Just to refresh your memory, the topic is "Making religious comments without thinking."
But don't worry, I'm not like that nasty person on the other thread who reports everything she thinks is a bit off topic.

Only Marxist governments have ever sought to promote atheism.

State atheism includes active opposition to religion, and persecution of religious institutions, leaders and believers.

The Soviet Union attempted to suppress religion over wide areas of its influence, including central Asia.The Socialist People's Republic of Albania under Enver Hoxha went so far as to officially ban the practice of every religion.

By 1970 all 22 nations of central and eastern Europe which were behind the Iron Curtain were Atheistic, promoting it, ideologically linked to it and opposed on principal to all religion.

The People's Republic of China was established in 1949 and since then the government has been officially atheist.

The Communist Party has said that religious belief and membership are incompatible. Party membership is a necessity for many high level careers and posts.

The majority of Chinese have lost faith in Communism because the Marxist philosophy is chained to “the iron ball of state atheism, [which] has left it in a moral wasteland”.

Anonymous wrote:Less than 1% of Congress identifies as atheist, and 88% of Congress identifies as Christian.

The most authoritarian countries, that severely limit freedom on every level, are countries with state mandated atheism.


“Before the end of the Cold War, many Communist States did not shy away from being openly hostile to religion. In most instances, communist ideology translated unperturbedly into state atheism, which, in turn, triggered measures aimed at the eradication of religion. As much was acknowledged by some Communist Constitutions. The 1976 Constitution of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, for instance, was firmly based on a Marxist dismissal of religion as the opiate of the masses. It provided: "The state recognizes no religion of any kind and supports and develops the atheist view so as to ingrain in to the people the scientific and materialistic world-view."

https://books.google.com/books?id=Khag6tbsIn4C&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q&f=false

This is secularism; not state mandated atheism.

Anonymous wrote:Less than 1% of Congress identifies as atheist, and 88% of Congress identifies as Christian.

The most authoritarian countries, that severely limit freedom on every level, are countries with state mandated atheism.


“Before the end of the Cold War, many Communist States did not shy away from being openly hostile to religion. In most instances, communist ideology translated unperturbedly into state atheism, which, in turn, triggered measures aimed at the eradication of religion. As much was acknowledged by some Communist Constitutions. The 1976 Constitution of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, for instance, was firmly based on a Marxist dismissal of religion as the opiate of the masses. It provided: "The state recognizes no religion of any kind and supports and develops the atheist view so as to ingrain in to the people the scientific and materialistic world-view."

https://books.google.com/books?id=Khag6tbsIn4C&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q&f=false

I see. And this has exactly what to do with the topic at hand?

Less than 1% of Congress identifies as atheist, and 88% of Congress identifies as Christian.

The most authoritarian countries, that severely limit freedom on every level, are countries with state mandated atheism.


“Before the end of the Cold War, many Communist States did not shy away from being openly hostile to religion. In most instances, communist ideology translated unperturbedly into state atheism, which, in turn, triggered measures aimed at the eradication of religion. As much was acknowledged by some Communist Constitutions. The 1976 Constitution of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, for instance, was firmly based on a Marxist dismissal of religion as the opiate of the masses. It provided: "The state recognizes no religion of any kind and supports and develops the atheist view so as to ingrain in to the people the scientific and materialistic world-view."

https://books.google.com/books?id=Khag6tbsIn4C&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q&f=false

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Anonymous wrote:Are all atheists insufferable or does DCUM attract an especially awful set?

You think this kind of comment makes you look like the good guy?

Just an observation.

Trying showing tolerance and acceptance to those who openly practice their religions.

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Anonymous wrote:The absence of an established state religion does not mean that a country is secular.

It does mean the country is secular. Maybe you're thinking of the people living in the country.

NP. The original poster said "secular nation," which can definitely mean "the people" not merely the state. PP also followed that up with:

"The majority of those who live in this country are, and have always been, religious.

Many Americans practice Christianity, their individual beliefs have influenced society"

The meaning was very clear that most Americans are Christians and thus Christian belief underlies a lot of Americans culture.

I don't believe this is true anymore -- maybe not since the 70s. American culture is driven by more by our belief in the "American way" and by consumerism. Christianity is way down the list, and with the younger people it's falling farther behind all the time.

The Christian Right has gained more influence since the 70's, but I hope you're correct about Christianity falling behind among young people. I think that goes for religion overall, in part because more kids these days are being raised without religion.

On a completely different note, I’m fascinated by the atheist who jumps on every single thread to inform us that Christianity is dying. Even Pew doesn’t say it’s away by 2070.

Wishful thinking? It does seem like some sorry of pathetic wishful thinking, as if repeating it on every single thread might make it zero out, which it won’t. Or maybe it’s unattractive gloating?

Lol. Yeah those pesky facts and that inconvenient data... truly baffling how people could find that germane to discussions here.

And you are right, that data has been posted in every single thread here in the religion forum! If, by "every single thread" you mean exactly one of the ones currently on the first page.

How can you be so dishonest?

No, “the decline and fall of Christianity” has been posted on lots of threads, including “I feel cut off from God” for sure and others I don’t have time to ferret out.

Who’s dishonest?

I don’t care, really. Just expressing astonishment that some atheist feels a need to keep posting it, or thinks it does any good.

