Atheism is the only demographic (out of any category) that has consecutively gone up for the last 18 years. Spiritually speakin: What is your opinion on this? [LINK INCLUDED]
by 
Worth Repeating
ANSWERS: 16
-
It means atheists are doing what religious minorities have been doing for years; using quirks in the ways statistics are measured to their advantage. When your numbers are extremely small compared to an ultra-dominant mainstream, you have a good chance of going up and each increase looks very impressive. Don't get me wrong. It's cool and all, but it's not like the truly hardcore are becoming atheists., It's likely the undecided or those that were not all that passionate about christianity that are "converting" and even more likely just an increase in number of people willing to openly admit being atheist. This kind of news tends to just make the remaining 200+ million christians in the US a little more defensive.
-
Sweet! :)
-
It's about time that the US join the rest of the rational world
-
Awesome! Also, the pirates of the caribbean theme tune in that video is so reconisable! lol +4
-
Given the number of huge new churches that have been built in my area in the last few years, my guess would be that the statistics are skewed somehow. (stands back and waits for the flurry of downrates)
-
I don't really have an opinion on it. Someone's sprituality or lack of it, religion or lack of it is none of my business.
-
I don't think spiritually. Realistically, more and more is being discovered that makes supernatural things seem insignificant compared to reality.
-
It's more likely that people who have been "fence sitting" or those from religious families feel more comfortable admitting their non-belief. It is becoming more acceptable to be an atheist, whereas several decades ago it was fairly unheard of. (Kind of like homosexuality, libertarianism, and divorce)
-
The statistics are definitely skewed. Paganism is on the rise as well. Wicca (one of the largest pagan religions) grows by leaps and bounds every year. According to some numbers, it's doubling every 30 months.
-
Of course this is great news to me, but as stated (by others) I'm not marching in the street just yet. I think given the "lackluster" of most christians to follow their own rules/dogma I really don't believe that there are many real christians in this world anyway! :)
-
Hm... probably true as a basic trend, though I'm not ready to swallow many particular numbers. One thing that might be somewhat interesting to know is whether the youth (18 to say 25) cohort has grown in recent years... there was a sort of echo boom at one time wasn't there? If that's the case and the younger cohort has been growing relative to the older through the majority of the last 18 years, then that could have a somewhat deceptive effect as young people always tend to be somewhat less given to religion. Still, I don't doubt the general trend. Spiritually speaking? Eh... I'm a pure agnostic so I don't tend to speak very spiritually. But, you mean, what do I think in general about it? Hm... I'm wary. Atheist societies didn't have a real admirable record in the 20th century. They slaughtered people at a rate that even the most fundamentalist (and imo justly criticized) stripes of Islam never dreamt of. I worry that, without religion, the state becomes the only authority and the arbiter of all values. States are generally untrustworthy, so, that seems bad.
-
If some guy can stand up and say "I am Gay," and the christian church he belongs to doesn't mind, religion is dead. If a third trimester abortion Doctor is an usher at a christian church and he is described as a "good christian," religion is dead. If priests who were involved in the systematic anal rape of young alter boys since perhaps the beginning of the christian church are considered "good people who did bad things," religion is dead. When people realize thier religion is a farce, it's only a logical conclusion to assume their deity is too. The truth is "christians" destroyed christianity.
-
Longer memories. My opinion? Wait and see.
-
Of course it is on the rise!! It is all part of the Master Plan. Every single prophecy of the bible has come true! They are just helping to fulfill one of the last ones. Jesus said that in the last days, many would be "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." Thank you atheist for lining up like good little school children and doing what the bible has said you would do.
-
With as much disrespect as atheists on the whole get from christians I'm glad to see this report. . Now I'm not claiming that atheists don't give as good as we get, but the ego of the general christian public needs a black eye from time to time, and I for one am glad they got it.
-
I think being an atheist is is the hardest of all. I don't think people should classify themselves as atheists just because they don't belong to an organised religion. I think most people are actually spiritual.
Moongrim RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC