My hypothesis

[Drich]

84% of the world's population are by definition 'religious.'

IDK sport but I think one of us has a bad definition of the word "dwindle."

But not YOUR Religion.  Less than half self-identify as your religion. And I'm sure there are a lot of those you don't consider True Catholics.

And its just SO ironic to see a christian criticizing the right definition of a word.

You seem like a smart guy so I will give you the benfit of the doubt here...

The OP I was responding to pointed out in the age of information RELIGION was dwindling. the point being made was as people supposedly get 'smarter' the run from the old ways.

Again religion has does nothing but increase, what does it matter what specific brand if religion, in general is infact doing the oppsite that what the OP claims?

My task here was to point out how you all have burried your heads in the sand, and have hidden yourselves away from religion in this age of information. So much so that you even on the most basic level cant acknowledge how 'religion' (like ISIS) is using your very same tools to recruit record numbers and even inflitrate your 'temples' of higher learning

[Nihilist Virus]

Religion is like a parasitic organism and its ideal environment is an ignorant society. It is dying in our information age.

"allah ackbar! "

Tell me the truth. If you're at a crowded air port and her someone shouting "Allah Ackbar" over and over then hear a series of pops, are you going to retain full bowel control if they are comming in your direction??

Being forced out of a 'normal state of control into a flight or fight response is NOT the sign of a dead or dying religion or the practice there of.

If anything in your 'information age' the term allah ackbar is more notable and bring on more meaning than it did 100 years ago.

The only thing you've been able to do in your information age is find more like minded believers and created a little 'safe space' for yourselves. When in truth whilst you have your heads burried in the sand this same information age has poured gasoline all over the flames of the (whatever name makes you sleep better at night) and their cause/population has exploded.

What you thought was a sickle turned out to be a doubled edged sword.

Two or more religions can form a daughter religion and over time a religion will reproduce itself with variation in a population according to selective pressures (known scientific facts).

This model predicts that many religions should appear spontaneously in ancient history (no selective pressures) despite low population and that religion should go extinct in the near future despite high population.

So essentially, the population of evolution deniers is dwindling according to principles of evolution.

84% of the world's population are by definition 'religious.'

IDK sport but I think one of us has a bad definition of the word "dwindle."

Many Muslim countries are not a part of the information age as their internet access is restricted.

If the premises of a theorem are not satisfied, then the conclusions don't follow.

Fucking retard.

[Harry Nevis]

But not YOUR Religion.  Less than half self-identify as your religion. And I'm sure there are a lot of those you don't consider True Catholics.

And its just SO ironic to see a christian criticizing the right definition of a word.

You seem like a smart guy so I will give you the benfit of the doubt here...

The OP I was responding to pointed out in the age of information RELIGION was dwindling. the point being made was as people supposedly get 'smarter' the run from the old ways.

Again religion has does nothing but increase, what does it matter what specific brand if religion, in general is infact doing the oppsite that what the OP claims?

My task here was to point out how you all have burried your heads in the sand, and have hidden yourselves away from religion in this age of information. So much so that you even on the most basic level cant acknowledge how 'religion' (like ISIS) is using your very same tools to recruit record numbers and even inflitrate your 'temples' of higher learning

You can keep your condescending crap.

How have we hidden ourselves from religion?  Because we won't buy unsubstantiated crap? I'm as conscious of religion as I have ever been, thanks to the greed, hypocrisy and lies spewed by American Christianity. Although what these "tools" are that ISIS is using is beyond me. Or the crap about my temples of higher learning.  Didn't know I had any.
But its not hard to see why so many, especially in America, turn to Christianity.  It cost you nothing, you can kick back and not have to think or reason because someone else does your thinking for you. You can keep all you bigotry and hatred because, after accepting god, you're doing his work. You can feel special because you have Special Knowledge. You have a Personal Relationship with Jesus! There's a whole bunch of people you can now feel superior to. And the bible verses can mean whatever you want them to, because you can't possibly be wrong - and you don't even have to read it!

What a con.

[SteveII]

Religion is like a parasitic organism and its ideal environment is an ignorant society. It is dying in our information age.

Two or more religions can form a daughter religion and over time a religion will reproduce itself with variation in a population according to selective pressures (known scientific facts).

This model predicts that many religions should appear spontaneously in ancient history (no selective pressures) despite low population and that religion should go extinct in the near future despite high population.

So essentially, the population of evolution deniers is dwindling according to principles of evolution.

Except...religion (especially Christianity) is growing at unprecedented rates in parts of the world historically not Christian--and is expected to increase in real numbers globally and keep up with the world's population as a %. So...there goes your thesis. Pew Research

A note about Muslims--they are growing fast, however in some countries being a Muslim is mandatory and/or the entire population is counted as Muslim. It would be hard to parse that to support either of our positions.

---

You seem like a smart guy so I will give you the benfit of the doubt here...

The OP I was responding to pointed out in the age of information RELIGION was dwindling. the point being made was as people supposedly get 'smarter' the run from the old ways.

Again religion has does nothing but increase, what does it matter what specific brand if religion, in general is infact doing the oppsite that what the OP claims?

My task here was to point out how you all have burried your heads in the sand, and have hidden yourselves away from religion in this age of information. So much so that you even on the most basic level cant acknowledge how 'religion' (like ISIS) is using your very same tools to recruit record numbers and even inflitrate your 'temples' of higher learning

You can keep your condescending crap.

How have we hidden ourselves from religion?  Because we won't buy unsubstantiated crap? I'm as conscious of religion as I have ever been, thanks to the greed, hypocrisy and lies spewed by American Christianity. Although what these "tools" are that ISIS is using is beyond me. Or the crap about my temples of higher learning.  Didn't know I had any.
But its not hard to see why so many, especially in America, turn to Christianity.  It cost you nothing, you can kick back and not have to think or reason because someone else does your thinking for you. You can keep all you bigotry and hatred because, after accepting god, you're doing his work. You can feel special because you have Special Knowledge. You have a Personal Relationship with Jesus! There's a whole bunch of people you can now feel superior to. And the bible verses can mean whatever you want them to, because you can't possibly be wrong - and you don't even have to read it!

What a con.

You are assigning reasons why people become Christians--all of them derogatory. Talk about condescending. 

I wrote this a while back:

While not universally true, I believe it is the appeal of Jesus as a person coupled with his teachings that draws people. Why do these things resonate with a large number of people?

It is obvious that we are somehow wired to believe in God/higher power/supernatural/purpose/destiny etc. Of course you will say this is a product of our evolution. There are several theories centered around the adaptive values of religion (social solidarity for one). However, these theories presupose naturalism. So the result of this reasoning is that if God did exist or did not exist, we would still be wired to believe God exists.

I think another reason this resonates with people is Jesus' main message that forgiveness, personal peace, a relationship with God, and eteral life is possible.
a. there are a lot of people, who have had tough experiences that find the forgiveness and internal peace very appealing.
b. when you meet somone who has been a Christian a long time and exemplifies Jesus' teachings and shares how God has been a constant comfort and support to them in their daily lives, it is very appealing.
c. eternal life, how can you beat that? This component also helps you make sense/cope of the shortness of life, tragedies, and pain endured while we are here.

Another appealing quality of Christianity is having the question of purpose and place in the universe answered. a. with atheism, at best, you are a happy accident with no purpose that will very shortly die and cease to exist.
b. contrast that with the purpose of man is to "Glorify God and enjoy him forever". We were created for a reason and daily life has purpose and you really want others to know what you have found.

In addition, Jesus modeled his teachings of love, compassion, and forgiveness for your fellow man and in doing so set an example that, if aspired to, would result in a very fulfilling life. Perhaps you are not old enough, but once you contemplate the brevity of life, finding fulfillment becomes important.

[The Industrial Atheist]

Religion is like a parasitic organism and its ideal environment is an ignorant society. It is dying in our information age.

Two or more religions can form a daughter religion and over time a religion will reproduce itself with variation in a population according to selective pressures (known scientific facts).

This model predicts that many religions should appear spontaneously in ancient history (no selective pressures) despite low population and that religion should go extinct in the near future despite high population.

So essentially, the population of evolution deniers is dwindling according to principles of evolution.

Except...religion (especially Christianity) is growing at unprecedented rates in parts of the world historically not Christian--and is expected to increase in real numbers globally and keep up with the world's population as a %. So...there goes your thesis. Pew Research

A note about Muslims--they are growing fast, however in some countries being a Muslim is mandatory and/or the entire population is counted as Muslim. It would be hard to parse that to support either of our positions.

---

You can keep your condescending crap.

How have we hidden ourselves from religion?  Because we won't buy unsubstantiated crap? I'm as conscious of religion as I have ever been, thanks to the greed, hypocrisy and lies spewed by American Christianity. Although what these "tools" are that ISIS is using is beyond me. Or the crap about my temples of higher learning.  Didn't know I had any.
But its not hard to see why so many, especially in America, turn to Christianity.  It cost you nothing, you can kick back and not have to think or reason because someone else does your thinking for you. You can keep all you bigotry and hatred because, after accepting god, you're doing his work. You can feel special because you have Special Knowledge. You have a Personal Relationship with Jesus! There's a whole bunch of people you can now feel superior to. And the bible verses can mean whatever you want them to, because you can't possibly be wrong - and you don't even have to read it!

What a con.

You are assigning reasons why people become Christians--all of them derogatory. Talk about condescending. 

I wrote this a while back:

While not universally true, I believe it is the appeal of Jesus as a person coupled with his teachings that draws people. Why do these things resonate with a large number of people?

It is obvious that we are somehow wired to believe in God/higher power/supernatural/purpose/destiny etc. Of course you will say this is a product of our evolution. There are several theories centered around the adaptive values of religion (social solidarity for one). However, these theories presupose naturalism. So the result of this reasoning is that if God did exist or did not exist, we would still be wired to believe God exists.

I think another reason this resonates with people is Jesus' main message that forgiveness, personal peace, a relationship with God, and eteral life is possible.
a. there are a lot of people, who have had tough experiences that find the forgiveness and internal peace very appealing.
b. when you meet somone who has been a Christian a long time and exemplifies Jesus' teachings and shares how God has been a constant comfort and support to them in their daily lives, it is very appealing.
c. eternal life, how can you beat that? This component also helps you make sense/cope of the shortness of life, tragedies, and pain endured while we are here.

Another appealing quality of Christianity is having the question of purpose and place in the universe answered. a. with atheism, at best, you are a happy accident with no purpose that will very shortly die and cease to exist.
b. contrast that with the purpose of man is to "Glorify God and enjoy him forever". We were created for a reason and daily life has purpose and you really want others to know what you have found.

In addition, Jesus modeled his teachings of love, compassion, and forgiveness for your fellow man and in doing so set an example that, if aspired to, would result in a very fulfilling life. Perhaps you are not old enough, but once you contemplate the brevity of life, finding fulfillment becomes important.

Christianity just tells you your purpose in life is to serve god, which doesn't really answer the question.

There's no reason to believe life has some awesome, singular purpose.

The atheist is free to find his own reasons for living.

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

[Drich]

"allah ackbar! "

Tell me the truth. If you're at a crowded air port and her someone shouting "Allah Ackbar" over and over then hear a series of pops, are you going to retain full bowel control if they are comming in your direction??

Being forced out of a 'normal state of control into a flight or fight response is NOT the sign of a dead or dying religion or the practice there of.

If anything in your 'information age' the term allah ackbar is more notable and bring on more meaning than it did 100 years ago.

The only thing you've been able to do in your information age is find more like minded believers and created a little 'safe space' for yourselves. When in truth whilst you have your heads burried in the sand this same information age has poured gasoline all over the flames of the (whatever name makes you sleep better at night) and their cause/population has exploded.

What you thought was a sickle turned out to be a doubled edged sword.


