How does the internet affect atheism?

[relativetruth]

Does anybody have any statistics or research on this subject?

Humanism may have been around since the 18th century but that would have only have been amongst intellectuals.

The Internet (especially forums like WWGHA) provides ordinary individuals the ability to debate minority views without prejudice (relatively speaking).

Has this new freedom actually resulted in more Atheists?

The large scale use of the internet originated in USA but proportionally speaking atheists are very much in the minority compared to European and other 'Western' cultures. The percentage of 'fundamental' theists in USA still seems to be high (in my view) despite being near the forfront of science and technology.

Why is this?

 

[Star Stuff]

Reminds me of this thread:

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/forums/index.php?topic=7110.0

I think it is true that atheism has grown considerably in the US in the last 5-10 years.  I'm sure that all of the discussion/debate has resulted in more people thinking about it, and if they combine that thinking with honesty.......poof......"atheist".

[IAmFirst]

Reminds me of this thread:

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/forums/index.php?topic=7110.0

I think it is true that atheism has grown considerably in the US in the last 5-10 years.  I'm sure that all of the discussion/debate has resulted in more people thinking about it, and if they combine that thinking with honesty.......poof......atheist.

I like that. It'd be cool if we got a "pooof" when we entered a room.

It's grown, at least the awareness has, but the more popular something gets, here come the religious. Search for anti-atheist sites. They grew in number too. Well, so what? As long as they spell "atheist" right, advertising is advertising. 

[Star Stuff]

Although......

Rational arguments don’t usually work on religious people.  Otherwise, there wouldn’t be religious people.  (Hugh Laurie’s character Dr. House, on the TV show House)

[Narrow Mullen]

This made me search Anti Atheist on Google, here's one of the top results. It's written by a 56 year old man, who is completely ridiculous.

http://antiatheism.info/

[Star Stuff]

Oh the stupid...........it burns.

[Narrow Mullen]

Good way to advertise WWGHA though, there's also a sign of intellect on the Anti Atheism site!

Someone named Mandat, email mandatmagic@hotmail.com, I think he'd be great to have on the site, I've sent him an email.

[Narrow Mullen]

As for the creator of the site, feel free to read one of his posts:

Growing up is difficult, especially with so many corrupting influences in the world. The world can seem like a confusing place with so many different, conflicting ideas about the meaning of life existing across the planet.

The greatest danger that teenagers face these days is Atheism. As I’ve discussed before it’s a dangerous religion that spits out bright young preople and leaves them as empty shells of their former selves.

If you’re thinking about becoming an Atheist, my advice to you is to turn to the Church immediately for help. Instead of dicussing your beliefs with atheist friends or secular schoolteachers, go straight to the clergy and voice your doubts to them. They will be able to redirect you onto the path of righteousness.
If an Atheist tries to brainwash you with his logic during a difficult period, feel free to just run away. For it is better to run away and be seen as a coward on earth than to have to endure the ungodly fires of hell for all of eternity.

Some of these are quite funny actually! 

[Narrow Mullen]

I had to post another funny one:

I can’t believe I’m even posting this, but I’m feeling filled with the spirit tonight so I thought I might as well educate you all out there.

It’s obvious that the Atheist would win the physical fight, simply because Christians are peaceful people, whereas militant Atheists are exactly that, militant. They won’t stop at anything to convince people that they are right and once they’ve done that they’d probably enslave the Christian and force Him to speak all sorts of unspeakable lies about the Creator, just for cheap laughs.

Even if we surrendered they’d still pummel us to death with anything that came to hand, whether it’d be sticks, hammers or mere gouging pencils.

However the tables will be turned after death and we will prevail with the spiritual battle. As I’ve said before, Atheists have sold their souls to Satan and have therefore forfeited their right to divine intervention.

The only support they’ll receive from God after death is a lovely postcard from Heaven, letting them know what a lovely time we are all having up here.

So Atheists, feel free to break my bones if you want to. You only want to because I’m right and you are wrong and that’s a bitter pill to swallow.

You do not have the intellectual impetus. You’re intellectually impotent. Intellectualism only exists in the context of the Holy Spirit and God. You are bestowed by neither whilst you continue to boke sick over His Word and spew lies and hatred against his people.

We will prevail. You will be consumed in fiery righteous Hail.

I smell sigs, anyone else?

