WAR ON ATHEISM SERIES; installment 2

atheism and the 

religiously unaffiliated are growing globally, particularly in developed nations, reflecting a broader trend of secularization, though this is balanced by high birth rates in religious populations in other regions. Key drivers for this growth include increased education, freedom of thought, access to information, and modernization, leading to more people identifying as atheist, agnostic, or "no religion". 

Key Trends:

1. Rising Unaffiliated: The number of people with "no religion" grew by 17% globally between 2010 and 2020, reaching 1.9 billion.
2. Secularization in Developed Nations: High-income countries, especially in Europe, East Asia (like Macau, South Korea, Hong Kong), and North America, show significant increases in non-religious identities.
3. Shift from Religious to Non-Religious: The share of the world's population identifying as religious fell from 68% (2005) to 56% (2024), while the "not religious" grew from 21% to 28%, with convinced atheists rising from 6% to 10%. 

Why it's Growing:

1. Education & Information: Higher education and easy access to diverse information challenge traditional religious narratives.
2. Freedom & Modernization: Increased personal freedoms and modernization reduce reliance on religion for social structure or meaning.
3. Challenging Stereotypes: Studies show atheists find meaning in family, freedom, and other values, dispelling myths about purposelessness. 

Global Context:

1. While atheism grows in some areas, religious adherence remains strong or is growing in other parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, partly due to higher birth rates.
2. The trend isn't uniform, but reflects a world with expanding choices in belief and non-belief. 

In essence, the world is becoming more religiously diverse, with a significant rise in people identifying as non-religious, including atheists, alongside continued religious growth in other populations. 

Pleasure to be part of this series.

As I said, I am universal expert, and I am happy to talk about this.

S.L. , how are you?

Most excellent.

S.L. will tell you where to view this code and counter code in action and perhaps post screenshots.

While I did post a lot on modern day debate, basically using logic to make atheists cry, I am afraid I didnt take many screen shots. But I could gather some to post.

Now in relation to atheism, first off what is an atheist?

there is a difference on what atheist is, and what atheist says he is. Atheist is person who hopes God doesnt exist, because if God turns out real, atheist turns out not correct while religious people turn out correct.

Are atheists , atheists because of primarily emotional experiences ?

Yes, atheism is based on emotions, mostly anger.

Now in relation to atheism, emotions and holidays, are holidays like secular religions for the atheists?

Atheism has many religions, such as holidays, secular morality, and arbitrary goals in life.

What do you think some deconversion tactics are from atheists and how do the holidays play into that?

Atheists are the ones trying to convert people to atheism, usually by exposing flaws of religion and religious people. this shows atheism is a religion. Communist atheists had many holidays based on some achievements in history.

Atheists fight for separation of church/religion and state and there really is no such thing, but holiday religions are in schools, at the workplace where people are non believers, are the atheists hypocritical?

Atheists dont exactly fight for reparation of religion and state. they fight for separation of non-atheist religion from state. Religion cannot logically be separated from state. Atheists want their religion to be followed by state. they want for the state to act as if God didnt exist and as if atheists were correct.

And yes, atheists are hypocritical regarding holidays.

Why do you think atheist make the false equivalency of Santa Claus with a God of theism?

Atheists attempt to present religious people as people who should logically believe in santa, which isnt really true. You can believe in God and not in santa.

By them making this equivalency, haven't the atheists thus declared that the Santa Claus holiday is a religion to them?

Atheists have many religions, mainly of worshiping themselves, of worshiping pleasure which santa claus is a source of.

They have declared a holiday religion, thus as we can experience will presume you participate in receiving and sending holiday cards, gifts and greetings but yet there's supposed to be a separation of church and state.

So in schools, in the workplace, operated under law, why not separate, why is this the exception?

Atheists make exception for their religion.

Is this the exception because it has all the emotional indulgence and no stake of eternal punishment?

You could say that. Atheists worship pleasure, chase pleasure. their religion is just pleasure they can find.

