Has atheism made the world a better place?

[Nakena]

America. The only modern country to have killed a god.

America will never let God die while there's money to be made from him.

How's the beer today?

[Insaanistan]

I say no. I am a Muslim. I am devout. I read the Qur’ân. I am not a terrorist. The actions of “jihadis” and “Islamists” are not those of Islam or Muslims anymore than shooting Palestinians are those of Judaism or Jews, or KKK cross burnings are of Christianity or Christians, or the Concentration Camps in Xinjiang are of Atheism or Atheists. People will always use and believe or disbelief for their own malicious intents.

[The Legendary]

America. The only modern country to have killed a god.

By Pre WW II Shintoism the emperor has divine powers but not a god,although is defined as a divine incarnate in the Meiji constitution of 1889.
That being said the US not only let emperor Hirohito live,they also helped in fixing the war crimes trials to find him innocent,and supported his post war reign with reduced powers.

[Panslav]

America. The only modern country to have killed a god.

Actually USA is something around 20% irreligious which is very low for non-third world country. Usually it's 40% and higher.

[Rojava Free State]

America. The only modern country to have killed a god.

Actually USA is something around 20% irreligious which is very low for non-third world country. Usually it's 40% and higher.

America is still full of people who are really religious. I think like 30% of Americans are evangelical protestants and there's a lot who are devout Catholics too. Fortunately I live in a place where there are many non religious folks. That's why I don't plan to move to the south anytime soon. I can't get down with hating the gays, or thinking rape victims should have to give birth to the rapist's kid, or going to church every Sunday when you could spend Sunday doing something way more fun

[Panslav]

https://news.gallup.com/poll/187955/per ... aign=tiles

Phew. At least US is becoming less and less religious. Good, might make it just a little more bearable of a sight.

[Rojava Free State]

https://news.gallup.com/poll/187955/percentage-christians-drifting-down-high.aspx?g_source=Religion&g_medium=lead&g_campaign=tiles

Phew. At least US is becoming less and less religious. Good, might make it just a little more bearable of a sight.

I don't miss going to Catholic masses as a kid. You could say it was a mass of shit

[US-SSR]

Atheism is the default state of humanity. It can't have made the world a better place because that just doesn't make sense, it's how the world always was until we invented gods.

No... The default state of humanity had religion. It's why literally every civilization had some form of god or worshiped some sort of deity. Hell cavemen probably thought storms were some type angry god striking them down for not eating a fish right or something.

The default state of humanity had an exploitive class of people convincing others that storms were some angry god striking them down, usually for not giving sufficient material support, attention and deference to his or her priests. No baby is born believing in a god or gods. Religious belief, unlike atheism, has to be taught.

[Albrenia]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

[Neanderthaland]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

I'd add that if humanity is born with an innate belief in a god, then that god's name is probably "mom."

[Albrenia]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

I'd add that if humanity is born with an innate belief in a god, then that god's name is probably "mom."

That's deep, man. Also not altogether untrue.

Praying would be a lot more fun if it just involved screaming and crying until someone fed you and wiped your ass too.

[Europa Undivided]

https://news.gallup.com/poll/187955/percentage-christians-drifting-down-high.aspx?g_source=Religion&g_medium=lead&g_campaign=tiles

Phew. At least US is becoming less and less religious. Good, might make it just a little more bearable of a sight.

*laughs in China, Africa, Latin America, and the former Soviet republics and puppets*

[Europa Undivided]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

Humans are genetically hardwired to seek for something to worship, so no. Atheism is an outlier.

[Vetalia]

The default state of humanity had an exploitive class of people convincing others that storms were some angry god striking them down, usually for not giving sufficient material support, attention and deference to his or her priests. No baby is born believing in a god or gods. Religious belief, unlike atheism, has to be taught.

That's not really a good line of reasoning considering everything has to be taught...

No matter where or when people have always asked questions about their purpose and meaning that grow as they mature and are exposed to hardship, loss and death...it has nothing to do with control, or threats, or anything else. Man is fundamentally a spiritual being. Strong, materialist atheism is a very new development in human history; the earlier versions were much closer to agnosticism or apatheism than outright denial of the existence of a god or gods.

[VoVoDoCo]

The default state of humanity had an exploitive class of people convincing others that storms were some angry god striking them down, usually for not giving sufficient material support, attention and deference to his or her priests. No baby is born believing in a god or gods. Religious belief, unlike atheism, has to be taught.

