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Christianity flourishes where people are suffering and looking for a source of hope in a different world, because they do not have much to hope for in this one. The more peaceful, wealthy and secure a country/region is, the less religious its population. Which is also the reason I do not believe religious fundamentalism is growing in Russia. The Russians are growing wealthier, not poorer, especially compared to the hungry 90es, the time of Yeltsin. What IS growing, is their affinity for Christian traditions and holidays. But it is more of an attempt to forge a shared identity than anything else.
Christianity flourishes where people are suffering and looking for a source of hope in a different world, because they do not have much to hope for in this one. The more peaceful, wealthy and secure a country/region is, the less religious its population. Which is also the reason I do not believe religious fundamentalism is growing in Russia. The Russians are growing wealthier, not poorer, especially compared to the hungry 90es, the time of Yeltsin. What IS growing, is their affinity for Christian traditions and holidays. But it is more of an attempt to forge a shared identity than anything else.
At times there were people claiming to represent it that persecuted, yes. But in the 1st several centuries it grew rapidly under persecution. In the last 100 years there has been widespread persecution in Asia of Christians...and the church is growing in Asia.
And so..what? Christianity is suddenly going to shoot to pretty much such totals that all question and doubt will be suppressed, science that disagrees with Genesis will be banned and the Law of the land will be subordinated to the law of the Bible?
And because.. Christianity in the US is Persecuted...because atheists are permitted to speak freely, publish books and even have a TV station in the US? While Christians are prevented from taking away Gay rights and replacing science with fairy tales in the science class?
Well, Vizio, we shall see, but I rather think that people are aware that it is Christianity that has been playing the bully ever since the 1950's. They have seen the Fruits of Christian- influenced society and politics - Dubhya, The Teaparty, Palin and now Trump and backed up with a lot of Republican Creationists who ought to be occupying padded cells, not seats in the senate. And they have noted test cases like Kim Davis and Dover and have finally realized that while Christianity can be permitted, it cannot be permitted to rule.
What a curious coincidence that this was precisely the argument advanced by Gldnrule- that these people were not really Atheists - they believed in a God. And that is perfectly true. Indeed I noted recently that half the "Nones" actually were atheists -which put the USA atheist population at 8% - which is what it always was.
Not a bad assessment for one with absolutely no basis in reality
Look on page 5, table 3 of the 2008 ARIS and you will see that atheists and agnostics make up a total of 1.6% of the population. So unless they grow BY ASTONISHING NUMBERS over the last eight years, they are not 8% of the population but perhaps around 2ish percent
That doesn't matter. The whole point of Militant or "New" atheism is to roll back Organized religion as an influence in society, and Nones, even if they do believe in God, or a sorta-god, are going to help with that A possible move on to atheism, once the Bad Rap has stopped, would be fine, but isn't essential.
The so-called "new atheists" (what are they saying that is so "new" anyway?) are against religion and for their own opinion of what science should be, i.e., the answer to everything. They are often just as much against people praying in the privacy of their own homes as they are against the Taliban.
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In fact Dawkins noted some time ago that Nones were a significant voting bloc. The difference is not that they may be becoming aware of it. And the first Presidential candidate to take the plunge and make an appeal to the irreligious voters - and succeed with it, will be the tipping point and the writing on the wall for religion in the US. China will have to wait a bit.
Says an evolutionary biologist, who should not talk of things he has no expertise on but should remain confined to studying the nasal cavity of stuffed museum thylacines and not insert himself into sociology, if for no other reason than to save himself embarrassment.
Religion is not going anywhere, nor is belief in God. Deists are finally admitting that they are not Christian and that is it. We are simply seeing an end of cultural-Christianity, and religion is doing fine.
Says an evolutionary biologist, who should not talk of things he has no expertise on but should remain confined to studying the nasal cavity of stuffed museum thylacines and not insert himself into sociology, if for no other reason than to save himself embarrassment.
Wow. What a supremely arrogant thing to say. Certainly makes me think twice about taking what you're saying at face value.
Not a bad assessment for one with absolutely no basis in reality
Look on page 5, table 3 of the 2008 ARIS and you will see that atheists and agnostics make up a total of 1.6% of the population. So unless they grow BY ASTONISHING NUMBERS over the last eight years, they are not 8% of the population but perhaps around 2ish percent
Well, that's interesting, because eight, ten and twenty years ago "8%" was the regular (and disparaging) dismissal of atheists as an irrelevant minority. If there has been as astonishing increase in atheism, I can certainly live with that.
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The so-called "new atheists" (what are they saying that is so "new" anyway?) are against religion and for their own opinion of what science should be, i.e., the answer to everything. They are often just as much against people praying in the privacy of their own homes as they are against the Taliban.
I'm glad that we agree that 'New atheists' are just the same as the Old atheists. Just not afraid to speak out. The term was coined by theists looking for a way to disparage this new trend. I do hope that your defender MitchellmcCain notes your smear about "often just as much against people praying in the privacy of their own homes"
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Says an evolutionary biologist, who should not talk of things he has no expertise on but should remain confined to studying the nasal cavity of stuffed museum thylacines and not insert himself into sociology, if for no other reason than to save himself embarrassment.
Still playing the 'Nobody but experts in the field should be allowed to comment' card, I see.
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Religion is not going anywhere, nor is belief in God. Deists are finally admitting that they are not Christian and that is it. We are simply seeing an end of cultural-Christianity, and religion is doing fine.
People with no real connection to Christianity anyway are no longer calling themselves Christians, and that's it.
Hint of 'They were never "Real Christians" anyway, noted. That may well be the case and atheism (as I suggested myself) may not be growing at all. I know (from reading deconversion stories) that this can be part of a mental process of 'letting go', and it doesn't end there. When you question some aspect of what you have been taught, you can go on to question the rest of it, but I am apparently not entitled to say so as I don't have the appropriate certificates.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 08-05-2016 at 09:59 PM..
Wow. What a supremely arrogant thing to say. Certainly makes me think twice about taking what you're saying at face value.
I don't mind. I don't even mind being wrong and embarrassed. It's how we learn. The problem comes where those with a certificate think they know it all and have no need to listen to any non experts asking pertinent questions.
Look on page 5, table 3 of the 2008 ARIS and you will see that atheists and agnostics make up a total of 1.6% of the population. So unless they grow BY ASTONISHING NUMBERS over the last eight years, they are not 8% of the population but perhaps around 2ish percent
Fortunately, Murica isn't the world.
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They are often just as much against people praying in the privacy of their own homes as they are against the Taliban.
We are against the promotion of superstition that's for sure.
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Says an evolutionary biologist, who should not talk of things he has no expertise on...
We say the same about the Church and politics.
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Religion is not going anywhere, ...
Unfortunately you are right and nor is crime but the fact that crime will always be with us shouldn't be a barrier to us fighting it. Same with religion.
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