This is an ongoing war on atheism, now how does a theist according to counter-argumentation code, in your book, what are the counterpoints to the false equivalencies?

the best counter to a false equivalence is a real equivalence. So when atheists say I dont have evidence for God, I say there is no evidence for anything, which is true by Munchausen trillema. You could be living in a simulation, and then imagination would be as real as reality you see, so even imagined God is as real as everything else.

Atheists that don't protest teaching children Santa Claus but will protest the teaching of hell, what is the atheist ulterior motive?

Atheist is anti-theist.

Atheist argue based on logic that they have, should theists reframe from arguing their faith out of logic in return?

Atheists argue based on their logic, not universal logic. theist can of course choose to argue using logic, but not atheist logic because that is just path to atheism.

Atheism is convincing to many 

due to the lack of empirical evidence for deities, the logical problems like evil and incoherent divine attributes, the success of science in explaining the world without God (Occam's Razor), and the contradictions and human-centric origins seen in diverse religions. These rational, philosophical, and scientific arguments, combined with appeals to self-reliance and freedom from dogma, persuade people that a god's existence isn't necessary or probable, making atheism a logical default position. 

Key Arguments for Atheism

1. Lack of Evidence: A central argument is the absence of tangible, scientific proof for God, placing the burden of proof on believers, according to a Quora post.
2. Problem of Evil: The existence of immense suffering and evil in the world seems incompatible with an all-powerful, all-good God, as noted by the Wikipedia article on Atheism and a Pravmir article.
3. Scientific Explanations: Science offers naturalistic explanations for the universe's origins and life, reducing the need for divine intervention (God of the gaps), as discussed by the BBC and Scott H Young.
4. Logical Incoherence: Concepts of God (omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent) can be seen as logically contradictory, as explained in a Quora discussion.
5. Religious Contradictions: The multitude of conflicting religions, each claiming unique truth, suggests they are human constructs, not divine revelations, according to a Reddit thread.
6. Occam's Razor: The simplest explanation is often the best; natural explanations are preferred over introducing a complex supernatural entity like God, as described on the BBC website.
7. Human-Made Gods: Anthropology and sociology suggest gods are cultural inventions to explain the unknown, rather than objective realities, according to a Quora post. 

Why it's "Convincing"

1. Focus on Evidence: Atheism aligns with empirical reasoning, demanding evidence for extraordinary claims, which resonates with a scientific worldview, notes a Quora post.
2. Intellectual Freedom: It offers freedom from dogma, encouraging independent inquiry and self-reliance, explains Scott H Young.
3. Default Stance: For many, the absence of proof for God makes atheism the default logical position, a "lack of belief," rather than a positive assertion of non-existence, notes a Reddit discussion. 

It's all about how data storage units are programmed and utilised.

And then we have 24 hours to fill, and some folk are programmed to do more or less religious stuff and some folk aren't.

And then after maybe 620000 hours of doing stuff we pop our clogs and are variously disposed of.

Unfortunately for some, they have a lot less hours at their disposal.

And a few lucky or unlucky ones, depending upon how one looks at it, enjoy a prolonged period of living decay.

Religion tends to be used as a coping strategy...And is largely the reason for it's invention...That and a naive explanation for creation and existence.

Though improved databases are reasonably certain that the reasons for creation and existence, predate naive religious hypotheses by billions of years.

Nonetheless human generational data transfer is such that inaccurate religious data is still readily available and traditionally is still used as a social operating system and coping strategy, especially in certain separatist communities.

So the "Atheist" isn't a programmed "Theist" as such, even though religious style data is available to all. Chiefly because the programmed theist was conditioned in their formative years of development, between the period of 0-8 years.

And undoubtedly, SL is not a "universal expert" or even a global expert on any subject.

What they are, is a serial fantasist and a charlatan...But entertaining nonetheless.

Religion is increasingly viewed as becoming "obsolete"—or more accurately, experiencing a rapid decline in relevance and participation—due to a confluence of modernization, technological advancement, and shifting cultural values

. Rather than suddenly vanishing, traditional religion is being superseded in many societies by alternative frameworks that are seen as more functional, efficient, or relevant to modern life. 

