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12
30
Atheism is declining Atheism is growing
Debate Score:42
Arguments:30
Total Votes:46
Ended:12/25/12
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 Atheism is declining (10)
 
 Atheism is growing (19)

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Is atheism declining?

A somewhat prominent devout theist, with his own internet radioshow, has asserted research indicates that atheism is on the decline RELATIVE to theism. Non-theistic sources seem to indicate otherwise. So, which is it?

Atheism is declining

Side Score: 12
VS.

Atheism is growing

Side Score: 30
Winning Side!

I didn't check the statistics but the amount of atheists should augment with the decline of extreme poverty. Theism comes with the weak minded and desperate.

Side: Atheism is declining
Freed0m(95) Disputed
1 point

Your argument makes you seem weak minded. You didn't check the statistics? And even if statistics did support your hypothesis I would argue that it has less to do with the decline of extreme poverty and more with the rise of the information age. But thank you for contributing a worthless comment that does nothing but attempt to insult Theists in a "clever" way. You sir, are brilliant.

Side: Atheism is growing
2 points

Your argument makes you seem weak minded. You didn't check the statistics?

No, I did not check the statistics because then this debate is useless. The answer would be obvious and undebatable.

I would argue that it has less to do with the decline of extreme poverty and more with the rise of the information age.

That is an interesting argument. I'm not sure if a disagree though so if you would elaborate

a worthless comment that does nothing but attempt to insult

The only person here that is insulting is you.

Before I go on, let me please inform you, that I am not a man, I am a woman.

Poverty puts people in a desperate situation. For survival, people are willing to do anything. Religion is a tool for mental survival. It allows them to keep moving on in hopes that God will makes things better for them eventually. Imagine, being a 17 year old kid in the slums whose father is dead and mother sick. You have three jobs and are barely able to feed your siblings. You can't make things change. You can't make others change. So, at this point what is the point of living?

One day, you run into this preacher. He tells you that every part and event in life is part of God's plan. If you worship him and believe in him he will reward you in the future. The reward may not be in this lifetime, but I will be in the next... and so on. In these miserable conditions, God offers a possibility of change, a different, better life. God gives hope... blind hope... dangerous hope. But that does not matter, it is still hope.

Now, if a person like me or anyone who does not live utter misery, hope can be found without God. So, religion is pointless for me.

Now I am not saying that the amount of theists completely depends on poverty because religion brings more than just hope. It masks the absurdities of life and death for example.

Side: Atheism is declining
0 points

Where I live there is a huge Christian community and you rarely often find atheist s. Most of the people are Christians

Side: Atheism is declining
Dremorius(861) Disputed
4 points

Well, here's a news flash; The world is different outside of your ignorant Christian community whether you like it or not.

Side: Atheism is growing
Srom(12206) Disputed
1 point

Well not all of the people where I live are Christian. Most people say they are Christian but they do all sorts of things like swear, talk about perverted things and make racist jokes. I don't consier them Christian since they do that. Some of them I see at church and all they do at church is to hangout or make them feel comfortable

Side: Atheism is declining
6 points

Even in North America, where there is the least amount of Atheism, it has only been rising as of research since 2008.

I can't say for the years afterward, but I'd need to see who's doing this research that Atheism is declining. Atheism has been on the rise for quite some time.

Side: Atheism is growing
2 points

I live in he south, and there's a surprising amount of atheists here, so I have to assume atheism is on the rise. Of course that doesn't speak as a whole, but it does say a lot considering I'm in the south.

Side: Atheism is growing
2 points

Yes, i think atheism is growing. There is a far lesser religious influence on peoples lives today, and has been declining for quite some time. Sure, in places like Afghanistan they are still deeply involved in their religion, but Christianity is surely going down. I see this to be for the better, now people aren't stoning each other and burning people for being witches e.t.c!

Side: Atheism is growing
1 point

I agree. I've also seen many reports, statistics, polls, and many other reliable sources of an increase of Atheism.

Side: Atheism is growing
1 point

I beleive atheism is growing, but I do not have any statistics to site as proof. I do believe this to be the case though as people stream from their current religions and look for something to believe in, and atheism is the end play when people don't know where to turn.

