Atheism is unstoppable.

[SteveII]

I honestly don't know. I do know that religion is here to stay. I think countries will wax and wain in their religiosity. For example, I think there will be a Christian revival in Europe in the next 2 generations because I think that humans, by-in-large, need religion to answer questions they can't live without (I'm talking about society on a macro level). Eventually you get a generation that sees the nihilistic philosophy of their parents (however far that needs to go and whatever manifestations it has--I don't know) is untenable and go looking for answers. In my opinion, Christianity is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

And while statements like "religion is here to stay" can sound very ominous and final, they're not.

Things change, people evolve, ideas grow and die. In medieval times, people probably said things like, "Torturing non-believers is here to stay," and while those things may still occur in some places of the world, societies by and large have let that kind of thinking die off. So while you may see religion as a "cornerstone" of what it means to be human, I see it as another useless tradition that will eventually die off. So we can agree to disagree and that's okay. And, that last part of your post is laughable. 

Your opinion is that it will die off. You don't seem to have any reasons it will die off. 

Your ability to have a discussion without insulting the other person is noted.

---

I honestly don't know. I do know that religion is here to stay. I think countries will wax and wain in their religiosity. For example, I think there will be a Christian revival in Europe in the next 2 generations because I think that humans, by-in-large, need religion to answer questions they can't live without (I'm talking about society on a macro level). Eventually you get a generation that sees the nihilistic philosophy of their parents (however far that needs to go and whatever manifestations it has--I don't know) is untenable and go looking for answers. In my opinion, Christianity is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Islam is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Taoism is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Judaism is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Buddhism is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

So on

And so on.

Why do you think more adults convert to Christianity than any other religion (by far)? See--this is how a conversation goes. Instead of mocking grandstanding, you can ask for reasons for my belief. Even though you don't didn't ask, here is the evidence I have. 

• Pew Research estimates that 40 million people are expected to convert to Christianity between 2010-2050, and 106 million people are expected to leave Christianity during that period (resulting in a net loss of 66 million).[3] This is in contrast to most other religions, including Islam and Hinduism, where the number converting in is roughly similar to the number converting out.[3]
  
  
• According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, approximately 2.7 million people convert to Christianity annually from another religion, with Christianity ranking first in net gains through religious conversion.[12]
  
  
• Studies estimate significantly more people have converted from Islam to Christianity in the 21st century than at any other point in Islamic history.[13] Conversion to Christianity has also been well documented, and reports estimate that hundreds of thousands of Muslims convert to Christianity annually. Significant numbers of Muslims converts to Christianity can be found in Afghanistan, Albania,[14] Azerbaijan,[15][16] Algeria,[17] Belgium,[18] Bulgaria,[19][20] France,[21] Germany,[22] Indonesia,[23] Iran,[24][25][26][27] Kazakhstan,[28]Kyrgyzstan,[29] Malaysia,[30] Morocco,[31][32] Netherlands,[33] Russia,[34] Saudi Arabia,[35] Tunisia,[36] Turkey,[37][38][39][40] Kosovo,[41] The United States[42] and Central Asia etc.[43][44] Many of the Muslims who convert to Christianity faces social rejection or imprisonment and sometimes murder or penalty, for becoming Christians.[45]
  
  
• Data from the Pew Research Center show that, as of 2013, about 1.6 million adult American Jews identify themselves as Christians; most are Protestant.[46][47][48] According to the same data, most of this group were raised as Jews or are Jews by ancestry.[47] Data from 2013, show that 64,000 Argentine Jews identify themselves as Christians.[49] According to 2012 study 17% of Jews in Russia identify themselves as Christians.[50][51]
  
  
• Conversion into Christianity has significantly increased among Korean,[52] Chinese,[53] and Japanese in the United States.[54] In 2012, the percentage of Christians in these communities were 71%, 30% and 37% respectively.[55]
  
  
• Due to conversion, the number of Chinese Christians has increased significantly; from 4 million before 1949 to 67 million in 2010.[56][57]
  
  
• Due to conversion, Christianity has grown in South Korea, from 2.0% in 1945[58] to 29.3% in 2010.[56]
  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_...Conversion

Any questions/comments? How about the first bullet? What do you think that means?

[Nay_Sayer]

hy do you think more adults convert to Pastafarianism than any other religion (by far)? See--this is how a conversation goes. Instead of mocking grandstanding, you can ask for reasons for my belief. Even though you don't didn't ask, here is the evidence I have.