They ignore the data that shows Christianity is growing worldwide. They ignore the data that says atheism is projected to decrease worldwide, as well.

Christianity is exploding in Africa and Asia.

Atheists are white males who don’t like kids, so of course it’s not a segment of society that will ever have a robust population.

Also- atheists get light headed and upset when they sneeze and someone politely says “bless you.” Not the most hardy people, it’s no surprise they are not growing and thriving in the world.

Oh... really? I better explain that to my First Nations, mom of 2 sister in law who is an atheist.

DP. Pp is talking averages not anecdotes

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Anonymous wrote:The absence of an established state religion does not mean that a country is secular.

It does mean the country is secular. Maybe you're thinking of the people living in the country.

NP. The original poster said "secular nation," which can definitely mean "the people" not merely the state. PP also followed that up with:

"The majority of those who live in this country are, and have always been, religious.

Many Americans practice Christianity, their individual beliefs have influenced society"

The meaning was very clear that most Americans are Christians and thus Christian belief underlies a lot of Americans culture.

I don't believe this is true anymore -- maybe not since the 70s. American culture is driven by more by our belief in the "American way" and by consumerism. Christianity is way down the list, and with the younger people it's falling farther behind all the time.

The Christian Right has gained more influence since the 70's, but I hope you're correct about Christianity falling behind among young people. I think that goes for religion overall, in part because more kids these days are being raised without religion.

On a completely different note, I’m fascinated by the atheist who jumps on every single thread to inform us that Christianity is dying. Even Pew doesn’t say it’s away by 2070.

Wishful thinking? It does seem like some sorry of pathetic wishful thinking, as if repeating it on every single thread might make it zero out, which it won’t. Or maybe it’s unattractive gloating?

Lol. Yeah those pesky facts and that inconvenient data... truly baffling how people could find that germane to discussions here.

And you are right, that data has been posted in every single thread here in the religion forum! If, by "every single thread" you mean exactly one of the ones currently on the first page.

How can you be so dishonest?

No, “the decline and fall of Christianity” has been posted on lots of threads, including “I feel cut off from God” for sure and others I don’t have time to ferret out.

Who’s dishonest?

I don’t care, really. Just expressing astonishment that some atheist feels a need to keep posting it, or thinks it does any good.

They ignore the data that shows Christianity is growing worldwide. They ignore the data that says atheism is projected to decrease worldwide, as well.

Christianity is exploding in Africa and Asia.

Atheists are white males who don’t like kids, so of course it’s not a segment of society that will ever have a robust population.

Also- atheists get light headed and upset when they sneeze and someone politely says “bless you.” Not the most hardy people, it’s no surprise they are not growing and thriving in the world.

Oh... really? I better explain that to my First Nations, mom of 2 sister in law who is an atheist.

Anonymous wrote:Are all atheists insufferable or does DCUM attract an especially awful set?

DP. I think DCUM’s atheists have nothing else going on in their lives so they can afford to be on here all day whining about a god they don’t believe in.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want people saying things when I sneeze because it’s none of their business.

dcum atheists really salty bc. people are polite you can’t make this stuff up

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Anonymous wrote:30 percent of people explicitly raised as atheists (excluding other unaffiliateds) remain so as adults.


Jews, Catholics, and most flavors of Protestantism have fertility rates ranging from 2 to 2.5. At the low end of the baby-making spectrum you've got atheists, with 1.6 kids, and agnostics, who average only 1.3.

80% of atheists who have a child or children are white.

Not saying your data is wrong, but it is customary to link to a source. Please do so.

If the sample of atheists is younger that is enough to skew the data right there.

Also, none of your points say anything about atheists “not liking” children.

DP -- The info matches some verbiage from this 2015 WaPo article about a Pew study. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/05/12/charted-the-religions-that-make-the-most-babies/

The article also says "...if atheists and agnostics are having so few kids, how are their numbers increasing? The answer is that many of the religiously unaffiliated are not born, but rather made: many Americans are leaving their faiths and not picking up a new one."

NP. The data about how many people raised atheists stay atheist comes from Pew as well: https://www.vox.com/2014/4/28/5659984/only-30-percent-of-kids-raised-as-atheists-stay-that-way-as-adults

It's interesting, even if I'm not totally sure what I think is going on there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of people explicitly raised as atheists (excluding other unaffiliateds) remain so as adults.


Jews, Catholics, and most flavors of Protestantism have fertility rates ranging from 2 to 2.5. At the low end of the baby-making spectrum you've got atheists, with 1.6 kids, and agnostics, who average only 1.3.

80% of atheists who have a child or children are white.

Not saying your data is wrong, but it is customary to link to a source. Please do so.

If the sample of atheists is younger that is enough to skew the data right there.

Also, none of your points say anything about atheists “not liking” children.

DP -- The info matches some verbiage from this 2015 WaPo article about a Pew study. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/05/12/charted-the-religions-that-make-the-most-babies/

The article also says "...if atheists and agnostics are having so few kids, how are their numbers increasing? The answer is that many of the religiously unaffiliated are not born, but rather made: many Americans are leaving their faiths and not picking up a new one."

Anonymous wrote:Are all atheists insufferable or does DCUM attract an especially awful set?

You think this kind of comment makes you look like the good guy?

Are all atheists insufferable or does DCUM attract an especially awful set?