Atheist Statistics 2008
Here’s an interesting little video (less than 3 minutes) that presents fairly recent atheist statistics. The author cites several of his sources in the video, and provides a complete list of his sources, with links, in the sidebar at the YouTube site where the video is posted. He explains his reason for making the video in a brief introductory note:
This is a REBUTTAL to Christian claims that atheists are immoral, dumb, or evil. This is not an attack on Christians. In other words, I wouldn’t have felt the need to make this video if it hadn’t been for all the insane opinions Christians have of atheists and the non-religious.
Many atheists are already familiar with most, if not all, of the information in the video. Many of you may also be familiar with the sources listed in the sidebar. I was familiar with some of them, and I also discovered some new ones (to me) that I’m interested in exploring further.
Enjoy and discuss.
– the chaplain
The divorce rates are lowest for atheists. Not surprising to me. I’ve never related better to my wife ever since I left Christianity. It could be something to do with all the time spent on religion as well as all the hypocrisy.
Where did you get the divorce statistics from?
@ Eric
Most likely the video author got the divorce statistics from this.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm
Temaskian:
The same is true for the deacon and me. We always had a good relationship (we’ve been married 30 years, so I think it’s reasonable to say that), but, at least on my part, there was always some degree of guardedness about anything related to spirituality, religious doctrine, etc., when we were Christians. As it turned out, we both harbored serious doubts for many years, but struggled through them alone because each thought the other would be horrified if we exposed our “shallow” faith. Since we’ve come out to each other, we’re able to be more open about anything, because we know the other is not judging with the sword of the Lord or something like that. We accept each other just as we are and we don’t have unrealistic standards for ourselves and each other.
If you’re interested in further exploring the effects of dogma on marriage, Laura has some very good stuff at her blog.
Eric & Mark:
Mark answered the question correctly. All of the author’s sources are at the YouTube site.
It would be a whole lot better if most of those stats didn’t end with “in God”. I think only once did I see one that said “in a personal god”. I just find it comical when atheists say things about God, like there’s only one to believe in or not.
Now in fairness, I understand that he could be just quoting others so that the fault lies in the sources. Still, it would be nice to see atheists pay a tad more attention to comments like that.
Philly:
Great point.
I have to say that all the stats are interesting. I didn’t know atheism was so high in Europe.
Interestingly, as a Christian I heard several sermons that used Europe as an example of a secular, wayward society. Sweden, for instance, is often used as an example of suicide. Preachers forget that in such countries there is health care available to everyone, for example, and nobody goes around protesting that THEIR very own rights are being violated by giving free health care to the poorest. The rate of office and school shootings is also much lower than in the States, even though the population density is similar to that of cities such as New York and LA.
The divorce stat was the one I found most interesting. I thought that since atheist weren’t afraid of hell, they would divorce faster than the religious.
But I must say that I agree with others. Ever since I left Christianity, my marriage is much better. I feel more free to be myself without the “submission” command. He feels more free to do things I considered unholy, like having a beer or a glass of wine once in a while.
It’s interesting how freedom can help a couple become closer, even when one of them remains a Christian.
“…insane….”? Semantics
There are people calling themselves Christians or atheists who are insane regardless and in the same sense.
What is sanity to you versus me? Is agreement possible?
What’s your heaven? How do you define it?
I’m a total pacifist. I’m an Acts communist (non-Marxist; no-coercion). I’m opposed to denying harm in harmful acts. I know there is mind beyond the limitations of the traditionally understood five senses. Am I insane?
War is insane. Greed is insane. Knowingly doing sexual harm is insane. There is also relativity. There are priorities. There is though the absolutely perfect. That’s God. You may say, “That’s God to you.” I’ll say, “Right.”
Peace, love, and truth,
Tom
P.S. I came here from: http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2009/11/sunday-drive_08.html