanic deception]]
+
See: [[Atheism and consciousness]]
−
[[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Gustave Doré's depiction of [[Satan]] from [[John Milton]]'s Paradise Lost.]]
 
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Lynn Cato, senior bibliographer for the library of Congress, created a 1600 entry on [[UFO]] bibliography for the [[United States Air Force]] Office of Scientific Research. After a two year investigation, in which she reviewed thousands of documents, Catoe stated: {{Cquote|A large part of the available UFO literature...deals with subjects like mental telepathy, automatic writing and invisible entities...poltergeist manifestations and 'possession'....Many of the UFO reports now being published in the popular press recount alleged incidents that are strikingly similar to [[demon|demonic]] possession and psychic phenomenon which have long been known to [[Theology|theologians]] and parapsychologists.<ref name=Reason>Authors unknown. "[http://www.letusreason.org/NAM25.htm A UFO 2nd Coming]." Let Us Reason Ministries, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.</ref><ref name=Gleghorn>Gleghorn, Michael. "[http://www.probe.org/cults-and-world-religions/cults-and-world-religions/ufos-and-alien-beings.html UFO's and Alien Beings]." Probe Ministries. Retrieved November 3, 2007.</ref>}}
 
  
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Prominent UFO researcher John Keel concurred. After surveying the literature on [[demonology]] Keel declared:<ref name=Gleghorn/>{{Cquote|The manifestations and occurrences described in this imposing literature are similar if not entirely identical to the UFO phenomenon itself.}}
+
== Atheism and women  ==
 +
''see also:'' [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God]]
  
−
==Intellectuals increasingly rejecting atheistic ideology ==
+
[[File:women.jpg|thumbnail|right|205px|Studies indicate that women tend to be more religious than men (See: [[Atheism and women]]). ]]
−
According to Munich theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg "Atheism as a theoretical position is in decline worldwide."<ref name="wt"> http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/05/breaking2453432.91875.html</ref> Given that the evolutionary position is a often cited component of the ideology of atheism in the [[Western world]], the gradual loss of public support of the evolutionary position is one of the many factors which are eroding the ideology of atheism. [[Oxford]] scholar [[Alister McGrath]] cites a number of additional factors in regards to the decline of atheism as an intellectual position.<ref>http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/march/21.36.html</ref>
 
−
<ref>http://www.s8int.com/Godless.html</ref>
 
  
−
Given the many factors which are eroding atheistic ideology McGrath states:
+
=== Recent studies ===
−
{{cquote|...Atheism is in trouble. Its future seems increasingly to lie in the private beliefs of individuals rather than in the great public domain it once regarded as its natural habitat.<ref>
 
−
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/march/21.36.html</ref>}}
 
  
−
== Christian websites with a large focus on the topic of atheism  ==
+
=== Atheist Alliance International analysis ===
  
−
''See also:'' [[Atheism and the internet]]
+
In 2016, Atheist Alliance International (AAI) conducted an annually recurring atheist census project and found: "At the time of writing, the Atheist Census Project recorded that on average worldwide 73.2% of respondents were male. The result is consistent with other research... As such, the focus of many scholarly papers has been on seeking to explain this persistent observation."<ref>[https://www.atheistalliance.org/about-aai/position-statements/1206-aai-position-statement-gender-balance.html AAI Position Statement - Gender Balance]</ref>
  
−
Four of the more notable Christian apologetics which have a large focus on the topic of atheism are: [[True Free Thinker]], the [[Creation Ministries International and atheism|Creation Ministries International resources on atheism]], the [[Fixed Point Foundation]] website, and [[Atheism Analyzed]].
+
==== Surveys by country ====
 +
In November 2010, ''Discover'' magazine published survey results published by the World Values Survey which showed significant differences between the percentage of men and women who are atheists for various countries with men outnumbering women within the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]].<ref>Khan, Razib (November 18, 2010).  [http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/11/sex-differences-in-global-atheism-part-n/ "Gene expression; "Sex differences in global atheism, part N"].  Discover magazine website.</ref>
  
−
== Liberal media - apostles of atheism ==
+
==== United States surveys ====
−
The Media Research Center released a study in 2008 reporting pro-atheism bias by major press outlets in the [[United States]].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTxORumTarg</ref>  The study is not surprising given the [[Liberal bias|liberal bias that commonly exists in the major media outlets]].
+
In 2015, ''BloombergView'' reported concerning the [[United States]]: "According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, ...women are 52 percent of the U.S. population but only 36 percent of atheists and agnostics.<ref name=agap>Carter, Stephen L. (March 27, 2015).  [http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-03-27/the-atheism-gap "The atheism gap"].  BloombergView website.</ref>
−
== Causes of atheism ==
 
−
:''See main article: [[Causes of atheism]]'' and [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
 
−
There are a number of reasonable explanations for atheism:
 
  
−
[[Image:Matthew-henry.jpg|thumbnail|201px|right|[[Matthew Henry]]]]
+
A 2009 article in LiveScience.com entitled ''Women More Religious Than Men'' reported: "A new analysis of survey data finds women pray more often then men, are more likely to believe in God, and are more religious than men in a variety of other ways...The latest findings, released Friday, are no surprise, only confirming what other studies have found for decades.<ref name=Britt>Britt, Robert Roy (February 28, 2009). [http://www.livescience.com/7689-women-religious-men.html "Women more religious than men"]. Livescience.</ref>  In 2007, the Pew Research Center found that American women were more religious than American men.<ref name=Britt/>
−
1. '''Moral depravity:''' The history of the atheist community and various studies regarding the atheist community point to moral depravity being a causal factor for atheism.<ref>[http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80 The causes of atheism]
 
−
*[http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5527 The Real Murderers: Atheism or Christianity?]
 
−
*[http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=2682730&page=2 Who Gives and Who Doesn't? - ABC News]
 
−
*[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3647/is_200310/ai_n9340592/ Religious faith and charitable giving, Policy Review , Oct-Dec 2003, p.2.]
 
−
*[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard Practical Outcomes Replace Biblical Principles As the Moral Standard]
 
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*[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/102-atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians Atheists and Agnostics Take Aim at Christians]</ref> In addition, there is the historical matter of [[Atheism and deception|deceit being used in a major way to propagate atheism from the time of Charles Darwin onward.]] [[Francis Thompson]] wrote: "Maybe the atheist cannot find [[God]] for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman." (see also: [[Atheism and morality]] ). The [[Bible]] asserts that "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20gen%201:30%20;&version=49; (Psalms 14:1 (KJV)).] The biblical fool is said to be lacking in sound judgment and the biblical fool is also associated with moral depravity. For example, the biblical book of [[Proverbs]] states: "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of evil devices is hated. The naive inherit foolishness, But the sensible are crowned with knowledge."[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20proverbs%2014:16-18%20;&version=49; (Proverbs 14:16-18 (NASB)).] The book of Proverbs also has strong words regarding the depravity of biblical fools: "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but [it is] abomination to fools to depart from evil." [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013:19;&version=9; (Proverbs 13:9 (KJV))]. Regarding the deceitfulness of fools Proverbs states: "The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is [[deceit]]." [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2014:8;&version=9; (Proverbs 14:8 (KJV)).] Noted Bible commentator and clergyman [[Matthew Henry]] wrote regarding atheism: "A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without God in the [[earth|world]], is certainly the most despicable and the most miserable animal under the [[sun]]."<ref>http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc1.ii.html</ref>  
 
−
[[Image:DrVitz.jpg|thumbnail|125px|left|Noted [[Ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] and psychologist Dr. [[Paul Vitz]]]]
 
  
−
2. '''Hatred towards God.''' Angry, bitter and juvenile attacks on Christianity and Christians are due to hatred towards [[Jesus Christ]] and the Bible.<ref>[http://creation.com/chris-hitchens-dies  Christopher Hitchens: Staring Death in the Face And the difference that Biblical Creation makes!]</ref><ref>[http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/argument-atheism-immaturity The Argument for Atheism from Immaturity]</ref>
+
=== Atheism and sexism ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and sexism]]
  
−
3.  '''Atheistic upbringing'''. However, according to recent research by the Pew Forum Pew 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 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> In addition, as noted earlier, Christianity is experiencing rapid growth in atheistic communist China and has experienced rapid growth in former communist countries. <ref>http://www.millennialstar.org/christianity-exploding-in-china/</ref><ref>http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/2008/August/Christianity-Growing-in-China-/</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/03/international/europe/03romania.html</ref>
+
Most atheists are politically on the [[leftist|left]] (see: [[Atheism and politics]] and [[Secular left]]).  Part of leftist ideology is [[feminism]]. However, there is a significant amount of [[misogyny]] among atheists (see: [[Atheism and women]]).
  
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4. '''Rebellion:''' Atheism stems from a deliberate choice to ignore the reality of God's existence<ref>"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse..." &mdash;{{Bible ref|Romans|1|19-20|version=NKJV}}</ref> [[Dinesh D'Souza]] declared: "Look at [[Satan]]'s reason for rebelling against God. It's not that he doesn't recognize that God is greater than he is. He does. It's just that he doesn't want to play by anybody else's rules. This idea that it is better to reign in [[hell]] than to serve in [[heaven]] is Satan's motto, and it turns out that this is also the motto of contemporary atheists such as [[Christopher Hitchens]]." <ref>[http://www.salvomag.com/new/articles/salvo7/7segelstein.php Salvomag.com The Apologist, An Interview with Dinesh D'Souza, Author of What's So Great About Christianity by Marcia Segelstein]</ref>
+
For more information please see:  
  
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5. '''[[Hedonism]]'''.<ref>[http://creation.com/atheist-god-hate Why do atheists hate God?]</ref> The [[Saint Paul|Apostle Paul]] wrote that in the [[end times]], men would be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:1-4). See: [[Atheism and hedonism]]
+
*[[Atheism and sexism]]
 +
*[[Atheism and rape]]
 +
*[[Sexual harassment at atheist conferences]]
 +
*[[Elevatorgate]]
 +
*[[Richard Dawkins and women]]
 +
*[[Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships|Atheist leaders and immoral relationships]]
  
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6. '''Naiveté/Gullibility''': Many atheists have embraced a number of far fetched, unworkable, and errant notions and ideologies such as [[communism]], [[Origin of Life|abiogenesis]], and [[evolution]] despite abundant evidence of their falsity.
+
=== Atheism and women's rights ===
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[[File:113320508 2b86fdb94a.jpg|thumb|201px|right|A comprehensive study by Baylor University found that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>  ]]
 
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7. '''Irrational thinking''': As noted earlier, a comprehensive study by Baylor University found that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>  Also, as noted above, a 1980 study published in the magazine ''Skeptical Inquirer'' found irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born again Christian college students were found to be the least likely.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>
 
  
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8. '''Superficiality:''' Noted ex-atheist and psychologist Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] has stated that he had superficial reasons for becoming an atheist such as the desire to be accepted by his [[Stanford University]] professors who were united in disbelief regarding God.<ref name="vitz">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>
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See: [[Atheism and women's rights]]
  
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9. '''Error:''' Some argue that atheism partly stems from a failure to fairly and judiciously consider the facts<ref>"A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere--'Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,' as Herbert says, 'fine nets and stratagems.' God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous." -- C.S. Lewis, ''Surprised by Joy''.</ref>
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=== Atheist feminism ===
  
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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>
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See: [[Atheist feminism]]
  
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11. '''Self-deception'''<ref>[http://creation.com/atheism Atheism - Satanic deception and self-deception]</ref>
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=== Atheism and Asian/white males ===
  
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12. '''[[Satan|Satanic]] deception''' <ref>[http://creation.com/atheism Atheism - Satanic deception and self-deception]</ref>  (''see also'': [[Atheism and satanic deception]] )
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*[[Atheism and Asian males]]
  
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13. '''Poor relationship with father:''' Some argue that a troubled/non-existent relationship with a father may influence one towards holding the position 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 name="vitz"/><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 name="vitz"/> Dr. Vitz has also stated other common factors he observed in the leading atheists he profiled: they were all intelligent and arrogant.<ref name="vitz"/>
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*[[Atheism and white males]]
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[[Image:Francis_Bacon.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Sir [[Francis Bacon]] ]]
 
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14. '''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 name="pr">http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/ofatheism.html</ref>
 
  
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15.  '''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>
+
=== Atheist websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women ===
  
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16. '''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 name="pr"/> 
+
See: [[Atheist websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women]]
  
−
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.<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=AL_Jq-7VV0YC&pg=PA158&lpg=PA158&dq=soviet+schools,+atheism,+and+religion+and+john+dunstan&source=bl&ots=Rk5y6MkjgW&sig=Xy3ubZljkcNJpRcoi_an6kMu5Xk&hl=en&ei=9-q1S7K_L4K8lQeclaBj&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=soviet%20schools%2C%20atheism%2C%20and%20religion%20and%20john%20dunstan&f=false</ref><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</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>
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== Atheism and marriage/relationships ==
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheism and illegitimate births]]  
  
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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?]
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=== Atheism and rates of marriage in the United States ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and marriageability]] and [[Atheism and women]]
  
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17. '''Negative experiences with [[theism|theists]]'''
+
The Christian apologist Michael Caputo wrote: "Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews... According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics."<ref name="marry"/>
  
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18.  '''[[Scientism]]:''' ''Science has in many ways become a new god''.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/skepticsweb/psychology.htm Why Atheism?]</ref>
+
Theodore Beale declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and agnostics don’t get married."<ref name="marry"/>
  
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==Atheism and the existence of evil==
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For more information please see:  [[Atheism and marriageability]]
  
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:''See also:'' [[Atheism and the Problem of Evil]] and [[Theodicy]] and [[Atheism and satanic deception]] and [[Atheism and hell]]
+
=== Atheist marriages ===
 +
See: [[Atheist marriages]]
  
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Those who advocate atheism commonly state that the existence of evil is a problem for [[theism]] which holds to a good and powerful God.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/evil.html</ref> [[Theodicy]] is the branch of study in theology and philosophy that defends the goodness of God despite the existence of evil.<ref>http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861719540/theodicy.html</ref> In traditional Christianity and Judaism the book of [[Job]] is used to explain the existence of evil.<ref>http://apologetics.com/default.jsp?bodycontent=/articles/doctrinal_apologetics/bowman-job.html</ref> In recent times [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologists]] often cite [[Alvin Plantinga]]'s free will defense when it comes to the subject of the existence of evil.<ref>http://www.xenos.org/essays/evilpo.htm</ref><ref>http://bearspace.baylor.edu/Scott_Moore/www/handouts/free_will_defense.html</ref>  The work of [[St. Augustine]] is also cited in respect to theodicy.<ref>http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5124</ref> Dr. [[Ron Rhodes]] of [[Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministry]] states regarding this issue regarding the existence of evil in relation to atheism:
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=== Atheism and polyamory ===
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[[Image:Ron2.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|Dr. [[Ron Rhodes]]]]
+
*[[Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships]]
−
{{cquote|...it is impossible to distinguish evil from good unless one has an infinite reference point which is absolutely good. Otherwise one is like a boat at sea on a cloudy night without a compass (i.e., there would be no way to distinguish north from south without the absolute reference point of the compass needle).
 
  
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The infinite reference point for distinguishing good from evil can only be found in the person of God, for God alone can exhaust the definition of "absolutely good." If God does not exist, then there are no moral absolutes by which one has the right to judge something (or someone) as being evil. More specifically, if God does not exist, there is no ultimate basis to judge the crimes of [[Adolph Hitler|Hitler]]. Seen in this light, the reality of evil actually requires the existence of God, rather than disproving it.<ref>http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/Atheism.html</ref>}}
+
=== Atheism and divorce ===
 +
See: [[Atheism and divorce]]
  
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==Atheism and the foundation of modern science==
+
=== Atheism and interfaith marriages ===
 +
* [[Atheism and interfaith marriages]]
 +
* [[Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Christianity and science]]
+
=== Atheism and its inability to explain love ===
 +
See also: [[Atheism and love]] and [[Atheism and forgiveness]]
 +
 
 +
From a [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]], moral and spiritual perspective, atheists have an inability to satisfactorily explain the existence of [[love]].<ref name="How do atheists define love">[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/ How do atheists define love?] by Dr. Taylor Marshall</ref><ref name="atheistforum.wordpress.com">[https://atheistforum.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/what-is-love-how-materialist-atheism-fails-to-have-a-satisfactory-answer/ What is love? how materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer], July 9, 2014</ref>]
 +
From a  moral, [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]] and spiritual perspective, atheists have an inability to satisfactorily explain the existence of [[love]].<ref name="How do atheists define love"/><ref name="atheistforum.wordpress.com"/>
  
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The birth of modern [[science]] occurred in Christianized [[Europe]].<ref>http://www.ldolphin.org/bumbulis/#anchor5343749</ref>
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=== Atheism and sexuality ===
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[[Sociology|Sociologist]] [[Rodney Stark]] investigated the individuals who made the most significant scientific contributions between 1543 and 1680 A.D., the time of the [[Scientific Revolution]].
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and sexuality]] and [[Atheism and romance]] and [[Atheism and fertility rates]]
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In Stark's list of 52 top scientific contributors,<ref name="Origins">Williams, Alex,[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1581/ The biblical origins of science], ''Journal of Creation'' 18(2):49–52, August 2004.</ref> only one ([[Edmund Halley]]) was a skeptic and another ([[Paracelsus]]) was a [[pantheism|pantheist]].
 
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The other 50 were Christians, 30 of whom could be characterized as being devout Christians.<ref name="Origins" />
 
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Sir [[Francis Bacon]], sometimes referred to as "the Father of Modern Science", wrote in his essay entitled ''Of Atheism'' the following: "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the [[Talmud]], and the [[Koran|Alcoran]], than that this universal frame is without a mind."<ref name="bacon">Bacon, Francis, [http://www.authorama.com/essays-of-francis-bacon-17.html Of Atheism]</ref>
 
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‎
 
  
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==Bertrand Russell and Christianity==
+
Research shows that religious women (especially [[evangelicalism|evangelical]]/low-church [[Protestantism|Protestant]] women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.<ref>The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115</ref><ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008</ref><ref>[http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun], Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri</ref>
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The evidence points to Bertrand Russell being a "[[Weak atheism|weak atheist]]" or an agnostic (Bertrand Russell wrote an essay entitled ''Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?'').<ref>http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html</ref> In 1927, [[Bertrand Russell]] wrote an irrational essay entitled "''Why I am not a Christian''" which was based on a lecture Russell gave the same year.<ref>http://gregbahnsen.blogspot.com/2007/06/interlude-why-bertrand-russell-should.html</ref><ref>http://gregbahnsen.blogspot.com/2007/06/interlude-why-bertrand-russell-should.html</ref> Below are some works by Christian apologists which show the inconsistencies and logical fallacies of Bertrand Russell's essay:
 
  
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*[http://gregbahnsen.blogspot.com/2007/06/interlude-why-bertrand-russell-should.html Critique of Bertrand Russell's essay "Why I am not a Christian"] by Dr. Greg Bahnsen
+
A social science study also reports that Hispanic men are more sexually satisfied than other ethnic groups in the United States.<ref>The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 114</ref>
 +
Hispanics are known for their religiosity (See also: [[Western atheism and race]]).
  
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*[http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/10-bertrand-russell-and-christianity-part-1 Bertrand Russell and Christianity] by the Christian Courier
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In addition, the atheist and agnostic populations have sub-replacement levels of fertility (see: [[Atheism and sexuality]] and [[Atheism and romance]]).
  
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It is also noteworthy that Russell was widely infamous for his immoral behavior and public promotion of promiscuity and sexual sin.
+
===  Atheists and physical attractiveness ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheists and physical attractiveness]]
  
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==Atheism and debate==
+
The English anthropologist Edward Dutton indicates that using [[right-wing]] politics as a proxy for religiosity, there is evidence that atheists are less attractive and he pointed out that right-wing politicians are more likely to have symmetrical faces according to a study.<ref>[https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/unique-everybody-else/201806/defending-atheist-mutational-load-theory-part-2 Defending Atheist Mutational Load Theory — Part 2] by
 +
Scott A. McGreal MSc., Psychology Today, June 22, 2018</ref>
  
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'''See also:''' [[Atheism debates]] and [[Atheism and cowardice]] and [[Atheist factions]]
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== Atheism and race ==
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[[Image:Bahnsen.jpg‎|thumb|150px|Dr. [[Greg Bahnsen]] became known as the man atheists fear most due to [[Michael Martin]]'s cancellation of their scheduled debate. See: [[Greg Bahnsen and debate]] ]]
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''See also:'' [[Atheism, race and gender]] and [[Atheism and racism]]
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Historically speaking, atheism has [[Atheism debates|fared very poorly in debates]]. In addition, due to prominent atheists dodging debates, the cowardice associated with atheism has become so obvious that it is making newspaper headlines (For more information please see: [[Atheism and cowardice]]).<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/19/christian-pastor-atheists-debates/?test=latestnews Christian Philosopher William Lane Craig Is Ready to Debate, but Finds Few Challengers]</ref> <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God]</ref> For example, as noted earlier, [[Richard Dawkins]] has [[Instances of Richard Dawkins ducking debates|established a reputation of avoiding his strongest debate opponents]]. On May 14, 2011, the [[Great Britain|British]] newspaper ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' published a news story entitled ''Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God''.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html</ref> In [[The Daily Telegraph]] article Dr. [[Daniel Came]], a  a member of the Faculty of [[Philosophy]] at [[Oxford University]] was quoted as writing to fellow atheist Richard Dawkins concerning his refusal to debate Dr. [[William Lane Craig]], "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', May 14, 2011</ref>  Also, atheists [[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates|tend to dodge creation vs. evolution debates.]]  
 
