Y’know how we’re always hearing about the post-Christian world?
Well, there’s an element of truth in that–at least when it comes to Europe and to a lesser-extent the English-speaking world.
But Christianity ain’t the only religion that’s having its troubles.
So’s atheism.
CHECK THIS STORY ON THE DECLINE OF ATHEISM WORLDWIDE.
Excerpts:
There seems to be a growing consensus around the globe that godlessness is in trouble.
"Atheism as a theoretical position is in decline worldwide," Munich theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg told United Press International Tuesday.
His Oxford colleague Alister McGrath agrees. Atheism’s "future seems increasingly to lie in the private beliefs of individuals rather than in the great public domain it once regarded as its habitat," he wrote in the U.S. magazine, Christianity Today.
Two developments are plaguing atheism these days. One is that it appears to be losing its scientific underpinnings. The other is the historical experience of hundreds of millions of people worldwide that atheists are in no position to claim the moral high ground.
A few years ago, European scientists sniggered when studies in the United States – for example, at Harvard and Duke universities – showed a correlation between faith, prayer and recovery from illness. Now 1,200 studies at research centers around the world have come to similar conclusions, according to "Psychologie Heute," a German journal, citing, for example, the marked improvement of multiple sclerosis patients in Germany’s Ruhr District due to "spiritual resources."
Zulehner cautions, however, that in the rest of Europe re-Christianization is by no means occurring. "What we are observing instead is a re-paganization," he went on.
As for the "peril of spirituality," Zulehner sounded quite sanguine. He concluded from his research that in the long run the survival of worldviews should be expected to follow this lineup:
"The great world religions are best placed," he said. As a distant second he sees the diffuse forms of spirituality. Atheism, he insisted, will come in at the tail end.
I found especially interesting this bit:
John Updike’s observation, "Among the repulsions of atheism for me has been is drastic uninterestingness as an intellectual position," appears to become common currency throughout much of the West.
When you think about it, atheism is startlingly uninteresting an flat as a worldview compared to either theism or polytheism. It also makes the world a horror show since mankind would be a cosmic accident with nobody up there caring about him.
Hence, if you’re an atheist, like H. P. Lovecraft and you think the world is a big horror show due to being God-less, you might do something like . . . write horror stories.
Always have this site bookmarked so you can refer atheists to it:
http://www.peterkreeft.com/featured-writing.htm
It’s part of the reason atheism is in decline. Of course, after the atheist becomes a theist, I refer them to catholic.com 🙂
I find it interesting that the media (which is of course secular) is forever writing stories about how religion is on the advance. Most recently, there have been a bunch of stories about how immigrants are allegedly reinvigorating Christianity. One article even claimed that France was undergoing a religious revival of sorts.
Hi, I was just browsing your site and came upon this post. You say, “When you think about it, atheism is startlingly uninteresting an flat as a worldview compared to either theism or polytheism. It also makes the world a horror show since mankind would be a cosmic accident with nobody up there caring about him.”
I am some what puzzled by this comment. I think most atheists believe in it, because it makes logical sense, not because it gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling. Nor should it be discredited in any matter because it makes the world a “horror show”. Doesnt make it any less real buddy.
You people don’t have a clue about atheism. It is not a belief system – it is a lack of belief. It is not an organization, there are no rules. All it requires is to look at religion and science with an open mind. Don’t assume that everything you are told is true – look at things objectively, then make a decision. I have more respect for a theist who went through years of careful reflection before embracing their religion than a theist who just believed what they were taught by their parents and religious leaders.
And by the way, that article you quote is pure garbage. Studies have shown, conclusively and consistantly, that throughout the modern world about 35% of all people openly admit to being atheist. I say this because many atheist are afraid of admitting that they don’t believe, primarily because they fear retribution from religious fanatics. So you can be certain that the actual total is much higher than that.
From one human being to another, I want to respect your right to believe, but the people who control the religious organizations are preaching zero-tolerance. Look around at what they say and do.
One final note – when you do discard the fallacies and fairy tales that make up most religions, you see the world as a new and mysterious place. Everything takes on a new signifigance, and your belief system becomes stronger because it is yours, not one imposed upon you by a fictional character in the sky.
