Atheism on the rise - Demographics

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

As you've probably noticed the number of atheists has been growing. If we look at northern European States like Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, or even Germany or the UK, we'll notice there has been not only an increase of people who identify themselves as atheists, but some of those countries already have a considerable number of atheist citizens.

Check out the fertility rates of those countries. They're not replacing themselves.

Most recent data on population growth in the above mentioned countries (source: UN statistics):

Norway: 1.3% (Norway also has one of the highest fertility rates in Europe).

Finland: 0.5%

Sweden: 0.7%

Denmark: 0.4%

Germany: -1.7%

UK: 0.6%

(for comparison): United States: 0.7%

So, it would appear that the only group not 'replacing themselves' are the Germans. What's the huhu?

Boru

[Jenny A]

Check out the fertility rates of those countries. They're not replacing themselves.

Most recent data on population growth in the above mentioned countries (source: UN statistics):

Norway: 1.3% (Norway also has one of the highest fertility rates in Europe).

Finland: 0.5%

Sweden: 0.7%

Denmark: 0.4%

Germany: -1.7%

UK: 0.6%

(for comparison): United States: 0.7%

So, it would appear that the only group not 'replacing themselves' are the Germans. What's the huhu?

Boru

How much of that population growth is immigration from rather more religious nations? Just curious.

Atheism does seem to be on the rise among those raised in religious households, so I'm not sure I'm all that worried about the birth rate of atheists. But I would be interested to know.

[JesusHChrist]

Most new atheists are young people who dislike the dogma of religion (more or less my age group - 20's and 30's - But also younger people like generation Y), and not all young people became atheists, many of them, and I've observed this trend closely, are becoming agnostic non religious theists or some kind of deists with spiritual beliefs, not all are inclined to become atheists, so my bet is that theism will still prevail for a while

The lack of religion among the young is one of the most positive societal trends of the last 50 years. Lose the young. Lose the war.

As Satan has directed me, every young soul I get to turn away from God, I get one more century with a sexy succubus in Hell. Yeehaw!

[Dystopia]

Most new atheists are young people who dislike the dogma of religion (more or less my age group - 20's and 30's - But also younger people like generation Y), and not all young people became atheists, many of them, and I've observed this trend closely, are becoming agnostic non religious theists or some kind of deists with spiritual beliefs, not all are inclined to become atheists, so my bet is that theism will still prevail for a while

The lack of religion among the young is one of the most positive societal trends of the last 50 years. Lose the young. Lose the war.

As Satan has directed me, every young soul I get to turn away from God, I get one more century with a sexy succubus in Hell. Yeehaw!

It's true, it's a trend between the youngsters, few of us profess religion, despite most still being deists or theists they are not religious affiliated so there's freedom from dogma

[John V]

Most recent data on population growth in the above mentioned countries (source: UN statistics):

Norway: 1.3% (Norway also has one of the highest fertility rates in Europe).

Finland: 0.5%

Sweden: 0.7%

Denmark: 0.4%

Germany: -1.7%

UK: 0.6%

(for comparison): United States: 0.7%

So, it would appear that the only group not 'replacing themselves' are the Germans. What's the huhu?

Boru

Population growth includes immigration, which is largely Muslim.

Atheists frequently note that people tend to adopt the belief systems of their parents. If that is true, and if atheists have fewer children than theists (I've tried unsuccessfully in the past to find direct statistics on this), then it's a losing battle. Theism will prevail. Europe won't go from Christian to atheist. It will go from Christian to Muslim via atheism.

[Dystopia]

Most recent data on population growth in the above mentioned countries (source: UN statistics):

Norway: 1.3% (Norway also has one of the highest fertility rates in Europe).

Finland: 0.5%

Sweden: 0.7%

Denmark: 0.4%

Germany: -1.7%

UK: 0.6%

(for comparison): United States: 0.7%

So, it would appear that the only group not 'replacing themselves' are the Germans. What's the huhu?

Boru

Population growth includes immigration, which is largely Muslim.

Atheists frequently note that people tend to adopt the belief systems of their parents. If that is true, and if atheists have fewer children than theists (I've tried unsuccessfully in the past to find direct statistics on this), then it's a losing battle. Theism will prevail. Europe won't go from Christian to atheist. It will go from Christian to Muslim via atheism.

You said something important, Islam will surpass Christianity first. But eventually even Muslims will start de-converting like it's happening to Christians. I don't have a lot of hope for them, but it will surely happen, young Muslims born in europe have laws and rights protecting and an immense access to knowledge and information, it will become easier for them to let go religion. And the US is losing followers too, slowly and gradually. It is also a matter of time before the EU is abolished and States regain power to expel immigrants, I trust something like that will happen soon, I live in a country affected by immigrants negatively, in my case not Muslims

[RobbyPants]

But eventually even Muslims will start de-converting like it's happening to Christians.

So long as the country has sufficiently secular laws and information can travel freely, I would see young Muslims deconverting, as well. Islam has such a stranglehold in parts of the eastern hemisphere because apostasy is anywhere from culturally unacceptable to outright being a capital offense. Take that away, and people begin to be less afraid to think for themselves.

[Mister Agenda]

As you've probably noticed the number of atheists has been growing. If we look at northern European States like Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, or even Germany or the UK, we'll notice there has been not only an increase of people who identify themselves as atheists, but some of those countries already have a considerable number of atheist citizens.

Check out the fertility rates of those countries. They're not replacing themselves.

We're not replacing ourselves in the US either. It comes from a high level of industrial and economic development, not from being less religious.

Actually, both lower birth rate AND being less religious likely come from high economic development.

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Atheists frequently note that people tend to adopt the belief systems of their parents. If that is true, and if atheists have fewer children than theists (I've tried unsuccessfully in the past to find direct statistics on this), then it's a losing battle. Theism will prevail. Europe won't go from Christian to atheist. It will go from Christian to Muslim via atheism.

It's generally true, but most growth of atheism has been from people deconverting. People cling to traditional beliefs less when they're not in danger of starvation or ruin.

[pgrimes15]

Population growth includes immigration, which is largely Muslim.

Atheists frequently note that people tend to adopt the belief systems of their parents. If that is true, and if atheists have fewer children than theists (I've tried unsuccessfully in the past to find direct statistics on this), then it's a losing battle. Theism will prevail. Europe won't go from Christian to atheist. It will go from Christian to Muslim via atheism.

I remember reading a few years ago that in the western world, the religious indocrination of small children in a religious family has about a 50% success rate i.e. if a christian couple have 2 children the brain washing will "take" with one but not the other (on average).

[Rabb Allah]

Of course a majority atheists in a given geographic and time could become abusive to theists or other atheists. We are not a separate species. Our ability to be cruel or compassionate is in our evolution, not our labels. Labels do not automatically make someone moral.

This has always been my major concern, I feel that when non-theism becomes a norm that the minority will be oppressed and the world will eventually have "concentration camps" for theists. Atheists and agnostics with their superior intellect will create sentinels to go and hunt down the theists and subjugate them to the non-theistic norm or possibly even kill them in the process.
Perhaps I have been watching to much scifi.