Atheism growing?

:atheist: They said atheists now outnumber some religions such as Anglicans, Sikhs, Baha'is or mormons. :yes: (Individually, not combined, well ok, some combined.) Atheism as of late seems to be growing.

Do think this is mainly because people are:

• Primarily losing faith and converting.
• They have always been there but are just speaking up.
• People have never really thought about it and once they do choose atheism.

I was discussing this last week at length and another aspect that was brought up is that there is a growing number of people that the churches and western religions just will not accept. Percentage wise in the US atheism today is growing. My friend says there are even atheist catholics that go to church. They go to fit in and for the neighbors but they don't believe it and literally lead secret lives as atheists. I personally don't agree but who knows to what lengths people go.

Do you think the media has alot to do with it? Rational Response Squad was on Nightline on ABC here: YouTube - Rational Response Squad takes on Christians on ABC

The theist had Kirk Cameron and there is A LOT of pre-story to this debate which might be fun to research some time. Documents and emails that went back and forth. (Amusingly) There is also lots of Atheists with books out some of which are appearing on the bestseller lists and are quite popular. How much do you think the media is contributing to this growing number of atheists?

No statistics are wrong on this, it's just mball, and Sunstone up to their tactics trying to convert everyone to their way of thinking :trampo: them and their Trampoline Converts..... I'm on to you guys, :slap: I'm watching you both :biglaughand your looking good!)

: hamster :
Charity

At the first part of the video , I love the heavy death metal and cussing. Looks like some are on there way to meet you know who.

They talked like they were on there way to fight a battle. ( lets go kick some christian $%^&!):sad4:

Real tough guys.:flirt:

You care to provide any sources or verifiable statistics to go along with your post?

BalanceFx said:

They said atheists now outnumber jews, muslims and mormons.

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Who said?

Apex said:

You care to provide any sources or verifiable statistics to go along with your post?

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Sure why not... Really though I was just watching the news behind me hehe.

But ok: There is a 2005 gallup poll that puts just US atheists at 5%. There is a 2004 BBC poll at 10%. CIA factbook could be anything from 4% to 10% hehe.. but we can go with 4%.

CIA puts mormons in the US at about 1.7%.

Demographic religious affiliations are notoriously all over the charts of course as you can see from above but do some research and you tell me.

The last number on worldwide atheists was like 500 million that I remember. Thats more then the population of my country.

I did find a poll that kind of goes along with the question I asked while researching demographics. Interesting results: Daily Poll: Atheist Demographics: Will Atheists' Numbers Grow?

BalanceFx said:

Sure why not... Really though I was just watching the news behind me hehe.

But ok: There is a 2005 gallup poll that puts just US atheists at 5%. There is a 2004 BBC poll at 10%. CIA factbook could be anything from 4% to 10% hehe.. but we can go with 4%.

CIA puts mormons in the US at about 1.7%.

Demographic religious affiliations are notoriously all over the charts of course as you can see from above but do some research and you tell me.

The last number on worldwide atheists was like 500 million that I remember. Thats more then the population of my country.

I did find a poll that kind of goes along with the question I asked while researching demographics. Interesting results: Daily Poll: Atheist Demographics: Will Atheists' Numbers Grow?

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Sorry, but I'd like some better references. I've heard this kind of thing before and it turned out they were counting everyone who didn't pick one of the major religions as an atheist.

Ahh the CIA does have some worldwide numbers too:

Christians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%, Protestants 5.78%
Muslims 21.01%
Hindus 13.26%
other religions 11.78%
non-religious 11.77%
Buddhists 5.84%
Orthodox 3.53%
atheists 2.32% (2007 est.)
Anglicans 1.25%
Sikhs 0.35%
Jews 0.23%
Baha'is 0.12%

Storm said:

Sorry, but I'd like some better references. I've heard this kind of thing before and it turned out they were counting everyone who didn't pick one of the major religions as an atheist.

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Storm... I think the above CIA references address your non religious concerns yes?

Yes, it does, thank you.

Storm said:

Yes, it does, thank you.

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For the US though its not as clear... heres what they have:

Protestant 51.3%
Roman Catholic 23.9%
Mormon 1.7%
other Christian 1.6%
Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%
Muslim 0.6%
other or unspecified 2.5%
unaffiliated 12.1%
none 4% (2007 est.)

