Difference between revisions of "Irreligion and superstition"

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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>]]
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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 name="online.wsj.com">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>]]
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In September of 2008, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported:
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In September 2008, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported:
 
{{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.
 
{{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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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 Look Who's Irrational Now] by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway,'' Wall Street Journal'', September 19, 2008</ref>}}
 
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 Look Who's Irrational Now] by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway,'' Wall Street Journal'', September 19, 2008</ref>}}
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[[Image:Torii-gate.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most frequently found at the entrance of or within a [[Shinto]] shrine.
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In 2015, Rodney Stark wrote in his book ''The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever'' about [[secular Europe]]an countries: "35 percent of the French believe in astrology, 35 percent of the Swiss agree that 'some fortune tellers really can foretell the future'..."<ref name="ReferenceA">''The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever'' by Rodney Stark, Introduction section of the book</ref>
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Nearly everyone in atheistic Japan is careful to have a new car blessed by a Shinto priest.<ref>''The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever'' by Rodney Stark, Introduction section of the book</ref>]]
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In 2015, Rodney Stark wrote in his book ''The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever'' about [[secular Europe|secular European]] countries and [[Atheism|atheistic]] [[Japan]]:
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{{cquote|35 percent of the French believe in astrology, 35 percent of the Swiss agree that 'some fortune tellers really can foretell the future'; and nearly everyone in Japan is careful to have a new car blessed by a [[Shinto]] priest.<ref>''The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever'' by Rodney Stark, Introduction section of the book</ref>}}
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See also:
 
See also:
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*[[Atheism and science]]
  
 
*[[Atheism and irrationality]]
 
*[[Atheism and irrationality]]
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*[[Atheism and logic]]
 
*[[Atheism and logic]]
 
{{clear}}
 
{{clear}}
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== Atheists with a sociopathic personality structure and the occult ==
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and sociopathy]] and [[Atheism and satanic deception]] and [[Atheism and the supernatural]] and [[Atheism and life after death]]
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A very prevalent view of the occult is that it is Satanic (see also: [[Atheism and satanic deception]]).
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The journal article ''Atheism and the occult'' published in the ''Journal of Social Sciences'' indicated:
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{{Cquote|Atheists with a [[sociopathy|sociopathic]] personality structure have a greater degree of predisposition to express different forms of occult practice. The results of canonical discriminant analysis have shown that occultist syndrome in atheists is a component of a kind of sociopathic aggression whose latent structure is defined by materialistic-hedonistic orientation, impulsive aggression and asocial aggression in the positive direction, and altruism in the negative direction. Atheists with a sociopathic personality structure have a greater degree of predisposition to express different forms of occult practice.
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(Google translated version of the journal article).<ref>[https://www.bib.irb.hr/410284?rad=410284 Atheism and the occult], Journal of Social Sciences, 32 (2008), 2; 357-366]</ref>}}
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For more information, please see: [[Atheism and sociopathy]]
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== East Asia, atheism, superstition and irrationality ==
 
== East Asia, atheism, superstition and irrationality ==
  
 
''See also:'' [[Asian atheism]]
 
''See also:'' [[Asian atheism]]
 
[[File:Uyr6.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Illustration of [[Confucius]] ]]
 
[[File:Uyr6.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Illustration of [[Confucius]] ]]
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The current [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] mostly resides in East [[Asia]] (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia among whites.<ref>[http://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: [[Asian atheism]] and [[Secular Europe]] and [[Western atheism and race]]
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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: [[Asian atheism]] and [[Secular Europe]] and [[Western atheism and race]]
  
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''Discover Magazines'' declares:
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Razib Khanm wrote at ''Discover Magazine'':
 
{{Cquote|...the most secular nations in the world are those of East Asia, in particular what are often termed “[[Confucius|Confucian]] societies.” It is likely therefore that the majority of the world’s atheists are actually East Asian...
 
{{Cquote|...the most secular nations in the world are those of East Asia, in particular what are often termed “[[Confucius|Confucian]] societies.” It is likely therefore that the majority of the world’s atheists are actually East Asian...
  
