Would you like if all people became atheists?

[max-greece]

"so many of the dictatorial societies in the 20th century who wished to supplant religion for total control resorted to violence ..."

I think that might have been the problem right there - not the abandonment of religion but the replacement of it with total control.

This is the antithesis of what atheism is about. Atheism is about freedom - freedom to not believe, freedom to be responsible for your own actions (within the laws of your country) without threat from a sky dictator.

If the alternative to religion is state control then I too am against it. If, on the other hand it is more like the Scandinavian model (probably the most atheistic culture on the earth) then that looks preferable to me.

Didn't we just get a post showing that violent crime is falling in the States? That, at a time when atheism is at an all time high over there?

Well that would still be atheism. Atheism is just about a lack of belief in a god or gods. You can have a secular society (that does not seek to control) like in some European nations (though they have some strict laws of their own) or you can have secular societies that seek to take religion out of the picture because they don't want to have a competition for power...religion is far from the only issue they seek to supplant. Both tend to be atheist (or secular if you may) and are completely different from one another.

Atheism is not even close to being a significant factor in America....it's a minority of the population....a rather small minority. The reason for the reduction in crime since the peak in the 1990s has been, until recently when some of the most violent and poor cities reduced their police forces due to budget constraints, was the improvement in law enforcement and more felons in prison. There are some are explanations, but they tend to have racially intensive rationale.

So we are in agreement. There is nothing inherently wrong with an atheist/secular society and it can demonstrate an equally high (if not higher) standard of morality than a religious one.

As to the reasons for the fall in the crime rate there are many theories - if you want a radical one check out Freakonomics which relates Wade Vs Roe to the fall in crime.

The point I was making, however, is that atheism does not appearr to be related to crime rates.

As for the proportion of Atheists in the US do we have any uptodate numbers? I understand it is the fastest growing "belief" in the US.

Funnily enough I happen to live in one of the more theist cultures. Greece is about 90% Greek Orthodox although very few of them are active (regularly attend a church service) and extremely few under the age of 70.

Come Easter though - and the Church is packed - not that this has anything to do with the slap up meal that follows....

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As much a I enjoy laughing at the face of ignorance, I would rather see the world grow up.

Seriously. It's getting annoying. I'm surrounded by five year olds at work. "I know you don't believe, but I'll be praying for you."

And I'll make a wish list for Santa, even though you don't believe. So?

It sucks hearing people talk to you about something that they consider you ignorant about when you feel they are naïve for believing it at all. I wish I could say, "Look here, you're the fool, not me." Oh, and... "Stop calling me dear or honey!"

I vote yes! World atheism.

Its funny because although I have replied twice to this thread I still haven't stated my position. This is simply because I can't see it happening. People want to believe - and if its not religion its palm-reading or Astrology or some other nonsense.

It would be great if we could, as a species, grow out of the need to feel that there is something pre-ordained or something looking after us but I fear that there is an innate need to be protected by some invisible friend.

It may be that this is simply a consequence of evolution putting a big brain in a primate - one of the side affects if you like.