Hi Eric,
Just stumbled upon your post and I had a few comments.
>>From one human being to another, I want to respect your right to believe
Thank you. I respect your right to believe what you want also.
>>…but the people who control the religious organizations are preaching zero-tolerance. Look around at what they say and do.
That’s a little ignorant, isn’t it? It’s unfair to make broad, sweeping generalizations like that about any group of people.
>>You people don’t have a clue about atheism.
Don’t think that was fair either. You people? Am I a part of this homogenous group of “you people?” I don’t know everything about atheism, but I have read some writings by atheists, listened to debates between accomplished theists and atheists, and tried to look at the issue objectively, philosophically, and scientifically. I would disagree that I don’t have a clue about atheism.
>>It is not a belief system – it is a lack of belief.
I disagree. It is in fact a belief system, it just has a lot less beliefs than Christianity. Atheism carries with it its own presuppositions and beliefs, such as the idea that the universe arose purely out of chance. Evidence shows that the probabilities for complex life to arise are very tiny. Atheists take the position that although this chance is miniscule and close to zero, it holds true.
>>It is not an organization, there are no rules.
You don’t have to be a theist and join an organization. Also, there are organizations for atheists, such as American Atheists. There is a rule: you must not believe in God. Once you break that rule, you are no longer an atheist.
>>All it requires is to look at religion and science with an open mind.
You say in one breath that there are no rules, then you give a rule? Do all atheists have an open mind about religion and science? I’ve met a few atheists that have been quite hostile to Christianity and theism, and when I ask them detailed questions about what Christians believe, they usually don’t know or simply brush me off.
>>Don’t assume that everything you are told is true – look at things objectively, then make a decision.
Both atheists and theists are guilty of making decisions that haven’t been completely thought through. By the way, not every atheist has thought about the chances for life to arise; most simply assume it without giving it much thought. I’ve encountered many atheists that heard that argument for the first time through me, such as my current roommate.
>>I have more respect for a theist who went through years of careful reflection before embracing their religion than a theist who just believed what they were taught by their parents and religious leaders.
You are making a false assumption, that if you believe what you were taught by your parents and religious leaders, that you then must not have given years of careful reflection about your own religion. I ponder the nature of what I believe every day. I reflect, and I weigh both sides. I was raised as a Catholic, but ever since high school I’ve been thinking and reflecting on my own beliefs, analyzing them and changing them in light of what I was taught by my parents, religious leaders, science teachers, philosophers, atheists, and theists. I know many theists like me.
Simon,
Thank you for replying with your comments. Below is my reply to yours:
>>…but the people who control the religious organizations are preaching zero-tolerance. Look around at what they say and do.
>That’s a little ignorant, isn’t it? It’s unfair to make broad, sweeping generalizations like that about any group of people.
EricJP: I was not making comments about a broad group of people. I was making a very specific comment about religious leadership; the people in authority. The Pope, Bishops, etc. This includes religious policital leaders.
Either Falwell or Robertson (I apologize, I don’t remember which) said that 9/11 was the fault of the gays in this country. Is that preaching tolerance? G. Bush senior said that atheists cannot be good Americans. Is that tolerant?
This type of rhetoric is used by theist leaders all the time to incite the believers into action.
What I hear on tv, read on blogs, hear from people’s mouths all say the exact opposite to your statement. I am afraid to admit I am an atheist in my town for fear that my children will be picked on. I know atheists who were verbally attacked by theists for merely suggesting that they did not believe in god.
I’m sorry, but I cannot back down on this position. The religious leaders in this country are preaching intolerance and bigotry, plain and simple.
>>You people don’t have a clue about atheism.
>Don’t think that was fair either.
EricJP: Your statement below proves this point. Granted, some theists do, but most that I have met do not.
>>It is not a belief system – it is a lack of belief.
>I disagree. It is in fact a belief system.
EricJP: Atheism is not a belief system in any way. Belief in evolution, how the earth was created, where things began, all have nothing to do with atheism. As a theists, you are bound by the rules of your group as to what you can beleive with regard to science.
