(September 3, 2014 at 11:07 pm)Jenny A Wrote:

(September 2, 2014 at 2:28 am)psychoslice Wrote: I much of religion did fade away, then what will take its place, atheism ?.

Only in a perfect world. Ironic that since that's what a divine creator would have made.

How do you know that this isn't a perfect world, have you any other to measure against ?.

(September 2, 2014 at 2:28 am)psychoslice Wrote: I much of religion did fade away, then what will take its place, atheism ?.

Why does something need to take it's place?
Atheism certainly requires no faith or ceremonies or any of the things religion calls for. What I am saying is that religion has never played a part in my life and I have no desire to fill any imagined void that its absence creates.

I think the most we can hope for is for a huge growth of atheism to the point that it becomes on par with the Abrahamic religions. Not as a religion itself, but as a group with similar numbers. In my opinion, it's inevitable. In the States, our politicians are already begrudgingly agreeing to things that they never would have if it weren't for the Civil Rights movement. Bigots are forced to be sensitive when cameras are rolling and thats at least a step.

Pretty sure this isn't a perfect world. In fact it's shit. I could name 100 things to make it better I'm sure without breaking a sweat.

And the argument that you can't appreciate good without bad is nonsense, for several reasons. If that's the case now, it could be changed so it isn't.

It'll end with a whimper, not a bang.

(September 4, 2014 at 5:10 am)downbeatplumb Wrote:

(September 2, 2014 at 2:28 am)psychoslice Wrote: I much of religion did fade away, then what will take its place, atheism ?.

Why does something need to take it's place?
Atheism certainly requires no faith or ceremonies or any of the things religion calls for. What I am saying is that religion has never played a part in my life and I have no desire to fill any imagined void that its absence creates.

Its human nature, so many need something to cling to, most of us who are adults are still really children, we drop the belief of father x-mas, but we then replace it with some other belief, and as long as there are others who believe in what we do, we feel comfortable within our chosen belief.

(September 2, 2014 at 1:39 am)robvalue Wrote: It's already happening in the UK really, christianity is so toned down as to be non existent everywhere I have been. I hope that in my lifetime I see it happen in the US (I know atheism in on the rise there) and in all other free countries. And of course, I want the not-free countries to become free. Pull together and rise, my blasphemers!

Are things better in the UK now that christianity is dying? It doesn't appear that way to me.

(September 14, 2014 at 10:09 pm)Lek Wrote: Are things better in the UK now that christianity is dying? It doesn't appear that way to me.

They seem to be - they certainly are in Japan, Singapore, Austria, Norway and Switzerland.

(September 14, 2014 at 10:09 pm)Lek Wrote:

(September 2, 2014 at 1:39 am)robvalue Wrote: It's already happening in the UK really, christianity is so toned down as to be non existent everywhere I have been. I hope that in my lifetime I see it happen in the US (I know atheism in on the rise there) and in all other free countries. And of course, I want the not-free countries to become free. Pull together and rise, my blasphemers!

Are things better in the UK now that christianity is dying? It doesn't appear that way to me.

No, you're right, it was much better when we were burning people at the stake.

Any problems we do have, and there are plenty, have absolutely nothing at all to do with the decline in Christianity.

I haven't been alive long enough to see what change christianity dying off has had since I've never felt oppressed as an atheist. I certainly believe it would be a worse place with the kind of christianity hold there is in the US.

This country is far from perfect of course. If you have any reason to think things would be better or haven't got better with specific examples or evidence that relate directly to religion, I'd be interested to hear them.