Difference between revisions of "Talk:Essay: The evolutionist and atheist Oxyaena offers a lame reply to Conservapedia's challenge"

Revision as of 04:53, April 22, 2019

In his "response" to this essay, Oxyaena did not answer any of the reasonable questions that I posed to him. As much as I hate to do it, I declare victory!Conservative (talk) 05:43, 21 April 2019 (EDT)

"Before some audiences not even the possession of the exactest knowledge will make it easy for what we say to produce conviction. For argument based on knowledge implies instruction, and there are people whom one cannot instruct." - AristotleConservative (talk) 05:44, 21 April 2019 (EDT)

Update: Evolutionist and atheist Oxyaena offers an updated reply to Conservapedia's challenge

The evolutionist and atheist Oxyaena at an atheist/agnostic wiki offered an updated reply to Conservapedia's challenge.

One of the questions I posed to Oxyaena was: "Given the much higher birth rates of Christian fundamentalists and the adherents of other fundamentalist Abrahamic religions, the sub-replacement level of fertility of atheists and the fact the secularization rates of France and Protestant Europe are now zero, that given enough time, atheists could be a very much smaller portion of the global population and the religious could inherit the earth."

Oxyaena wrote in response to the question: "Well,...[User:Conservative]..., if I were to stick to the exact wording it is possible your pipe-dream scenario could happen, but unlikely."

While he did concede this scenario was possible, if he honestly answered the other questions I posed to him, he would be forced to admit that the odds are strongly stacked in favor of the desecularization of the world. There is nearly a 50 year trend in the world in terms of atheists/agnostics growing to be a smaller percentage in the world population (and now there are some scholars indicating the number of atheists in the world is falling too) and some of the key underlying causes of desecularization are growing stronger (see: Global atheism statistics and Causes of desecularization). In addition, Pew Research indicates the Nones are expected to fall too in terms of their percentage of the world population. And in a world of legal/illegal immigration and sub-replacement fertility rates of developed nations, it is reasonable to expect immigration could continue in the world in a significant manner which would bring religious immigrants with higher fertility rates into developed countries. In addition, we are seeing the secularization thesis failing in Europe/East Asia with the religious populations making gains on the back of immigration and their higher fertility rates in Europe and in East Asia via evangelism (These are the two areas where most atheists exist, see: Global atheism). There will probably not be complete desecularization of the world as atheism has existed since biblical times (Psalm 14:1). Conservative (talk) 21:09, 21 April 2019 (EDT)

Not only do atheists have a much lower birthrate than religious people, but if we factor in immigration, I think Cons's point becomes more obvious. Most immigration to Europe comes from the Islamic world, which is very religious and has very high birthrates. To a lesser extent, Western Europe also receives immigration from Eastern European countries such as Poland, which are more religious. Either way, demographics are stacked against atheists. --1990'sguy (talk) 21:33, 21 April 2019 (EDT)

In fact, I remember reading a Wikipedia article related to the Reagan Revolution that really began in the late 1970s, and it had a quote of a liberal complaining that it happened because Christian conservatives "had more babies." The same thing will probably happen with regard to atheism vs. theism. --1990'sguy (talk) 21:43, 21 April 2019 (EDT)