Hehe.... What to make of that. I would say that some of the none, unspecified and other are likely atheists. But not much solid there.

BalanceFx said:

For the US though its not as clear... heres what they have:

Protestant 51.3%
Roman Catholic 23.9%
Mormon 1.7%
other Christian 1.6%
Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%
Muslim 0.6%
other or unspecified 2.5%
unaffiliated 12.1%
none 4% (2007 est.)

Hehe.... What to make of that. I would say that some of the none, unspecified and other are likely atheists. But not much solid there.

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Yeah... that is not a good poll....

BalanceFx said:

Ahh the CIA does have some worldwide numbers too:

Christians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%, Protestants 5.78%
Muslims 21.01%
Hindus 13.26%
other religions 11.78%
non-religious 11.77%
Buddhists 5.84%
Orthodox 3.53%
atheists 2.32% (2007 est.)
Anglicans 1.25%
Sikhs 0.35%
Jews 0.23%
Baha'is 0.12%

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Obviously muslims outnumber atheists according to the CIA. I have updated the orginal post to reflect that. Still quite interesting... I just wonder what is really behind the growing numbers of atheists.

BalanceFx said:

Obviously muslims outnumber atheists according to the CIA. I have updated the orginal post to reflect that. Still quite interesting... I just wonder what is really behind the growing numbers of atheists.

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Well, I'm hesitant to comment, but mightn't the social pressure to stay in the religion of one's upbringing be lightening?

I mean, things are getting better for queers and pagans, why not atheists, too?

According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life:
Jews: 1.7%
Mormons 1.7%
Atheist 1.6%

Altho, if you add those who identify as Atheist to those who identify as Agnostic (2.4%), you do get 4%.

Fwiw, I do think the percentage of avowed atheists is growing.

I think atheism grows in co-ordination with relegious scandals, there was the US Catholic priest scandal a few years ago, the whole muslim jihad rubbish (although it does not directly reflect muslims or their leaders). All of which turns potential convert-ees if you will away and perhaps followers who question their faith as a result. There are a multitude of reasons, this is just one that came to my head

Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have both publicly remarked that they believe the polls showing atheists to be a very small percentage of Americans are inaccurate. Both men say that during their speaking tours of the US, it was common for people to approach them and state that they were in the closet atheists.

The number of "practicing" theists is vastly less than those that practice their faith regularly. Membership roles of churches are extremely unreliable sources of the real number of people in any denonimation.

Sunstone said:

Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have both publicly remarked that they believe the polls showing atheists to be a very small percentage of Americans are inaccurate. Both men say that during their speaking tours of the US, it was common for people to approach them and state that they were in the closet atheists.

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True. Someone posted this in another thread: YouTube - Jonathan Miller's Rough History of Disbelief ep_1.part 2_of_

Explains why atleast one person and likely others like him just recently find it neccesary to come out and state, yes I disbelieve too...

BalanceFx said:

:atheist: They said atheists now outnumber some religions such as Anglicans, Sikhs, Baha'is or mormons. :yes: (Individually, not combined, well ok, some combined.) Atheism as of late seems to be growing.

Do think this is mainly because people are:

• Primarily losing faith and converting.
• They have always been there but are just speaking up.
• People have never really thought about it and once they do choose atheism.

I was discussing this last week at length and another aspect that was brought up is that there is a growing number of people that the churches and western religions just will not accept. Percentage wise in the US atheism today is growing. My friend says there are even atheist catholics that go to church. They go to fit in and for the neighbors but they don't believe it and literally lead secret lives as atheists. I personally don't agree but who knows to what lengths people go.

Do you think the media has alot to do with it?

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I think it is probably true that atheism is growing. Down here in New Zealand we seem to be coming a more atheist country. I see Christianity being frowned more on now than I did ten years ago. Christian groups standing up for things now seem to be looked down on by the majority. That's what I think anyway.

I think it's harder to be a Christian these days because we are becoming more informed about how things work, which puts doubt on biblical claims.

I think the media is definitely a key thing. Particularly the Internet. So much more information is available to so many more. Things you never would have had anyone tell you, you're now having shoved in your face on the Net. eg A Christian who has lived in their safe little Christian bubble, having only Christian friends and never having their beliefs challenged are now on-line having their beliefs challenged at every step. The Internet is a dangerous place for Christians I think. One has to stubbornly hold on to their beliefs if they want to remain strong.