  
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For more information see: [[Atheism debates]] and [[Atheism and cowardice]]
+
=== Asian atheism ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Asian atheism]] and [[East Asia, China, atheism and racism]]
  
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=== Creation vs. evolution debates ===
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[[East Asia]], in particular what are often termed “Confucian societies.” It is likely therefore that the majority of the world's atheists are actually East Asian."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150905135558/http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/11/most-atheists-are-not-white/ Most atheists are not white & other non-fairy tales], Discover magazine</ref>
  
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See also: [[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates]]
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As noted above, the current [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] mostly resides in East [[Asia]] (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia among whites.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live], By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey, ''Washington Post'', May 23, 2013</ref> See: [[China and atheism]]
  
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The worldwide atheist community was challenged to a debate by [[Creation Ministries International]] as prominent atheists were speaking at a 2010 global atheist convention in [[Australia]].<ref>http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/richard-dawkins-cowardly-clown</ref> [[Richard Dawkins]], [[PZ Myers]] and other prominent atheists refused to debate Creation Ministries International.<ref>http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/richard-dawkins-cowardly-clown</ref> Generally speaking, creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates (see: [[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates]].  
+
As noted above, China is experiencing an explosive growth of Christianity (see: [[Growth of Christianity in China]] and [[East Asia and global desecularization]]).
  
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=== Doug Jesseph ===
+
=== Western atheism and race ===
 +
[[File:Sikivu Hutchinson.JPG|thumbnail|200px|right|Atheist Sikivu Hutchinson says that white atheists organizations generally focus on church/state separation and [[creationism]] issues and not on the concerns the less affluent African-American population faces.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/06/16/blacks-are-even-discriminated-against-by-atheists/ Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about] by Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson, Washington Post June 16, 2014</ref>
  
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In October of 1997, atheist [[Jeffery Jay Lowder]], a founder of [[Internet Infidels]], stated that he believed that in regards to atheism "the most impressive debater to date" was [[Douglas Jesseph]].<ref>http://www.infidels.org/infidels/newsletter/1997/october.html</ref> Yet Douglas Jesseph claimed in a debate with [[William Lane Craig]] in 1996 that the [[origin of life]] had a detailed atheistic explanation(s).<ref>http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/doug_jesseph/jesseph-craig/jesseph1.html</ref> In 1996, John Horgan wrote the following regarding what the highly respected origin of life researcher [[Stanley Miller]] believed to the case regarding naturalistic explanations of the origin of life: "Miller seemed unimpressed with any of the current proposals on the origin of life, referring to them as “nonsense” or “paper chemistry.”"<ref>http://www.trueorigin.org/abio.asp</ref> In addition, in 1996, John Horgan wrote the following in ''[[Scientific American]]'': "The origin of life is a science writer's dream. It abounds with exotic scientists and exotic theories, which are never entirely abandoned or accepted, but merely go in and out of fashion."<ref>http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/orignl01.html#orgnflfmjrprblmschcknndgg</ref>
+
Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations significantly help poor African-Americans.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> See also: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]] ]]
 +
''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Black atheism]] and [[Atheism and diversity]]
  
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=== Additional information on atheism and debate ===
+
==== Atheism and race: United States and Europe ====
 +
In 2015, ''BloombergView'' reported:
 +
{{cquote|According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, only 3 percent of U.S. atheists and agnostics are black, 6 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Asian. Some 82 percent are white. (The relevant figures for the population at large at the time of the survey were 66 percent white, 11 percent black, 15 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian.)
  
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See:
+
...Craig Keener, in his huge review of claims of miracles in a wide variety of cultures, concludes that routine rejection of the possibility of the [[supernatural]] represents an impulse that is [[Secular Europe|deeply Eurocentric]].<ref name=agap/>}}
  
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*[[Atheism debates]]
+
In the United States, blacks have the highest rate of religiosity.<ref>[https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/gallup-blacks-most-religious-group-us Gallup: Blacks Most Religious Group in U.S.]</ref> Among Hispanics, religion has traditionally played a significant role in daily activity.<ref>[http://www.diocesephoenix.org/old_site/fc/CatecheticalLeadership/ChurchDocs/UnderstandingtheHispanicCulture.pdf Understanding Hispanic culture]</ref>
  
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*[[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates]]
+
In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
 +
{{cquote|From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement — [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]], [[Christopher Hitchens]] and [[Daniel Dennett]] — are all white men.
  
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*[[Instances of Richard Dawkins ducking debates]]
+
But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.
  
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*[[Greg Bahnsen and debate]]  
+
Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation|Freedom from Religion Foundation]] found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php</ref>}}
  
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*[[Myer and Sternberg vs. Shermer and Prothero debate]]
+
=== RationalWiki/RationalMedia Foundation board of trustees and the lack of Black representation ===
  
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==Notable atheists who became ex-atheists ==
+
See: [[RationalMedia Foundation board of trustees and the lack of Black representation]]
  
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''See:'' [[Ex-atheists]]
+
== Atheism and education ==
 +
*[[Religion and education]]
 +
*[[Atheist indoctrination|Atheistic indoctrination and education]]
 +
*[[Atheism and academia]]
 +
*[[Atheism and academic performance]]
 +
== Atheism and culture: Art, architecture, music, language, poetry, dance and humor ==
 +
[[File:Destroy the old world Cultural Revolution poster.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A [[People's Republic of China]] propaganda poster stating "Destroy the Old World & Forge the New World," with a worker smashing a [[crucifix]], a [[Buddha]] murti, and a classical Chinese sacred text; 1967.]]
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and culture]]
  
−
== Views on atheists ==
+
[[Culture]] consists of the "language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values."<ref>[http://www.eng.auburn.edu/~sjreeves/cm/culture.html Christianity and culture]</ref>
−
Concerning various [[Views on Atheists|views on atheists]], research in the American Sociological Review finds that among several groups listed, those who hold the position of atheism are the group that Americans relate least to in terms of their vision of American society and are the group most likely to be mentioned as one that Americans would not want to have marry into their family.<ref>Edgell, Gerteis & Hartmann 2006</ref> Dr. [[Sam Harris]], a founder of the [[New Atheism]] movement, is well aware of the stigma surrounding atheism and has advocated that atheists no longer call themselves atheists.<ref>http://newsinitiative.org/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist</ref> In fact, Dr. Harris has said concerning the label of atheist, "It's right next to child molester as a designation."<ref>http://newsinitiative.org/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist</ref>
 
  
−
{| class="wikitable"
+
Atheism has not produced any outstanding cultural achievements and it has had a negative effect on cultures (see: [[Atheism and culture]] and [[Atheism and its anti-civilizational effects]] and [[Atheism statistics]]).  
−
|-
 
−
! Position:
 
−
! This group does not at all agree with<br> my vision of American society:
 
−
! I would disapprove if my child wanted<br> to marry a member of this group:
 
−
|-
 
−
| Atheist
 
−
| 39.6%
 
−
| 47.6%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Muslim
 
−
| 26.3%
 
−
| 33.5%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Homosexual
 
−
| 22.6%
 
−
| NA
 
−
|-
 
−
|Conservative Christian
 
−
| 13.5%
 
−
| 6.9%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Recent Immigrant
 
−
| 12.5%
 
−
| Not Asked
 
−
|-
 
−
| Hispanic
 
−
| 7.6%
 
−
| 18.5%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Jew
 
−
| 7.4%
 
−
| 11.8%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Asian American
 
−
| 7.0%
 
−
| 18.5%
 
−
|-
 
−
|African American
 
−
| 4.6%
 
−
| 27.2%
 
−
|-
 
−
| White American
 
−
| 2.2%
 
−
| 2.3%
 
−
|}
 
  
−
==New Atheism==
+
For example, relative to [[Christianity]], which has a large collection of art, music and poetry associated it, atheism has a very small collection of art, music and poetry associated with it (see: [[Atheist art]] and [[Atheist music]] and [[Atheist poetry]]).
  
−
''See also:'' [[New Atheism]] and [[Atheist factions]] and [[Brights Movement]] and [[Militant atheism]]
+
It is often said that atheism is boring, stale and difficult to believe (see: [[Atheism and inspiration]]). As noted above, research indicates that atheists are less open-minded (see: [[Atheism and open-mindedness]]).  
−
[[Image:Hitchens,_Stanford.jpg‎ |right|thumb|200px|[[Christopher Hitchens]] ]]
 
−
Dissent Magazine stated the following about the "[[New Atheism]]":
 
−
{{cquote|A number of prominent authors and scientists have published books in the past year that advocate a "New Atheism." The books, which include [[Daniel Dennett]]'s ''Breaking the Spell'', [[Richard Dawkins]]'s ''[[The God Delusion]]'', and [[Christopher Hitchens]]' ''God is Not Great'', have sparked considerable public controversy across the political spectrum.<ref>Dissent.org</ref>}}
 
  
−
Dr. Albert Mohler Jr. describes some of the key attributes of the "New Atheism":
+
For additional information, please see:
−
{{cquote|Now, WIRED magazine comes out with a cover story on atheism for its November 2006 issue. In "The New Atheism," WIRED contributing editor Gary Wolf explains that this newly assertive form of atheism declares a very simple message: "No heaven. No hell. Just science."...
 
  
−
Wolf accomplishes a great deal in his article, thoughtfully introducing the work of [[Militant atheism|militant atheists]] such as Dawkins, Harris, and Dennett. At the same time, he probes more deeply into the actual meaning of the New Atheism as a movement and a message.
+
*[[Atheist art]]
 +
*[[Atheism and architecture]]
 +
*[[Atheist music]]
 +
*[[Atheist population and verbal–linguistic intelligence|Atheism and linguistic/oratory skills]]
 +
*[[Atheist poetry]]  
 +
*[[Atheism and dance]]
 +
*[[Atheism and humor]]
  
−
At the beginning of his article, he gets right to the point: "The New Atheists will not let us off the hook simply because we are not doctrinaire believers. They condemn not just belief in God but respect for belief in God. Religion is not only wrong; it's evil. Now that the battle has been joined, there's no excuse for shirking."<ref>http://www.albertmohler.com/commentary_read.php?cdate=2006-11-21</ref>}}
+
== Global atheism ==
−
=== Impact of the New Atheism ===
+
=== Global decline of atheism  ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and diversity]] and [[Atheism and culture]]
 +
[[File:Blue Marble.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Atheism is in decline worldwide in terms of number of atheists and the percentage of atheists in world.<ref>
 +
*[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2025/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2025.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2025, in the Context of 1900–2050] (831,000 less atheists in the world than a year ago.
 +
*[https://gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2019/04/StatusofGlobalChristianity20191.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2019, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref>  
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
See: [[Global atheism statistics]] ]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[Impact of the New Atheism]]
+
Atheists as a percentage of the world's population have declined since 1970 and global atheism is expected to face long-term decline.<ref>
 +
*[http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-world-is-turning-more-religious-atheism-declining-100518/ Study: World is becoming more religious]
 +
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/globally-worldviews-of-atheism-and-non.html Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents]
 +
*[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]
 +
*[http://www.gordonconwell.edu/resources/documents/StatusOfGlobalMission.pdf Gordon-Conwell Seminary - Status of Global Mission, 2014, in the Context of AD 1800–2025]</ref> See: [[Desecularization]] and [[Global atheism statistics]]
  
−
The New Atheism has not had much of an impact in terms of gaining new adherents to atheism. In a March 10, 2008 [[USA Today]] article Stephen Prothero indicated that the New Atheism movement was not effective in adding new adherents to atheism and he cited statistics from a large Pew Research Center study which indicated that the number of atheists in the United States was merely 1.6% of respondents.<ref>American Faith: A Work In Progress by Stephen Prothero, USA Today, March 10, 2008, page 11A</ref>
+
In 2024, Frontier Partners International reported concerning [[global atheism]]: "Simultaneously, atheism, which once saw a peak around 1970 with 165 million adherents, is on the decline. The current growth trend for atheism is -0.12 percent, with their number falling from 147 million in 2020 to 146 million in 2024."<ref>[https://www.frontierpartners.org/global-christianity-surges Global Christianity surges beyond projections in 2024], LiCAS.news • Mar 15, 2024, Frontiers Patners Intertnational, 2024</ref> See also: [[Desecularization]] and [[Global atheism statistics]]
  
−
==Atheism and the Bible==
+
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://web.archive.org/web/20150310135559/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 also:'' [[Atheism and the Bible]] and [[Atheism and hell]]
 
−
[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|175px|right|The Holy [[Bible]], opened to the [[Book of Isaiah]].]]
 
−
Biblical skeptics have been disputing the reliability of the [[Bible]] for centuries. Christian apologist [[JP Holding]] rightly states that [[Bible Exegesis|Bible exegesis]] and Bible exposition is a multi-disciplinary pursuit, and often critics of the Bible have not done a fraction of the due diligence required to make an allegation regarding the Bible.<ref>[http://www.tektonics.org/af/calcon.html Calculated Contempt: Why Bible Critics Do Not Deserve the Benefit of the Doubt]</ref>
 
  
−
Christian theologian and apologist Bernard Ramm wrote the following regarding Biblical skeptics, in his often cited work ''Protestant Christian Evidences'':
+
=== Decline of the number of atheists in the world ===
−
{{cquote|A thousand times over, the death knell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, the inscription cut on the tombstone, and committal read. But somehow the corpse never stays put.
 
  
−
No other book has been so chopped, knifed, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified. What book on philosophy or religion or psychology or belles lettres of classical or modern times has been subject to such a mass attack as the Bible? With such venom and skepticism? With such thoroughness and erudition? Upon every chapter, line and tenet?
+
''See also:'' [[Decline of the number of atheists in the world]]
  
−
The Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions, and studied by millions.<ref>[http://www.why-the-bible.com/bible.htm The Bible - Quotes from Famous Men]</ref>}}
+
According to the [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]], the number of atheists in the world is now shrinking and will continue to do so.<ref name="gordonconwell.edu">[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2024/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2024.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref><ref>[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2023.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2023, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref> See also: [[Decline of the number of atheists in the world]] and [[Future of atheism in China]] and [[European desecularization in the 21st century]] and [[Decline of Europe]]
  
−
Christian apologists have responded to the various biblical errancy and claims of contradictions by atheists with an array of well known websites. Some popular ones include: [http://www.tektonics.org/ Tektonics.org], [http://www.christian-thinktank.com/ A Christian Think Tank], [http://www.apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx Apologetics Press - Alleged Discrepancies], [http://www.inerrancy.org/ Inerrancy.org], and many more.
+
=== Demographics of atheism ===
 +
[[Demography]] is the study of human populations, and is a major specialty in the disciplines of sociology, economics, history, geography, statistics and epidemiology.
  
−
In addition, many Christian scientists and apologists such as the Christian scientists and apologists at [[Creation Ministries International]] and [[CreationWiki]] assert that the Bible, although not written as a science text book, shows an [[Bible scientific foreknowledge|understanding of science beyond what was believed to exist during the time the various Bible books were composed.]]<ref>[http://creationwiki.org/index.php/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible Scientific Foreknowledge]</ref><ref>http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/1718/</ref>
+
*[[Demographics of atheism]]
  
−
==Atheism in academia==
+
==== Atheism and specific countries/areas ====
−
[[File:Alister McGrath.jpg|right|thumb|120px|[[Alister McGrath]] ]]
+
*[[China and atheism]]
 +
*[[French atheism]]
 +
*[[British atheism]]
 +
*[[Secular Europe]]
 +
*[[American atheism]]
 +
[[File:Europe map.png|thumbnail|right|226px|[[Europe]], which is less religious than the United States has a subreplacement level of births, is projected to have a population that is 30% less small by the end of the century (see: [[Atheism and fertility rates]]).<ref>[https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/total-population-outlook-from-unstat-3/assessment-1#:~:text=The%20greatest%20declines%20occur%20under,30%20%25%20of%20its%20current%20size. Population trends 1950 – 2100: globally and within Europe]</ref>
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ 10 projections for the global population in 2050] By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014</ref>]]
 +
*[[European desecularization in the 21st century]]
 +
*[[Irreligion in Australia]]
 +
*[[Irreligion in New Zealand]]
 +
*[[Atheism in the Anglosphere]]
  
−
In 2001 atheist and [[Philosophy|philosopher]] Quentin Smith stated the following in respect to atheism:
+
==== Religious people moving to irreligious regions ====
−
{{cquote|[[Naturalism|Naturalists]] [atheists] passively watched as realist versions of theism … began to sweep through the philosophical community, until today perhaps one-quarter or one-third of philosophy professors are theists, with most being orthodox Christians…. God is not 'dead' in academia; he returned to life in the 1960's and is now alive and well in his last academic stronghold, philosophy departments."<ref>http://www.rzim.org/slice/slicetran.php?sliceid=880</ref>}}
 
−
In 2004, Professor [[Alister McGrath]], professor of historical theology at Wycliffe Hall, [[Oxford University]] declared, "The golden age of atheism is over."<ref>http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=18837</ref>
 
  
−
== American Atheists ==
+
*[[Religion and migration]]
 +
*[[Growth of evangelical Christianity in irreligious regions]]
  
−
''See also:'' [[American atheism]]
+
=== Atheism statistics ===
  
−
[[American Atheists]] is an American atheists group founded by [[Madalyn Murray O'Hair]] that has a history of intellectual incompetence. Below are some noteworthy examples.
+
*[[Atheism statistics]]
 +
*[[Christianity vs. atheism statistics]]
 +
*[[Atheist women statistics]]
 +
*[[Research on atheism]]
  
−
For more information please see:
+
=== Atheist movement and leadership ===
 +
* [[Atheist movement]]
 +
* [[Atheism and leadership]]
  
−
*[[American Atheists]]
+
=== Poor international cooperation among atheists ===
  
−
*[[Frank Zindler vs. William Lane Craig debate]]
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and international cooperation among atheists]]
  
−
==French Revolution and atheism==
+
In recent years, international cooperation among atheists has been low (see: [[Atheism and international cooperation among atheists]]).
−
[[File:Prise de la Bastille.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|On July 14, 1789, the [[Bastille]] was stormed by a mob and its prisoners freed, which is regarded as the start of the [[French Revolution]]. ]]
 
−
''For a related article please see'': [[History of Atheism]]
 
  
−
The University of [[Cambridge]] reports the following historical relationship between atheism and the [[French Revolution]]:
+
== Views on atheists ==
−
{{cquote|Between 1700 and 1750 thousands of atheistic clandestine manuscripts circulated across [[Europe]] (although still only read by a very small minority)...
+
''See also:'' [[Views on atheists]] and [[Distrust of atheists]] and [[Atheism and social outcasts]] and [[Atheism and public relations]] and [[Atheophobia]]
 +
[[File:Sam Harris-2010.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|[[Sam Harris]] ]]
  
−
The French Revolution (1789-94) would dramatically transform the power relationship between belief and unbelief in [[Europe]]: whereas before atheism had been 'high brow', discussed in the cafes and salons of Paris, henceforth it would set itself down among the people. A strident unbelief became a real political factor in public life, as the anticlerical 'dechristianisation' period following the revolution would demonstrate. The impact of the French Revolution in inspiring people to put the irreligious ideas of the [[Enlightenment]] into practice would extend beyond [[France]] to other [[Europe|European]] countries, and to the American colonies (although in the latter it would take a [[deism|deistic]] rather than atheistic form).<ref>http://www.investigatingatheism.info/historyeighteenth.html</ref>}}
+
Sociological research indicates that atheists are widely distrusted in both religious cultures and nonreligious cultures.<ref name="USATodayviewsonatheists">[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-10/religion-atheism/51777612/1 Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists]</ref><ref name="CPviewsonatheists">[http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-widely-distrusted-even-among-themselves-culturally-ingrained-uk-study-finds-160480/ Atheists Widely Distrusted, Even Among Themselves, UK Study Finds], Christian Post, 2015</ref><ref name="Independentviewsonatheists">[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anti-atheist-distrust-deeply-and-culturally-ingrained-study-finds-a6952276.html Anti-atheist distrust ‘deeply and culturally ingrained’, study finds], ''The Independent'', 2015</ref><ref>Edgell, Gerteis & Hartmann 2006</ref>
  
−
== Atheist population as a percentage of various countries' populations==
+
According to a study published in the ''International Journal for The Psychology of Religion'': "anti-atheist prejudice is not confined either to dominantly religious countries or to religious individuals, but rather appears to be a robust judgment about atheists."<ref name="Independentviewsonatheists"/> The study found that many atheists do not trust other atheists as well.<ref name="Independentviewsonatheists"/>
  
−
:''See main article: [[Atheist Population]]''
+
Various atheists have attempted to change the public's perception of atheism and atheists, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful (see: [[Attempts to positively rebrand atheism]]).
  
−
Specific research on the worldwide [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] 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. A survey published in the 2005 ''[[Encyclopedia Britannica]]'' dcclared that 2.3% of the world's population consists of individuals who profess "atheism, skepticism, disbelief, or irreligion, including the militantly antireligious." Concerning the 2.3% figure just mentioned, the 2005 survey cited by ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' survey did not include [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] in regards to the 2.3% figure and Buddhism can be [[Theism|theistic]] or atheistic.<ref>http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/beliefs/atheism.htm</ref>
+
=== Other topics related to views on atheists ===
 +
*[[Persecution of atheists]]
 +
*[[Atheophobia]] is a fear and/or hatred of atheism/atheists.
  
−
[[Ipsos]], a major global market research company, published a report on report on religious belief/skepticism from a worlwide perspective and the report provides [http://www.ipsos-na.com/download/pr.aspx?id=10670 various statistics gained from survey results].
+
== Desecularization and its causes ==
 +
''See also:'' [[Desecularization]] and [[Causes of desecularization]]
  
−
== Other well known proponents of atheism ==
+
[[Desecularization]] is the process by which [[religion]] reasserts its societal influence though religious values, institutions, sectors of society and symbols in reaction to previous and/or co-occurring [[secularization]] processes.<ref>''Religion and the State in Russia and China: Suppression, Survival and Revival'' by Christopher Marsh, 2011, page 11 (Christopher Marsh cites the definitions of desecularization given by Peter L. Berger and Vyacheslav Karpov)</ref>
−
[[File:Ncvjgfu.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Mao Zedong]] ]]
 
−
Prominent holders of the position of atheism and atheist schools of thought have been or include:
 
−
* Carvaka school: an atheistic and materialistic offshoot of [[Hinduism]] in the 6th century B.C.
 