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This is not to say that East Asia is necessarily a haven for a critical rationalist perspective, what with the prominence of Chinese medicine, [[Geomancy|geomancy]], Korean [[shamanism]]...<ref>[http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/11/most-atheists-are-not-white/ Most atheists are not white & other non-fairy tales] By Razib Khanm, Discover Magazine</ref>}}
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This is not to say that East Asia is necessarily a haven for a [[Critical rationalism|critical rationalist]] perspective, what with the prominence of [[Traditional Chinese medicine|Chinese medicine]], [[geomancy]], Korean [[shamanism]]...<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] By Razib Khanm, Discover Magazine</ref>}}
  
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== Irreligion, evolutionary belief, UFOlogy and other pseudoscience ==
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See also: [[Atheism and medicine]]
  
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''See also:'' [[Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality]]
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== Irreligion, evolutionary belief, other pseudoscience, UFOlogy and the occult ==
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and the occult]] and [[Atheism and aliens]] and [[Atheism and the occult]] and [[Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality]]  
  
 
[[File:Carl Sagan.JPG|left|150px|thumbnail|[[Carl Sagan]] ]]
 
[[File:Carl Sagan.JPG|left|150px|thumbnail|[[Carl Sagan]] ]]
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The notions of [[extraterrestrial life]] and [[UFO|UFOlogy]] are fast growing [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] [[religion]]s which are perpetuated and/or substantially aided by the ideologies of [[evolution|evolutionists]], [[atheism|atheists]], [[liberal]]s and other promoters of quackery.<ref>http://creation.com/ufology-scientific-religion</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>
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The notions of [[extraterrestrial life]] and [[UFO]]logy are fast growing [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] [[religion]]s which are perpetuated and/or substantially aided by the ideologies of [[evolution]]ists, [[atheism|atheists]], [[liberal]]s and other promoters of quackery.<ref name="online.wsj.com"/><ref>https://creation.com/ufology-scientific-religion</ref> However, the ideologies of [[extraterrestrial life]], [[UFO]]logy, [[exobiology]], [[evolution]] and [[Origin of Life|abiogenesis]] are anti-[[Bible|biblical]] ideas which are not supported by sound [[science]].<ref>https://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets</ref><ref>https://creation.com/origin-of-life-questions-and-answers</ref>
  
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The [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and [[liberal]] [[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.<ref>http://cosmologytalk.tribe.net/thread/7e25b81c-2529-44c6-b388-f926c2475e6a</ref>   
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The [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and [[liberal]] [[Carl Sagan]], an avid smoker of [[marijuana]] who claimed that marijuana gave him scientific insights, was a prominent peddler of extraterrestrial life, evolution and other pseudoscientific nonsense.<ref>http://cosmologytalk.tribe.net/thread/7e25b81c-2529-44c6-b388-f926c2475e6a</ref>   
  
 
=== Irreligious/atheistic France and the Soviet Union and UFOlogy ===
 
=== Irreligious/atheistic France and the Soviet Union and UFOlogy ===
  
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[[Astronomy|Astronomer]] Dr. [[Hugh Ross]] indicates that ninety-nine percent of what people have told him were [[UFO]]s, experienced astronomers can identify as a [[star]], cluster, or other object in the night sky. The 1 percent of sightings, which he calls residual UFOs, have attracted his attention. <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 Dr. Ross very few astronomers have seen "residual UFOs".<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>  
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[[Astronomy|Astronomer]] Dr. [[Hugh Ross]] indicates that ninety-nine percent of what people have told him were [[UFO]]s, experienced astronomers can identify as a [[star]], cluster, or other object in the night sky. The 1 percent of sightings, which he calls residual UFOs, have attracted his attention.<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 Dr. Ross very few astronomers have seen "residual UFOs".<ref name="Blade"/>  
  
 
The following ''Toledo Blade'' newspaper excerpt<ref name=Blade/> summarizes Dr. Ross's findings:
 
The following ''Toledo Blade'' newspaper excerpt<ref name=Blade/> summarizes Dr. Ross's findings:
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*[http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/lifemars.html Are We Alone in the Universe?]
 
