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/* Janan Ganesh on the reluctance of irreligious/nonreligious to embrace the tenets of materialism/atheism */Spelling, grammar, and general cleanup, typos fixed: can’t → can't (2)
[[File:Birkbeck College Street View.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|[[Eric Kaufmann]], a professor at [[Birkbeck College, University of London]], using a a wealth of demographic studies, argues that there will be a significant decline of [[global atheism]] in the 21st century which will impact the [[Western World]].<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]</ref><ref>[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]</ref><ref>[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]</ref><ref>[httphttps://forawww.tvyoutube.com/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth watch?v=VwmgFZsgSo0 Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref>]] The American Christian Todd Strandberg said of [[atheism]]: "The ranks of atheists have always [[Atheist Population|been small]]... The key problem with atheism is that it lacks a strong 'selling point'".<ref>[http://www.raptureready.com/rr-atheism.html Atheism: The cult of death]</ref> (See also: [[Atheism and apathy]])
Throughout mankind's history, most people have found atheism to be uninteresting and ungratifying (See: [[Atheism and inspiration]]).
Christians maintain that the benefits of Christianity totally outweigh the benefits of atheism.<refname="youtube.com">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWbFtplpY48 And the benefits of atheism are what again?]</ref> For example, Bible believing Christians point out that the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] is [[Atheism and depression|more depressed]] (See also: [[Hopelessness of atheism]] and [[Atheism and meaninglessness]]).<ref>[https://www.name="youtube.com"/watch?v=EWbFtplpY48 And the benefits of atheism are what again?]</ref>
Furthermore, while atheism [[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism|lacks]] any proof and evidence that it is true, Christianity offers a wealth of evidence confirming its veracity (see: [[Christian apologetics|Evidence for Christianity]]).
In addition, the significant amount of unpleasant personalities within the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] and the resulting amount of atheist infighting has made atheist community unattractive to many people who are looking for a sense of community and/or a common cause (see: [[Atheist factions]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social skills]]).<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brendanoneill2/100230985/how-atheists-became-the-most-colossally-smug-and-annoying-people-on-the-planet/ Brendan O'Neill, ''The Telegraph, How atheists became the most colossally smug and annoying people on the planet'', August 14th, 2013]</ref><ref>[httphttps://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/01/22/is-atheism-a-religion/atheism-cannot-replace-religion Atheism cannot replace religion]</ref> Also, besides having a poor sense of community within atheism, atheists give less to others outside their community than religious groups (see: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]).
The imbalance between men and women involved in the atheist community (men are significantly [[Atheism and women|more likely]] to be atheists) and the impoliteness of many atheist men towards atheist women is also unattractive to many individuals (see: [[Atheism and women]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Atheism and rape]]).
Another unappealing aspect of atheism is its bloody history which has surpassed all other worldviews in terms of loss of life (see: [[Atheism and mass murder]]).
Furthermore, the ultimate destination for unrepentant atheists is [[Hell]]. (See: [[Atheism and Hell]]).
{{See also: [[|Atheism and social outcasts]]}}
== Statistics on atheism reflect its unattractiveness as a worldview ==
See also: [[Desecularization]] and [[Growth of global desecularization]] and [[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]]
Currently, [[global atheism]] is shrinking and demographic research indicates that the shrinking of global atheism will continue and affect Western atheism (see: [[Decline of atheism]] and [[Growth of global desecularization]]).<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London]
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html Eric Kaufmann: Shall The Religious Inherit The Earth?]*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics Eric Kaufmann's Atheist Demographic series]
*[httphttps://forawww.tv/2010/09/05youtube.com/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth watch?v=VwmgFZsgSo0 Eric Kaufmann: Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]</ref>
Global atheism has been on the decline since 2000.<ref>[http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2013/03/global-data-upend-usual-picture-of-christianity-trends.aspx Global data upend usual picture of Christianity trends]</ref>
The British academic Eric Kaufmann told a secular audience in Australia: "The trends that are happening worldwide inevitably in an age of globalization are going to affect us."<ref>[httphttps://forawww.tv/2010/09/05youtube.com/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth watch?v=6NtvDErEmBY Shall the religious inherit the earth- Festival of Dangerous Ideas - Eric Kaufmann]</ref>
The 2004 to 2007 publicity campaign for atheism in the [[Western World]], offering a [[Militant atheism|militant form of atheism]] (called the [[New Atheism]]) was not sustainable.<refname="questionevolution.blogspot.com">[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-2004-to-2007-publicity-campaign-for.html The 2004 to 2007 publicity campaign for atheism was not sustainable. Level of public interest is not coming back]</ref> The level of public interest in atheism is not coming back in the West and global atheism shrinking will make subsequent publicity attempts more likely to be unsuccessful.<ref>[http://name="questionevolution.blogspot.com"/2012/07/the-2004-to-2007-publicity-campaign-for.html The 2004 to 2007 publicity campaign for atheism was not sustainable. Level of public interest is not coming back]</ref>
== Atheism and loneliness ==
*[[Secular Europe and loneliness]]
*[[Godless Irreligious Australia and loneliness|Australia and loneliness]] *[[Atheistic Japan and loneliness]]
*[[Atheistic China and loneliness]]
An Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) report indicated that 20% of Australians drink at levels putting them at risk of lifetime harm.<ref>Mower, Jane (November 19, 2013). [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594 "One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report"]. Australian Broadcasting Company website/News.</ref>
For more information, please see: [[Godless Irreligious Australia and alcoholism]]
'''Asian countries:'''
See: [[Godless Irreligious Asian countries and alcoholism]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and drug addiction]]
Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/believers-consume-fewer-drugs-than-atheists-106266/ Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists], ''Christian Post'', By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am</ref><ref>[httphttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003093041.htm Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists], Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]</ref><ref>Multiple references:
*McCullough, Michael E. and Willoughby, Brian L. B. (January 2009). [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"] ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135, no. 1, pp. 69-93. Retrieved from University of Miami department of psychology website on September 10, 2014.