−
* Samkhya school: an atheistic school of classical Indian philosophy, originating in the 6th century B.C.
 
−
* [[Diagoras]]: [[Greek Philosophy|Greek philosopher]] who denied the existence of the Greek pantheon
 
−
* [[Lucretius]]: [[Greeks| Greek]] philosopher espousing materialism, and stated that man should not believe in the gods because their ideas about the gods and their fear of death made men unhappy
 
−
* [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]: Prominent 19th century atheist philosopher
 
−
* [[Mao Zedong]]: Chinese Communist leader
 
−
* [[Benito Mussolini]]
 
−
* [[Paul Kurtz]]: founder of the Council of [[Secular Humanism]]
 
−
* [[Ayn Rand]]
 
−
* [[Isaac Asimov]]
 
−
* [[Douglas Adams]]
 
−
* [[Marquis de Sade]]<ref>http://www.trivia-library.com/a/biography-of-famous-atheist-marquis-de-sade.htm</ref>
 
  
−
== Atheism and intelligence ==
+
As noted above, from 2024 to 2025, the number of atheists in the world dropped by 831,000 atheists according to the [[Center for the Study of Global Christianity]] at [[Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary]].<ref>[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2025/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2025.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2025, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref><ref>[https://www.gordonconwell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2024/01/Status-of-Global-Christianity-2024.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref>
  
−
See: [[Atheism and intelligence]]
+
The [[theology|theologian]] and [[Harvard University]] academic Harvey Cox asserted that [[grassroots]] movements such as [[fundamentalism]] and the [[Charismatic movement]]/[[pentecostalism]] are significant religious forces that are resistant to secularization forces.<ref>[http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8028-4691-4 Publisher's Weekly Review of'' The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics'' by Peter L. Berger]</ref><ref>[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/harvey-cox/fire-from-heaven/ Kirkus Reviews- ''FIRE FROM HEAVEN: Pentecostalism, Spirituality, and the Reshaping of Religion in the Twenty-First Century'' by Harvey Cox]</ref> In her book ''The Battle for God'', Karen Armstrong wrote: "One of the most startling developments of the late 20th century has been the emergence within every major religious tradition of a militant piety known as 'fundamentalism'… this religious resurgence has taken many observers by surprise."<ref>Karen Armstrong, The Battle for God, p. 9</ref>
 +
Today, even the highly [[secular]]ized public and political sphere of [[France]] is showing a new and more open attitude towards religion.<ref>[https://edoc.unibas.ch/50856/3/20170119190142_5880ff06238b8.pdf How religious is the public sphere? – A critical stance on the debate about public religion and post-secularity], Draft Version, Jens Koehrsen (Köhrsen). Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology, Germany. École des hautes études en sciences socials, France. Published in: Acta Sociologica 55 (3), S. 273-288.</ref>
  
−
==Atheism quotes==
+
=== Atheism and sub-replacement levels of fertility ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism and fertility rates]]
 +
[[File:Jacques Berlinerblau.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|In 2011, atheist [[Jacques Berlinerblau]] declared: "The Golden Age of [[Secularism]] has passed."<ref name="chronicle.com"/>]]
 +
Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote about the sub-replacement level of fertility among [[Atheist Population|atheistic populations]]: "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."<ref name="scilogs.eu">[http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/biology-of-religion/2011-01-06/atheists-a-dying-breed-as-nature-favours-faithful-sunday-times-jan-02-2011-jonathan-leake-full-draft-version Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful]</ref> Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."<ref name="scilogs.eu"/>  See also: [[Atheism and sexuality]]
  
−
''See articles: [[Atheism Quotes]]'' and [[Humorous quotes about atheism and evolution]]
+
On December 23, 2012, Professor [[Eric Kaufmann]] who teaches at Birbeck College, University of London wrote:
 +
{{cquote|I argue that 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious.
  
−
== Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian ==
+
On the other hand, the secular West and East Asia has very low fertility and a rapidly aging population... In the coming decades, the developed world's demand for workers to pay its pensions and work in its service sector will soar alongside the booming supply of young people in the third world. Ergo, we can expect significant immigration to the secular West which will import religious revival on the back of ethnic change. In addition, those with religious beliefs tend to have higher birth rates than the secular population, with fundamentalists having far larger families. The epicentre of these trends will be in immigration gateway cities like New York (a third white), Amsterdam (half Dutch), Los Angeles (28% white), and London, 45% white British.
 +
<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/97-of-worlds-population-growth-is.html 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious], Tuesday, April 30, 2013</ref>}}
  
−
''see also:'' [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
+
At a conference, Kaufmann said of religious demographic projections concerning the 21st century:
 +
{{cquote|Part of the reason I think [[demography]] is very important, at least if we are going to speak about the future, is that it is the most predictable of the [[social sciences]].
  
−
'''Below are some resources for leaving atheism and becoming a [[Christian]]:'''
+
...if you look at a population and its age structure now. You can tell a lot about the future.  ...So by looking at the relative age structure of different populations you can already say a lot about the future...
  
−
*[http://creation.com/good-news Good news of Christianity]  
+
...Religious [[fundamentalism]] is going to be on the increase in the future and not just out there in the developing world..., but in the developed world as well.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7vCDeKPRSo Eric Kaufmann - Religion, Demography and Politics in the 21st Century]</ref>}}
  
−
*[http://www.thewordfortoday.org/?page=C2000 Free audio Bible and Bible audio streaming]
+
=== Secularism is exhausted and unconfident ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Decline of the atheist movement]]
  
−
*[http://www.gotquestions.org/repentance.html Repentance]
+
[[Eric Kaufmann]], an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] professor whose academic research specialty is how demographic changes affect religion/irreligion and politics, wrote in 2010:
 +
{{cquote|Worldwide, the march of religion can probably only be reversed by a renewed, self-aware secularism. Today, it appears exhausted and lacking in confidence... Secularism's greatest triumphs owe less to science than to popular social movements like nationalism, [[socialism]] and 1960s anarchist-[[liberalism]]. Ironically, secularism's demographic deficit means that it will probably only succeed in the twenty-first century if it can create a secular form of 'religious' enthusiasm.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/uploadsepk/JQR%20Demography.pdf Shall the religious inherit the earth? - Eric Kaufmann]</ref>}}
  
−
*[http://www.allaboutgod.com/ AllAboutGod.com]
+
[[File:Edward Tabash 2013.jpg|thumbnail|right|190px|[[Eddie Tabash]] ]]
 +
The American atheist activist [[Eddie Tabash]] said at the 2010 Michigan Atheists State Convention:
 +
{{Cquote|In every generation there has been a promising beginning of a true vanguard movement that will finally achieve widespread public acceptance for nonbelief. Yet, in each generation there has been an ultimately disappointing failure to actually register the [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalistic alternative]] to supernatural claims in the public consciousness...<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iix6OjLH6aM Atheists Speak Up - Eddie Tabash]</ref>}}
  
−
*[[Ex-atheist testimonies of Christians]]
+
In recent years, a number of notable atheists have expressed pessimism about the future of the [[atheist movement]] (see: [[Decline of the atheist movement]]).
  
−
*[[Christian apologetics|Evidence for Christianity]]
+
=== Causes of desecularization ===
 +
*[[Causes of desecularization]]
 +
*[[Decline of the secular left]]
  
−
*[[Atheism videos]]
+
=== Zero secularization rates in France and Protestant Europe ===
 +
''See also:'' [[British atheism]]
  
−
*[[Atheism website resources]]  
+
In April 2010, Eric Kaufmann declared "the rate of secularisation has flattened to zero in most of [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Europe]] and [[France]]."<ref>[https://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/ Shall the Religious Inherit the earth] by Eric Kaufmann</ref>
  
−
=== Watch an online Christian church service ===
+
''The Guardian'' published an article in 2017 entitled ''Nearly 50% are of [[Nones|no religion]] – but has [[UK]] hit ‘peak secular’?'' which declared:
 +
{{Cquote|But, Bullivant told the ''Observer'' that the “growth of no religion may have stalled”. After consistent decline, in the past few years the proportion of [[nones]] appears to have stabilised. “Younger people tend to be more non-religious, so you’d expect it to keep going – but it hasn’t. The steady growth of non-Christian religions is a contributing factor, but I wonder if everyone who is going to give up their Anglican affiliation has done so by now? We’ve seen a vast shedding of nominal Christianity, and perhaps it’s now down to its hardcore.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/13/uk-losing-faith-religion-young-reject-parents-beliefs ''Nearly 50% are of no religion – but has UK hit ‘peak secular’?''], ''The Guardian'', 2017</ref>}}
  
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMXDYeYza0I A Sermon on Christ for Atheists (Paul Washer w/ Dutch Translator)]
+
=== Growth of evangelical Christianity in secular regions ===
 +
*[[Growth of Christianity in China|Growth of evangelical Christianity in China]]
 +
*[[East Asia and global desecularization]]
 +
*[[Growth of evangelical Christianity#Evangelical Christianity and the developed world|Growth of evangelical Christianity in the developed world]]
 +
*[[Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union]]
 +
*[[Growth of Protestantism in Russia]]
 +
*[[Growth of evangelical Christianity in New Zealand]]
  
−
*[http://www.harvest.org/church/index.php/10/47/6.html Online Christian church service]
+
=== Future of desecularization via the continued global resurgence of religion ===
 +
''See also:'' [[Growth of global desecularization]] and [[Atheism vs. Christianity]]
 +
[[File:Birkbeck College, University of London.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|[[Eric Kaufmann]] using a wealth of demographic studies, argues that there will be a significant decline of global atheism in the 21st century which will impact the [[Western World]].<ref>
 +
*[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]
 +
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]
 +
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]
 +
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NtvDErEmBY Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref>]]
 +
Eric Kaufmann using a wealth of demographic studies, argues that there will be a significant decline of global atheism in the 21st century which will impact the [[Western World]].<ref>
 +
*[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]
 +
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]
 +
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NtvDErEmBY Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref> In addition, Kaufmann argues that religious conservatism has a long-term trend of rising and that their influence in the world will significantly increase.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]</ref> Kaufmann is author of the book ''Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books/about/Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth.html?id=nXVylycU2gQC Shall the religious inherit the earth by David Kaufmann]</ref><ref name="sneps.net">[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]</ref> In the [[Western World]] due to immigration and the higher birth rates of religious people, Kaufman writes: "Committed religious populations are growing in the West, and will reverse the march of secularism before 2050."<ref name="sneps.net"/>
  
−
*[http://shockawenow.webs.com/apps/calendar/ Live Christian church service calendar]
+
Kaufmann told a secular audience in Australia: "The trends that are happening worldwide inevitably in an age of globalization are going to affect us."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NtvDErEmBY Shall the religious inherit the earth]</ref> Furthermore, Kaufmann also argues that secularization may reverse itself significantly earlier than 2050 in the West due to religious immigration and a religious population which is increasingly resistant to secularization in Europe.<ref>*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/european-christian-immigration-will.html European immigration will pour Christian creationists into Europe]
 +
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-future-of-european-darwinism-and_16.html The future of European Darwinism and atheism is bleak]</ref>
  
−
=== Tips on choosing a Christian church ===
+
In addition, in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, the atheist movement has had lower confidence/morale due to various historical events/trends (see: [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]).
−
*[http://www.allaboutreligion.org/choosing-a-christian-church-faq.htm Choosing A Christian Church]
 
  
−
=== Spiritual growth ===
+
==== Growth of desecularization in the 21st century ====
  
−
*[http://www.navpress.com/product/9781576839324/The-Pursuit-of-Holiness-Jerry-Bridges The Pursuit of Holiness] by Jerry Bridges
+
*[[Growth of global desecularization]]
−
*[http://www.navpress.com/product/9780891099413/The-Practice-of-Godliness-Jerry-Bridges The Practice of Godliness] by Jerry Bridges
 
−
*[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/529785.The_Complete_Book_of_Discipleship The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ]
 
  
−
==See also==
+
*[[Acceleration of 21st century desecularization]]
  
−
*[[Essay: Atheism and evolution essays|Atheism and evolution essays]]
+
*[[Future of atheism in China]]
−
*[[Conservapedia:Atheism Project|Conservapedia Atheism Project]]
 
−
*[[History of Atheism]]
 
−
*[[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic]]
 
−
*[[Comedy and satires concerning atheism and evolution]] ('''large collection''' of comedy/satire concerning atheism and [[evolution]])
 
−
*[[Creation vs. Evolution Videos]]
 
−
*[[Martyred in the USSR: Militant Atheism in former Soviet Union]]
 
−
*[[Atheism and satanic deception]]
 
−
*[[Christian apologetics]]
 
−
*[[Atheism and beliefs]]
 
−
*[[Atheism and belief]]
 
−
*[[Atheism and Evolution]]
 
−
*[[Agnosticism]]
 
−
*[[Atheism and Christianity]]
 
−
*[[Infidel]]
 
−
*[[Intelligent design]]
 
−
*[[Second generation atheist]]
 
−
*[[Poe's law]]
 
−
*[[Atheism symbols]]
 
−
*[[International Atheist Day]]
 
  
−
==Online videos concerning atheism and related topics==
+
== Notable atheists who became ex-atheists ==
−
*[[Atheism videos]]
+
''See:'' [[Ex-atheists]]
−
*[[Creation vs. Evolution Videos]]
 
  
−
==External links==
+
== Claims about the conditionality and existence of atheism ==
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]] and [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]
  
−
''see also:'' [[Atheism website resources]]
+
Hannah More wrote: "[T]he mind, which knows not where to fly, flies to God.  In agony, nature is no Atheist.  The soul is drawn to God by a sort of natural impulse; not always, perhaps by an emotion of piety; but from a feeling conviction, that every other refuge is 'a refuge of lies'."<ref>More, Hannah (1815).  [https://archive.org/details/anessayoncharac00moregoog ''An Essay on the Character and Practical Writings of St. Paul''], 5th ed., vol. 2 (London:  T. Cadell and W. Davies), p. 234.</ref>
  
−
'''General articles on atheism:'''
+
=== There are no atheists in foxholes ===
 +
''See also:'' [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]] and [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]] and [[There are no atheists on a sinking ship]] and [[There are no atheists on turbulent airplanes]]
 +
[[File:Foxhole.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring ''[[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]''.<ref>Multiple references:
 +
* Taylor-Blake, Bonnie (September 24, 2006). [https://web.archive.org/web/20080617035633/http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0609D&L=ads-l&P=15696 "'There are no atheists in [the&#93; foxholes'"]. Message posted to The American Dialect Society [Electronic] Mailing List, archived at ListServ 16.0. Archive at Internet Archive.
 +
*Osborn, Neale (December 15, 2012).  [http://nealebooks.newsvine.com/_news/2012/12/15/15931810-there-are-no-atheists-in-foxholes "There are no atheists in foxholes..."]. Newsvine website/Neal Osborn.</ref>] ]]
 +
Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring "[[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]."<ref>[http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,792459,00.html "Milestones [excerpt&#93;"] (October 15, 1945).  ''Time''.  magazine website</ref> Chaplain F. W. Lawson of the 302d Machine Gun Battalion, who was wounded twice in wartime, stated "I doubt if there is such a thing as an atheist.  At least there isn't in a front line trench."<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9905EFD91239E13ABC4D51DFB7678383609EDE "Tells of religion in army.  Chaplain Lawson says there are no atheists in front line"] (November 25, 1918).  ''New York Times'', p. 13.</ref> On the other hand, the news organization NBC featured a story in which atheist veterans claimed that there are atheists in foxholes.<ref>Breen, Tom (April 2, 2011).[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/42391558/ns/us_news-military/t/army-group-coming-out-atheist-closet/#.UbgMndihjSg "Army group 'coming out of the atheist closet'"] from NBCNews.com</ref>
  
−
* [http://creation.com/atheism Atheism] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
+
Research indicates that heavy combat has a positive correlation to the strength of the religious faith in soldiers during the battles and subsequent to the war if they indicated their experience was a negative experience (for more information please see: [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]).
−
*[http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/horrific-human-toll-of-militant-atheism-exposed/ Horrific Human Toll of 'Militant Atheism' Exposed: USSR's genocide against Christians largely ignored - World Net Daily]
 
−
*[http://creation.com/atheism-agnosticism-and-humanism-godless-religions-questions-and-answers Atheism, agnosticism and humanism: godless religions] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
 
−
*[http://www.truefreethinker.com/atheism True Free Thinker - atheism section]
 
−
* [http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm Atheism] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
 
−
* [http://anti-matters.org/articles/91/public/91-84-1-PB.pdf The Psychology of Atheism, by Paul C. Vitz, New York University, Department of Psychology]
 
  
−
'''Documentary on atheism:'''
+
Also, due to research showing that death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God, Dr. Nathan Heflick declared in a ''Psychology Today'' article, "But, at a less conscious (or pre-conscious) level, this research suggests that there might be less atheism in foxholes than atheists in foxholes report."<ref name="Heflick"/> Please see: [[Atheism and death]]
−
*[http://martyredintheussr.com/ Martyred in the USSR: Militant Atheism in the former Soviet Union]
 
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtGDoq0wyZU Documentary on Militant Atheism in the USSR]
 
  
−
'''Decline of global atheism:'''
+
=== Denials that atheists exist ===
 +
* [[Denials that atheists exist]]
  
−
*[http://fora.tv/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth Decline of global atheism] - Professor Eric Kaufmann
+
== Causes of atheism ==
−
*[[Essay: 10 reasons why American atheism will see a significant decline|10 Reasons American atheism will see a significant decline]]
+
:''See main article: [[Causes of atheism]]'' and [[Atheism and hedonism]] and [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
  
−
'''Christendom prevailing against atheism:'''
+
There are a number of psychological, societal, familial, economic and spiritual factors which cause atheism which have been proposed over the centuries.  Please see: [[Causes of atheism]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]].
  
−
*[http://shockawenow.blogspot.com/2011/10/cutting-off-air-supply-of-atheism_573.html Cutting off the air supply of atheism]
+
== Christian websites and other resources with a large focus on the topic of atheism  ==
 +
[[File:TFT.JPG|thumb|right|275px|[[True Freethinker]] is a [[Christian apologetics]] Facebook page run by Ken Ammi which offers many [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|refutations of atheism]].]]
 +
''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christianity]] and [[Internet atheism]]
  
−
'''Atheism and despair:'''
+
Five of the more notable Christian apologetics websites/blogs which have a large focus on the topic of atheism are: the [[Atheism is dead (website)|Atheism is dead]] website; the [[Shadow To Light blog]]; the [[True Freethinker]] website; the [[Creation Ministries International and atheism|Creation Ministries International resources on atheism]] and the [[Fixed Point Foundation]] website.
  
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv3TFg9SJb4 Atheism: Unyielding Despair] - video
+
=== Freedom from Atheism Foundation (FFAF) ===
 +
In 2012, the [[Freedom From Atheism Foundation]] (FFAF) was formed as an online interfaith civil rights group to provide support for victims of militant atheism, protect the rights of religious believers, and address the increasing amount of atheist intolerance around the world. The groups' many admins are all anonymous due to the large amount of hate mail, threats, and stalking the site receives from militant atheists.
  
−
'''Christian outreach to atheists on [[YouTube]]:'''
+
As of October 2017 the group has [https://www.facebook.com/FFAF.International over 750,000 followers] and makes an average of 80 posts a week.  Along with tens of thousands of religious supporters, the group also found support from atheist author and biologist PZ Myers.<ref>http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/05/09/i-support-the-freedom-from-atheism-foundation/</ref>  A May 2014 article in the ''Christian Post'' titled "Freedom From Religion? How About Freedom From Atheism?" profiled the Freedom From Atheism Foundation in greater detail.<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/news/freedom-from-religion-how-about-freedom-from-atheism-119389/</ref>
  
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSo9hW2dOBo Atheist Experience show messes up bad on TV]
+
=== Online videos related to atheism ===
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvxSsYRPIWM Ex-Atheist conquers Atheist Experience show exposing the madness of atheism]
+
*[[Atheism videos]]
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bBE1bos6JU Shockofgod calls into Atheist Radio show - Hilarious! Part 1]
+
*[[Creation vs. Evolution Videos]]
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKBZoWDfQA4 Shockofgod calls into Atheist Radio show - Hilarious! Part 2]
 
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jl3XfPkhzI Atheist runs from question on live radio and hangs up]
 
  
−
'''Unreasonableness of atheism:'''
+
The [[Militant atheism YouTube channel]] has a collection of videos on militant atheism.
  
−
* [http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4227411/k.2A6D/A_Conversation_with_an_Atheist.htm Conversation with an atheist] by [[Probe Ministries]]
+
== Atheism and the media ==
−
* [http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5688 Unbelievable Unbelief] by Gregory Koukl
+
''See also:'' [[Atheism and the media]] and  [[Atheism and public relations]] and [[Atheism news]]
−
* [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html Why the Burden of Proof is on the Atheist] by Professor Ralph McInerny
 
  
−
* [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth02.html Theism, Atheism, and Rationality] by Alvin Plantinga
+
The Media Research Center released a study in 2008 reporting pro-atheism bias by major press outlets in the [[United States]].<ref name=mrc>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTxORumTarg "Smoking gun proof that there is an atheist media bias"] (July 17, 2008). YouTube video, 2:56, posted by Atheism Sucks!</ref>  The study found that 80% of mainstream media coverage of atheism was positive and that 71% of Christian-themed stories had an atheist counterpoint or were written from an atheist perspective.<ref name=mrc/>  The study is not surprising given the liberal bias [[Liberal bias|that commonly exists in the major media outlets]].
−
* [[Essay: Is Richard Dawkins an intellectually fulfilled atheist?]]
 
