Atheism- Has it made an impact on the world?

[Truronian]

This was triggered by the Civ4 forum.

My ponderance is, has atheism made an impact on the world? Has it change history at all?

I would say no. I can't see anything in the modern world that has been dramatically influenced by atheism. Thoughts?

 

[SonicX]

I'm not so sure. Since the rise of atheism in Europe, values have also degraded to a point where euthanasia is legal for kids, suicide pills almost got legalized, marihuana is legalized, abortion are done without consent of both parents, gays can marry ànd adopt children etcetera.
If people didn't became atheist, the traditional values would not have gone down so far as they have today ...

I will continue to be a conservative atheist however.

 

[Ramius75]

without the notion of god and someone to "speak" on behalf of "god" human are freeer to pursue whatever they want to do and no need to be "prosecuted" or "inquisited" by the so called speaker of god.

Its not a new invention but a removal of unnecessary "invention".

 

[Truronian]

Surely these are due more to the lowering of the importance of religion, as opposed to the introduction of atheism. I know several devout christians who just as morally degraded as everyone else I know.

 

[plarq]

Its not a new invention but a removal of unnecessary "invention".

Small fix,I guess the word "obsolete" is more accurate than "unnecessary".

 

[Stapel]

Indeed, atheism is not a dogma itself. It's a lack of dogmas!

And yes, the lack of dogmas did contribute a lot to the most important value in the world: Freedom!

 

[Samson]

A big influence of atheism is the influence it had on Marx / communists and the american founding fathers (or certainly some of the early famous powerfull people). It is hard to say what would have happened if these people were not atheists, but I am sure the world would be a very different place.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Well the USSR is surely an example of state athiesm having an impact.

Athiesm is at current changing the world I would say, for more young people are athiests today than were 50 years ago, and I bet taht trend will continue to grow.

 

[Truronian]

Well the USSR is surely an example of state athiesm having an impact.

Atheism in USSR was only really in place to supress the Russian Orthodox church. It wasn't practiced particularly rigidly (Trotsky was Jewish), and I would argue is wasn't really atheism (banning religion=/=refutting religion's truth)

Out of interest, does anyone know the name of the unsuccessful polytheist state religion the Bolsheviks tried to introduce? I read about it an age ago and have forgotten the name.

 

[Akka]

Well, it has made the average IQ of the world to rise considerably. I suppose it's quite a big impact.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Atheism in USSR was only really in place to supress the Russian Orthodox church. It wasn't practiced particularly rigidly (Trotsky was Jewish), and I would argue is wasn't really atheism (banning religion=/=refutting religion's truth)

Out of interest, does anyone know the name of the unsuccessful polytheist state religion the Bolsheviks tried to introduce? I read about it an age ago and have forgotten the name.

Troksky was an atheist - Jewish is a race, Lenin also had Jewish blood and other prominent Bolsheviks did also.

And I would say Soviet athiesm did have a large impact, from the fact that Hitler gained alot of support from Christian conservatives terrified of the USSR through to (as you mention) supression of the church.

 

[Hitro]

It's brought freedom and progress.

 

[farting bob]

Troksky was an atheist - Jewish is a race, Lenin also had Jewish blood and other prominent Bolsheviks did also.

Jews are not a race, but they have been treated like a race. They are a religion just like christianity, not a race.
Athiesm has had a big effect on the world. The western world advancing soo much in technology, science, and ideals that would not have happened (or would have been very different) if those places and people were still heavily religious.

 

[Truronian]

Athiesm has had a big effect on the world. The western world advancing soo much in technology, science, and ideals that would not have happened (or would have been very different) if those places and people were still heavily religious.

Maybe, but there is a difference between relaxed religion and atheism. Most scientist of the past decades have still been religious, just not fanatical.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Jews are not a race, but they have been treated like a race. They are a religion just like christianity, not a race.

Make up your own mind - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew

 

[Yom]

It's resulted in more freedom and scientific advancement (the latter due to a more open mind and less restriction from governments and the church).

 

[Winner]

It's resulted in more freedom and scientific advancement (the latter due to a more open mind and less restriction from governments and the church).

I agree with this. Atheism has helped to end the centuries of religious dark ages.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

At least two popes have were to have been Atheists, so it had an influence there

Atheism is not a cause, but a consequence of a bigger thing that is rationality and freedom of thought.

 

[Markus6]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yom
It's resulted in more freedom and scientific advancement (the latter due to a more open mind and less restriction from governments and the church).

I agree with this. Atheism has helped to end the centuries of religious dark ages.

What you are talking about isn't Atheism, which is the belief that there is no god, it's freedom of religion. Some atheists I have encountered have been among the most closed minded people I have met.

Atheism doesn't have a ruling body, or a unified set of beliefs, or any power in any modern world state. As such it can't influence peoples freedom or open mindedness. Atheism is one of the consequences of a more open minded society.

 

[Truronian]

What you are talking about isn't Atheism, which is the belief that there is no god, it's freedom of religion. Some atheists I have encountered have been among the most closed minded people I have met.

Atheism doesn't have a ruling body, or a unified set of beliefs, or any power in any modern world state. As such it can't influence peoples freedom or open mindedness. Atheism is one of the consequences of a more open minded society.

I agree with this completely. Atheism and science are not nessecarily allies. Just look at the fanatical atheists in America, they would hardly promote scientific advancement.