Atheists on the rise in America

[pizzahut451]

alekth said:

pizzahut451 said:

sapphi_snake said:

pizzahut451 said:

Meh, atheists still are (and always will be) a very small minority in the world. Theres always gonna be a lot more relgious people than atheist people, and that puts smile on my face :)

You are aware that there are countries in Europe, where atheist are actually the majority right?

not a single one, except Estonia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eurobarometer_poll.png

For scientific purposes belief in some spiritual force might, in some people, come close to a belief similar to one of the religious ones.

However, from an organized religion standpoint, those people don't believe in one of the religions' gods, or at least not in a way that the respective church requires. Basically, from a church point of view, they are heretics or pagans.

In a social or personal aspect their values do not necessarily overlap with those of a certain religion and they might not accept to share a point of view taught by that church. Which btw can be the case for many who do condier themselves believers and belonging to a church, know a few basic things, go light a candle sometime, get married in a church etc but don't otherwise have any interest in the actual teachings of that church.

but they are not atheist either, since the believe in greater force or spirit, and church has no right to tell people what to believe in. Just because they dont believe in what church says, doesnt always means they dont believe in God or in higher power