  
−
'''Atheism and uncharitableness:'''
+
See also:  
  
−
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imuaiRO5mSQ Christians Give more to Charity than Atheists] by Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] - [[YouTube]] video
+
*[[Atheism and the media#Post 2010 drop in volume of atheism news stories|Drop in news stories about atheism]]
 +
*[[Atheism and the media#Post 2010 the percentage of negative news stories about atheism has increased|Negative news stories about atheism]].
 +
*[[Attempts to positively rebrand atheism]]
  
−
'''Atheism is a religion:'''
+
=== Celebrity atheists ===
  
−
*[http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion Atheism: A religion]
+
See: [[Celebrity atheists]]
−
*[[Atheism is a religion]]
 
  
−
'''Comedy/satire concerning atheism'''
+
== Atheism and homosexuality ==
 +
See:
  
−
*[[Comedy and satires concerning atheism and evolution]] (large collection of comedy/satire concerning atheism)
+
*[[Atheist actions against homosexuals]]
 +
*[[Atheism and homosexuality]]
  
−
'''Atheism and intelligence:'''
+
== Other well-known proponents of atheism ==
 +
''See:'' [[Famous atheists]] and [[Famous agnostics]]
 +
[[Image:nietzsche2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Friedrich Nietzsche]] ]]
 +
*[[Diagoras of Melos]]
 +
*[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]
 +
*[[A. J. Ayer]]
 +
*[[Ludwig Feuerbach]]
 +
*[[Friedrich Engels]]
 +
*[[Sigmund Freud]]
 +
*[[Adolf Hitler]]<ref name="Today's atheists"/>
 +
*[[Albert Camus]]
 +
*[[Ayn Rand]]
 +
*[[Madalyn Murray O'Hair]]
 +
*[[Paul Kurtz]]
 +
*[[John Gray (philosopher)|John Gray]]
  
−
*[[Atheism and intelligence]]
+
=== Well-known proponents of skepticism/atheism/agnosticism ===
−
*[[Essay: Are atheists smarter than the average bear?|Are atheists smarter than the average bear?]] - [[satire]]
+
*[[David Hume]]
 +
*[[Bertrand Russell]]
  
−
'''Atheism and cowardice:'''
+
== Atheist organizations ==
 +
See: [[Atheist organizations]]
  
−
*[[Essay: Does Richard Dawkins have machismo?]] ([[satire]])
+
=== Atheist organizations and fundraising ===
−
*[http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/richard-dawkins-cowardly-clown Richard Dawkins, the Cowardly Clown]
+
*[[Atheist organizations and fundraising]]
  
−
'''Atheism and science:'''
+
==Atheism quotes==
−
* [http://www.discovery.org/a/18 The Unraveling of Scientific Materialism] by [[ Phillip E. Johnson]]
 
−
* [http://www.arn.org/docs/meyer/sm_origins.htm The Origin of Life and the Death of Materialism] by [[Stephen Meyer]]
 
  
−
'''Decline of atheism:'''
+
See articles: [[Atheism Quotes]]
−
* [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/003/21.36.html The Twilight of Atheism] by Alister McGrath, Christianity Today, March 2005
 
−
* [http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/hutchison/050204 The rise and fall of atheism] by Fred Hutchison
 
−
* [http://www.s8int.com/Godless.html Twilight of the godless] by Alister McGrath (Oxford Professor)
 
  
−
'''Various issues concerning atheism:'''
+
== Atheism news ==
 +
See: [[Atheism news]]
  
−
*[http://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80 The causes of atheism] by James Spiegel
+
== Recommended reading ==
−
* [http://www.examiner.com/x-19682-Atlanta-Church--Culture-Examiner~y2009m8d10-Atheisms-house-of-cards-Part-3 Atheism's House of Cards]
+
*[[Christian apologetics books on atheism]]
−
* [http://www.examiner.com/x-19682-Atlanta-Church--Culture-Examiner~y2009m8d13-Arguments-Built-upon-Assumptions Arguments Built by Assumptions]
 
−
* [http://home.earthlink.net/~gbl111/resurrection.htm Atheists and the Resurrection - Framing the Argument] by G. Brady Lenardos
 
−
* [http://www.reformed.org/apologetics/index.html?mainframe=martin_TAG.html Responses to Atheist Philosopher, Michael Martin] Reformed theologians
 
−
* [http://www.tektonics.org/lp/outrage.html Outrageous Reasoning, A Closer Look at a Common Skeptical Tactic] by [[JP Holding]]
 
−
*[http://www.atheistdelusion.net/ Atheist delusion: Answering "The God Delusion" and other works of atheist Richard Dawkins]
 
−
* [http://www.epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=45 Is Yahweh a Moral Monster? The New Atheists and Old Testament Ethics] by Paul Copan
 
  
−
'''Atheism and history'''
+
== Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian ==
 +
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
 +
*[https://creation.com/good-news Some good news]
 +
*[https://rightsmarts.com/atheism-is-dead Atheism Is Dead]
  
−
*[http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1121/p09s01-coop.html Atheism, not religion, is the real force behind the mass murders of history] by [[Dinesh D'Souza]]
+
==See also==
−
*[http://www.isreligion.org/pdf/froese_russia.pdf Forced Secularization in Soviet Russia: Why an Atheistic  Monopoly Failed]
 
−
*[http://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11579257/ Atheism Remix By Albert Mohler Jr. - Chapter 1: The New Atheism and the Endgame of Secularism]
 
−
*[http://www.probe.org/history/history/the-enlightenment-and-belief-in-god.html The Enlightenment and Belief in God] by [[Probe Ministries]]
 
  
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'''Atheism and some recent events'''
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*[[Doubt]]
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*[[Atheism articles]]
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*[[Atheism symbols]]
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*[[Essay: Atheism and evolution essays]]
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*[[Atheism and satanic deception]]
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*[[Second generation atheist]]
  
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*[http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/atheist_s_bizarre_bid_to_convert_christian_1_190320 Atheist's bizarre bid to convert Christian - Timothy Brown Story - September 12, 2008 - UK]
+
'''Humor:'''
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*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb1l2cWxkqk Atheist arrested for harassing Christian] - YouTube video
 
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*[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5435 Inside the Mind of a Killer]
 
  
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'''Sermons'''
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*[[Essay:Comedy and satires concerning atheism and evolution|Comedies and satires of atheism and evolution]]
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*[http://www.bible-sermons.org.uk/text-sermon/475-the-folly-of-atheism/ The Folly of Atheism] by Rev. Maurice Roberts
 
  
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'''Miscellaneous'''
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'''Conservapedia statistics about its atheism articles:'''
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*[http://creation.com/suicidal-atheist-converts-to-christ A suicidal atheist converts to Christ]
 
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*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/26/doctors-religious-beliefs-terminally-ill Atheist doctors are more likely to hasten death]
 
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*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6925781.ece Children who front Richard Dawkins' atheist ads are evangelicals]
 
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*[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/4853 Melbourne Atheist: The Exterminator]
 
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*[[Essay: The question atheists fear]]
 
  
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== Recommended reading ==
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*[[Conservapedia:Atheism articles statistics]]
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'''General Works On Atheism''':
 
  
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*[[Norman Geisler]], (2004), ''I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist'',  Crossway, ISBN 9781581345612
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*[[Conservapedia:Atheism Project|Conservapedia Atheism Project]]
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*[[Alister McGrath]], (2004), ''The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World''  ISBN 0-385-50061-0
 
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*[[Ravi Zacharias]], (1994, 2004), ''A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism''  ISBN 0801065119
 
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*[[Ravi Zacharias]], (1994, 1996), ''Can Man Live Without God?''  ISBN 0849939437
 
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*[[Josh McDowell]] and Don Stewart, (1982) ''Understanding Secular Religions'', Here's Life Publishers, San Bernardino, California, ISBN 0-86605-093-0
 
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* Vox Day, (2008),''The Irrational Atheist'', BenBella Books, Inc. ISBN 1933771364
 
  
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==External links==
 +
''see also:'' [[Atheism website resources]]
  
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'''Book on the [[New Atheism]]''':
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'''General articles on atheism:'''
  
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*R. Albert Mohler Jr., (2008), ''Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists'', Crossway, ISBN 9781433504976
+
*[https://creation.com/atheism Atheism] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
−
+
*[https://www.wnd.com/2013/03/horrific-human-toll-of-militant-atheism-exposed/ Horrific Human Toll of 'Militant Atheism' Exposed: USSR's genocide against Christians largely ignored - World Net Daily]
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'''Atheism and history''':
+
*[https://creation.com/atheism-agnosticism-and-humanism-godless-religions-questions-and-answers Atheism, agnosticism and humanism: godless religions] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
 +
*[https://www.bethinking.org/tag/atheism/page/all Atheism articles - Bethinking.org]
 +
*[http://www.truefreethinker.com/atheism True Free Thinker - atheism section]
 +
*[http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm Atheism] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
 +
*[https://www.wnd.com/2017/04/former-atheists-case-for-christ-hits-big-screen/ Former Atheist's 'Case For Christ Hits Big Screen], 2017
  
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*Dimitry Pospielovsky, (December, 1987), ''A History of Marxist-Leninist Atheism and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] Antireligious Policies'', Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0312381328
+
'''Prominent atheists:'''
−
*Dimitry Pospielovsky, (November, 1987), ''Soviet Antireligious Campaigns and Persecutions (History of Soviet Atheism in Theory and Practice and the Believers, Vol 2)'', Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0312009054
 
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*Dimitry Pospielovsky, (August, 1988), ''Soviet Studies on the Church and the Believer's Response to Atheism: A History of Soviet Atheism in Theory and Practice and the Believers, Vol 3'', Palgrave Macmillan, hardcover: ISBN 0312012918, paperback edition: ISBN 0312012926
 
  
 +
*[[Atheism and leadership]]
 +
*[http://www.thebestschools.org/blog/2011/12/01/50-top-atheists-in-the-world-today/ 50 most prominent atheists in the world today]
  
 +
'''Other articles on atheism:'''
  
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{{Nb Atheism}}
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*[[Atheism articles|Atheism articles on various topical areas - External websites]]
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*[[Conservapedia atheism articles]]
  
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== Notes ==
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== References ==
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{{reflist|2}}
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{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
  
 
[[Category:Atheism]]
 
[[Category:Atheism]]
 
[[Category:Religion]]
 
[[Category:Religion]]
 
[[Category:Philosophy]]
 
[[Category:Philosophy]]
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----
 

Latest revision as of 21:46, October 22, 2026

atheism
Portrait of Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in Europe.

In terms of contemporary definitions of atheism, the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary defines atheism in two ways: "1) a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods 2) a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods."[1] Lexico.com (Oxford University Press) defines atheism as "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods."[2] See: Definition of atheism

Atheism, as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and other philosophy reference works, is the denial of the existence of God.[3] Paul Edwards, who was a prominent atheist and editor of the Encyclopedia of Philosophy, defined an atheist as "a person who maintains that there is no God."[4] See also: Strong atheism

Beginning in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing beyond, many agnostics and atheists have argued that the definition of atheism should be a lack of belief in God or gods.[4][5][6][7] See: Purpose of redefining atheism and Weak atheism

Atheism has been examined by many disciplines in terms of its effects on individuals and on societies and these effects will be covered below.

As far as individuals adopting an atheistic worldview, atheism has a number of causal factors and these will be elaborated on below as well.

As of March 2025, data compiled by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary indicates that there are 831,000 fewer atheists in the world than a year ago.[8] On March 15, 2024, Frontier Partners International reported concerning global atheism: "Simultaneously, atheism, which once saw a peak around 1970 with 165 million adherents, is on the decline. The current growth trend for atheism is -0.12 percent, with their number falling from 147 million in 2020 to 146 million in 2024."[9] The world's atheists have a below replacement level of births (See: Atheism and fertility rates). See also: Global atheism statistics and Desecularization

Types of atheism

See also: Schools of atheist thought and Atheist factions

Diagoras of Melos was an ancient Greek atheist, poet and Sophist of the 5th century BC. See: History of atheism

The history of atheism can be dated as early as the 5th century B.C. Diagoras of Melos was a 5th-century B.C. Greek atheist, poet and Sophist. Since then many schools of atheist thought have developed.

Atheism and why do atheists state they disbelieve?

See also: Weak atheism and Strong atheism

Atheists claim there are two main reasons for their denial of the existence of God and/or disbelief in God: the conviction that there is positive evidence or argument that God does not exist (strong atheism, which is also sometimes called positive atheism), and their claim that theists bear the burden of proof to show that God exists, that they have failed to do so, and that belief is therefore unwarranted (weak atheism).

As alluded to above, theists and others have posited a number of causes of atheism and this matter will be further addressed in this article.

Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism

In 1876, Charles Bradlaugh proposed that atheism does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he endeavored to dilute the traditional definition of atheism.[5][10] As noted above, in the latter portion of the 20th century, the proposition that the definition of atheism be defined as a mere lack of belief in God or gods began to be commonly advanced by agnostics/atheists.[5][11] It is now common for atheists/agnostics and theists to debate the meaning of the word atheism.[5][12]

Critics of a broader definition of atheism as a mere lack of belief often point out that such a definition is contrary to the traditional/historical meaning of the word and that such a definition makes atheism indistinguishable from agnosticism.[4][5][13]

For more information, please see:

Some common types of atheism

Joseph Stalin's atheistic regime killed tens of millions of people.

See: Atheism and mass murder

Below are a few common ways that atheism manifests itself:

1. Militant atheism, which continues to suppress and oppress religious believers today.

Topics related to militant atheism:

2. Philosophical atheism - Atheist philosophers assert that God does not exist. (See also: Naturalism and Materialism)

Secular humanism is a philosophy that holds that human beings are the most important figures, and that social problems are best solved without the involvement of religious doctrine.

The philosophy of postmodernism is atheistic (see: Atheism and postmodernism).

3. Atheistic Buddhism (some schools of Buddhism are theistic)

4. Practical atheism: atheism of the life - that is, living as though God does not exist.[14]

5. Other schools of atheist thought: Schools of atheist thought

Atheist factions

See also: Atheist factions and Western atheism, schisms and political polarization and Atheist organizations

On July 24, 2020, the atheist PZ Myers wrote about atheism: "Deep rifts, ongoing fragmentation, and crumbling reputations seems to be the order of the day in atheism."[15] See also: Atheist factions and Atheist organizations and scandals and Atheist scandals

Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins was a central figure in the Elevatorgate controversy.

Jacques Rousseau wrote in the Daily Maverick: "Elevatorgate..has resulted in three weeks of infighting in the secular community. Some might observe that we indulge in these squabbles fairly frequently."[16] An ex-atheist wrote: "As an Atheist for 40 years, I noticed that there is not just a wide variety of Atheist positions, but there exists an actual battle between certain Atheist factions."[17]

Atheist infighting

See also: Atheist movement and Atheism and anger and Atheists and conflict resolution

Blair Scott served on the American Atheists board of directors.[18] Mr. Scott formerly served as a State Director for the American Atheists organization in the state of Alabama. On December 1, 2012, he quit his post as a director of outreach for the American Atheists due to infighting within the American atheist movement.[19]

Mr. Blair wrote: "I have spent the last week mulling over what I want to do at this point in the movement. I’m tired of the in-fighting: at every level. I am especially tired of allowing myself to get sucked into it and engaging in the very behavior that is irritating...me."[19]

The atheist Neil Carter wrote: "Friends of mine have noted lately how biting and critical the atheist community can be, not only toward outsiders, but even toward its own members. Has there ever been a subculture more prone to eating its own than this one? I really don’t know."[20]

The atheist David Smalley said about the atheist movement: "We're eating our own... We’re disintegrating."[21]

See also: Antitheism and antisocial behavior

Atheist infighting causing fundraising difficulties

The atheist Hemant Mehta said about raising money from fellow nonbelievers: "Meanwhile, I’ve had one hell of a time convincing people to give to the Foundation Beyond Belief — and I help lead that organization." [22]

See also: Atheist organizations and fundraising and Atheism and charity

See also: Atheist organizations and fundraising and Atheist fundraising vs. religious fundraising and Atheism and charity

In 2017, the atheist activist Lee Moore declared about American atheist organizations:

“ If you look at the major atheist groups right now, like the national groups, the ones that are doing the real activist work... They are not bringing in the kind of donations they used to. Most of them are starved for cash. They're downsizing left and right. Because people aren't just giving like they used to. And I talked to a lot of the major donors out there and they said, "Well, we're kind of tired of seeing the atheist community just fight amongst itself and not really get anything done. We'd rather not give money if we don't think it's going to go somewhere."[23] ”

Eddie Tabash on atheist argumentativeness

See also: Atheism and social intelligence and Atheism and emotional intelligence

The American atheist activist Eddie Tabash said in a speech to the Michigan Atheists State Convention, "Since we are a bit of a cantankerous, opinionated lot...".[24]

Angry and bitter demeanor of militant atheists

See also: Atheism and anger and Atheism and unforgiveness

On January 1, 2011, CNN reported:

“ People unaffiliated with organized religion, atheists and agnostics also report anger toward God either in the past, or anger focused on a hypothetical image - that is, what they imagined God might be like - said lead study author Julie Exline, Case Western Reserve University psychologist.

In studies on college students, atheists and agnostics reported more anger at God during their lifetimes than believers.[25]

”
An angry atheist speaking to a woman with a Bible in her hand.

The Christian philosopher James S. Spiegel says that the path from Christianity to atheism among several of his friends involved moral slippages such as resentment or unforgiveness.[26] See: Atheism and unforgiveness

According to Anthony DeStefano:

“ But are (atheists) really dangerous, too?

You bet they are. The truth is, the atheist position is incapable of supporting any coherent system of morality other than ruthless social Darwinism. That’s why it has caused more deaths, murders and bloodshed than any other belief system in the history of the world.

Atheists, of course, are always claiming hysterically that Christianity has been responsible for most of the world’s wars, but that’s just another example of atheistic ignorance. The main reasons for war have always been economic gain, territorial gain, civil and revolutionary conflicts. According to Philip Axelrod’s monumental "Encyclopedia of Wars," only 6.98 percent or all wars from 8000 BC to the present were religious in nature. If you subtract Islamic wars from the equation, only 3.2 percent of wars were due to specifically Christian causes. That means that over 96 percent of all the wars on this planet were due to worldly reasons.[27]

”

Various studies found that traumatic events in people's lives have a positive correlation with "emotional atheism".[28]

The atheist and lesbian Greta Christina told the journalist Chris Mooney on the Point of Inquiry podcast, "there isn't one emotion" that affects atheists "but anger is one of the emotions that many of us have ...[it] drives others to participate in the movement."[29]

Social science research indicates that antitheists score the highest among atheists when it comes to personality traits such as narcissism, dogmatism, and anger.[30] Furthermore, they scored lowest when it comes to agreeableness and positive relations with others.[31]

For additional information, please see: Atheism and social intelligence and Atheism and emotional intelligence and Atheism and unforgiveness and Atheism and bitterness

Atheism and its retention rate in individuals

See also: Atheism and its retention rate in individuals and Conversion from atheism to Christianity and Atheism and children and Desecularization and Atheism and apathy

In 2012, a Georgetown University study was published indicating that about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household in the United States remain atheists as adults.[32] See: Atheism and its retention rate in individuals

In 2012, a Georgetown University study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults.[32] See also: Atheism and children

A 2012 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.[33] The Pew Forum reports about American atheists: "Among self-identified atheists and agnostics, the median age is 34, and roughly four-in-ten adults in these categories are between the ages of 18 and 29."[34] See also: Atheism and immaturity.

In addition, in atheistic Communist China, Christianity is experiencing rapid growth (see: Growth of Christianity in China). Also, there was a collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union (see: Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union).

See also:

Difficulty in participating in atheist community

See also: Atheism and loneliness and Atheism and apathy and Atheism and motivation and Internet atheism

According to an international study done by William Bainbridge, atheism is frequent among people whose interpersonal social obligations are weak and is also linked to lower fertility rates in advanced industrial nations (See also: Atheism and fertility rates).[35] See also: Atheism and loneliness and Atheism and social skills

In comparison to many religious groups, which have many meetings/conferences in numerous places in a given day or week that are convenient to attend, atheist meetings and atheist conferences are sparse. One of the causes of this situation is the apathy of many atheists (see: Atheism and apathy and Atheism and motivation).

Most atheist organizations are relatively small in terms of active participants as most atheists are apathetic about organized atheism (see: Atheism and apathy). An exception is the Communist Party of China, which requires its members be atheists (see: Atheism and China and Atheism and communism). At the same time, due to the explosive growth of Christianity in China, there are now more Christians in China than Chinese who belong to the Communist Party of China (see also: East Asia and global desecularization).[36]

In recent times, the number of people attending atheist conferences has grown smaller.[37] Atheist David Smalley wrote: "And we wonder why we’re losing elections, losing funding, and our conferences are getting smaller."[21] In 2017, the atheist activist Lee Moore said about atheist conferences, "Most conferences are gone now. They're either gone or in some kind of life support form."[38]

Jerry Coyne speaking at a 2013 atheist meeting entitled The Amazing Meeting (TAM). TAM is an annual meeting.

Atheist Francois Tremblay wrote about the difficulty of motivating atheists to engage in activities related to atheism: "One last problem that undermines any propagation of atheism is inspiration. Let's be honest here, "there is no god!" is not a very motivating call for most people." (see also: Atheism and inspiration).[39] The atheist Jerry Coyne said about atheist meetings/conferences, "But to me the speakers and talks have often seemed repetitive: the same crew of jet-set skeptics giving the same talks."[40]

In an essay entitled How the Atheist Movement Failed Me, an atheist woman noted that participation in the atheist community is often expensive due to the cost of attending atheist conferences and even local atheist meetings in restaurants and bars challenged her modest budget.[41] As a result of the challenges that atheists commonly have in terms of socializing in person, many atheists turn to the internet in terms of communicating with other atheists.[42] Often internet communication between atheists turns contentious (see: Atheist factions).

