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I await the flurry of complaints about atheists always attacking Christianity.
We keep coming across these articles, polls etc, all of which indicate that organized religions are on the decline. There doesn't appear to be any need for atheists to attack, organized religions seem to be disbanding themselves via attrition.
We keep coming across these articles, polls etc, all of which indicate that organized religions are on the decline. There doesn't appear to be any need for atheists to attack, organized religions seem to be disbanding themselves via attrition.
A very good point.
Much of it is simply a different approach to life by younger people. When I would go to the Methodist Church, or its events, in Colorado Springs, the congregation was predominantly people over 45, and much of that was over 60. Not quite so drastic in the Catholic Church I occasionally went to, but it was still far tilted toward oldsters.
We keep coming across these articles, polls etc, all of which indicate that organized religions are on the decline. There doesn't appear to be any need for atheists to attack, organized religions seem to be disbanding themselves via attrition.
It seems like a trend that will likely continue.
On the side supporting religion, there is familial pressure to conform to expectations, childhood indoctrination, and a supportive community.
On the side supporting secularism, religion has scandals involving sex, abuse, and financial issues. Facts seem to indicate that secular societies thrive in the absence of religion, religious morality opposes secular morality and is being judged as lacking in the comparison because it is often hateful, and education and resources are available to all documenting the fact that religious beliefs are contrary to observed fact.
Yes, this is a simplistic list of factors, but keep in mind that most of the factors supporting secularism have only been in force since the 1960s or so. We have come a tremendous way in 50+ years, I can only imagine what the next 50 years will bring.
We keep coming across these articles, polls etc, all of which indicate that organized religions are on the decline. There doesn't appear to be any need for atheists to attack, organized religions seem to be disbanding themselves via attrition.
Perhaps, but this atheist these days needs a bit of reassurance that the politicised religious Right isn't turning this one around.
On the side supporting religion, there is familial pressure to conform to expectations, childhood indoctrination, and a supportive community.
On the side supporting secularism, religion has scandals involving sex, abuse, and financial issues. Facts seem to indicate that secular societies thrive in the absence of religion, religious morality opposes secular morality and is being judged as lacking in the comparison because it is often hateful, and education and resources are available to all documenting the fact that religious beliefs are contrary to observed fact.
Yes, this is a simplistic list of factors, but keep in mind that most of the factors supporting secularism have only been in force since the 1960s or so. We have come a tremendous way in 50+ years, I can only imagine what the next 50 years will bring.
Quite. And it has only been since the 90's when my work went from paper to computers and I joined the Net for my work and then at home that Atheism found a voice and became a community almost overnight, and garnered a host of critics and deprecators who coined the term 'New Atheism' for the old atheism that suddenly had a Voice, when the only voice up to then had been religion.
Perhaps, but this atheist these days needs a bit of reassurance that the politicised religious Right isn't turning this one around.
I'll tell you what I think an interesting question might be for some grad sudent looking for a thesis: What is the balance between those who go to religious-right-affiliated-churches for actual "god stuff" versus political comfort?
I'll tell you what I think an interesting question might be for some grad student looking for a thesis: What is the balance between those who go to religious-right-affiliated-churches for actual "god stuff" versus political comfort?
If the last Pew survey didn't look into that, it would be a good question for the next one. That's if the present crop of US Believers could even be honest about it.
If the last Pew survey didn't look into that, it would be a good question for the next one. That's if the present crop of US Believers could even be honest about it.
Now wait a minute, one of the Ten Commandments forbids lying, so no christian would ever break that commandment directly from god.
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make that the 90's