Pew Research estimates that 40 million people are expected to convert to Pastafarianism between 2010-2050, and 106 million people are expected to leave Christianity during that period (resulting in a net loss of 66 million).[3] This is in contrast to most other religions, including Islam and Hinduism, where the number converting in is roughly similar to the number converting out.[3]

According to the World Encyclopedia, approximately 2.7 million people convert to Pastafarianism annually from another religion, with Pastafarianism ranking first in net gains through religious conversion.[12]

Studies estimate significantly more people have converted from Islam to Pastafarianism in the 21st century than at any other point in Islamic history.[13] Conversion to Pastafarianism has also been well documented, and reports estimate that hundreds of thousands of Muslims convert to Pastafarianism annually. Significant numbers of Muslims converts to Pastafarianism can be found in Afghanistan, Albania,[14] Azerbaijan,[15][16] Algeria,[17] Belgium,[18] Bulgaria,[19][20] France,[21] Germany,[22] Indonesia,[23] Iran,[24][25][26][27] Kazakhstan,[28]Kyrgyzstan,[29] Malaysia,[30] Morocco,[31][32] Netherlands,[33] Russia,[34] Saudi Arabia,[35] Tunisia,[36] Turkey,[37][38][39][40] Kosovo,[41] The United States[42] and Central Asia etc.[43][44] Many of the Muslims who convert to Christianity faces social rejection or imprisonment and sometimes murder or penalty, for becoming Pastafarians[45]

Data from the Pew Research Center show that, as of 2013, about 1.6 million adult American Jews identify themselves as Pastafarians; most are Protestant.[46][47][48] According to the same data, most of this group were raised as Jews or are Jews by ancestry.[47] Data from 2013, show that 64,000 Argentine Jews identify themselves as Pastafarians.[49] According to 2012 study 17% of Jews in Russia identify themselves as Pastafarians.[50][51]

Conversion into Pastafarianism has significantly increased among Korean,[52] Chinese,[53] and Japanese in the United States.[54] In 2012, the percentage of Pastafarians in these communities were 71%, 30% and 37% respectively.[55]

Due to conversion, the number of Chinese Pastafarians has increased significantly; from 4 million before 1949 to 67 million in 2010.[56][57]

Due to conversion,Pastafarianism has grown in South Korea, from 2.0% in 1945[58] to 29.3% in 2010.[56]


Any questions/comments? How about the first bullet? What do you think that means?

[EgoDeath]

And while statements like "religion is here to stay" can sound very ominous and final, they're not.

Things change, people evolve, ideas grow and die. In medieval times, people probably said things like, "Torturing non-believers is here to stay," and while those things may still occur in some places of the world, societies by and large have let that kind of thinking die off. So while you may see religion as a "cornerstone" of what it means to be human, I see it as another useless tradition that will eventually die off. So we can agree to disagree and that's okay. And, that last part of your post is laughable. 

Your opinion is that it will die off. You don't seem to have any reasons it will die off. 

Your ability to have a discussion without insulting the other person is noted.

---

In my opinion, Islam is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Taoism is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Judaism is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

In my opinion, Buddhism is the most coherent alternative if you want to reject atheism.

So on

And so on.

Why do you think more adults convert to Christianity than any other religion (by far)? See--this is how a conversation goes. Instead of mocking grandstanding, you can ask for reasons for my belief. Even though you don't didn't ask, here is the evidence I have. 

• Pew Research estimates that 40 million people are expected to convert to Christianity between 2010-2050, and 106 million people are expected to leave Christianity during that period (resulting in a net loss of 66 million).[3] This is in contrast to most other religions, including Islam and Hinduism, where the number converting in is roughly similar to the number converting out.[3]
  
  
• According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, approximately 2.7 million people convert to Christianity annually from another religion, with Christianity ranking first in net gains through religious conversion.[12]
  
  
• Studies estimate significantly more people have converted from Islam to Christianity in the 21st century than at any other point in Islamic history.[13] Conversion to Christianity has also been well documented, and reports estimate that hundreds of thousands of Muslims convert to Christianity annually. Significant numbers of Muslims converts to Christianity can be found in Afghanistan, Albania,[14] Azerbaijan,[15][16] Algeria,[17] Belgium,[18] Bulgaria,[19][20] France,[21] Germany,[22] Indonesia,[23] Iran,[24][25][26][27] Kazakhstan,[28]Kyrgyzstan,[29] Malaysia,[30] Morocco,[31][32] Netherlands,[33] Russia,[34] Saudi Arabia,[35] Tunisia,[36] Turkey,[37][38][39][40] Kosovo,[41] The United States[42] and Central Asia etc.[43][44] Many of the Muslims who convert to Christianity faces social rejection or imprisonment and sometimes murder or penalty, for becoming Christians.[45]
  
