Comments on: The 2008 ARIS: Atheist State of the Nation

By: Alex Weaver

Alex Weaver — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:42:49 +0000

It's worth noting that whereas organized religions, especially monotheistic religions, are prone to actively killing people who oppose them, whereas New Agers prefer to passively kill people by undermining evidence-based medicine and societal confidence therein. It's easier to get someone off a quack treatment and into a proper clinic than it is to restore life to someone burned at the stake, and the victim's personal choice actually plays a role, so this is arguably an improvement.

By: Mr.Pendent

Mr.Pendent — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:37:35 +0000

While I look at this as general good news--the fewer organized xtians there are, the better--I don't think that lack of God is necessarily the goal. Although it might be a step on the road, the goal (in my mind) is not to remove god, but to remove thoughtless obedience and the worship of nonsensical ideas. While the removal of god is progressing, I would say that the mindless obedience and silly worship is not increasing judging by MUFON membership, the hunt for bigfoot, area 51, pyramid power, and the many other denizens of the "new age" shelves in the bookstore.

But any progress is worthwhile, I guess. :)

By: Alex Weaver

Alex Weaver — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:41:57 +0000

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

-Robin Edgar

Your actual objections were dealt with in the post. The rest of your comment tells me that your local elementary school needs to budget more for after-school programs; you clearly don't have enough to do.

By: bbk

bbk — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:34:04 +0000

A couple things that I find interesting about the last 8 years. We've had a war, a corrupt right-wing extremist government, and the sabotage of anything secular in the educational system. We went through the high water mark of the evangelical social engineering movement that started in the 1970's. Perhaps some of these events have socializing effects that dampen people's willingness to join an out group. Also, the previous decade before that had marked the introduction of the internet to the general public. Perhaps the growth of atheism has something to do with the growth of internet usage. As well, we've gone through a strong economic growth followed by a major economic downturn. There's definitely a lot of trends to correlate with and hypothesize about. Here's my two cents... In developing countries, people leave behind the organizational structures of extended families and strongly knit traditional communities when economic and governmental institutions come in to play and start offering better, more reliable alternatives. Religion, with its strong bent on charity and community organizing, seems to be another traditional structure that becomes less appealing when better alternatives become available. The organizational power of the internet, for example, has made it the primary conduit of modern reform movements. Overall, the more power and independence that society affords to the individual citizen, the less influential traditional community organizations become. At least, that's what I think. So if I can make a prediction, I'll wager that universal single-payer health-care would be a boom to atheism. So would a return to accountability and transparency in both government and the corporate world. The more trustworthy and robust our secular institutions are, the better for atheism.

By: Keri

Keri — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:17:05 +0000

I just wanted to comment that someone that doesn't believe in any gods but does not identify as an atheist is not necessarily doing so from a conscious decision due to negative stereotype. I have a friend who is definitely an atheist but does not call himself an atheist and didn't even know what it meant when I first met him. He just has no interest in the subject, and thinks religion is silly. I think that there are a lot of people out there that are atheists, but just aren't interested enough in the subject of religion to label themselves anything.

By: Ebonmuse

Ebonmuse — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:20:02 +0000

:The number of outright atheists has nearly doubled since 2001, from 900 thousand to 1.6 million.

Since when is 1.6 million 1.6 percent of all 300 million or so Americans?

It is closer to 0.5 percent. . .

As my post said and as the report stated, there are 1.62 million self-identified atheists and 1.98 million self-identified agnostics, for a total of 3.6 million, which is 1.6% of the American population.

By: Robin Edgar

Robin Edgar — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 04:33:15 +0000

Well you know what Mark Twain said about statistics. . . Right?

:The percentage of Americans claiming no religion, which jumped from 8.2 in 1990 to 14.2 in 2001, has now increased to 15 percent. Given the estimated growth of the American adult population since the last census from 207 million to 228 million, that reflects an additional 4.7 million "Nones."

The fact that someone is not a member of any particular religious community does not mean that they do not believe in God. . .

:Only 1.6 percent of Americans call themselves atheist or agnostic. But based on stated beliefs, 12 percent are atheist (no God) or agnostic (unsure), while 12 percent more are deistic (believe in a higher power but not a personal God). The number of outright atheists has nearly doubled since 2001, from 900 thousand to 1.6 million.

Since when is 1.6 million 1.6 percent of all 300 million or so Americans?

It is closer to 0.5 percent. . .

Also, regardless of how many "outright atheists" there really are, even if it is 10-15% which I doubt, any apparent increase in "outright atheists" might have more to do with an increase of "out" atheists than an actual increase in the number of "outright" atheists. Right?

It never ceases to amaze me how "less than bright" some self-described "Brights" can be. . . As I pointed out here on Thor's Day.

http://www.montrealmirror.com/2009/031209/letters.html

It's worth a peek. Here's the parting shot -

"Who would have thought that evangelical militant atheists would ever give God free publicity?"

You might like 'The Atheist Supremacist's Song' parody based on G&S' 'The Major General's Song' of course -

http://the-wonderful-wizard-of-uus.blogspot.com/2009/02/richard-dawkins-is-pompous-ass-now.html

And these LOLCats are kinda fun too -

http://the-wonderful-wizard-of-uus.blogspot.com/2009/03/dog-delusion-aka-theres-probably-no-dog.html

Gotta love that pompous ASS* Richard Dawkins for giving us the meme! :-)

Allah prochaine,

Robin Edgar aka The Wonderful Wizard of U*Us

* Atheist Supremacist Spokesperson

By: John Nernoff

John Nernoff — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:35:59 +0000

Let's not forget to give George W Bush credit for showing us all what a Christian ideologue can do to something as important as a real country.

By: TommyP

TommyP — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:44:53 +0000

Wonderful news! I saved the front page form USA Today that was fretting over these results. It was great!

By: SASnSA

SASnSA — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:22:48 +0000

I do have to question somebody's understanding of statistical percentages based on this statement:

But we are still growing - granted, more slowly than before - but that is a significant achievement when most religious groups continue to lose ground.

If most religious groups are losing ground, it only makes sense that somebody, probably somebody non-religious is gaining it.

By: Richard P

Richard P — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:54:22 +0000

This doesn't surprise me at all. I came from a catholic, Born again background.
It really does become self evident the lies and deceit that needs to be carried out to keep the faith.
I would say that double digit conversions should be expected now that there is a vocal alternative gaining awareness. I was a closet atheist for years, mostly because I did not really know there were other choices. When I found my first atheist web site, I was giddy with relief that others were finally catching up to me, I never new I wasn't the only one...
I really think once we start to see more people coming out it will reach the point of self evident. Only those that really don't want to accept responsibility for themselves will gravitate towards religion.

By: Alex, FCD

Alex, FCD — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:41:52 +0000

If 'atheist' still has negative stereotypes, perhaps we should call ourselves 'god-free'. ;)

"Now with 50% more skepticism!"