*[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.creation.com/content/view/2995/ Alien Life/UFO Questions and Answers UFO Questions and Answers]
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*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/alien.asp Alien Life/UFO Questions and Answers UFO Questions and Answers]</ref> Gary Bates of [[Creation Ministries International]] wrote a book entitled ''Alien Intrusion'' which gives a biblical Christian perspective on the unscientific notions of extraterrestial life and UFUlogy.<ref>http://www.alienintrusion.com/main.html</ref>
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*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/alien.asp Alien Life/UFO Questions and Answers UFO Questions and Answers]</ref> Gary Bates of [[Creation Ministries International]] wrote a book entitled ''Alien Intrusion'' which gives a biblical Christian perspective on the unscientific notions of extraterrestrial life and UFUlogy.<ref>http://www.alienintrusion.com/main.html</ref>
  
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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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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]]ic 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.}}
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Prominent UFO researcher John Keel concurred. After surveying the literature on [[demonology]] Keel declared: "The manifestations and occurrences described in this imposing literature are similar if not entirely identical to the UFO phenomenon itself."<ref name=Gleghorn/>
  
 
== Ben Stein Interview with the evolutionist Richard Dawkins ==
 
== Ben Stein Interview with the evolutionist Richard Dawkins ==
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''See also:'' [[Ben Stein Interview with Richard Dawkins]] and [[Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience]]
 
''See also:'' [[Ben Stein Interview with Richard Dawkins]] and [[Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience]]
  
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In the movie [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]], [[Ben Stein]] demonstrated the folly of [[evolutionism]] in his interview with [[Richard Dawkins]] ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtV22JPjmsk A clip of the interview has been uploaded to YouTube] ).
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In the movie [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]], [[Ben Stein]] demonstrated the folly of [[evolutionism]] in his interview with [[Richard Dawkins]] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtV22JPjmsk A clip of the interview has been uploaded to YouTube] ).
  
 
The [[Discovery Institute]] provides an transcript of part of the interview along with some commentary:
 
The [[Discovery Institute]] provides an transcript of part of the interview along with some commentary:
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Richard Dawkins and Rael; "clear thinking" kindred spirits!
 
Richard Dawkins and Rael; "clear thinking" kindred spirits!
 
<ref>http://www.discovery.org/a/4589</ref>}}
 
<ref>http://www.discovery.org/a/4589</ref>}}
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== Notable evolutionists/atheists, irrational thinking and health practices ==
 
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''See also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Atheism and health]]
 
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[[File:PzMyers2.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|[[PZ Myers]]
 
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<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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According to the [[Gallup poll|Gallup Inc.]], "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>  See: [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Atheism and health]]
 
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In the [[United States]], the greater the degree of irreligiosity in a generation, the higher their [[obesity]] rate is. See: [[Generation X, irreligion and obesity]] and [[Millennials, irreligion and obesity]] and [[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]
 
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Obesity is positively associated with impulsiveness, lower [[self-control|self-discipline]] and [[neuroticism]].<ref>
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18549987]
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19433123]
 
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*[http://www.wellspringcamps.com/obesity_research.html]</ref> In addition, many people overeat in response to negative [[emotion]]s such as [[depression]], [[anger]], [[anxiety]] and boredom.<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21174323 Emotion and eating in binge eating disorder and obesity],'' European Eating Disorders Review''. 2011 Sep-Oct;19(5):426-37. doi: 10.1002/erv.1066. Epub 2010 Dec 20. Zeeck A1, Stelzer N, Linster HW, Joos A, Hartmann A.
 
