Study: World Is Turning More Religious; Atheism Declining

[Ikari]

So less Commies in the world equals less Atheists ...who woulda thunk?

I think it's rather obvious. Religion of some sort has permeated human history for a long time and every culture has its variant. In a natural environment you'll have a lot of theists and some agnostics/atheists. So obviously in countries where religious freedom was strongly opposed and then accepted would see a surge in religious practice. There's nothing shocking about it.

 

[Knowledge=power]

Yup.

Do you know.... why there have been nearly 1000 deaths in a week?....

 

[Hdreamz]

If you look at western Europe and N.America the relative populations of secular individuals has been increasing year on year. The increase in global religiosity can almost be entirely covered by the population expansion of S.America, Africa and Asia. Numbers of religious take up in many developing countries such as India has also been declining but as yet has not reached a significant level to impact the growing total number.

The middle east has also seen a lot of misrepresentation, a significant proportion of the population in many middle eastern nation classify themselves as non-religious and i know this from personal experience having spent time in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Many of these people in private will tell you they have no love of faith in religion but in public will pay lip service to Islam. Mainly due to peer pressure and in more sectarian nations the fear of intimidation.

I have little information of Chinese religious resurgence but with increasing urbanization in China i would expect the population in time to become more secular in line with other trends in developed nations religiosity. We have to remember that the majority of the Chinese population still live in rural environment and 800 million of their population still have an agricultural subsistence for the most part, though the ratio is fast equaling out.

 

[WCH]

I think it's rather obvious. Religion of some sort has permeated human history for a long time and every culture has its variant. In a natural environment you'll have a lot of theists and some agnostics/atheists. So obviously in countries where religious freedom was strongly opposed and then accepted would see a surge in religious practice. There's nothing shocking about it.

I don't think so either. Nothing shocking at all.

 

[obvious Child]

No I didn't.

Why don't you enlighten us.

Read the last page of the study.

The study did zero data collection whatsoever. They relied upon the data from other sources which openly state that their own data sets are little more than guestimates at best. Throughout the whole report, they admit that their data points aren't based on actual real data collection.

People need to start reading the studies they post here before posting.

 

[spud_meister]

It's fairly self-evident. Poor, uneducated people are more likely to be religious, poor, uneducated people breed at a higher rate than rich, educated people who are more likely to be atheists.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Study: World Is Turning More Religious; Atheism Declining

A new study says the world is more religious now than it was four decades ago, and this trend will continue to 2020 and perhaps beyond even as the global share of the nonreligious is likely to witness a sustained decrease.
The percentage of the world that is religious continues to increase, according to the study titled "Christianity In Its Global Context, 1970-2010," conducted by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts.

In 1970, nearly 80 percent of the world's population was religious, and by 2010 this had grown to around 88 percent, with a projected increase to almost 90 percent by 2020, the report states. The growth of religious adherence can largely be attributed to the continuing resurgence of religion in China, it notes.

In 1970, agnostic and atheist populations together claimed 19.2 percent of the world's total population, largely due to communism in Eastern Europe and China. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, large numbers of the nonreligious returned to religion

I won't challenge the findings, but anecdotally, in my circle, people are less religious than they were in the past, particularly 40 years ago - myself, most definitely so. I think the Catholic Church, as an example, would have to admit that their numbers have dwindled - perhaps not the number of people who claim to be Catholic but certainly the number who are actually active, practicing Catholics.

 

[polgara]

I won't challenge the findings, but anecdotally, in my circle, people are less religious than they were in the past, particularly 40 years ago - myself, most definitely so. I think the Catholic Church, as an example, would have to admit that their numbers have dwindled - perhaps not the number of people who claim to be Catholic but certainly the number who are actually active, practicing Catholics.

:sigh: Life used to be simpler when the churches told you how to live your life, for your own good, or course. Now the Government does it for you, but the rules keep changing. Very confusing....::lamo:

Good evening, CJ. :2wave:

 

[Ikari]

I don't think so either. Nothing shocking at all.

Well there you go. Natural statistics once again realized. Woot!

 

[CanadaJohn]

:sigh: Life used to be simpler when the churches told you how to live your life, for your own good, or course. Now the Government does it for you, but the rules keep changing. Very confusing....::lamo:

Good evening, CJ. :2wave:

Good evening Lady P.

 

[Shadow Serious]

Christianity is growing rapidly in Turkey (as an example). We have a missionary from there who'd explained about the rapid growth.

No wonder the Turkish Environment and Urbanism Minister had put his own spin on it! :lol:

RELIGION - Christianity no longer a religion, says Turkish minister


I have no problem with the word, culture! In fact, I like it better!

Hallelujah!

First I wouldn't trust his administration due to the PM wanting to impose a more austere form of Islam there and with that secondly, it would behoove them to characterize Christianity as not being a belief in God anymore and remove what little protections that is allowed to those who believe in God but not their "updated" version.

Also from the article I think Islam is not a way of peace and happiness but of regulation and iron clad law. And if anything Islam is much more cultural than Christianity since their core is the law as interpreted by their religious scholars another word for this would be custom which is the basis of cultural.