Front Page News Bitches!

[aitm]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/05/12/christians-drop-nones-soar-in-new-religion-portrait/27159533/

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/study-americans-becoming-less-christian-more-secular/ar-BBjDYrK

we're winning..slowly but gathering steam!

[drunkenshoe]

Cool. 

[SGOS]

Back in the 60s and 70s when I was going to college and associating with a broader cross section of society, while at the same time learning to question more, it seemed to me that others were doing the same.  The existence of God was a fair debate, not something to fear.  This fits the description of today's demographic change:  The young are more inclined to leave religion behind.  To my perspective, it seemed like the young were thinking more.  Maybe they still are.  It seemed like the older generations were more entrenched and thinking less.  Maybe that's still true.

But then in the 80s and 90s came this huge resurgence of religious belief, along with a riot of wacky fundamentalist sects determined to add creationism to the school curriculum and threatening to wipe away separation of church and state from government.  This demographic was composed of people my own age, now in mid life, and it dashed my hopes of my generation being on the cutting edge of free thought and rationalism.  The heady ideals of world peace, social justice and civil rights seemed to fade and be replaced by "I want mine, and fuck you too".  Religion was back, stronger than ever.

Now we hear it's the younger generation who is becoming more secular and exercising their brain power.  Is this a replay of what I've seen during my lifetime, or will these changes in values stick this time around?  Were my perceptions of what was going on even accurate?  I do remember a percentage of "hippies" gravitating towards religious cult bullshit, and creating their own little sects.  We used to call them the Jesus Freaks.  Was that a movement that defined the surge in later fundamentalism?

[Mike Cl]

This is indeed, great news!

[aitm]

Was that a movement that defined the surge in later fundamentalism?

Like most things, I think it is a combination of many, a "perfect storm" if you will. One of the drawbacks, religiosity wise, to cultural diversity, is that along with food and traditions, peoples religions are examined and once someone questions them only to find that that person finds the first persons religion equally ridiculous, it opens wide, the concept that, "hey, I can question religion", even my own.

Unlike, reading text books that talks about people "over there" who we have never met or seen, having these whacky religion ideas, we can now walk across the street to see them in action. This shows us that "other" religions truly exist with the same amount of reverence, how can that be? Don't they know "their" god is made-up?

We have a much higher ratio of non-religious teachers and professors today than yesterday, we have a tremendous amount of scientista who actively "dis-associate" with religion. And we have a tremendous amount of information available now. And lastly, a growing thunder of a voice that openly challenges the whole concept of religions, we are minority, we are the underdogs, we are the outcasts. The outcasts....be part of the cool gang, and in the process, learn why religion is bull-shit.

[stromboli]

We have a much higher ratio of non-religious teachers and professors today than yesterday, we have a tremendous amount of scientista who actively "dis-associate" with religion. And we have a tremendous amount of information available now. And lastly, a growing thunder of a voice that openly challenges the whole concept of religions, we are minority, we are the underdogs, we are the outcasts. The outcasts....be part of the cool gang, and in the process, learn why religion is bull-shit.

Exactly right. We now have what we didn't have 15-20 years ago, atheist spokespeople that are mainstream. People like George Carlin and Christopher Hitchens had the guts to confront religion for its hypocrisy. Before that, Bertrand Russell and even Frank Sinatra. Now that there is a list of notables (quotable notables?) who are actively speaking out and the number grows daily.

Humans are to a great extent herd animals, but when enough are emboldened to look critically at and confront issues that were considered sacred and untouchable in the past, then change occurs. And we have the internet and access to information never available before. Perfect storm indeed.

[Mike Cl]

Am I the only one who remembers Madalyn Murray O'Hair?  She came to my attention as the countries 'most hated woman'.  She sponsored the suit that the Supreme Court ruled that bible lessons could not be taught in public schools.  And she started the American Atheist organization.  She was really swimming upriver in the '60's, and largely by herself. 

[aitm]

Oh no my good man. I was only 7 in 63 but it came through the news like a bull-horn and my parents never said a bad word about it. Dad was the president of the school board and the president of the intermediate school district, and he never said a word about it. I do remember that we didn't say "under god" in the pledge anymore. Maybe ole pop issued an edict as a preventative measure and I never knew about it...damn that would be a shame not to know if your dad helped shape the atheist movement.

[Hydra009]

Now we hear it's the younger generation who is becoming more secular and exercising their brain power.  Is this a replay of what I've seen during my lifetime, or will these changes in values stick this time around?  Were my perceptions of what was going on even accurate?  I do remember a percentage of "hippies" gravitating towards religious cult bullshit, and creating their own little sects.  We used to call them the Jesus Freaks.  Was that a movement that defined the surge in later fundamentalism?

We have our...issues, but yes.  Definitely more secular.  There could be a resurgence of religion on the horizon, but it's hard to imagine that the Religious Right is going to make a comeback anytime soon.  They've been shooting themselves in the feet by relentlessly pushing "social issues" like gays and creationism that they ultimately have no hope of winning.  Although the fundies may be down and out, their mentality is still very much alive and another movement could easily come in their stead.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

The great Satan has a firm grip on the youth of America and before you know cities will get hit with waves of crime and tornadoes and all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly stuff.. Oh wait..it's teh gays doing it.. Carry on.   

[Mike Cl]

Oh no my good man. I was only 7 in 63 but it came through the news like a bull-horn and my parents never said a bad word about it. Dad was the president of the school board and the president of the intermediate school district, and he never said a word about it. I do remember that we didn't say "under god" in the pledge anymore. Maybe ole pop issued an edict as a preventative measure and I never knew about it...damn that would be a shame not to know if your dad helped shape the atheist movement.

At least somebody remembers.  Hearing about her was my introduction to the word 'atheist'.  Those around me that were aware of her hated her.  I guess that is why I grew to like her.  Sounds like your dad was an unsung hero of the atheists of his era. 

[stromboli]

I remember, but I was a Mormon and she was the epitome of evil. It wasn't until not too many years ago I actually looked at what she accomplished. Quite a lady, sadly in retrospect.

[Desdinova]

This is indeed, great news!

Praise the Lor.....

Oh, wait.  What am I saying?

[Solitary]

As a teen ager I remember very pleasant Christians, and very hateful priests that weren't, however, I also remember many Christians that were very hateful and bigoted in the South that were extremely dangerous. My best friend then and now is a Christian, and will listen to me, but still can't quit believing because it gives him hope to see his dead wife again some day. I told him have an affair and he could live again being a born again Christian. He didn't think it was funny, but thought about it. Religion gives some people hope, and I can't really criticize them for that. Solitary

[kilodelta]