Viewpoints: Why is faith falling in the US

[JimC]

I love that, Rob! Where's it from?

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16424

[Robert_S]

It was in my 8th grade English textbook IIRC.

[Blind groper]

Religious belief is not falling only in the USA. It is a trend all over the western world. A flood of sanity is washing over us all.

[JimC]

Religious belief is not falling only in the USA. It is a trend all over the western world. A flood of sanity is washing over us all.

Agreed...

Although there are parts of the flood that are very muddy, with lots of dead cows and stuff...

Like atheism+...

[colubridae]

Less people are believing in God(s).

Fewer people are believing in God(s)

[Svartalf]

Actually, the believers are less people and more zombies.

[Gerald McGrew]

Maybe the very insanity of the hardcore believers is driving off those who have some neurons in working order still?

Recently there was a Barna survey that examined the question of why young Americans are leaving Christianity in ever increasing numbers. The answers were somewhat encouraging.

http://www.barna.org/teens-next-gen-art ... ave-church

[colubridae]

Actually, the believers are less people and more zombies.

touche

[Tero]

It's cyclical. Dumb will rise again, soon enough.

[padraic]

A new poll suggests that atheism is on the rise in the US, while those who consider themselves religious has dropped. What's the cause? Two writers debate.

If true,possibly because there is a direct correlation between a drop in religious belief with affluence and education.


The figures suggest but do not prove an increase in atheism, only an increase in the numbers declaring their atheism. I don't know why that is happening. Perhaps a lot of people are growing a pair and being honest,or perhaps the US is beginning to mature as a society..

[Blind groper]

I think it is education.

The clue comes from the following survey results.
90% of Americans believe in a personal god.
40% of Americans with a bachelor of science degree believe in a personal god.
Under 10% of Americans with a Ph.D. in science believe in a personal god.

[JimC]

I think it is education.

The clue comes from the following survey results.
90% of Americans believe in a personal god.
40% of Americans with a bachelor of science degree believe in a personal god.
Under 10% of Americans with a Ph.D. in science believe in a personal god.

The road to Hell is paved by Universities!

[Xamonas Chegwé]

It really is true - the better educated the populace, the lower the %age of that populace that believes in god (or claims to.)

The other big factor is ease of mobility - there are always small communities where outing yourself as an atheist (or gay, or furry, or Celine Dion footworshipper for that matter) would lead to your social and economic life being destroyed - however, if you can travel to the nearest city, where society is more tolerant and people are more anonymous, you can be yourself, whatever that is!

And an even better fact is that the higher the percentage of atheists in a population, the more that seem to spontaneously emerge! Once the water has been pre-tested and shown to be warm, more and more people want to swim!

[Atheist-Lite]

Atheism is hardly showing a large increase in America. The rise can be fully explained by the internet giving American atheists a false sense of security through contact with a secular western european community where theocratic viewpoints are traditionally not taken with any great seriousness. With the coming economic malaise it may become hazardous to be openly atheist in America. At the least it will lead to denial of service from the efficient social 'foodplate' that religion often provides in hard times. At worst scapegoating and all that goes with that in a gun toting country.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Atheism is hardly showing a large increase in America. The rise can be fully explained by the internet giving American atheists a false sense of security through contact with a secular western european community where theocratic viewpoints are traditionally not taken with any great seriousness. With the coming economic malaise it may become hazardous to be openly atheist in America. At the least it will lead to denial of service from the efficient social 'foodplate' that religion often provides in hard times. At worst scapegoating and all that goes with that in a gun toting country.

The internet is certainly a huge part of both increased education and the decrease in isolation of those with atheistic leanings.

The rest of your post is simply your hobby-horse getting its nightly exercise...