*Alternate source of abstract: [httphttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054 "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications" [abstract]]. Retrieved from PubMed.gov on September 10, 2014.</ref>
== Atheism and its lack of holidays ==
The Jewish comedian [[Henny Youngman]] joked about atheism, "I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays."<ref>Youngman, Henny (1980 or bef.). [httphttps://books.google.com/books?id=GZcjAQAAMAAJ&q=%22become+an+atheist+but+I+gave+up%22&dq=%22become+an+atheist+but+I+gave+up%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WHppVZT7I4W2oQT-nYKoAw&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBw Earliest attestation]. Retrieved from GoogleBooks.</ref> See also: [[Atheism Quotes|Atheism quotes]]
=== Atheism and Christmas ===
''See also:'' [[Atheism and Christmas]]
In December of 2003, the University of Warwick reported:
{{cquote|Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of [[Christmas]] are on the whole likely to be happier.<ref>http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html</ref>}}
== Janan Ganesh on the reluctance of irreligious/nonreligious to embrace the tenets of materialism/atheism ==
''See also:'' [[Atheism and spirituality]] and [[Atheism and beliefs]] and [[Atheist worldview]] and [[Atheism and life after death]]
[[File:Oprah Winfrey pic.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Many atheists became upset with [[Oprah Winfrey]] when she declared that you can't be an atheist if you believe in the awe and wonder of the world.<ref name="mediaite.com">[http://www.mediaite.com/tv/oprah-you-cant-be-an-atheist-if-you-believe-in-the-awe-and-wonder-of-the-world/ Oprah: You Can’t Be an Atheist If You ‘Believe in the Awe and Wonder’ of the World ] by Josh Feldman, Mediaite, October 14th, 2013</ref> See: [[Atheism and wonder]] ]]
Janan Ganesh wrote in the ''Financial Times'':
{{Cquote|What stands out even more is the constant groping for profundity by people who stop well short of any religion or organised belief system themselves. There has been a vein of lifestyle [[spiritualism]] in the west, and especially the US, for a long time now. Deepak Chopra, the [[Martin Luther]] of this stuff, is in his seventies, and [[Oprah Winfrey]] not far behind. But unless I am being singled out for special treatment, it appears to have become inescapable over the past decade in particular.
This is not the place, nor am I the writer, for a disquisition on the existence or otherwise of God. The question, rather, is why people who plainly do not have any such faith are so reluctant to own the fact. Why is the [[materialism|materialist]] view of things still so hard to embrace, even for those who share all or most of its tenets?<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/3cb9f0b0-8787-11e9-a028-86cea8523dc2 Instagram atheists need to drop the hokum] by Janan Ganesh. ''Financial Times'', 2018</ref>}}
Many atheists became upset with Oprah Winfrey when she declared that you can't be an atheist if you believe in the awe and wonder of the world.<ref name="mediaite.com"/> See: [[Atheism and wonder]]
== See also ==
*[[Atheism has a lower and its retention rate compared to other worldviewsin individuals]] *[[Atheism, agnosticism and pessimism]]
*[[Atheism and health]]
*[[Moral failures of the atheist Atheist populationand immorality]]
*[[Atheism and deception]]
* [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
* [[Christian joy, atheist despair and the good news of Christianity]] '''Humor:''' *[[Essay: The benefits of atheism|Benefits of atheism]] - comedy/satire
*[[Essay:Comedy Atheists and satires concerning atheism and evolution|Comedy and satires concerning atheism and evolutionphysical attractiveness]]
== Notes ==
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[[Category: Atheism]][[Category: Sociology]]
