Religion

BlueStreak

(8,377 posts)

27. "Growth in Atheism" seems like an odd turn of phrase

Sun Feb 24, 2013, 07:52 PM

Feb 2013

Not believing in the supernatural (witches, incantations, gods, spirits) is not itself a belief system.

I don't believe that lead can turn to gold. That doesn't mean I am part of some sort of "ism" against turning lead to gold. If there is ever any evidence that lead can turn to gold, then I will certainly consider that. Until that happens, I am not going to run around believing in nonsense.

Refusing to worship nonsense doesn't make a person a part of an "ism". And it certainly doesn't make me part of a growing movement. There is no movement There is no church of atheism. If more people are deciding to stop believing things that are not rational, that is a good thing, but it isn't an "ism". It is simply called intelligence.

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To the believers: to what to you attribute the growth in Atheism? [View all] brooklynite Feb 2013 OP

Growth of unbelievers IMHO has been influenced by the.... northoftheborder Feb 2013 #1

+100. narnian60 Feb 2013 #8

I couldn't agree more. Liberal Jesus Freak Feb 2013 #15

Sounds about right to me. hrmjustin Feb 2013 #20

I put it all on the Fundamentalists/Evangelicals sweetloukillbot Mar 2013 #76

Hate in the name of Christianity Freddie Feb 2013 #2

Does your son post here? Not sure what to call those people, but he could cbayer Feb 2013 #10

Well, the "growth" may be, in part, only a perception. longship Feb 2013 #3

I agree with you that the level of discomfort with identifying as an atheist is cbayer Feb 2013 #11

This message was self-deleted by its author mr blur Feb 2013 #4

There has been little growth in the numbers of atheists. cbayer Feb 2013 #5

Where "little growth" is 50% increase in atheists over five years. Warren Stupidity Feb 2013 #6

Technically correct, but going from 1.6% to 2.4% over 5 years is hardly rapid growth. cbayer Feb 2013 #9

If you understood the difference between percentages and amounts, trotsky Feb 2013 #14

Ah and there is the goalpost shift. Warren Stupidity Feb 2013 #16

OMG, a logical fallacy thingamajig! cbayer Feb 2013 #18

Nice projection. cleanhippie Feb 2013 #35

true the growth is modest Phillip McCleod Feb 2013 #50

Yay team!! This isn't a team sport, you know. cbayer Feb 2013 #56

so we have found solidarity and you don't like it. Phillip McCleod Feb 2013 #63

Why in the world would I not like solidarity? I like it very much, in fact, cbayer Feb 2013 #66

A lot of us see the theists as far more into trying to destroy those who disagree Fumesucker Mar 2013 #71

Oh, I am aware of how a lot of you see things. cbayer Mar 2013 #72

Thank you for pointing out the bit about "unaffiliated." kentauros Feb 2013 #64

The initial reporting on this did put this group in with atheist/agnostic, but cbayer Feb 2013 #65

That's good people are looking at the numbers. kentauros Feb 2013 #67

Actually, I think it is organized religious groups that are paying attention to cbayer Feb 2013 #68

Thanks for the link :) kentauros Feb 2013 #69

more access to education- acquiring more knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning&judgment lunasun Feb 2013 #7

Nice post. I think your analysis of why some people are seekers is interesting. cbayer Feb 2013 #12

This is hilarious. It's look like you are primarily getting answer from non-believers. cbayer Feb 2013 #13

It would be really nice, cbayer, for all your talk about respecting and listening to each other... trotsky Feb 2013 #17

Pot. Kettle. Black. kwassa Feb 2013 #33

Change the tone, kwassa. trotsky Feb 2013 #34

Gee...what happened to skepticscott Feb 2013 #19

It's funny, in a way... trotsky Feb 2013 #22

Well, I'd sort of expect non-believers to respond more. goldent Feb 2013 #21

Exactly. That reads like flame bait, so it's not surprising that it is going this way. cbayer Feb 2013 #23

To some, anything that doesn't presume skepticscott Feb 2013 #24

Bad vibes from that? Are you serious? skepticscott Feb 2013 #25

I'm perplexed as to why you posed the question to believers in the first place... Act_of_Reparation Feb 2013 #36

Alien anti-god mind rays Silent3 Feb 2013 #26

"Growth in Atheism" seems like an odd turn of phrase BlueStreak Feb 2013 #27

+100 truebluegreen Feb 2013 #28

I'm not clear what your point is... brooklynite Feb 2013 #31

Absense of a belief is not an "ism" BlueStreak Feb 2013 #32

What about the growing number organizaed groups representing atheists and cbayer Feb 2013 #38

I'm glad to see that. But most free thinkers are not affiliated with them. BlueStreak Feb 2013 #39

What's the definition of a "free thinker"? cbayer Feb 2013 #40

Rational people BlueStreak Feb 2013 #41

So, are you saying that anyone that is religious or a theist is irrational? cbayer Feb 2013 #42

Yes, by definition. BlueStreak Feb 2013 #43

So Obama and Biden are both irrational? cbayer Feb 2013 #44

Biden for sure. Not positive about Obama (bot don't tell anybody) :) BlueStreak Feb 2013 #45

Well, I disagree with some, but not all, of what you say. cbayer Feb 2013 #46

I didn't say I have the right answer. I simply insist on the correct use of the word "rational" BlueStreak Feb 2013 #47

The problem is in the term irrational. cbayer Feb 2013 #48

If faith isn't rational, then it is irrational. trotsky Feb 2013 #49

Because acknowledgment means accepting one is closer to the fundies than they admit. cleanhippie Feb 2013 #51

So atheism* is also irrational SpartanDem Feb 2013 #53

No. That's the point. "Atheism" is not a belief system BlueStreak Feb 2013 #55

Do you believe in love? Do you have any solid evidence for it? cbayer Feb 2013 #57

Yes. There is good evidence of love. BlueStreak Feb 2013 #58

You make a lot of assumptions about me. cbayer Feb 2013 #59

The evidence is in your posts BlueStreak Feb 2013 #61

What evidence? I am not just like you, so I must be one of "them"? cbayer Feb 2013 #62

Yawn. You toss out yet ANOTHER nonsensical analogy and then play the victim when called on it. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #74

Uh. no. Atheism is the LACK OF belief in a god. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #73

That's how SOME define it SpartanDem Mar 2013 #75

Again, feel free to determine your own definition. cleanhippie Mar 2013 #78

The most sensible post so far +1 truegrit44 Feb 2013 #52

It's the religious double standard AndyA Feb 2013 #29

Well, Maybe the Desire to Quite Living in the Iron Age is a Factor. dballance Feb 2013 #30

I hope it's related to several factors: TygrBright Feb 2013 #37

It should not matter when belief is personal Meshuga Feb 2013 #54

Comfortability in answering poll questions and self-identifying ? pinto Feb 2013 #60

The brilliant and persuasive pro-atheist advertising campaigns. Nye Bevan Mar 2013 #70

Maybe it is "The Great Falling Away" described in scripture. bmbmd Mar 2013 #77

Gonna go out onna limb here, but Imma gonna guess it's due to more atheists struggle4progress Mar 2013 #79

The biblical answer would be that it DeadEyeDyck Mar 2013 #80