Why do you think atheists are abundant on the Internet?

[n00beffect]

Well, for one thing, its because the itnernet is one of the few safe places atheist can actually voice their opinion, without being ridiculed, or, indeed, seriously hurt. Especially in countries where religion is dominant, such as the U.S., Spain, Itally, etc. So, it's no surprise, really. And there's the fact that, it's not so much the Internet being populated by atheists, rather tnan atheists being the ones who grew-up with it, and therefore feel more at home. I dunno, just my thoughts.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

I'd guess at a couple of reasons.
2) If you're American, the number of foreign people you're talking to massively dilutes the number of religious people. Very few countries in Western Europe (where most of your internet foreigners come from) have much of a religious tradition, particularly amongst the young. When you're communicating with these people you'll notice a massive preponderance of both Atheism and liberalism compared to real life. That's the effect of looking out from inside one of the most religious and conservative countries in the Western world.

I wish to say that you're mostly right, however, Spain is massively Christian, so far as I know from personal experience and statistics. Seems to me the two things they care about is football - I mean "soccer" (no offense to you) and christianity.

 

[Delock]

Post modernistic worldview popular among the younger generation that emphasizes a distrust of authority and a questioning of reality, as well as critique of "indoctrinating" forces that bred problems in the past, as well as a move away from religion being the core part of one's life or identity (making agnosticism less favorable to the less commitment requiring atheism). Plus, the more conservative view that is often seen as the voice of religion refuses to allow for "corruption," which makes the views, practices, and teachings of a religion established thousands of years ago become stagnant and by extension archaic in a world where our understanding of how things work is constantly changing.

Honestly, I'm one of those people who believes in a God, but doesn't subscribe to the (literal) ones defined by mainstream religions, and I'm actually more surprised that there aren't more misotheists rather than just atheists (though it's hard to tell the boundary between the two when someone they doubt God because they believe he did something that made them hate him).

 

[Smeggs]

Ever 'come out' to your family or friends about your atheistic views?
...Yeah...

Most of my friends were pretty chill about it - I tend to hang with socially liberal people.
But my family wouldn't talk to me for nearly a year - and even now they bring it up in on so subtle ways to try and piss me off.
.
Never-mind when a nurse was asking for my religion I said 'none' and she gave me such hell afterwords, as did most of the staff.
Before I answered said question I was treated rather well.
.
.
That's just the start...and I'm lucky I don't have a kid or serve in the military or...you get the point.
.
.
The 'oppressed' Christians/Jews/ect like nothing more than condemning you to hell and threatening you.
Which is okay, cause, you know, their god loves THEM so much that they can hate you through him.

This reminds me of when I told my friends. One of them got all defensive about it and began trying to argue with me how evidence pointed to God's existence. I told him that I refused to argue with him on religion. That and political arguements I've found are two of the easiest ways to alienate yourself from people you used to get along with.

I still haven't told my family, actually. My grandmother is one of those people who were raised going to church every sunday, praying before bed etc. I love my family, and I won't say a word on the subject until it is unavoidably pushed. There's no point in pretending, but that doesn't mean I need to go and tell them. I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. Also, my father is a total douche, no reason I need to give him more shit to be a douche to me about when I'm so close to moving out.

-snip-

There we go. Well said, Chickenfeed.

 

[sharks9]

The internet brings logic, and with logic comes reasoning. Religion is incompatible with these two attributes.

I'm hoping you're trolling but I don't think you are.

 

[Wintermoot]

there ARE religious nuts on the net for example:
Shock Of God (I,m pretty sure even the most religious people are going to call him a shit head)
the WBC
and a few more nuts here and there.
the reason you haven,t noticed them is that you never ran into them.

 

[Nieroshai]

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?

And thus Godwin's Law was invoked!

No, I mean to say that I seriously doubt liberals are an oppressed minority when television, film, and print always bash republicans and conservatives, and a Democrat has to do something absolutely horrendous to get a single day on the front page. Seriously, give me a major news company other than Fox or the business-centric Wall Street Journal that supports Republicans, or at the very least doesn't treat them like idiots. I dare you.

 

[SonicWaffle]

And thus Godwin's Law was invoked!

Doesn't Godwins law relate to Hitler comparisons? I'm just pointing out that, before it was "the eeeeevil liberal media", it was the "eeeeevil Jewish media". It's pretty much just a way to say that everyone else's perceptions are skewed because the media is controlled by one group or another, and they feed the populace false information. Makes it easy to explain how people have the audacity to disagree with what it clearly the right way of thinking, i.e. whichever one the complainer subscribes to.

No, I mean to say that I seriously doubt liberals are an oppressed minority when television, film, and print always bash republicans and conservatives, and a Democrat has to do something absolutely horrendous to get a single day on the front page. Seriously, give me a major news company other than Fox or the business-centric Wall Street Journal that supports Republicans, or at the very least doesn't treat them like idiots. I dare you.

Well, I like in the UK - which, as the right-wing American sites I frequent courtesy of FSTDT never tire of point out, is uber uber leftie and socialist - and our biggest selling papers are right wing. Not just a bit right wing either; hilariously so. In fact, the only paper I buy is a right wing tabloid (The Sun), and I do so for the chuckles and unintentional irony. It's what most would call far right, but from what I've read, in the USA it would be called socialist.

 

[Aidinthel]

Maybe it's not that the internet is inherently atheist but that the sites you visit are aimed more at a young, international audience which would have a comparatively greater population of atheists than mainstream U.S. culture.

 

[GoddyofAus]

The internet brings logic, and with logic comes reasoning. Religion is incompatible with these two attributes.

I'm hoping you're trolling but I don't think you are.

No, I'm not, and an explanation as to why you think I'm wrong would be a good read.

 

[sharks9]

No, I'm not, and an explanation as to why you think I'm wrong would be a good read.

Because you think reason and logic are incompatible with religion.

 

[GoddyofAus]

No, I'm not, and an explanation as to why you think I'm wrong would be a good read.

Because you think reason and logic are incompatible with religion.

....Because they are.

Logic and reasoning can easily refute what Religions believe. Science does it all the time, and they deny it anyway.

Hence, it is incompatible.

 

[Corporal Yakob]

Because when religious people want to convert the others they go out in the streets!

 

[SillyBear]

Maybe it's not that the internet is inherently atheist but that the sites you visit are aimed more at a young, international audience which would have a comparatively greater population of atheists than mainstream U.S. culture.

Ding ding ding ding.

This.

It's got to do with the mainstream culture that is beamed out of the US - which is quite religious in a way. Then these places we go on are filled with young people, who have a high rate of outcasts and intellectuals. Who are more likely to be atheists.

 

[Booze Zombie]

I'm not sure, to be honest. I never really thought about my lack of a religion and I don't mention it very much... yet people just seem to have the most interesting, death-threat inducing RAGE arguements over religion or the lack of.

 

[Jmurray21]

because aithiests can have Internet connections too, Also there are many Christians only they sadly have been giving a reputation for arseholness by bigoted, selfish christians.
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.

*was that offensive? I hope not*

I too, share your problem. I don't like joining conversations about God on here because I feel like I'm going to get flamed.

I love you guys and this forum is great but can't we of the Escapists all get along.

 

[El Poncho]

A lot of young people use the internet, only 3 people out of 30 in my RMPS class believe in God and even then you could see their faith not to be strong. (This is the UK)

 

[Seneschal]

For me the its the opposite. I personally do not know anyone that is religious and we have a very low religious population (Most of them are older people)

So for me the internet has a higher amount of religious people then irl (again for me)

Heh, I said, "This guy must be Czech," then I checked your profile and went, "Dammit!"