It's only sad to discuss if you're religious and you think the extinction will happen. Do you you think this extinction will happen?

If you're non-religious then it isn't sad to discuss. And if you are religious and don't believe the extinction will happen, then it's not sad. 

Yup, the change has been very rapid. There was only one single Christian student in my most recent class. Then the religion course started (where we went through the origins of the Bible and the other major religious scriptures) and that number dropped to zero. At the end of the semester we had a man from some christian association visiting us who went through some of the things that they did. At the end of his presentation he offered us to ask any questions about their association or the Christian faith. My question was: "Can homosexuals go to heaven?", and he proceeded to make the most elaborate explanation I have ever heard to say that they can't unless they "change their minds". The entire class was shocked and started asking lots of questions about how he could have such "ignorant beliefs", etc. Needless to say, their respect for him dropped instantly.


So yeah, a lot of things have happened over here (and globally, of course) since the 70's where it was mandatory for us to pray in school. It's a huge difference from when I was in pre-school and pretty much everyone believed in God.

@badgenome

Context. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

Please stay on topic.

It's sad to discuss either way if you are religious.

I don't think it'll happen in your lifetime nor mine. It might happen sometime, though.

You frame the argument as if science makes religion irrelevant.

It doesn't.

Religion has adapted for millennia to new findings and science. Furthermore, science doesn't disprove that God exists - only that certain aspects of various books are likely allegorical.

Religion will not die out in your generation, not by a long shot. It may lose its majority status in some, maybe even many countries, but that doesn't mean that it will magically die because of science. Why? Because there are still arguments for the existence of God. They aren't scientific, nor should they ever have been. The arguments for God are more of a philosophical nature. Those arguments are likely to always exist, because they do not rely on empiricism.

Now, what will the effect be of religion losing its majority status? You're probably going to see the chaff that makes Christianity (as an example) so buffonish winnow away. When Christianity is no longer popular, the people that still adhere are going to do so because they're doing so out of their own volition, rather than cultural or societal norms. When that happens, it will be interesting to see how people handle the debate on religion - if atheists will simply kill or seek to hinder the religious through the courts, or if there will be civil debate. Either way, it'll be interesting.

For many "Christians", I honestly doubt they will notice. People often overlook that considering oneself a Christian is just as much, if not more, a cultural decision as much as it is one based upon belief in a God. The majority of Christians will simply find other groups to fill this sense of belonging.

As for the more dedicated Christians, they have already experienced a large degree of social isolation, likely more so than atheists. They fail to find support not only outside the church but within their own church as well. Having been stripped of their voice they are beginning to become more hostile.

In America, I believe we see this the most in the Tea Party. Despite how vocal they are, they are a small minority that is forgotten by most. However, the larger concern is those of the Islamic faith. It has nothing to do with the Islamic faith being inherently violent, rather, that the emphasis in Islam is much more on genuine faith rather than the cultural factor. I believe that the aggression we have seen from terrorists is largely a reaction to social isolation from the rest of the world.

huh? The OP never said science makes religion irrelevant. He never even mentioned science.

Well epiphanies are meant to be realisations about oneself, or some fundamental truth. So you need to practice your epiphanising a bit before you launch threads about virtually impossible futures. Aside from the fact that the nonexistance of God or the invalidity of organised religion is merely a matter of belief and opionion, not established fact.

Though I do agree christianity is obsolete and needs to massively diminish in size and influence. Same with islam.

@mrstickball

Firstly I sighted Atheism, Agnosticism, and Deism in my opening remarks. If you aren't aware Deists actually believe in a god just not a interventionist one. My commentary wasn't a argument in favor of Atheism. I just pointed out that organized religion of which Christianity is one is on a marked decline in many areas, and in the fullness of time it may well effectively become extinct, and I asked people what it will be like if and when that happens. Especially for the believers who will be in a decided minority. Who may see their religion coming to a end.

You are way off topic.