Christian organizations have been significantly more successful than atheist organizations as far as evangelizing via the internet (see: Internet evangelism: Christians vs. atheists and Internet atheism). Beginning sometime between 2008 and 2012, there has been a big decline in internet atheism in terms of web traffic (See: Internet atheism web traffic volume).[43]

For more information, please see: Atheism and loneliness

Abandonment of atheism and communist regimes

Decline of the atheist movement

See also: Decline of the atheist movement and Morale of the atheist movement and Desecularization and Atheist movement

In 2011, atheist Jacques Berlinerblau declared: "The Golden Age of Secularism has passed."[44]

Numerous atheists have declared that the "atheist movement is dead" or that it is dying.[45] See: Decline of the atheist movement

Before the atheist movement died/declined, various atheists attempted to change the public's perception concerning atheism and atheists, but they were largely unsuccessful (see: Attempts to positively rebrand atheism).

At the 2018 American Atheists convention, the ex-president of the American Atheists organization David Silverman declared regarding the atheist movement being in a demoralized state:

“ It is a hard time to be an atheist activist. This has affected us. And it has affected our community...

...it has really affected us. We are suffering a level of defeatism that I have never seen before...

We feel the loss. And we feel like we have lost. We feel like we lost the election... We see this cascade of attack coming down at us over and over from all different directions and we feel like it's over. I have heard so many times it makes me sick. It makes me sad. It feels like we lost.

The apathy that follows. It doesn't matter. We can't win anyways. It's useless to fight. This apathy is infecting us. It's hurting us.

And people are reacting to each other now. And so that is causing a division. Lots and lots of division in our movement. Hard, bad division... And that has resulted in a splintering and factioning of the movement that I have never seen before and none of us have.

In other words, we're in a bad situation and it's getting worse.[46]

”

In 2017, atheist David Smalley has indicated that leftist/progressive atheists were "killing the atheist movement" through being contentious and divisive (see also: Atheist factions).[21] Former new atheist PZ Myers, who subscribes to progressive politics, says he is no longer a member of the atheist movement.[47]

The atheist movement saw a number of setbacks during the latter portion of the 20th century and beyond in terms of historical events/trends (See: Causes of desecularization). As a result, it has lost a considerable amount of confidence (see also: Decline of the atheist movement and Atheists and the endurance of religion).

Globally, the atheist population is declining in terms of the percentage of the world's population that are atheists (see: Global atheism statistics).

Atheism and Communism

see also: Atheism and communism and Militant atheism and Atheism and economics and Atheism and mass murder and Atheist cults and Atheism and Karl Marx

Vladimir Lenin

Atheists Karl Marx, Vladmir Lenin and Chou En-lai

Karl Marx said "[Religion] is the opium of the people." Marx also stated: "Communism begins from the outset (Owen) with atheism; but atheism is at first far from being communism; indeed, that atheism is still mostly an abstraction."[48]

Vladimir Lenin similarly wrote regarding atheism and Communism: "A Marxist must be a materialist, i.e., an enemy of religion, but a dialectical materialist, i.e., one who treats the struggle against religion not in an abstract way, not on the basis of remote, purely theoretical, never varying preaching, but in a concrete way, on the basis of the class struggle which is going on in practice and is educating the masses more and better than anything else could."[49]

In 1955, the Chinese Communist leader Chou En-lai declared, "We Communists are atheists".[50]

In 2014, the Communist Party of China reaffirmed that members of their party must be atheists.[51]

In 2016, the International Business Times reported:

“ A senior Chinese advisor on religious affairs has said the country should promote atheism throughout society, in remarks that appear to reflect a deepening campaign to reinforce traditional Marxist values in China — and could add to concern about official attitudes among believers in the country’s five officially recognized religions.[52] ”

Russian Revolution caused the most notable spread of atheism

According to the University of Cambridge, historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power."[53]

Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg, a Soviet physicist, wrote that the "Bolshevik communists were not merely atheists but, according to Lenin's terminology, militant atheists."[54] However, prior to this, the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution established a state which was anti-Roman Catholicism/Christian in nature [55] (anti-clerical deism and anti-religious atheism and played a significant role in the French Revolution[56]), with the official ideology being the Cult of Reason; during this time thousands of believers were suppressed and executed by the guillotine.[57]

Atheistic Communism and mass murder

See also: Atheism and mass murder and Atheist atrocities

The militant atheistic regime of Joseph Stalin killed tens of millions of people.

Joseph Stalin is the figure on the right and Vladimir Lenin is the figure on the left,

See: Atheism and mass murder

It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of Communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 and 259,432,000 human lives.[58] Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.[59] Richard Dawkins has attempted to engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error. See also: Atheism and historical revisionism

Christian apologist Gregory Koukl wrote relative to atheism and mass murder that "the assertion is that religion has caused most of the killing and bloodshed in the world. There are people who make accusations and assertions that are empirically false. This is one of them."[60] Koukl details the number of people killed in various events involving theism and compares them to the much higher tens of millions of people killed under regimes that advocated atheism.[60] As noted earlier, Richard Dawkins has attempted to engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error.

Koukl summarized by stating:

“ It is true that it's possible that religion can produce evil, and generally when we look closer at the detail it produces evil because the individual people are actually living in a rejection of the tenets of Christianity and a rejection of the God that they are supposed to be following. So it can produce it, but the historical fact is that outright rejection of God and institutionalizing of atheism actually does produce evil on incredible levels. We're talking about tens of millions of people as a result of the rejection of God.[60] ”

Theodore Beale notes concerning atheism and mass murder:

“ Apparently it was just an amazing coincidence that every Communist of historical note publicly declared his atheism … .there have been twenty-eight countries in world history that can be confirmed to have been ruled by regimes with avowed atheists at the helm … These twenty-eight historical regimes have been ruled by eighty-nine atheists, of whom more than half have engaged in democidal acts of the sort committed by Stalin and Mao …

The total body count for the ninety years between 1917 and 2007 is approximately 148 million dead at the bloody hands of fifty-two atheists, three times more than all the human beings killed by war, civil war, and individual crime in the entire twentieth century combined.

The historical record of collective atheism is thus 182,716 times worse on an annual basis than Christianity’s worst and most infamous misdeed, the Spanish Inquisition. It is not only Stalin and Mao who were so murderously inclined, they were merely the worst of the whole Hell-bound lot. For every Pol Pot whose infamous name is still spoken with horror today, there was a Mengistu, a Bierut, and a Choibalsan, godless men whose names are now forgotten everywhere but in the lands they once ruled with a red hand.

Is a 58 percent chance that an atheist leader will murder a noticeable percentage of the population over which he rules sufficient evidence that atheism does, in fact, provide a systematic influence to do bad things? If that is not deemed to be conclusive, how about the fact that the average atheist crime against humanity is 18.3 million percent worse than the very worst depredation committed by Christians, even though atheists have had less than one-twentieth the number of opportunities with which to commit them. If one considers the statistically significant size of the historical atheist set and contrasts it with the fact that not one in a thousand religious leaders have committed similarly large-scale atrocities, it is impossible to conclude otherwise, even if we do not yet understand exactly why this should be the case. Once might be an accident, even twice could be coincidence, but fifty-two incidents in ninety years reeks of causation![61]

”
Xi Jinping is the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China which requires that all their members be atheists.[62]

See: China and atheism and Atheism and communism

See also:

Communism and religious oppression

See also: Communism and religious persecution and Atheistic communism and torture and Atheism and forced labor and China and involuntary organ harvesting

The atheism in Communist regimes has been and continues to be militant atheism and various acts of repression including the razing of thousands of religious buildings and the killing, imprisoning, and oppression of religious leaders and believers.[63]

Religious persecution in the Soviet Union

See also: Soviet atheism

The persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union was the result of the violently atheist Soviet government. In the first five years after the October Revolution, 28 bishops and 1,200 priests were murdered, many on the orders of Leon Trotsky. When Joseph Stalin came to power in 1927, he ordered his secret police, under Genrikh Yagoda to intensify persecution of Christians. In the next few years, 50,000 clergy were murdered, many were tortured, including crucifixion. "Russia turned red with the blood of martyrs", said Father Gleb Yakunin of the Russian Orthodox Church.[64] According to Orthodox Church sources, as many as fifty million Orthodox believers may have died in the twentieth century, mainly from persecution by Communists.[65]

With its large population, China has the largest population of atheists.[66]

The religious landscape of China is quickly changing, however, due to the rapid growth of Christianity. See also: China and atheism and Global atheism

In addition, in the atheistic and Communist Soviet Union, 44 anti-religious museums were opened and the largest was the 'The Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism' in Leningrad’s Kazan Cathedral.[67] Despite intense effort by the atheistic leaders of the Soviet Union, their efforts were not effective in converting the masses to atheism.[68]

Religious persecution in Communist China

See also: China and atheism

China has the world's largest atheist population (see: China and atheism).[69] China is a Communist country. In 1999, the publication Christian Century reported that "China has persecuted religious believers by means of harassment, prolonged detention, and incarceration in prison or 'reform-through-labor' camps and police closure of places of worship." In 2003, owners of Bibles in China were sent to prison camps and 125 Chinese churches were closed.[70] China continues to practice religious oppression today.[71]

The efforts of China's atheist leaders in promoting atheism, however, are increasingly losing their effectiveness and the number of Christians in China is rapidly growing (see: Growth of Christianity in China). China's state-sponsored atheism and atheistic indoctrination have been a failure and a 2007 religious survey in China indicated that only 15% of Chinese identified themselves as atheists.[72]

The above photograph shows the Russian Nikolai Khmara, a new Baptist convert in the Soviet Union, after his arrest by the KGB. He was tortured to death and his tongue was cut out.[73][74]

Researchers estimate that tens of thousands of Falun Gong prisoners in Communist China have been killed to supply a financially lucrative trade in human organs and cadavers, and that these human rights abuses may be an ongoing concern.[75]

Religious persecution in North Korea

North Korea is a repressive Communist state and is officially atheistic.[76] The North Korean government practices brutal repression and atrocities against North Korean Christians.[77] Open Doors, an organization based in the United States, has put North Korea at the very top of its list of countries where Christians face significant persecution - for 12 years in a row.[78]

Atheistic Communism and torture

See: Atheistic communism and torture

Atheistic Communist regimes and forced labor

See also: Atheism and forced labor and Atheism and slavery

In atheistic Communist regimes forced labor has often played a significant role in their economies and this practice continues to this day (see: Atheism and forced labor).[79]

Atheism and the internet

See also: Internet atheism

As noted above, sometime between 2008 and 2012, there has been a big drop in internet atheism in terms of web traffic (See: Internet atheism web traffic volume).[43][80]

In addition, in terms of reach and its ability to influence, internet atheism is ineffectual (See: Internet atheism has a small audience and an insignificant influence on the world).[81]

Google Trends: From 2004 to June 2025, the number of worldwide Google searches for the term atheist is significantly down

See also: Google trends - Global searches for atheism and agnosticism terms

According to Google Trends, as of June 2025, worldwide Google searches for the term atheist is significantly below its levels in January 2024.

Atheism and politics

See also: Atheism and politics and Atheism and political science

Historically, atheists have favored the left side of the political aisle (see: Atheism and politics).

According to the Pew Forum, in the United States: "About two-thirds of atheists (69%) identify as Democrats (or lean in that direction), and a majority (56%) call themselves political liberals (compared with just one-in-ten who say they are conservatives)."[82]

In some regions where the secular left has considerable influence, they are losing an increasing amount of their power. For example, in secular Europe right-wing, nationalist parties are growing and in China conservative Protestantism is growing rapidly (see: Growth of Christianity in China).[83]

For more information please see:

Atheism and history

Voroshilov, Molotov, Stalin, with Nikolai Yezhov.jpg
Nikolai Yezhov walking with Joseph Stalin in the top photo taken in the mid-1930s. Subsequent to his execution in 1940, Yezhov was edited out of the photo by Soviet Union censors.[84]

See also: History of atheism and Atheists and historical illiteracy and Atheism and historical revisionism and Atheist indoctrination

The history of atheism: History of atheism

Atheists and historical illiteracy

A common complaint concerning many atheists is their lack of depth when it comes to knowledge of history and historiography - particularly in areas such as historicity of Jesus Christ and atheist mass murders in history.[85]

For more information, please see:

Atheists and historical revisionism

Atheists commonly engage in historical revisionism in order to illegitimately distort the historical record (see: Atheism and historical revisionism).

Religion/irreligion and war

See also: Irreligion/religion and war and Atheism and world peace

Louise Ridley (assistant news editor at the Huffington Post UK), Theodore Beale and others point out that academic studies and other research consistently challenge the link between religion and war.[86]

Atheism and economics

Analysis of atheism and common objections to atheism

Commonly Cited Arguments Against Atheism and For Theism

See: Arguments for theism and against atheism

Anselm of Canterbury's version of the ontological argument appeared in his work Proslogium.

The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the existence of God, are theists (72 percent).[87]

In relation to the debate between theism and atheism, theists often criticize atheism as being contrary to persuasive argument and have a number of arguments against atheism (See: Arguments for theism and against atheism).

Within Christendom, the discipline of Christian apologetics has been developed. Christian apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith through logic/evidence based arguments. The word apologetics comes from the Greek word apologia (from Greek ἀπολογία), which means "speaking in defense".

Arguments for the existence of God include:

  • Evidential apologetics is an approach in Christian apologetics which emphasizes the use of evidence to demonstrate that God exists and that there is compelling evidence to support Christianity and the Bible. In addition, there are various arguments that atheists or other unbelievers weigh evidence improperly (see: Atheism and evidence).
  • Cosmological argument: Every event in our universe necessarily has a cause. However, it is impossible that there should be an unending chain of causes going back. Therefore, there necessarily must be a cause distinct from the universe as we know it which is capable of causing all things and is itself uncaused. Atheism denies that that first cause is God. Christians point out that the question "Who created God" is an illogical question.[89] See also: Atheism and the origin of the universe
The argument from beauty is a commonly used argument for the existence of God.
  • Historical arguments for the existence of God (subset of evidential apologetics). For example, arguments stemming from historical accounts such as Christian historical apologetics, Christian legal apologetics and archaeological evidence such as Bible archaeology

See also:

Biblical statements concerning atheism

See also: Bible verses relating to atheism

The writers of the Bible considered the existence of God to be self-evident and Moses simply wrote: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1).[90]

Accordingly, the psalmist David declared:

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." — Psalms 14:1 (KJV)

Atheism and debate

See also: Atheism debates and Atheism vs. theism

Dr. Greg Bahnsen became known as "the man atheists fear most" due to Michael Martin's cancellation of their scheduled debate.[91][92]

As far as atheism debates, the majority of the public debates are Atheism vs. Christianity debates (although there have been a few Atheism vs. Islam debates).

Beginning in the latter part of the 20th century, there were a number of notable instances of prominent atheists being reluctant to debate (see: Notable cases of prominent atheists being reluctant to debate).

On May 14, 2011, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph published a news story entitled Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God.[93] In The Daily Telegraph article Dr. Daniel Came, a member of the Faculty of Philosophy at Oxford University was quoted as writing to fellow atheist Richard Dawkins concerning his refusal to debate Dr. William Lane Craig, "The absence of a debate with the foremost apologist for Christian theism is a glaring omission on your CV and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."[93]

Greg Bahnsen became known as the "man atheists fear most".[91][94] This is because Harvard-educated Michael Martin was scheduled to debate Bahnsen but pulled out of the debate at the "eleventh hour". A press release at the time said that Dr. Martin offered ruses on why he pulled out and didn't want the scheduled debate recorded but the real reason was that "...Michael Martin is afraid that he will be publicly humiliated just as his friend and fellow atheist, Dr. Gordon Stein, was...".

In 1990, Michael Martin indicated there was a general absence of an atheistic response to contemporary work in the philosophy of religion and in jest he indicated that it was his "cross to bear" to respond to theistic arguments.[95] See also: Atheology and Atheist apologetics

A majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the naturalistic evolutionary position since World War II have been atheists.[96] After doing poorly in a series of debates in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, evolutionists are generally reluctant to debate (see: Creation vs. evolution debates).

Atheism and morality/ethics

The atheist PZ Myers declared: "I am so, so tired of hearing about atheist scandals and scumbaggery."[97]

See also: Atheism and morality

See also: Atheism and morality and Atheist population and immorality and Atheist hypocrisy and Religion and morality

Objective morality incompatible with atheism

Under an atheist worldview, there is no logical basis for objective morality or ultimate meaning and purpose.[98] See also: Atheism and morality and Atheism and moral relativism and Atheism and meaninglessness

Atheism and moral relativism

See also: Atheism and moral relativism and Atheism and morality

Dr. Phil Fernandes states the following regarding atheism and moral relativism:

“ Nietzsche preached that a group of "supermen" must arise with the courage to create their own values through their "will to power." Nietzsche rejected the "soft" values of Christianity (brotherly love, turning the other cheek, charity, compassion, etc.); he felt they hindered man's creativity and potential....

Many other atheists agree with Nietzsche concerning moral relativism. British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) once wrote, "Outside human desires there is no moral standard." A. J. Ayer believed that moral commands did not result from any objective standard above man. Instead, Ayer stated that moral commands merely express one's subjective feelings. When one says that murder is wrong, one is merely saying that he or she feels that murder is wrong. Jean-Paul Sartre, a French existentialist, believed that there is no objective meaning to life. Therefore, according to Sartre, man must create his own values.

There are many different ways that moral relativists attempt to determine what action should be taken. Hedonism is probably the most extreme. It declares that whatever brings the most pleasure is right. In other words, if it feels good, do it. If this position is true, then there is no basis from which to judge the actions of Adolph Hitler as being evil.[99]

”

Atheism and various types of immorality

The perverse and cruel atheist Marquis de Sade in prison, 18th century line engraving. See: Atheism and sadism

Atheism and sociopathy

See: Atheism and sociopathy

Atheist mass shooters and serial killers

Study: U.S. public perception of atheist morality

In 2014, a University of Kentucky study was published by Will M. Gervais, which was entitled "Everything is permitted? People intuitively judge immorality as representative of atheists", and the study indicated that "even atheist participants viewed immorality as significantly more representative of atheists than of other people."[100]

Barna Group studies: Atheism and morality

Barna Group study on the behavior of atheists vs. evangelical Christians:

Richard Deem wrote:

“ A random sample of 1003 adults were surveyed in May, 2008 by The Barna Group for their participation in a number of negative behaviors within the previous week. The results showed that there were vast differences in the behaviors of evangelicals compared to agnostics/atheists.

These results show that atheists/agnostics participate in morally questionable behaviors to a much greater degree than evangelical Christians - an average of nearly five times the frequency![101]

”

Barna Group study related to atheist beliefs about behaviors:

The Barna Group found that atheists and agnostics in America were more likely, than theists in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable: illegal drug use; excessive drinking; sexual relationships outside of marriage; abortion; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; obscene language; gambling; pornography and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in homosexuality/bisexuality.[102]

Given the many diseases associated with homosexuality, the biblical prohibition against homosexuality is quite arguably one of the many example where the Bible exhibited knowledge that was ahead of its time. See also: Atheism and sexual immorality

Atheism and uncharitableness

See also: Atheism and charity and Atheist organizations and scandals and Atheism, uncharitableness and depression
Most atheists likely live in East Asia (see: Asian atheism).

A beggar in Cambodia. In Cambodia, the vast majority of the population adheres to a nontheistic form of Buddhism called the Theravada school of Buddhism.

A comprehensive study by Harvard University professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.[103]

Concerning the issue of atheism and uncharitableness, the evidence indicates that per capita charitable giving by atheists and agnostics in America is significantly less than by theists, according to a study by the Barna Group:

“ The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500). Even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did atheists and agnostics. In fact, while just 7% of active-faith adults failed to contribute any personal funds in 2006, that compares with 22% among the no-faith adults.[104] ”

A comprehensive study by Harvard University professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.[103]

See also: Atheism, social justice and hypocrisy

Church-state issues emphasis. Charity low priority

See also: Atheism and uncharitableness and Western atheism and race and Atheism and love

In June 2014, the African-American atheist woman Sikivu Hutchinson wrote in the Washington Post that atheist organizations generally focus on church-state separation and creationism issues and not the concerns the less affluent African American population faces.[105] Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations do focus on helping poor African Americans.[105]

Atheist nonprofit scandals

See also: Atheist organizations and scandals and Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - Embezzlement allegation

In a 2018 YouTube video entitled David Silverman Ousted as President of American Atheists, the atheist YouTube channel Utah Outcasts said in a video about David Silverman and atheist organizations: "Many other people were also like maybe he was embezzling funds because we know people in atheist activist communities where that kind of sh*t happens. Yes, it was kind of common."[106]

Two atheist nonprofit scandals that recently received some publicity were the organizations Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science and the We Are Atheism organization.[107]

In addition, David Gorski at Scienceblogs indicated that many atheist/skeptic organizations are poorly run from a financial standpoint.[108]

For more information, please see: Atheist organizations and scandals

Irreligion and domestic violence

See also: Irreligion and domestic violence and Atheism and women and Atheism and rape

Research suggests that irreligiousity is a causal factor for domestic violence.[109]

The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal Violence Against Women entitled Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence indicated:

“ The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.[109] ”
Secular Europe and domestic violence

See also: Secular Europe and domestic violence

Atheism and racism

See also: Atheism and racism and East Asia, China, atheism and racism and Western atheism and race

The atheist population has a significant amount of racism within its midst (see: Atheism and racism).

Atheism and empathy

See: Atheism and empathy

Atheism and pornography

[[File:Larry Flynt Wheelchair.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|The pornographer Larry Flynt is an atheist.[110]] See also: Atheism and pornography

One of the causes of atheism is a hedonistic lifestyle. See: Atheism and hedonism.