I know many atheists who have widely different viewpoints on the universe, evolution, etc. What atheism really does is allow you to look at different theories objectively and apply scientific criteria to them and from there make a decision. A theist has to make those beliefs conform to their religious views.
The only thing that atheists have in common is a lack of belief in a supreme being. I fail to see how not believing in something becomes a belief system.
>>It is not an organization, there are no rules.
>You don’t have to be a theist and join an organization.
EricJP: You are correct here, my mistake. I was referring specifically to the way christianity (christian leaders specifically) demonize atheists as an organized group determined to destroy their religion. What I meant is that atheists don’t adhere to a rigid belief system that requires ritual and organization. Yes, there are atheist groups, but they are structured like a club, as opposed to a church with rules & regs, etc.
I understand as well that there are many religious people who don’t belong to a church – I apologize for not being clear enough on this point.
>>All it requires is to look at religion and science with an open mind.
>You say in one breath that there are no rules, then you give a rule?
EricJP: How is looking at things with an open mind a rule? I’m sorry, but this is a tactic I see many theists use to deflect an idea by attacking an irrelevant point.
>Do all atheists have an open mind about religion and science? I’ve met a few atheists that have been quite hostile to Christianity and theism, and when I ask them detailed questions about what Christians believe, they usually don’t know or simply brush me off.
EricJP: No, not all atheists have an open mind, but most that I have met do. There are always going to be those who say they are atheists who just don’t want to go to church, and there are also going to be people who go to church who don’t believe in god (I know many people who are afraid to admit they don’t beleive, so they just go to church every Sunday and keep their mouth shut).
Now it is you who is making a broad generalization.
>>Don’t assume that everything you are told is true – look at things objectively, then make a decision.
>Both atheists and theists are guilty of making decisions that haven’t been completely thought through.
EricJP: Again, very true. I was just making a statement regarding the close-mindedness of some (not all) theists. The same applies to atheists as well.
Another point in this area is that the most close-minded theists seem to be the ones that are the most vocal. Believe me, I would LOVE to see more moderate theists voice their opinions.
>>I have more respect for a theist who went through years of careful reflection before embracing their religion than a theist who just believed what they were taught by their parents and religious leaders.
>You are making a false assumption, that if you believe what you were taught by your parents and religious leaders, that you then must not have given years of careful reflection about your own religion. I ponder the nature of what I believe every day. I reflect, and I weigh both sides. I was raised as a Catholic, but ever since high school I’ve been thinking and reflecting on my own beliefs, analyzing them and changing them in light of what I was taught by my parents, religious leaders, science teachers, philosophers, atheists, and theists. I know many theists like me.
EricJP: Statistically, if you were raised in a particular religion, there is a 90% or better chance that you will keep that religion throughout your life.
I do not doubt that you questioned your own faith and thought about your belief system. If not, you would not be so vocal about it. You are NOT, however, part of the majority. most theists follow the dogma that was handed to them.
I would like to know: in questioning your faith, did you study other religions? Did you question the accuracy of the bible, not just its teachings? Just by accepting one belief system as true does not mean that you have invalidated other belief systems.
In closing: my initial post is coming from someone who is very frustrated by the tide of religious fanaticism in this country. I want to live side-by-side with people of all races, sexes, religions, etc. I love a good debate, but I also love playing softball and drinking a beer after the game, and the truth is I do not care if the 2nd baseman is a Jew, Buddist or Christian as long as he has a strong arm and can catch the ball.
The political majority in this country has discovered that, of you push the right buttons, you can get (most) religious people to do just about anything regardless of the consequences. A perfect example – republican leaders WANTED the gay marriage bill on ballots during the presidential election (Some have admitted this is so many words). They knew that such a hot-button issue would bring many religious people to the polls who typically do not vote. And they knew that those people would vote for Bush.
So, instead of letting people vote politics and listen to the facts, they scared people into voting for fear of gays.
And the evolutionary debate is another one, but that is for another time.
Thanks again for your response,
EricJP