Atheists (even when objectively defined as people who do not believe in God) rank at the very bottom of trust-related measures in surveys of Americans. Their numbers are approximate to rapists, to put it in perspective. Muslims, who have some serious problems on this front as well, do much better than atheists. To me, this suggests that many Christians would indeed prefer a person be a Muslim than an atheist. Both are bad choices, of course, but there's a gradient even there.
The best way to fix this state of affairs, in my opinion, is for people who are atheists to "come out" to their social networks in such a way that it humanizes their belief status. I think we'll see more and more of that with the explosion of secularism among young people. The US is several decades behind Europe, but seems to finally be catching up on this front.
That's interesting, and who am I to question properly controlled surveys? If Muslims are higher on the incline than atheists, then that is all I ask of Christians who say these kinds of things about "belief".
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco - To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
huckelberry wrote: Jersey girl, The quote is from opening post, link to an article by a conservative christian leader complaining abut the persecution resulting from a decline in social commitment to conservative Christianity. It is a fairly standard Jeremiad seeking support for his brand of faith. It points out how more liberal versions of Christianity have allowed people to drift into unbelief.
An awful site... but I was pleased to see comments from other points of view.
I remember in 1968 I thought the point of no return had passed and theism was about to fade away. At that age and time I was cheering the demise of oppressive faith systems. I find the appearance of victory was Pyrrhic (even for my own life journey)
Thanks for straightening me out, huck! :-)
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
Ceeboo wrote:Look, I realize that someone who is atheist would be pleased to learn that atheism is growing fast among the young generation. This "growth" mirrors your (their) personal belief - so I get the pleasure.
I'm not pleased by this because "it mirror's my belief". I'm pleased by it because the god idea many people carry is a burden on themselves and society. We just don't need it (for the most part - the psychopaths who say they'd rape and murder with abandon without their god belief should keep on believing). What we need is more evidence based thinking.
Ceeboo wrote:But, for folks like me - someone who believes in a Creator/God - I am relatively confident that you can understand and appreciate that I am not pleased to learn about this significant atheistic growth among the young generation.
Yes? No?
While I understand why you are displeased by this, I wonder if you should be. I mean, your god belief is your own. What difference does it make if others don't share it? Does that alter it at all?
And here's a secret for you: nobody believes in the exact same god you do anyway, so nothing's really changed.
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.
Confirmation bias is a terrible metric to use to legitimize your god's existence & relevance. Schmo is right; everyone believes in a different god even if it carries the same name.
- Doc Cam "Fontana Dam" NC4Me
In the face of madness, rationality has no power - Xiao Wang, US historiographer, 2287 AD.
Every record...falsified, every book rewritten...every statue...has been renamed or torn down, every date...altered...the process is continuing...minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Ideology is always right.