[Star Stuff]

All of those lines are shocking; and shockingly ignorant, but the first one is the epitome of arrogance:

....I’m feeling filled with the spirit tonight so I thought I might as well educate you all out there.

[Star Stuff]

Two quotes regarding this waste of skin:

Reasoning with one who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to a dead man.  (Thomas Paine)

Most true believers, when faced with evidence that contradicts their beliefs, will hold on to those beliefs even more strongly.  (Mark Thomas)

[Narrow Mullen]

 

Atheists are such a bad influence on everything from the stock markets to health care reform that they’ll not stop until they’ve left America bankrupt, both spiritually and finanically.

Didn't Hitler say similar things about what the Jewish people were doing to Germany?

[Narrow Mullen]

We already know these people get a kick out of supporting the murder of unborn human children and it’s simply a miracle that these devoutly religious atheists haven’t started smashing up these puppies with hammers for fun and games already.

This is some of the best sig material, people! Get it before it's gone!

[Grogs]

I think it's a bit of a mixed bag.  To some extent, you're seeing people who were always atheists being freed to speak their beliefs now that they can find others who share them easily via the internet.  On the other hand, I think that there are a lot of people who weren't all that convinced by their religion in the first place who have discovered non-church approved answers on the internet and deconverted.  That's only fair.  After all, I thought young earth creationists had disappeared a long time ago until I discovered how prevalent they are on the internet.

[Star Stuff]

This is some of the best sig material, people! Get it before it's gone!

Amass it all for us.

[Narrow Mullen]

This is some of the best sig material, people! Get it before it's gone!

Amass it all for us.

There's a lot, I'll post a list tomorrow maybe.

[PinkMilk]

I think it's a bit of a mixed bag.  To some extent, you're seeing people who were always atheists being freed to speak their beliefs now that they can find others who share them easily via the internet.

This was my thought exactly.  I don't think that the proportions of atheists have changed, but rather when you are on the internet with the veil of anonymity that atheists feel more comfortable expressing their views. There are several people who are comfortable admitting their views online but would refrain from doing so in real life, rather it is because of their family, friends, or the area they live in.

 On the other hand, I think that there are a lot of people who weren't all that convinced by their religion in the first place who have discovered non-church approved answers on the internet and deconverted.  That's only fair.  

I'd also have to agree with this statement.  The internet has been an amazing thing in terms of making information available to everyone.  For many it makes information that they would otherwise not have access to available to them.  In this sense I do believe it makes those who were unsure in their faith, or who had previously been unaware of certain scientific facts or other such information more aware of other view points, opinions, and more educated in certain areas.

After all, I thought young earth creationists had disappeared a long time ago until I discovered how prevalent they are on the internet.

It's funny that you should say that.  I actually didn't know about YECs until about 7 years ago.  I thought for a while that it was a new movement that was coming about.  YECs were not something that I was exposed to where I was born, where I lived for the majority of my childhood years, or during my travels.  It wasn't really until I moved out of my parents house at 18 that I really became aware of YECs.  So I'd say that not only does the internet make you aware of other world views in which you might agree, it makes you aware of what a lot of people actually think. 

It kind of makes you wonder how many religious people would freely express the things that they state on the internet in real life. 

With all that being said, I think that a study of the number admitted atheists before the invention of the internet, and varying intervals throughout the years since then would be something interesting to look at.  But of course this only leads to correlations and does not really state with any certainty what effect the internet has actually had on it. 

I think it would also be fair to say that the internet has possibly had just as equally a negative effect on atheism as it has positive. 

[Slartibartfast]

In my opinion Atheism has conquered the internet, and partly because most of the core atheists are very computer literate or at least can use the internet.

Since there's so many internet users, a lot of youth actually, Atheism spreads like wildfire to these individuals. Atheism from my experience has become very common among the youth for these reasons.

Anyway, point is, yes! The internet has been a huge help for Atheism. Not just for the reasons you mentioned though. 

[Narrow Mullen]

Note: After looking at the whole blog, I'm 95 percent sure it's satire.

[Star Stuff]

I dunno, those types are out there.  I hope you're correct though.  He sounds like he's been getting his butt kicked by atheists.

[Narrow Mullen]

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/forums/index.php?topic=10554.0

This links to the page with all of the quotes. They get quite ridiculous at the end.

