Why do you think atheists are abundant on the Internet?

[Nieroshai]

My theory: it's a learned behavior. Get laughed at and called an idiot enough, and you'll eventually stop showing your opinions to avoid that negative attention. Also, I really do laugh like a maniac when I read posts that say atheists are a minority. If they're a minority, they're the minority that has control over every TV and movie company and newspaper in the country then, because these media are overwhelmingly atheist and progressive and tell the "religious extremists", i.e. Sunday morning Baptists, how stupid and dangerous they are.

 

[SonicWaffle]

If they're a minority, they're the minority that has control over every TV and movie company and newspaper in the country then, because these media are overwhelmingly atheist and progressive and tell the "religious extremists", i.e. Sunday morning Baptists, how stupid and dangerous they are.

Funny, it used to be the Jews. Will there ever be a day when the currently selected "enemy" doesn't control the media?

 

[I Have No Idea]

99% of people are atheist therefore 99% of internet users are atheist. Its really not that surprising.

Actually that kind of is surprising, considering Encyclopedia Britannica did a study that showed 2.3% of the world population is atheist, while 11.9% was nonreligious (done in 2005). That's quite a staggering jump in the last 5 years.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

There's probably as many if not more religious people on the internet, they just aren't as obnoxious and loud.

(The obnoxious and loud religious people don't use the internet so much)

[sub]If I hit my computer screen one more time because of your avatar...[/sub]

And yeah, I agree with this. I think the kind of "louder" atheist sorta have much more of a stake on the internet. The "louder" religious people are kind of the ones who are out about on the street.

Don't much care for either.

 

[Hyper-space]

Because most people that have access to the internet do not have to rely on religion. They're not in prison, a third-world country or a fox-hole.

Also, its mostly young people that use forums and are active participants on the internet, and in all seriousness religion is dying out.

 

[Cowabungaa]

They just speak out more on the web, because that's basically the first social platform ever where they can speak out without being prosecuted, shunned or ridiculed in one way or another.

The prick-ish behavior of some is also explained by that prosecution complex, because in more than one society, that's exactly what happened to non-believers in the past.

 

[I Have No Idea]

I am sick of the hate I get for my faith, some of us because of this don't right out say we believe in God.

Like Sonic Waffle said, stand up for your faith. If you cower and stop mentioning it gives more incentive for them to keep persecuting you.

 

[Woodsey]

There's a relatively young demographic on this site, and ironically that seems to mean people are less likely to believe in a god.

Out of interest, why is that ironic?

It tends to be people on the younger side of the spectrum who believe in imaginary things. Imaginary friends, Santa, the Easter Bunny, Dane Cook not being shit, etc.

99% of people are atheist therefore 99% of internet users are atheist. Its really not that surprising.

Actually that kind of is surprising, considering Encyclopedia Britannica did a study that showed 2.3% of the world population is atheist, while 11.9% was nonreligious (done in 2005). That's quite a staggering jump in the last 5 years.

I think he was referring to one country - they're obviously a worldwide minority. Christianity and Islam alone cover half the world's population. Interestingly, I get the impression that in the UK and US (the US in particular, although obviously much less so in the Bible Belt), a lot of people respond to those things based on what they were brought up as, not what they actually are.

 

[Continuity]

99% of people are atheist therefore 99% of internet users are atheist. Its really not that surprising.

Interesting statistic, but I'd be interested in knowing what the basis for it is. I think a lot of people who identify with a religion are probably atheists who conform to a social group they were raised in rather than whole-heartedly believe the stories of their faith, but 99% seems like an extremely high number!

99% is a purely arbitrary figure intended to convey that genuine Christians are actually a quite small minority (in the UK at least). TBH in the UK the figure might actually be lower, however if you look at official statistics you will see a much higher figure but then the vast majority of the people who respond as Christian on surveys just identify with that cultural group rather than being actual "born again" church goers.

This is my personal experience anyway.

 

[conflictofinterests]

I think that the anonymity of the internet allows people to state their beliefs without being judged or vilified by their real life peers/family. Many a closet atheist is on the internet because their religious parents (for the sake of example) would not approve of their choice. That would explain why there are less open atheists on the net than IRL.

Exactly, and especially on secular sites, your scrutiny isn't going to cause any alarm or distress, it will simply be treated as scrutiny. The majority isn't going to tell you you're wrong, or that what you're asking is a sin. They'll try to answer you, or they'll say that they were thinking the same thing.

 

[Fluke]

It's really quite complex, involving the stigmata of being non-religious in an increasingly secular world

I'm guessing you meant "stigma" there - an atheist with stigmata might result in a convert

 

[BrotherRool]

99% of people are atheist therefore 99% of internet users are atheist. Its really not that surprising.

Also it depends where you look, Christians for example are more into prayer and bible study than computer games as a rule so you'd be better off looking on a Christian forum if you wanted to find Christians. Just a thought.

I've got to disagree with the numbers, although I can't find any numbers that aren't highly subjective.

At Uni, the Christian Union is 400ish + people, CathSoc is 100ish people and Rock Solid (Christians from Asia) must be about 100 ish too. And then we have Jainism, Islam, Buddhism etc... By comparison the Secular Society is tiny.

But those are terrible examples because christianity stresses a strong bond on community and togetherness whereas with atheists, it's just other cool like-minded people to hang out with.

Looking at my friend network is terrible too because I just randomly ended up being friends with a lot of christians and church life and not liking going out and getting smashed quite firmly pushed me into social networks full of christians.

