Is Atheism a Neurological disorder? Possible prenatal test

[Zaurell]

This may seem like a provocative title, however in context I feel there is a reasonable amount of evidence to make this hypothesis.

"Studies on the demographics of atheism have concluded that self-identified atheists comprise anywhere from 2% to 13% of the world's population"
source; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

When we look at how the vast majority of the world's population adhere to some kind of theistic Religion, whether monotheistic, polytheistic or henotheistic. It seems like they're is something fundamental to our neurological wiring, that causes us to seek a God(ess) or God(esses). Something fundamental that causes us to comprehend the idea of a being greater than our selves, something that surpasses this physical Earthly realm...

When we look at the correlation between Pervasive Developmental Disorder's and Atheism, could it be that there is a fundamental defect in the brain wiring of an Atheist that causes them to be unable to comprehend the idea of a being greater than them selves? The very nature of a supernatural entity is an abstract concept that would be very dependent, and sensitive to the condition of one's brain wiring.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OMR ... er&f=false
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ps ... ad-atheism

And if so, would it be possible that in future we may see a prenatal test for Atheism? And if so would you support it? I personally would as if there is even the slightest chance that a neurological disorder could send my Child to hell, I don't think I could live my self knowing, that my and my wife brought them into the world to suffer such a fate. Calvinism, and predestination spring to mind...

But what do, YOU think NSG?

You amuse me mildly. Atheism is hardly a neurological disorder and is in fact on the rise.

[Linnuis]

Are you suggesting it's a Psychological disorder instead?

Or, shockingly, it's neither and people just have different belief systems.

But a lot of people are so insecure in their beliefs, so they're terrified by alternatives because their whole worldview might be wrong. As for me, I've reconciled reason with Christianity to my satisfaction so atheists and other belief systems don't bother me.

[Amberlena]

"Neurological disorders" are a hoax made up by the media.

What did the original poll options say?

[Gatito]

OP why do you worship an imaginary man in the sky and paranoid schizophrenic that thought that he was his offspring??
Do you need your head checked?

From you signature;
"gay communist"

Is there something wrong with that?

[Luminesa]

It's a person's personal belief system. I might not agree with it, but it doesn't mean it's neurological.

Nor is it something you can test for. You develop these beliefs as you grow older and become more aware of the world around you.

[Jordkloden]

Really? In what fucking universe are the beliefs of people about the nature of the universe somehow a neurological problem? WHAT EVEN?

[Luziyca]

No.

[The Rich Port]

I think it is far more likely that religion is a neurological or psychological disorder. It has many features of psychosis. The fact that most people currently follow some kind of religion hardly means we are wired for it. At one time, most people believed the world was flat. Did people who thought it was round had some kind of neurological disorder?

Also, yeah, judging by the OP's behavior, his idea of what constitutes a response, and how long it took him to realize the concept of something as simple as a poll, I'm gonna bet it's the other way the fuck around.

[Gatito]

I think it is far more likely that religion is a neurological or psychological disorder. It has many features of psychosis. The fact that most people currently follow some kind of religion hardly means we are wired for it. At one time, most people believed the world was flat. Did people who thought it was round had some kind of neurological disorder?

Also, yeah, judging by the OP's behavior, his idea of what constitutes a response, and how long it took him to realize the concept of something as simple as a poll, I'm gonna bet it's the other way the fuck around.

I would think that this is a joke, but it the amount of time he spent writing the OP makes me think otherwise.

[Zaurell]

I highly suspect the OP is in fact a troll.

[Raventsvo]

OP why do you worship an imaginary man in the sky and paranoid schizophrenic that thought that he was his offspring??
Do you need your head checked?

From you signature;
"gay communist"

You literally have a bible passage as your signature...

[Archbishop Cranmer]

From you signature;
"gay communist"

You literally have a bible passage as your signature...

It's from the Anglican 39 Articles of Religion, not a Bible passage.

[Gatito]

Wait a minute, did OP just switch the poll options again?

[Raventsvo]

From you signature;
"gay communist"

Is there something wrong with that?

Absolutely

[New Grestin]

OP why do you worship an imaginary man in the sky and paranoid schizophrenic that thought that he was his offspring??
Do you need your head checked?

From you signature;
"gay communist"

Yes, OP. Those are, in fact, two words. Thanks for pointing that out.

Or, shockingly, it's neither and people just have different belief systems.

But a lot of people are so insecure in their beliefs, so they're terrified by alternatives because their whole worldview might be wrong. As for me, I've reconciled reason with Christianity to my satisfaction so atheists and other belief systems don't bother me.

Speaking as an atheist and nihilist, I think the issue is likely that some people are terrified of the possibility that the universe doesn't give a shit about us. For some people, that's scarier than the idea that an omnipotent narcissist is controlling everything.