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*[http://www.obesitypsychiatry.com/id2.html What does food mean to you?], Obesitypsychiatry.com
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17262813 Validation of the emotional eating scale adapted for use in children and adolescents (EES-C)], ''International Journal of Eating Disorders.'' 2007 Apr;40(3):232-40. Tanofsky-Kraff M1, Theim KR, Yanovski SZ, Bassett AM, Burns NP, Ranzenhofer LM, Glasofer DR, Yanovski JA</ref>
 
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A 2009 picture of a significantly overweight [[PZ Myers]] can be found [http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfimi/5244769742/ HERE]. A 2010 picture taken in Australia shows PZ Myers drinking ale/beer and he had excess weight in his abdominal area.<ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/reuvenim/4426093513/</ref> In 2010, PZ Myers had health problems related to his heart.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/08/thats_not_a_heart_its_a_flaili.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+scienceblogs%2Fpharyngula+%28Pharyngula%29&utm_content=Google+Reader</ref> In addition, [[medical science]] research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.<ref>http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/41/18/25.1.full</ref><ref>http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/25/as-waistlines-widen-brains-shrink.html</ref> Given PZ Myers' biological training and the wide dissemination of the [[Physical and mental health related problems associated with obesity|harmful health effects of being overweight]] in terms of cardiovascular health and brain function, it is unfortunate that preventative medicine was not used in greater measure in terms of his health.<ref>http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/41/18/25.1.full</ref><ref>http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/25/as-waistlines-widen-brains-shrink.html</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21121834</ref>  PZ Myers' inattention to diligently implementing the recommendations of [[medical science]] is not entirely surprising given his vehement advocacy of evolutionary [[pseudoscience]].
 
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[[Hippocrates]], who was also against [[abortion]], was an early advocate of the health benefits of [[exercise]] and [[nutrition]].<ref>http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/pe/exs190web/exs190history.htm</ref> On the other hand, PZ Myers and a significant amount of other [[New Atheism|New Atheism]] leaders, seem to lack a full appreciation of the importance of nutritional science, [[exercise science]] and the latest findings of [[medical science]] (see: [[New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight]]).
 
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In August 2009, PZ Myers led a group of over 300 atheist and agnostic students on a tour of the [[Creation Museum]].<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=8280168 "Creation Museum: Is This How World Began?" (ABC News)]</ref> During the visit, Myers had noticeably greater difficulty than others climbing on and off a dinosaur model due to the fact that he was overweight and out of shape.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQl2TMrgbM VIDEO]
 
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There have been a [[Evolutionists who have had problems with being overweight and/or obese|number of notable evolutionists who have been overweight]]. In addition, as noted earlier, since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been [[Atheism|atheists]].<ref>
 
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* Dr. Don Batten, [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
 
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* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
 
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</ref> 
 
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For a list of overweight and/or [[obese]] notable atheists please see: [[Atheism and obesity]]
 
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=== Physical and mental health related problems associated with obesity ===
 
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Some of the medical conditions associated with [[obesity]] include: type 2 [[diabetes]], [[high blood pressure]], high [[cholesterol]] and [[triglyceride]]s, coronary artery disease (CAD), [[stroke]], [[arthritis]], [[cancer]], sleep apnea, [[reproduction|reproductive problems]] in women and varicose veins.<ref>
 
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*[http://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/obesity-health-risks-of-obesity]
 
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*[http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences.htm]
 
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*[http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity]
 
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*[http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/vascularSurgery/patientEducation/varicose.html]</ref>  In addition, [[medical science]] research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.<ref>
 
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*[http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/41/18/25.1.full]
 
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*[http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/25/as-waistlines-widen-brains-shrink.html]
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850]
 
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*[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100714112832.htm]
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2568718/]</ref>
 
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[[Image:Cerebellum.png|right|thumb|200px|[[Medical science]] research indicates that excess weight impairs brain function.<ref>
 
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*[http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/41/18/25.1.full]
 
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*[http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2009/08/25/as-waistlines-widen-brains-shrink.html]
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21167850]
 
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*[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100714112832.htm]
 
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2568718/]</ref>]]
 
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According to the Mayo Clinic some of the symptoms associated with obesity can include:
 
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{{cquote|
 
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* Difficulty sleeping
 
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* Snoring
 
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* Sleep apnea
 
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* Pain in your back or joints
 
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* Excessive sweating
 
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* Always feeling hot
 
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* Rashes or infection in folds of your skin
 