That's not really a good line of reasoning considering everything has to be taught...

No matter where or when people have always asked questions about their purpose and meaning that grow as they mature and are exposed to hardship, loss and death...it has nothing to do with control, or threats, or anything else. Man is fundamentally a spiritual being. Strong, materialist atheism is a very new development in human history; the earlier versions were much closer to agnosticism or apatheism than outright denial of the existence of a god or gods.

It’s kind of both. It’s not innate for individuals to believe in God, but it does appear to be innate for civilizations to.

[Telconi]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

How is lacking beliefs or opinions make this particular belief the default state?

[Neanderthaland]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

How is lacking beliefs or opinions make this particular belief the default state?

Because they don't believe in gods. This isn't rocket science.

[Telconi]

How is lacking beliefs or opinions make this particular belief the default state?

Because they don't believe in gods. This isn't rocket science.

Which isn't atheism, so...

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

To my knowledge, humans aren't born with any known opinions or beliefs. That does rather make Atheism the 'default' state of individual people, even if the human mind if heavily predisposed to attributing agency and intentions to things which don't have them which would probably lead any human left without any other human contact to believe some pretty weird shit.

How is lacking beliefs or opinions make this particular belief the default state?

Could he be referring to tabula rasa?

[Pilipinas and Malaya]

I say no. I am a Muslim. I am devout. I read the Qur’ân. I am not a terrorist. The actions of “jihadis” and “Islamists” are not those of Islam or Muslims anymore than shooting Palestinians are those of Judaism or Jews, or KKK cross burnings are of Christianity or Christians, or the Concentration Camps in Xinjiang are of Atheism or Atheists. People will always use and believe or disbelief for their own malicious intents.

But you Muslims were actually the technological leaders of the past, especially in Baghdad. Had you guys not abandoned science just because some well-known guy wrote a fatwa saying science was evil, may be the world we’d be living in would be more accepting of Muslims. The separation of church and state is perhaps one of the best things to happen to the world because of people not being bound to discover things because of religion.

Anyways, about your representation argument, I agree. Islamophobia gets pretty bad sometimes.

That's not really a good line of reasoning considering everything has to be taught...

No matter where or when people have always asked questions about their purpose and meaning that grow as they mature and are exposed to hardship, loss and death...it has nothing to do with control, or threats, or anything else. Man is fundamentally a spiritual being. Strong, materialist atheism is a very new development in human history; the earlier versions were much closer to agnosticism or apatheism than outright denial of the existence of a god or gods.

It’s kind of both. It’s not innate for individuals to believe in God, but it does appear to be innate for civilizations to.

As observed in the annals of history, major civilizations were bound to a religion of some form. That kept them strung together.

[Cetacea]

No... The default state of humanity had religion. It's why literally every civilization had some form of god or worshiped some sort of deity. Hell cavemen probably thought storms were some type angry god striking them down for not eating a fish right or something.

Explain to me how humans had religion before they invented religion. Explain to me how the first humans were somehow born believing in god without anyone ever explaining the idea to them or them inventing the idea themselves.

Apes mourn their dead and perform dominance rituals in the presence of storms, fire and waterfalls which suggests that they are projecting a self concept and possibly even personifying the natural phenomena as a rival ape.

Ritualistic displays before personified natural phenomena suggest something approaching ‘religious practice’ so I would argue that Humans evolved religious ...

[Ifreann]

Because they don't believe in gods. This isn't rocket science.

Which isn't atheism, so...

That's exactly what atheism is.

[Neanderthaland]

Because they don't believe in gods. This isn't rocket science.

Which isn't atheism, so...

Umm... yes it is.

[Region of Dwipantara]

Atheism is the default state of humanity. It can't have made the world a better place because that just doesn't make sense, it's how the world always was until we invented gods.

No... The default state of humanity had religion. It's why literally every civilization had some form of god or worshiped some sort of deity. Hell cavemen probably thought storms were some type angry god striking them down for not eating a fish right or something.

Default human civilizations are also oppresive class societies suffering under plagues. So yeah, just because something is "common" in the past, doesn't make it "good".

[Telconi]

Which isn't atheism, so...

Umm... yes it is.

Ignoring the low hanging fruit about how "utterly without knowledge" is the same as atheism, I'll have to disagree. You can't hold any belief unless taught, so a newborn baby is no more an atheist than they are a Christian or a Jew, or any other belief.