The infamous pornographers Hugh Hefner and Larry Flynt was and is (taken separately in the order indicated) both atheists (taken together).[111]

In 2003, Arena magazine magazine listed Flynt as #1 on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list.[112] Flynt is paralyzed from the waist down due to injuries sustained from a 1978 assassination attempt by the serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin.[113]

RationalWiki and web visitor interest in pornography

See: RationalWiki and web visitor interest in pornography

Atheism and child pornography

See also: Atheism and child pornography

In 2005 Denmark was ranked the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 43 - 80% of Danes are agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.[114]

The 2003 book entitled Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem written by authors Rahel Nardos; Mary K. Radpour; William S. Hatcher and Michael L. Penn, declared:

“ The largest source of commercial child pornography is Denmark. Denmark became the world's leading producer of child pornography when, in 1969, it removed all restrictions on the production and sale of any type of pornographic material. "The result," notes Tim Tate, "was a short-lived explosion in adult pornography, and the birth of commercial child pornography. ....by 1979 when Denmark finally banned the production and sale of child pornography it had already become such a financial success on the international market that it has proven to be nearly impossible to bring its spread under control.[115] ”

Suzanne Ost, in her 2009 book Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses published by Cambridge University Press, wrote about the child pornography created by Denmark/Holland during this period: "Taylor and Quayle note that the material produced during this period still constitutes the largest part of child pornography that is currently available, having been transferred into digital format and uploaded onto the internet."[116]

Atheism, pedophilia and NAMBLA

[[Image:Harry Hay.jpg|thumb|150px|Many consider atheist Harry Hay to be the founder of the American homosexual movement.]]

see also: Atheism, pedophilia and NAMBLA and Teenage homosexuality

The North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) was founded in December 1978 and is an activist homosexuality and pedophilia/pederasty coalition group.

Some of the well known atheist advocates of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) are:

1. The atheist and homosexual David Thorstad was a founding member of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).[117]

2. Harry Hay (1912 - 2002) was an liberal advocate of statutory rape and the widely acknowledged founder and progenitor of the activist homosexual agenda in the United States. Hay joined the Communist Party of the United States (CPUSA) in 1934.[118] Harry Hay was an atheist.[119] He was a vociferous advocate of man/boy love.[120] In 1986, Hay marched in a gay parade wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words "NAMBLA walks with me."[121]

3. The writer Samuel R. Delany is an atheist and a homosexual.[122] Delaney said he was a supporter of NAMBLA.[123]

See also: Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles" and John Maynard Keynes and pederasty

Atheism and slavery/forced labor

Dietary practices of atheists. Eating of dogs, cats, horses and babies/children

See: Dietary practices of atheists (Dietary habits of various irreligious regions)

Atheists and the eating of babies/children

Major news organizations reporting on China baby flesh powder scandal

Immorality of prominent atheists

See also: Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships

James Randi

James Randi is a leader within the atheist community. Brian Thompson, former James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Outreach Coordinator, wrote:

“ But I no longer identify with this community of benevolent know-it-alls, because not all of them are the best folks in the world. In fact, a good percentage of the top ten worst humans I’ve ever met are prominent members of the skeptics’ club. They’re dishonest, mean-spirited, narcissistic, misogynistic. Pick a personality flaw, and I can probably point you to someone who epitomizes it. And that person has probably had a speaking slot at a major skeptical conference.

I grew particularly disgusted with the boys’ club attitude I saw among skeptical leaders and luminaries. The kind of attitude that’s dismissive of women, sexually predatory, and downright gross. When I first started going to skeptical conferences as a fresh-faced know-it-all, I started hearing things about people I once admired. Then I started seeing things myself. Then I got a job with the JREF, and the pattern continued.[124]

”

See also:

Atheism and rape

Atheism and abortion

The Journal of Medical Ethics wrote this about the atheist and sadist Marquis de Sade:

“ In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his La Philosophie dans le boudoir, in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of population control. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.[125] ”

Population control is based on pseudoscience and ill founded economic assumptions.[126] CBS News reported: "According to a mail-in survey of nearly 4,000 British doctors, those who were atheist or agnostic were almost twice as willing to take actions designed to hasten the end of life."[127]

Atheism and profanity

See also: Atheism and profanity and Atheism and culture

Studies indicate that atheists engage in more profanity than Christians/theists and are more likely to believe that obscene language is acceptable to engage in.[128] Use of profanity by individuals is negatively correlated with conscientiousness and agreeableness.[129]

For more information, please see: Atheism and profanity

Irreligion and crime/prison population

Atheism and psychopathy

See also: Atheism and psychopathy

The serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer engaged in cannibalism. He was an atheist while he committed these acts.[130] See: Atheism and cannibalism

A psychopath is someone with an anti-social personality disorder characterized by violent, perverted or immoral behavior often leading to criminality. Psychopaths have little or no concern for other people. Some psychopaths equate love with sexual arousal.[131]

A 2016 study relating to atheism and psychopathy published in Plus One indicates:

“ Similarly, a survey of 312 college students examining the relationship between Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (RSWB) and ‘dark triad’ personality traits found that “RSWB was confirmed to be negatively correlated with these negative aspects of personality, in particular with subclinical psychopathy.”

...moral concern is associated with a spiritual worldview.[132]

”

According to the 2014 journal article Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in everyday life: results from a large community survey published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology lack of belief in God is positively associated with psychopathy.[133]

Atheism and theft crimes

Atheism and infanticide

Infanticide is the practice of killing very young children. An infant is a child too young to speak.[134]

Each year thousands of dogs are stolen in atheist, communist controlled mainland China and as many as 20 million dogs are killed in China to satisfy the dog meat industry.[135] For more information, please see: Atheists and dog meat eating

According to ABC News, gruesome techniques are used in Chinese dog slaughterhouses.[136] Brutal beatings of dogs are occurring in the Chinese dog meat trade during the slaughtering process.[137] See: Atheism and animal abuse

China has the world's largest atheist population.[138] It also has state atheism (See: China and atheism).

Most atheists in the world are East Asian (see: Asian atheism).

Below is an article on atheism and infanticide:

Atheism and bestiality

See also: Atheism and bestiality

Atheism and cannibalism

See: Atheism and cannibalism

Atheism and animal abuse

See: Atheism and animal abuse (Brutal dog/cat meat trades, etc.)

Atheism and veganism

See: Atheism and veganism

Atheism and hypocrisy

See also: Atheist hypocrisy

In order to attempt to justify their atheism, atheists often engage in hypocritical argumentation. In addition, atheists often engage in hypocritical behavior. Please see: Atheist hypocrisy

Atheism and social justice

See: Atheism and social justice

Atheism and care of the environment

See: Atheism and care of the environment

Atheism and other moral issues

For more information please see: Atheism and morality and Atheism and hedonism

Earlier definitions of atheism

Dictionaries point out that previous/archaic meanings of the word atheism are: ungodliness. wickedness, immorality[139][140]

Atheism and philosophy topics

If philosophical naturalism were true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for reason for the human brain would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces. [141]

See: Atheism and reason and Atheism and the brain

Atheism and naturalism

See also: Atheism and naturalism

Scientific naturalism proposes that only explanations which can be scientifically tested are valid, yet this proposition cannot be scientifically tested. Therefore, scientific naturalism is self-refuting.[142] See also: Atheism and incoherency

Atheism and issues relating to knowledge acquisition

Why atheism is irrational

See also: Atheism and irrationality and Irreligion and superstition

A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational.[143] In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.[144] For example, the atheistic worldview cannot account for the laws of logic.[145] See also: Atheism and critical thinking

The atheist worldview cannot explain the existence of consciousness either and the theistic worldview can offer a reasonable explanation.[146]

A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational.[143] In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.[144]

For more information, please see:

Atheism and reason

See also: Atheism and reason and Atheists and unreasonableness

If naturalism is true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for reason for the human brain would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces. [147] Therefore, believing in naturalism is self-defeating.

In short, atheism/naturalism and reason are incompatible.[147]

Atheism and personhood

See: Atheism and personhood

Atheism and the problem of consciousness

See: Atheism and consciousness

Atheism and free will

See: Atheism and free will

Atheism and human worth

See: Atheism and human worth

Atheism and evidence

See: Atheism and evidence

Logical fallacies that atheists commonly commit

List of logical fallacies that atheists commonly commit: Atheism and logical fallacies

Atheism and meaninglessness

See also: Atheism and meaninglessness and Atheism and the meaning of life and Nihilism and Absurdism and Existentialism

Under an atheistic worldview, there is no objective meaning or purpose in life.[148] Through Jesus Christ, Christianity offers objective meaning and purpose to life.[149]

For more information, please see: Atheism and meaninglessness and Atheism and the meaning of life

Atheists/agnostics and ultimate purpose

See also: Atheism and purpose and Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism and Atheism and beliefs

One of the most popular arguments for God's existence is the teleological argument. Derived from the Greek word telos, which refers to purpose or end, this argument hinges on the idea that the world gives evidence of being designed, and concludes that a divine designer must be posited to account for the orderly world we encounter.

Academic research and historical data indicate that a significant portion of atheists/agnostics often see their lives and the world as being the product of purposeful design (see: Atheism and purpose).[150]

See also:

Atheism and evil/suffering

Arrogance of atheism/atheists

See also: Atheism and arrogance and Atheism and narcissism and Atheism and deception

One of the common and well-founded charges against atheists is their arrogance and presumptuousness.[151]

Why atheism is an arrogant ideology

See also: Arguments against atheism and Atheism and arrogance

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: "But now God is dead. You superior men, this God was your greatest danger. Only since he is in the grave, have you risen again. Only now comes the great noontide; only now the superior man will be – Lord!".[152]

The picture of Nietzsche above was taken in 1899. Nietzsche died in 1900. See: Atheism and arrogance

Atheists lack proof and evidence that God does not exist and ignore the clear and abundant proof and evidence that He does exist. The philosopher Mortimer Adler pointed out that atheism asserts an unreasonable universal negative that is self-defeating.[153]

Contrary to the mistaken notion of individuals who are inexperienced in logic/philosophy, there are plenty of cases where universal negatives can be proven.[154] However, atheists' universal negative claim that God does not exist is not a reasonable universal negative claim.[153]

Atheists have also given themselves pretentious monikers such as freethinker, rationalist and "bright". See also: Brights Movement and Atheism and intelligence

In addition, historically militant atheists have commonly endeavored to limit the religious freedom of others while imposing their errant, atheistic ideology on others. See also: Atheism and intolerance

Atheists and lack of open-mindedness

Research indicates that atheists are less open-minded (see: Atheism and open-mindedness).

See:

Atheism and religion

Atheism is a religion

See also: Atheism is a religion and Atheist cults and Atheist hypocrisy

The British atheist Sanderson Jones is a founder of the Sunday Assembly "atheist church" movement.[155]

See: Atheism is a religion

Atheism is a religion.[156] And many of the leaders of the atheist movement, such as the evolutionist and new atheist/agnostic Richard Dawkins, argue for agnosticism/atheism with a religious fervor.

In addition, although many atheists deny that atheism is a worldview, atheists commonly share a number of beliefs such as naturalism, belief in evolution and abiogenesis.[157]

Roderick Ninian Smart, a Scottish writer and professor, defined a seven-part scheme of understanding both religious and secular worldviews[158] These can be understood as narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, ritual and material.

English Pastor Daniel Smartt defines atheism as a religion, using Ninian Smart's seven dimensions of worldview as a list of criteria. It is not necessary in Smartt's model for every one of these to be present in order for something to be a religion.[159] However, it can be argued that all seven are present in the case of atheism.[156] [160]

In 2013, a trend of atheist services began and atheist services were reported in the New York Times, The Blaze and other major news outlets.[161]

See also:

Atheist cults

See: Atheist cults

The Wall Street Journal reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians."[162]

Atheism and spirituality

Irreligion and superstition

See also: Irreligion and superstition

In September 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported:

“ The reality is that the New Atheist campaign, by discouraging religion, won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass superstition. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith—it's what the empirical data tell us.

"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that traditional Christian religion greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of astrology. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians...."[163]

”
According to Pew Forum, evangelical Protestant churches in America grew by 2 million from 2007 to 2014.[164] See: Atheism vs. Christianity

Atheism and the occult

See: Atheism and the occult

Atheism vs. Abrahamic religions and religion

Atheism vs. Islam

See main article: Atheism vs. Islam

Atheism and miracles

See main article: Atheism and Miracles

In relation to atheism and miracles, modern scholars are divided on the issue of whether or not David Hume was an atheist.[165] With that caveat in mind, Hume is well known for arguing that it is always more probable that the testimony of a miracle is false than that the miracle occurred.[166] Christian apologists William Lane Craig, Norman Geisler, C.S. Lewis, JP Holding, and others have shown the inadequacy and unreasonableness of Hume's position regarding miracles.[167]

The Christian Post reporter Stoyan Zaimov wrote: "Double-blind prayer experiments: where people pray for others with terminal illness. Habermas admitted that most such experiments have not worked, but the three that he knows of that have indeed worked were cases of orthodox-Christians praying for the sick."[168]

Atheists who believe in life after death

See also: Atheism and the supernatural

A survey involving 15,738 individuals found that 32 percent of Americans who identified themselves as agnostics and atheists believe in an afterlife of some kind.[169][170]

Atheism and death

[[File:Atheism and death.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|According to a study performed in the United States by researchers Wink and Scott, very religious people fear death the least.[171]] See: Atheism and death

See also: Atheism and death and Atheist funerals and Atheism and Hell

Science Daily reported that Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God.[172] In a Psychology Today article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.[173] Under stress, the brain's processing works in a way that prefers unconscious thinking.[174]

A United States study and a Taiwanese study indicated that the irreligious fear death more than the very religious.[175]

Atheists and belief in life after death

See also: Atheism and life after death and Atheists and supernatural beliefs

A significant percentage of atheists believe in life after death (see: Atheism and life after death).[176]

For additional information, please see:

Atheism and Hell

See also: Atheism and Hell

The journalist and ex-atheist Peter Hitchens, who is the brother of the late atheist Christopher Hitchens, said upon seeing an art exhibit of Michelangelo's painting The Last Judgment he came to the realization that he might be judged which startled him.[177] This started a train of thought within Peter Hitchens that eventually led him to become a Christian.[177]

Atheism and science

[[Image:Newton.jpg|alt=atheism quotes|right|thumbnail|200px|Isaac Newton wrote: "I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily. Opposition to godliness is atheism in profession and idolatry in practice. Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind that it never had many professors." See also: Atheism quotes ]]

See also: Atheism and science

Atheism and the suppression of science

See: Atheism and the suppression of science

Atheism and the social sciences

See: Atheism and the social sciences

Atheism and the foundation of modern science

See also: Christianity and science

The birth of modern science occurred in Christianized Europe.[178]

Sociologist Rodney Stark investigated the individuals who made the most significant scientific contributions between 1543 and 1680 A.D., the time of the Scientific Revolution. In Stark's list of 52 top scientific contributors,[179] only one (Edmund Halley) was a skeptic and another (Paracelsus) was a pantheist. The other 50 were Christians, 30 of whom could be characterized as being devout Christians.[179]

Sir Francis Bacon, sometimes referred to as "the Father of Modern Science", wrote in his essay entitled Of Atheism: "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind."[180]

Atheism and environmental science

See: Atheism and environmental science

Atheism and questions of origins

See articles: Atheism and Evolution and Evolution as a secular origins myth

Creationist scientists state that the first law of thermodynamics and the second law of thermodynamics argue against an eternal universe or a universe created by natural processes and argue for a universe created by God.[181] See also: Atheism and the origin of the universe

A majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism since World War II have had the worldview of atheism/agnosticism.[182] Creation scientists assert that the theory of evolution is an inadequate explanation for the variety of life forms on earth.[183] The theory of evolution has had a number of negative social effects.

In addition, the current naturalistic explanations for the origin of life are inadequate.[184]

Atheism and scientific community

Atheism and scientific fraud and speculation

Atheism and food science

Atheism and culinary science

RationalWiki's flouting of nutritional science

Atheism and mental and physical health

See also: Atheism and health and Atheism and life expectancy and Atheism and alcoholism and Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts

The is considerable amount of scientific evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism and some of the more significant findings are given below [185] For more information please see: Atheism and health and Atheism and life expectancy

Mayo Clinic and other studies

The prestigious Mayo Clinic found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health and mental health outcomes.[186] See: Atheism and health

The prestigious Mayo Clinic reported the following on December 11, 2001:

“ In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.

The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.[186]

”

The Iona Institute reported:

“ A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.[187] ”

Atheists and negative emotions/thoughts

See also: Atheism and emotional problems and Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence and Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts

Emotional intelligence "refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions."[188] Research indicates that religiosity is positively associated with ability in emotional intelligence.[189][190][191] See also: Atheism and emotional problems and Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence and Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts

Atheism and suicide

See also: Atheism and suicide and Atheism and depression and Hopelessness of atheism and Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism

Although there are recent studies relating to atheism being a causal factor for suicide for some individuals, an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for suicide was the Reverend Dr. Robert Stuart MacArthur.[192] In 1894, the New York Times stated the following in relation to atheism and suicide:

“ Dr. Martin urged that a great cause of suicide was atheism. It was, he said, a remarkable fact that where atheism prevailed most, there suicides were most numerous. In Paris, a recent census showed one suicide to every 2,700 of the population. After the publication of Paine's "Age of Reason" suicides increased.[193] ”
Atheists have higher suicide rates. See: Atheism and suicide

The website Adherents.com reported the following in respect to atheism and suicide:

“ Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman compiled country-by-country survey, polling and census numbers relating to atheism, agnosticism, disbelief in God and people who state they are non-religious or have no religious preference...In examining various indicators of societal health, Zuckerman concludes about suicide:

"...According to the 2003 World Health Organization's report on international male suicides rates (which compared 100 countries), of the top ten nations with the highest male suicide rates, all but one (Sri Lanka) are strongly irreligious nations with high levels of atheism."[194]

”

Concerning atheism and depression, a University of Michigan study involving 19,775 individuals found that religious people are less likely than atheists to suffer depression when they are lonely.[195]

For more information please see:

Atheism and mental illness

An angry atheist speaking to a woman with a Bible in her hand.

The Christian philosopher James S. Spiegel says the path from Christianity to atheism among several of his friends involved moral slippage such as resentment or unforgiveness.[196]

See: Atheism and anger and Atheism and unforgiveness

See also: Atheism and mental illness

The abstract for the journal article Health and Well-Being Among the Non-religious: Atheists, Agnostics, and No Preference Compared with Religious Group Members published in the Journal of Religion and Health indicates: "On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference."[197]

Global News reported:

“ Children who are raised with religious or spiritual beliefs tend to have better mental health into their adulthood, a new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found.

According to the study’s findings, people who attended weekly religious services or prayed or meditated daily in their childhood reported greater life satisfaction in their 20s. People who grew up in a religious household also reported fewer symptoms of depression and lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder.[198]

”

Atheism and negative emotions/thoughts

Irreligion and recovery from illnesses

See: Irreligion and recovery from illnesses

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe, "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.[199]

Atheism and alcoholism

See also: Atheism and alcoholism

At least 100 studies suggests religion has a positive effect on preventing alcohol-related problems, researchers Christopher Ellison, Jennifer Barrett and Benjamin Moulton noted in an article in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion on “Gender, Marital Status, and Alcohol Behavior: The Neglected Role of Religion.”[200]

Atheists and atheistic cultures often have significant problems with excess alcohol usage (For more information please see: Atheism and alcoholism).

For example, as far as secular Europe, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe, "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.[199]

Atheism and illegal drug use and drug addition

See also: Atheism and drug addiction

Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.[201][202][203]

According to Science Daily: "Young Swiss men who say that they believe in God are less likely to smoke cigarettes or pot or take ecstasy pills than Swiss men of the same age group who describe themselves as atheists. Belief is a protective factor against addictive behaviour. This is the conclusion reached by a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.[204]

Atheism and loneliness

See also: Atheism and loneliness

Secular societies commonly have significant levels of loneliness.

See: Atheism and loneliness

Loneliness has been linked to many physical and mental health problems.[205]

Compared to deeply religious cultures where an extended family and a sense of community often exists, secular countries are often lonelier societies. In addition, numerous studies and other data indicate that atheists often have lower emotional intelligence and lower social skills (see: Atheism and emotional intelligence and Atheism and social skills).

For more information, please see:

Atheism and obesity

See: Atheism and obesity

Atheism and cancer

See: Atheism and cancer

Atheist and higher levels of harmful genetic mutations

See also: Atheists and genetic mutations

There is research which suggests that the atheist population has higher levels of harmful genetic mutations (see: Atheists and genetic mutations).[206][207]

Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism

See also: Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism and Irreligion and unsportsmanlike conduct and Atheism and obesity

Numerous studies report that athletes to be more religious than non-athletes.[208]

The Sports Journal is a monthly refereed journal published by the United States Sports Academy. A journal article appeared in the Sports Journal entitled Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions. The article was submitted by Nathan T. Bell, Scott R. Johnson, and Jeffrey C. Petersen from Ball State University.[209] An excerpt from the abstract of the journal article Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions declares:

“ Numerous studies report athletes to be more religious than nonathletes (Fischer, 1997; Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, & Storch, 2001; Storch et al., 2004). According to Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, and Storch (2001), four reasons may explain why religion interacts with athletic performance.[209] ”
See also: Atheism and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence

Atheism and mental toughness

See: Atheism and mental toughness

Atheists, aging populations and cancer/Alzheimer's disease

Atheism and veganism

See: Atheism and veganism

Atheism in medicine

See: Atheism in medicine

Atheism and intelligence

Brain researchers have conducted a number of studies focusing on the differences between atheists and the religious. See: Atheism and the brain

See also: Atheism and intelligence and Atheism and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Causes of atheism

Within various countries, standardized intelligence test (IQ) scores related to the issue of atheists/agnostics vs. theists intelligence scores yield conflicting results.[210] Part of the problem is that social scientists use variant definitions of atheism.[211] See also: Atheism, intelligence and the General Social Survey

However, within individuals, families and societies irreligion/religion can have an effect on intelligence - especially over time (See: Atheism and intelligence).

For more information, please see:

Atheism, intelligence and open-mindedness

See also: Atheism and open-mindedness and Atheism and dogmatism and Atheism and intolerance and Atheism and groupthink

Highly intelligent people tend to be open-minded and have intellectual curiosity.[212]

Research indicates that atheists are less open-minded (see: Atheism and open-mindedness).

