Is Atheism Irrelavent?

[Mazulu]

According to the CIA fact book, atheism doesn't even get it's category. To bolster its numbers, atheism has to be lumped in with agnostics, non-religious and secular just to reach 1.1billion. Even then there are twice as many Christians and 1.5 times as many Muslims. I was talking to a friend of mine at work who was asking me why I was arguing with atheists when they are such an insignificant minority?

Religion Adherents
Christianity 2.1 billion
Islam 1.5 billion
Secular*/Nonreligious*/Agnostic/Atheist ≤ 1.1 billion
Hinduism 1 billion
Chinese traditional religion* 394 million
Buddhism* 376 million - 1.2 billion
Primal-Indigenous religions 300 million
African Traditional & Diasporic religions 100 million
Sikhism 28 million
Shinto 27-65 million
Juche* 19 million
Spiritism 15 million
Judaism 15 million
Baha'i 7 million
Jainism 5 million
Cao Dai 4 million
Zoroastrianism 2.6 million
Tenrikyo 2 million
Neo-Paganism 1 million
Unitarian Universalism 800,000
Rastafarianism 600,000

 

[(Q)]

According to the CIA fact book, atheism doesn't even get it's category. To bolster its numbers, atheism has to be lumped in with agnostics, non-religious and secular just to reach 1.1billion. Even then there are twice as many Christians and 1.5 times as many Muslims. I was talking to a friend of mine at work who was asking me why I was arguing with atheists when they are such an insignificant minority?

Really? Insignificant minority? 1.1 Billion people?

Dude, what you don't seem to get is that Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist is increasing dramatically, leaps and bounds over Christianity and Islam and will soon be the dominant majority. Eating crow will be something you'll need to savor.

 

[Mazulu]

Really? Insignificant minority? 1.1 Billion people?

Dude, what you don't seem to get is that Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist is increasing dramatically, leaps and bounds over Christianity and Islam and will soon be the dominant majority. Eating crow will be something you'll need to savor.

You forget that physics has reached a dead end. In 50 years when science has played all it's tricks, technology will failure to fill the emptiness, and people will still turn to God. Atheism will always be a weird cult of extreme non believers.

 

[Sarkus]

According to the CIA fact book, atheism doesn't even get it's category. To bolster its numbers, atheism has to be lumped in with agnostics, non-religious and secular just to reach 1.1billion. Even then there are twice as many Christians and 1.5 times as many Muslims. I was talking to a friend of mine at work who was asking me why I was arguing with atheists when they are such an insignificant minority?

It depends on how they define "atheism" as to how significant one wants to consider it.
I'm presuming they define it as the positive belief that God does not exist, rather than the more general "not having the positive belief that god exists".

As to not arguing with someone due to them being from a minority, this is just a classic case of appeal to popularity.
That person, I would suggest, is merely wanting to avoid argument altogether rather than actually address any of the arguments put forth.

And on what basis do you consider physics to have reached a dead-end?
And on what basis do you consider "filling the emptiness" to be in any way proof or argument toward the tenet of religious belief in God's existence?
I.e. Is your argument not merely for a "God of the gaps"?

 

[wegs]

This site needs a popcorn eating emoticon. I think I'll sit this one out and just...observe.

 

[(Q)]

You forget that physics has reached a dead end.

LOL. As if anyone here is going to give you any credibility for anything you say regarding science. Dead end, indeed. And, what does that have to do with anything? I mean, talk about grasping at thin air. Hilarious.

In 50 years when science has played all it's tricks, technology will failure to fill the emptiness, and people will still turn to God.

Only those who remain completely ignorant of the world around them would continue to embrace Bronze Age myths and superstitions.

Atheism will always be a weird cult of extreme non believers.

:roflmao:

 

[Mazulu]

And on what basis do you consider physics to have reached a dead-end?

That is an interesting question. Physicists have figured out a bunch of relationships and physics constants, but we can't really do anything. Sure we can make science fiction movies with computer graphics of traveling faster than the speed of light, but we can't really do it; and if we can't travel faster than the speed of light, then the aliens can't either. I'm sure you'll all just get mad at me for saying this, but science just doesn't capture my imagination.

I guess that's the real argument. Atheism fails to capture the imagination; that's why it's irrelevant.

 

[Mazulu]

This site needs a popcorn eating emoticon. I think I'll sit this one out and just...observe.

There ya go,

 

[(Q)]

...science just doesn't capture my imagination.

I guess that's the real argument. Atheism fails to capture the imagination; that's why it's irrelevant.

And there you have it, the motive behind your nonsense. Your imagination isn't satisfied so you are compelled to turn to the most ridiculous fantasies you can find in order to appease your imagination. To hell with reality.

 

[Mazulu]

LOL. As if anyone here is going to give you any credibility for anything you say regarding science. Dead end, indeed. And, what does that have to do with anything? I mean, talk about grasping at thin air. Hilarious.
Only those who remain completely ignorant of the world around them would continue to embrace Bronze Age myths and superstitions.
:roflmao:

Yes Q, you got me. You get the last laugh.

