Question for atheists, about the increase of atheism?

Question

This question might offend some Christians, sorry for that.

If atheism keeps growing, the new atheists are most likely former religious people. With taking Christianity as an example of a religion, my assumption is that a large part of the new atheists are former moderate Christians, who already had some doubts about gods. Probably already fairly logical people.

The chance that a fundamentalist anti-gay Christian becomes an atheist is very small.

If this is true, wouldn't that mean that with every increase of atheism, Christianity as a whole becomes more hateful? And isn't that a really scary thought?

Feel free to shoot holes in this little theory, it's just a random thought after a few beers.

Answer 1

I tend to like your random thoughts.

The flip side to this is that moderate Christians becoming moderate atheists means that there's no net change in the number of jerks in the world.

Or, alternately: The median American in terms of religious belief is most likely a casual, mainline Christian. If the median moves to being an atheist, then the weight of popular opinion would stop being on the Christian side of the line. Christianity would be protected still, but as a minority group.

(I know you're not in the US, but my familiarity with the religious landscape here is somewhat better than that in the Netherlands. I do know that all the crazy religious people in the Netherlands ended up in my back yard - West Michigan.)

And there's always the possibility of on-the-road-to-Bethany conversions to atheism, where a fundie switches teams and uses his old tactics for the other side. I haven't seen that all that much, though.

Answer 2

Communism isn't founded on atheism. Just because all communists are atheists does not mean that all atheists are communists. For example: I am an atheist but not a communist. See how that works? Evolution is a scientific theory; it applies to science, not society. You're thinking of social Darwinism, which is not the same thing. I have morals, no matter how many times you spew your crap saying that I don't. I may seem rude, but that is only because you are a very annoying, ignorant person and it's difficult to be civil towards a person like you. Towards most people, though, I'm perfectly nice. And I have morals.

Answer 3

Atheists only make up a very small percentage of the population (3-7%), probably not enough to have an appreciable effect on the growing number of moderate Christians in this country.

As for the conservative evangelical Christians, most of them do stay with their beliefs.

Unfortunately, their views on government are extremely scary, blurring laws and religion. Not to mention their views on basic scientific theory.

Conservative evangelicals already make up over 30 million people in this country, so stop scaring me!

Answer 4

I think that you are mostly right. I was involved in a small discussion group in Cincinnati when I lived there that had two former ministers. They were both the born-again fire and brimstone types. Sam Kennison was the same before he lost his faith and went into comedy.

Most have doubts, but I am not convinced that they come mostly from the moderates like I did. A lot seem to come from the more irrational groups. I think that it is easier to get the idea when there is such a ridged frame put on it. They only need to say one thing that you know isn't right and you start to ask questions.

Answer 5

I'm not sure if we have more atheists or if it's become a fad of sorts....? I think that more atheists are becoming more outspoken, and because of that perhaps it is growing in strength.

That is a scary thought but I am very good friends with some very rational Christians. Now you may say that they aren't "Christians" per se, but if they are the moderate Christian movement, and they are redefining the term "Christian", then I believe they will help us in ridding this world of the fanatics. These friends I speak of want seperation of church and state, they want gays to be able to get married, pro choice........all the hardcore christian topics of interest, they greatly appose. We need to be promoting that christian, because we can sit here and tell them they aren't rational and piss off our only allies in the christian comunity, or we can see they have their beliefs, but they also understand everything else that science has to offer, and believe it. With their help we don't have to worry about the more hateful Christians.

Answer 6

Flip side is that there are fundemental anti-gay Christians who have that 'all or nothing' personality type. You know, the kind of person who shows up at a rock concert dressed to look like the lead singer. They go on for a while, then lose interest and take off in another direction.

Answer 7

I don't agree that Fundamentalism would decline because of atheism's increase. I think it is far more likely that religious and cultural fault lines are being more clearly drawn. Some people become more conservative as a response to cultural issues, just as others become more progressive or secular. I think the only thing that has been clearly demonstrated is that liberal Protestantism has been declining for some time.

Answer 8

Uh oh, Christianity being subjected to "Darwinist" elements such as survival of the strongest? Or rather survival of those of the strongest "faith".

I see what you mean and to honest it does make sense. Only those with absolute faith/belief in their religion are gonna stick around making the religion stronger and faster. Couple that with a good education and we've got a new master race on our hands.

Can we say "Dun Dun DUUUUUUUN"?

Answer 9

I think fundamentalist christianity is not more hateful (it was always thoroughly despicable), but simply more obviously dangerous. The difference is that people are actually beginning to say this in public.

Answer 10

I think that's a certainly in line with the trend we are seeing in Christianity. Their unhealthy-unexplainable obsession with homosexuals is an increasing point of concern in the gay community. Many of us in the know who follow these trends are growing concerned at the indifference mainstream society has toward these fundamentalist and their hateful rhetoric. I have no doubt that many of them would love to stick homosexuals into 'relocation camps' where they would disappear forever. The sad part is, as we all know, it wouldn't be first time.