The number of athiests in the world is less than one half of 1%...?

Question

but why does ti seem 90% of atheists are in Y!A? Is Y!A the official site for atheism?

you cannot include agnostics and non-religious people. Atheism in strict sense of the definition.

http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

"Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman compiled country-by-country survey, polling and census numbers relating to atheism, agnosticism, disbelief in God and people who state they are non-religious or have no religious preference. These data were published in the chapter titled "Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns" in The Cambridge Companion to Atheism, ed. by Michael Martin, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK (2005). Different type of data collection methodologies using different types of questions showed a consistent pattern: In most countries only a tiny number of people (zero to a fraction of 1 percent) will answer "atheism" or "atheist" when asked an open-ended question about what their religious preference. A slightly larger number of people will answer "yes" if asked pointedly if they are an atheist."

cont. "A slightly larger number than that will answer "no" when asked if they believe in any type of God, deities, or Higher Power. A slightly larger number answer "no" when asked simply if they "believe in God" (omitting wording indicating more nebulous, less anthropomorphic conceptions of divinity). Finally, a larger number of people answer "none" or "non-religious" when asked asked an open-ended queston about what their religious preference is. Although figures vary for each country, average numbers indicate that roughly half of the people who self-identify as "nonreligious" also answer "yes" when asked if they believe in God or a Higher Power."

Answer 1

A 2005 survey published in Encyclopædia Britannica found that the non-religious make up about 11.9% of the world's population, and atheists about 2.3%

An official European Union survey provides corresponding figures: 18% of the EU population do not believe in a god

Answer 2

I'm sure those stats are cooked a bit. I also believe many folks who really are atheist say they aren't to avoid trouble in their countries. I would suspect in a Muslim country anyone stating they were atheist would likely be imprisoned and/or executed. I think many Americans say they're Christian because they enjoy belonging to a group, and being an "average person." In private, they might have a different story.

Answer 3

You have a bad statistic. (It says in many countries, that's not the worldwide stat. Read down a bit...)

For the year 2000, David B. Barrett (Encyclopedia Britannica and World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001) classified 150,089,508 (2.5% of world's population) as atheists, and 768,158,954 people as "Nonreligious" (12.7% of the world) for a total of 918,248,462 (15.2% of the world). These calculations by Barrett include all agnostics and others in our "Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist" category. Our figure of 1.1 billion in this category is considerably higher, and takes into consideration Zuckerman's analysis as well. Of the people in this grouping, it is estimated that 40 to 50% have a stated traditionally "theistic" belief in God, deities or a Higher Power.

Answer 4

The "statistic" you're quoting is the percentage of atheists in America's PRISONS. (Which begs the question of why atheists seem to be more moral than theists, if your bible is supposedly the final word on moral behavior...)

It's closer to 8-15% of the general population who are non-believers (atheist or agnostic) of religion in general.

Keep in mind also: no matter WHICH religion you call your own, that 2/3 of the total population of the planet are atheists with regard to YOUR god.

Answer 5

Sorry, but your figures are just ridiculous.

Almost the entire population of Russia and China, and Japan and most of Europe are either non believers or could care less.

The strongest support for religion is is poor, third world countries, and of course the USA.

Answer 6

To your first question, either you have wishful thinking or you are reading the statics incorrectly lol. Just so anyone should know biased people can make up things and studies and make it like something they like, love, and or believe in to be popular and post it on the internet. Something tells me there are countries that either never heard of god or do not believe in it aren't counted so likely that pie graph is just easily manipulated to give out BS like survey.

Answer 7

I don't know where you get your number from, but it is pure fantasy. The US is somewhere around 10% (I've seen 3-17% depending on how the question is asked) and it is higher in most other parts of the world.

Answer 8

According to whom?
If you say you're atheist (That's E then I, learn to spell please) in places like the US, you're considered to be evil, so of course few people will stand up and say it.
Where did you get that claim?
I've got a claim of at least 4% I can show you.
Atheists use Y!A because it's an open forum, and possibly because more atheists are willing to discuss faith rather than preach on it.

Answer 9

....No, you're just wrong. Sorry.
I'm no fan of the "Athiests are better" argument, but your numbers are just completely incorrect. As for the fact more Athiests are here than in the general population wise, it's a missionary instinct. Which is funny, but does make sense.
Everyone wants the world to agree with them; human nature.

Answer 10

Maybe the anonymity of the Internet allows people to be more honest about such things? There are three kinds of lies, 1. Lies 2. Damned Lies, and 3. Statistics..