Side: Atheism is growing
Dremorius(861) Clarified
1 point

It is a logical conclusion that intelligent, open-minded people resort to when they are dissatisfied with the flawed logic of their religions. It also has something to do with the growing access of information (such as the internet) which has caused a tremendous growth in Atheism. Not to mention how the population's IQ have been rising, giving birth to more and more Atheists everyday. It's odd how people with high IQ's are less likely to be religious...

Side: Atheism is declining
1 point

After much consideration and soul searching i believe atheism is growing. Below i have pasted a link to a article on Wikipedia. Atheism can be described in such a broad context, and even in itself a religion. 'A Rejection of the belief in the Existence of Deities'. When all religions are taken into account you have to wonder when you chose to embrace that choice of belief, Is it the right one? When any religion wages war, facilitates massacre's, fosters corruption and dictates the moral code of its followers based on the reactions of society then you have to question your faith. Am i being tainted with the blood, pain and injustice of my people. Now call me Crazy but we are all on born to this world, with the desire to learn and embrace the world we live in. To adapt to new discoveries, experience untold beauty, and embrace humanity. With the considerable choice in religions in hard to know which ones to chose. Most dictate the way their followers conduct their lives and i hope that we can agree that this fosters an impartial morale code on society when its followers either become large enough or vocal enough. No one true religion can be right.

“ I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours. ”

— Stephen F. Roberts[5]

Supporting Evidence: Criticism of Religion - Wikipedia Article (en.wikipedia.org)
Side: Atheism is growing
1 point

atheism is growing

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Side: Atheism is growing

People are starting to question things rather than just jump on the bandwagon.

And it's about time.

Side: Atheism is growing

We can look at the results for the British Social Attitudes Survey, which show 51% of Britain now non religious, but survey figures are misleading, as people who aren't necessarily Christian will tick the Christian box. Also, religious institutions will often cite baptism records as reliable statistics, which is just dishonest. I, for one, was baptised as a toddler but am now an active atheist. Also, the UK is currently legally a "Christian nation" meaning that you are presumed Christian, it is an opt out system. I was very shocked and angry that my school automatically lists you as Christian if you list your ethnicity as "British white".

The fact is, in the twenty first century, people are free to believe whatever they want to believe, and with the advent of the information age, people have access to so much information which often frees them from the bonds of faith and introduces them to free thought and reason. It is no surprise that studies show a decline in religious belief in more intelligent people (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligence)(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2111174/ Intelligent-people-less-likely-to-believe-in-God.html), and a decline in faith when critical thinking is encouraged (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21749-analytical-thinking-erodes-belief-in-god.html).

Young people can now think for themselves and question their beliefs freely, and it's good to see so much support for secularism and rational thinking in my generation.

Question everything! Even whether or not you should question everything!

Side: Atheism is growing
1 point

Wow! I was really shocked with the fact that the UK is a Christian Nation thank you for sharing :)

Side: Atheism is growing
anachronist(889) Disputed
1 point

I find it ironic that England is a Christian nation, but not many of us are actually religious and our politicians don't talk about their personal beliefs outside politics (woo secularism!), whereas America was founded as a secular nation and they're currently teeming with fundies and creationists, while nobody can get elected for anything without claiming they are a Christian.

Side: Atheism is declining
1 point

The developed part of the world's population growth is steadily slowing. The less developed areas which have much higher birthrates also happen to be more religious. I would expect this gap to increase. HOWEVER, this isn't a useful metric since the actual number of new atheists IS increasing over time, and that growth is speeding up.

Side: Atheism is growing
0 points

Atheism is growing and WILL GROW. The explanation is simple, the nearer the rapture is, the more people will decline God as their Lord and Savior. If we take this out of religion and take it as just a type of belief where in there're no such thing as gods, with the human's mind continuing to grow more intelligent, there's no impossibility that they'll think that God doesn't exist.

As what I've experienced, there were also Christians who were actually, atheists in disguise. They believe in God simply because they know it's right. Deep in their hearts, Atheism is DEFINITELY growing. But that's normal because this is one of God's test for us. :)

Side: Atheism is growing
CriticalEYE(29) Disputed
1 point

Last time I've checked there were waayy more religions than just Christianity. Your explanation seems kind of moot, huh?

Side: Atheism is declining