• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Atheism and gender

leroy

Well-Known Member
I became a non-believer in gods as soon as my brain switched on.
This was significantly prior to becoming a teenager.
(I never did believe in sky fairies. Lifelong atheist here.)
Which proves my point; you became an atheist before being “old enough” to understand the arguments for and against the existence of God………
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Which proves my point; you became an atheist before being “old enough” to understand the arguments for and against the existence of God………
I began life knowing nothing about gods.
And upon learning about them, I realized that
believers also knew nothing about them, ie,
they had no evidence or argument for their
beliefs. So an atheist I remained.

Oh, I also began life not believing in palmistry,
phrenology, astrology, homeopathy, osteomancy,
or tasseography.
 

leroy

Well-Known Member
I began life knowing nothing about gods.
And upon learning about them, I realized that
believers also knew nothing about them, ie,
they had no evidence or argument for their
beliefs. So an atheist I remained.

Oh, I also began life not believing in palmistry,
phrenology, astrology, homeopathy, osteomancy,
or tasseography.
Well so why you think men are more likely to be atheist than women
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
yes

I mean most atheist became atheist when they were teenagers , it´s not like they became atheist because they became super smart scientists and realized that there is no God
I'm sure you will agree that it is quite a step to pit one's own puny non-belief against that of the historical power of the various faiths (and the numbers believing in such), so unless one just can ignore such (oh foolish youth), it does actually require some decent thinking skills to do so, even if they are wrong, which is a possibility - but much like any faith being right over all others. And against this, how many in the world are just handed their faith on a platter from their parents and hardly question such? Who are the heroes here?
 

leroy

Well-Known Member
I'm sure you will agree that it is quite a step to pit one's own puny non-belief against that of the historical power of the various faiths (and the numbers believing in such), so unless one just can ignore such (oh foolish youth), it does actually require some decent thinking skills to do so, even if they are wrong, which is a possibility - but much like any faith being right over all others. And against this, how many in the world are just handed their faith on a platter from their parents and hardly question such? Who are the heroes here?
Again I don’t think the average teenager is smart enough to understand the arguments for and against the existence of God……. To me it’s more like they became atheists because like any other teenager they are against the “normal”
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
Again I don’t think the average teenager is smart enough to understand the arguments for and against the existence of God……. To me it’s more like they became atheists because like any other teenager they are against the “normal”

Well, teenagers are 13 or above. That is the abstract operational phase in cognition, so biologically they have the brains for it.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Again I don’t think the average teenager is smart enough to understand the arguments for and against the existence of God……. To me it’s more like they became atheists because like any other teenager they are against the “normal”
Perhaps they put down a marker at such ages - this all looks a bit suspicious to me and I will look into this later - and how they do such will no doubt vary. For me, for example, i can distinctly remember around the age of 11 being doubtful about religions when I discovered there were so many, and obviously then I only knew about the few major ones, and not knowing much as to how they actually varied. But that doubt did send me off away from religions most likely into other areas that interested me more. So it was mainly my beef with religions that caused the doubt about God or gods.
 

Fallen Prophet

Well-Known Member
Yes, perhaps its an egos issue, “I like to be an atheist because I want to be different from the masses” this sounds like something that men are more likely to say, than woman.
We had moved off topic to acts of aggression.

Unless you are claiming that atheism is an act of aggression?
 

leroy

Well-Known Member
We had moved off topic to acts of aggression.

Unless you are claiming that atheism is an act of aggression?
Aggression? No, Atheism is an act of “I what to feel smart” ……… “The masses believe in a God, but I am better than the masses”….that’s my personal guess
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
I'd like to get some theories why Atheism attracts more men than women.

Faith in numbers: Behind the gender difference of nonreligious Americans
Scholars have long noted that atheism skews male. Meanwhile, critics have pointed toward the apparent dominance of male authors in the “new atheism” movement as evidence of a “boys club.” Indeed, a quick scan of the best-selling books on atheism on Amazon indicates that almost all of them are written by male authors.

Perhaps fewer men are interested in the social aspects of religion.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Perhaps fewer men are interested in the social aspects of religion.
I read somewhere long ago that it is women who are interested in transmitting culture from one generation to the next. That would, I think, include the religious elements of culture.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
I'd like to get some theories why Atheism attracts more men than women.

Faith in numbers: Behind the gender difference of nonreligious Americans
Scholars have long noted that atheism skews male. Meanwhile, critics have pointed toward the apparent dominance of male authors in the “new atheism” movement as evidence of a “boys club.” Indeed, a quick scan of the best-selling books on atheism on Amazon indicates that almost all of them are written by male authors.
Part of it seems to have to do with mainstream religions becoming very feminized and having nothing to offer men, who tend to want heroic and masculine ideals. Churches are filled with women and geared towards women, for example.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Part of it seems to have to do with mainstream religions becoming very feminized and having nothing to offer men, who tend to want heroic and masculine ideals. Churches are filled with women and geared towards women, for example.
Can you be more specific? What is it that you think religions are offering women that are not engaging to men? What do you think of exceptions such as Orthodox Judaism that are just full of active men?
 

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
Can you be more specific? What is it that you think religions are offering women that are not engaging to men? What do you think of exceptions such as Orthodox Judaism that are just full of active men?
I'm talking about most mainstream religions. Orthodox Judaism, especially the strict Haredi sort, are a drop in the bucket. But even among minority religions, I see it. I've been to enough church services to know that it's a sea of women and the only young men there are tagging along with their female SOs. Why that is is up for debate. There's many articles about that. Even in Neopaganism, a lot of it is very feminine-focused and feminist in orientation (except for more ethnic revival religions like Heathenry, which are very macho). It seems a similar thing is going on with mainline churches.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Aggression? No, Atheism is an act of “I what to feel smart” ……… “The masses believe in a God, but I am better than the masses”….that’s my personal guess
You should do a little more thinking then - if that's possible. :oops:
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Aggression? No, Atheism is an act of “I what to feel smart” ……… “The masses believe in a God, but I am better than the masses”….that’s my personal guess
I'm smart enuf to use "want" instead of "what".
<snicker>
With a below average IQ, I know that many believers
are smarter than I am. But I get one thing right....
When a book tells you to believe something that's
unverifiable, & base your entire life on it, I know better.
It keeps me from joining cults.
 

Fallen Prophet

Well-Known Member
Aggression? No, Atheism is an act of “I what to feel smart” ……… “The masses believe in a God, but I am better than the masses”….that’s my personal guess
I don't feel like not believing in God is about being superior - but the activist atheists are sure working out their angst.
 

Fallen Prophet

Well-Known Member
And never the twain shall meet! And who or what designated our roles? Really think it is that clear cut?
Roles?

Claiming that men and women are and act different isn't assigning any "roles".

There have always been and will always be feminine men and masculine women - there are exceptions to every rule.

But that wouldn't make them "roles" either.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Roles?

Claiming that men and women are and act different isn't assigning any "roles".

There have always been and will always be feminine men and masculine women - there are exceptions to every rule.

But that wouldn't make them "roles" either.
Argue about our sameness and differences with some whose religion might say otherwise - expectations and such. I don't think most atheists have such an issue - perhaps some coming from culture or feelings - but not coming from some particular religious dogma, and which might then conflict with what they might think or feel.
 
Top