A study of atheism worldwide

[Japanrocks12]

Except that suicide is a sin.

There's little or no way of measuring how devoted or devout christians in each of those countries are. And we don't know how many would commit suicide knowing that it's a sin.


the study done was interesting but it's a bit too early and lacking in depth to make any causatory statements.

 

[Masquerouge]

Since God exists, I would have to say no.

Touche

But since humans have free will, is there anything to stop them from all becoming atheists?

 

[LordRahl]

Atheism is one area where the U.S. could learn a lot from Europe. I agree - the richer the countries, the more people become Atheist. Education is part of the reason, we know what causes volcano eruptions and tsunamis. Another factor is that when you have money, you can enjoy your current, material life more. You no longer have the need to look to after-life, when you can attain most of your "heavenly fantasies" on earth.

 

[Japanrocks12]

Atheism is one area where the U.S. could learn a lot from Europe. I agree - the richer the countries, the more people become Atheist. Education is part of the reason, we know what causes volcano eruptions and tsunamis. Another factor is that when you have money, you can enjoy your current, material life more. You no longer have the need to look to after-life, when you can attain most of your "heavenly fantasies" on earth.

this is reasoning that I like.

 

[LordRahl]

exactly so we can't make a judgment about whether or not being educated or logical has anything to with being religious, seeing how both religious and nonreligious people are educated from all of our personal experiences combined

Actually - do a quick Google search, and you'll find plenty of studies suggesting exactly that. The more educated the person, the less religious they are. Sure - you'll find exceptions to every rule, but the undeniable trend is still there.

 

[aneeshm]

According to Norris and Inglehart (2004, 1998), 6% of those in India do not believe in God. According to a 2004 survey commissioned by the BBC, less than 3% of Indians do not believe in God.

And an even more recent survey showed that 98% of people in India believe in God.



But we have a very, very different idea of, and relationship with our concept of, God, than the Western world does.

We've gone past the "Indra" stage.

 

[MobBoss]

I think the story a tad bit misleading. For example. Japan is 84% shinto/buddist.....which isnt exactly your atypical atheist. About half of South Korea is either Christian or Buddist according to the CIA factbook.

Also, I am wondering where they are getting their data, because, for example, the CIA factbook again mentions that Sweden is 87% Lutheran and Denmark as 95% Luteran based upon prior census data.

 

[ArneHD]

And an even more recent survey showed that 98% of people in India believe in God.



But we have a very, very different idea of, and relationship with our concept of, God, than the Western world does.

We've gone past the "Indra" stage.

In India god isn't a title, it's a job description.

 

[ArneHD]

I think the story a tad bit misleading. For example. Japan is 84% shinto/buddist.....which isnt exactly your atypical atheist. About half of South Korea is either Christian or Buddist according to the CIA factbook.

Also, I am wondering where they are getting their data, because, for example, the CIA factbook again mentions that Sweden is 87% Lutheran and Denmark as 95% Luteran based upon prior census data.

Presumably based on numbers of people registered in the state church, very few (at least here in Norway) bother to get off the registry (we are automatically entered I think).

 

[Irish Caesar]

this is reasoning that I like.

Yep, that made a lot more sense to me than "since people know what causes volcanoes to erupt, they don't need to believe in gods anymore." Especially since I have a rough understanding of geology and other such things and I do not think that such understanding has caused me to become atheist. I might have noticed that.

 

[MobBoss]

Presumably based on numbers of people registered in the state church, very few (at least here in Norway) bother to get off the registry (we are automatically entered I think).

Right, but if they are claiming in a census to still be affilated ala Lutheran; are they truly athiest or just a weak Lutheran?

 

[warpus]

That they listed Viet Nam and South Korea makes it hard for me to take them seriously. Many Asians do not adhere to one religious school of thought, but they are most definitely spiritual/religious.

Being spiritual and/or religious doesn't mean you necessarily believe in God. I, for example, consider myself to be a highly spiritual person, and I'm an agnostic/soft atheist.

I think the story a tad bit misleading. For example. Japan is 84% shinto/buddist.....which isnt exactly your atypical atheist.

What's a typical atheist? An atheist is just someone who doesn't believe that God exists.

Also, I am wondering where they are getting their data, because, for example, the CIA factbook again mentions that Sweden is 87% Lutheran and Denmark as 95% Luteran based upon prior census data.

You can be Lutheran in name and atheist by what you actually believe. A lot of people I know would say they are Christian, because that's how they were brought up.. and yet, if asked if they believe in God or not, their responses would indicate atheism or agnosticism.

 

[Masquerouge]

Also, I am wondering where they are getting their data, because, for example, the CIA factbook again mentions that Sweden is 87% Lutheran and Denmark as 95% Luteran based upon prior census data.

Presumably based on numbers of people registered in the state church, very few (at least here in Norway) bother to get off the registry (we are automatically entered I think).

Yup. Like I'm officially a Catholic since I've been baptized and thus am present in the Church books. So if you were trying to find out how many French people were religious by checking the Catholic archives, you would list me as Catholic, but if you polled me in the street I would say atheist.

 

[Truronian]

Officially, I'm a Methodist... mainly because I had no say in what was written about me last census.

 

[MobBoss]

What's a typical atheist? An atheist is just someone who doesn't believe that God exists.

I am not really sure I would label someone that believes in Shinto or Buddism an athiest or even if they would self-label themselves as atheists per se.

You can be Lutheran in name and atheist by what you actually believe.

Or you could be an athiest in name and lutheran in what you actually beleive. Again, if you self-label yourself as a Lutheran in a census and not an atheist, it most likely means you are a Lutheran and not an athiest.

A lot of people I know would say they are Christian, because that's how they were brought up.. and yet, if asked if they believe in God or not, their responses would indicate atheism or agnosticism.

I would label people weak christians as opposed to weak atheists.

 

[IglooDame]

Yeah, Israel as one of the nations with the highest degree of atheism? That strikes me as pretty odd.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Israel as one of the nations with the highest degree of atheism? That strikes me as pretty odd.

Actually makes sense to me.

 

[MobBoss]

Yeah, Israel as one of the nations with the highest degree of atheism? That strikes me as pretty odd.

Here is what the CIA factbook says on Isreal:

Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)

Sooooo? Considering the issues there, I would think Israel one of the most religious oriented places on earth.

 

[LordRahl]

Here is what the CIA factbook says on Isreal:

Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)

Sooooo? Considering the issues there, I would think Israel one of the most religious oriented places on earth.

I think, as stated already - the problem is that most of this data is not obtained via polling, but from old public records.

Most people are not born Atheist - they become them. I personally was born and raised Catholic, and didn't make the switch to the "dark side" until my late teens. There is no public record that has that fact recorded.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Being spiritual and/or religious doesn't mean you necessarily believe in God. I, for example, consider myself to be a highly spiritual person, and I'm an agnostic/soft atheist.

Agnostics are just mystic new age athiests. I'm sure believing in roaming spirits, building houses to house said spirits, and even leaving out food and drink (including alcohol) to supply said spirits are perfectly normal for athiests.

Good point. Do you think then the conclusion of their study is flawed?

Yes.