Frankly, I find the concept that the universe is harsh and uncaring, rather than actively malevolent, quite comforting.

[Atealia]

OP why do you worship an imaginary man in the sky and paranoid schizophrenic that thought that he was his offspring??
Do you need your head checked?

From you signature;
"gay communist"

Are you actually trying to shutdown someones argument by pointing out they're gay? I know some Christians think that being gay is somehow a disorder but I never thought I would see one in my life...

[The Sotoan Union]

What's with this trend of turning beliefs into neurological disorders?

[The Union of English Speaking Countries]

Wait a minute, did OP just switch the poll options again?

Apparently so.

Consensus still seems to be an overwhelming "OP is shit. Try harder next time."

Who woulda thunk it?

[Shyluz]

What's with this trend of turning beliefs into neurological disorders?

Not a clue.

[Vassenor]

Wait a minute, did OP just switch the poll options again?

Yup, OP swapped the poll options around to make it look like everyone agrees with them.

[Archbishop Cranmer]

From you signature;
"gay communist"

Are you actually trying to shutdown someones argument by pointing out they're gay? I know some Christians think that being gay is somehow a disorder but I never thought I would see one in my life...

Actually I'm pointing out that they are a Marxist, and thereby inherently Anti theistic

[Jordkloden]

OP why do you worship an imaginary man in the sky and paranoid schizophrenic that thought that he was his offspring??
Do you need your head checked?

From you signature;
"gay communist"

The hell is that supposed to mean?

[Tsaraine]

I think your post is wrong in many ways, but I also think it needs a better counter-argument than it's getting here (even though I'm not sure if it deserves one), so here goes.

Your initial premise appears to be that there is some fundamental link between autism spectrum disorders and atheism, and the Psychology Today article you linked does seem to indicate in that direction, though I am wary of their apparently small sample sizes. But the same article indicates that there are people on the spectrum who are religious! So "people who are less capable of teleological thinking are incapable of religion" is obviously false.

So aborting a fetus because they're on the spectrum would be immoral, from your perspective, because there's nothing saying that a resulting child will be an atheist. You'd be denying that child the ability to choose salvation based on your belief that mere flesh is more powerful than god's word, even though the evidence indicates otherwise!

To assume that a "neurological disorder" (and there are people with ASD who'd dispute that it is a disorder) can "send your child to hell" is to assume that autistic people are incapable of choice, and it seems very theologically shaky. Hell is a result of sin; sin is a result of one's actions; one's actions are a result of one's choices; and, being created with free will, humans are free to choose for themselves. To deny them that freedom based on your own fears is unjust, and directly against the thing Jesus says most in the bible ("do not be afraid").

I, personally, don't think that predestination is compatible with free will, either in the Calvinist sense or in the genetic sense; genes are not destiny, we are more than mere mules for genetic code. People with ASD can choose religion, and neurotypical people can choose atheism, and you should not decide based on a prenatal genetic test whether or not they get to live.

Certainly a neurotypical child could grow up to choose a different religion - surely a devout believer in, say, Thelema, or Shinto, is just as damned to hell? This is where Pascal's Wager falls down, by the way; you can choose religion and choose the wrong religion.

There's also a whole other can of worms around "better dead than autistic!", that you also see lurking in anti-vaxxer thought - the idea that they'd rather their children be unvaccinated and potentially dead than possibly autistic (or, in your case, aborted). I'll grant you that there are people on the very far edge of the spectrum whose lives are probably not worth living, but to say that death is preferable to, say, a touch of what used to be called Asperger's Syndrome seems utterly wrong on many levels.

Now, I personally do believe that the religious impulse (which seems to be a universal in human societies) is a result of the way our brains are set up to look for patterns and ascribe meaning to things - essentially an extension of the way our brains model the minds of other humans, but applied to the natural world - and the evidence does seem to suggest that people with ASD are less capable of this sort of thinking. So it makes sense to me that people with ASD are more likely to be atheists, just as people with schizophrenia (where the mechanisms of the mind that look for patterns and ascribe meaning to things are overactive) are more likely to be religious. Human behaviour and expression are on a scale between two extremes, not a simple binary between "normal" and "soulless abomination unable to perceive god".

[Raventsvo]

You literally have a bible passage as your signature...

It's from the Anglican 39 Articles of Religion, not a Bible passage.

My mistake then

Wait a minute, did OP just switch the poll options again?

Yes. Pathetic tbh

[Zoice]

Are you actually trying to shutdown someones argument by pointing out they're gay? I know some Christians think that being gay is somehow a disorder but I never thought I would see one in my life...

Actually I'm pointing out that they are a Marxist, and thereby inherently Anti theistic

Is that supposed to mean they are...? What, does anti-theism mean they're wrong or evil, or mentally ill?