Atheism, part 4: Birth Rates

[PoetPhilosopher]

I was reading Wikipedia and read this:

"Scholars have indicated that global atheism may be in decline due to irreligious countries having the lowest birth rates in the world and religious countries having higher birth rates in general."

Atheism - Wikipedia

Further investigation brought me to this:

"According to Pew's data, the average Mormon can expect to make 3.4 babies in his or her lifetime. 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."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...rted-the-religions-that-make-the-most-babies/

-This makes me think it may be hard to sustain a population of atheists and agnostics, as it currently stands. 1.3-1.6 kids statistically for every 2 people.

Could there be a clear evolutional advantage, I wondered, in such a case, to some people being religious?

I was planning on posting this thread tomorrow, but by that point, I'll probably forget. Or my phone will find a way to delete the links or something.

Anyway, I consider myself back on the search for a dating partner in general, and I'd like to generally meet someone with the same beliefs as me. I can just picture there being a conversation between me and them about the focus of, if even applicable, not having a dozen kids. So I can kind of see where the articles could be right. I also wonder if more LGBT+ people are agnostic/atheist, though I have met some religious ones in my time, too. A lot of LGBT couples, not all, can't conceive.

Anyway, I was reading the article of "Atheism" on Wikipedia, and it brought me to this.

 

[fantome profane]

The few, the bold, the brave.

 

[icehorse]

As I recall, many polls indicate that the percentage of people who are calling themselves non-believers of some stripe is on the rise, so we can hope that offsets the birth rate trends.

Man oh man, 8 billion people is too many, heading towards 11 billion is really scary.

 

[We Never Know]

I was reading Wikipedia and read this:

"Scholars have indicated that global atheism may be in decline due to irreligious countries having the lowest birth rates in the world and religious countries having higher birth rates in general."

Atheism - Wikipedia

Further investigation brought me to this:

View attachment 70261

"According to Pew's data, the average Mormon can expect to make 3.4 babies in his or her lifetime. 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."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...rted-the-religions-that-make-the-most-babies/

-This makes me think it may be hard to sustain a population of atheists and agnostics, as it currently stands. 1.3-1.6 kids statistically for every 2 people.

Could there be a clear evolutional advantage, I wondered, in such a case, to some people being religious?

I was planning on posting this thread tomorrow, but by that point, I'll probably forget. Or my phone will find a way to delete the links or something.

Anyway, I consider myself back on the search for a dating partner in general, and I'd like to generally meet someone with the same beliefs as me. I can just picture there being a conversation where me and them don't have the focus of, if even applicable, having a dozen kids. So I can kind of see where the articles could be right. I also wonder if more LGBT+ people are agnostic/atheist, though I have met some religious ones in my time, too. A lot of LGBT couples, not all, can't conceive.

Anyway, I was reading the article of "Atheism" on Wikipedia, and it brought me to this.

Well when atheist are out numbered (7 to 1?) by religious people, its obivious atheist would have less births compared to religious people. IMO

 

[We Never Know]

As I recall, many polls indicate that the percentage of people who are calling themselves non-believers of some stripe is on the rise, so we can hope that offsets the birth rate trends.

Man oh man, 8 billion people is too many, heading towards 11 billion is really scary.

What is scary is how fast we have gotten to 8 billion. The population 50 years ago was...3.92 billion (1973)

 

[John53]

Atheists are too busy testing for evidence of foreplay.

 

[Heyo]

"According to Pew's data, the average Mormon can expect to make 3.4 babies in his or her lifetime.

And they can expect 2 of those kids being atheists when they are 18.

-This makes me think it may be hard to sustain a population of atheists and agnostics, as it currently stands.

Humans have transcended biology through culture on many levels.

 

[Altfish]

I was reading Wikipedia and read this:

"Scholars have indicated that global atheism may be in decline due to irreligious countries having the lowest birth rates in the world and religious countries having higher birth rates in general."

Atheism - Wikipedia

Further investigation brought me to this:

View attachment 70261

"According to Pew's data, the average Mormon can expect to make 3.4 babies in his or her lifetime. 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."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...rted-the-religions-that-make-the-most-babies/

-This makes me think it may be hard to sustain a population of atheists and agnostics, as it currently stands. 1.3-1.6 kids statistically for every 2 people.

Could there be a clear evolutional advantage, I wondered, in such a case, to some people being religious?

I was planning on posting this thread tomorrow, but by that point, I'll probably forget. Or my phone will find a way to delete the links or something.

Anyway, I consider myself back on the search for a dating partner in general, and I'd like to generally meet someone with the same beliefs as me. I can just picture there being a conversation between me and them about the focus of, if even applicable, not having a dozen kids. So I can kind of see where the articles could be right. I also wonder if more LGBT+ people are agnostic/atheist, though I have met some religious ones in my time, too. A lot of LGBT couples, not all, can't conceive.

Anyway, I was reading the article of "Atheism" on Wikipedia, and it brought me to this.

Atheism tends to be strongest in the most developed nations (US being an exception). Developed nations tend to have a lower birth rate because the 2.4 kids model works.

 

[Heyo]

(US being an exception)

Hmm, ...
It just occurs to me, the US is always an exception when we talk about developed nations. Wouldn't it be easier if we didn't count the US as developed?

 

[Mock Turtle]

Perhaps we won't see the many nations where birth rates are higher tending towards atheism (or at least less religious belief) as Europe and many other countries have tended to do over the last several decades. And if this is so then perhaps we will see less immigration to Europe - a blessing possibly seen by many Europeans - unless such is purely on an economic basis and the religious can live satisfactory lives in more secular countries. But of course then they might have their faith diluted by the nasty secular types. Otherwise, why not just stay at home and enjoy the products of your own religious beliefs and lives? And let the countries that don't want religious domination live their lives.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Perhaps we won't see the many nations where birth rates are higher tending towards atheism (or at least less religious belief) as Europe and many other countries have tended to do over the last several decades. And if this is so then perhaps we will see less immigration to Europe - a blessing possibly seen by many Europeans - unless such is purely on an economic basis and the religious can live satisfactory lives in more secular countries. But of course then they might have their faith diluted by the nasty secular types. Otherwise, why not just stay at home and enjoy the products of your own religious beliefs and lives? And let the countries that don't want religious domination live their lives.

PS And if no one noticed, this was the tiny right-wing voice inside - that often is not completely suppressed in so many of us.