  
• Data from the Pew Research Center show that, as of 2013, about 1.6 million adult American Jews identify themselves as Christians; most are Protestant.[46][47][48] According to the same data, most of this group were raised as Jews or are Jews by ancestry.[47] Data from 2013, show that 64,000 Argentine Jews identify themselves as Christians.[49] According to 2012 study 17% of Jews in Russia identify themselves as Christians.[50][51]
  
  
• Conversion into Christianity has significantly increased among Korean,[52] Chinese,[53] and Japanese in the United States.[54] In 2012, the percentage of Christians in these communities were 71%, 30% and 37% respectively.[55]
  
  
• Due to conversion, the number of Chinese Christians has increased significantly; from 4 million before 1949 to 67 million in 2010.[56][57]
  
  
• Due to conversion, Christianity has grown in South Korea, from 2.0% in 1945[58] to 29.3% in 2010.[56]
  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_...Conversion

Any questions/comments? How about the first bullet? What do you think that means?

And I'm sure the statistics about conversion to Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and so on would be interesting as well. Here's the thing, atheists are getting more and more plentiful every year. Every year people are stepping away from ALL OF IT. The happiest places on Earth all show an upward trend in non-belief and non-religiousness. The more realized people are, the more they understand religion is unnecessary.

Atheists also tend to be college educated. Interesting. It's almost as if critical thinking has something to do with belief in god. And as more and more people learn to think critically, more and more people will question god. More and more people will ultimately come to the understanding that there's no reason for belief in god, because it is a fairy tale.

[Belacqua]

Atheists also tend to be college educated. Interesting. It's almost as if critical thinking has something to do with belief in god. And as more and more people learn to think critically, more and more people will question god. More and more people will ultimately come to the understanding that there's no reason for belief in god, because it is a fairy tale.

Is there any way to determine whether college grads are really better at critical thinking? I mean, these days you can major in hotel management and all kinds of stuff. I used to think that Harvard grads would be way smart, until I met a few Harvard grads.

And other than an assumption that clear thinkers will agree with us, do we have any solid data on whether more critical thinking leads to more atheism? There could be other factors as to why people leave religion, including socialization, etc. 

Clear thinking demands that we not jump to any conclusions here.

[Foxaèr]

Is there any way to determine whether college grads are really better at critical thinking?

Many theists, college graduates or not, do have good critical thinking skills, except for the one blind spot where their religious convictions lie.

College helps to hone one's critical thinking, no doubt, but it alone is not going to sway a theist from his/her religious delusion.

[Belacqua]

Many theists, college graduates or not, do have good critical thinking skills, except for the one blind spot where their religious convictions lie.

Other than assuming that people with good critical thinking skills will agree with me, do we have any way of knowing that theists believe due to a blind spot? Or is it that critical thinking has led them to a different conclusion from the one I have? 

I can see how college would give literalists an alternative view that would help them out of their simplistic beliefs. But this is more due to additional facts, and not necessarily improved critical skills. New exposure to an environment in which atheism is OK, or even approved of, seems likely to account for many de-conversions.

College helps to hone one's critical thinking, no doubt

Um... I doubt. It will in some cases. In a lot of cases, not. 

I just want to avoid begging the question. "He must have good critical skills because he's an atheist." And how do we know that atheists have good critical thinking skills? "Because they're atheists."

[Foxaèr]

I never stated that atheists are better critical thinkers than theists.

When it comes to religion, however, we are, because we have the intellectual honesty and fortitude to recognize bullshit when we study it.

[robvalue]

Christianity is the most local, convenient and easy to join religion in many places. That’s about it. It’s nothing to do with it being coherent or true.

[Belacqua]

When it comes to religion, however, we are, because we have the intellectual honesty and fortitude to recognize bullshit when we study it.

This is of course based on your belief that the only reasons to be religious are "bullshit" reasons. 

I'm not persuaded of that yet. Nor am I persuaded that someone who is very reasonable in every other field of life can only be religious by shutting off one part of his reason. There may be good reasons, and I have a duty to know them. 

If we aspire to be clear and critical thinkers, we have a duty to keep in mind that our own reasons may be bullshit reasons.

[Foxaèr]

This is of course based on your belief that the only reasons to be religious are "bullshit" reasons. 

Incorrect.

From the onset, Genesis, it is obvious how fantastical and improbable that the book is historically accurate. God can create man, but has to use man's rib to create woman? Talking snake?

Bullshit is bullshit, and quite recognizable. The bible is pure bullshit. It doesn't take a genius to realize it.