Are many people in other countries Atheist?

Question

I have seen American media and they treat Atheism like noone is Atheist, in fact most don't know what Atheists even believe.

A large poplution of Australia:

A) Doesn't believe
B) Isn't sure
C) Doesn't care

What are other places like?

Answer 1

I live in Austria now. Its about 74-76% Roman Catholic as of the last census I am aware of. The number of those not identifying as religious has doubled here over the last 20 years. Of that 70 something figure my unscientific take is that half are sincerely believers who are active or engaged with their religion and beliefs. Many are what is commonly known as cultural Catholics or here "baptismal certificate Catholics" which is that they identify as Catholic because that is what the family has always been. They maybe attend services at Christmas and Easter and for weddings, baptisms, and funerals. No one here has been offended when the topic came up that I am not religious at all. They don't act like there must be something wrong with me. No one has tried to tell me I'm going to hell or need God. Catholicism is not evangelistic in the way that American protestant fundamentalism is, although they do missionary works. They have people come to them rather than going to people unsolicited. Many that I speak with freely speak about not buying into it all hook, line, and sinker. Most Austrians I'm friends with lived together before marriage and believe in family planning using birth control, have no problems accepting evolution, etc.... Many fundamentalists in the U.S. think all Catholics are going to hell. The Catholics here I've met could care less what they think as they think religion in the United States looks nutty.

Answer 2

Most countries in NW Europe are largely atheist.
70% of Czech republic is atheist.
Religion seems to cling most on the fringes of Europe, along the Mediterranean coastline, where the Roman Catholic traditions hang on most stickily. Add to that the Greek Orthodox version into Greece and Cyprus BUT it is all fading with the upcoming generations receiving a better standard of education and quality of life.
The opposite is true in the deprived countries.
The Spanish forcibly introduced catholicism into the Philippines about 400 years ago and the Philippines is unusual in SE Asia in this respect, surrounded as they are by Buddhist and Muslim nations.
The point is that extreme poverty seems to demand religion as a sidekick - as if religion is doing them any good at all, which it clearly isn't. Yet the traditions persist. That said, atheism IS spreading in the Philippines, just very slowly. It isn't as if there is an atheist mission force travelling the globe spreading the truth. That just doesn't happen. People discover reality for themselves in spite of there being the usual bunch of (rich) evangelists and TV channels here that are devoted to god (much of them being direct imports from the anomulous US). There are zero atheist TV channels, of course.
Bear in mind that there are no homosexuals in Iran, or so their president claims. Foolish in the extreme. It's just that there are no homosexuals who are brave enough to admit it publicly for fear of persecution or even execution.
In the same way, atheism does carry a stigma in many countries and many dare not admit to their lack of a belief in any god or gods, especially politicians!!

If there was survey, a census of the beliefs or otherwise of the whole population of any country, the strong chances are that many when asked "Do you believe in God?' or "What religion are you" will give an answer that the researcher wants to hear. The easy answer for most British people is not to rock the boat and just spout 'CofE' and head off to the betting shop and/or pub without giving it any more thought at all. Thus, statistics will be very misleading and there are MORE atheists in any one country than such a survey would suggest.

The muslim world, however, would provide a very different result. Most (not all) muslim countries would provide a 100% following, as to claim atheism in, for example, Saudi Arabia, would get one introduced to the sharp edge of a sword and the absence of any feeling when the head departs from the neck and hits the deck.

Atheism is growing, even in the very childish US of A. It is the only logical lifestyle choice and, if it were not the direct result of deluded parental influence over the very young and impressionable children in their care, it would grow even faster.

Answer 3

Western Europe is a godless hellhole.

Norway especially.

North Korea too.

http://www.asktheatheists.com/questions/50-stalins-atheist-regime-secular-evil-focus

Answer 4

In Australia we live by and love our nonjudgmental free society culture. We don't label any persons beliefs, religion, colour, race. sexual orientation or physical or mentally challenged disabilities or place any person into separate labelled groups. Doing this is racism and is unacceptable discrimination in a multicultural society. Australian people don't tolerate any racists religious groups or any persons who labels tall poppy's views towards other Australian citizens. So we don't do a head count on who believes in whatever they choose to believe in or how a person chooses to live there life it's totally Un-Australian. I choose 'C'

Answer 5

In the Western World it is only America (that has no official state religion) where your religion is an issue. In most of the Western world it is not an issue and most people don't care this is especially evident in England where the official state religion is Church of England but most people who say they are Christian go to Church for christening, weddings and funerals only.

Answer 6

I live in australia too and i would say that most of my friends are either atheist or agnostic. when i lived in new zealand most of my friends there were atheist. new zealand on a whole is more christian, but it is dying out in the youths.

Answer 7

in the UK it isnt really a matter of who is what ...
people just dont discuss the issue much at all
so it is hard to say how many are Atheists
all I know is that in my direct family/friends/neighbours etc ... I am only one in a handful that has any religious beliefs

Answer 8

I'm an American Atheist. I don't go around obsessing about it or counting how many there are in each country, or even harassing religious people (imagine that). That would make me an intolerant 'radical'.

Answer 9

Western Europe is mostly religiously apathetic.

Answer 10

i was born and raised in the US and know quite a few atheists