Opinion based. You, me, and not Dupree.

[Switch]

The fastest growing religion is islam.

Only because the regions of the world with the highest birth rates are also those where Islam predominates.

Atheism is not comparable to any religion because it isn't one. It has no doctrine or dogma, it is simply the absence of any religious beliefs.

Sociologically I think Atheism can be considered as equivalent to a religion. And even today we're seeing the faint stirrings of a brand of intolerant non-faith hardly dissimilar from religion's past and present persecution of non-believers.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Religion is a symptom not a problem. nice phrase, coin that.
I was just running out of examples, I am not good at coming up with things I already learned unless theres the list I got it off of infront of me.
I live in the bible belt, so unforntuantely I dn't encounter any of those flip side things you mentioned. I mean I tried to make an atheist club in my school, but ran out time.
But there was even church group in the auditorium on thursdays and bible group every morning.
I fought with my teachers almost every year when I stood but did not put my hand over my heart or recite the pledge. Even had to show them the legislation that allowed me to do what I did. One of the reasons I didn't do sports they always hundled into a group and prayed aloud, I didn't want to be the bad apple in the group.

Atheists forming any kind of club seems a bit juvenile for my tastes. I don't like sports of any kind, but I wouldn't join an anti-sports club.

 

[KJbushway]

I tried to start an atheist club, but I never got the chance to plan anything.
The hardest thing was to start it up. I had about 16 people that wanted to come.

 

[KJbushway]

The fastest growing religion is islam.

Only because the regions of the world with the highest birth rates are also those where Islam predominates.

Atheism is not comparable to any religion because it isn't one. It has no doctrine or dogma, it is simply the absence of any religious beliefs.

Sociologically I think Atheism can be considered as equivalent to a religion. And even today we're seeing the faint stirrings of a brand of intolerant non-faith hardly dissimilar from religion's past and present persecution of non-believers.

Not true if you look Europe is a hot spot of Islamic growth, its actually poeple converting to Islam that you see it growing.

 

[fett51]

Atheists forming any kind of club seems a bit juvenile for my tastes. I don't like sports of any kind, but I wouldn't join an anti-sports club.

I don't think it would be quite like that. Coming out of the atheistic closet is a pretty unpleasant experience for a lot of people, particularly those from religious families or communities, a club like that could simply function as a support group. I'd actually go so far as to say one of the reasons atheists have been coming out of the woodwork recently is we've all been finding each other online.

 

[KJbushway]

True. thats was part of the club. It wasn't just atheist either, it was also poeple like atheist, non-believers, etc.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Few things will be as good for the long-term progress of humanity as the total compartmentalization and personalization of religion.

I agree. It's organized religion that is the real drag on society.

Perhaps. The historical evidence is overwhelming, after all. There used to be formal (enforced) prayer on a daily basis; now most people who identify as religious don't go to church even weekly.

If it's overwhelming, then present some of that evidence. I still think it's just a change in religion.

I already did. If you want more, Google Medieval religion.

And, it depends on which religion you're talking about. There are religions that today have daily, in fact, multiple times a day prayer.

There are religions that do a lot of things. We're talking about the overall culture.

In the US for Christianity, I don't believe there were ever enforced daily prayers? So, I don't get what you're saying.

The US is just a little over two hundred years old and was founded as a secular society. Even so, you can easily see the dissolution of religion over the last fifty years, let alone over the course of the country's history.

I'm curious now as to whether you see this decline just in Western culture or the world in general.

I thought I specified Western civilization originally. If not, that's what I meant. Other parts of the world have a different History-- but a similar future.

Atheists forming any kind of club seems a bit juvenile for my tastes. I don't like sports of any kind, but I wouldn't join an anti-sports club.

Sort of like a non-smoker's club. What's the point?

 

[KJbushway]

Bible group whats the sense, you can go to church 3 times a week with family, yet it still there.

 

[KJbushway]

If evidence comes out, as in Missing link looses its name, do you think there will be a change from follower to non-believer. Yes, some devoute religious will bang at the door that carbon dating isn't accurate.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

If evidence comes out, as in Missing link looses its name, do you think there will be a change from follower to non-believer. Yes, some devoute religious will bang at the door that carbon dating isn't accurate.

We have an absurd amount of evidence backing up the process of evolution via natural selection. People still dismiss it as a hoax or "just a theory" because it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

Really, how much more proof does a person need? I think we've reached a point where the proof doesn't even matter to such people, they aren't ever going to buy into it.

 

[KJbushway]

A lot. getting the missing link would throw a lot more non-believers into the pie chart.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

A lot. getting the missing link would throw a lot more non-believers into the pie chart.

There is no "missing link." There are many, many incremental steps along the way. This is a misunderstanding a lot of people have about evolution.

 

[KJbushway]

I know that but, I still use the name for them. the real problem is that the evidence is hard to find because of the date in which the sub-species lived.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

If all the various proto-human ancestors we've found aren't sufficient evidence that we didn't *POOF* into existence as we are today 6000 years ago, then I don't think you're dealing with a remotely rational person.

 

[KJbushway]

thats about 90% of the world.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

thats about 90% of the world.

Right, I don't think 90% of the world consists of Young Earth Creationists. That's quite an exaggeration.

 

[KJbushway]

no but they do believe a magical being put us here.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

That isn't incompatible with accepting the conclusions of science.

 

[KJbushway]

that why I am part of the minority.

 

[Mr Awe]

If it's overwhelming, then present some of that evidence. I still think it's just a change in religion.

I already did. If you want more, Google Medieval religion.

Actually, no, you didn't present anything other than your general opinion, but no evidence. That's fine, I was just trying to understand what you meant and where you were coming from, alas, that won't happen.

Mr Awe