Several questions for Atheists.

Atheists tend to argue are follows:

<<The world is evolving toward an atheistic future. Religions are dying out.

Religions are "superstition nonesense" and as we learn more about the universe from science the less we need of religion to "explain" the world. Therefore, atheism is the future and people will gradually become less and less religious, except of course those in need of a crutch or "feel-good" experience.

The spread of atheism will be for the better. There will be less wars and greater socio-economic development than would otherwise be possible. Survival of the fitest seems to dictate that atheism is the future.>>

This appears to capture some of the main argument of atheists. I have two questions:

As an atheist, how do you support these views?

What are the implications of the spread of atheism for social and economic development?

P.S.
Scholarly references would be greatly appreciated.

Human beings of all persuasions make decisions on social and economic development. Atheism is not a religion and religion (other than tax advantages) has not influenced economic policy for a long time under a secular government. And we are doing better for it with a more reduced class system and a universal social welfare network.

Why do people ask these questions of atheists. Atheists don't accept an unproven belief in the supernatural. End of story.

The plethora of different religions and sects within, suggest that people are not all the same.

Asking only atheists about social and economic development is a pointless exercise and I feel an agenda coming on.

If you are religious you are not a realist. If we were all realists there would not be any wars. The biggest argument would be ,who is going to win the final of footy. Religion has structured the world, and is something that has got to come down. World peace will never exist while there is people who believe in imaterial beings, who have power over them. To openly say you do not believe in who ever it is that your church says is the almighty, is to be a realist. It is about time religious folowers faced the facts of life, when you die you became compost and fertilizer, there is no heaven or hell.

I'm sure that you have some answers that you prepared earlier, grateful.

But in the spirit of cooperation with those of a religious persuasion, here goes.

>>As an atheist, how do you support these views?<<

As an atheist I do not believe that there is a divine being interacting with our lives, nor one that is responsible for the creation of our universe.

As such, I can "share" some of the views you have set out, but have absolutely no interest in setting them up as some form of goal, objective or outcome. While people have free will, they will either choose or reject religion.

I'm all for that.

I don't necessarily believe that religion will "die out". The very arguments you put forward - "as we learn more about the universe from science" could be exactly the reason that someone turns to religion. It is not necessarily comforting, to some people, to know that you are an unbelievably tiny speck in the corner of an enormously large, and complex, universe.

My sole objection is when religious people use their beliefs as a weapon against people who do not share them. Strangely, most religions actually instruct their adherents against this. But that's just a problem with being human, I guess.

"What are the implications of the spread of atheism for social and economic development?"

Absolutely none.

However, the spread of religion could, if taken too far, have profound effects on social and economic development. You only have to look at the extremists, in any religion, to see what might be the result of rampant religious supremacy.

Fortunately, I think this is as unlikely as the world turning completely atheist. There will always be individuals, with their individual needs, and they will either need the solace of an imaginary deity, or they will not.

579,

First, let me say, I am not religious. However, I don't believe that the absence of religion will stop mankind fighting. Wars are fought primarily for territory and economic gain. Religion is merely an ideological tool in the service of such undertakings - an extra psychological spur to help the population along the road to doing the bidding of those in power.

All of the social benifits in any society have arisen from religious convictions, based in the welfare of others. This record has thousands of years of history. Atheism is not the lack of a view of the World, just a lack that there is any mind higher than the human that has designed or formed the universe.

Current Western atheists have adopted much of the social programes introduced by people of belief in a higher power than man; to whom we are accountable. Unless one's primary motive is love for the ideal moral standards that are god like and for the welfare of our fellow man, society is then based in individual selfishness and the rising to the top by social controllers. Recent examples are North Korea, the old USSR, China; all of whose attempt to operate outside of recognising God led them to persecute people of faith of all religion, and the adoption of inhumane practises upon these people in an attempt to eradicate religion. These examples of atheistic States demonstrate their economic decline.

Compare the economic growth of South Korea whose population is now currently 30+% Christian by confession compared to their Northern relatives. I have friends visiting North Korean orphanages; in three orphanages of 1,500 children they sleep on brick floors and are fed a broth of whole corn for every meal. My Christian friends are endeavouring to bring about change to this situation at the risk of their own lives being terminated. Why? Because they believe the message of Christ,"He who cares for the least of these little ones does it as care of me". "He who gives away his life for my sake will find life."