Changes

However, even WIN/Gallup International now agrees that atheism is shrinking in terms of its global percentage of adherents (see: [[WIN/Gallup International studies on global atheism and religion]]).

However, even WIN/Gallup International now agrees that atheism is shrinking in terms of its global percentage of adherents (see: [[WIN/Gallup International studies on global atheism and religion]]).

Are there figures to back this up? Actually, no. Indeed, a close examination of empirical data about world-views tells a story that is different in almost every way—and especially in regard to humanity’s next chapter.

The website Science 2.0 declared on July 14, 2015:

{{Cquote|Atheism as a belief system has peaked and its share of humanity is shrinking, demographic studies indicate. Win/Gallup’s 2012 global poll on religion and atheism put atheists at 13%, while its 2015 poll saw that category fall to 11%. Other figures suggest the changes have deep, broad roots.  

Atheism as a belief system has peaked and its share of humanity is shrinking, demographic studies indicate. Win/Gallup’s 2012 global poll on religion and atheism put atheists at 13%, while its 2015 poll saw that category fall to 11%. Other figures suggest the changes have deep, broad roots.<ref>[http://www.science20.com/writer_on_the_edge/blog/atheism_peaks_while_spiritual_groups_move_toward_convergence-156528 Atheism Peaks, While Spiritual Groups Move Toward Convergence] by By Nury Vittachi | July 13th 2015 09:31 PM, Science 2.0 website</ref>}}

First, a community’s possession of atheistic world-views—for whatever reason—correlates with low or negative birth rates. The most significant examples are East Asian and European countries, which are at “below replacement” rates of birth, shrinking at speed.

 

Second, [[Atheist state|“forced” atheism]] has been disappearing steadily over the past 40 years and we see a corresponding surge of people towards spiritual clusters. In percentage terms, 1970 may be considered the high point for global atheism and agnosticism. As communism weakened, and eventually collapsed in 1989, there was a significant resurgence of religious belief (see chart below). The same thing is now happening in China.

 

Third, the surge of popularity for a novel type of “evangelical atheism” which began about a decade ago appears to be losing some of its steam. The movement’s celebrity leaders have fallen out of the bestseller lists, and are often now criticized by their former cheerleaders in newspaper columns. After a high-publicity start in 2013, Sunday Assemblies have plummeted out of the limelight and growth has been glacial.

 

 

..the view that atheism will sweep the globe to produce a non-believing utopia is extremely unlikely. The shrinking of the skeptical share of humanity is inevitable, as Welsh geneticist Steve Jones has stated.  

 

..the data suggests that the global proportion of atheists will fall, while the number of pro-spiritual, pro-science middle group will grow.<ref>[http://www.science20.com/writer_on_the_edge/blog/atheism_peaks_while_spiritual_groups_move_toward_convergence-156528 Atheism Peaks, While Spiritual Groups Move Toward Convergence] by Nury Vittachi, July 14, 2015, website Science 2.0</ref>}}

== Atheism vs. Christian revival ==

== Atheism vs. Christian revival ==