Growth of global desecularization

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. In addition, Kaufmann argues that religious conservatism has a long term trend of rising and that their influence in the world will significantly increase. Kaufmann is author of the book Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?. 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."

Kaufmann told a secular audience in Australia: "The trends that are happening worldwide inevitably in an age of globalization are going to affect us." 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. In 2010 it was reported that the rate of secularisation flattened to zero in most of Protestant Europe and France. In terms of the English speaking world, Google trend data as of August 2013 indicates that the world's interest in atheism and evolutionism has declined since 2004 while interest in God has increased.

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." 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."

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.

For more information please see the article: Atheist population

Decline of American 1990s secularism

For more information please see:

• American atheism

• Decline of American 1990s secularism

• Demographics and the expected decline of American secularism

Prominent atheism websites loss of global market share

The article 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

During the period of 2008 to 2012, the atheist community made a concerted effort to spread atheism through 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.

Reddit atheism, also known as r/atheism, is one of the largest internet groups of atheists. Mashable reported that Reddit atheism recently grew to 2 million members so it may very well be the largest online community of atheists.

A June 14, 2013 Mashable article declared:

“

In recent years, r/atheism has become known for memes, images, quote pictures and other content viewed by some as "low brow."

”

For more information please see: Reddit atheism

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 agnostic/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.

For more information please see:

• Internet atheism

• Internet atheism - post 2007 market share loss

• Global atheism

• Decline of atheism

• Atheistic bullying

Question evolution! campaign

See also: Question evolution! campaign and Atheist Population

The Question evolution! campaign by Creation Ministries International is a worldwide campaign which poses 15 questions that evolutionists cannot satisfactorily answer. The 15 questions posed to evolutionists can be found HERE

As noted above, since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the theory of evolution which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists. In 2011, a campaign called the Question evolution! campaign was launched by the biblical creation organization Creation Ministries International which is a worldwide "grass-roots movement to challenge the anti-Christian dogma of evolution".

The focus of the Question evolution! campaign is on 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.

Atheist infighting and factions

See also: Atheist factions

As noted above, another factor contributing to the decline of global atheism is the lack of unity and the significant amount of infighting in the atheist community. For more information please see: Atheist factions

Lack of sound leadership

See also: Atheism and leadership

The leadership status of prominent atheists/agnostics in the secular community at this present juncture is increasingly transient due to atheist infighting, the significant amount of unpleasant personalities within the atheist population, the New Atheism failing, the decline of liberal media market share, a loss of confidence within the atheist community, the decline of global atheism and the secularization rate being zero in former areas of influence such as Protestant Europe and France (see: Decline of atheism and Atheist factions). A recent example of this is Richard Dawkins' loss of influence in the atheist community post subsequent to the Elevatorgate controversy (see: Richard Dawkins' loss of influence). Another example of this is Paul Kurtz, the father of secular humanism, who left no legacy.

The British academic and agnostic Eric Kaufmann recently wrote, "Worldwide, the march of religion can probably only be reversed by a renewed, self-aware secularism. Today, it appears exhausted and lacking in confidence."

Communist China has the world's largest atheist population and China's atheist leaders are panicking about the explosive growth of Christianity in their country.

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 decline of atheism and agnosticism.

See:

• Atheism is rudderless and unseaworthy

• Evolutionists, atheists and agnostics: Where is your master plan to reverse your global decline?

• Thoughtful and effective Christian evangelism vs. inept atheism evangelism