Atheism is not growing in the world

"Unbelief is not increasing in the world. It is a phenomenon linked above all to the western world. It is not linked to Asia, Latin America or Africa, nor to the Muslim world."

see: http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=44610

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), March 11, 2004

Answers

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-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@Hotmail.com), March 11, 2004.

Atheism is not growing but the report does say "religious indifferentism or practical atheism is growing." "Practical atheism" is a very descriptive term. Someone who believes in God but does not let that get in the way of whatever they want to do is a "practical atheist." My guess is that these people believe in heaven but do not believe in hell. How much better is a society full of practical atheists vs a society of plain old-fashioned atheists?

-- Brian Crane (brian.crane@cranemills.com), March 11, 2004.

Bill , thx for the article ,

Atheism / religion must be a freedom of speech/practising , not pushed !! __ As you know , I don't believe , I think people have the right to believe in what they want , but who am I ??

But still , I've got a question:

Why is that some catholics disagree with the pope ??

Salut & Cheers from a NON BELIEVER:

-- Laurent LUG (.@...), March 11, 2004.

Your wrong there, atheists and the ACLU have been filing law suits for decades to push their agenda. There is even now a PAC:

http://www.godlessamericans.org/

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), March 11, 2004.

Why is that some catholics disagree with the pope ??

The pope is only infallible when he speaks authoritatively on matters of faith and morals. In all other instances it is perfectly legitimate for a Catholic to disagree with him. Remember, the Pope is a Shepard of a flock, not a dictator or king.

In Christ,
Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), March 11, 2004.

Bill, Maybe not growing noticably over decades, but looking back at 400 years ago vs 200 years ago, vs now, I would say that it is growing. Religion must compete in some minds against science/technology, and often loses in those minds.

400 years ago, most of Europe was Christian of one flavor or another. 200 years ago, the rationists of Scotland, Holland, and the US sounded religous, until looked at closely -- these days I would class some of them with the Universal Unitarians.

The people who say that they are (religion) yet have no faith in it are nearly athest, really. Jews that Hitler classified as Jewish when they had denied their faith were *so* suprised.

Not many will just come out and say that they are atheist. But many are effecively so. Too much propaganda vs Godless Commie Atheists? maybe. Do not what to scare the neighbors? I do not know.

This was the forum that found a tame historian to say that the Inquisition never happened, or if it did that very few got hurt by it. That has made me a bit skeptical about some of the claims and URLS that have been posted. Denial seems to be a charastic that I have seen often here. Speaking of denial: a bishop said that since there are so many Catholics, that there is not a problem with the Church, and in particular, not a problem with the number of priests. Not on this forum, but a classic case from all that I know of denial.

I am bothered by what I see as a gradually increasing atheism. Any fellow believer in a postitve religion has my love and sympathy. Even the neutral religions have my good feelings to them. And I see the 'I dont care' crowd as more of a threat than the few negitive religions.

In a sense it goes beyond not believing in God, to not caring if one believes in God. To not care, except to fit in, wheather or not you say that you believe in God. Sean

-- Sean Cleary (seanearlyaug@hotmail.com), March 13, 2004.

A partial apology and clarification: It is not just this forum. There are learned people pushing their agendas out there. They will produce papers, etc that will support their views. And people with similar views will cite these. Sometimes one has to look and see if the result makes sense.

The Creationist institute down in San Diego has heavy degreed people who will tell you that, despite the evidence in the stars and the rocks, that the Universe is at max 10,000 years old. For my taste this means that the universe contains lies, and was created to lie to us. Which I feel would reflect as poorly on the creator as if the universe was created a second ago, and everything we remember is only a sort-of lie or at best a fable. Other people feel that the literal bible account does trump any physical evidence.

There are groups that I strongly feel are either totally wrong or a strange joke like the neo-Nazis or the Flat Earhters. And they can cite papers and articles by people with degrees and credentials.

So while having an article that supports you view is a fine thing, it does not trump everything. If well written it can lend support for your views. It can persuade. But persuasion is needed. Not edicts from on high, unless you have a captive audiance that must accept those edicts.

And when someone does not find you basic hypothese to be sensible or useable, well it is hard to persuade them. If they do accept the basic hypothsises, then if the edicts fall in line with them, they will likely be accepted.

Sean

-- Sean Cleary (seanearlyaug@hotmail.com), March 15, 2004.