84% of the world's population are by definition 'religious.'

IDK sport but I think one of us has a bad definition of the word "dwindle."

Many Muslim countries are not a part of the information age as their internet access is restricted.

If the premises of a theorem are not satisfied, then the conclusions don't follow.

Fucking retard.

Not really big on what we in the west call "news" huh? Maybe google internet and ISIS if you want to learn the truth.

[Angrboda]

Another appealing quality of Christianity is having the question of purpose and place in the universe answered. a. with atheism, at best, you are a happy accident with no purpose that will very shortly die and cease to exist.
b. contrast that with the purpose of man is to "Glorify God and enjoy him forever". We were created for a reason and daily life has purpose and you really want others to know what you have found.

Truly the world is not enough. Yet to be solely focused on God as a purpose to one's life may also ring hollow. Friends, children, the world, these are fitting sources from which to draw purpose. Serving a God may be some people's cup of tea, but I doubt it's a big draw except to those who already believe. You've got the cart before the horse. This "purpose" does not draw people to God, although it may transform them after they have chosen God. In like fashion, worldly purposes draw those who are not limited by this God assigned purpose.

In addition, Jesus modeled his teachings of love, compassion, and forgiveness for your fellow man and in doing so set an example that, if aspired to, would result in a very fulfilling life. Perhaps you are not old enough, but once you contemplate the brevity of life, finding fulfillment becomes important.

Putting the cart before the horse again. Regardless, you seem at cross purposes here. If the purpose of life is serving God, then patterning oneself after the Christ is a distraction. Yet you find it fulfilling. Surely the world and God's purpose is not enough even for you.

[Harry Nevis]

Religion is like a parasitic organism and its ideal environment is an ignorant society. It is dying in our information age.

Two or more religions can form a daughter religion and over time a religion will reproduce itself with variation in a population according to selective pressures (known scientific facts).

This model predicts that many religions should appear spontaneously in ancient history (no selective pressures) despite low population and that religion should go extinct in the near future despite high population.

So essentially, the population of evolution deniers is dwindling according to principles of evolution.

Except...religion (especially Christianity) is growing at unprecedented rates in parts of the world historically not Christian--and is expected to increase in real numbers globally and keep up with the world's population as a %. So...there goes your thesis. Pew Research

A note about Muslims--they are growing fast, however in some countries being a Muslim is mandatory and/or the entire population is counted as Muslim. It would be hard to parse that to support either of our positions.

---

You can keep your condescending crap.

How have we hidden ourselves from religion?  Because we won't buy unsubstantiated crap? I'm as conscious of religion as I have ever been, thanks to the greed, hypocrisy and lies spewed by American Christianity. Although what these "tools" are that ISIS is using is beyond me. Or the crap about my temples of higher learning.  Didn't know I had any.
But its not hard to see why so many, especially in America, turn to Christianity.  It cost you nothing, you can kick back and not have to think or reason because someone else does your thinking for you. You can keep all you bigotry and hatred because, after accepting god, you're doing his work. You can feel special because you have Special Knowledge. You have a Personal Relationship with Jesus! There's a whole bunch of people you can now feel superior to. And the bible verses can mean whatever you want them to, because you can't possibly be wrong - and you don't even have to read it!

What a con.

You are assigning reasons why people become Christians--all of them derogatory. Talk about condescending. 

I wrote this a while back:

While not universally true, I believe it is the appeal of Jesus as a person coupled with his teachings that draws people. Why do these things resonate with a large number of people?

It is obvious that we are somehow wired to believe in God/higher power/supernatural/purpose/destiny etc. Of course you will say this is a product of our evolution. There are several theories centered around the adaptive values of religion (social solidarity for one). However, these theories presupose naturalism. So the result of this reasoning is that if God did exist or did not exist, we would still be wired to believe God exists.