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* Feeling out of breath with minor exertion
 
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* Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
 
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* Depression<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obesity/DS00314/DSECTION=symptoms</ref>}}
 
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Concerning the issue of depression, [[Atheism and suicide|atheists do have higher rates of suicide than the general population.]]
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
  
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*[[Atheism and gullibility]]
 
*[[Atheism and the supernatural]]
 
*[[Atheism and the supernatural]]
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*[[Atheism and astrology]]
 
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*[[Atheist cults]]
 
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'''Comedy and Satire:'''
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== External links ==
  
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*[[Essay: Proof and evidence that atheism is true|Proof and evidence that atheism is true]]
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*[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2017/jan/25/atheists-youre-not-as-rational-as-you-think-video Atheists: you're not as rational as you think] – video, ''The Guardian''
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*[[Essay: Atheism is a clown and it did not know it|Atheism is a clown and it did not know it]]
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*[[Essay: Atheist restaurant|Atheist restaurant]]
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*[[Essay: This year's best atheist debaters|This year's best atheist debaters]]
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*[[Essay: As always, there is more work to be done|As always, there is more work to be done]]
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*[[Essay: You obviously don't understand how science works|You obviously don't understand how science works....]]
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*[[Essay: The overwhelming proof and evidence for evolution|The overwhelming proof and evidence for evolution]]
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*[[Essay: Does Richard Dawkins have machismo?|Does Richard Dawkins have machismo?]]
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*[[Essay: Are atheists smarter than the average bear?|Are atheists smarter than the average bear?]]
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*[[Comedy and satires concerning atheism and evolution]] (large collection of comedy/satire concerning atheism and evolution)
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== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
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Revision as of 03:24, February 3, 2020

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."[1]

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....

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.[2]

”

In 2015, Rodney Stark wrote in his book The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever about secular European countries: "35 percent of the French believe in astrology, 35 percent of the Swiss agree that 'some fortune tellers really can foretell the future'..."[3]

See also:

Atheists with a sociopathic personality structure and the occult

See also: Atheism and sociopathy and Atheism and satanic deception and Atheism and the supernatural and Atheism and life after death

A very prevalent view of the occult is that it is Satanic (see also: Atheism and satanic deception).

The journal article Atheism and the occult published in the Journal of Social Sciences indicated:

“ Atheists with a sociopathic personality structure have a greater degree of predisposition to express different forms of occult practice. The results of canonical discriminant analysis have shown that occultist syndrome in atheists is a component of a kind of sociopathic aggression whose latent structure is defined by materialistic-hedonistic orientation, impulsive aggression and asocial aggression in the positive direction, and altruism in the negative direction. Atheists with a sociopathic personality structure have a greater degree of predisposition to express different forms of occult practice.

(Google translated version of the journal article).[4]

”

For more information, please see: Atheism and sociopathy

East Asia, atheism, superstition and irrationality

See also: Asian atheism

Illustration of Confucius

The current atheist population mostly resides in East Asia (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia among whites.[5] See: Asian atheism and Secular Europe and Western atheism and race

Razib Khanm wrote at Discover Magazine:

“ ...the most secular nations in the world are those of 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...

This is not to say that East Asia is necessarily a haven for a critical rationalist perspective, what with the prominence of Chinese medicine, geomancy, Korean shamanism...[6]

”

See also: Atheism and medicine

Irreligion, evolutionary belief, other pseudoscience, UFOlogy and the occult

See also: Atheism and the occult and Atheism and aliens and Atheism and the occult and Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality

Carl Sagan

The notions of extraterrestrial life and UFOlogy are fast growing pseudoscientific religions which are perpetuated and/or substantially aided by the ideologies of evolutionists, atheists, liberals and other promoters of quackery.[1][7] However, the ideologies of extraterrestrial life, UFOlogy, exobiology, evolution and abiogenesis are anti-biblical ideas which are not supported by sound science.[8][9]

The agnostic and liberal Carl Sagan, an avid smoker of marijuana who claimed that marijuana gave him scientific insights, was a prominent peddler of extraterrestrial life, evolution and other pseudoscientific nonsense.[10]