Key factors contributing to this trend include:

1. Modernization and Technology

1. Scientific Advancement: Technology and scientific understanding enable naturalistic explanations for phenomena previously attributed to the supernatural (e.g., weather, illness, origins of life), reducing the perceived need for divine intervention.
2. Increased Security: In developed, secure nations, the existential fear that historically drove people toward religion is reduced.
3. Information Availability: The internet provides alternative information sources, making traditional religious authority less dominant. 

2. Cultural and Social Shifts

1. "Cultural Pollution" and Scandals: Revelations of sexual and financial scandals within religious institutions have caused a significant loss of public trust.
2. Mismatch with Modern Values: For younger generations, traditional religious doctrines often conflict with modern views on gender, sexuality, and individualism.
3. Alternative Communities: People are increasingly finding community, meaning, and morality through secular means, such as sports, hobbies, or specialized social groups. 

3. Generational Change and Demographics

1. Rise of the "Nones": In the U.S., the percentage of people identifying as not religious rose from 5% in 1991 to 29% in 2025.
2. Lower Retention: Younger generations (post-Boomers) are less likely to adhere to the traditional faith of their parents.
3. Religious Diversity: An increase in religious diversity, particularly in the U.S., has been shown to weaken the commitment to any single religious tradition. 

4. "Cultural Obsolescence"

Sociologist Christian Smith argues that for many, particularly in the West, religion has become "obsolete" in a similar way to print newspapers or DVDs. 

1. It is not necessarily hated, but is increasingly viewed as a tool that has been superseded.
2. It is no longer seen as the default way to organize life, morality, or understanding of the world. 

While religiosity is declining in many modern societies (e.g., Canada, Japan, Iceland, UK), it is not disappearing everywhere, and in some contexts, it may plateau rather than completely vanish. 

Very good.

You recognize the intelligence in my post. Thank you.

Well, intelligence coupled with dexterity is what set's us apart from Wildebeest.

And alien visitors would recognise the effects of an intelligent and manipulative species long before they got here.

The idea that atheists are self-limiting is a subject of debate, with arguments focusing on whether the rejection of a, deity limits one's worldview or, conversely, frees1 it from unproven dogmas

. 

Arguments that atheists are self-limiting often stem from theological or philosophical viewpoints, while counterarguments emphasize scientific rationalism and intellectual autonomy. 

Arguments Suggesting Atheists Are Self-Limiting:

1. Exclusion of Reality: Critics argue that by limiting "reality" to only that which has a material or natural cause, atheists may ignore or fail to perceive deeper, non-material aspects of existence.
2. Lack of Ultimate Meaning: Some perspectives hold that without a divine source, atheists may struggle to find objective, ultimate meaning, potentially leading to a more mundane or nihilistic worldview.
3. "Willful Impotence": Some perspectives suggest that rejecting a higher power constitutes a form of "willful impotence," limiting one's potential by relying solely on human intellect.
4. Self-Defeating Logic: Some critics argue that naturalism—the belief that the natural world is self-existent—is self-defeating because it implies our ability to reason is merely the result of random, unguided, natural processes, rather than a reliable tool for discovering truth. 

Counterarguments and Alternative Perspectives:

1. Intellectual Freedom: Many atheists argue that their position is not limiting, but rather freeing. They feel liberated from restrictions placed by religious dogma, allowing them to follow evidence and logic wherever it leads.
2. Evidence-Based Worldview: Rather than being "closed-minded," many atheists argue they are open to any claim that is supported by sufficient evidence, rejecting only those that lack it.
3. Self-Reliance and Autonomy: Atheists often report that their worldview encourages self-reliance, personal responsibility, and a focus on making this life meaningful, rather than waiting for a life after death.
4. Scientific and Rational Focus: Supporters point out that atheism is often rooted in scientific methodology, which has been remarkably successful in understanding the universe, and therefore is not limited, but focused on verified knowledge. 

Ultimately, whether atheism is seen as "self-limiting" or "self-liberating" often depends on one's own foundational beliefs about the nature of reality and the value of religious, as opposed to purely empirical, knowledge.

Like I've been telling Faux...Foundational beliefs are the result of formative conditioning/programming.