I think another reason this resonates with people is Jesus' main message that forgiveness, personal peace, a relationship with God, and eteral life is possible.
a. there are a lot of people, who have had tough experiences that find the forgiveness and internal peace very appealing.
b. when you meet somone who has been a Christian a long time and exemplifies Jesus' teachings and shares how God has been a constant comfort and support to them in their daily lives, it is very appealing.
c. eternal life, how can you beat that? This component also helps you make sense/cope of the shortness of life, tragedies, and pain endured while we are here.

Another appealing quality of Christianity is having the question of purpose and place in the universe answered. a. with atheism, at best, you are a happy accident with no purpose that will very shortly die and cease to exist.
b. contrast that with the purpose of man is to "Glorify God and enjoy him forever". We were created for a reason and daily life has purpose and you really want others to know what you have found.

In addition, Jesus modeled his teachings of love, compassion, and forgiveness for your fellow man and in doing so set an example that, if aspired to, would result in a very fulfilling life. Perhaps you are not old enough, but once you contemplate the brevity of life, finding fulfillment becomes important.

And none of these reasons require anything more than what wishful thinking requires.  Believing because it feels good.  I am old enough to contemplate the brevity of life, and it's too brief to accept on the word of an oft-edited old book that there is a god.  Especially when it seems that most of the believers I run across have much more of the attributes in my description.  Having a "personal relationship" with a god, or just believing a god is there, seems to be the biggest decision one could make in one's life.  But most I've run across have given it less thought than where they want to go on vacation next year.  I've rarely seen a positive change in behaviour.  Mostly it's just a way of being judgemental while proclaiming that I know what god wants and you aren't it if you don't believe.  I think very few actually believe.  They believe in believing. You can see that in the persecution complex so many have, shouting religious intolerance when anything they want to be called "practicing their religion" is challenged. And in the redefinition of words like "evidence", "fact", "love", etc to try to fit their stories.  It's embarrassing.

[Drich]

"allah ackbar! "

Tell me the truth. If you're at a crowded air port and her someone shouting "Allah Ackbar" over and over then hear a series of pops, are you going to retain full bowel control if they are comming in your direction??

Being forced out of a 'normal state of control into a flight or fight response is NOT the sign of a dead or dying religion or the practice there of.

If anything in your 'information age' the term allah ackbar is more notable and bring on more meaning than it did 100 years ago.

The only thing you've been able to do in your information age is find more like minded believers and created a little 'safe space' for yourselves. When in truth whilst you have your heads burried in the sand this same information age has poured gasoline all over the flames of the (whatever name makes you sleep better at night) and their cause/population has exploded.

What you thought was a sickle turned out to be a doubled edged sword.


84% of the world's population are by definition 'religious.'

IDK sport but I think one of us has a bad definition of the word "dwindle."

Many Muslim countries are not a part of the information age as their internet access is restricted.

If the premises of a theorem are not satisfied, then the conclusions don't follow.

Fucking retard.

Uninformed... you are the one speaking out of empty prejudiced general ignorance, and stereotype. Note how you just asserted what you thought to be right and then note me bring source material that proves me right.

Here is a list of the top 10 countries that does not have unrestricted access to the internet there are only 4 Muslim countries mentioned only one is completely bann from internet usage. The other three have restrictions put on their usage. The other 6 countries are of the 'modern' world.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world...s/5222385/

I can get over how stupid some of you are and yet, when challenged you automatically assume you and what you believe is automatically right.. How about pick up a book every once and a while or read something not on a porn site or better yet have a discussion with someone with a different understanding of the world and rather debate them to win, ask questions.

---

You can keep your condescending crap.

How have we hidden ourselves from religion?

very few of you understand it outside of whatever sunday school experience you had, yet can profess deep and utter hatred for the practice and some of the people.

How ignorant is it that you hate what you little you truly understand?

  Because we won't buy unsubstantiated crap?

I do not buy into Islam, but I've studied it for the last 10 years. I know why the Obama administration would not use the term 'radical Islam.' I know why we shouldn't let refugees in this country per their plans via Quran demand that they do once here. I understand the depths of deception and lies their God allows them to have when 'migrating.' Again all of which is contain in their holy book. which little more than a 'how to take over the world' manual.

