Is atheism more common than we think?

Question

I seem to be finding that so many people on the Internet (and real life) are atheists. Most of the time, the initial reaction is, "Wow, I thought I was the only one! Who would have thought?"

I'm starting to suspect that there are many, many more atheists and agnostics out there than the polls and surveys convey. Hell, I'm only 16, and I know two other atheists from school who are my age!

So is it safe to say that there are more closet atheists in society than we know? Just from the demographics of R&S, I'm starting think that may be so.

Answer 1

I absolutely think there are more of us out there than we realize. I look at how few people in my life know that I'm an atheist, and wonder just how many of THEM might be too.

Answer 2

Neither people your age, nor R&S section of this site are representative samples of all people.

I believe atheism is more common now that in the past, and there are probably more atheists among the young than the old.

What you see in this sectionis mostly people who are obsessed with religion, either for or against. (I'm not, but then I don't hang out only in this section, but in many sections of this site.)

Not long ago I read The God Delusion, and Dawkins said he was really addressing it to the "closet" atheists (as it were). People who had real doubts, but were afraid to admit they were atheists.

I also once heard (but have never gotten confirmation) that anthropologists who talk to people one-on-one in undeveloped societies, where "everyone" believes in magic and shamen and such, that there will be a few skeptics even in those societies. They keep it to themsevles, but think all the magic and such are a bunch of hooey.

I would imagine that most people are honest to, say, pollsters -- as no one would know what THEY, personally, answered. But there might be some who wouldn't even admit it to an anonymous pollster.

So, I THINK there may be a few more than we think, but probably not many.

I'm pleased to hear of so many atheists among the young. I see that as a good sign for the future of humanity.

But then, I see many good signs for the future of humanity among the young, such as a lower incidence of racism and sexism and other forms of intollerance.

(signed, a middle-aged atheist)

Answer 3

There seems to be a growing population of atheists in this country. Much of Western Europe does not take religion seriously. They have become atheist for the most part. Here in the U.S., we are still fudamentally a God-fearing nation. There may be atheists in large liberal cities, but much of the bible belt covers a wide area of the U.S. Atheism has grown in the West, yet America is still not ready to live without God. One's atheism can take away all of God's omnipotence. This goes to show that belief comes from human kind and not a supernatural being.

Answer 4

Yes there are a lot more of us than most people think. At my school, which is even in the Bible belt, about 1/5 is atheist/agnostic. The non-religious movement in the U.S. is growing at an astronomical rate. In a few decades it is estimated that we will become the majority.

Answer 5

In Norway, a child is automatically 'enrolled' as a member of the state church. One must actively request to be removed from the church rolls in order not to be counted as a member. (This is the reason for the wildly differing accounts of the percentage of atheism in Scandinavian countries.)

In the US, I think there's an informal similarity; Americans are typically raised nominally Christian because it's a 'good idea', but many people are functionally agnostic, or don't care enough to decide that they do or don't believe. But they'll still list the church that they grew up in and haven't been to in five years as their 'religion'.

Answer 6

I'm skeptical. I don't think the number of atheists is increasing as greatly as some people think. Although there is definitely an increase in the number of people who are interested in atheism. I think there are certainly a lot of closet agnostics though.

Answer 7

You bet...more people are becoming enlightened to the mockery people have made of religion at an early age. The world is much nastier now than in days gone by, and today's youth is simply evolving with society. Nothing wrong with your beliefs. I am a spiritualist myself, but I'd take your side quicker than I would any christian.muslim,jew, wiccan or any other neo pagan new age wanna be.

Answer 8

I read recently that atheist beliefs are up over 200% since the early 70's and that the Christian beliefs have remained about the same.
Why do you think Christians are just in an upraor about every little thing these days? They feel the pressure of their own dying religion is why.

Answer 9

Most people of the world are against God.

It's very common even though a great number think that there is some kind of power "out there". They just want to be the only god for themselves and be the judge of all others.

Answer 10

I think you are right. I don't think that atheists or agnostics are 'confused' people but I do think there are a lot of people out there that don't know exactly what to believe in yet they pick a religion anyway just because they want to fit in somewhere.