Full disclosure I'm an Atheist and have been for years. I've never made a secret of it among family but don't really discuss it much elsewhere. I know religion is a controversial subject that flares passions. However, recently I've noticed an easing in the stigma against atheists and came across this article that makes a case that the percentage of American atheists is very underestimated and as much as a quarter of the population may be atheists. Just curious are you an Atheist too? In the closet or out? Ever encounter problems over your non belief? How many American atheists are there really?
i think access to information and scientific discoveries make people question things a lot more than they used to in the past. i don't know if i am true atheist, because i believe in "some" force that is beyond what we see and feel in our daily lives. but i've never been to a church/temple or some religious gathering. other than for a wedding perhaps. and generally think that organized religion brings more evil than good.
Yes I agree as science reveals the basis of what used to be considered miraculous it may cause people to question blind faith. I've been fascinated lately of just how far people will go to either cover up their non belief or lean into and come out. I've recently talked to someone whose been an Atheist for years but still goes to church every week. He said it's easier to sit in a church every weekend and just zone out for a couple hours then have to listen to the nagging from his family, plus he like the ritual of going out for pancakes afterwards. It got me wondering just how many people are going through a similar charade? Heck I was only baptized Roman Catholic to shut up some of my more religious relatives. I was never raised in the faith and used to get literally dragged to church sometimes as a kid to satisfy (or shut up) these visiting religious relatives. I didn't understand then and still don't as to why some religious people have no problem nagging,bullying and forcing someone to go through the motions of religious worship. It seems to cheapen it for all involved.
New Study Suggests U.S. Has A Lot Of ‘Closet’ Atheists U.S. surveys in recent years have calculated atheists make up between 3 percent and 10 percent of the population. But the percentage may actually be much higher, because the stigma surrounding disbelief in God likely prevents people from honestly answering pollsters’ questions about their beliefs, according to a new report by University of Kentucky psychologists Will Gervais and Maxine Najle. “There’s a lot of atheists in the closet,” Gervais said in a recent interview with Vox. Gervais and Najle’s report, to be published in the next issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, concluded the true number of American atheists may be as high as 26 percent of the population. This stands in stark contrast to surveys conducted by Pew Research Center and Gallup — highly reputable polling operations. A 2014 Pew survey found the percentage of Americans who said they were atheists to be just over 3 percent, with 9 percent of adults reporting they didn’t believe in God, which is the definition of atheism. A 2016 Gallup poll found that 10 percent of Americans reported they did not believe in God. Gervais isn’t buying that data. “We shouldn’t expect people to give a stranger over the phone an honest answer to that question,” Gervais told Vox. New Study Suggests U.S. Has A Lot Of 'Closet' Atheists | The Huffington Post
I'm not an American but I am your neighbour up north and I can honestly say it's become kinda normal to hear people say they have serious doubts. My own daughter came to my wife and I and flat out told us dhe had a problem with the stories in the bible she was learning. She was I believe 9 at the time. So maybe it's we don't get drilled into having to believe anymore. Plus public schools celebrate every holiday now not just Christmas and Easter type holidays. It's more mainstream to be an atheist now. I too have long since been one but my reason was to rebel against authority. Plus back then I was more open to other options. Good topic Danny Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I was probably about your daughter's age when I started to question the stories in the bible. Kids know the difference between fairy tales and fiction at that age. Fortunately my parents never tried to bully me towards any specific religion (my mom has always been kind of an Atheist) but they would have taken me to any church if I wished to explore that option. I just never found one that didn't seem bat shit or require blind unquestioned faith. I'll consider it real progress someday if an openly atheist person can successfully run for president someday. The trend in American politics of candidates wearing their religion on their sleeves is a relatively modern one.
The Bible is the ultimate book of make believe. How could people actually believe the events in there? Guys dying and magically coming back to life; a man built a HUGE ASS boat (ark) and brought two of every animal on the damn thing; burning bushes; broken tablets that become commandments; a whale eating Jonah and he just hangs out in there; walking on water; etc. Even my uber religious parents admit (or at least my father admits) that the Bible is just an entertaining way to improve someone else's convictions. People who actually believe the book word for word -- that makes me quite wary of the human race as a whole.
Atheism will grow in ignorance no lie says it just like that in the Bible .Gods word states they will take his name from our dictionary .plus one little man is going to decieve the whole world a third of Gods children will worship him thats not god .Then God comes he said he will come back here . How is it so freakin hard to believe
LOL. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Most people aren't atheists because they lack basic biblical knowledge. Often it's quite the opposite. Here's a fun bit of trivia Atheists and Agnostics rank higher than many other Christian groups in basic religious knowledge. U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey I know I was surprised myself when I saw that study. I can't speak for everyone of course but I think most of us are Atheists because we have a problem blindly and unquestionably following a collection of recycled superstitions and tales from a bunch of sheep herders from the bronze age. Trying to convert or convince Atheists of your religious position by quoting excerpts from the bible is about as effective as proving the Easter bunny exits by reciting Peter Cottontail. It just doesn't work. However if your doing it to satisfy some biblical scavenger hunt by testifying to non believers to get another brownie point towards entrance in to Paradise then have at it. I certainly don't mind. It's good to have goals.
your statistics are inaccurate .So because people are so smart at reading the Bible that they just become atheist .They aren't biblically illiterate ?It might sound a bit rude but your illiterate you can't interpret Gods word nor do you seek it
They aren't my statistics they are from the Pew research center. I don't know if one becomes atheists since we are all born not believing in any magical entity. Atheism isn't complicated. It's just the lack of belief in God(s).
God has his 7,000 elect he chose .yall keep saying athiesm but satans going to have all of drunk with his lies . so you athiest need stop acting like your going remain athiest forever because your not be pick a side God or satan
Its really just become another reason for folks to call each other stupid, rather then allow them the same freedom they enjoy, which is to have your own opinion. this way each side can feel stupid and everyone wins right. if everyone worried more about themselves and less about others the world would be better off. I would suggest both sides are faith driven.
I dont think there is necessarily any great philosophical difference between raw theism and atheism. Atheism - the material reality is either eternal (always existed) or came from nothing Theism - god is eternal or came from nothing It seems the big difference is where intelligence came from. Is it part of the cause or a result of the effect? I personally think both sides are pretty ignorant, by that I mean most choose one side or the other from an emotional preference not because of any fundamental philosophical reasons.
I was reading an article about how the US (and the world) are becoming more heretic in faith. People are maintaining their faith, but it's becoming a lot more personal instead of church/community based.