I'm as conscious of religion as I have ever been, thanks to the greed, hypocrisy and lies spewed by American Christianity.

Uh..no. You are conscious to greed, hypocrisy and lies in American christianity.
I seriously doubt you could even give me a complete run down of the gospel.
(which has nothing to do with greed hypocrisy and lies)

Although what these "tools" are that ISIS is using is beyond me.

I-n-t-e-r-n-e-t.
moron

Or the crap about my temples of higher learning. 

Temple=building set aside for learn what is considered sacred.. In your culture/the OP
s culture that would be a school or university.

Didn't know I had any.

You.. probably didn't have any schooling. Just based on the failure of cognitive recognition you just missed.

But its not hard to see why so many, especially in America, turn to Christianity. 

It cost all that you were, are and ever will be. You are turning from self and handing it all over to God.

It cost you nothing, you can kick back and not have to think or reason because someone else does your thinking for you.

Says the small mind that did not understand that ISIS/radical islam is using the same interwebs to promote their religion to greater effect that 'the society of the information age' can use it to destroy 'religion.'

Let me connect the dots for you here because I just know you do not full see the correlation.

I saying you in practice are the dumb ass who sits back and has all of his reasoning done for him comming from an information age society. YOU Are The Embodiment Of What You Claim Religious People To Be!!! Why? Because when I intentionally repackaged islam's usage of the internet and described how the internet is being used to greater effect to establish religion than you douche bag can use it to destroy religion. You had no idea what I was talking about. Why? Because when you bury your head in the sand with all the other d-bags like yourself and talk about how superior you all are without God, you believe your own 'fake news.' So when I floated out a truth about islam's use of the internet, out came the stereotypes on how they are all so backwards...

Do you see the irony yet? or should i break it down to a 3rd grade level?

You can keep all you bigotry and hatred because, after accepting god, you're doing his work.

bigotry and hatred for whom?

You can feel special because you have Special Knowledge. You have a Personal Relationship with Jesus! There's a whole bunch of people you can now feel superior to. And the bible verses can mean whatever you want them to, because you can't possibly be wrong - and you don't even have to read it!
What a con.

When you only are conscious to greed, lies and hypocrisy in the church, then everything you encounter MUST fit one of those categories. Or dare I say it, you will be proven wrong about what you think you know... Now how many times has that ever happened? Exactly..

Maybe when you get tired of the smell of your own rectum, or get tired of discussions that only serve to proove you and what you think you know right, then maybe just maybe you be able to see another motive behind what I've said and done here, that you expertly identified.

[Nihilist Virus]

Many Muslim countries are not a part of the information age as their internet access is restricted.

If the premises of a theorem are not satisfied, then the conclusions don't follow.

Fucking retard.

Uninformed... you are the one speaking out of empty prejudiced general ignorance, and stereotype. Note how you just asserted what you thought to be right and then note me bring source material that proves me right.

Here is a list of the top 10 countries that does not have unrestricted access to the internet there are only 4 Muslim countries mentioned only one is completely bann from internet usage. The other three have restrictions put on their usage. The other 6 countries are of the 'modern' world.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world...s/5222385/

I can get over how stupid some of you are and yet, when challenged you automatically assume you and what you believe is automatically right.. How about pick up a book every once and a while or read something not on a porn site or better yet have a discussion with someone with a different understanding of the world and rather debate them to win, ask questions.

So I said that many Muslim countries restrict internet access and you think you refute that by listing certain Muslim countries that restrict internet access?  Dafuq?

You need to show there is a Muslim country that has no restrictions on internet access you God damned fucking idiot.

Learn the logic of all, none, counter-example, and so on.  You have provided zero counter examples.

Now, I'm sure there are Muslim countries with free internet access (notice I originally said MANY, not ALL) but the lesson here is that you have no idea how argumentation actually works.

TO MY ATHEIST PEERS

I'd like to urge all atheists here to cease engaging Drich on Christianity as he is SO stupid that I'd rather not have him representing me as another atheist.