Study on emotional intelligence and religiosity

See also: Atheism and emotional intelligence and Atheism and social intelligence

A 2004 study by Ellen Paek examined the extent to which religious orientation/behavior and found significant positive correlations were found between level of religious commitment and an individual's perceived emotional intelligence.[213] See also: Atheism and emotional intelligence

According to the prominent brain researcher Antonio Damasio and other brain researchers, emotions play a critical role in high-level cognition and allow individuals to make better decisions.[214]

Brain studies of atheists

See also: Atheism and the brain and Religiosity and larger frontal lobes

Brain researchers have conducted a number of studies focusing on the differences between atheists and the religious (see: Atheism and the brain and Religiosity and larger frontal lobes).

Atheists and dopamine levels in the brain

See also: Atheism and motivation

According to Scientific American: "Research also suggests that a religious brain exhibits higher levels of dopamine, a hormone associated with increased attention and motivation."[215] See: Atheism and motivation

Atheism and the problem of consciousness

See: Atheism and consciousness

Atheism and women

see also: Atheism and women and Atheism and rape and Elevatorgate and Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God

Studies indicate that women tend to be more religious than men (See: Atheism and women).

Recent studies

Atheist Alliance International analysis

In 2016, Atheist Alliance International (AAI) conducted an annually recurring atheist census project and found: "At the time of writing, the Atheist Census Project recorded that on average worldwide 73.2% of respondents were male. The result is consistent with other research... As such, the focus of many scholarly papers has been on seeking to explain this persistent observation."[216]

Surveys by country

In November 2010, Discover magazine published survey results published by the World Values Survey which showed significant differences between the percentage of men and women who are atheists for various countries with men outnumbering women within the atheist population.[217]

United States surveys

In 2015, BloombergView reported concerning the United States: "According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, ...women are 52 percent of the U.S. population but only 36 percent of atheists and agnostics.[218]

A 2009 article in LiveScience.com entitled Women More Religious Than Men reported: "A new analysis of survey data finds women pray more often then men, are more likely to believe in God, and are more religious than men in a variety of other ways...The latest findings, released Friday, are no surprise, only confirming what other studies have found for decades.[219] In 2007, the Pew Research Center found that American women were more religious than American men.[219]

Atheism and sexism

See also: Atheism and sexism

Most atheists are politically on the left (see: Atheism and politics and Secular left). Part of leftist ideology is feminism. However, there is a significant amount of misogyny among atheists (see: Atheism and women).

For more information please see:

Atheism and women's rights

See: Atheism and women's rights

Atheist feminism

See: Atheist feminism

Atheism and Asian/white males

Atheist websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women

See: Atheist websites appear to receive significantly less traffic from women

Atheism and marriage/relationships

See also: Atheism and marriage and Atheism and illegitimate births

Atheism and rates of marriage in the United States

See also: Atheism and marriageability and Atheism and women

The Christian apologist Michael Caputo wrote: "Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews... According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics."[61]

Theodore Beale declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and agnostics don’t get married."[61]

For more information please see: Atheism and marriageability

Atheist marriages

See: Atheist marriages

Atheism and polyamory

Atheism and divorce

See: Atheism and divorce

Atheism and interfaith marriages

Atheism and its inability to explain love

See also: Atheism and love and Atheism and forgiveness

From a metaphysical, moral and spiritual perspective, atheists have an inability to satisfactorily explain the existence of love.[220][221]] From a moral, metaphysical and spiritual perspective, atheists have an inability to satisfactorily explain the existence of love.[220][221]

Atheism and sexuality

See also: Atheism and sexuality and Atheism and romance and Atheism and fertility rates

Research shows that religious women (especially evangelical/low-church Protestant women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.[222][223][224]

A social science study also reports that Hispanic men are more sexually satisfied than other ethnic groups in the United States.[225] Hispanics are known for their religiosity (See also: Western atheism and race).

In addition, the atheist and agnostic populations have sub-replacement levels of fertility (see: Atheism and sexuality and Atheism and romance).

Atheists and physical attractiveness

See also: Atheists and physical attractiveness

The English anthropologist Edward Dutton indicates that using right-wing politics as a proxy for religiosity, there is evidence that atheists are less attractive and he pointed out that right-wing politicians are more likely to have symmetrical faces according to a study.[226]

Atheism and race

See also: Atheism, race and gender and Atheism and racism

Asian atheism

See also: Asian atheism and East Asia, China, atheism and racism

East Asia, in particular what are often termed “Confucian societies.” It is likely therefore that the majority of the world's atheists are actually East Asian."[227]

As noted above, the current atheist population mostly resides in East Asia (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia among whites.[228] See: China and atheism

As noted above, China is experiencing an explosive growth of Christianity (see: Growth of Christianity in China and East Asia and global desecularization).

Western atheism and race

Atheist Sikivu Hutchinson says that white atheists organizations generally focus on church/state separation and creationism issues and not on the concerns the less affluent African-American population faces.[229] Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations significantly help poor African-Americans.[229] See also: Atheism and uncharitableness

See also: Western atheism and race and Black atheism and Atheism and diversity

Atheism and race: United States and Europe

In 2015, BloombergView reported:

“ According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, only 3 percent of U.S. atheists and agnostics are black, 6 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Asian. Some 82 percent are white. (The relevant figures for the population at large at the time of the survey were 66 percent white, 11 percent black, 15 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian.)

...Craig Keener, in his huge review of claims of miracles in a wide variety of cultures, concludes that routine rejection of the possibility of the supernatural represents an impulse that is deeply Eurocentric.[218]

”

In the United States, blacks have the highest rate of religiosity.[230] Among Hispanics, religion has traditionally played a significant role in daily activity.[231]

In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:

“ From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement — Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett — are all white men.

But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.

Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.[232]

”

RationalWiki/RationalMedia Foundation board of trustees and the lack of Black representation

See: RationalMedia Foundation board of trustees and the lack of Black representation

Atheism and education

Atheism and culture: Art, architecture, music, language, poetry, dance and humor

A People's Republic of China propaganda poster stating "Destroy the Old World & Forge the New World," with a worker smashing a crucifix, a Buddha murti, and a classical Chinese sacred text; 1967.

See also: Atheism and culture

Culture consists of the "language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values."[233]

Atheism has not produced any outstanding cultural achievements and it has had a negative effect on cultures (see: Atheism and culture and Atheism and its anti-civilizational effects and Atheism statistics).

For example, relative to Christianity, which has a large collection of art, music and poetry associated it, atheism has a very small collection of art, music and poetry associated with it (see: Atheist art and Atheist music and Atheist poetry).

It is often said that atheism is boring, stale and difficult to believe (see: Atheism and inspiration). As noted above, research indicates that atheists are less open-minded (see: Atheism and open-mindedness).

For additional information, please see:

Global atheism

Global decline of atheism

See also: Atheism and diversity and Atheism and culture

Atheism is in decline worldwide in terms of number of atheists and the percentage of atheists in world.[234]

See: Global atheism statistics

Atheists as a percentage of the world's population have declined since 1970 and global atheism is expected to face long-term decline.[235] See: Desecularization and Global atheism statistics

In 2024, Frontier Partners International reported concerning global atheism: "Simultaneously, atheism, which once saw a peak around 1970 with 165 million adherents, is on the decline. The current growth trend for atheism is -0.12 percent, with their number falling from 147 million in 2020 to 146 million in 2024."[236] See also: Desecularization and 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%.[237]

Decline of the number of atheists in the world

See also: Decline of the number of atheists in the world

According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, the number of atheists in the world is now shrinking and will continue to do so.[238][239] See also: Decline of the number of atheists in the world and Future of atheism in China and European desecularization in the 21st century and Decline of Europe

Demographics of atheism

Demography is the study of human populations, and is a major specialty in the disciplines of sociology, economics, history, geography, statistics and epidemiology.

Atheism and specific countries/areas

Europe, which is less religious than the United States has a subreplacement level of births, is projected to have a population that is 30% less small by the end of the century (see: Atheism and fertility rates).[240]

In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that Europe will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.[241]

Religious people moving to irreligious regions

Atheism statistics

Atheist movement and leadership

Poor international cooperation among atheists

See also: Atheism and international cooperation among atheists

In recent years, international cooperation among atheists has been low (see: Atheism and international cooperation among atheists).

Views on atheists

See also: Views on atheists and Distrust of atheists and Atheism and social outcasts and Atheism and public relations and Atheophobia

Sam Harris

Sociological research indicates that atheists are widely distrusted in both religious cultures and nonreligious cultures.[242][243][244][245]

According to a study published in the International Journal for The Psychology of Religion: "anti-atheist prejudice is not confined either to dominantly religious countries or to religious individuals, but rather appears to be a robust judgment about atheists."[244] The study found that many atheists do not trust other atheists as well.[244]

Various atheists have attempted to change the public's perception of atheism and atheists, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful (see: Attempts to positively rebrand atheism).

Other topics related to views on atheists

Desecularization and its causes

See also: Desecularization and Causes of desecularization

Desecularization is the process by which religion reasserts its societal influence though religious values, institutions, sectors of society and symbols in reaction to previous and/or co-occurring secularization processes.[246]

As noted above, from 2024 to 2025, the number of atheists in the world dropped by 831,000 atheists according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.[247][248]

The theologian and Harvard University academic Harvey Cox asserted that grassroots movements such as fundamentalism and the Charismatic movement/pentecostalism are significant religious forces that are resistant to secularization forces.[249][250] In her book The Battle for God, Karen Armstrong wrote: "One of the most startling developments of the late 20th century has been the emergence within every major religious tradition of a militant piety known as 'fundamentalism'… this religious resurgence has taken many observers by surprise."[251] Today, even the highly secularized public and political sphere of France is showing a new and more open attitude towards religion.[252]

Atheism and sub-replacement levels of fertility

See also: Atheism and fertility rates

In 2011, atheist Jacques Berlinerblau declared: "The Golden Age of Secularism has passed."[44]

Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote about the sub-replacement level of fertility among atheistic populations: "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."[253] Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."[253] See also: Atheism and sexuality

On December 23, 2012, Professor Eric Kaufmann who teaches at Birbeck College, University of London wrote:

“ I argue that 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious.

On the other hand, the secular West and East Asia has very low fertility and a rapidly aging population... In the coming decades, the developed world's demand for workers to pay its pensions and work in its service sector will soar alongside the booming supply of young people in the third world. Ergo, we can expect significant immigration to the secular West which will import religious revival on the back of ethnic change. In addition, those with religious beliefs tend to have higher birth rates than the secular population, with fundamentalists having far larger families. The epicentre of these trends will be in immigration gateway cities like New York (a third white), Amsterdam (half Dutch), Los Angeles (28% white), and London, 45% white British. [254]

”

At a conference, Kaufmann said of religious demographic projections concerning the 21st century:

“ Part of the reason I think demography is very important, at least if we are going to speak about the future, is that it is the most predictable of the social sciences.

...if you look at a population and its age structure now. You can tell a lot about the future. ...So by looking at the relative age structure of different populations you can already say a lot about the future...

...Religious fundamentalism is going to be on the increase in the future and not just out there in the developing world..., but in the developed world as well.[255]

”

Secularism is exhausted and unconfident

See also: Decline of the atheist movement

Eric Kaufmann, an agnostic professor whose academic research specialty is how demographic changes affect religion/irreligion and politics, wrote in 2010:

“ Worldwide, the march of religion can probably only be reversed by a renewed, self-aware secularism. Today, it appears exhausted and lacking in confidence... Secularism's greatest triumphs owe less to science than to popular social movements like nationalism, socialism and 1960s anarchist-liberalism. Ironically, secularism's demographic deficit means that it will probably only succeed in the twenty-first century if it can create a secular form of 'religious' enthusiasm.[256] ”
Eddie Tabash

The American atheist activist Eddie Tabash said at the 2010 Michigan Atheists State Convention:

“ In every generation there has been a promising beginning of a true vanguard movement that will finally achieve widespread public acceptance for nonbelief. Yet, in each generation there has been an ultimately disappointing failure to actually register the naturalistic alternative to supernatural claims in the public consciousness...[257] ”

In recent years, a number of notable atheists have expressed pessimism about the future of the atheist movement (see: Decline of the atheist movement).

Causes of desecularization

Zero secularization rates in France and Protestant Europe

See also: British atheism

In April 2010, Eric Kaufmann declared "the rate of secularisation has flattened to zero in most of Protestant Europe and France."[258]

The Guardian published an article in 2017 entitled Nearly 50% are of no religion – but has UK hit ‘peak secular’? which declared:

“ But, Bullivant told the Observer that the “growth of no religion may have stalled”. After consistent decline, in the past few years the proportion of nones appears to have stabilised. “Younger people tend to be more non-religious, so you’d expect it to keep going – but it hasn’t. The steady growth of non-Christian religions is a contributing factor, but I wonder if everyone who is going to give up their Anglican affiliation has done so by now? We’ve seen a vast shedding of nominal Christianity, and perhaps it’s now down to its hardcore.[259] ”

Growth of evangelical Christianity in secular regions

Future of desecularization via the continued global resurgence of religion

See also: Growth of global desecularization and Atheism vs. Christianity

Eric Kaufmann using a wealth of demographic studies, argues that there will be a significant decline of global atheism in the 21st century which will impact the Western World.[260]

Eric Kaufmann using a wealth of demographic studies, argues that there will be a significant decline of global atheism in the 21st century which will impact the Western World.[261][262] In addition, Kaufmann argues that religious conservatism has a long-term trend of rising and that their influence in the world will significantly increase.[263] Kaufmann is author of the book Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?.[264][265] In the Western World due to immigration and the higher birth rates of religious people, Kaufman writes: "Committed religious populations are growing in the West, and will reverse the march of secularism before 2050."[265]

Kaufmann told a secular audience in Australia: "The trends that are happening worldwide inevitably in an age of globalization are going to affect us."[266] Furthermore, Kaufmann also argues that secularization may reverse itself significantly earlier than 2050 in the West due to religious immigration and a religious population which is increasingly resistant to secularization in Europe.[267]

In addition, in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, the atheist movement has had lower confidence/morale due to various historical events/trends (see: Atheists and the endurance of religion).

Growth of desecularization in the 21st century

Notable atheists who became ex-atheists

See: Ex-atheists

Claims about the conditionality and existence of atheism

See also: Atheists doubting the validity of atheism and There are no atheists in foxholes

Hannah More wrote: "[T]he mind, which knows not where to fly, flies to God. In agony, nature is no Atheist. The soul is drawn to God by a sort of natural impulse; not always, perhaps by an emotion of piety; but from a feeling conviction, that every other refuge is 'a refuge of lies'."[268]

There are no atheists in foxholes

See also: There are no atheists in foxholes and Atheists doubting the validity of atheism and There are no atheists on a sinking ship and There are no atheists on turbulent airplanes

Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring There are no atheists in foxholes.[269]]

Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring "There are no atheists in foxholes."[270] Chaplain F. W. Lawson of the 302d Machine Gun Battalion, who was wounded twice in wartime, stated "I doubt if there is such a thing as an atheist. At least there isn't in a front line trench."[271] On the other hand, the news organization NBC featured a story in which atheist veterans claimed that there are atheists in foxholes.[272]

Research indicates that heavy combat has a positive correlation to the strength of the religious faith in soldiers during the battles and subsequent to the war if they indicated their experience was a negative experience (for more information please see: There are no atheists in foxholes).

Also, due to research showing that death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God, Dr. Nathan Heflick declared in a Psychology Today article, "But, at a less conscious (or pre-conscious) level, this research suggests that there might be less atheism in foxholes than atheists in foxholes report."[173] Please see: Atheism and death

Denials that atheists exist

Causes of atheism

See main article: Causes of atheism and Atheism and hedonism and Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian

There are a number of psychological, societal, familial, economic and spiritual factors which cause atheism which have been proposed over the centuries. Please see: Causes of atheism and Atheism and hedonism.

Christian websites and other resources with a large focus on the topic of atheism

True Freethinker is a Christian apologetics Facebook page run by Ken Ammi which offers many refutations of atheism.

See also: Atheism vs. Christianity and Internet atheism

Five of the more notable Christian apologetics websites/blogs which have a large focus on the topic of atheism are: the Atheism is dead website; the Shadow To Light blog; the True Freethinker website; the Creation Ministries International resources on atheism and the Fixed Point Foundation website.

Freedom from Atheism Foundation (FFAF)

In 2012, the Freedom From Atheism Foundation (FFAF) was formed as an online interfaith civil rights group to provide support for victims of militant atheism, protect the rights of religious believers, and address the increasing amount of atheist intolerance around the world. The groups' many admins are all anonymous due to the large amount of hate mail, threats, and stalking the site receives from militant atheists.

As of October 2017 the group has over 750,000 followers and makes an average of 80 posts a week. Along with tens of thousands of religious supporters, the group also found support from atheist author and biologist PZ Myers.[273] A May 2014 article in the Christian Post titled "Freedom From Religion? How About Freedom From Atheism?" profiled the Freedom From Atheism Foundation in greater detail.[274]

Online videos related to atheism

The Militant atheism YouTube channel has a collection of videos on militant atheism.

Atheism and the media

See also: Atheism and the media and Atheism and public relations and Atheism news

The Media Research Center released a study in 2008 reporting pro-atheism bias by major press outlets in the United States.[275] The study found that 80% of mainstream media coverage of atheism was positive and that 71% of Christian-themed stories had an atheist counterpoint or were written from an atheist perspective.[275] The study is not surprising given the liberal bias that commonly exists in the major media outlets.

See also:

Celebrity atheists

See: Celebrity atheists

Atheism and homosexuality

See:

Other well-known proponents of atheism

See: Famous atheists and Famous agnostics

Friedrich Nietzsche

Well-known proponents of skepticism/atheism/agnosticism

Atheist organizations

See: Atheist organizations

Atheist organizations and fundraising

Atheism quotes

See articles: Atheism Quotes

Atheism news

See: Atheism news

Recommended reading

Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian

See also

Humor:

Conservapedia statistics about its atheism articles:

External links

see also: Atheism website resources

General articles on atheism:

Prominent atheists:

Other articles on atheism:

References

  1. ↑ “Atheism” (on or bef. 2019). The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary (unk. place: Merriam-Webster).
  2. ↑ Oxford University Press (OUP) (2019). "Atheism". Lexico.com (Oxford, UK: OUP).
  3. ↑ Multiple references:
    • Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). "Atheism and agnosticism". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
    • "atheism" (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. "Definition of atheism 1 a: a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods b: a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods [example sentences omitted] Origin and Etymology of atheism Middle French athéisme, from athée atheist, from Greek atheos godless, from a- + theos god"; "god" (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. "Definition of god 1 capitalized: the supreme or ultimate reality: such as a: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe" [definitions 2 and 3 omitted.] Retrieved on April 22, 2018.
    • "Atheism:...a + theos, denying God." Onions, C. T. et al., ed. (1966). "Atheism". Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press).
    • Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). "Atheism is more rational?" Creation.com/feedback archive (Brisbane, Queensland, AU: Creation Ministries International). See Creation Ministries International, Jonathan Sarfati.
    • Day, Donn R. (2007). "Atheism - etymology". The Divine Conspiracy website/atheism articles (unk. publisher). Archived at Internet Archive on September 6, 2014.
    • Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). "Putting the atheist on the defensive" Christian Research Institute Journal, p. 7.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). "Putting the atheist on the defensive" Christian Research Institute Journal, p. 7.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Day, Donn R. (2007). "Atheism - etymology". The Divine Conspiracy website/atheism articles (unk. publisher). Archived at Internet Archive on September 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ Craig, William Lane (July 16, 2012). "The proper definition of atheism". Reasonable Faith website/Media/Reasonable faith podcast (Dallas TX: Reasonable Faith). See William Lane Craig.
  7. ↑ Britain is a less religious country than the United States, and the Oxford-dictionaries-based Lexico.com offers both the narrow/broad definitions of atheism (as noted in a previous footnote, the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, which is a traditional American dictionary, offers a more narrow definition of atheism similar to the definition that major encyclopedias of philosophy use). Lexico.com and other Oxford dictionaries: "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods". (Oxford University Press [OUP] [2019]. "Atheism". Lexico.com [Oxford, UK: OUP].)
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ Global Christianity surges beyond projections in 2024, LiCAS.news • Mar 15, 2024, Frontiers Partners International, 2024
  10. ↑
    • Discussion on Atheism: Report of a Public Discussion Between the Rev. Brewin Grant, B.A., and C. Bradlaugh, Esq., Held in South Place Chapel, Finsbury, London, on Tuesday Evenings, Commencing June 22, and Ending July 27, 1875, on the Question, "Is Atheism Or is Christianity the True Secular Gospel, as Tending to the Improvement and Happiness of Mankind in this Life by Human Efforts and Material Means.". Brewin Grant Charles Bradlaugh, January 1, 1890, Anti-liberation Society, page 10-12 [1]
  11. ↑
  12. ↑
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ Dr. Martin Luther King in his sermon Rediscovering Lost Values spoke of "practical atheism". King, Dr. Martin Luther (1954). "Rediscovering lost values"
  15. ↑ I don’t even know what’s going on in atheism anymore by PZ Myers
  16. ↑ Rousseau, Jacques (July 13, 2011). "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can rip my soul". Daily Maverick [South Africa].
  17. ↑ "The atheist community and internet atheism is still a hostile wasteland" (April 7, 2013). Question Evolution Campaign [blog].
  18. ↑ "Board of directors" (July 1, 2014). American Atheists
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Former 2012 web page at Atheist.org website entitled "An Open Letter from Blair Scott"
  20. ↑ It’s Past Time for Atheism to Grow Up by Neil Carter
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Reasonably Controversial: How the Regressive Left Is Killing the Atheist Movement by David Smalley
  22. ↑ A Few Thoughts About Fundraising
  23. ↑ Lee Moore and Steve Shives Talk About the Future of the Atheist Movement - video quote comes 21 minutes and 13 seconds into the video
  24. ↑ Atheists Speak Up - Eddie Tabash - Part 2 of 4
  25. ↑ Landau, Elizabeth (January 1, 2011). "Anger at God common, even among atheists". CNN/The Chart website.
  26. ↑ Christian Philosopher Explores Causes of Atheism
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Today's atheists are bullies -- and they are doing their best to intimidate the rest of us into silence at Fox News
  28. ↑ Carter, Joe (January 12, 2011). "When atheists are angry at God". First Things [The Institute on Religion and Public Life] website.
  29. ↑ Mooney, Chris (May 14, 2012). "Greta Christina—Why are you atheists so angry?" [interview of Greta Christina] Point of Inquiry website.
  30. ↑ Multiple references:
  31. ↑ "Science shows new atheists to be mean and closed-minded" (July 18, 2013). Shadow to Light [blog].
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Nazworth, Nap (July 11, 2012). "Study: atheists have lowest 'retention rate' compared to religious groups". christianpost.com.
  33. ↑ Harms, William (April 18, 2012). "Belief in God rises with age, even in atheist nations". UChicagoNews.
  34. ↑ Chapter 3: Demographic Profiles of Religious Groups, Pew Forum
  35. ↑ Bainbridge, William (2005). "Atheism" (PDF). Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. 1 (Article 2): 1–26.
  36. ↑ In Xi we trust - Is China cracking down on Christianity?, DW News
  37. ↑ Whoever I Don’t Like Is Ruining the Atheist Movement by Jeremiah Traeger
  38. ↑ Lee Moore and Steve Shives Talk About the Future of the Atheist Movement, video, quote comes at the 11 minute and 44 seconds point of the video
  39. ↑ Herding Cats: Why Atheism Will Lose by Francois Tremblay
  40. ↑ Are there too many atheist meetings? by Jerry Coyne
  41. ↑ Amanda (August 10, 2012). "How the atheist movement failed me–part 1: cost". Friendly Atheist blog.
  42. ↑ Norris, Chuck (May 21, 2007). "How to outlaw Christianity (steps 2 & 3)". WorldNetDaily. See: Chuck Norris.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Internet atheism: The thrill is gone!
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Berlinerblau, Jacques (February 4, 2011). "Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast". The Chronicle of Higher Education/Brainstorm blog. Retrieved on May 29, 2015.
  45. ↑
  46. ↑ David Silverman - How the Mighty Get Back Up
  47. ↑ Get Out! A message for the atheist movement by PZ Myers
  48. ↑ Mulligan, Martin (1959). "Private property and communism" translation of Marx, Karl (1932), Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 (Moscow: Progress Publishers).
  49. ↑ Rothstein, Andrew and Issacs, Bernard (1973). "The attitude of the worker's party to religion" translation of Lenin, Vladimir (1909), Proletary, No. 45, May 13 (26), Collected Works, (Moscow: Progress Publishers) vol. 15, pp. 402-13.
  50. ↑ Noebel, David, The Battle for Truth, Harvest House, 2001.
  51. ↑
  52. ↑ Senior Chinese Religious Advisor Calls For Promotion Of Atheism In Society, International Business Times
  53. ↑ Investigating atheism: Marxism. University of Cambridge (2008). Retrieved on July 17, 2014. “The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.”
  54. ↑ Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg (2009). On Superconductivity and Superfluidity: A Scientific Autobiography. Springer Science+Business Media, 161. Retrieved on July 17, 2014. “The Bolshevik communists were not merely atheists but, according to Lenin's terminology, militant atheists.” 
  55. ↑ Multiple references:
  56. ↑ Multiple references:
    • Hunt, Lynn and Censer, Jack (2001). "War, Terror and Resistence", ch. 7, p. 3. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution website. George Mason University website/Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media website.
    • O'Leary, Margaret R. (June 1, 2012). Forging Freedom: The Life of Cerf Berr of M Delsheim (iUniverse), pp. 1-2.
  57. ↑ Multiple notes:
    • Adair, James (2007). Christianity: The eBook 461. JBE Online Books. Retrieved on July 18, 2014. “Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a list of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Terror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.”
    • Belsham, William (1801). Memoirs of the Reign of George III. to the Session of Parliament ending A.D. 1793, Volume 5 105–6. G.G. & J. Robinson. Retrieved on July 18, 2014. “In allusion to the monstrous transactions of this portentous period, it has been eloquently and energetically observed, 'that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:—in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex, in indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations.'
    "It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while 'the death dance of democratic revolution' was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, 'the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace.'”
    • Kilpatrick, William (2012).Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, p. 57. Retrieved on July 18, 2014  “Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that was nourished by Christianity and the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring—National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructs.
    "It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, 'The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man.' Actually this transition happened not 'ultimately' but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract 'reason' and 'liberty' degenerated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. 'Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name', said Madame Roland as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution moments before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of 'liberty', 'equality', and 'reason'.
    "As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.”
  58. ↑ Multiple references:
  59. ↑ Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). "How many did communist regimes murder?" University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War.
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 60.2 Koukl, Gregory (February 20, 2013). "The real murderers: atheism or Christianity?" Stand to Reason.
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 Ammi, Ken (June 11, 2009). "Atheism". Creation Ministries International.
  62. ↑ China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism, New American, 2014
  63. ↑ Multiple references:
  64. ↑ Ostling, Richard N. (December 4, 1989). "Cross meets Kremlin: Gorbachev and Pope John Paul II". Time. Time magazine website.
  65. ↑ Moore, Rev. Fr. Raphael (October 1999). "In memory of the 50 million victims of the Orthodox Christian Holocaust", Spiritual Nourishment for the Soul, Serfes, Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios, compiler.
  66. ↑ "Top 20 Countries With Largest Numbers of Atheists / Agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)" (November 28, 2007). The Largest Atheist/Agnostic Populations. Chris & Terri Chapman website (March 19, 2013 or bef.), first publication date at website from archive at Internet Archive.
  67. ↑ Humphrey (December 16, 2008). "Merry Anti-Christmas!" Quodlibeta.
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  70. ↑ "China sends Bible owners to labor camp" (November 26, 2003). WorldNetDaily.
  71. ↑ Chinese Police Proudly Record Their Torture of Christians, By Voice of the Martyrs|June 12, 2003
  72. ↑ Briggs, David (January 23, 2011). "Huffington Post: China’s state-sponsored atheism a failure" [excerpt]. National Post website.
  73. ↑ Martyred in the USSR
  74. ↑ The Russians' Secret by Peter Hoover with Serguei V. Petrov, Speaking Without a Tongue, Chapter 1 (Pages 1-3)
  75. ↑ Review of: Ethan Gutmann, “The Slaughter: Mass Killings, Organ Harvesting and China’s Secret Solution to Its Dissident Problem”, (Prometheus Books, 2014).
  76. ↑ Lee, Sunny (May 12, 2007). "God forbid, religion in North Korea?" Asia Times Online. Archived at Internet Archive on May 21, 2013.
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  78. ↑ Repressive, atheist North Korea has a surprising relationship with Christian missionaries
  79. ↑ Multiple references:
  80. ↑ General atheism/agnostic terms - World
  81. ↑ Who is Not Afraid of Richard Dawkins? Using Google Trends to Assess the Reach of Influential Atheists across Canadian Secular Groups by Maryam Dilmaghani, Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses, First Published December 13, 2019 Research Article https://doi.org/10.1177/0008429819854353
  82. ↑ 7 facts about atheists, Pew Forum
  83. ↑ EU Failures Fuel Rise of Right-Wing Populist Parties in Europe. Sputnik News, 2016
  84. ↑ From the book The Commissar Vanishes: The Falsification of Photographs and Art in Stalin's Russia by David King
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  86. ↑ Multiple references:
  87. ↑ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?
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  89. ↑ Who created God by Don Batten
  90. ↑ Harr, Ken and Lisle, Dr. Jason (August 9, 2007). "Chapter 1: Is there really a God?" The New Answers Book. Answers in Genesis.
  91. ↑ 91.0 91.1 Pushing the Antithesis on Greg Bahnsen
  92. ↑ Bahsen at the Stein debate by John Frame
  93. ↑ 93.0 93.1 Ross, Tim (May 14, 2011). "Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God". The Daily Telegraph website. Retrieved July 25, 2014. See Daily Telegraph
  94. ↑ "A brief biography of Greg Bahnsen" (2003). Applied Presuppositionalism website. Retrieved from January 2, 2008 archive at Internet Archive on May 14, 2015.
  95. ↑ Open Questions: Diverse Thinkers Discuss God, Religion, and Faith by Luís F. Rodrigues, page 201
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  97. ↑ "I am so, so tired of hearing about atheist scandals and scumbaggery." - Twitter post
  98. ↑
  99. ↑ Dr. Phil Fernandez, Web article: Refuting Moral relativism, Institute for Bible Defense (Web article is no longer online. Pages 120-121 of the book God, Government, and the Road to Tyranny: A Christian View of Government and Morality By Phil Fernandes, Eric Purcell and Rorri Wiesinger relates the same thoughts of his former web article.[2])
  100. ↑ Gervais, Will M. (April 9, 2014). "Everything is permitted? People intuitively judge immorality as representative of atheists". PLOS ONE, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092302.
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  105. ↑ 105.0 105.1 Hutchinson, Sikivu (June 16, 2014). "Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about". Washington Post website.
  106. ↑ David Silverman Ousted as President of American Atheists, Utah Atheists, Go to the 3 minute mark in the video
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  108. ↑ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen, Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010
  109. ↑ 109.0 109.1 Ellison, C. G., Trinitapoli, J. A., et al. (November 2007). "Race/ethnicity, religious involvement, and domestic violence" [abstract with link to full article]. Violence Against Women, doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1094-1112. Abstract from PubMed.gov
  110. ↑ Multiple references:
    • Flynt writes, "I have left my religious conversion behind and settled into a comfortable state of atheism": see the epilogue of Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast.
    • "I am not saying he don't believe in God. I am just saying I don't believe in God. That puts me at odds with him." "Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell" [transcript] (January 10, 1996). Larry King Live. Transcript from CNN.com on October 3, 2014.
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    • Gottesdiener, Laura (February 23, 2010). "10 celebs you didn't know were atheists". Salon.
    • Flynt writes, "I have left my religious conversion behind and settled into a comfortable state of atheism": see the epilogue of Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast.
    • "I am not saying he don't believe in God. I am just saying I don't believe in God. That puts me at odds with him." "Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell" [transcript] (January 10, 1996). Larry King Live. Transcript from CNN.com
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    • Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast, pp. 170–171.
    • "Larry Flynt". One News Page.
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  132. ↑ Why Do You Believe in God? Relationships between Religious Belief, Analytic Thinking, Mentalizing and Moral Concern by Anthony Ian Jack , Jared Parker Friedman, Richard Eleftherios Boyatzis, Scott Nolan Taylor, Plus One, March 23, 2016
  133. ↑ Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in everyday life: results from a large community survey by Scott O. Lilienfeld, Robert D. Latzman, Ashley L. Watts, Sarah F. Smith, and Kevin Dutton, Frontiers of Psychology, 2014
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  144. ↑ 144.0 144.1 Multiple references:
  145. ↑ Multiple references:
  146. ↑ Multiple references:
  147. ↑ 147.0 147.1 *C.S. Lewis' argument from reason
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  149. ↑ Multiple references:
  150. ↑ Multiple references:
    • Banerjee, Konika and Bloom, Paul (October 17, 2014). "Does everything happen for a reason?" The New York Times website
    • Catchpoole, David (July 16, 2009 [GMT+10]). "Children see the world as designed". Creation.com. See Creation Ministries International.
    • Atheist Jean-Paul Sartre made the candid confession: "As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I often think rather in this way, for want of being able to think otherwise." Source: Turner, Dean (1991). Escape from God: The Use of Religion and Philosophy to Evade Responsibility (Pasadena, California: Hope Publishing House), p. 109. GoogleBooks archive.
    • The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy declares about the agnostic/weak atheist Charles Darwin: "In 1885, the Duke of Argyll recounted a conversation he had had with Charles Darwin the year before Darwin's death: 'In the course of that conversation I said to Mr. Darwin, with reference to some of his own remarkable works on the Fertilization of Orchids, and upon The Earthworms, and various other observations he made of the wonderful contrivances for certain purposes in nature — I said it was impossible to look at these without seeing that they were the effect and the expression of Mind. I shall never forget Mr. Darwin's answer. He looked at me very hard and said, "Well, that often comes over me with overwhelming force; but at other times," and he shook his head vaguely, adding, "it seems to go away."' (Argyll 1885, 244)"
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  152. ↑ Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, In Michael Curtis (Ed.) The Great Political Theories, Vol. 2 (New York: Avon Books, 1962, PP. 261-262). Cited in, Christopher, J.R., G.G, Wittet, Modern Western Civilization. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1991, Pages 232, 233
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  154. ↑ Must the Atheist Be Omniscient? by Dr. William Lane Craig
  155. ↑ Atheist Church Split: Sunday Assembly And Godless Revival's 'Denominational Chasm', Huffington Post, 2014
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  157. ↑ Multiple references:
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  160. ↑ *Ammi, Ken (June 11, 2009). "Atheism". Creation Ministries International.
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  163. ↑ Hemingway, Molly Ziegler (September 19, 2008). "Look who's irrational now". The Wall Street Journal website.
  164. ↑ Why conservative churches are still growing
  165. ↑ Russell, Paul (February 11, 2013). "Hume on religion". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
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  168. ↑ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post, October 14, 2013
  169. ↑ Survey: 32% of Atheists & Agnostics Believe in an Afterlife, Skepticsguide.com
  170. ↑ Do people still believe in life after death?, Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture Study
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  174. ↑ Multiple references:
  175. ↑ Multiple references:
  176. ↑ Survey: 32% of Atheists & Agnostics Believe in an Afterlife
  177. ↑ 177.0 177.1 "Peter Hitchens author interview—The rage against God" [interview of Peter Hitchens] (March 22, 2010). Vimeo video, 8:38, posted by Gorilla Poet Productions.
  178. ↑ Bumbulis, Michael, Ph. D. (November 24, 1996). "Christianity and the birth of science; The evidence; Clue #1. The founders/fathers of modern science were shaped by a culture that was predominantly Christian." Lambert Dolphin's Library. Archived at Internet Archive on July 20, 2014.
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  180. ↑ Bacon, Francis (1601). The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral, of Francis Ld. Verulam Viscount St. Albans; "Of atheism". Authorama.
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  184. ↑ Origin of life by Dr. Don Batten
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  188. ↑ Emotional intelligence
  189. ↑ Divine Emotions: On the Link Between Emotional Intelligence and Religious Belief, Journal of Religion and Health, December 2017, Volume 56, Issue 6, pp 1998–2009
  190. ↑ THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WITH RELIGIOUS COPING AND GENERAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS by Masoumeh Bagheri Nesami, Amir Hossein Goudarzian, Houman Zarei, Pedram Esameili, Milad Dehghan Pour, and Hesam Mirani, Materia Sociomedica. 2015 Dec; 27(6): 412–416. doi: 10.5455/msm.2015.27.412-416
  191. ↑ Religiosity and perceived emotional intelligence among Christians, Personality and Individual Differences 41(3):479-490 · August 2006, DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2006.01.016
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  194. ↑ http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html
  195. ↑ Lonely religious people are less depressed than atheists because they see God as a friend replacement, study finds, Daily Mail, 2018
  196. ↑ Christian Philosopher Explores Causes of Atheism
  197. ↑ Health and Well-Being Among the Non-religious: Atheists, Agnostics, and No Preference Compared with Religious Group Members by Hayward RD, Krause N, Ironson G, Hill PC, Emmons R., Journal of Religion and Health, 2016 Jun;55(3):1024-1037. doi: 10.1007/s10943-015-0179-2.
  198. ↑ Religion can help improve children’s mental health, new study finds, Global News, 2018
  199. ↑ 199.0 199.1 "Data and statistics" (September 2014 or bef.). Health topics/Disease prevention/Alcohol use. World Health Organization (WHO)/Regional office for Europe
  200. ↑ The Doubled-Edged Sword of Religion and Alcoholism
  201. ↑ Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists, Christian Post, By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am
  202. ↑ Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists, Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]
  203. ↑ Multiple references:
  204. ↑ Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung [Swiss National Science Foundation] (October 3, 2013). "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists". Science Daily website/Science News.
  205. ↑ Multiple references:
    • Gammon, Katherine (March 2, 2012). "Why loneliness can be deadly". Live Science website.
    • Booth, Robert (October 12, 2014). "Number of severely lonely men over 50 set to rise to 1m in 15 years", The Guardian.
  206. ↑ RELIGIOUS PEOPLE LIVE HEALTHIER, LONGER LIVES—WHILE ATHEISTS COLLECT MUTANT GENES, Newsweek, 2017
  207. ↑ [Atheists are more likely to be left handed, study finds], The Telegraph, 2017
  208. ↑ Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
  209. ↑ 209.0 209.1 Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions
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  211. ↑ Multiple references:
  212. ↑ Eleven common traits of highly intelligent people by Shana Lebowicz, The Independent, Friday 16 December 2016 18:24
  213. ↑ Journal of Organizational Behavior, Paek, Ellen (2006). "Religiosity and perceived emotional intelligence among Christians". Personality and Individual Differences (International Society for the Study of Individual Differences) 41 (3): 479–490
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  215. ↑ Ask the Brains, Scientific American, Dec 23, 2011
  216. ↑ AAI Position Statement - Gender Balance
  217. ↑ Khan, Razib (November 18, 2010). "Gene expression; "Sex differences in global atheism, part N". Discover magazine website.
  218. ↑ 218.0 218.1 Carter, Stephen L. (March 27, 2015). "The atheism gap". BloombergView website.
  219. ↑ 219.0 219.1 Britt, Robert Roy (February 28, 2009). "Women more religious than men". Livescience.
  220. ↑ 220.0 220.1 How do atheists define love? by Dr. Taylor Marshall
  221. ↑ 221.0 221.1 What is love? how materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer, July 9, 2014
  222. ↑ The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115
  223. ↑ Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us? by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008
  224. ↑ Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun, Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri
  225. ↑ The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 114
  226. ↑ Defending Atheist Mutational Load Theory — Part 2 by Scott A. McGreal MSc., Psychology Today, June 22, 2018
  227. ↑ Most atheists are not white & other non-fairy tales, Discover magazine
  228. ↑ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live, By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey, Washington Post, May 23, 2013
  229. ↑ 229.0 229.1 Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about by Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson, Washington Post June 16, 2014
  230. ↑ Gallup: Blacks Most Religious Group in U.S.
  231. ↑ Understanding Hispanic culture
  232. ↑ http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php
  233. ↑ Christianity and culture
  234. ↑
  235. ↑
  236. ↑ Global Christianity surges beyond projections in 2024, LiCAS.news • Mar 15, 2024, Frontiers Patners Intertnational, 2024
  237. ↑ Religion: Year in Review 2010: Worldwide Adherents of All Religions. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.. Retrieved on 2013-11-21.
  238. ↑ Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050
  239. ↑ Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2023, in the Context of 1900–2050
  240. ↑ Population trends 1950 – 2100: globally and within Europe
  241. ↑ 10 projections for the global population in 2050 By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014
  242. ↑ Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists
  243. ↑ Atheists Widely Distrusted, Even Among Themselves, UK Study Finds, Christian Post, 2015
  244. ↑ 244.0 244.1 244.2 Anti-atheist distrust ‘deeply and culturally ingrained’, study finds, The Independent, 2015
  245. ↑ Edgell, Gerteis & Hartmann 2006
  246. ↑ Religion and the State in Russia and China: Suppression, Survival and Revival by Christopher Marsh, 2011, page 11 (Christopher Marsh cites the definitions of desecularization given by Peter L. Berger and Vyacheslav Karpov)
  247. ↑ Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2025, in the Context of 1900–2050
  248. ↑ Status of Global Atheism/Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050
  249. ↑ Publisher's Weekly Review of The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics by Peter L. Berger
  250. ↑ Kirkus Reviews- FIRE FROM HEAVEN: Pentecostalism, Spirituality, and the Reshaping of Religion in the Twenty-First Century by Harvey Cox
  251. ↑ Karen Armstrong, The Battle for God, p. 9
  252. ↑ How religious is the public sphere? – A critical stance on the debate about public religion and post-secularity, Draft Version, Jens Koehrsen (Köhrsen). Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology, Germany. École des hautes études en sciences socials, France. Published in: Acta Sociologica 55 (3), S. 273-288.
  253. ↑ 253.0 253.1 Atheist: A dying breed as nature favours faithful
  254. ↑ 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious, Tuesday, April 30, 2013
  255. ↑ Eric Kaufmann - Religion, Demography and Politics in the 21st Century
  256. ↑ Shall the religious inherit the earth? - Eric Kaufmann
  257. ↑ Atheists Speak Up - Eddie Tabash
  258. ↑ Shall the Religious Inherit the earth by Eric Kaufmann
  259. ↑ Nearly 50% are of no religion – but has UK hit ‘peak secular’?, The Guardian, 2017
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  261. ↑
  262. ↑ Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
  263. ↑ Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London
  264. ↑ Shall the religious inherit the earth by David Kaufmann
  265. ↑ 265.0 265.1 Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London
  266. ↑ Shall the religious inherit the earth
  267. ↑ *European immigration will pour Christian creationists into Europe
  268. ↑ More, Hannah (1815). An Essay on the Character and Practical Writings of St. Paul, 5th ed., vol. 2 (London: T. Cadell and W. Davies), p. 234.
  269. ↑ Multiple references:
  270. ↑ "Milestones [excerpt]" (October 15, 1945). Time. magazine website
  271. ↑ "Tells of religion in army. Chaplain Lawson says there are no atheists in front line" (November 25, 1918). New York Times, p. 13.
  272. ↑ Breen, Tom (April 2, 2011)."Army group 'coming out of the atheist closet'" from NBCNews.com
  273. ↑ http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/05/09/i-support-the-freedom-from-atheism-foundation/
  274. ↑ http://www.christianpost.com/news/freedom-from-religion-how-about-freedom-from-atheism-119389/
  275. ↑ 275.0 275.1 "Smoking gun proof that there is an atheist media bias" (July 17, 2008). YouTube video, 2:56, posted by Atheism Sucks!
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