Difference between revisions of "Talk:Atheism and women"

Revision as of 21:20, July 10, 2012

I think this entire article is analytically questionable. At a minimum, more and better research is necessary to support its thesis with a straight face.

Have there been any actual peer-reviewed studies looking at whether women find atheism an unappealing characteristic in a man? Certainly many devout women would have a problem with it - I am not questioning that - but there are also female atheists in the world, as well as agnostics who likely wouldn't be too troubled by a partner's atheism. All this article seems to cite is a study showing that fewer women are active in atheist organizations. While this might mean there are fewer female atheists, it might also be that female atheists are merely less likely to participate in such organizations, or to traffic such websites. In other words, there is no way to know if there are more male atheists than female atheists based on the evidence presented here, and/or whether male atheists experience significant romantic difficulties arising out of or relating to their atheism. When one considers that many religious people experience difficulty relating to finding a mate who shares their specific religious beliefs (consider the Jew living in a predominantly Catholic city, for instance, or an evangelical Christian living in the heavily Mormon Utah...or anyone living in one of the very diverse major cities), it may be that atheists experience no added level of difficulty at all. I do not think that the conclusion this section of the article attempts to draw is truly supported by the evidence cited therein.

Similarly, have there been any studies showing a correlation between atheism and Asperger's? If so, which way does the correlation run? E.g., are atheists significantly more likely to have Asperger's than the general population, or is it that people with Asperger's are more likely to be atheists? Correlation, after all, does not imply causation. Or is the author (and/or the quoted Vox Day) assuming a link exists because he (she?) personally finds atheists (at least the ones inclined to discuss their atheism in public fora) unpleasant and difficult to deal with? There are different types of socially awkward behavior associated with a variety of psychological profiles. Without further evidence than the author's personal viewpoint (experimental data perhaps), the Vox Day quote is basically just an opinion, with little information about the data from which the opinion was formed. Fine for an editorial page, but is it really appropriate in something purporting to be an encyclopedia, i.e., a repository of factual knowledge? Seems like someone needs to do some actual research.

I ask all this because I know a number of atheists, and while certainly there are some who are argumentative and challenging to deal with (ones I think of as proselytizing atheists), there are also those who do not feel the need to discuss their beliefs with acquaintances. The conclusions in this article may be accurate for a vocal subset of the total population of atheists, or the conclusions may not be accurate at all, and may merely be the product of wishful thinking or "selection bias" (the tendency to give credence to evidence that supports one's beliefs and to discount evidence that contradicts them) on the part of the author. I certainly wouldn't cite the article in its present form as evidence of anything other than the uneven quality of an encyclopedia produced entirely by its users. --Sue Dunham 01:29, 11 August 2010 (EDT)

Of course, there is no necessity to assert that atheists are more likely to have Asperger's Syndrome. The historical militancy of the atheist/evolutionist community and the ideas their ideologies have often engendered provides more than enough explanatory power to explain the origin of the quarrelsomeness and other social deficiencies of many in the atheists/evolutionist population (see: militant atheism and social effects of the theory of evolution ). In fact, it is arguably the best explanation for the quarrelsomeness and other social deficiencies of many in the atheist/evolutionist community. In addition, ultimately the decision to reject or be reconciled with God is a matter relating to the grace of God and free will and nobody is forced into atheism due to a physical condition. Please make an equally solid or better counter argument via proof and evidence. Also, please answer "the question". conservative 19:08, 24 August 2010 (EDT)

Copy editing request

Atheism and rape

Atheism offers no condemnation of rape and it provides no moral basis a society to attempt to prevent and deter rape.
change to Atheism offers no condemnation of rape and it provides no moral basis for a society to attempt to prevent and deter rape.

Honestly, the amount of errors on this wiki; typos, spelling, grammar, construction and fluidity and many more are a disgrace. What a truly pathetic effort; and yet when I try to correct it I can't. Dear me. GOD gave your skills, and to not use them is an offence to HIM. Pdorme 17:07, 10 July 2012 (EDT)

I suppose GOD gave you the skill of whining about others poor typo, spelling, grammar, construction and fluidity problems? GOD didn't give you the skill of making corrections without whining? Just who is really offending GOD here? Karajou 17:14, 10 July 2012 (EDT)

And to top it off, Pdorme, you have been here since July 6, with barely a dozen edits on your part, none of them making so much as an effort to make the corrections you whine about. I suspect that your attitude has more to do with a defense of atheism than anything even remotely-related to mere spelling corrections; after all, you made your whining complaint on this particular page. Karajou 17:18, 10 July 2012 (EDT)

There is no "edit" tab at the top of the page, or I would have made the change. Nice. Pdorme 17:20, 10 July 2012 (EDT)