[PinkMilk]

The thing that makes me think it is indeed real is the fact that on the first page he says that there are certain points in which he puts forth to acknowledge the reality of god that atheists ignore.  From this forum alone I know that there is no point a theist can/would make that an atheist won't address.  However it is not uncommon for a theist to respond back that the atheist has not truly addressed their point.

[Noman Peopled]

As for the creator of the site, feel free to read one of his posts:

Growing up is difficult, especially with so many corrupting influences in the world. The world can seem like a confusing place with so many different, conflicting ideas about the meaning of life existing across the planet.

The greatest danger that teenagers face these days is Atheism. As I’ve discussed before it’s a dangerous religion that spits out bright young preople and leaves them as empty shells of their former selves.

If you’re thinking about becoming an Atheist, my advice to you is to turn to the Church immediately for help. Instead of dicussing your beliefs with atheist friends or secular schoolteachers, go straight to the clergy and voice your doubts to them. They will be able to redirect you onto the path of righteousness.
If an Atheist tries to brainwash you with his logic during a difficult period, feel free to just run away. For it is better to run away and be seen as a coward on earth than to have to endure the ungodly fires of hell for all of eternity.

Some of these are quite funny actually! 

Aaargh. You think you just post that without a warning? You just gave me a nosebleed.
If I wanted to point out where and why he's wrong, I'd need ten times as much space. That's because he's cut the arguments.

"Brainwashed by logic", should be a T-shirt. I'm gonna try googling it.





Back on track, though.
I don't have any statistics, but in general the easy networking functions much like a catalyst. Everything happens faster. You'll be way more likely to actually become vocal if you think somebody, somewhere is backing you up. Plus, you have somewhere to return to, even if it's just youtube videos or webcams or written posts. Just seeing that you're not alone (whether your atheist or a cross-dresser or whatever group) will reinforce your opinions.
Actually formulating and refining them in discussions will reinforce them further.

I think that fringe groups are affected the most by this because majorities don't need networking as much - they'll do it rl, just like they always did. The internet makes hiding your opinions from the majority very easy; at the same time, it makes revealing them to people you know exactly will be sympathetic to some degree as easy as the rl communal networks the majority groups have - a relatively new option.

We also shouldn't forget that in general, the western world has been becoming more relaxed on many matters over the course of centuries, and atheists (and other derided groups) are thus more visible. (I'd like to think that the education people receive (and can refine freely on the internet) makes it more likely people will have doubts about almost anything.)
What would've been the number of gays in the US in a 1900 poll, anyway? Would I have told my superior officer in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy that I'm not a believer?
And nowadays you'd get different numbers over the net just because net people are largely anonymous.

[Xero-Kill]

This made me search Anti Atheist on Google, here's one of the top results. It's written by a 56 year old man, who is completely ridiculous.

http://antiatheism.info/

Oh man... this is sad indeed.

From the above mentioned site:

I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of Atheists using God’s name in vain on many an occasion. This vile practice is even overlooked in the office where it’s essentially become a much-loved ritual.

Yet I find myself thinking, if Atheists really don’t believe Jesus Christ ever existed, then why do they use His and God’s name in vain so much? You’d think that they could use other words to express their disgust!

Why don’t they ever mock Buddha or Muhammed? Why does it ALWAYS have to be Jesus?

I’ll tell you why it’s this way – Satan is manipulating Atheists without their knowledge. He is using them to demean the Holy Name of Christ in the most vulgar of ways. Satan knows Jesus is God and this irritates him more than anything which is why he’ll try to tempt his children into sinning against Him more and more regularly.

So if you’re an Atheist and swear a lot, I challenge you to consider your motives next time you let a cuss word out. Think about the effect it is having on Jesus in Heaven right now. It’s the least you can do to try to save your soul..

Now I know that no one from that site would ever deign to grace us with a post, but none the less I fell compelled to comment.

The reason atheists use terms like "Jesus Christ" and "God-damnit" are because they are the curses our church going parents taught us over the years. It is for the exact same reason that Christians take Christs name in vain... because it is there, and that is what they were taught.

These sites really hit a nerve in me... more so because I know there are people just lapping it all up like a kitten with a fresh saucer of milk and a pat upon the head.

[Graybeard]

Note: After looking at the whole blog, I'm 95 percent sure it's satire.

Make that 100%