 

[paddoboy]

You forget that physics has reached a dead end. .


Sure we can make science fiction movies with computer graphics of traveling faster than the speed of light, but we can't really do it; and if we can't travel faster than the speed of light, then the aliens can't either

You're in good company thinking that anyway....
One of the greatest scientist of his time did agree with you.....
Some of his quotes are as follows.......

There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now, All that remains is more and more precise measurement."

"X-rays will prove to be a hoax."


"Radio has no future."

"Wireless [telegraphy] is all very well but I'd rather send a message by a boy on a pony!

"I can state flatly that heavier than air flying machines are impossible."


"I have not the smallest molecule of faith in aerial navigation other than ballooning or of the expectation of good results from any of the trials we hear of ... I would not care to be a member of the Aeronautical Society.

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, PRSE, (26 June 1824 – 17 December 1907)

 

[Mazulu]

You're in good company thinking that anyway....
One of the greatest scientist of his time did agree with you.....
Some of his quotes are as follows.......

There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now, All that remains is more and more precise measurement."

"X-rays will prove to be a hoax."


"Radio has no future."

"Wireless [telegraphy] is all very well but I'd rather send a message by a boy on a pony!

"I can state flatly that heavier than air flying machines are impossible."


"I have not the smallest molecule of faith in aerial navigation other than ballooning or of the expectation of good results from any of the trials we hear of ... I would not care to be a member of the Aeronautical Society.

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, PRSE, (26 June 1824 – 17 December 1907)

I honestly hope to wrong about science. But where will science go from where we are right now? What is there that captures the imagination now?

 

[paddoboy]

So Mazula, in your continued efforts to convert the forum and all on it to your way of thinking, please, let's not hear anymore outragious unsupported crap about science being at an end.
In light of the lessons that history has taught us, and logic and common sense, to believe that is just plain old stupidity of the highest order. [with apologies to the otherwise great Lord Kelvin]

 

[(Q)]

I honestly hope to wrong about science. But where will science go from where we are right now? What is there that captures the imagination now?

Sorry, but science does not work that way, it is not here to capture your personal imagination and satisfy your ridiculous fantasies. It deals with reality, which is something obviously foreign to you.

 

[Mazulu]

So Mazula, in your continued efforts to convert the forum and all on it to your way of thinking, please, let's not hear anymore outragious unsupported crap about science being at an end.
In light of the lessons that history has taught us, and logic and common sense, to believe that is just plain old stupidity of the highest order. [with apologies to the otherwise great Lord Kelvin]

But that doesn't answer my question. I was asking very sincerely. What do we have to look forward to now?

 

[paddoboy]

I honestly hope to wrong about science. But where will science go from where we are right now? What is there that captures the imagination now?

Let me count the ways!
Controlled/productive Nuclear fusion reactors........
A myriad of stuff with regards to medicine.....
Completely automated cars and roads.....
Complete automated human like robots....
Wormholes......
Permanent bases on the Moon, Mars and maybe an Asteroid or two.....
Manipulating the Higgs particle to give a perception of no mass, and consequently FTL travel.....
Manually warping/curving space/time to give the same effect....
Inter-stellar travel....
Inter-Galactic travel....
many more things that as yet I am unable to Imagine.....

 

[(Q)]

What do we have to look forward to now?

For someone completely ignorant of science, you have nothing to look forward to now, never did, but for the rest of us, it is an entirely different story.

 

[Mazulu]

Let me count the ways!
Controlled/productive Nuclear fusion reactors........
A myriad of stuff with regards to medicine.....
Completely automated cars and roads.....
Complete automated human like robots....
Wormholes......
Permanent bases on the Moon, Mars and maybe an Asteroid or two.....
Manipulating the Higgs particle to give a perception of no mass, and consequently FTL travel.....
Manually warping/curving space/time to give the same effect....
Inter-stellar travel....
Inter-Galactic travel....
many more things that as yet I am unable to Imagine.....

I love your imagination. I hope you are right. As to warp travel and worm holes, I still maintain that we're going to have to figure out how to change the physics constants. I am very certain that physicists are doing the best they can; I don't fault them one bit. But I do think that atheism is misguided and it stifles the imagination. Imagination is a wonderful thing. I hope the future looks like what you imagine it to be.

 

[paddoboy]

And of course, that which will surely be the most momentous time in human history, 100% positive proof and/or contact with ETL......

 

[paddoboy]

I love your imagination. I hope you are right. As to warp travel and worm holes, I still maintain that we're going to have to figure out how to change the physics constants. I am very certain that physicists are doing the best they can; I don't fault them one bit. But I do think that atheism is misguided and it stifles the imagination. Imagination is a wonderful thing. I hope the future looks like what you imagine it to be.

When we speak of warp travel and worm holes, and manipulating space/time, it has nothing to do with any of the physical constants. The main proponent to achieve any of these things, is the prodigious amounts of energy we would need....
All I have listed are bound by the laws of physics and GR.....They will be difficult to obtain/discover/invent, but are within the realms of possibility.......