However just from what I feel, most people are meet just don't care either way. They haven't really thought about it and when pushed they hazily say they're on one side without actually having much conviction. One friend says she's probably call herself christian, but she admits that's just because she associates that with being British, kinda and others say agnostic/atheist etc in the same way. My brother says he doesn't believe in God but he could imagine things happening to him in the army that would change that.

So I figure 99% of people aren't either .25% of people are 'militant' atheist as in involved with the atheist community, strong in their belief and the sort to share funny photos over the internet and .75% are religious.

(Silly numbers but I hope it conveys the idea)

 

[I Have No Idea]

The internet is chock full of stupidity hence atheists.

Oh come on now, don't be that guy who starts it all....

 

[Kuroneko97]

It's kind of hard to meet other Atheists in what I like to call the Outside. I only know one other Atheist in real life, which is a guy I sit next to in Biology.

Plus I currently live in the South, which is where religious people are not only more vocal but, from what I am led to believe, less tolerant of others that don't believe the same thing. Last time I disagreed with a Catholic, five more Catholics verbally ganged up on me.

On the internet, the most you'll get is the usual caps-lock cussing religious person that, if they really drive you to your last nerve, you can usually just block or ignore. I prefer blocking.

 

[Magicmad5511]

A combination of reasons. The best one I can think of is that those on the internet are more probably nerdier than those that don't go on. This then leans toward more scientific which means less religious.

If not that then maybe it's because religion has paradoxes and flaws all over the place an the internet points them out.

 

[Syzygy23]

Atheists? Not really.

Plain old idiots? Scores of them on both sides. Need I remind anyone about the one lady saying how earthquake and subsequent tsunami that wrecked Japan was "God purging the non-believers"?

Now here's a guy we could all have a beer with. Christians have to deal with our vocal minority which mainly constitutes insane/senile older people with extremely old world ultra-conservative views, the atheist/materialist crow has to deal with greasy self-righteous teenagers on an emotional hair trigger who like painting religious people with the same broad brush.

There's common ground between the two groups in that neither one of us want's the other to associate our chosen group based on our vocal minorities.

Because the internet is where religion goes to die. Atheists cannot be persecuted so religious zealots cannot stone them through the web and are forced to shut up while they are in what they perceive to be "heretical territory" and rightly so because once that's out the hounds of logic and reason tear their beliefs asunder. No quarter to religion is given on the internet. Straying where they are not wanted leads to logic and reason fucking their shit up big time so they tend to avoid atheist dominated sites. Course youtube is the only place you see the religion battle hotly raging to this day. Though i think they cooled greatly with most of hardline Christians routed in the face of the likes of TJ and Thudnerfoot.

Simply put; the internet is a place where heretics cannot be silenced and their words manage to get free without someone shouting "But you cant explain the tides" every 3 seconds. Thus atheism is more prominent as it can explain why religion sucks without being interrupted. Atheists get noticed here and not in real life because here they can speak out without interruption or fear.

Wow, didn't take long to prove my point! Don't worry Atheists, I won't hold this guy against you.

 

[GamerKT]

Excuse me, but atheism is not a religion.

 

[Continuity]

99% of people are atheist therefore 99% of internet users are atheist. Its really not that surprising.

Also it depends where you look, Christians for example are more into prayer and bible study than computer games as a rule so you'd be better off looking on a Christian forum if you wanted to find Christians. Just a thought.

I've got to disagree with the numbers, although I can't find any numbers that aren't highly subjective.

At Uni, the Christian Union is 400ish + people, CathSoc is 100ish people and Rock Solid (Christians from Asia) must be about 100 ish too. And then we have Jainism, Islam, Buddhism etc... By comparison the Secular Society is tiny.

But those are terrible examples because christianity stresses a strong bond on community and togetherness whereas with atheists, it's just other cool like-minded people to hang out with.

Looking at my friend network is terrible too because I just randomly ended up being friends with a lot of christians and church life and not liking going out and getting smashed quite firmly pushed me into social networks full of christians.

However just from what I feel, most people are meet just don't care either way. They haven't really thought about it and when pushed they hazily say they're on one side without actually having much conviction. One friend says she's probably call herself christian, but she admits that's just because she associates that with being British, kinda and others say agnostic/atheist etc in the same way. My brother says he doesn't believe in God but he could imagine things happening to him in the army that would change that.

So I figure 99% of people aren't either .25% of people are 'militant' atheist as in involved with the atheist community, strong in their belief and the sort to share funny photos over the internet and .75% are religious.

(Silly numbers but I hope it conveys the idea)

Ah well when I say atheist I basically mean not Christian (other other minority faith). A secular person who hasn't really thought about it one way or the other I would classify as atheist. You dont have to do anything or believe anything to be an atheist, you just have to refrain from actively believing in God.
As for "militant atheists", well these people form a subset of convicted and vocal atheists, however I don't think you need to be in anyway convicted or vocal to be atheist.

 

[zelda2fanboy]

I think internet users for the most part are answer people. They like answers to things, so they check the internet to get their answers. How do I get past this part in Zelda? Where is the mages guild in Skyrim? Am I pregnant? Am I sick? Where can I find a job? The thing is religious-based questions in general have no real definitive answer. If you look into it long enough and critically enough, you'll probably come to the conclusion that there is no God and most belief systems are based on really shaky and unsubstantiated evidence. Not to say they're "wrong" per se, but if you go to any religion looking for objective facts, you'll come back empty handed.