Irreligious/atheistic France and the Soviet Union and UFOlogy

Astronomer Dr. Hugh Ross indicates that ninety-nine percent of what people have told him were UFOs, experienced astronomers can identify as a star, cluster, or other object in the night sky. The 1 percent of sightings, which he calls residual UFOs, have attracted his attention.[11] According to Dr. Ross very few astronomers have seen "residual UFOs".[11]

The following Toledo Blade newspaper excerpt[11] summarizes Dr. Ross's findings:

“ In 1969, however, Dr. Ross met two astronomers who were having regular UFO encounters. Both also happened to be involved in occult activity.

Upon investigation, Dr. Ross consistently found a connection between occult involvement and residual UFO encounters. For example, he said, 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.

”

Christian and Library of Congress researcher's explanations for reports of UFOs

See also: Christianity and UFOs and Atheism and satanic deception

The fall of Lucifer by Gustave Doré.

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.[12] Gary Bates of Creation Ministries International wrote a book entitled Alien Intrusion which gives a biblical Christian perspective on the unscientific notions of extraterrestrial life and UFUlogy.[13]

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:

“ 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 demonic possession and psychic phenomenon which have long been known to theologians and parapsychologists.[14][15] ”

Prominent UFO researcher John Keel concurred. After surveying the literature on demonology Keel declared: "The manifestations and occurrences described in this imposing literature are similar if not entirely identical to the UFO phenomenon itself."[15]

Ben Stein Interview with the evolutionist Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins

See also: Ben Stein Interview with Richard Dawkins and Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience

In the movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, Ben Stein demonstrated the folly of evolutionism in his interview with Richard Dawkins (A clip of the interview has been uploaded to YouTube ).

The Discovery Institute provides an transcript of part of the interview along with some commentary:

“ BEN STEIN: "What do you think is the possibility that Intelligent Design might turn out to be the answer to some issues in genetics or in evolution?"

DAWKINS: "Well, it could come about in the following way. It could be that at some earlier time, somewhere in the universe, a civilization evolved, probably by some kind of Darwinian means, probably to a very high level of technology, and designed a form of life that they seeded onto perhaps this planet. Now, um, now that is a possibility, and an intriguing possibility. And I suppose it's possible that you might find evidence for that if you look at the details of biochemistry, molecular biology, you might find a signature of some sort of designer."


Ho,ho! That is precisely what the Raelians say:

Years ago, everybody knew that the earth was flat. Everybody knew that the sun revolved around the earth. Today, everybody knows that life on earth is either the result of random evolution or the work of a supernatural God. Or is it? In "Message from the Designers", Rael presents us with a third option: that all life on earth was created by advanced scientists from another world.

Richard Dawkins and Rael; "clear thinking" kindred spirits! [16]

”

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html
  2. ↑ Look Who's Irrational Now by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway, Wall Street Journal, September 19, 2008
  3. ↑ The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever by Rodney Stark, Introduction section of the book
  4. ↑ Atheism and the occult, Journal of Social Sciences, 32 (2008), 2; 357-366]
  5. ↑ A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live, By Max Fisher and Caitlin Dewey, Washington Post, May 23, 2013
  6. ↑ Most atheists are not white & other non-fairy tales By Razib Khanm, Discover Magazine
  7. ↑ https://creation.com/ufology-scientific-religion
  8. ↑ https://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets
  9. ↑ https://creation.com/origin-of-life-questions-and-answers
  10. ↑ http://cosmologytalk.tribe.net/thread/7e25b81c-2529-44c6-b388-f926c2475e6a
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Tarjanyi, Judy. "Astronomer links UFOs to Occultism." The Toledo Blade, January 4, 2003. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ http://www.alienintrusion.com/main.html
  14. ↑ Authors unknown. "A UFO 2nd Coming." Let Us Reason Ministries, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Gleghorn, Michael. "UFO's and Alien Beings." Probe Ministries. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  16. ↑ http://www.discovery.org/a/4589
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