Changes

14. '''Division in religion''': According to [[Francis Bacon]], atheism is caused by "divisions in religion, if they be many; for any one main division addeth zeal to both sides, but many divisions introduce atheism."  <ref>http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/ofatheism.html</ref>

14. '''Division in religion''': According to [[Francis Bacon]], atheism is caused by "divisions in religion, if they be many; for any one main division addeth zeal to both sides, but many divisions introduce atheism."  <ref>http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/ofatheism.html</ref>

15. '''Learned times, peace, and prosperity''': Francis Bacon argued that atheism was partly caused by "Learned times, specially with peace and prosperity; for troubles and adversities do more bow men’s minds to religion."<ref>http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/ofatheism.html</ref>   

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>

 

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>http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/ofatheism.html</ref>   

[[Judaism|Jewish]] columnist [[Dennis Prager]] has stated that one of the causes 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 [[communism|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 [[Christianity|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>   

[[Judaism|Jewish]] columnist [[Dennis Prager]] has stated that one of the causes 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 [[communism|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 [[Christianity|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>   

[[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Gustave Doré's depiction of [[Satan]] from [[John Milton]]'s Paradise Lost. See: [[Atheism and deception]] and [[Atheism and satanic deception]] ]]

[[Image:GustaveDoreParadiseLostSatanProfile.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Gustave Doré's depiction of [[Satan]] from [[John Milton]]'s Paradise Lost. See: [[Atheism and deception]] and [[Atheism and satanic deception]] ]]

16. '''Negative experiences with [[theism|theists]].'''

17. '''Negative experiences with [[theism|theists]].'''

17. '''[[Scientism]]:''' ''Science has in many ways become a new god''. <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/skepticsweb/psychology.htm Why Atheism?]</ref>

18. '''[[Scientism]]:''' ''Science has in many ways become a new god''. <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/skepticsweb/psychology.htm Why Atheism?]</ref>

==See Also==

==See Also==